Pros and Cons- where to "start" history

[amyrjoy]

Okay, this year was my first year homeschooling. Next year, I will have a second grader and a kindergartner. The main thing I am struggling with is history. A couple things about it:

1. I like tooooo many different options- TOG, Veritas, WP, HOD, and some classical options

2. I am really unsure what to think about most starting those elementary grades with ancient history. I think I know why they do, but it bugs me- I feel like knowledge of American History is a big priority at that age to understand many things about the world they live in.

 

So, is it okay to go with a more classical option and add my own American studies?

 

Do I "trust" the curriculum of such classical studies beginning with ancient/rome/greece and just let it go and do the years how they approach it?

 

I am getting myself all tied up in knots about this..LOL. Because I know there's a cycle to follow with some of the curricula and I don't want to mess it up!! LOL!!!

 

I wanted to get something that I could do with both. This year, we covered some world history (from Core Knowledge) and then TQ Early American history, through mid 1800s. Next year, I wouldn't mind doing a broader study but again, it bugs me if we leave out American History. I like the idea of COTW by Winter Promise. Anyways, I guess I am rambling a bit...any help is much appreciated!!!!!

[Himfirst]

HOD might be your best best. It starts with American History. After, 10 years (and MANY curriculums) is has become my favorite. However, I would also say that your kids are SO young, you really shouldn't worry. You might be just as happy reading short historical books such as the Cornerstone of Freedom books and then if you like, having them draw a picture or do an activity to help retain the info. Start searching yard sales and used book sales for history picture books to line your shelves with. Even my older kids (and myself) have learned a lot from these type books.

 

(I would check out HOD again...I didn't use the earlier guides, but I did use Bigger this year and it has been a breath of fresh air...and quite meatier than it appears)

[Klothos]

Many of the concepts that make American history meaningful will not be really accessible to a child under the age of eight or so, in my opinion, so the fact that classical education waits until the third grade to teach American history works out pretty well. You can teach kids younger than that about American history, but beyond the very basics, the won't be able to apply the concepts very well. Aside from that, there's the issue of context. Imagine that there is an adult with amnesia who has no idea of history whatever, and the first thing you tried to teach that person about was American history. The thought process would go something like this (abbreviating 1 for the person telling the story of history, and 2 for the person with amnesia):

 

1: The pilgrims came from Europe and settled America...

2: Europe? What is that exactly? Why did they leave Europe?

1: Shhh! Let me explain. Where was I? Oh, yes. After a while, colonial Americans decided they wanted to declare their independence from King George --

2: King George?

1: The King of England.

2: England?

1: That's a country in Europe.

2: *mutters something along the lines of, "Wherever that is..."*

 

So in a way, you almost have to teach pre-American history (if only in an incomplete, poor manner) just to give America basic context. Even if you ignore these pragmatic concerns, it cannot be overlooked that America was greatly influenced by neo-classical government, literature, architecture and culture. Our national motto that was inscribed onto the seal of the United States is a quotation from Virgil's Eclogue. It really is that omnipresent in the philosophy of American sovereignty. Ancient history is directly related to the founding of our nation.

 

Public schools do not teach American history in elementary school because they've found it to be the best method of grasping key concepts in history. They teach it because they want to create an unhealthy, underhanded sense of nationalism in young children that develops a collectivist sense of allegiance to the State. This attitude of jingoism is not born out of a sense of real national pride, but a rather hollow substitute for real scholarship and objectiveness. They further inculcate children by introducing as little world history as possible in subsequent grades. For more information about this, read the works of John Dewey and his fellow disciples on public education.

 

Will your child be less patriotic for having not been taught American history before all else? On the contrary, it's very likely he will be more patriotic because he will have realized the greatness of our nation within a greater context of all the tyranny and confict that have come before. Your child will not be one of John Dewey's collectivist pawns; he wil be an individualist, the embodiment of the true American spirit. Denying a child the opportunity to understand context is like trying to teach someone to swim by throwing them in the Great Barrier Reef. Sure, the reef is one of the most dazzling underwater sights, but someone who cannot swim will drown in their own confusion and ineptitude before being able to enjoy it.

