More thoughts on SL

[Aubrey]

I think I'm leaning toward splitting the difference: bigs continue w/ what we're doing, littles go through SL as designed. That will give me something fresh as the littles go through K-4 & at the very least, a new set of problems, lol. Because I never did find the PERFECT plan for K-4 as the bigs went through it.

 

So w/ that in mind, my littles will be 3 & 4yo this year. I don't love the look of the P3/4 Core, & from reading threads here, nobody else seems to love it, either, lol.

 

I'd just wait until next year & do P4/5 w/out a 2nd thought (& still may do that anyway), BUT

 

4yo is doing Singapore Essentials this year & LOVING it. I had no idea she'd soaked up so much information--can count, reason better than I thought. She knows her letters, all their sounds, & has completed the first few lessons of Alphaphonics (our phonics book). From the looks of the P4/5 Core, it would be perfect, perfect, perfect for her NOW. She'd LOVE it.

 

The problem? Well, first, I wasn't really planning to order anything for her this year. I already had Alphaphonics, & at this age, that's usually all I do. I added Essentials to my RR order at the last minute, partly just to get free shipping. I really didn't expect her to be able to do it. :001_huh:

 

The other problem: 2yo (will be 3 next mo) probably isn't ready for P4/5. He knows all his letters & all their sounds, & I've started doing CVC words w/ him (very occasionally). He loves to make the sounds but hasn't gained the...logic/skill/maturity? to squash them into words yet. But he does love the attention, lol.

 

He's done a few pp of the Essentials book with his finger. If I gave him a pencil, he'd likely just scribble. But w/out that distraction, he seems relatively capable. I'd count it as more of a novelty for him, though.

 

Neither is at an age where I'd make them do anything, but 4yo pulls that math book out almost every time we sit down at the table. She's listening to SOTW a couple of times a week when 8yo reads it to her. Both can sit & listen to stories endlessly.

 

STILL...I'd just go w/ P4/5 for 4yo & let 3yo tag along for the stories & just order him his own wbs next year when he's ready. BUT that would mean either starting Core A next year OR...hmm? What? Wait a year while we ___________. I don't know.

[chicagoshannon]

My 4 yr old sounds a lot like yours. We'll be starting P4/5 in 2 weeks. I have Sonlight A/K also that we may or may not use the following year. We'll have to see how this year goes.

 

I do like most of the P3/4 books but there is no schedule really so you could just check them out of the library to add in for your younger daughter.

[Aurelia]

Maybe do P4/5 at half speed and add in something like FIAR or BFIAR if she wants more, or even just additional books from AO Year 0 or things that look good at the library?

[Aubrey]

:lurk5:

[Emmy]

What is Singapore essentials? A math book?

 

ETA: ok found it on rainbow resource, does this come after earlybird or do they not have earlybird anymore?

Edited July 15, 2011 by Emmy

[taffnus]

Because it's probably easier in the long run to keep them together, I wouldn't do P4/5 now. I'd wait til next year. There are lots of books you can read together - from the library - that would be great for both. You can focus on literature but also add in some science and social studies/cultures that would be interesting to them both at this point. Or, as someone mentioned, you could do FIAR or, maybe some topical studies for, say, Thanksgiving (they won't get that for a while if you stay with SL).

 

That being said, I would consider doing the Developing the Early Learner series now with your 4 yo, if you were planning on doing that anyway. She sounds ready for it. You'll then be focusing more on phonics with her next year and maybe then DEL for your youngest next year.

 

Just FYI....we did P4/5 with a 5 yo for Kindergarten. My little was 2.5-3.5 then and wasn't very interested in the books. It was an ok fit - good for my intro to homeschooling. :001_smile:

[Aubrey]

What is Singapore essentials? A math book?

 

ETA: ok found it on rainbow resource, does this come after earlybird or do they not have earlybird anymore?

 

I think some people use it instead of earlybird. I hadn't heard good reviews of eb, so I was going to just wait for 1A, but then people had liked essentials, so...

