Medieval Mom Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 (edited) May I just say that I downsized our 1st grade plans and am terribly happy about it? :) I went from a huge plan (see link below), to this: *Piano lessons: 15 min. First thing in the morning so they get done! *Memory Work: 15 min. *Math: one hour, focusing mostly on arithmetic facts. *Writing: one hour, focusing on penmanship (using Pentime 3), but also including MCP Phonics B and other workbooks and coloring, i.e. bird pages while I read Burgess Bird Book. *Reading: at least one hour. Oral reading followed by independent reading. *Narration: oral narration, following by one sentence copywork or other creative idea from narration game -- roll the die for six options... I believe my original plan may have worked IF my ds was an only child;) But with a 9 mo. baby, I needed ds to work *more* independently (not entirely, obviously). Most of all, I needed a schedule that fit our personalities and goals, and made our days a joy, not a chore. We've all found new happiness, and ds feels that he's actually learning more. I feel that he's learning at his own pace, now that we've given up the tethers of curricula. Artwork, music, science, all gets in almost every day, but on it's own, without being scheduled. Read alouds are such a part our our daily living, that I didn't include it above. We read during the day, at bedtime, and enjoy listening to books while working on art, building with Legos, etc. So, for all of you who voted here http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91221that I was NUTS; you were right! Hah!:lol: THANK YOU ALL!!! Edited August 26, 2009 by Medieval Mom Can't get attachment to attach! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela&4boys Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 May I just say that I downsized our 1st grade plans and am terribly happy about it? :) I went from a huge plan ... Yes you may! Kudos to you! We're starting our 12th year and while I know they *must* do the basics, our dc also need time play and explore. Nearly every year I revisit this idealistic world where my dc are doing 16 subjects and loving it :glare: only to find myself *knowing* that practicality must win out. If I'm to be a helpmeet to my dh, teach three dc, prepare meals, clean house, do the laundry and the shopping... well, you get the idea, then school must be a *part* of my day, not the entire day! It really is a lifestyle and so much natural learning takes place. It sounds like you have embraced that idea and have figured out a great plan! Have a wonderful year with your littles! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjcmehl Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Looks great! You'll have a great year and following your child's lead for other interests is HUGE. When you look back, you will give yourself a pat on the back for this wise decision! We did AO for Year 1 and we didn't finish all the reading (some just went over my DC's head), the few we finished they still talk about. Looking back, we simplified it and did copywork and narrations...which lead the way to us now using WWE and FLL. I just had to chuckle! We also do piano lessons right away in the morning, otherwise it wouldn't get done (and plus baby is less likely to be sleeping then)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medieval Mom Posted August 26, 2009 Author Share Posted August 26, 2009 I just had to chuckle! We also do piano lessons right away in the morning, otherwise it wouldn't get done (and plus baby is less likely to be sleeping then)! Exactly!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medieval Mom Posted August 26, 2009 Author Share Posted August 26, 2009 Thank you both for your kind words and support. This is a wonderful journey of learning-- for both us and our children, isn't it? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 I have one preschooler and one 2nd grader. We're on day 3 of homeschool. And I've also downsized! I knew going in that I was scheduling too much, but I was thinking that maybe by magic or something we'd somehow get an extra 10 hours in our day to get everything done. No extra 10 hours. Last night I downsized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela&4boys Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 This is a wonderful journey of learning-- for both us and our children, isn't it? :) Truly, it is a wonderful journey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 May I just say that I downsized our 1st grade plans and am terribly happy about it? :) I went from a huge plan (see link below), to this: *Piano lessons: 15 min. First thing in the morning so they get done! *Memory Work: 15 min. *Math: one hour, focusing mostly on arithmetic facts. *Writing: one hour, focusing on penmanship (using Pentime 3), but also including MCP Phonics B and other workbooks and coloring, i.e. bird pages while I read Burgess Bird Book. *Reading: at least one hour. Oral reading followed by independent reading. *Narration: oral narration, following by one sentence copywork or other creative idea from narration game -- roll the die for six options... I voted that you were nuts. HA! We have downsized to this: WWE:5-20 minutes, AAS:20-45 minutes, Math: 20-45 minutes Bible: 30 minutes 2x per week, Reading: 30 minutes 3x per week. So about 1/4 of the time that you have scheduled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medieval Mom Posted August 26, 2009 Author Share Posted August 26, 2009 I voted that you were nuts. HA! We have downsized to this: WWE:5-20 minutes, AAS:20-45 minutes, Math: 20-45 minutes Bible: 30 minutes 2x per week, Reading: 30 minutes 3x per week. So about 1/4 of the time that you have scheduled. I remember! And you were right!! