eksargent Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 For those who use Calvert...do you do it exactly as instructed or do you change it at all? I like the instructor's guide, but it slows us down. I know the curriculum is not meant to be independent, but I think it could be. If you will, please share with me how Calvert works best for you. Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 When we used Calvert I used it just as written. The whole purpose for us in purchasing it was the fact each day was entirely scheduled for me. I didn't find it slow, but rather gentle. Not too much each day. My kids were relaxed and enjoyed it. (Noted to say, the only reason we are not using Calvert now is it is too much for us at this time, cannot resell, and it does not have high school, other then these reasons I would do Calvert in a heart beat. Both children who have used it loved it and asked why they couldn't use it again) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pahansen Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 We've used Calvert through a virtual charter school from grades PreK to 3. The kids are advanced in some areas (especially reading), so I skip anything that they already know. In many cases that means doing a reading lesson in one lesson rather than over three. I have the VCS's blessing for this. So basically, we go at the kids' rates, not the manual's. I also feel free to regard the extra suggestions (in science, social studies, etc.) as "optional". I do not do everything they suggest. Instead, I do everything I think will be helpful/beneficial/enjoyable for that particular child. So our older two children have had significantly different K experiences (because they have very different learning styles) with the same curriculum. Unfortunately (as you've probably noticed), if you skip or condense chunks of material in a pre-planned curriculum, it means that you end up re-writing the lesson plans on a regular basis, which kind of undermines the usefulness of having the lessons planned out for you. Or you end up with situations where there are large writing projects (or something like that) that no longer match up with the reading. For those reasons (and a few minor ones related to the VCS, not Calvert), we're discontinuing Calvert and are striking out on our own next year. Still, I think that Calvert is an excellent curriculum if your child is mostly on grade-level, rather than all over the place like ours. --Pamela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eksargent Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamasducks Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 i skip the enrichments usually, we have 5 children and 3 are in school right now (5th 3rd, and first). for the most part, i try and follow the manual, esp. the phonics portions. sometimes when we are behind, we skip the science experiments. i have a love/hate with calvert. but all in all, i stick with it. just bought 6th for next year. amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eksargent Posted March 24, 2011 Author Share Posted March 24, 2011 i skip the enrichments usually, we have 5 children and 3 are in school right now (5th 3rd, and first). for the most part, i try and follow the manual, esp. the phonics portions. sometimes when we are behind, we skip the science experiments. i have a love/hate with calvert. but all in all, i stick with it. just bought 6th for next year. amy My biggest challenge is this...I sit down with ds and start reading his lesson. I get him started and begin with other ds. Either one ds is waiting for me to answer a question, or the other ds is waiting to be told what to do. Do you block out time for each child? Since every subject needs direct involvement, how do you organize for multiple children? I guess that's what my real question is. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerrie in VA Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 I usually get the my older son started on math: go through the lesson, practice some problems together, then turn him loose on the assignment as I work with my younger son on math. There are also online math lessons and games plus there's an online math text that offers an audio option to read through the lesson and text on the book while highlighting it in the online text so I know he's not carelessly glossing through the instructions. I also find blocks of time while the other son does online spelling activities, online computer tech lessons and projects, BrainPop videos, online checkpoints, or watches suggested videos for Art History, History, and Science. We have a large, square eight person table and usually we are in the room together with them sitting a chair apart. I can move around and slide into the empty seat next to whoever needs help. The laptop computer moves around the table or rests in the center. Often they like to share in each others science, history, and literature readings and it seems to help reinforce and increase interest in the topics being studied. Each daily lesson is preceded by an assignment list they can check off as they complete each task. The manual is written to the student starting in the sixth grade but I still oversee their work. Sometimes the older son wants to teach his brother and will read his manual and go over the discussions and main points. The older one shows independence in monitoring his work, knowing what to move onto next, and understanding the manual also has questions and points that he needs to take notes on. I still like to talk and discuss things with them and model a positive attitude about the challenges faced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Starting in 5th, I think, Calvert is written to the student. This helps with the spreading out your time with each student, the independent one only spending time near the end of the school day for discussion, unless they need help. Your main time can be spent with the children still needing a majority of one on one time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamasducks Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 My biggest challenge is this...I sit down with ds and start reading his lesson. I get him started and begin with other ds. Either one ds is waiting for me to answer a question, or the other ds is waiting to be told what to do. Do you block out time for each child? Since every subject needs direct involvement, how do you organize for multiple children? I guess that's what my real question is. :confused: that is my main issue. ugh!!!!!!!!!! i feel like i don't give the 5th grader enough of my time. thankfully she is very independent and able to stay on task... unlike the 3rd grade boy and the 1st grade girl learning to read! your oldest is 9? if he is doing calvert 3rd, the phonics, history, mythology is fairly independent. my best thought is things go smoothest for us, if mommy is up/ready to start school at 8am. yes, 8am! we go to about 12:30 and stop. next year, the manual in 6th is written to the student. and hopefully the 1st grader will be a better reader, as i will have a pre-k who may start wanting to learn to read at that point! and so on. best of luck, amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine in al Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 our calvert boxes arrived for next year, and I'm pretty excited. I think the 8 am to 12:20 sort of day will work for us. I and my odest are particularlly looking forward to the ATS, somone else to grade his work. I'm happy to see some Calvert chatter here. I absolutely love SWB curriculum, but I'm looking forward to trying Calert for a year. It looks very complete, but I'm planning to keep adding Latin Prep and Piano lessons. full days. ~christine in al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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