Alright, who is revamping curriculum after the first 12 weeks?

[FairProspects]

Anyone with me? Please tell me I'm not alone as I have to re-think this!

[momto2Cs]

10 weeks in, and yes, I am revising! Math is one thing I'm taking a new look at, writing (for DS10) another, and reading/phonics for my dd has already been changed up a bit. Not to mention science and history... :001_huh:

[Beth in SW WA]

My only change thus far is dd8's spelling. She is using an old Calvert Spelling cd that my older dc used ages ago. It is grade 6. She loves the pretest, lab & post test, vocab & grammar components. She types everything so she is learning keyboarding also.

 

I love that it's on the computer and I don't have to dictate/check spelling lists.

 

Dd7 is doing SWR lists on Spelling City.

 

I hate spelling. That is all. :)

[SorrelZG]

I changed almost everything after a period of time of getting to know myself, my son and overhauling my whole educational philosophy. I was keeping an eye toward the K schedule in LCC in the background of my original plans and I'm still doing that. I did add FLL and WWE after we began and then temporarily put them aside to get back into once we're done with OPGTR, just to keep the days super short. Otherwise, what is being done right now looks nothing like the original plan and I love it.

[woolybear]

:seeya: Count me in. And I'm so happy about it. I have switched up almost everything this year. I know....I know...I can't believe it, but the changes have been so wonderful.

 

I think it's one of the benefits of hsing. Not switching all the time, but being able to make changes as needed.

[boscopup]

I made some changes at 6 weeks and now am changing some more around 18 weeks (yes, we've schooled 90 days!).

[FairProspects]

Well, LA has been a big fat bust for us this year. I've already chucked our phonics and now need to re-do writing composition/narration. AAS (and anything by All About Learning Press) has been a surprise hit. The problem is that for this dc, everything that fits his style is stuff I don't like to teach! We are such opposites and sometimes it makes me dread teaching the material, but he doesn't respond well to my style of teaching. Anyone else have that problem?

 

Oh, and math is way too easy for him, but he loves it because it is easy, and I'm torn between letting it be easy and build his confidence or bumping up the challenge level to where he really should be.

 

At least history and science are working beautifully.

Edited November 15, 2011 by FairProspects

[Mrs Twain]

I added a whole bunch of new things this year which I wasn't sure would work, but the core subjects are working well thankfully.

 

I am throwing out my art and music programs, though. I have a perpetual problem with those subjects. For art, I recently discovered Mark Kistler's drawing lessons online, and I think that will finally work for us to get successful drawing instruction. Just sit the kids in front of the computer with paper and pencil, and let Mark teach them.

[hsmom2011]

n/m

[Guest]

:seeya: :blushing:

I'm not even up to saying what all we're changing right now, but me! I am changing stuff up!

[Guest]

At first it was fun to bounce around and try out all the different colorful curriculum choices. I'm at the point now where I'm like, okay, I'm done bouncing around. Let's find a fit already.

[Silver_Kitten]

All this year has been is trial and error for us. History, math, science, spelling, typing, the list goes on.

[Bluegoat]

I added in a more formal science component (BFSU) in addition to the science club and nature study. I've kind of dropped really formal nature study because I can't get organized - I think this will improve as my other kids get a bit older and can do more. So I am just trying to make sure we get outdoors time.

 

We've also dropped MEP which had dd bored to tears, and I've odered SM. While I'm waiting we're doing a little unit on Canadian money I bought at the grocery store.

 

Other than that we are carrying on with AO.

[boscopup]

FairProspects: Since he struggles in other areas, I'd keep math at a level that is easy, but not boring. Give him a subject that he can feel confident about. That may mean you move ahead a little bit faster, but not to the point that it gets very challenging. Just don't hold him back, making him hate math.

[Faithseed]

I'm biting the bullet and making a major change to science. After my years of "fun school science" with just reading, nature study, and experiment kits, I'm going BJU. :001_huh:

 

Not really changing, but more just restructuring and buckling down with handwriting, spelling, and narration. There's been some things slipping through the cracks, so I need to tighten the reins for the next semester!