Edited March 22, 2010 by Klothos

[Liza Q]

We took an American History first approach and it has worked well. When my oldest two were 6 and 4 I did a year of Beautiful Feet American History. It did not go through the 20th C. but it was enough for my purposes. After that we started with Veritas and used that for five years, then moved into the four year WTM cycle.

 

My next two also learned American History at a youngish age. When they started school I just plugged them into whatever year we were in. So, when my younger daughter was 2nd/3rd and my son was K/1st, we were in Years 3 and 4 of the cycle. Make sense?

[JudoMom]

We're following SOTW and doing the cycles as laid out in the WTM.

 

However, my boys were sooooo drawn to and gleaned so much from the Liberty's Kids DVDs. Those shows prompted lots of interest and questions, so we did (and continue to do) an overview of some of the key events and people in American history through library books. They learned the Presidents through a plastic placemat from Wal-Mart, the states from a wall map, and a have a pretty good grasp (for 7- & 8-year-olds) of the Boston Tea Party, the Louisiana Purchase, the Civil War, and more.

 

All this to say, it's possible to do both without making a formal curriculum choice to do either. As others have pointed out, your children are young. You really can't screw it up at this point :-) Fill their minds with stories of historical events, places, and people. The timeline will make more sense later.

 

I hope this helps.

 

:iagree:

[amyrjoy]

All your comments have been VERY appreciated.....it's interesting to see the perspectives...and helpful to get me to relax about it! LOL!

[Tracy]

I feel a lot like you do about American History. Too bad dd5 loves world history and geography so much more. So we are starting with ancients in the fall. But we have been doing FIAR this year, which has given me many opportunities to talk about American history. I also bring home lots of books from the library, especially around holidays like President's Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Columbus Day, etc. So I feel like she is getting some American History.

 

Tracy

[Scuff]

We did MOH last year, which starts with world history. I noticed that my then-1st grader started mixing things up between what we believe and what she was learning about other cultures. I.E.- one day she was telling me all about reincarnation (which we learned the week before) but was thinking that it was something that really happened and we believed was true. I think her mind was just a bit too concrete still to seperate it all. So, even though I was sold on the 4 cycle history, I think it's best to do a little american and religious history at the start and then break into world history in upper elementary.

[Dmmetler]

The main reason I'm starting with Ancients with my DD (5) once she finishes this school year is that right now she's really into myths, legends, and stories, and most of ancient history IS myths, legends, and stories. The Old testament bible stories she so loves, for example, fit right into an ancients studies, and so will Greek and Roman Mythology. She also loves Asian folktales and stories. And knights. And castles. All in all, it seems like a good time to do Pre-Medieval history! Will she retain it? Maybe not. But I think she'll enjoy it and that she'll pick up on those basic concepts of how people live together, work together, interact, what a map is and so on just as easily through ancient history as for what passes for "social studies" in her current school.

 

American history I just don't see having the same level of interest to her now. This is the child who, after going through Black history month in ps, saw a picture of Malia and Sasha Obama and commented that "I know them! Martin Luther King's their daddy!".

[EKS]

We started with a year of geography and gentle American history in K. It turned out to be an excellent thing to do. The geography helped with being familiar with the location of the events we subsequently studied for history. The overview of American history gives a good foundation to read all of the wonderful children's literature that uses American history as a backdrop before you actually get to it in the history rotation.

[frankcassiesmom]

I say start wherever you want. :) We start with Ancients because I find my kids LOVE love to study Egypt, etc. And it also is VERY heavy in Bible. I have loved slowly working through the Old Testament doing the Ancients (we do TOG). With the madness in the government right now it seems talking about the Constitution, the Senate, etc. in everyday life so they seem to know a lot already. My personal opinion is that I think starting with the Ancients gives them a firm foundation for understanding history. BUT I don't think they'll be harmed one bit if you start with American History :D

[Love2teach0307]

I've just joined this forum and have loved reading all the input from everyone's experiences. We are starting 2nd grade this fall, and I've struggled with history, too. My dd7 did the american symbols unit from core knowledge and we like notebooking other topics as they come up. I've decided to continue our study in American history and start VP for 3rd grade. By then, her writing skills should handle a more structured curriculum and she'll be old enough to really dig in the fun stuff in 4th and 5th grade.

