LNC Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 I'm SUCH a box checker. You can see my curriculum in my signature. As we wrap up our year I'm stressing over how our kid's notebooks look-they skipped most coloring pages in Christian Kids science, SOTW- but they did tests/narrations for all and mapwork for history. We have a few pockets from 3 history pockets left for American History:Explorers,Native Americans, and Moving West. I'm stressing over coloring pages and paper crafts for a 6th and 4th grader!!! Also, I'm wondering if I'm making tooooo big of a deal of vocab workbooks, with too litle benefit. I assign 2 Worldly Wise workbooks per schoolyear starting in 6th grade so they can be done with the series before 11th grade. My daughter is wilting and always behind bc of all of the dictionary work though. I was goingto add Vocabulary from the Roots Up and Latin next year. If she's already struggling with vocab assignments and retention, she won't keep up next year! I plan on keeping all past WW workbooks in a magazine file for review. I'm definately done with notebooks, coloring pages and most busywork next year-but would you leave some undone this year? They completed all CLE subjects with straight A's. Low A's in math and high A's in LA and Reading. They have retained a TON from reading through SOTW w/tests as a review, American history, and CKE Chem and Physics w/ review and wrap ups. Their overall notebooks aren't impressive looking however. Thanks for reading all of this! Please talk some sense to me, I don't want to be pushing for our last month, but I want them to produce quality work to remember our year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 My opinion is less is more when it comes to worksheets. It is better to produce a few well done note booking pages than a bunch that you are rushing through just for the sake of completing them. KWIM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in CA Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Well, I would say it depends. If your kids are okay doing paper crafts and coloring have them finish and just include less off those next school year. However, if your kids are like mine and hate doing paper crafts move on. If you are spending time forcing them to do those crafts then they are busy work and don't accomplish what you want. There are many ways to make learning memorable. My boys prefer cooking over paper crafts to give you an example. In short you do have permission to move on. As for the Wordly Wise--I would not do Wordly Wise and Vocabulary from the Roots Up. Choose one. Susie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelaughs_times_three Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 The most important gift we can give our children is not being stuffed with knowledge or having an impressive list of busy work accomplished, but a LOVE of learning. That is a life-time gift that never goes away. I think the public school system sometimes squashes this gift. Kids end up HATING school and learning. We have the benefit in homeschool to keep this love alive. Don't wear you and your kids out just to be impressed with a paper product. The most important product is the one inside of you and your kids. You want to end the school year with a joyful ending, not a burnt-out frusterated one. Give yourself permission to have an "imperfect" ending for the sake of a LOVE of what you have done and a joy about the next year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelaughs_times_three Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 sidenote: I think the best way kids learn vocabulary is not really from all those worksheets that I give them too. They learn best from lots and lots of reading. This can come from books they enjoy! :001_smile: Maybe instead of stressing how much you have to finish the Wordly Wise workbooks, you could quit for the year and have them read books they like over the Summer.....just a thought...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted May 3, 2011 Author Share Posted May 3, 2011 Thanks everyone. I appreciate your words of wisdom for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 The most important gift we can give our children is not being stuffed with knowledge or having an impressive list of busy work accomplished, but a LOVE of learning. That is a life-time gift that never goes away. I think the public school system sometimes squashes this gift. Kids end up HATING school and learning. We have the benefit in homeschool to keep this love alive. Don't wear you and your kids out just to be impressed with a paper product. The most important product is the one inside of you and your kids. You want to end the school year with a joyful ending, not a burnt-out frusterated one. Give yourself permission to have an "imperfect" ending for the sake of a LOVE of what you have done and a joy about the next year! :iagree: Have you really thought about your philosophy of education? Why are you homeschooling? Why did you choose the materials you did? I ask those questions b/c they are key for me and my goals with my own children. My goal in education is formation not information. Since this is a classical board ;) , have you researched classical education even beyond the WTM? I avoid textbooks as much as possible b/c the information is pre-digested and does not require children to sift through and sort the information forming their own understanding. I integrate subject matter b/c IRL subjects are intertwined. Workbooks are ok, but delving into vocabulary in the context of lit, writing across curriculum, etc are much more inspiring ways to learn and help form an educational base that climbs the educational pyramid vs. being focused on knowledge. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Agreed with some of the people who are asking you to get clear about your goals - homeschooling in general and with specific subjects. If a kid needs to practice spelling or using vocabulary or whatever and can learn through worksheets, then the worksheets aren't busy work. But if a kid doesn't need to practice those skills, then the worksheets become busy work. In other words, for some of your kids, maybe it's needed and for others, maybe it's busy work. Only you and the kids can figure that out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingmama Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 (edited) My DD hates colouring -so I never force her to do it unless its absolutley necessary. If something says "Colour the pictures that start with A" I just tell her to circle them - same outcome. I agree that with vocubulary just let them read. That way you get the word in context and it is easier to remember then just with a list of words. I'm also wondering why their notebooks have to look "impressive"? Who is going to see them but you and your kids. Most of my kids notebooks will probably end up in the recycling bin when they are done with them. I see them as a means to an end rather then a work of art. Edited May 3, 2011 by sewingmama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hebrews3:13 Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 sidenote: I think the best way kids learn vocabulary is not really from all those worksheets that I give them too. They learn best from lots and lots of reading. This can come from books they enjoy! :001_smile: Maybe instead of stressing how much you have to finish the Wordly Wise workbooks, you could quit for the year and have them read books they like over the Summer.....just a thought...... :iagree: I am not big on the vocab via workbook. For my oldest it just was not effective no matter which one I chose. I tried them all and there was just NO retention. None. Nada. Now she has been turned loose on books like Pride and Prejudice, Ivanhoe, and tons of poetry in the last few years and voila- I see lots of vocabulary development and use in everyday language. I agree with the suggestion to put them reading, but perhaps you could alternate their choice with one of yours? Maybe there could be a reward for reading one you prefer? I would make choices from somewhere like AO. Just my 2 cents as always! Laurie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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