First post here 🙂 I'll preface with both DS 6 and I are autistic. DS is more of a sensory seeking, clothing freakout, overwhelmed easily type. I like quiet and researching and noise gets to me fast. We are a pair! And we have my DD 3 running around wreaking havoc. We do "formal" work Tuesday/Thursday/Friday because I'm in school Mon/Wed. I want to get a plan together for next year and the ending part of this year because we hit a handful of snags and can't seem to get back into a groove. Currently: McRuffy Language Arts 1, we started this late and it's working well for us, I don't do all the workbook things because some is busy work and he hates that. Math is a mash up with some problems from Primary, some from math mammoth, and others from some teachers pay teachers pages. The thing with math is he will not play games, or use manipulatives, and he WILL NOT look at the actual book - I have to copy the problems to a whiteboard or into a plain notebook. I pushed too hard with math in the beginning because he was loving it and breezing through math mammoth and then there was just one day where he crashed and now the idea of a workbook makes him slither to the floor. Now, I'm ok with taking time off from math but he isn't! He wants to do math everyday and learn more but it would be so much easier if I could show him the pages! So I was considering starting MEP and getting him gently into math and maybe getting miquon with the rods? I want him to back up and find the fun again and at the same time make sure he has a firm grasp on the basics. Next year - I don't think we can do second grade McRuffy LA because the books get much longer and he is going to panic so I'm eyeing Reading Street or and then just planning on a ton of readers and library books. Any experience with Reading Street? Basically I want to read aloud and have guidance with the critical thinking type questions. Math - Horizons, MEP, or MCP, Science - probably nancy larson 1 History - SoTW read aloud and the Maps/Maps Activity Book Writing - this is where I have absolutely no idea. He hates to write so I want something that will spark his creativity... like a story starter but one that doesn't look overwhelming...writeshop? I need to get a strong idea of what next year will look like because there's a very good chance I will be in a PA program and won't be able to plan and prep once that begins.

Hello! I'm sure this has been addressed before but with the forum indexing still ongoing, I've not been able to find this in the Forum or through the Google Search instructions. My daughter will be entering 1st grade in August and this will be the first year we pursue the classical approach so I'm trying to get a big jump start on planning, purchasing materials, etc. In the Well Trained Mind, under Reading Skills three levels are mentioned: Instructional, At Level, and Below Level. These make sense to me, but I'm puzzled as to what exactly "instructional" readings would be. We are using the Ordinary Parents Guide to Reading for Phonics. At the end of the chapter on Grammar Stage Reading there are a lot of suggestions as to at level and below level books ("Click Clack Moo", The Frances series, etc.) but nothing regarding instruction other than Phonics. If someone here could either point me to a previous post about this or give me a hint as to what "instructional level" reading would be and/or recommend specific titles, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!

I am working on plans for my DD who will be starting 1st grade soon. I am planning on using Memoria Press for a lot of it. However, I am questioning if I should add WWE 1 and FLL1. I really liked using those with my older kids and am questioning if there is enough of that covered in MP curriculum. I am also wondering if the overall load is to much. Take a look and at what I am planning and give me your honest opinions. Thanks! WW1 FLL1 Memoria Press Phonics and new Traditional spelling MP Lit (1st grade level) MP copybook MP recitations MP enrichment/ crafts Rod and Staff math 1 SOTW 1 Behold and See 1 (science)

Dear All, Want to know which course everyone is following for afterschooling 6 year old: Math -- Spelling -- Writing --

I am trying to decide which handwriting curriculum to use for my DS (6) for first grade next year. I have not been impressed with A reason for Handwriting this year and can't decide between Zaner-Bloser or HWOT. Any preferences or suggestions? I am a first time homeschooler living overseas so buying multiple things is not an option if something doesn't work out. Please help...

Any advice here for teaching history to a child who gets bored by lengthy readings? SOTW is wonderfully written but it's just not working that well for DS right now. Also some of the events, names and peoples just go over his head. So what I've done is focus on one major civilization at a time (Egypt, Greece, etc.), learning about its map location, history, mythology, famous people, daily life, architecture, etc. I mention how certain events tie these societies together (e.g. war, conquest, trade) and plan on covering other peoples after that's done. I also plan on compiling timelines to show how everything flows as a story. But how do you do it? I can't imagine spending 60-90 min. on history each time. It's more like 20 min. of discussion. DS likes learning about daily life (especially when involving children) and myths the most. Also is it okay to slow down and spend some time on ancient history in 2nd grade (instead of moving on to the Middle Ages) for better coverage? I'm also planning on introducing human geography in 2nd grade, at the same time we'll study physical geography as part of science.

Well, it's been a long time since I've been here! Good to be back. Our 2 oldest have graduated, married (both this summer!!) & now we've got littles to educate ;0) 1 year old, (new) 6 year old & 8 year old. I'm thinking about doing a semester more of kindy w/ the 6 yob & starting 1st in January. 8yog is solid third although math always needs more help! Has anyone tried to combine this many different styles?? The notebooking/narration part of the classical approach using SOTW that we did with our older ones is very similar to Waldorf's (somewhat) unit study approach to Main Lesson Books, although my brain needs workbooks for spelling, most of math, & handwriting (sorry about that sentence, not even gonna correct it bc it's too late at night)! We'll be on SOTW book 3 this fall but I really would love to encorporate the Waldorf studies of gardens, shelters, fiber arts & Native Americans. Any ideas welcome! Shannon mama to 5 ages 1-22, homeschool mama since 2002 instagram mamaj41