rafiki Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 How do you balance a Wiggly Willy and a Perfect Paula? Mine are the same age. No wonder it's hard to to do school stuff with them both at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I love Cathy Duffy's book. I would suggest that any new hs parent read it. Not because I follow her recommendations, but because it got me thinking outside of my box and showed me that there was another way to hs rather than school at home. Also, it gave me a springboard into what types of curriculum to look towards. From there I had more confidence and a general understanding to go out and investigate and find the right choices for me. Great book to start with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crl Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I am a Perfect Paula and my DD is a Social Sue. No wonder we can't agree on a schooling method! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in the Country Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Hmm, going by her descriptions, I'm a Competent Carl. DD9 is a Sociable Sue and DS5 is a Perfect Paula. I have no idea how knowing that helps me though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted August 27, 2009 Author Share Posted August 27, 2009 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I'm a Competent Carl and Ariel is a Sociable Sue with some Wiggly Willy. Most of the picks she recommends are accurate, IME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted August 27, 2009 Author Share Posted August 27, 2009 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I was not able to figure out my dc's learning styles from Cathy's book. We managed to homeschool, anyway.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I am so glad I read that book! I have a Perfect Paula, a Competent Carl, and 2 Wiggly Willies. I haven't implemented enough of it yet, but we will bit by bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieMonster Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 let's just say I can't imagine teaching them all with the same material and at the same time... This is not the way it works for me. I've read the books, albeit a while back now, and I've found that it helps me to modify the curriculum I have. I could see situations where a whole new curriuclum would be in order, but I think I just mostly change the curriculum to fit the child. Small things in within lessons, small changes in approach, little things to reach a child where they're at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I'm one that didn't care for this book. A lot of what I've read about learning styles seems too simplified for me, and maybe too much like "educationese" type of nonsense that is in the typical elementary classroom. My son is a "wiggly willy", but he learns well by reading, writing and listening. Incorporating lots of hands-on doesn't seem to result in greater learning. I'd be interested in reading a more updated version of her book because I do like her curriculum reviews, but unlike some I haven't felt that the book is a must-have or that it helped at all in choosing curriculum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne J Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I must say that I agree with the above poster, in that I tend not to put too much weight on "learning styles", however, understanding Competant Carl aspects of my son's personality has helped me in picking my battles. I envisioned days of crafts and projects for the sheer joy of it, while my son looks at me and flat out refuses. We could either butt heads over it, or I could understand that to him it wasn't fun, nor was it productive. So, I minimize crafts and projects to those that truly teach something (I think we all know that some crafts are just diversions...;)) and he agrees to put up with what I've decided is important enough to keep. That understanding of our differences has helped keep things smoother around here. But I don't like the concept that people can be just plopped into a category and "explained". He is way more complex than just one catergory, as are all people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inactive Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 *WHICH* Cathy Duffy book are we talking about?? :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted August 27, 2009 Author Share Posted August 27, 2009 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted August 27, 2009 Author Share Posted August 27, 2009 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inactive Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 It was on the second link in my original thread. The second link is to Cathy Duffy Reviews homepage... Is it "100 Top Pick for Homeschool Curriculum"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted August 27, 2009 Author Share Posted August 27, 2009 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa in the UP of MI Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I'm a Perfect Paula. Oldest dd is a Sociable Sue with some Wiggly Willy added in. DS seems to be a Competant Carl. I don't know what my youngest is yet but I'm betting that she's not a Perfect Paula. I've definitely had to break out of my comfort zone to teach oldest dd but I've learned a lot in the process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wee Pip Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I have trouble "placing" us. Me: in high school, I loved independent learning (I studied whatever interested me - ancient civs, victorian literature, whatever struck my fancy). I also loved delving into projects: I liked to do big, involved projects that taught about the subject. I loved talking or writing about whatever subject I had delved into. I guess that made me a Competent Carl? I always imagined I'd teach this way, but gave up long ago (it's exhausting! lol!) My 8yo: does not want to work on school: she's more interested in playing & domestic stuff. She'd rather cook dinner