[Merry]

but first I have to try selling what curriculum I have now to afford it.

[abrightmom]

We are changing up a LOT....

 

I think we are moving toward leaving the boxed curriculum except we might use MFW's ECC first. We may also move:

 

From R&S English to FLL.

From WWE only to a WWE/other combo (WT, WS & IEW are in my research queue). I need my 3rd grader to put pencil to paper more than he is. WWE is not enough instruction for either of us.

From separate studies to combined content studies.

To a more WTMish line-up.

To Apologia (JF) for science.

 

This Mama needs to step out and be courageous. I nearly stepped out of the box this last year but chickened out. Once again I'm back to realizing there isn't a box that fits this family. Still working on a plan...

[Annie Laurie]

I need to revamp spelling. My kids love AAS so I tried, for the third time, but it just never gets done consistently.

 

We're in need of some other changes, (need to find some joy in learning again) but will just stick with what we have for this year and go in a new direction next year.

[momofabcd]

This might sound absolutely nuts, but I went from starting out the year with SWR, decided I liked PR better, started level 1 (for the third time) made it to week 14, and continued to wonder why I keep coming back to it. So, I sold it yet again and settled on Abeka for all LA. We used it for K and dd loved it. I don't know why I didn't continue with Abeka in the first place. It really has been a good fit for us. Everything else has been a huge hit, especially Classical Conversations and CLE math.

[ThreeBlessings]

I'm always reevaluating what we're doing :). I consider this a major bonus to homeschooling. The only changes I've made so far this year- adding Lial's Basic College Math to what we are already using for Math and I'm currently trying to figure out exactly what I want to do for spelling instead of Sequential Spelling. I'm writing our own Spelling right now, but I'm doubting myself because I am just learning the spelling rules myself and trying to incorporate them into what I'm writing. Good thing the kids are natural spellers, so I think I have space for a little trial and error. The only other thing I'd like to change is our Spanish, but I just have to stick it out for now as I really shouldn't be spending anymore money.

[mandymom]

I am! This being our first year, I'm glad to hear it's not just me :)

 

I am changing from the TOG writing (Writing Aids) and adding in Winning with Writing as well as some writing lessons from Imagine Grammar and Razzle Dazzle Writing.. I'm also adding in a formal grammar program.

 

Also, my oldest was struggling with traditional Algebra, so we switched to LoF, but my next oldest was flying through her Algebra, so we accelerated her and will be starting Algebra 2 before the end of the school year.

 

I'm also changing our schedule up a bit. We were kind of winging it through the day (doing subjects at different times each day), but now we are sticking to a more formal, routine schedule in the mornings with a bit of flexibility in the afternoons.

[Mrs Twain]

We are changing up a LOT....

 

I think we are moving toward leaving the boxed curriculum except we might use MFW's ECC first. We may also move:

 

From R&S English to FLL.

From WWE only to a WWE/other combo (WT, WS & IEW are in my research queue). I need my 3rd grader to put pencil to paper more than he is. WWE is not enough instruction for either of us.

From separate studies to combined content studies.

To a more WTMish line-up.

To Apologia (JF) for science.

 

This Mama needs to step out and be courageous. I nearly stepped out of the box this last year but chickened out. Once again I'm back to realizing there isn't a box that fits this family. Still working on a plan...

 

I use WWE plus IEW with my 3rd grade son. IEW (the SWI-A) works very well for him, and he really likes it. We do WWE two days per week. and IEW 3 days per week.

[UnsinkableKristen]

Ugh, yes.

 

We dropped Bible (God's Great Covenant) after a single week because I realized it was just way too much for DD7.

 

We changed from Sequential Spelling to AAS just this week because SS was not working. DD7 would remember it while we were doing spelling, but her actual spelling never improved.

 

We added WWE2 after dropping it last year and now I am kicking myself for having done that.

 

We are probably dropping HWT and letting WWE2 copywork go for handwriting.