[Aubrey]

Because it's probably easier in the long run to keep them together, I wouldn't do P4/5 now. I'd wait til next year. There are lots of books you can read together - from the library - that would be great for both. You can focus on literature but also add in some science and social studies/cultures that would be interesting to them both at this point. Or, as someone mentioned, you could do FIAR or, maybe some topical studies for, say, Thanksgiving (they won't get that for a while if you stay with SL).

 

I'm not good at parenting the preschool age. I get better the older they get. :D Soooo....while we've got plenty of good books here, at the library, etc--I don't read them. :(

 

Doing stuff on my own has always been hard for me--I spend more time planning than DOING. Anyway, that was hard for me when I had 2; juggling schoolwork for the bigs on one end & adding in the littles on the other end plus a baby behind...well, I KNOW I can't just pull things together this time through.

 

That said, I don't care if they have formal school this year, but in thinking ahead, I found that I really liked this preschool core, & my 4yo has turned out to be really excited about having her own work. Which is the only reason I'm really considering it. If that makes sense. :lol:

 

That being said, I would consider doing the Developing the Early Learner series now with your 4 yo, if you were planning on doing that anyway. She sounds ready for it. You'll then be focusing more on phonics with her next year and maybe then DEL for your youngest next year.

 

Just FYI....we did P4/5 with a 5 yo for Kindergarten. My little was 2.5-3.5 then and wasn't very interested in the books. It was an ok fit - good for my intro to homeschooling. :001_smile:

 

2yo is interested in books...I just don't want to stretch him more than is good for him if that makes sense. So he's decent at sitting still & listening, but he gets distracted if he's not interested.

 

So for ex, I was reading poetry to them at bed time the other night, & he starts quoting Yeats' "Second Coming" while spinning & laughing. Then he wanted to "read" Shakespeare, so he'd say ea line after me. Finally, we read TS Eliot, & he stood up & declared, "I am NOT Prince Hamlet!" :lol:

 

So surely Mike Mulligan would be ok, right?

[Mom0012]

It sounds like you could easily go either way depending on your kids. Mine are 2 years difference in age, but 3 grade levels apart, so we used SL pre-K (which I think must be the equivalent of P4/5) when I had a Ker and a Pre-Ker and then just kept going. So in Core K, my daughter was still in Pre-K and my son was in 1st and so on.

 

My daughter is very bright and has done very well with SL being a grade below the core level, but, ideally, I think I would have preferred to have her in the same core as her grade level. Unfortunately, that would have put my son too far behind. DD hasn't had any trouble. I just see how much more ds gets out of certain things when we discuss them, simply because he is older.

 

If you decide to start with P4/5 this year and feel like you want to slow things down, you could always do a year of Galloping the Globe. We had a wonderful time with that.

 

It sounds like you might be planning to use the LA. I do not use SL's LA, so I can't comment on that.

 

Lisa

[Aurelia]

I think Mike Mulligan would be fine. :D

[Aubrey]

It sounds like you could easily go either way depending on your kids. Mine are 2 years difference in age, but 3 grade levels apart, so we used SL pre-K (which I think must be the equivalent of P4/5) when I had a Ker and a Pre-Ker and then just kept going. So in Core K, my daughter was still in Pre-K and my son was in 1st and so on.

 

My daughter is very bright and has done very well with SL being a grade below the core level, but, ideally, I think I would have preferred to have her in the same core as her grade level. Unfortunately, that would have put my son too far behind. DD hasn't had any trouble. I just see how much more ds gets out of certain things when we discuss them, simply because he is older.

 

If you decide to start with P4/5 this year and feel like you want to slow things down, you could always do a year of Galloping the Globe. We had a wonderful time with that.

 

It sounds like you might be planning to use the LA. I do not use SL's LA, so I can't comment on that.

 

Lisa

 

No, from what I've seen of LA, it looks like we can just stick w/ Alphaphonics.

