Anyone else starting a new curriculum in January?

[athomemom]

God willing, we will be starting MFW Rome to Reformation. We will try to wrap up MOH before we break in December. All of our other subjects we will continue with....anyone else?

 

I haven't decided how this will work out for us since we usually begin our year in the fall, but nonetheless the switch needs to be made. If you start or have started in January with a program like MFW, what & how did you plan for the summer/fall?

[boscopup]

I'll be starting most everything in January. :D

 

Our history (Biblioplan), is the only thing we're starting that will have to span more than the grade we're doing. I was planning to school year round anyway, as I don't want to take a super long break. We do much better when we're following a routine.

[Knittinfarmgirl]

We'll be starting with MFW Adventures. My plan is to just work through without a huge break for summer. We're like Boscopup's crew-- better in a routine. ;)

 

The kids will change 'grade' in the fall as normal. We'll move on to ECC when we finish with Adventures.

[King Alfred Academy]

I pieced together my own Human Body study and we are wrapping that up now. Come January, we're going to do RSO (Pandia Press) Earth science study. I am so excited to do this program! :001_smile:

 

May also be starting the Barton Reading program with my youngest.

[TheAutumnOak]

Because we are new to this, we are starting in January as well...I will spend December doing remedial phonics and writing work with my oldest, but we are starting in January with the main stuff...I am still deciding how to schedule our breaks...I am leaning towards taking off one week every month throughout the year...My husband would prefer we school for three months then take one month off...Either way is still about 12 weeks off...I will see how it goes...This is going to be MUCH more rigorous than anything we have done so far...I definitely need to work on my self discipline ;)

[Homeschooling6]

I might change things up in the math department. Not sure exactly just yet but I have some books I'm reading.

Currnetly we are using some McRuffy and Saxon Math for my younger students 3rd and under.

Lets just say I purchased Arithmetic Village and am not sure where I'm going as of yet;).

[Hunter]

..I am still deciding how to schedule our breaks...I am leaning towards taking off one week every month throughout the year...on

 

The schedule that worked for us was half days in December, July and August and matched PS school holidays. And this gave us about 2 weeks off to use for family emergencies or burn out.

 

1/2 days were just Bible, math and Latin/Greek.

 

We were always starting quite a bit of fresh curriculum in January especially since we had been doing 1/2 days all of December.

 

I'm making some big changes in my self-studies right now. More focusing on the journey and not the destination, and not being such a curriculum snob. Discarding stuff that sounds good, for things that are more fun.

 

And the change in weather...makes a difference....somehow.

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

I am switching my middle child's curriculum starting Monday. I switched his math to Saxon2, and I got the main schedule for Easy Classical Grade 1 to follow.

[Sahamamama]

We have only three weeks' worth of school work to finish up this year. Then we'll break for Christmas, New Year's Day, and the twins' birthday on January 3rd. :001_huh: No sweat, I am ready for all that! In January, we begin everything new. I'm getting excited about beginning all our subjects over again, except for Geography. I am not ready for that....

[Aurelia]

I think I've got everything set to start Oak Meadow 2nd grade in January. We are wrapping up the last of science, art and WWE right now, and will take a break in December to recharge before diving in. Ariel is excited because it's a year spent mostly on animals and nature, which she has always had a deep interest in.

[FloridaLisa]

We did a semester of speech and will now be moving into Classical Writing (most likely; hopefully; if it goes as planned). We will also be adding in some type of history as that has been completely absent this year! Not sure how to fit it in or what we'll be using. It may be as loose as independent reading or more structured with a formal curriculum.

 

Lisa

[dm379]

We start with pretty much everything new Jan. 15. The only things we're keeping is history and math.

[lovinmomma]

I might change things up in the math department. Not sure exactly just yet but I have some books I'm reading.

Currnetly we are using some McRuffy and Saxon Math for my younger students 3rd and under.

Lets just say I purchased Arithmetic Village and am not sure where I'm going as of yet;).

Thank you! I just ordered this. Do you know anyone that uses it?

Edited November 28, 2010 by lovinmomma

[athomemom]

So, do any of you start your school year in January instead of the fall? (It appears that some of you do.) I'm not sure I can start in January instead of the fall with all of my subjects. For those of you who start in January, do you have new books for everything, or do you pick up where you left off?

 

We have always schooled during the summer. However, we took more time off the past summer than we ever have. :D

 

By the way, I've never heard of Arithmetic Village, but it looks great!

[GoVanGogh]

So, do any of you start your school year in January instead of the fall? (It appears that some of you do.)

We start our school year in January.

 

For those of you who start in January, do you have new books for everything, or do you pick up where you left off?

Both.

Math - we are using the same curriculum but starting the next book in Jan.

Latin, Greek and science - continuing on where we left off.

Literature and history - starting new books next year.