 

Other than that, school is actually going better this year than it ever has, we are getting more done consistently, and I feel like I'm finally getting my sea legs :)

[Homeschooling6]

I've switched a few things.

 

WP Spelling to Soaring with spelling for my dd 6th grade.

 

Bob Jones Grammar to Analytical Grammar for ds 8th

 

PAL/Reading to AAR 1 for Lance

 

Only because I lost TT3 & TT5, I had to change math for ds 3rd and ds 5th grade. My 3rd grade ds is using MCP Math and 5th grade ds is using MUS Gamma/Delta.

 

Once my 3rd grader is ready for TT4 I'll switch him back.

[boscopup]

From WWE only to a WWE/other combo (WT, WS & IEW are in my research queue). I need my 3rd grader to put pencil to paper more than he is. WWE is not enough instruction for either of us.

 

This is something I'm working on changing as well. I was reading somewhere on the WTM articles list that students should be writing a sentence in each SUBJECT each day. I had somehow missed that! So I re-read WTM, and yes, it looks like notebooking is utilized in addition to WWE. While I've been having my son do oral narrations in those subjects, I hadn't really been "notebooking" per se. So this week, I started having him draw a picture and write one sentence about the topic (he's 2nd grade, so I think one sentence is fine to begin with). This should increase the amount of writing by quite a bit. I don't think WWE is intended to be the only writing the child does all day, but I could be wrong. :)

 

We started with writing a sentence in history. We'll do that for a bit, then add science and occasionally literature (not every time he reads though).

[sixpence1978]

We are/already have changed a few things up. I more of a look at and dream about switching curricula than actually doing it, but we this year has been a bit different.

 

We were using AAS for spelling and remedial phonics work. I love the program, and my DD liked it okay, but we just weren't getting good results. We switched to A&P and are awaiting DB Fast Track in the mail. So far so good. I always have the AAS on hand to go back to later if we need.

 

We are quitting WriteShop Primary. I thought it would be a good fit for my DD, but she really needs more hand holding and instruction. I ordered WWE to try with her, but we are also sending it back. We have settled into using Writing Skills A with her and doing a bit more notebooking.

 

I wish I could change Math because Saxon is driving me :willy_nilly:, but with most other math programs, I would have to take her all the way back to 2nd grade. So we are sticking it out for now. It's working okay, but the time involved each day and the constantly new topics make me feel like DD hasn't really gotten a good, deep understanding of the concepts. But she does well on the worksheets and tests, so...

[BlessedMom]

:) You are not definitely not alone. We are making a few changes and adjustments as well! :)

[Halcyon]

We are making some fairly minor adjustments. We've added Lial's BCM to our math program for older. We've added Bravewriter (Writer's Jungle) to our writing, and it's been quite an amazing transformation: my somewhat writing-averse 9 year old has been keeping a journal, of his own accord, filling it with more than 2 pages a day of writing. :blink:

 

For younger, we've folded in MM Blue 2A Addition and Subtraction for extra practice, and we're using Lively Latin (we started with GSWL alone, but he's doing both now).

[Dahliarw]

I find I'm revamping the schedule and pace of what we have (some we can just go through faster). And while I'm finishing what we have math and science wise, I know we're going to something else when we're done and I'm figuring that all out...

[ByGrace3]

We did most of our changing a few months ago (adding VP history into SOTW 1) and adding Right Start games into math, slowing down MM. We are also making slight changes right now as dd just finished phonics and we are deciding whether or not to replace it or just let AAS and reading be enough... so yes, changing gears, I think! ;) just not sure how!

[Violet Crown]

Middle girl:

 

Dropped Spanish (Salsa & Spanish for Children); starting French after Christmas.

 

Dropped spelling; middle girl seems to have gotten over whatever block she had on spelling and is improving quite well on her own now

 

Dropped Baltimore Catechism; just reading aloud from Morrow's My Catholic Faith & discussing

 

Dropped attempt to use Rod & Staff textbook's exercises while substituting my own (oral) grammar lessons for theirs; creating my own structural grammar curriculum (very excited! no more humongous threads looking for someone else's curriculum!)

