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Do you teach CLE?


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We just started CLE a few weeks ago. I bumped my two olders back to a lower level then I started them in because they were struggling. We have a Saxon and R&S background so I thought we were prepared. They still seem to be struggling. One is 11yo in the 4th level and the other is 13yo in the 5th level.

I'm struggling with how much of it is lack of knowledge and how much is lack of motivation.

So, do you teach CLE? What does that look like? I'm used to the scripted R&S and Saxon books. I'm trying to make our school time more efficient. My youngers need me to focus on them more right now. Because I was doing a lot of coddling the past few years with the olders the youngers did not get the quality of education they needed.

I purchased CLE hoping it would make my olders more independent.

I don't mind helping the kids out, but I'm at a loss of how to teach them with CLE.

Any suggestions?

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I use the CLE TE for my younger guy and I just follow what it says. For my 14 yo I teach out of his actual workbook by reading it with him and answering any questions he may have. We do practice sentence diagramming a couple of times a week because he still struggles with it.

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I spend a few minutes reading through the new concept and then let them take it from there. Did you use the placement tests to determine what level they should be in? Also, it took about a lightunit for each of my kids to get used to the format and terminology of CLE and to pick up on the few things that had been taught in earlier lightunits that they hadn't learned.

 

Overall, it is very independent. I literally spend about 5 minutes a day working with each child on CLE Math -- reviewing problems they missed in their last lesson and covering the new material.

 

Lisa

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I spend a few minutes reading through the new concept and then let them take it from there. Did you use the placement tests to determine what level they should be in? Also, it took about a lightunit for each of my kids to get used to the format and terminology of CLE and to pick up on the few things that had been taught in earlier lightunits that they hadn't learned.

 

Overall, it is very independent. I literally spend about 5 minutes a day working with each child on CLE Math -- reviewing problems they missed in their last lesson and covering the new material.

 

Lisa

 

No, we did not use the placement tests. :glare: I was in too big of a hurry. Lesson learned on that. I had to move them back a level which I think is helping.

I think maybe it might be that we are still getting used to it as well. We are still in the first books.

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They are normally very independent with their CLE math. If they need help on a new concept we read through their lesson together and then do several practice problems on the whiteboard(the TM usually has several practice problems on the new concepts). Typically, they don't need me for this more than once a week.

 

At the beginning of the year I made a rule that they can't interrupt me while I'm teaching my youngest phonics and math. It's VERY hard to keep her attention anyway. They do everything they can in math without me and then move on to another independent subject (spelling or reading), but leave their math on the table so we don't forget to go back over it.

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No, we did not use the placement tests. :glare: I was in too big of a hurry. Lesson learned on that. I had to move them back a level which I think is helping.

I think maybe it might be that we are still getting used to it as well. We are still in the first books.

 

Well, I've used R&S Math with my son since 1st grade and once he finished the 5th grade book, and I saw how much review was in the 6th grade book, I decided to continue with R&S 3 times a week and then use CLE 3 times a week. CLE is ahead of R&S in certain areas, so when I looked through the scope and sequence, I wound up placing him in LU 406 even though he'd just finished R&S 5. There was a lot that has been easy for him in these 400 level lightunits, but there have been enough new concepts (digit sums, geometry terms, and a few other things) that I'm glad I started him where I did. Now, he's not having any trouble with it at all.

 

Lisa

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We made the switch to CLE math last year for my then 3rd grade daughter. I started her a year behind (took the placement test). I had to hold her hand the first few lessons and then continue to give help through the first light unit. After that she "got it". Now we use CLE for her for 4 different subjects! I've seen a major improvement in her skills and she loves math now (hated it before - it's not her best subject). Now, she's mostly independant as well.

 

This last week we got a Sonlight catalog in the mail. She came to me and said, "Mom, since we've been doing my new curriculum, I love school! Even if it ISN'T Sonlight! Those people think a lot of their curriculum." :lol: (disclaimer: This is NOT a knock against SL! I've even used them before. I'm just tellin' ya what the girl said. :tongue_smilie:)

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I have used CLE math and currently have 2 older children using CLE LA. I did not teach math, but the levels I got them (and I did use the placement tests) ending up being too easy. When you switch around math curriculums w/ different S&S, that's what happens. I put them back in Saxon along w/ DIVE cds. So I still do not "teach" math - the DIVE cds give them the instruction they need and Dad helps if they need to correct something and can't figure it out. They also do the LA completely on their own (we just use grammar portion - skipping penmanship, spelling, writing since they get that elsewhere). However, they had a very strong grammar background from private school, so I just wanted them to not lose the skills they had. I will say the first book of each level is completely REVIEW, so it does not "teach" the concepts like the rest of the books do. That may explain what you are experiencing in the first books.

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My dd 14, eighth grade is using CLE 700 L/A and CLE 800 Math. At the beginning of the school year, I would sit and go over the lessons with her, but I quickly realized that she could do this independantly and she preferred it that way. If she has questions, which is not very often, she will come to me. We LOVE CLE!!! If you do need to sit with your child, you will find that the teacher's guides are very user friendly. It is a rigorous and very thorough program. I think that you will love it!!!:001_smile:

 

CLE cheerleader here!!!!!:hurray:

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I require that my girls study the new lesson on their own and attempt to work it without my help. Sometimes that means that they have to go back and find a previous lesson and learn a concept first. I wanted them to know how to go back and research to find the answer. If they are completely lost, I will go over it with them, but I have found that by making them attempt it without my help first, they are usually able to do it. I didn't want them to keep relying on me to teach it to them, because at some point they need to be able to find it out for themselves. CLE teaches it in such a manner that 9 times out of 10, they need no help from me.

 

My girls are 6th, 5th, 3rd, & 1st. I do help my first grader much, much more than I do the older girls, but she is able to do a lot of her work completely on her own too.

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