 

After looking to see what the library has, I think I can do P3/4 for about $20 total if I use the library, so I may slow 4/5 down w/ that. :lol:

[Aubrey]

I think Mike Mulligan would be fine. :D

 

I know preschool should be sweet & simple, but sometimes I wish there was a hard core version for people like me. :D

[swellmomma]

We are quite enjoying P3/4 here. I think doing P4/5 with P3/4 books added in to slow you down is a great idea. Toss in some simple crafts, and perhaps a sensory bin and you will be set.

[freeindeed]

We do a combination of FIAR and Galloping the Globe for K and 1st. Then we start Sonlight in 2nd grade with Core K (A.) For my children, this works best.

[kristinannie]

I have a 5 and a 3 year old this year. We are doing a mix of P3/4 and P4/5. We had several of the books in both cores and there were a couple of books that I didn't want. Also, I didn't want the workbooks in Core P4/5. I ended up piecing it together. I still need a few more of the books and will buy them when we finish the ones we have. I think that the 2 cores combined is making for a great year. It might take a year and a half. We aren't rushing through. I like both cores. I do like the books in P4/5 slightly more, but P3/4 has a lot of great books as well, especially for your 4 and 2yos. I do have the IG (I bought it used), but don't think it is at all necessary. It is kind of a ridiculous schedule. We do have a few books going at once, but we like doing our own thing. HTH

[taffnus]

So for ex, I was reading poetry to them at bed time the other night, & he starts quoting Yeats' "Second Coming" while spinning & laughing. Then he wanted to "read" Shakespeare, so he'd say ea line after me. Finally, we read TS Eliot, & he stood up & declared, "I am NOT Prince Hamlet!" :lol:

 

So surely Mike Mulligan would be ok, right?

 

I know preschool should be sweet & simple, but sometimes I wish there was a hard core version for people like me. :D

 

OK...Too Funny!!:lol: Yep...hard core here too. Too bad the kids don't seem to appreciate it. DD8 would rather play Barbies and Wii all day. I'd rather she listen to Mozart while reading Little Women.

 

Anyway, if you feel like you'd really like to do 4/5 now, go for it. If you get into it and have to slow it down, you can do that. What I found with SL was that not all of the books hit the mark developmentally so, we just set those aside and read them as we want (we're not doing SL now so I have a shelf of books we didn't read and books to re-reads with my younger). You're planning on doing 4/5 anyway so, there's no harm in getting started and just seeing how it goes.......on the other hand......:001_smile:why not just spend an hour this summer and create a reading plan/checklist, including some of the 3/4 books that interest you, print it out and tape it on your schoolroom wall. As you finish a book, move on to the next. Have the phonics, math, DEL for the 4yo planned in based on your schedule with the older dc. That's still what I'd do. Cheaper and easier. :001_smile:

[coffeefreak]

When we used Sonlight with our oldest, P 3/4 was combined with K5. My oldest used it for a semester and then we switched to FIAR. FIAR was much more cost effective for us, and had hands-on activities. With my youngest, I did Before Five in a Row, and then moved onto FIAR. It really was the perfect amount of work and a lot of fun for both my girls.

 

I think the major dislike I have about Sonlight is the choice of books. I think that's what it boils down to. I like the choices for 3/4, I don't care for all of the choices in K5 (or whatever it's called now:lol:). That has really been a deciding factor in what we've used when with Sonlight. I DO like their Core 1 and Core 2 choices (I think they're A and B now?), and toyed with using them again with my youngest. But, we're pretty happy with MFW so we're going to stick with it. I DON'T like their Core 3 and 4 choices (American History), which is what prompted us to use MFW the last two years. I might switch back to Sonlight for oldest next year (2012/2013) so she gets World History one more time before High School (Core 6 and 7) but thankfully, I have a year to decide.:willy_nilly:

 

I don't know if that helps, but I thought I'd add my thoughts.