 

Dropped Saxon for review & drill; now using AoPS Prealgebra for review & Standard Service Arithmetics for speed & mental math

Wee girl:

 

Dropped readers; just reading regular books now. Added Skoldo French, to Middle Girl's intense jealousy

 

Great girl:

 

Dropped Latin, all on her own; replaced it with Tolkien apparently :glare: Conversations will be had.

Edited November 15, 2011 by Sharon in Austin

[FairProspects]

I use WWE plus IEW with my 3rd grade son. IEW (the SWI-A) works very well for him, and he really likes it. We do WWE two days per week. and IEW 3 days per week.

 

This is close to what I am considering doing as well (although at more of a 2nd grade level), but I'm thinking I will use PAL's story sequence charts for narration instead of WWE questions. Then we will do Part 3 of PAL writing, which is Units 1,2 & 7 of SWI-A. We already do WTM style notebooking, but I need the specific steps of narrating/composition to be broken down even more for ds than it is in WWE, even though I dislike the style parts of IEW.

[Angie in VA]

I hate spelling. That is all. :)

 

 

Amen to that! So glad I'm not alone (but I wouldn't wish it on anyone, lol!)

[naturalhomestead]

We are 7 weeks in and I am going crazy. Finally figuring out what our family needs and how I want to teach our children. We've been a full Curriculum family from the start and have wanted to step out of that but kept chickening out. So now I am trying to figure out what I want to do and starting to go crazy with all the ideas.

[Homemama2]

We're changing a few things around here too. We're taking a break from WWE for both boys to do some other types of writing (letters, etc) and I'm waiting for my CW to come. Please nobody bash CW because at this point if I have to research one more writing program I'm going to bash my head into something. :banghead:

I've gotten rid of ETC for my youngest, he just wasn't getting anything out of them, and I'm thinking of dropping the abeka readers and just using good books. He doesn't seem to need any phonics that they've been covering this year, and I feel like I'm wasting our time going over and over stuff he knows. I guess I'm afraid if I drop the phonics instruction, we might miss something important...but he reads pretty well, so I don't know.

 

I'd LIKE to drop all grammar programs for the next 15 years or so, but I suppose that wouldn't be the best idea. ;)

[Kathryn]

We dropped Wordly Wise around week 14.We will probably drop Sonlight Language Arts after next week (which will be week 18 for us, so a nice stopping point). We added Life of Fred, Winning With Writing, and Growing With Grammar. I'm planning on getting Writing With Ease as well, and we'll stop Sonlight's LA at that point.

[FairProspects]

FairProspects: Since he struggles in other areas, I'd keep math at a level that is easy, but not boring. Give him a subject that he can feel confident about. That may mean you move ahead a little bit faster, but not to the point that it gets very challenging. Just don't hold him back, making him hate math.

 

I just mean that he will pass the Chapter test at the beginning of the chapter (like he did for Chapters 4, 5 & 6) and he will still want to complete the chapter because it is easy for him. I would prefer to move him on to Chapter 7 where I know re-grouping would be new and more challenging, but I don't think he is bored, so for now I'm just letting him do the others as a review.

[abrightmom]

This is something I'm working on changing as well. I was reading somewhere on the WTM articles list that students should be writing a sentence in each SUBJECT each day. I had somehow missed that! So I re-read WTM, and yes, it looks like notebooking is utilized in addition to WWE. While I've been having my son do oral narrations in those subjects, I hadn't really been "notebooking" per se. So this week, I started having him draw a picture and write one sentence about the topic (he's 2nd grade, so I think one sentence is fine to begin with). This should increase the amount of writing by quite a bit. I don't think WWE is intended to be the only writing the child does all day, but I could be wrong. :)

 

We started with writing a sentence in history. We'll do that for a bit, then add science and occasionally literature (not every time he reads though).

