Newbie intro and questions

[RachelFlores]

Hi

I'm super new to homeschooling, but excited to start on this journey. I am a SAHM to a 4, almost 5 year old dd and a 2 1/2 year old ds. I have everything planned out for my dd's K year (in fact we will be starting next week), but I just finished reading TWTM (the 2nd edition) and really think the classical approach is the one I want to take as she gets older. I really like how in the book the history rotation doesn't start till first grade because I feel that what I have planned for this year (lots of geography and some timeline use) will really give her some structure for a history based curriculum in first grade.

 

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone here follows TWTM model exactly or does everyone tweak it?

 

Also, I was wondering if it is a bad thing if your kids go through curriculum faster than suggested. Dd really enjoys math and did a whole preschool math course in a month all at mastery level. (one of the reasons I decided she was ready for K work) Now looking through Horizons K, she won't be introduced to new material for about a month, is it ok to go quickly through the stuff she has already mastered or should I continue with their suggested schedule? If I let her choose her own pace and she finishes before "school" ends do I start her on 1st grade stuff already or just review math facts? Probably silly questions, but I'm just wondering how others handle this kind of thing.

 

Thank you for your help and I look forward to becomming part of this community.

[Mommy to monkeys]

I don't think it's necessarily bad to go through curriculum quickly but just a word of warning with Horizons math: It starts off slowly....and then it STEAMS off. It moves really really quickly. You could take it at the suggested pace but add in some math games, or if you do decide to do extra lessons, just be prepared to slow down when her eyes glaze over. ;)

[5LittleMonkeys]

Hi and welcome!

 

I frequently will breeze through content that my dc have mastered but I stay very observant of when that mastery starts to become, "yeah, I'm pretty sure I understand it." Uh, no, we will be slowing down from that point on. It's never black and white. The only time I would suggest not skipping over or speeding up is when you are first introducing a curriculum that incorporates a certain method. Such as Math-U-See or MEP. You don't want to skip over concepts that are key to progressing. That's just my .02.

 

As far as finishing a level early. You go "YIPEE", do a little dance and then determine at that point whether you want to take a break or if you both feel mentally fresh enough to start the next level. It will probably need to be determined case by case. Whatever works for you and your dc is the path you should take. A lot of homeschoolers don't go by grade levels so they work at whatever pace is best for their dc.

[LisaKinVA]

Hi

I'm super new to homeschooling, but excited to start on this journey. I am a SAHM to a 4, almost 5 year old dd and a 2 1/2 year old ds.

 

Welcome!

 

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone here follows TWTM model exactly or does everyone tweak it?

 

Everyone I know tweaks it. TWTM is a guide, a road-map to Classical Education at home, but it doesn't work for every child or family exactly the way it is laid out. Parenting styles, learning styles, and individual likes and dislikes all play into the application. Just like some people do "great" with Abeka, and others suffer with it.

 

Also, I was wondering if it is a bad thing if your kids go through curriculum faster than suggested. Dd really enjoys math and did a whole preschool math course in a month all at mastery level. (one of the reasons I decided she was ready for K work) Now looking through Horizons K, she won't be introduced to new material for about a month, is it ok to go quickly through the stuff she has already mastered or should I continue with their suggested schedule? If I let her choose her own pace and she finishes before "school" ends do I start her on 1st grade stuff already or just review math facts? Probably silly questions, but I'm just wondering how others handle this kind of thing.

 

No, it is not a bad thing. Thus far, all of my children have flown through math -- up until about a 4th/5th grade level. Sometimes, in the review portions of the book we may do things orally -- and skipping the material is just fine. Other times a child thinks they understand, but they simply don't. You'll usually know when you get there, but don't assume anything (one way or the other), children have a way of surprising you.

 

Other than math and some LA -- I would encourage you to go deeper in history and science rather than go rip-roaring through to "move up." In these subject areas especially, the opportunities for enrichment are incredible. Give your child plenty of time to explore :D

[MissKNG]

 

Also, I was wondering if it is a bad thing if your kids go through curriculum faster than suggested. Dd really enjoys math and did a whole preschool math course in a month all at mastery level. (one of the reasons I decided she was ready for K work) Now looking through Horizons K, she won't be introduced to new material for about a month, is it ok to go quickly through the stuff she has already mastered or should I continue with their suggested schedule? If I let her choose her own pace and she finishes before "school" ends do I start her on 1st grade stuff already or just review math facts? Probably silly questions, but I'm just wondering how others handle this kind of thing.

 

.

 

Hi! :D

 

We completed K math earlier this year and moved onto 1st grade math ahead of time. Actually, we were working through Horizons K and my big girl kept complaining how easy it was so I did a placement test and she placed into Horizons 1. Once I learned that, I dropped Horizons K (we were barely into the 2nd book) and started Singapore 1a (she placed into SM 1a as well).

 

I haven't regreted it and neither has my big girl.

 

That is a great thing about home schooling, you can work at your kiddos different level in every subject - and not be boxed in by one grade.

 

Since Horizons spirals, I would skip the month's worth of material she already knows and get into some new stuff. You can always go back if you need but usually the stuff pops back up here and there.

[Tracy]

Also, I was wondering if it is a bad thing if your kids go through curriculum faster than suggested. Dd really enjoys math and did a whole preschool math course in a month all at mastery level. (one of the reasons I decided she was ready for K work) Now looking through Horizons K, she won't be introduced to new material for about a month, is it ok to go quickly through the stuff she has already mastered or should I continue with their suggested schedule? If I let her choose her own pace and she finishes before "school" ends do I start her on 1st grade stuff already or just review math facts?

 

Even though Horizons is an advanced K program, you may find that Horizons is just too slow for her. You should feel free to skip sections or entire assignments. We did Horizons K with my 4yo last year, and we eventually had to ditch it. She was tired of doing the same old thing every day, and she was saying how much she hated math. She asked if she could try multliplication, which I was reluctant to give her. But when I did, she loved it. Then I went on to research math curricula to find her something that would challenge her more while giving her the practice that she still needs in the basics.

[bbrandonsmom]

Hey there :) My 2 are 5.5 and 3.

 

I'm only reading TWWM now, and so far like it. I just need to get my curriculum sorted out. I'm going to look into that math Horizons-this is the first I've seen of it. Ds can do some basic math-more of counting objects or pictures and then adding/subtracting them. And we are now progressing a bit from picture to number add/subtract. I read some place, that once kids connect adding with multiply they catch it quickly. I think it's in the way it's presented or something.

 

I figure to go at the pace they are comfortable with in learning. Maybe with a little prodding on new things they might not want to try. This is why we are doing k/1 with ds. I did a 1g assessment for him, and he sailed through it. But, he doesn't read as fluently as I "think" first grade start are supposed to read at? I also don't know how accurate the Calvert assessment is? I couldn't find any other assessments to go by, other than getting him evaluated. I think once we officially start h/s via letter of intent, we'll have to have him assessed each year, but I'm not sending in a letter until next year. We don't have to until they are 6.

 

I honestly feel a bit lost with everything some days. If we are doing a "trial" to see how this goes, should I have him assessed this year, or at the end of this year to see where he's at for dh's sake vs where he would be in the school system? If we don't actually have to send him to k until he's 6-next fall, by then he'll be way ahead of the k class, but I don't think emotionally ready for the 1st g class, though he may be at or above them academically. And, just in case dh does want to put him into school, they do a half day Spanish immersion, so he would be behind in that unless we started Spanish this or next year.

Does anyone else ever feel this way if you are doing a "trial" to see how it goes?

Edited July 30, 2010 by bbrandonsmom