Blessings!

Dorinda

[3peasinapod]

We mostly like P3/4. I don't like the Fairy Tale books; there are 2 of them. I feel like they are twaddle-ish. We did it last year with my 3yo, and she is not ready for P4/5 (which we already went through with the olders), so I am stretching it out with library books. I am throwing in some FIAR books (though not rowing them) and whatever else I can remember loving with the older girls. We are also doing Earlybird math with her and HWT PK workbook to work on letters.

 

I'm saving P4/5 as a K year with our last child, but I did find it perfect for when our middle child was just 4. It really depends on the child. She was fine with the books, but our current 4yo would not have the attention for the books. :001_smile:

[Aubrey]

We do a combination of FIAR and Galloping the Globe for K and 1st. Then we start Sonlight in 2nd grade with Core K (A.) For my children, this works best.

 

I wanted to love FIAR, but...well, imagine Prof. Snape trying to teach preschool. That's my problem. :D

[WeeBeaks]

We did P4/5 for 2 years with my oldest. It was before the days of P3/4.

 

First year was read and enjoy, skipped some books, added some library books, had a grand time. Second year we did it with all the workbooks, extras and LA K, in greater depth. It worked for us then.

[Aubrey]

OK...Too Funny!!:lol: Yep...hard core here too. Too bad the kids don't seem to appreciate it. DD8 would rather play Barbies and Wii all day. I'd rather she listen to Mozart while reading Little Women.

 

Anyway, if you feel like you'd really like to do 4/5 now, go for it. If you get into it and have to slow it down, you can do that. What I found with SL was that not all of the books hit the mark developmentally so, we just set those aside and read them as we want (we're not doing SL now so I have a shelf of books we didn't read and books to re-reads with my younger). You're planning on doing 4/5 anyway so, there's no harm in getting started and just seeing how it goes.......on the other hand......:001_smile:why not just spend an hour this summer and create a reading plan/checklist, including some of the 3/4 books that interest you, print it out and tape it on your schoolroom wall. As you finish a book, move on to the next. Have the phonics, math, DEL for the 4yo planned in based on your schedule with the older dc. That's still what I'd do. Cheaper and easier. :001_smile:

 

I did this last year. I planned out ea week w/ a theme that matched a letter, printed letter pics to color, listed matching books that we already owned, looked up arts & crafts from books we've already got on hand, & even matched our snacks, so that goldfish crackers were scheduled when we were reading Swimmy & learning about F. Ala MFW, which I also tried to love.

 

I didn't do a single week of it. And it was beautiful & convenient & everything. I mean, I could probably sell that plan. WHAT'S WRONG W/ ME????

 

I hate preschool. As soon as they're able to listen to SOTW, my relationship w/ their education begins to improve. I was just not designed for little kids. :(

[swellmomma]

I wanted to love FIAR, but...well, imagine Prof. Snape trying to teach preschool. That's my problem. :D

 

Now that is a funny visual :lol:

[Aubrey]

Now that is a funny visual :lol:

 

So what preschool prog would you rec for him?

[freeindeed]

I wanted to love FIAR, but...well, imagine Prof. Snape trying to teach preschool. That's my problem. :D

 

:lol: Scary thought!

[coffeefreak]

I wanted to love FIAR, but...well, imagine Prof. Snape trying to teach preschool. That's my problem. :D

 

So what preschool prog would you rec for him?

 

:lol:

 

IS that because you don't enjoy pre-school? Now I'm confused, but I have a head cold and am on a bunch of drugs. I always seem to post more when I have a cold, I wonder what that means?

 

Anyway, if you really enjoy just reading and cuddling and learning by "relaxing," than Sonlight, Ambleside Online, MFW or anything like that would be good for you. If you want something like a public or structured pre-school, A Beka, HOD, or something like that would work for you.

 

And, of course, I know MANY will disagree with me. It's just my opinion :)

Blessings!