Yes, thanks for this! I've had it on my mind. Starrbuck12 (is that the right name?) implemented this in her school and her kiddos made HUGE leaps in writing, esp. her oldest. I'm inspired. I have WTM in my reading box for the purpose of reviewing. :001_smile:

 

I use WWE plus IEW with my 3rd grade son. IEW (the SWI-A) works very well for him, and he really likes it. We do WWE two days per week. and IEW 3 days per week.

 

I am going to look at this right away. I had TWSS and liked it a lot but didn't implement it. I think the format fits my DS9 quite well. I don't know anything about SWI-A. I need to check into it and I'm going to TONIGHT! :D I love love love the idea of IEW 3 days, WWE 2 days PLUS some notebooking across the curriculum.

[boscopup]

I just mean that he will pass the Chapter test at the beginning of the chapter (like he did for Chapters 4, 5 & 6) and he will still want to complete the chapter because it is easy for him. I would prefer to move him on to Chapter 7 where I know re-grouping would be new and more challenging, but I don't think he is bored, so for now I'm just letting him do the others as a review.

 

Ah, ok. Yeah, let him go at whatever pace he wants. Again, given the struggles he has in other subjects, it's nice to have an "easy" subject that makes him feel good about himself. :)

[Mommyfaithe]

Me....sigh.

 

I have done away with Heart Of Dakota...and we are all working through Sonlight Core W. The 2 youngest are not doing the readers...just listening (and LOVING) the read alouds. It uses CHOW and the Usborne World History, so it is good for them too. We do oral narrations for the 2nd grader, written narrations and outling for the 4th grader and the 8th grader uses Sonlight Core W LA...so it is easier (for me) than trying to use 2 separate programs

 

We have dropped latin AGAIN! There just are not enough hours in the day....sigh.

 

I have changed our science. We were using Apologia General Science for dd 13.....and HOD science for the boys. Dropped them and we are using Lyrical Life Science for all 3 kids. All the kids listen to the songs and do the worksheet. DD 13 is using the textbook part. All the kids read additional from an age appropriate encyclopedia....and we watch videos and get library books for experiments and extra reading.

 

Really trying to streamline....Everyone is still using CLE for Math, Reading and LA.

 

Faithe

[AngelaNYC]

Me. I dropped most of what we were using and now we're going unschooly-eclectic using only materials and resources we love punctuated with several field trips/classes a month. It feels wonderful so far and ds has responded so positively to it.

[Mrs Twain]

Yes, thanks for this! I've had it on my mind. Starrbuck12 (is that the right name?) implemented this in her school and her kiddos made HUGE leaps in writing, esp. her oldest. I'm inspired. I have WTM in my reading box for the purpose of reviewing. :001_smile:

 

 

 

I am going to look at this right away. I had TWSS and liked it a lot but didn't implement it. I think the format fits my DS9 quite well. I don't know anything about SWI-A. I need to check into it and I'm going to TONIGHT! :D I love love love the idea of IEW 3 days, WWE 2 days PLUS some notebooking across the curriculum.

 

As for the SWI-A (IEW) program, it is the same content as the TWSS, but it has DVD lectures for the kids to watch with Andrew Pudewa teaching, as well as all of the assignments prepared in the student notebook. The DVDs are Andrew Pudewa teaching the lessons to a classroom of elementary aged kids, and my kids feel almost like they are in his class learning from him. He is very funny and my kids laugh uproariously at his silly jokes.

 

I find that we can get a writing assignment done once per week if we work on it for three days. I think it is an excellent writing program which is very easy to implement (once you have gotten through the TWSS!).

[prairiegirl]

We changed a few things a couple of weeks ago. For my ds, we changed from CW--Aesop to WWS. So far this is going well but it is a stretch for him. For my oldest dd, we added Vocabulary from Classical Roots and are doing it WTM style. For my youngest dd, we are adding a living math aspect to MM. So far, these things are working well but time will tell.;)

[ScoutTN]

Nothing huge here. Tweaking.

 

We finished Phonics Pathways.

 

Neither DD nor I really like FLL 1, so I am dropping it for now. I'm going to study it and FLL2, pick out what I like and condense those lessons a bit and we'll do it later. We do plenty of narration, picture study, copywork and poetry memorization already, so all I really need is the actual grammar stuff.