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 I posted earlier that I downsized last night, but after today (UGH--today!!!) I realize I need to downsize even more. I can always add stuff back in if we want to later! (today was rough.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommamia Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 I've downsized too. I had a question....are you doing anything for history or science? Those are my biggest problems right now :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medieval Mom Posted August 26, 2009 Author Share Posted August 26, 2009 I posted earlier that I downsized last night, but after today (UGH--today!!!) I realize I need to downsize even more. I can always add stuff back in if we want to later! (today was rough.) I'm sorry today was rough. :grouphug: Good luck downsizing again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Well done!! It takes a big person to make a decision to change their overall plan. You and your DS will have a wonderful year i am sure :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medieval Mom Posted August 26, 2009 Author Share Posted August 26, 2009 I've downsized too. I had a question....are you doing anything for history or science? Those are my biggest problems right now :) My ds LOVES science. That said, we're not following any particular curriculum. We'll read books about science and go on nature walks together. I'm reading the Burgess Bird Book, because ds is an avid birdwatcher, while he colors in Dover bird coloring books. He likes to read (or have read to him) books about animals at bedtime. We watch Nova together. We identify trees, insects, well-- just about anything, when we're out and about, in town or in the woods or at the zoo. We look up answers to his questions on the internet or in books. This is all just impromptu-- unplanned. I have a space in my weekly planner for "Nature Walks/Science" and I just jot down what we did. For history, I set my ancients studies books aside, and decided to follow my own history cycle, based on the plan in OFE. Again, I have nothing "scheduled", as in "Read 2 chapters from Xy and z this week." I made 12 monster booklists for grades 1 through 12 incorporating books from Ambleside, OFE, SOTW, WTM and many others, organized according to the history we're reading about that year. The booklists also include all our other reading for the year, somewhat like a graded Robinson Curriculum. I have listed "Nature Stories", Science and Math, Historical Lit, History and Geography, Guidance, Classics, Fiction, and a long list of extras. I place an asterisk next to the books that I consider most important to cover that year. These are the books ds will read during "reading time" during the day. Of course, I'll continue to read books aloud-- but after I did a lot of research, many sources agreed that the child learns best by learning by himself. This was hard for me to accept at first, but now I believe it is true! This year, we'll do an overview of American History, next year an overview of World History (with CHOW), then we'll start a 5 year history rotation. Clear as mud? So, for example, this week we listened to a Librivox recording of part of This Country of Ours while we did artwork. I have an Eggleston book on Interlibrary Loan for ds. (He's currently reading Charlotte's Web independently and McGuffey & poetry to me aloud.) I read the Burgess Bird Book (a couple of chapters) to him while he colored in bird pictures. Then we looked up the sound of the various birds on a bird call CD we have. I know it sounds like a lot, but what we're doing isn't SCHEDULED into our 3R plan. It's all joyfully extra. Hmmm... Does this make any sense? I'm terribly sleep deprived, and realize my ability to write well is severely impaired. Ah well!:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reya Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Our kids are almost the exact same age! (Except my second is a DD--10mo.) Depending on your DS's reading level, you can fold part of science and history into reading. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 I have been seriously considering going back to Accelerated Achievement. (Robinson) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medieval Mom Posted August 27, 2009 Author Share Posted August 27, 2009 Our kids are almost the exact same age! (Except my second is a DD--10mo.) Depending on your DS's reading level, you can fold part of science and history into reading. :-) Yes, thank you! That's what I wanted to write but for some reason could not do so succinctly. :confused:;) Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medieval Mom Posted August 27, 2009 Author Share Posted August 27, 2009 I have been seriously considering going back to Accelerated Achievement. (Robinson) You tried Accelerated Achievement? How did you like it? Did you try Robinson, too? (Am I hijacking my own thread?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 You tried Accelerated Achievement? How did you like it? Did you try Robinson, too? (Am I hijacking my own thread?) LOL! We used it for K when DD was 3. Then I found these boards and got sucked in to the grass is greener syndrome, but we have pulled a few things out of it since then and I am thinking it might be best for me to use it as my base. DD is very visual, so for this young age we really like colorful picture books though. She has really enjoyed the books in our science and history... I just can't stick to my end of the deal. Everything is too teacher intensive. I am also finding that she is less hands-on than I previously thought, so that aspect isn't needed so much. I didn't try Robinson, but I have heard that it is basically the same, but not updated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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