Getting back on track when life has thrown you a few curves?

[Christy B]

We started our school year in July, but due to a somewhat unexpected and rather complicated move, it's been really hit-or-miss since October. We've had a few solid weeks, lots of bits and pieces of baby step progress, and then quite a few days that have been a complete wash. The holidays are upon us, things are still not quite settled with moving, and we are all distracted beyond the telling.

 

If both of my girls were in elementary school, it would be very easy to say -- okay, extended holiday break! and get my life, house, sanity in order, and resume in January. However, my older dd is in 9th grade, so there is more pressure to make sure we are staying at least somewhat on track and making reasonable progress.

 

Any suggestions? We've toyed with the idea of her finishing out the school year in a local charter school that would be a good fit for her, but she loves homeschooling and I hate to give up if by February we'd be back on track, you know? I think she'd rather work around the difficulties. Where we are struggling most, of course, are the subjects that are teacher-directed. I've thought of kind of doubling up on some of the other subjects -- assigning larger chunks of work in the subjects that she does independently -- setting the other things aside for a few weeks. She is quite motivated to make homeschooling work, so getting her to do the work should not be a problem.

 

I'm sure I'm not the first person to have experienced a major distraction during the school year -- I'd love to hear your suggestions and ideas on how to deal with "real life" -- maybe give me some hope that we can recover from this set-back, academically.

 

If it helps to know what we are using, here is a list:

 

Life of Fred Advanced Algebra -- she keeps getting stuck and needs help, but I have an adult piano student who has offered to tutor her once a week; I think we'll be able to finish this by the end of the year, no problem.

 

DIVE Biology w/ BJUP Biology 10, BJUP Life Science 7, and a co-op class -- this is working brilliantly, she is completely independent and loves it

 

Literary Lessons from Lord of the Rings -- mostly independent, we do the questions orally but that is not a problem -- we are only a third of the way through the book, though, so I do have concerns about finishing

 

Applications of Grammar (grammar/comp) -- she DESPISES the composition portion, tolerates the grammar portion -- I've considered letting her finish out the grammar portion and then hit composition HARD after the first of the year -- writing is definitely our weakest link

 

Total Health -- loves it, very independent, we are adding video lectures

 

Foundations of Civilization -- very teacher-directed, we are struggling

 

Geography -- have to confess, she's done barely anything, again, because we have Trail Guide to World Geography and it is NOT the least independent. I do have the next-to-most-recent BJU Geography course, I think we may need to switch over to use that, since she could read and answer questions -- she does NOT like that idea, as the textbook seems too overwhelming and dry to her. BUT -- I am quite alarmed that we are halfway through the year and not making any progress! Yikes!! I make myself feel better by thinking of it as a "block schedule".

 

Okay, typing that out I actually feel better -- it's really just the two subjects that are truly suffering. Still, I would LOVE suggestions and tips and I'm sure there are some great ideas out there.

[Margo out of lurking]

Christy, I'm just popping in. I hadn't realized you'd moved; you were in Colorado, right? (I remember that because we moved from Colorado to Virginia two years ago.)

 

I think your current plan and progress is the one to stick with. For all of your upheaval, your dd's subjects continue to move along.

 

There are different ways that we can count high school credit. For me personally, if I were in this situation, I would write out a weekly schedule showing what lessons/chapters MUST be completed so that my school year would wrap up by mid-summer. If there is anything left over, you'd still have some time to finish before the new school year.

 

From what you wrote, your biggest struggle is with history/geography. I would drop geography for the year, find an inexpensive history curriculum to have her finish up--perhaps a textbook, or loosely follow something like Beautiful Feet. (You should be able to find a used BF guide inexpensively and use library books, supplemented with movies.)

 

The writing issue would be my biggest concern. I don't know the background of your move, but I would make every effort to "invest in my weakness," and either pay for a writing curriculum that is a GOOD fit, or get her into a writing class/co-op. Writing would take priority over history at this point.

 

GOOD for her to be motivated. It's difficult to teach a trait like that; it makes history and writing a lot easier!

 

(Wishing we had some type of charter school option in Virigina, if for no other reason than it gives parents a CHOICE.)

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

Oh geeze!:) I could have written your question!

 

We have had constant interruptions since we began in August. And I've got 3 high schoolers, one is a senior. *sigh*

 

This is Friday and we've had ONE good school day this week. Dh has had the flu, I have an UTI and am running fever, kids have each just 'not felt well', trips into town, etc. etc.

 

Some suggestions:

Grammar, literature, and writing are done all four years in high school to some extent. I wouldn't worry about finishing those things by the end of the year. Just keep moving along at what ever pace you can and finish them next year. Or decide to take 2 years to finish the books. :)

 

Can she read the civilizations book alone until January? Are there other materials she can ONLY read for a couple of months? I've discovered that my kids STILL are learning if they only read without assignments!!!

 

Illness and other interruptions happen all the time for homeschoolers. If you think life will settle down by Feb. then don't put her in school. I would rather tweak the expectations and assignments down for a few months.

