For those of you who do Seton reading, do you think that many book reports, at the length they require, is appropriate for 4th and 5th grade? I had the opportunity to look over both reading and English lesson plans. I am definitely missing out on paragraph writing instruction in English. But I am a little nervous that my DD will not do well at all with the book reports. It's a LOT of work.

This is exactly what I am thinking about doing. It's the history that primarily keeps me from wanting to do full enrollment, plus we prefer All About Spelling, and the science just seem ok. We are only about 6 weeks into the year so I think I am going to do it now. I am actually looking over a friend's lesson plans this afternoon to get an idea of the work load and specific material.

My daughter has a terrible time focusing so we starting splitting the lessons into 25 minutes in the morning and 25 minutes in the afternoon. It really helps. It's totally independent IF she will sit, focus, and work. I soooo wish we'd switched sooner!

Thanks you both for your well thought out and detailed responses! I am really thinking I need to scrape together the money to enroll. And if not, I am definitely enrolling for the 5th grade!

Thanks!!!

We've been using WWE workbooks. We are almost to level 3. I am wondering if there is additional information in The Complete Writer on how to teach writing, or if it's just an outline on designing your own program. I'm not confident enough to create my own, hence buying the workbooks. Thanks!

Seton English is the only program I have used consistently, without change, since my daughter was in first grade. She is now in fourth. She really enjoys seton English but since we do not fully enroll in Seton I am wondering if I am missing out on some extra writing or other activities. Do you think teaching without the lesson plans is leaving gaps or missing opportunities for practice? I've only recently learned that the lesson plans contain additional activities whereas I thought they nearly gave the teacher tips on teaching the lesson. I am wondering if we would be better served by a different program, or if I should just fully enroll.

We struggled through with MM for two years, and tried TT, and finally ditched them for CLE this year and man do I wish I'd dine it sooner. It's wonderful. Math will probably never be easy for my DD because she just doesn't enjoy it, but she finally GETS it!!! We started with CLE 306 even though we finished MM level 3 because I didn't feel like she really learned anything and failed most of her MM tests, and she is getting all A's now.

No, I have several of her lectures, but I didn't know there was one on this topic. Thanks!

I absolutely love the homework idea and I wish I'd thought if it sooner!!! It will take her a while to get used to it, and I know there will be wailing and whining the first few times she does it, but I need to just enforce it and walk away. I've lectured and informed over and over that, when she drags her feet she's giving up free time, but this is way more concrete, AND doesn't force ME to lose my whole day to school. Thank you!

I'm experimenting more with this this year. I think I may allow her to choose MWF and I will choose Tues and Thurs. The only problem with her doing it is that she's always been a enjoy-now-suffer-later kid. She ordered the subjects yesterday from most favorite to most hated, so by the end of the day every activity was less enjoyable than the last. BUT I so think it's a good lesson.I'm more of a get-math-out-of-the-way person.

Thanks, ladies. I guess I am worried that, instead of heading in a direction that will allow her to be independent, self motivated, and disciplined, I am poking, nagging, prodding, and reminding so often that she isn't learning any of those skills. I am about at my wits-end. She does actually enjoy most of what we do, but that doesn't stop her from complaining, sulking, and ughing consistently throughout the day. I feel more like a warden than a teacher or mother.

I guess I've retained just enough Charotte Mason philosophy to know that was her goal, but not sure how to implement it, lol

We only took off 5 weeks and my DD forgot all her multiplication facts!

Good evening! I am sitting here, reflect on our first day of fourth grade, and on the previous 4 years of homeschooling, and wondering how to help my daughter take an active role in her own education. Whatever way that is, I think I am failing. I do accept input from her on which materials to use, absolutely. And I have been experimenting with letting her choose subject order. But given the option, she would learn nothing at all and just play all day (ok, ok, maybe most 4th graders would, probably not unusaual). Its a real chore to get her to complete her work without nagging. If I leave the room to use the bathroom or put in laundry, she completely stops working. There is just zero internal motivation to get anything done, no stake in her own learning. I've been parenting experts say, if your kids don't do their homework, let them reap the consequences at school, but that doesn't really work for a homeschooled kid. I am really working at getting her to be more independent this year, working more without me over her shoulder, and just stepping back and not micromanaging the day. So what have you done to foster a sense of personal responsibility and internal desire to succeed in their education?