Dorinda

[Emmy]

I did this last year. I planned out ea week w/ a theme that matched a letter, printed letter pics to color, listed matching books that we already owned, looked up arts & crafts from books we've already got on hand, & even matched our snacks, so that goldfish crackers were scheduled when we were reading Swimmy & learning about F. Ala MFW, which I also tried to love.(

 

This is what my dh wants me to do instead of doing sunlight 4/5 this year. :glare: I probably will…it's not rocket science, but I'd rather do something that doesn't involve prep. Of any kind. :tongue_smilie:

[coffeefreak]

 

I hate preschool. As soon as they're able to listen to SOTW, my relationship w/ their education begins to improve. I was just not designed for little kids. :(

 

Re-read the thread and caught this the 2nd time around. Sorry:tongue_smilie:.

 

I think you'll like Sonlight then. If you want something to compare it to, try Ambleside Online. I really enjoyed it when we were in a "I don't have time to plan much less homeschool and I really just want to expose you to great literature and have some cuddle time" phase. It has great literature and will solve the "planning" problem too. The only other thing I might do is, buy some fun toys that you'll only pull out during school time.

 

HTH!

Dorinda

[Aubrey]

:lol:

 

IS that because you don't enjoy pre-school? Now I'm confused, but I have a head cold and am on a bunch of drugs. I always seem to post more when I have a cold, I wonder what that means?

 

Anyway, if you really enjoy just reading and cuddling and learning by "relaxing," than Sonlight, Ambleside Online, MFW or anything like that would be good for you. If you want something like a public or structured pre-school, A Beka, HOD, or something like that would work for you.

 

And, of course, I know MANY will disagree with me. It's just my opinion :)

Blessings!

Dorinda

 

Neither. My personality is more like Prof. Snape than Miss Frizzle. Given that, which prog would be possible at all & which would be least likely to make me make that lip-curling face he does when he's disgusted w/ something like it smells profoundly bad but is really only profoundly stupid?

 

Iow, I'm good w/ counting the apples if we're reading Ten Apples Up On Top. I'm good w/ baking an apple pie if we're reading How to Make an Apple Pie & See the World. I don't like anything cute or sweet or cuddly. At least, not for its own sake.

 

That probably means my kids are better off on their own as long as possible. :lol: That probably also means nothing has been written for me & preschool both. It wouldn't sell, & it wouldn't be good for kids.

 

BUT I love the books that take great art & make it into pic books for kids--"I Spy an Alphabet in Art" is one of their favorites. I like the project books where they learn about famous artists & try to imitate them (although I still rarely do the projects, & those are more for elem kids). And I loved watching 2yo's response to "spinning & spinning in the widening gyre. Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world. The center cannot hold..." :lol:

[Aubrey]

This is what my dh wants me to do instead of doing sunlight 4/5 this year. :glare: I probably will…it's not rocket science, but I'd rather do something that doesn't involve prep. Of any kind. :tongue_smilie:

 

If I haven't thrown away my notes, I'll send them to you. At least you won't waste a weekend on top of not doing it. :D

[Karen in CO]

Surely some revelation is at hand;

 

Perhaps, you just skip the Snape preschool and read Yeats to them? Focus on teaching them to read and read to them. Get them some stuff from Timberdoodle and some Kumon books so that they look busy too.

[Karen in CO]

And I'm sure you've already read this article on direct instruction and creative problem solving, but in case you missed it.

[Aubrey]

And I'm sure you've already read this article on direct instruction and creative problem solving, but in case you missed it.

 

I'm only halfway through the article, but I wanted to pause and comment.

 

My first reaction: what does this have to do w/ preschool? If my littles were big enough to ask about black holes, I'd be THRILLED.

 

My second thought: 4yo was doing a page from Essentials that asked, "Which of these does not belong?" One of them was a pic of 3 aliens & a little boy. She marked out one of the aliens.