 

We have some subjects that I don't mind carrying over, but have other subjects that we *must* get finished. (For my sake, no other reason. Just have to have that sense of completion.) Right now we are in our final push to finish this year's lit and history by this Friday, when we break for Christmas. I have shed subjects left and right so we can cram (er... focus!) on history and lit. :tongue_smilie:

 

Plans for 2011 -

Jan - Literature study of "From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil Frankweiler"

Feb through May - Geography study using Holling books (from Beautiful Feet)

June - Literature study of "Homer Price"

June through end of year - Latin-Centered studies, 4th year - Famous Men of Rome and Shakespeare

(Obviously, we will be doing other subjects, but those are our focus subjects throughout the year.)

We should finish our current science mid-year, then will do History of Science from Beautiful Feet.

[ChandlerMom]

YES! DD #1 has done K12.com materials for 2.5yrs, but in Jan we're going on our own fully; DD#2 started HSing this year in K.

 

For us what works is school 7 days a week year-round. Just easier NOT having to try to get back into the swing of things (no Monday morning grumpies). I want them to learn that learning is a life-long activity. We usually have 1-2 "light" days each week -- may just be 30min of reading and a math facts worksheet instead of full curriculum -- but we do something (almost) every day. Holidays we only take off if we're just too busy that it'd add to our stress to do lessons. ;)

[tricia]

We won't be changing anything so much but will begin another new year with ambleside. We've finished up the years we have been on and will begin again. We usually are ready for our turn around in January anyway. We homeschool year round so we are usually just finishing up each year by Jan. or Feb.

[nukeswife]

Well be moving on to RSO Chemistry and my oldest will start Saxon 7/6. Most likely my little guy will be ready to start McRuffy phonics K back up again after a break for review.

 

I also plan to add in Song School Latin for some fun.

[lovinmomma]

Well, our school year starts in Jan., so pretty much everything is new. I'm SUPER excited about Harmony Art Mom's Winter Nature Study guide.

[2cents]

We're adding AP US History via UC College Prep.

http://www.ucopenaccess.org/course/view.php?id=82

 

We're doing Human Odyssey right now but with testing around the corner, I wanted to add some US History.

[TheAutumnOak]

I got the main schedule for Easy Classical Grade 1 to follow.

 

What is this?...I have never heard of "Easy Classical"...

[Guest Cheryl in SoCal]

I don't know if it will be January but I will be switching my high school kids from Analytical Grammar to MCT's Magic Lens 1 as soon as the new edition comes out. I like AG but my kids do not, especially the diagramming. I think I will continue it myself to learn diagramming so I can teach it to my younger crew in a gentle way from early on instead of shocking them with it in high school. I ordered MCT's Grammar Island for my younger crew and my older crew think they will like MCT's method better than AG's. They did Shurley Grammar for 6 years and there are some similarities so I think they will too.

[oldskool]

My oldest dd will be starting Oak Meadow science 8. Both the older kids will be moving on to the next level of Saxon and the younger one will get a lot of Ambleside Online incorporated into her day. Can't afford to change too much else. I am trying to keep new curriculum blinders on.

 

Lesley

[mama25angels]

Can't afford to change too much else. I am trying to keep new curriculum blinders on.

 

Lesley

 

 

That's what i've been trying to do too! I'm glad the stuff we've had to change is stuff we had on hand from the older kids.

[mom4him]

We will be starting MFW CtG in January. I am going to add in ILL and Writing Strands. I think I will do 1 two days a week and the other 2 days a week. I am hoping I can get it all in.

[Homeschooling6]

Thank you! I just ordered this. Do you know anyone that uses it?

Julie, I don't. The books are fairly new. I think they came out this year. I have purchased our 'jewels', bags and treasure chest at Hobby Lobby. The kids have fun using the 'jewels'. Especially Ethan.

Hopefully tomorrow I can add the pics to my blog:001_smile:

[lovinmomma]

Julie, I don't. The books are fairly new. I think they came out this year. I have purchased our 'jewels', bags and treasure chest at Hobby Lobby. The kids have fun using the 'jewels'. Especially Ethan.

Hopefully tomorrow I can add the pics to my blog:001_smile:

 

Thanks for letting me know! I think Dd is going to love this!

[Jilly]

I will be changing all of my youngest son's curriculum in January as nothing has worked out this year. He will be starting Moving Beyond the Page for ages 7-9 as his main curriculum. I am also switching him to Math in Focus. Hopefully this will be a good match for him.

[Sahamamama]

What is this?...I have never heard of "Easy Classical"...

 

http://www.easyclassical.com/

 

:seeya: Tahara, I'll pm you again this week. We had a busy weekend, but today should get us back to normal.

[AudreyTN]

For History we are going to finish up the Quarter 1 of MOH 2 and then move on to TruthQuest Middle Ages.

 

Other than that most everything is staying the same... I think. :)

[Homeschooling6]

I am switching my middle child's curriculum starting Monday. I switched his math to Saxon2, and I got the main schedule for Easy Classical Grade 1 to follow.

This looks really neat! I would have loved something like this when I first started homeschooling.

[Dinsfamily]

Well, not in Jan but we're starting SL Core 1 and Sinapore PM 3A February 1. We're about to finish Core K and PM 2B. We'll do some Christmas school for the rest of December and read/reread some fun books through January. I'd also like to start an art curriculum in January but haven't decided if I'm going to buy ICDAT or just go with AP Book 1 with Core 1.

