Guest lahmeh Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 (edited) I was so in love with CLE's LA but I'v been looking into posts more and REALLY like the looks of several other things. I do know that I don't like CLE's handwriting and now I hear a lot of people add writing. So I'm considering switching and don't know if I'll be covering everything my dd needs (or if I'm overdoing it). Can someone please give me your input? :) My dd is finishing up 1st, starting 2nd real soon. Here is what I am thinking... SP GWG RFH WWE CLE (math) Apologia Truthquest Lots of readers Am I missing phonics? What if I do ETC instead of SP? Do they pretty much teach the same thing? My daughter completed Headsprout and has always been a pretty good reader. Ugh! Help! What are your thoughts? Is this too much? Not enough? Thank you in advance! Edited September 19, 2009 by lahmeh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RecumbentHeart Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 :lurk5: I'm inexperienced and not yet up on all the acronyms so I'm no help. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lahmeh Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 :lol: You know I thought about that after I posted it. Sorry! ;) SP (spelling power) GWG (growing with grammar) RFH (reason for handwriting) WWE (writing with ease) CLE (christian light education) ETC (explode the code) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison in KY Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I was stumped on the spelling power, glad you added that last bit of info in. I think it looks like plenty. I wouldn't worry about phonics, IF your daughter is reading pretty well. All of the spelling rules will help with anything tht she doesn't know. Also, my 2 cents, but I usually do not do formal grammar until 3rd, same for spelling. So, if you want to do all of this, then I'd not start it all in the same day, but slowly get it started and be prepared to stop if it's too much. Best of luck, Alison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annabel Lee Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 People have different thoughts on phonics in 2nd grade, but from my experience I agree w/ SWB. Go ahead and finish up a full phonics program even if the child is reading well. That will prevent the "4th grade slump" when reading material gets harder, words get longer, vocabulary more complicated, etc. They will have the decoding skills under their belt to tackle harder work. Spelling, grammar, penmanship, writing, math, science, history, reading,... looks like a decent load to me. I 2nd the "start slowly" method, adding a couple things in ea. week until you find your limit. Start w/ the most important subjects, and/or ones your dc is already used to having. Then add the others. All the "extras" (non-core subjects) in my signature line get rotated and done in the afternoons as 'tag-ons' to our schoolday - most are done anywhere from 1-2x per week to only 2x/mo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lahmeh Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Thanks for the replies! So would you all consider Explode The Code a full phonics program? If not can you recommend some good ones so I can research them? :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 SP GWG RFH WWE CLE (math) Apologia Truthquest Lots of readers I would probably not do GWG or Apologia, possibly not SP, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lahmeh Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Really? Take those out? Well, I wouldn't mind lightening the load (I have 2 dc) but then why do they make 1st grade levels for GWG and SP? I just feel like if I start them later on with these curriculums we will surely have missed a bunch, no? Won't we have to play "catch up"? I look at some of the signatures on the board and can't BELIEVE how much their children are doing! Kinda makes me feel lazy! :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Really? Take those out? Well, I wouldn't mind lightening the load (I have 2 dc) but then why do they make 1st grade levels for GWG and SP? I just feel like if I start them later on with these curriculums we will surely have missed a bunch, no? Won't we have to play "catch up"? I look at some of the signatures on the board and can't BELIEVE how much their children are doing! Kinda makes me feel lazy! :confused: LOL. You are not the only one! If you look at the samples of first and second grade grammar, you will see that they cover very little. I see no point to spending time on it, unless you are using them for enrichment in memory work and literature, like Queen's Language Lessons or FLL. I would go ahead with WWE considering that you are starting second grade. You could finish out a phonics program instead of doing Spelling Power, then switch to spelling when you are done. Science and History, IMO, is for exposure and enjoyment at this age. I do less than half of a formal program and call it good. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 (edited) SP (spelling power) GWG (growing with grammar) RFH (reason for handwriting) WWE (writing with ease) CLE (christian light education) ETC (explode the code) Spelling Power -- This would be my only reservation for use with a 2nd grader. The author herself recommends NOT using this before third grade/8 years old, no matter how advanced the student. http://www.castlemoyle.com/faqs/readiness.htm For spelling/phonics at a primary (K-2) level, have you looked at All About Spelling (AAS)? Ask here, I think a lot of people with younger students use it. http://www.all-about-spelling.com/spelling-products.html Growing with Grammar -- Assumes a 3-day work schedule for grammar. Sounds good. Reason for Handwriting -- 10-15 minutes a day of "perfecting practice." Again, this sounds fine. Writing With Ease -- I haven't used this yet, but it seems to be very well thought out and put together. CLE LA -- Why? The LA "integrates spelling (which you already have), grammar (which you already have), and penmanship (which you don't like in CLE and already have with RFH) into one easy-to-use course." But it might NOT be easy for you to use if you always feel you have to tweak it, add to it, or subtract from it. Then why get it at all? ETC -- I don't know... for some reason, I just never liked ETC. The artwork? Anyway, I'm an OPG-er at this point. I like picture-less phonics. My thought: Spelling Power + GWG + RFH + WWE + CLE = Quite a bit of writing for a young 2nd grader. Maybe too much? Some of WWE is (I think) oral narration, and you could perhaps do some of GWG orally. You might be able to skip SP and do AAS, or skip spelling instruction for now and finish out a good phonics program. FWIW, I think that early, avid readers do need to "finish out" a complete phonics program. We are using The Ordinary Parent's Guide (OPG), even though my daughter reads well beyond the lessons she has "covered" in the guide. She could read the Encyclopedia Britannica, for all I care -- we are still going to work through a phonics primer. Explicit instruction and repetition help a child learn more about the English language. Besides, as we are going through the lessons, we ocassionally learn that she really DOESN'T know it all ;) -- this is a good reminder to both of us! It humbles her, or me, depending on who's got the bigger chip, LOL! Then, either she learns what she did not know, or I realize how much I have assumed about her. Slow and steady wins the race. So... for Language Arts for a just-starting-2nd grader, I'd do (1) lots of read alouds (you) & reading practice (her), (2) OPG for phonics, (3) WWE/copywork/narration/dictation for writing, (4) FLL or GWG or conversation for grammar, (5) brief daily handwriting practice with whatever program you like, and (6) perhaps a nice set of magnetic letters for hands-on "spelling" -- in other words, let her play with them and ask you, "Mommy, how do I spell __________?" a dozen times a day! http://shop.scholastic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_34048_-1_10001_10004 We keep our set on six metal cookie trays. The trays stack and store neatly. The magnets include upper and lower case letters, along with picture magnets. These may seem a bit basic for a 2nd grader, but they have been well worth the investment for us -- you could get years of learning out of this one set! Kids love to use these to leave messages and spell their own words all over the fridge. HTH! Edited September 20, 2009 by Sahamamama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Why do they make 1st grade levels for GWG and SP? Because someone buys them! :lol: I'm only kidding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyBC Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 LOL. You are not the only one! If you look at the samples of first and second grade grammar, you will see that they cover very little. I see no point to spending time on it, unless you are using them for enrichment in memory work and literature, like Queen's Language Lessons or FLL. I would go ahead with WWE considering that you are starting second grade. You could finish out a phonics program instead of doing Spelling Power, then switch to spelling when you are done. Science and History, IMO, is for exposure and enjoyment at this age. I do less than half of a formal program and call it good. :D :iagree: I would finish up Explode the Code (or another phonics program) and then begin Spelling Power. If CLE has grammar I would not double up. Pitch one. In fact, with all you have listed, CLE seems altogether redundant. BUT... if you really love CLE and the only thing you want to change is the handwriting, you are allowed to do that, other posters' preferences are just that. Do what works for your child and you. :D (Easier said than done, I know only too well.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I believe the OP is dropping CLE LA in favor of these other things. The CLE listing in the post that explains abbreviations is math. Explode the Code has a Teacher's Manual that I have heard may add to the program. They also have an online program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lahmeh Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 That's what I'm trying to decide on...if I'll stick with CLE for LA and just use A Reason for Handwriting instead of their penmanship. Or if I want to just drop CLE for LA all together and piece together my own LA "package". I do plan to stick with CLE for math because it seems perfect for my dc. Of course the LA has taught my dd sooo much in such a short time. I think if I stopped reading posts and researching everything I read about I wouldn't have a problem! lol I'm one of those mom's who has bought and sold almost everything under the sun! Everything just looks so good! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lahmeh Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 (edited) Well, after looking at the Scope and Sequence of AAS I'm sold! :) If I were to buy this for my 2 dc (ds 6 1/2 reads fairly well, dd almost 8 reads well) would I just use this instead of a phonics program like Explode The Code? So for both my dc will this be enough? :001_huh: Wordly Wise (almost forgot vocabulary, at what age should I start?) AAS GWG (maybe) RFH WWE CLE (for math) Apologia Truthquest lots of readers Edited September 20, 2009 by lahmeh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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