 

Before telling her she was wrong, I asked her why--she said that the one she marked, a slug-like alien, had no legs. The others all had 2 legs. I told her good job & moved on. :D

 

There have been several problems she answered that way, & I love hearing her thought process. If she's flat out wrong, I'll tell her to look again, but most of the time, she surprises me w/ her answers. She's my most out-of-the-box thinker so far.

[Karen in CO]

If you're only halfway through, then you haven't read the part about the experiments on the preschool kids? Here is an article with more detail about that.

 

As so often happens in science, two studies from different labs, using different techniques, have simultaneously produced strikingly similar results. They provide scientific support for the intuitions many teachers have had all along: Direct instruction really can limit young children's learning. Teaching is a very effective way to get children to learn something specific—this tube squeaks, say, or a squish then a press then a pull causes the music to play. But it also makes children less likely to discover unexpected information and to draw unexpected conclusions.

Edited July 15, 2011 by Karen in CO

[Aubrey]

If you're only halfway through, then you haven't read the part about the experiments on the preschool kids? Here is an article with more detail about that.

 

This reminds me of Problem-Based Learning, so I only read a little farther before I started googling preschool curric that does that. I've come up w/ articles, but not a curric that's already put together. THAT would be AWESOME. And Bill would approve. ;)

[Aubrey]

If you're only halfway through, then you haven't read the part about the experiments on the preschool kids? Here is an article with more detail about that.

 

Ok, I've read both articles, & esp wrt the 2nd one...

 

Is the problem direct teaching? Or is it the disappointing & uncreative nature of toys? Iow, if you HOPE to find something interesting or extra about a toy, how often is that rewarded? Ime, NEVER. So this particular toy in the experiment is almost as much of an anomaly as the results seem to be.

 

And I think a more fair experiment might have been NO teacher at all vs direct instruction, because really, in the case of the kids who were indirectly instructed...that wasn't PURE discovery...they WERE prompted a little.

 

I'm not really arguing w/ the articles, just thinking out loud...I love this kind of research, but I hate that it has yet to be put into practical easy-to-use curric. I know there are a few exceptions...Miquon...but that's not much, & I still have trouble following the layout of Miquon. :tongue_smilie:

 

I really hope you come back to this thread & say, "Oh! but haven't you heard of XYZ curric? It does exactly what you describe!"

[Karen in CO]

Sorry, not going to happen.... :)

 

However, this kind of research supports my refusal to do preschool (and buy toys ). I was raised with a "go play outside" philosophy. No matter what the problem, outside play was the answer. If "play outside" wasn't the answer then "go to the library" was the answer. They followed that parenting by sending me to a classical christian highschool where I learned Latin, Greek, and all the stuff a classically educated person should know. (I was in ps before that, but only when I couldn't get out of it)

 

Since you don't like preschool, why are you looking for a program? You already know that you can't buy authentic experiences or real education. So go forth boldly and don't do preschool. Mere Anarchy instead of preschool!

[Aubrey]

Sorry, not going to happen.... :)

 

However, this kind of research supports my refusal to do preschool (and buy toys ). I was raised with a "go play outside" philosophy. No matter what the problem, outside play was the answer. If "play outside" wasn't the answer then "go to the library" was the answer. They followed that parenting by sending me to a classical christian highschool where I learned Latin, Greek, and all the stuff a classically educated person should know. (I was in ps before that, but only when I couldn't get out of it)

 

Since you don't like preschool, why are you looking for a program? You already know that you can't buy authentic experiences or real education. So go forth boldly and don't do preschool. Mere Anarchy instead of preschool!

 

This is hard to answer. The articles didn't say "mere anarchy." ;) (Which is actually fine w/ me, but I feel guilty if I'm not at least reading to them, which w/out a curric, I'm not. Don't poke that statement for meaning: it just IS.)

 

So if not "mere anarchy" then perhaps...controlled chaos. Child-led curiosity adventures. I know how to plan & design that kind of thing, but I have found over the years that I cannot plan/design AND teach. Why? I don't know: it doesn't make any sense.