 

Realizing my limitations in teaching art and looking for an enrichment class in some kind of studio art for next year.

 

We are going more slowly in history and science than I had planned, sometimes because we dwell on a topic that interests my kids and sometimes because I'm not organized or circumstances conspire against my best laid plans. So I'm happy with doing what we get done and not feeling compelled to move on because that is what I wrote on my plans 4 months ago! We love the materials (SOTW1 and RSO Life)

 

Adding a Daddy read-aloud into our mix! :D DH did school for three days when I was out of town and everyone enjoyed it, so we thought this might be good.

[mycalling]

15th week and we changed things a couple of weeks ago.

 

I dropped Plaid Phonics A to go back to ETC. I didn't want them to have extra work as they had finished the first of 3 ETC books I require for 1st grade and half of PP A. So we are doing the phonics of the 2nd ETC on the whiteboard together then will be doing the 3rd actual book.

 

With my oldest two sons, we now do grammar/writing lessons daily on the whiteboard of topics I get from Sentence Composing for Elementary School by Killgallon and The Language Mechanic from the Critical Thinking Co. Shockingly, they look forward to this daily!

[Jaz]

We're dropping Latin.

 

I'm adding my dd to my ds' Exploration Education Physics. We enjoy school more when we're learning all together.

[FairyMom]

I changed math up. We are now using CLE. So far so good. My oldest really likes reading things and deciphering them on her own. She really doesn't like me reading from a script or textbook of any kind. She'll sit all day and let me read a book to her, though. :)

 

Added a couple of things back in that were on our shelf, and I am using the curricula, not letting it use me. :D

[WeeBeaks]

Minor changes I guess. I am doing BFSU for my 1st grader, and had been going to do in 1 year, but I'm going to take 2 I think and fill in with TWTM suggestions of animals, human body, etc. He is liking that combo better. Older DS is much more of a science guy, so I'm still feeling my way with 2nd DS.

 

WWE4/FLL4 is not going badly per se, but I'm not getting any great results with older DS. I need something different for grammar and writing, but I'm not sure what yet, and not sure if I will implement it this year or next fall.

 

I added spelling for first DS. He had been doing very well just from his reading, but suddenly his spelling was getting worse instead of better so we went toward a formal program for the 1st time in his schooling. He isn't thrilled, but doesn't hate it, so we'll see how that goes. We are using Spelling Workout.

 

Our big change was to leave Sonlight this year and do our own thing. I'm feeling a bit worn down doing my own plans/library books/outlines/tests/crafts but the kids are loving it so I don't see any big changes on the horizon this year for that. We have state study combined with modern this year.

 

DS #2 was doing Sonlight readers left from his K year last year (I Can Read It books). My gosh are those ever dull. I was just about to chuck them when DS had a breakthrough and we finished them. Then I listed them on paperbackswap because I will never be convinced to use those things ever ever again. We purchased them with DS #1 but never used them because he was a natural reader from very early. This was my first experience and last experience with that torture. I'll need something else next fall for DD.

[missmoe]

We have dropped SS. I'm waiting for megawords to get here.

[Amy Jo]

*sigh* Me. Dropping SWR for my 7yo, we'll just do Websters with him - he reads very easily anyway. Pushing Latin back to January (possibly December). Dropped CW Aesop for my 9yo - we enjoyed it, but other priorities are taking place. Purchased Life of Fred: Apples, and Maximum Math. Dropping FIAR "officially" - but we'll continue the book list as I can get them from the library.

 

Considering: Dropping MEP (or at least the teacher plans) as our main, going to a Living Math approach. Also considering: switching the older boys to HIFI - it uses CHOW, which we like, and many books I already own. And it leads into HEO.

 

I like the curriculum I've chosen, but I'm having a horrible time scheduling it with a wild Ker, a busy 2 yo, DH's completely unpredictable schedule, and a teenager who now lives here (mostly) while he tries to figure out what to do with his life...