or help dh stack wood then do school. She stopped liking computer games when she had to think harder (but this started off as a great resource). She only likes to write when it enables her to be the "boss" in our household & organize things (like make a to-do list or dinner planning - she's a bossy big sis, lol). I find it hard to interest or motivate her. She likes me to sit beside her and keep her on task (or watch her do her work). She likes her schoolwork in a certain order and it cannot leave that order. I experimented a lot in K-2nd, but didn't get a lot of insight into how she learns best. I ended up just giving her workbooks & then making her do it (and this worked best). Is she wiggly willy, sociable sue, or...? Perfect Paula doesn't exactly fit because she writes very sloppy & doesn't want to put a whole lot of effort in (I tend to think of PP as being very driven to succeed, and she is not). She has told me that she likes science experiments (so I guess this would be hands-on?), and seems to like recording the response (as long as it doesn't involve too much writing, lol!) I always pegged her as a sociable sue, but maybe she is wiggly willy? She's always been sort of auditory, but needs that auditory combined with visual or hands-on. She typically hates math manipulatives, but I think she needs then (she just rejects using them). Ok, so now I'm starting to really wonder...I'm not sure the wiggly willy fits either, but maybe I should give it another try? She's not very "wiggly"; she tends to like activities that aren't very physical, lol. My 6yo: probably more of a Perfect Paula, I guess? She's not concerned with getting the right answer, she just likes filling in the blanks:) She's always trying to keep up with big sis in school. She HATES science experiments, though:) She'd rather read herself (she doesn't seem to like listening either). Is there a way I can narrow this down a bit, esp for my 8yo? Can a wiggly willy not like to be physical? Is it possible that none of the 4 categories fit for some people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori in MS Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I am Perfect Paula and I have one of each of the 4 types. I use the same curriculum for all of them. So far it works. I do know that my Competant Carl hates hands on activities that take a lot of time (lapbooks, etc. ) He wants to learn it quickly and be done with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wee Pip Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Ok, now that I re-read what I'd written... I think 8yo dd is a Sociable Sue. But I don't think the Cathy Duffy suggestions worked for her. Any co-operative or craft type activities she would insist on having input in (must choose the writing topic, or must make the craft the way she wants it) and then it would morph into a project that had nothing to do with what we were setting out to accomplish, or something that had absolutely no academic value whatsoever. I finally got so frustrated that I called all the shots. Guess that is the CC in me that we needed to actually accomplish something:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I'm a Perfect Paula... DD7 is Perfect Paula DS6 is Wiggly Willy DD4 is Social Sue DD1 is probably Social Sue also You have got to be kidding me...all in one house too...:glare: We should have our own reality show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Well I seem to be a mix of CC, PP and SS. My ds5 is ww and ss. My ds 3 from what I can tell is going to be a ww cc. So I guess I'll use ss curricula with my oldest and cc with the youngest since those I can relate to and not the ww. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetbaby Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 I have a Perfect Paula, a Competent Carl, and 2 Wiggly Willies. Me too! I'm a Wiggly Willie myself or a Wiggly Wilma.:D Still trying to figure out the youngest but I think she's going to be a Competent Carla. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyJudyJudy Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 I'm one that didn't care for this book. A lot of what I've read about learning styles seems too simplified for me, and maybe too much like "educationese" type of nonsense that is in the typical elementary classroom. My son is a "wiggly willy", but he learns well by reading, writing and listening. Incorporating lots of hands-on doesn't seem to result in greater learning. I'd be interested in reading a more updated version of her book because I do like her curriculum reviews, but unlike some I haven't felt that the book is a must-have or that it helped at all in choosing curriculum. I haven't read this book of Cathy's (I do like reading her reviews), but I agree with this post. Neither ds nor I fit neatly into any little box (both of us overlap between Perfect Paula and Competent Carl), and I'd prefer not to try to squeeze either of us into a neat little box. As a classroom teacher (or in classes prior to teaching), I had to take courses related to learning styles, and I do think it's necessary to understand that there are different learning styles and to try to teach to all of them; however, I think we can limit our kids if we try to make them fit into just one particular learning style. Working one on one with ds, it's easy enough for me to figure out what works and what doesn't; I don't need to put him into a box to figure that out. Having said that, since it's obviously helpful to some, I'm glad the book is available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meet me in paris Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 How do you balance a Wiggly Willy and a Perfect Paula? Mine are the same age. No wonder it's hard to to do school stuff with them both at the same time. I've got one of each, too. I finally split them up this year and quit trying to do the same things with both. Things are *much* better. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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