[KrissiK]

I was where you are now last year. (Does that make sense?) I totally felt the same way about American history and I agonized over history for months. I finally decided to start with Am. His. and bought BJU Heritage Studies 1. Now, I'm not sure if it was the curriculum (it was indeed pretty boring, though I supplemented like crazy with History Pockets and other books and stuff) or what, but History was the least favorite subject. At Christmas we switched to SOTW1 and my boys LOVE history. And that's putting it mildly. DS1 (6 yrs old) can't get enough of Ancient Egypt. I've read "Tutahkahamen's Gift" like 100 times since we got it from the library, and my Usborne History of the World gets fought over at rest time. I've heard it said before, younger children love the ancient stuff. Something about it appeals to them. So, that's my 2 cents. I wish I would have started SOTW1 at the beginning of the year.

[peacefully]

.

[Kim in SouthGa]

I usually recommend to new homeschoolers that they do a year of geography first. We used Galloping the Globe (just the geo part) when my kids were that age and it was so much fun. I made up passports and we would pretend to get on an airplane. I found flag stickers and would "stamp" their passport as they got off the plane, asking them if they were visiting for business or pleasure (with the appropriate accent, of course). I had the national anthem for the country playing as they entered (from an online encyclopedia or MS Encarta). Very sweet memories, and they got a good grounding in where places were before we started talking about what happened there.

hth

[amydavis]

I usually recommend to new homeschoolers that they do a year of geography first. We used Galloping the Globe (just the geo part) when my kids were that age and it was so much fun. I made up passports and we would pretend to get on an airplane. I found flag stickers and would "stamp" their passport as they got off the plane, asking them if they were visiting for business or pleasure (with the appropriate accent, of course). I had the national anthem for the country playing as they entered (from an online encyclopedia or MS Encarta). Very sweet memories, and they got a good grounding in where places were before we started talking about what happened there.

hth

 

I like this idea! I think I may steal this one! :D

[Tracy]

I usually recommend to new homeschoolers that they do a year of geography first.

 

:iagree:

 

We are doing K this year, and we have done unit studies for geography/history. DD chooses a country, and I get books from the library, and we learn about that country. I try to tie in important people and events. I think it is a great basis for starting with the ancients next year.

[amyrjoy]

I usually recommend to new homeschoolers that they do a year of geography first. We used Galloping the Globe (just the geo part) when my kids were that age and it was so much fun. I made up passports and we would pretend to get on an airplane. I found flag stickers and would "stamp" their passport as they got off the plane, asking them if they were visiting for business or pleasure (with the appropriate accent, of course). I had the national anthem for the country playing as they entered (from an online encyclopedia or MS Encarta). Very sweet memories, and they got a good grounding in where places were before we started talking about what happened there.

hth

oh great idea....i think that WOULD be a good thing to do to start with...

[Poke Salad Annie]

We are studying geography, world and American history, covering them over the course of a couple of years. We are doing so as we are "behind" in the history rotation, and I wanted an overview of everything leading up to logic stage. So far it is working for us.

[EmeraldGirl]

I usually recommend to new homeschoolers that they do a year of geography first. We used Galloping the Globe (just the geo part) when my kids were that age and it was so much fun. I made up passports and we would pretend to get on an airplane. I found flag stickers and would "stamp" their passport as they got off the plane, asking them if they were visiting for business or pleasure (with the appropriate accent, of course). I had the national anthem for the country playing as they entered (from an online encyclopedia or MS Encarta). Very sweet memories, and they got a good grounding in where places were before we started talking about what happened there.

hth

 

:iagree: We are GtG this year, combining it with the science, literature, etc, suggestions as we desire. We are hoping to do Early American History for Primary Grade by Beautiful Feet next year. BF has a write-up on their website a/b their opinion on why start with Am History first. I can see both sides of opinions so we shall see, as ALL I did for 4 years with my 1st gen of hs'ers was American History that they were so unprepared for World History when we approached it....very sad as I didn't know a/b classical education and rotating history cycles.