When you don't really go by a grade...

[dmrranch]

Something just occurred to me. In TWTM, there are references for children starting this approach to use materials for whatever grade they are currently. Well, I've been homeschooling for 4 years. I now usually think of my children by their age more than grade unless we are somewhere that we are asked, like church, and then I give the grade they would be in if they were in public school.

 

But, in picking out curriculum, it makes it a little more difficult for me because we have been using SL and CM type materials that really do not have "grades" the whole time.

 

So, when I'm reading the recommendations, I'm looking at what she indicates they will be learning in each "grade" and placing my child accordingly.

 

Any thoughts??

 

Anyway, correct me if I'm wrong, but when she refers to children "starting in the middle", and using the same grade materials

[Melissa in Australia]

I go by age instead of grades as well. I do this for 2 reasons.

the first one is that ht American grades don't really match up to Australian ones.

the second reason is my children are all over the place. when they finish one book, they move straight into the next one. which means they are about 2 years ahead in things like science, and about where they should be fir math, and a little behind for grammar.

[Moni]

we are somewhere that we are asked, like church, and then I give the grade they would be in if they were in public school. Any thoughts??

 

 

This is what most folks do.

:seeya:

[phathui5]

For math and reading, I buy curriculum for the level they're on, not the grade they're in.

 

For history and science, we go through the four year cycle, and I don't think grades really apply to that.

[Night Elf]

So, when I'm reading the recommendations, I'm looking at what she indicates they will be learning in each "grade" and placing my child accordingly.

 

I am not exactly sure what you are asking though I've reread your post several times. I think the WTM details instructions for students starting out in different grade levels. I see that covered in the different topics within language arts and history. I understand WTM suggests doing the science that matches the history period. So if you're starting a 6th grader in the Ancients, he would study biology in science. But if you're starting that 6th grader in medieval times, he would study astronomy and earth science.

 

Does that help or am I totally misunderstanding your question?

[dmrranch]

Sorry. I was so tired. Should have waited to post. In reference to TWTM, you are told to use whatever grade level you are for transitioning into WTM philosophies and that is my point. When you homeschool like we say we have been above, you really have to think through what grade level you think you've been teaching on...not what grade they would be in ps.

 

Now, history is spelled out...well, it is all spelled out. It's just stopping to think about what "grade" to use especially with Spelling, Grammar, Writing.

 

I guess I was mainly seeing if there was insight on how you handle this other than comparing table of contents. And, like I said in my original post, TWTM is specific in saying what skills are taught in each grade. So, I look at that, also.

 

Thanks for the reassurance in the other posts. I think church is the only place I'm questioned about what grade the kids are in so they'll know what group to put them with.

[lionfamily1999]

I think you'd have to assign a grade. If you're dcs have never done grammar work, then start with FLL 1, if they've had some experience, but you aren't too sure where to put them (and they're older 3/5th grade ages), then (imo) I'd go with FLL 3, I'm learning things in that book at the same time I teach them to ds :) Whatever level you do for grammar, use the same level in Writing with Ease (if only because the material matches up).

 

Spelling.... I'd go with grade/age level, if only because I'm starting to think spelling is a horrendous waste of time. But then, I don't like spelling :)

[dmrranch]

Just wanted to say that I guess I was really just making a comment after what I've been "through". I've made decisions on where to start after reading TWTM, comparing, etc. Wondered if anyone felt the same way.:grouphug:Transitioning is tricky! Thankfully, it isn't too much of a "jump" because we've been using SL, then CM.

[Ellie]

I just usually tried to figure out what grade my dc would be in if they were in school, according to their birthdays (May) and the cut-off date in my state (Dec. 2): 6 in first, 7 in second, 8 in third, and so on. It's not the best way of deciding what is age-appropriate; I wonder if SWB's publisher required that? (I thought I had read somewhere that the publisher wanted SWB to make some changes like that.) Otherwise, like you, I never thought of my dc as grade levels but as ages.

[Night Elf]

Maybe because I've been homeschooling for 8 years and have used grade materials before that I'm not bothered by trying to fit them into curriculum. In fact, I find the grade level materials to be easiest to transition into because they are very structured. Math is very easy because many curriculums offer placement tests. Grammar is fairly easy because there are some placement tests, and because this board exists. I've seen lots of people post to ask questions about where to place their children in various materials. My trouble has been finding a happy learning place for dictation, narration, outlining, summarizing, and note-taking because they aren't taught by textbooks. For those, I've been working backwards starting with the skills listed by grade levels in WTM. I'm not going to stress out about where my kids place though. They are where they are, and we need to climb the first step before we can climb the second one. :)

[Crimson Wife]

If you're dcs have never done grammar work, then start with FLL 1, if they've had some experience, but you aren't too sure where to put them (and they're older 3/5th grade ages), then (imo) I'd go with FLL 3

 

I'll have to respectfully disagree. SWB designed FLL 3 to be an intro level course for an older beginner. All the parts of speech taught in FLL 1/2 are reviewed in FLL 3 at a faster and IMHO more appropriate pace for an older child.

 

I had to majorly compact FLL 1/2 for my oldest and wish FLL 3 had been around at the time so I could've started her in that.

[dmrranch]

Yes, the board has been very helpful! That is what helped me in my decisions. No stress here... Just commenting that the biggest hurdles involved English and Writing when you haven't been using graded texts:)

[MerryAtHope]

unless we are somewhere that we are asked, like church, and then I give the grade they would be in if they were in public school.

 

 

That's what I always do--"grade" is basically just another way of thinking about their age. I mostly use grade-range type materials too! So I understand how placement can be difficult when you are looking at another program. Sometimes I just make the best guess I can, I think your idea to look at the TOC & scope/sequence info is a good idea.

 

Merry :-)