 

Edited to add:

I just re-read your post. Go ahead and just read through the BJU geography book for a few months. Don't even worry about the questions. Maybe get a book of outline maps and have her do some map work for each chapter. It is better than nothing. :) And, my kids have actually liked that book. :)

 

If the Civilizations is very teacher intensive, then could you go to the library and find some library books on the same topics? I'm not familiar with that book, but I'm sure you could find some library books on the topics you should be studying.

Edited December 4, 2009 by Pam L in Mid Tenn
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[laughing lioness]

Since late Oct we've had a house fire, death of my sis, my dh has had pneumonia, I've had a cyst removed, we've lived in a hotel and we are, today, moving into a leased house and trying to gather things like...everything you'd need to live as 80% of ours was thrown out and the other 20% is smoke damaged. School has been way more miss than hit.

I've had my 9th grader reading, reading, reading. Doing some art work, some writing. that's it, some answering questions re: the reading. We'll re-group after Xmas (oldest dd coming home) and start afresh, thougth we'll probably move again in late spring. So more disruptions to come.

We're going to sign up for 1-3 on-line courses soon, start Bio with a friend. It's the best we can do and I am trusting that the education of my kids is as much in God's hands as ours.

[FloridaLisa]

I second Kristine's post (I don't think that's the first time!).

 

I would drop geography and get a streamlined history program. Possibly a text or a program that she could do more independently if need be. Based on your post, it looks she is doing well on those things she can do independently.

 

I also agree with Kristine about concentrating on writing. I think it's a better investment of your time to work on writing than geography, especially in the 9th grade.

 

HTH,

Lisa

[Cedarmom]

Sounds like in most areas you are fine. Your two struggling areas are writing and history. You could combine the two, but many of the programs that do that are teacher directed so perhaps that may not be your best option. For writing is it that she hates the program or writing in general. I don't think its a good idea to change curriculum frequently, but sometimes we don't know if something isn't a good fit until we try it. Also there are may online writng services availabre,maybe you should check those out. I don't think history is a great concern, if you go at a slow pace it is fine.

[Susan C.]

I would drop the geography if she has had other geography. We did BJU with both kids and liked it, but it is a very full year. A Beka geography is only one semester, if you need to cover it, then I would do that starting after Christmas so you won't be behind. (I can't stand being behind).

 

When life gets crazy here, writing always suffers. I would have her stay with the grammar for now, then in February, switch over to writing.

 

For math, can you drop back a level so she can be independent? If kids need a lot of help every day, that is a red flag that the math might be too hard. Math was ruining our homeschool until I switched programs a month ago (Chalkdust Geometry to BJU Geometry w/dvds). Now dd is completely independent, taught, and all I have to do is grade her tests.

 

HTH and things do eventually settle down! Try to wrap your semester up soon and have a great Christmas, get settled, then all will be well!

[Tammyla]

:iagree:

 

Christy, I'm just popping in. I hadn't realized you'd moved; you were in Colorado, right? (I remember that because we moved from Colorado to Virginia two years ago.)

 

I think your current plan and progress is the one to stick with. For all of your upheaval, your dd's subjects continue to move along.

 

There are different ways that we can count high school credit. For me personally, if I were in this situation, I would write out a weekly schedule showing what lessons/chapters MUST be completed so that my school year would wrap up by mid-summer. If there is anything left over, you'd still have some time to finish before the new school year.

 

From what you wrote, your biggest struggle is with history/geography. I would drop geography for the year, find an inexpensive history curriculum to have her finish up--perhaps a textbook, or loosely follow something like Beautiful Feet. (You should be able to find a used BF guide inexpensively and use library books, supplemented with movies.)

 

The writing issue would be my biggest concern. I don't know the background of your move, but I would make every effort to "invest in my weakness," and either pay for a writing curriculum that is a GOOD fit, or get her into a writing class/co-op. Writing would take priority over history at this point.

 

GOOD for her to be motivated. It's difficult to teach a trait like that; it makes history and writing a lot easier!

 

(Wishing we had some type of charter school option in Virigina, if for no other reason than it gives parents a CHOICE.)

[Christy B]

Thanks so much for the great advice.

 

We did not move from Colorado, actually we just moved about five miles down the road. I can't even wrap my brain around a big move like that!

 

I completely agree that writing is the first priority. The *ONLY* program that dd has responded to is IEW; I really think that the IEW Life Science program would be a perfect fit. Right now, even $30 is out of our budget, but I'm searching for it used, and one way or another, I will have it for the beginning of the next semester.

 

This whole Foundations of Civilizations/History/Geography thing is a disaster. I do have Notgrass World History ready and waiting for next year -- I think it would probably be a good idea to just let her go ahead and start that right away. I have no problem with taking two years for world history, so if she doesn't finish it this year, that would be okay. We watch SO many history documentaries, and take so many historical field trips, I don't worry about justifying a full credit even if she doesn't finish an entire textbook.

 

Thanks again, and my best wishes to all of you who are having less than perfect years, too! At least we are in good company.