Mommyfaithe Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 while I am working and due to my recent healthg issues. (I work from home, so I will be here to answer questions and assist where necessary) Dh and I would like to continue homeschooling, but I really need the assistance right now. She will be expected to help homeschool the kids. If you were doing this what curricula would you purchase to help her facilitate teaching. I have always taught ala natural.... so I really don't have written plans, and now due to my health, I don't think I could MAKE plans. .. We do use CLE for Math, Reading and LA...so those bases are covered....But, history and science, art, music etc..... I am homeschooling my 2nd, 3rd and 6th/7th graders (ds7, ds8, dd 12) We are on Year 4 in a 4 year hx cycle (in the beginning...) DD 12 is using Apologia science and SOTW 4... Is there a curriculum that includes this cycle and is written so a novice can open and go...with some individual assignments etc.? I am not explaining this as clearly as I like, but the gist is there. Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy in Indy Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I don't think so...I think you will probably need to give some rudimentary instruction in terms of what you want covered when. Can you sit down once a week and make some sort of assignment sheet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hscherger Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 (edited) MFW? It might be too much for your youngest (content wise), but they do have a second and third grade supplement. I have never used it, I just know it is multi-age, has 1850-modern as a cycle, and uses SOTW 4. There are samples here: http://mfwbooks.com/products/M50/40/30/0/1 I am praying that the changes in your home give you peace and some much needed rest :grouphug:. Edited January 24, 2011 by hscherger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Perhaps you should teach, and the nanny should answer questions and help with work. :D You can do instruction for those things that need it first, and then go to work. I teach in the evenings and assign "seatwork" to be completed the next morning. I work outside of the home and at home. I have my handy dandy cell phone on me at all times. You have so many options! CLE Abeka BJU R&S AO SOS You can mix and match subjects best on the fit and what you have done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I wouldn't expect the nanny to teach 6th/7th gr history or science. I'd have her supervise the CLE and leave clear assignment sheets for the other subjects. She can read aloud SOTW to the littles and use the questions in the AG, that's not hard. But for the older, just a clear assignment sheet for the week. You're trying to relieve your stress, not make it worse, so I would drop things that can't be done in that way for right now. They might surprise you and accomplish plenty. On the apologia science, is your oldest doing general or elementary books with the youngers? Either way he can read and do written outlines or summaries. That's something she can check off as done. Do this year imperfectly and figure out a better plan for next year. Maybe next year he moves into an online class for history and a dvd course (DIVE, BJU, whatever) for science. But for this year, just finish it out imperfectly. The world will not end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachelFlores Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I know I'm new, but looking at this from your nanny's perspective I think you need to look into changing to a seriously open and go curriculum, for everything. Your 16 year old could help you choose a program where at least most of it was independent and you could check with him and review in the evening, that might work for your 12 year old too. Then the nanny could focus on just teaching the 6 and 8 year old. I would strongly suggest choosing something with a spelled out, 100% scheduled, open and go program. We are using Heart of Dakota right now and liking it. Sonlight would fit the bill. I know there are others out there. Homeshooling is hard work and can be overwhelming, especially if someone has never done it before and it's not their kids. No matter what you choose, make sure you have a schedule spelled out with exactly what she needs to do each day, otherwise even if she is really excited about helping to homeschool your nanny could get frustrated really easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Well CLE already is open and go, totally written to the student and planned. It's just not reasonable to expect someone like that to teach junior high science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I know I'm new, but looking at this from your nanny's perspective I think you need to look into changing to a seriously open and go curriculum, for everything. Your 16 year old could help you choose a program where at least most of it was independent and you could check with him and review in the evening, that might work for your 12 year old too. Then the nanny could focus on just teaching the 6 and 8 year old. I would strongly suggest choosing something with a spelled out, 100% scheduled, open and go program. We are using Heart of Dakota right now and liking it. Sonlight would fit the bill. I know there are others out there. Homeshooling is hard work and can be overwhelming, especially if someone has never done it before and it's not their kids. No matter what you choose, make sure you have a schedule spelled out with exactly what she needs to do each day, otherwise even if she is really excited about helping to homeschool your nanny could get frustrated really easily. I think combining your 6 and 8 year old in a SL core could work very well with the nanny. You could do the whole core minus the LA and she'd just basically have to read to them and ask them comprehension questions. There are science experiments and she could either do those with them or, at those ages, they could even just watch them being done on SL's Discover and Do dvd. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Mystery of History is easy to follow and may fill in your spot pretty easily. Truthquest or Bibloplan, too. Science, I'd probably go textbook like BJU or Apologia, preferably Rainbow (middle schoolers). You may enjoy the CM style of Apologia Elementary. My favorite science world is incrementally Apologia, Elemental and Noeo, one each per semester. :grouphug: for this time of transition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 All I can say is.. sounds like a great plan! I hope it works out really well for you! (And I wish I had an assistant too!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmpmelmack Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 as a former nanny, I would want very clear expectations. I would want to be with you several days using the curriculum. then I would want you home for a day or two while I led the curriculum. I would want weekly meetings, and I would want you to be open to ideas if something I was using wasnt working. also as a nanny with many years of experience, I would be very open to doing this, but many new nannys will be overwhelmed. I would also want to read a few books about our style of homeschooling before I started. I knwo this dosent answer your orginal question, but thought you might want to know what a nanny would want from you. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinannie Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I don't mean to pry, but is your health something that is temporary or is this a chronic situation? If it is temporary, I would just focus on the main subjects with the nanny and save the art, music, etc until you are feeling better (or do those on days when you can handle it). Instead of hiring her to HS your kids, maybe you could hire her to take care of all the household responsibilities (cooking, cleaning, taking care of the kids) and you could focus on the teaching. Most of that can be done from the couch or the bed anyway (especially read alouds). But...like I said...I am not sure what your situation is exactly. I do know that I will be praying for you and your family. God bless and I hope it all resolves itself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PentecostalMom Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 ...I think you need to look into changing to a seriously open and go curriculum, for everything. :iagree:This would probably make it easier on everyone. Of course, if some of the programs you are currently using fit this criteria, then just get what you need. For the Jr. High Science (I am not very science oriented) I had my ds do BJU videos when I was so sick preggo I could not get off of the couch and dh was deployed. It worked out great! Blessings as you try to figure this out. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalGal Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 as a former nanny, I would want very clear expectations. I would want to be with you several days using the curriculum. then I would want you home for a day or two while I led the curriculum. I would want weekly meetings, and I would want you to be open to ideas if something I was using wasnt working. also as a nanny with many years of experience, I would be very open to doing this, but many new nannys will be overwhelmed. I would also want to read a few books about our style of homeschooling before I started. I knwo this dosent answer your orginal question, but thought you might want to know what a nanny would want from you. Good luck! :iagree: -- my daughter took a Nanny position last August. The Mom didn't really have "clear cut" plans and it has been very difficult for my daughter to work with the children. Also, a Nanny would want to know if any of your children struggle in a particular area. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I think that it depends on how you find your nanny :) If it were me, I would have had a blast!! But, i would have needed your philosophy planted in my mind :) and then some decent instruction. Of course, I had been homeschooled ;) Also, I think that finding classes for her to take the kids to, would help. I would look for classes for the science... and then have the kids do math for sure through a program... and... well... I do think it could work... but what you're looking for is a Governess :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WistfulRidge Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I don't know about science for your 6/7th grader, but for your younger two I'd just get plenty of simple science books that they can look over by themselves or that the nanny and/or older dd can read to them, and have them watch an episode of Magic School Bus once or twice a week. For history, have you looked into something like History Odyssey? Level 1 of the history cycle incorporates SOTW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 