 

But if I can only do one or the other & if I also have kids who need to be taught, then it makes sense that I choose the teaching instead of the designing. Thus I'd like to have something someone else designed that I can use.

 

But actually, I wasn't looking for a preschool program. I was trying to talk myself out of using SL w/ my bigs & compromised by planning to use SL w/ my littles (when they're older). Which led me to looking at the preschool pp of SL. Which created a whole new problem. :lol: I guess I am to curric as Pooh is to honey.

 

:sigh: The whole point of the search was to simplify what we're already doing this year, which was exactly nothing w/ the littles & too much w/ the bigs. Now I'm looking at ADDING SL for the littles...or...worse yet? Writing my own preschool curric. The "too much" that the bigs are doing? A hist/geog/lit curric I'm writing as we go. :svengo: :smilielol5:

[Jami]

And I'm sure you've already read this article on direct instruction and creative problem solving, but in case you missed it.

 

Thanks for that link, Karen. I really enjoyed the article and the author repeats so much of what Charlotte Mason said almost 100 years ago about the teacher needing to get out of the way so the learner can directly interact with the ideas. And then, he is more likely to care, make connections, love learning.

[coffeefreak]

This is hard to answer. The articles didn't say "mere anarchy." ;) (Which is actually fine w/ me, but I feel guilty if I'm not at least reading to them, which w/out a curric, I'm not. Don't poke that statement for meaning: it just IS.)

 

So if not "mere anarchy" then perhaps...controlled chaos. Child-led curiosity adventures. I know how to plan & design that kind of thing, but I have found over the years that I cannot plan/design AND teach. Why? I don't know: it doesn't make any sense.

 

Yes it does! I only have two kids, but I still experienced this when my youngest was not doing school with us. Honestly, I did Pre-school with oldest, found it a waste of time, SWORE I wouldn't do it with my youngest, and had to for my sanity. That's why I did FIAR (but I enjoyed it so don't think you have to do it if you wouldn't enjoy it:001_smile:). However, it wasn't enough. We didn't live in a situation where I could send my little one outside to play so I relied on workbooks, toys and videos to help me just cope with the chaos. I also had a timer because I would forget about her.:blushing: My oldest had so many difficulties at the beginning, I would just get going and before I knew it an hour had gone by and my little one was crying for attention. I even scheduled her activities for my own sanity. 15 min of work books, 10 min of art, 30 min of play dough etc. I get what you're saying.

 

But if I can only do one or the other & if I also have kids who need to be taught, then it makes sense that I choose the teaching instead of the designing. Thus I'd like to have something someone else designed that I can use.

 

But actually, I wasn't looking for a preschool program. I was trying to talk myself out of using SL w/ my bigs & compromised by planning to use SL w/ my littles (when they're older). Which led me to looking at the preschool pp of SL. Which created a whole new problem. :lol: I guess I am to curric as Pooh is to honey.

 

:sigh: The whole point of the search was to simplify what we're already doing this year, which was exactly nothing w/ the littles & too much w/ the bigs. Now I'm looking at ADDING SL for the littles...or...worse yet? Writing my own preschool curric. The "too much" that the bigs are doing? A hist/geog/lit curric I'm writing as we go. :svengo: :smilielol5:

 

I had to laugh at your SL comment because it is one of those programs that is so alluring, but doesn't work for everyone. I almost did the EXACT same thing this year! I am constantly challenged with the age difference between my two girls and the juggling act of getting it all done in an 8 hour day. I was going to use Core 5 with oldest, and ECC from MFW with youngest, and then realized that was a lot of money. So then I was going to do Core 1+2 with youngest. But then I looked ahead to the future and grew frustrated with where that would take us and decided everyone is doing ECC next year and I'll worry about the year after, after Christmas.:lol:

 

I wouldn't spend the money on SL if you aren't in love. I mean honestly IN LOVE with the idea and all the books and the scheduling. I would look at Ambleside's website and maybe pick up some Singapore math workbooks, some phonics workbooks from someone, and A Beka's Art work books. Done deal, easy peasy rice and cheesy.

