[New to Homeschooling...]

I really love the idea of notebooking. It appeals to the artist and the writer in me.

 

DS10, on the other hand, is convinced he is a "terrible" artist and it's always a battle to have him draw a picture for me, any kind of picture. We really have to work on this. I hate that he is so self-critical already!!

 

And, as far as writing goes... well, let's just say he'd rather scrub all the toilets in the house than have to write a single paragraph about anything. However, I am going through the teacher portion of IEW's TWSS, and have tried some simple key word outlines with history. Again, I am using a couple of different spine books (Usborne, Kingfisher encyclopedias of history) plus MH (covering the ancient civilizations up to and coinciding with the Ancient Egyptians and Ancient Greeks, as we will be studying those people groups more in depth next year).

 

So, what I do is write a simple paragraph myself the day before to capture the highlights, then have him outline it and rewrite it (after he has already read through all the original sources and other books we have here on the topic). Does that make sense?

 

I think it has helped... he's learning great writing skills, and we 're knocking out history at the same time. But today, when he saw me bring out a paragraph I'd already typed up, he almost started crying. I guess doing this every day was a bit much!! So, I just had him rewrite this one (no outlining or anything), and called it copywork.

 

So, for those of you who use notebooking regularly, did you have any push back from your boys (or girls) over having to draw and/or write? How did you get them past that? I want notebooking to be enjoyable, not drudgery!!

[New to Homeschooling...]

And feeling completely overwhelmed!

 

We just started in March. DS10 is in 4th grade. We will continue this through middle school, possibly beyond, but taking it one year at a time, for now.

 

I read through many posts, and wow. I thought I was figuring this out, but... clearly, I have a lot to learn.

 

 

Here's a situation I struggle with: transitioning from one subject to another.

Sometimes I feel like our day is so stilted. It's math. OK, put that away, now it's time for grammar. Now it's time for spelling. Now it's time for science.

 

Some days it feels so disjointed. How do you handle it?

 

Another issue: How do you incorporate notebooking? OK, that is a really broad question, so let me be more specific.

 

Right now, for science, we are wanting to read about dinosaurs. DS has never gotten to do a dinosaur unit in school, so I thought I'd finish our year by reading real books and notebooking. But, oh my, how do I do this? How do I know he is really learning anything of significance? How do you read through real books? Do you just sit together and look through it? Do you plan ahead what he is going to learn and, therefore, look through the books first, without him, to determine the week's reading schedule?

 

Ack! Help!

[My introduction]

Hi everyone,

 

I am new -- really new!! -- to homeschooling. I pulled my DS10 out of school right before spring break of this year, and we are planning to stick with this through middle school, possibly beyond... but, right now, I'm just taking it one year at a time.

 

:001_smile:

 

I am under the Wall Highway Christian Academy cover.

 

My son is a 4th grader.

 

I also have a child in college already, and one in high school, who does not want to have anything to do with homeschooling, although I would LOVE to homeschool her, as well. Oh, well ... Maybe I'll win her over this summer. (Not likely, but hope springs eternal.)