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Narration and text books....


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My dd is going into 6th grade. Her grades in elementary school have been fine, but she could really use some study skill help. Also, she is entering the Logic stage but has not really had to use any reasoning. She is now doing her first research project/5 paragraph essay and could use some help. I am thinking of using narrations with her as a studying tool for her first few science or ss tests next year. Does this sound right and/or doable to you?

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I will share with you my experience in hope that you can gain something from it.

 

Dd10 will enter 5th grade in the fall. In the past, she has been expected to write school reports which I found beyond her skill level...how does a 2nd grader write a 5 paragraph essay on her favorite person? I pretty much had to coach her through the whole thing each time, teaching her writing skills that were completely foreign. Very frustrating and disheartening! SWB's approach to writing resonates with me. Now it makes perfect sense why dd couldn't do the tasked writing assignments. Because there are so many other things I have wanted to supplement, however, writing was always but on the back burner since does she excels in Language Arts.

 

Now that she's headed for the Intermediate School, I felt I needed to revisit the subject again. We've been working through MCT Island Level for a little while now. We will move quickly through this beginning level and solidify the basics. Because this program appeals to my dd's LA side, I feel we could continue with it during the school year with some facility. I hesitate to incorporate a separate writing program since we'll get there with MCT in the near future. I do own the WWE Strong Fundamentals, which gives the general overview, and I plan to incorporate the strategies in tandem with MCT for now. We're also doing narration via STOW and science reading. I think this will give us a good start.

 

You may want to give a listen to SWB's writing mp3's and see if they will lead you in the right direction. I haven't listened to them personally but I'm planning to very soon since there has been so much positive feedback from others who have.

 

I have come to realize that some children have to be taught pretty much everything, study and reasoning skills included!!! For sure my dd can use some help in critical thinking ability. I thought this would be an intuitive thing but alas it is not so for her. So, teach it I must.

 

HTH! All the best.

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Your post sounds familiar! :tongue_smilie:

We started Building Thinking Skills a few months ago. We are working through it very slowly so that it remains fun.

I recently borrowed the WWE hardcover book from my homeschooling BFF. I also will be downloading the lecture series! I am planning on WWE level 2 for my 2nd grade son and possibly MCT for both kids.

Please keep me updated on how MCT is working for your rising 5th grader!

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Ack, How is Building Thinking Skills going at your house? How do you implement it? Do you see any progress in critical thinking? Honestly, it's really not something I expected to have to teach. We're going slow and stead with MCT but we both love, love it. It's absolutely brilliant IMO! It's gentle approach really appeals to dd10 and it doesn't feel like work which in turn means she doesn't gripe and groan when tell it's Grammar Island time. In addition to reading and discussing the "lesson" together (she reads one page and I another), I also at time have her demonstrate what she's learned so far on the whiteboard to make sure she owns the information. Even little sister is joining along and soaking up the concepts. She acutally gets the difference between an action verb and linking verb. The linking verb analogy to a math equation was pure genius! Even I had an "aha" moment. I'll be sure to check back in to report our progress. ;)

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Ack, How is Building Thinking Skills going at your house? How do you implement it? Do you see any progress in critical thinking?

 

 

DS, age 8, is working on BTS Level 1. He is already skilled at the skills taught, particularly the spacial skills in part 1. He loves the workbook. We skipped the very first chapter until his writing got stronger. We went back to it recently. Otherwise, we just do the pages in order. He has completed the first 4 chapters.

 

DD, age 10, is working on BTS Level 2. Sometimes I think that she should have started in level 1 also! We just take it more slowly. For comparison, she has only completed one chapter. I think we will switch into the verbal skill chapters next. That way, we can work through the thinking skills without her stressing over the spacial skills. It is slower and requires more handholding, but I think it helps. If nothing else, she will be more familiar with analogies and the like when it is standardized testing time.

 

I am also adding in more activities that involve dd reading directions independently. I am no longer helping her make pancakes or bake cakes. She has to completely follow the directions herself and ask for specific help if help is needed. If we get a new board game, I am trying to have her read the set up directions and the directions for playing. It is slow and I am meeting some resistence, but I do see improvement. I just started Life of Fred fractions with her for summertime review because the math in it is phrased in such a way that it requires just a touch more analysis than straight up practice worksheets. We'll see how it goes.

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