 

Blessings! :grouphug: and HTH!

Dorinda

[krisperry]

I hate preschool too! I was relieved when my now 6 year old showed no interest at all. He was happy just playing (by himself even) and I was thrilled. *blush* My 4 year old LOVES school. sigh mutter sigh mutter

 

I'm a SL user and lover but getting her school done is hard. Especially when I don't think it is nearly as necessary.....

 

I've found the All About Read Pre-Level 1 from the AAS folks to be easy to complete. They have a part at the end of each lesson that says "read to your child for 20 minutes". I use our SL P4/5 as the source for that 20 minutes.

 

But all that really does you no good now does it :tongue_smilie:

 

Are you highly visual? Would something like this help. You could tweak it to hold your own stuff:

http://smoothstonesacademy.blogspot.com/2010/01/our-homemade-preschool-board.html

[Aubrey]

I hate preschool too! I was relieved when my now 6 year old showed no interest at all. He was happy just playing (by himself even) and I was thrilled. *blush* My 4 year old LOVES school. sigh mutter sigh mutter

 

I'm a SL user and lover but getting her school done is hard. Especially when I don't think it is nearly as necessary.....

 

I've found the All About Read Pre-Level 1 from the AAS folks to be easy to complete. They have a part at the end of each lesson that says "read to your child for 20 minutes". I use our SL P4/5 as the source for that 20 minutes.

 

But all that really does you no good now does it :tongue_smilie:

 

Are you highly visual? Would something like this help. You could tweak it to hold your own stuff:

http://smoothstonesacademy.blogspot.com/2010/01/our-homemade-preschool-board.html

 

I am not allowed to tweak & add my own stuff any more. :lol: Dh agreed to SL after the 1st sentence, which is so unlike him that I went on talking about it for 2 days.

 

Then as this thread grew, I started suggesting other things. He's working on a big project this weekend, & he actually turned away from the computer, held my hands, & said, "You're going to make yourself crazy. Order SL." He has the hardest time making decisions of anyone I know, so this was startling. And really, really helpful. :lol:

 

I really only needed the IG for 3/4, & since finding the ETC & Kumon threads, I decided that core would be good enough (& the cheapest opt) for this year. So it's all done, & I went to the library this AM to get everything we don't have. And some stuff we do have that's already been packed. :glare::lol:

[krisperry]

My post doesn't really help your OP at all.... I'm just searching for a method to make us like Preschool a little more. :glare::lol:

 

I would probably use P4/5 and stretch them out/do again. I did P4/5 last year and am redoing it again this year. My 4 yo loves the books so she doesn't mind. I pull from the handle on the arts activities too once in awhile.

 

Uncle Wiggly was over my 3 year old's head. I pulled it back out (she is 4 now) and she is enjoying it much more. Also, the guide reads this book out of order which I find sorta nuts since the close of each chapter leads into the next....

[krisperry]

Ah, see we were typing at the same time! Thrilled that you have "closure". I swear that is half the battle to those who love (ahem obsess over) planning. (I would be in the aforementioned group)

 

You will have to post an update. Maybe we can egg each other on when we start to derail :tongue_smilie::glare::lol:

 

Long live Snape in the preschool classroom! :lol:

[Aubrey]

Ah, see we were typing at the same time! Thrilled that you have "closure". I swear that is half the battle to those who love (ahem obsess over) planning. (I would be in the aforementioned group)

 

You will have to post an update. Maybe we can egg each other on when we start to derail :tongue_smilie::glare::lol:

 

Long live Snape in the preschool classroom! :lol:

 

I know things are bad when I start muttering TS Eliot to myself while washing dishes:

 

There will be time for decisions & revisions which a minute will reverse!