I can't ever just keep it simple- content subjects

[Annie Laurie]

I have a 1 month old baby and we've fallen way off track for school. I need to have a doable plan when we start back in January, and I need to be realistic in my expectations of what will actually get done. I don't want to set up something that sounds wonderful but won't get done in reality.

 

So yesterday I decided what I would do is continue our skill subjects and we'd do baskets to get some history and science content in.

 

I thought, I own so many books, that I would just make a history basket, a science basket, and a basket of readers. Each day they would choose 1 book from the history basket and 1 from the science basket to read. If it were a very long book, they could read it over a period of days. Then they could pick 1 reader and read 2 chapters a day until it was finished, then pick a new one. I would refresh the baskets once a month.

 

That way, even if the baby was having a fussy day, they would know how to pick from the baskets and get some reading done on their own. I would also read aloud to them every day, just from a children's classic, so we'd have our bases covered.

 

But when I started organizing the baskets, it was bothering me to have a book about the Erie canal in the history basket with a book about Colonial America and a book about Ancient Egypt.

 

So then I thought maybe I'd do themed baskets every month, which led to me organzing my books in order chronologically and by topic. Which led to me thinking about other books in the reader and science category that could tie in. Which just led to a whole bunch of work and left me wondering why I don't just continue with something like SL or WP and let them do the scheduling for me.

 

SIGH. Why can't I just keep it simple?

 

So now I'm wondering which one is easier to keep up with when life is a little chaotic- SOTW (would involve library useage) or SL?

[boscopup]

So now I'm wondering which one is easier to keep up with when life is a little chaotic- SOTW (would involve library useage) or SL?

 

What about just using SOTW and only adding in extra books on days that you've gone to the library? You could look ahead and get enough books to last several weeks (however long your library lets you check things out and renew), and put those books in your history basket. The extra books aren't *required* though. If you've read SOTW, you've done history. Yes, the extra books are ideal, but if you're having trouble getting stuff done, I'm ok with letting the extra books go. And as you get your feet back under you, maybe you'll be able to add them back in more often.

[Woodland_Mom]

:grouphug: Hugs to you, sweet mama -- and congratulations on the newest member of your family!

 

Obviously, simple is good and you're wise to spend time on the most important subjects: reading, writing, and math.

 

Rather than spend time and energy thinking about other curriculum posibilities out there (SL, WP, etc.) use what you have at home.

 

Putting your books out is a great idea. Rather than spend energy coming up with a theme, maybe you can stack them in the order that you'd like your kids to read them and then hand them to your dc during "reading time". Make a science pile and a history pile. Before you hand them over to your kids you could introduce the book to your kids. Say something like: today, I'm having you read XX book. It tells the story of some of the pharoahs of Ancient Egypt. etc. etc.

 

If you have SOTW, maybe you could just read that aloud--period. Skip the activities and mapwork. Really--it will be okday! SOTW will provide a wonderful story of our past to your kids all by itself. Last year, I broke down and purchased the audio CD's and I must say that I LOVE them!! Sometimes SOTW was hard for me to get through just because I wasn't in the mood to read or because I was tired, etc.

 

You could easily pop the CD in and have your kids listen -- while you feed the baby, or make lunch, or while you're in the car -- whenever! The audio might really help you out during this busy and demanding time.

[mammaofbean]

if your kids are old enough, i would just have them find the books. read your spine together one day and then the next they find books that are relevant and read them then report back to you on them.

[Mallory]

Rather than spend time and energy thinking about other curriculum posibilities out there (SL, WP, etc.) use what you have at home.

 

 

I agree. I don't think buying a new curriculum would do anything but make you feel bad for not getting it done.

 

But when I started organizing the baskets, it was bothering me to have a book about the Erie canal in the history basket with a book about Colonial America and a book about Ancient Egypt.

 

 

This isn't a plan for ever, this is to give everyone a chance to love that baby and you a chance to get back to speed. Reading books from all times won't hurt them and they may even find connections that are important too.

 

Give everyone a break and go back to your simple plan of they pick a book from the basket and read everyday. I am assuming that they are all pretty young (say under 6th grade???). Eventually you could even add a timeline or narration, but not yet!!!

 

I wouldn't start new school until next fall probably. If you find yourself wanting to meddle more, then start planning for next year ;)

 

That give you a chance to enjoy nice spring and summer days and get through all the changes that come (including starting to crawl which seems to be the hardest stage to homeschool throught)! Or you could plan to start next year in the summer and have a year to get through it so there would be plenty of chances for breaks.

[J'etudie]

But when I started organizing the baskets, it was bothering me to have a book about the Erie canal in the history basket with a book about Colonial America and a book about Ancient Egypt.

 

 

 

I completely understand this because I love having everything lined up nice and neat, all my ducks in a row. But...I don't think my kids care as much as I do. :D They are always pulling random books off the shelf to read on their own, and I never think, "Don't read about Paul Revere right now. We're doing the Middle Ages in history!" No, I think it's great that they are adding to their store of knowledge so why would that be any different because it's "school" time. I think they'll learn a ton, and you'll still be sane come June.

 

 

[Halcyon]

I never think, "Don't read about Paul Revere right now. We're doing the Middle Ages in history!"

 

I admit, this very thought HAS passed through my mind. :lol:

[LoveBaby]

Congrats on the new babe, mama!!!

 

Our 5th is 9 mos. old and crawling everywhere. We are depending heavily on independent reading and audio books. Adding a fifth babe and a K'er has thrown off our school a lot more than I expected. I say let them read books, snuggle the babe and enjoy the next few months.

[sagira]

I agree. I don't think buying a new curriculum would do anything but make you feel bad for not getting it done.

 

 

 

This isn't a plan for ever, this is to give everyone a chance to love that baby and you a chance to get back to speed. Reading books from all times won't hurt them and they may even find connections that are important too.

 

Give everyone a break and go back to your simple plan of they pick a book from the basket and read everyday. I am assuming that they are all pretty young (say under 6th grade???). Eventually you could even add a timeline or narration, but not yet!!!

 

I wouldn't start new school until next fall probably. If you find yourself wanting to meddle more, then start planning for next year ;)

 

That give you a chance to enjoy nice spring and summer days and get through all the changes that come (including starting to crawl which seems to be the hardest stage to homeschool throught)! Or you could plan to start next year in the summer and have a year to get through it so there would be plenty of chances for breaks.

 

This is so encouraging, thanks. I'm due in February and needed to read this :grouphug:

[PeterPan]

How old are your kids??? The answer to this really depends on the ages of the kids. Personally, having had a fall baby, I think you're nuts to guilt-trip yourself about doing school right now. He's one month old for pete sake! Take off all this month and all of January. Seriously. Just take it off. Call it early summer break. Rock your baby and let the young'uns enjoy the new one. They can play educational games, watch educational videos, do cool workbooks (sudoku, super-duper dot-to-dots, mad libs, that type thing), and start back to "school" in Febr. or March. The world will NOT end. You couldn't do this with high school, but for elementary, absolutely. If it makes you feel bad or they get squirrely, take field trips or declare this the month of art and legos. I would do math everyday if it's relatively independent. But other than that, I would wait.

 

Sometimes we think we need to do so much. Really, if you give them a couple more months to grow up, our kids sometimes surprise us and do the same things they would have, only faster. :)

Edited December 21, 2010 by OhElizabeth

[Lovedtodeath]

I only read the OP, I hope I am not stepping on any toes.

 

For history pick a spine and an encyclopedia. You could use SOTW and Usborne and be good to go. Or you could use one of the American History Spines from Heart of Dakota and pick up an encyclopedia for pictures.

 

For science if you don't want to do the basket deal, I really like Elemental Science because a couple of spines are all you need. http://eequalsmcq.com/ also has Classical Science all in one book.

 

HTH!

[Annie Laurie]

How old are your kids??? The answer to this really depends on the ages of the kids. Personally, having had a fall baby, I think you're nuts to guilt-trip yourself about doing school right now. He's one month old for pete sake! Take off all this month and all of January. Seriously. Just take it off. Call it early summer break. Rock your baby and let the young'uns enjoy the new one. They can play educational games, watch educational videos, do cool workbooks (sudoku, super-duper dot-to-dots, mad libs, that type thing), and start back to "school" in Febr. or March. The world will NOT end. You couldn't do this with high school, but for elementary, absolutely. If it makes you feel bad or they get squirrely, take field trips or declare this the month of art and legos. I would do math everyday if it's relatively independent. But other than that, I would wait.

 

Sometimes we think we need to do so much. Really, if you give them a couple more months to grow up, our kids sometimes surprise us and do the same things they would have, only faster. :)

 

They are 10, 8, 6, and I also have a 16 yr old. 16 yr old has been continuing his work independently with scheduled check-ins. Out of my younger set, the 10 yr old concerns me the most- something about 5th grade next year and entering logic stage, which he's not ready for, makes me feel pressured. He also will not read on his own. At least my 8 and 6 yr old read a ton, I have to schedule it for my 10 yr old.

[PeterPan]

Well here's what I would do, given those ages. Rather than focusing on CONTENT (what time period of history, what topics in science), focus on skills. I know that sounds trite, but here's the difference. You pick the skill that would help your ds10 take the next step and you figure out a way to make that happen consistently. It might be book basket hour, where everyone sticks their nose in a book from the book basket for an hour. There, the ds10 has his nose in a book, tick skill column. Next, for some writing. So everyone is expected, at the end of that hour, to make a notebook page (or two) on something they read. You expect some writing in complete sentences and some illustration. Tick another skill column. After two months of that you look back and you realize you made strides in your target skills. You might not have time and energy to cover content thoroughly, but you can get some work in on skills.

 

For the 10 yo you could expand it a bit and add in a 2nd hour. This time it's research. Get on the computer and research a related topic you read about. What is nifty about it? What did you learn? Let him make some notes, then turn those notes into a little something. This semester I've been letting my dd record her notes in a notebook, just as is. It's the first time I've really seen her come alive with writing or anything, so it's working out really well for us. Then next semester I can up the ante on that and start having her turn those notes into paragraphs.

 

I've had visiting boy non-readers who were very drawn into Usborne and usborne-style books.

 

BTW, we've been so busy with therapy stuff this semester, what I described above is the way we do things. I suggest you have something relatively independent like CLE for LA or math if you don't have a plan there. Independent is better than nothing.

[Terabith]

I really like this idea, actually.

 

I honestly think 5th grade = logic stage to just not mesh well with most kids. It seems to me that for most kids it hits sometime in the middle or even end of sixth grade.

 

I may try that after Christmas with my first grader. We're doing the Revolutionary War in history, and I might just dump a bunch of books on the topic into a basket and have her pick one each day, instead of trying to line up everything. Might have another basket for reading/ literature.