Perhaps you should teach, and the nanny should answer questions and help with work. :D You can do instruction for those things that need it first, and then go to work. I teach in the evenings and assign "seatwork" to be completed the next morning. I work outside of the home and at home. I have my handy dandy cell phone on me at all times. You have so many options! CLE Abeka BJU R&S AO SOS You can mix and match subjects best on the fit and what you have done. Well, this is what dh and I discussed after I got offline this am. We will probably be hiring someone to do the heavy cleaning, helping with kids meals, answering phones etc. I prefer to do the teaching myself....and I think it should be easy enough for me to write out a plan for the day if need be, with clear cut assignments and a schedule etc. This is a better plan....and fits in more to my needs. My illness is and has been chronic...with flare-ups, this last one since last March has been the worst yet. I usually am able to handle it ALL, but now am not. When talking to dh...we were throwing around the idea of a Nanny, but I think my kids are really too old for that...and we would be better off with a part-time house keeper/ receptionist. Someone to vacuum, cook, fold etc. I prefer to spend the time with my kids and have someone else do the other stuff. I wok from home, so I am always here...and I can easily work from the couch, my home office, or even bed if need be. I agree...a Nanny is not really the type of help we need right now...now that I think of it more...I was just tickled and happy that dh brought it up and offered to help me find someone. Gotta love that guy! Faithe Thanks all for the suggestions etc. Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmama Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I have a part-time nanny/housekeeper. I work part time (one day a week) and also have some mild health concerns. We are very blessed to have her help. Her first priority is my son with special needs (who is a toddler and not homeschooled). Next comes taking care of all laundry and housekeeping and getting snacks and food ready for the kids. She works three days a week. I do not expect her to do anything with homeschooling other than check on completion of assignments on occasion (as in , let me see your math workbook). She will sometimes help my DD with spelling words. But to have someone who does laundry, cleans, and makes snacks and lunches on the days she is here (and sometimes dinners) -- this is such a Godsend. It involves a lot of communication and expectations, as well as regular conversations about what is going on, what is/is not needed, etc. I do school four full mornings a week, and then the afternoons are free for playtime, catching up on work, my dr appts or my son's therapy, etc. Hope this perspective is helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Ah he is so sweet! I would change curriculum. I would really look at SOS, CLE, and RS because you are at home and it is student friendly. IMO I hope you feel better soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveBaby Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Well, this is what dh and I discussed after I got offline this am. We will probably be hiring someone to do the heavy cleaning, helping with kids meals, answering phones etc. I prefer to do the teaching myself....and I think it should be easy enough for me to write out a plan for the day if need be, with clear cut assignments and a schedule etc. This is a better plan....and fits in more to my needs. My illness is and has been chronic...with flare-ups, this last one since last March has been the worst yet. I usually am able to handle it ALL, but now am not. When talking to dh...we were throwing around the idea of a Nanny, but I think my kids are really too old for that...and we would be better off with a part-time house keeper/ receptionist. Someone to vacuum, cook, fold etc. I prefer to spend the time with my kids and have someone else do the other stuff. I wok from home, so I am always here...and I can easily work from the couch, my home office, or even bed if need be. I agree...a Nanny is not really the type of help we need right now...now that I think of it more...I was just tickled and happy that dh brought it up and offered to help me find someone. Gotta love that guy! Faithe Thanks all for the suggestions etc. Faithe That is so great that you are going to be able to have someone help you out! Homeschooling, keeping house, training children, laundry, etc., etc., is a lot even when you aren't fighting a chronic illness. I'm so excited for you that you will have someone to help take care of the not so fun stuff, so you'll be able to focus on staying well and the schooling the kiddo's. If we ever have the financial means to do so, finding someone to help will be the first on my list! The kids have chores and they are helpful, but it's never the same as mama doing it! ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinannie Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 It is so great that your husband is supportive of you. If God has called you to HS, He will not give you too great of a challenge. And if that means sending in reinforcements...GREAT! My mom has Rheumatoid Arthritis so I know how hard it can be to deal with a chronic illness day in and day out. I will keep you in my prayers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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