 

We technically start each school year June 1st but our curriculum doesn't always cooperate :D.

[Guest Cindie2dds]

I am switching my middle child's curriculum starting Monday. I switched his math to Saxon2, and I got the main schedule for Easy Classical Grade 1 to follow.

 

Wow, that looks like a very different route from the one you were taking. Why are you not using LBC or HOD? (Both of those I have always looked at, so I'm just being curious.) :)

[MissKNG]

In January, we are going start an American history study using Sonlight readers and extra projects I'm still gathering.

 

I guess it's not technically "new" or in January but I am pretty sure we are going to move onto the next level in both math and science in late February. But I do want to purchase the 5 day Sonlight Science this time around.

Edited November 29, 2010 by MissKNG

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

Wow, that looks like a very different route from the one you were taking. Why are you not using LBC or HOD? (Both of those I have always looked at, so I'm just being curious.) :)

 

 

HOD is just not a good fit for ds6 because LHFHG is too easy. I thought Beyond would be too hard, but now I think we would have been better off using it. I also am not liking how CM is so relaxed in the LA department with lower elementary students.

 

I am still using LBC Grade 1 for Music, Art, Aesop's Fables, and Geography. To be honest, I made a stupid move and sold most of the books for this curriculum. I wanted something different for LA, and I also wanted a "complete" curriculum. I didn't want to have to piece things together and make my own lesson plans. I felt that since I didn't want to use the LA portion.... I also was undecided about doing American and World History at the same time. If I had the books I would probably use LBC with Easy Classical for LA and Math for the rest of this year.

 

Looking at next year.... My ds6's favorite books this year are: FLL, Songschool Latin and Burgess Thornton's books. We started off with CLE LTR, but I got PP for my dd and ended up using it with ds6 instead. Ds6 really likes the games in PP and I like the method. Based on what he currently likes I thought he would like SOTW and VP Old Testament better than a more CM style. We are also using ES Bio and he really is enjoying the animal study.

 

Easy Classical uses a lot of books that he likes and does well in.

[Guest Cindie2dds]

To be honest, I made a stupid move and sold most of the books for this curriculum.

 

 

I've done that more than once! I've had to repurchase some things that I wish we had kept (Queen's Language Lessons for one). We love the Burgess books here as well. I hope you get into a groove with EC. I think we've got a good combination right now, I'm going to be adding a few things and taking away some others for the new year. I haven't solidified it yet, I'm really thinking about History and what to do. :)

[SophiaH]

We are! We actually started Easy Classical's Early Modern History Schedule this week. My dd loves history and wants to just "read, read, read," as she said. Through all our curriculum changes in history, we've kept up with the SOTW cycle through the audiobooks. The Easy Classical schedule includes SOTW, which will give us some continuity, and the VP cards, which we already own and dd loves listening to the CD. Guerber books, History Pockets and lots of other fiction and non-fiction books that we already own are already scheduled as well. We'll be taking the next three weeks to go quickly through the first 9 weeks of events that we've already studied and we'll start in January going by the schedule, and I'll start adding in history summaries and narrations ala WTM. We're also adding in the maps from Map Trek for our geography.

 

In January, we'll be starting a 1 1/2 year state study using The Star-Spangled State Book and Workbook. We'll finish up Lively Latin BB1 and move onto BB2. We'll finally get going with Greek Code Cracker, which my dd has been begging to start since I received the book during the summer. It'll be a light introduction before starting Greek next fall. Also, we'll start back up with Writing Tales, which was put on hold last year when it got to be a little too much writing for my dd.

 

For my son, I think he'll be ready to switch over to RS B.

[Guest]

We will be starting everything new. I have sold ALL (except OPGTR. I just couldn't let it go.) my old curriculum books in preparation for this new start.

[Heidi]

Our second term (wk13) starts today. I have added in artist & composer study, history, and piano. My latest blog post talks about it all.

 

I'm so excited about it. I love homeschooling and I love ambleside/charlotte mason/milestones. We're having a good time here. :D

[Ellyndria]

We're starting WWE1 in January! He'll be finishing HWT1 sometime in December, so WWE1 will double for handwriting practice as well.

 

We also just started La Clase Divertida 1 today. I'm not sure how it's going to go. He was the one who requested Spanish, and I was perfectly happy with the idea...but later, after it arrived, I find out he doesn't actually want to *speak* it. At all. Ever. He is looking forward to the crafts though. I guess we'll see. He has one stuffed animal that he'll do schoolwork for even when he's grumpy, so I'm hoping maybe he'll speak for it too.

[Ritsumei]

We'll start easing into more subjests after the first of the year. Along about Feb-March, actually, planning to be at full steam by Sep. The plan is to add 1 topic about once a month so that Monkey and I both grow into "official" schooling, since the laws in the state we're hoping to move to are, I believe, that he reaches compulsory age next fall. In any case, this is what feels right, so it's the plan we have right now. One thing I've definitely learned from hanging around these boards & homeschool blogs is that everyone is always making adjustments ant tweaks, trying to get things to fit... and as soon as it fits, those ornery kids grow into a new stage & need something different!:tongue_smilie: