Need curriculum advice....overwhelmed!

[magnificent_baby]

Hello, new member here. I have lurked for many weeks, and love this site!

I am so overwhelmed and open to suggestions and advice.

Any thoughts or suggestions??

[5LittleMonkeys]

Back off to the basics until you feel more confident and then slowly add in other subjects as you can. Right now she really only needs math, reading and some type of writing (if your following TWTM it would be copywork\narration). Your content subjects, science, history, geography, music\art, and even foreign language, can wait. I would back off to the three R's until after Christmas and then add in one content subject, and then a couple weeks later add in another...don't worry about finishing those content programs by the end of the year. You are on your own schedule now.

 

When I first started I used all the recommendations from TWTM and quickly realized that, although I loved the philosophy of many of them, I had to be realistic about my time and my ability to use sooo many teacher intensive programs. I decided that I would have to pick and choose and ended up with a combination of teacher intensive and more independent programs. Sometimes a programs that I longed to use because it embodied all of my ideas for the perfect program, ended up being a bust either because it didn't fit my teaching style or my dc's learning style.

 

It will take you a while to find your rhythm, but you'll get there! Just give it some time.

 

Welcome and good luck!

[Homemama2]

Back off to the basics until you feel more confident and then slowly add in other subjects as you can. Right now she really only needs math, reading and some type of writing (if your following TWTM it would be copywork\narration). Your content subjects, science, history, geography, music\art, and even foreign language, can wait. I would back off to the three R's until after Christmas and then add in one content subject, and then a couple weeks later add in another...don't worry about finishing those content programs by the end of the year. You are on your own schedule now.

 

:iagree::iagree:

[FairyMom]

:grouphug: This is a hard time of year to start homeschooling. I always feel overwhelmed starting sometime in November. I've made the mistake of changing curricula during this time of year, instead of just backing down on our projects, etc. If I were you, I would concentrate on the 3Rs, get used to being home and pick up VP and the other things after January. :)

[mrs.m]

:grouphug: This is a hard time of year to start homeschooling. I always feel overwhelmed starting sometime in November. I've made the mistake of changing curricula during this time of year, instead of just backing down on our projects, etc. If I were you, I would concentrate on the 3Rs, get used to being home and pick up VP and the other things after January. :)

 

:iagree:

 

Don't go with the box. It might not be the solution. ;)

 

It might be time to consider switiching in January if things haven't gotten better. You might prefer and all-in-one LA such as CLE.

[acurtis75]

Until you get in to a routine I would agree with pp who say scale back to basics and start with a few subjects and slowly add as you get more in to the swing of things. It's probably too early to think about switching curriculum. Just try to make what you have work for you. I think a lot of new homeschoolers (myself included) feel like you have to set up your school just like the ps. Trying to get every subject in everyday and check things off your list is stressful and unneccesary. You mentioned trouble with math. It I were you I would start with Bible, Math & Reading daily and then depending on how long that takes add another subject or two. The additional subject can change from day to day so you're getting to everything but not in the same day. Actual instruction time shouldn't be more than 2 or 3 hours per day. I think there were other threads recently that mentioned that the time suggestions in the book are not realistic. Very few people actually spend the amount of time schooling per day that you would if you spent the time recommended in each section of well-trained mind. I believe SWB had to make some adjustments to those times to get the book published.

[coffeefreak]

WELCOME!!!!!!

 

I'm so glad you said your dd is loving homeschooling! That makes all the difference when we feel burned out. Since you guys like VP, but you're just overwhelmed with the schedule, I would agree with everyone else, just pare back. Don't try to do everything. That's a common mistake we all make. Every year. Even when we've been doing this for 7 years. . .:lol: Can your daughter read? Then scrap Phonics Zoo and let that go. Read one history source a day and do one or two of the student sheets per week. Or, do no student sheets! It's all up to you.

 

As for personal time, that's a struggle we all have. You have basically just taken on a full time job IN ADDITION TO being a mommy. Every time someone asks for your time during the school day, you have to think, "Would my boss let me take the day off to do this if I worked outside the home?" It's a difficult balance because you can and should be flexible, but you'll overwhelm yourself if you think you can keep the same schedule you used to keep when your daughter was in school. There are some great support books and scheduling books out there to try and help you prioritize. Managers of their Homes is a good one. I use it twice a year to see what's working and what's not. Just an FYI, their other books on homeschooling are not in line with how you're homeschooling so I don't think you'll want to read those. I read them just out of curiosity, but didn't agree with their views. You can also do some searches on these boards. We've had many discussions on time management, and mistakes we've made, what we would do differently etc. They're a wealth of information.:D

 

So, here are some last words of advice on what I've learned the last 7 years. I've learned to not be so hung up on a clock. Not to spend hours on one subject, not to waste time on a curriculum that did not fit OUR needs, and that the Lord will work everything out.:001_smile:

 

Welcome to the party!

Blessings!

Dorinda

[Another Lynn]

Keep what you love, take a break from the rest and add back in slowly or change it.

 

Keep CLE math and VP Lit. You love it and feel confident with it, Yay!

 

Phonetic Zoo - I'm trying to remember - does the student complete this independently? if so, then let her at it. If it's parent intensive, consider a workbook spelling approach - even if it's temporary or maybe even just for the rest of this year.

 

Shurley - no personal experience with this one, but I'm thinking from other posts that it is teacher intensive and the TM is cumbersome. Why not drop it for now. Add it back in in January and see. Skipping grammar for a bit in 2nd grade won't make or break your dd's education.

 

IEW - Personally I would drop it as I think 2nd grade is young for it. Add it back in next year if you want. If you're doing a lot of worksheets for VP Lit, Bible and History she might already be doing enough writing.

 

VP History and Bible - you may just have to decide HOW MUCH of it to do. I haven't used VP, but it wouldn't surprise me if there are lots of suggestions and maybe you're not supposed to do them all??? I'm not sure I would drop it entirely because working in all skill subjects without time for content subjects can get boring quick.

 

Now, I think some of my advice is contradicting those who said focus on the 3Rs and add the rest back in later. Either way is fine. Drop Shurley and IEW to add back in later ..... or drop VP History and Bible and add them back in later.... Go with your gut - which part is frustrating you the most - which parts does she like the most, etc.

 

By the way, you're way ahead of the game to already know that these programs fit your educational philosophy. The next step is adjusting for what you can realistically teach each day. I have programs I love, that I'm not currently using because I just can't do it with 5 children. What worked well 3 or 4 years ago doesn't work so well now. What seems to be the biggest priority this year probably won't be my biggest priority next year. I can't be engaged with all of my kids the way I was when my oldest was 1st grade. Don't be afaid to make it easier on yourself when something less than best will get the job done and allow you to do a better job in another area.

 

Oh, and welcome!!!

[Homeschooling6]

This is my 9th year homeschooling and every year I build up to using all that I purchased:D. For instance I may start with grammar and history. The 2nd week add in spelling and copywork. 3rd week add in Latin etc. Even now on our 10th week I still haven't finished adding in. We sort of started science :001_huh: and my picture study from SCM is still sitting on the shelf. Hopefully we'll start that in Jan.

 

I'm not familiar with VP but when I used Sonlight I would use lunch, breakfast, dinner or after dinner to read aloud. Same with Bible, I would use one of those slots.

 

Also take a look at all you are teaching, write them down and figure out what you want to daily. Rate each subject. 5 stars if you want it done daily. 2 stars if it can be done one or two times a week.

 

With my two middle boys I really want to concentrate on Shurley Grammar, Spelling and Writing with Ease, so I make sure those are the subjects getting done at least 4x a week.

 

With regards to Shurley English, are you skipping the writing? I am because we are using WWE. I am only using it for grammar. Some lessons are long, so I set a timer. Once it goes off we finish the sentence and pick-up where we left off the next day. We spend between 20-30 minutes on Shurley.

 

Again, I'm not familiar with VP's schedule but if you did Shurley regardless if you did the whole lesson or not I'd check it off for that day as done. Then when you start the next day pick up where you left off and mark it as done. Where you are at on the schedule may not line up with where you are actually at in Shurley but you are doing it every day. This may not work for you but it's what I do (using Easy Classical's schedule).

 

Can you find any of the books on cd?

 

HTH some,

Linda<><

[5 Hikers]

To the Original OP: You said she is loving it but you are not. I struggle with that issue myself. My older 2 have different learning styles than me. What I would love, they hate. I would not change your curriculum if she loves it. I agree with backing off a little to help you get adjusted.

 

You are right, as homeschoolers we do not have any free time. Instead of thinking of it as free time, I started counting how lucky I am to homeschool. I want my children home with me, so why am I complaining about it. My kids have strict bed times so my dh and I can be alone at night. I 2nd MOTH, it is a great resource for becoming more disciplined. When we are structured, there is time for me and everything else that needs to be done.

[KrissiK]

Congratulations on making the decision to homeschool. I must echo the sentiments of the previous posters.

Here are just a few of my thoughts:

1) This is our 4th year homeschooling and it takes a good month for me to feel like I'm in a routine and not exhausted all the time. It just takes time.

2) It is an adjustment any way you look at it. I have about an hour of free time during the day. When my older kids watch their tv show and the babies sleep. There are sacrifices you make when you homeschool.

3) I agree with everyone else, start out slow and add things in. Don't kill yourself. Also, 2nd grade is labor intensive. The older they get the more they are able to do things on their own.

[Guest]

Have you looked at Memoria Press's grade level curriculum packs? I also love CLE Math!!!! So we skip the R&S. We will likely skip the Latin. It makes my eyes cross!

 

We are currently almost done with Kinder and it has been the best time homeschooling ever. I wish my older 2 could have had this way back when we started.

Edited November 18, 2011 by Guest

[ErinE]

You've received great advice. Since you have younger children as well, you're probably overwhelmed with all you must do. Listen to the PP and start with the basics. When things get overwhelming for me, I set aside all the extras and focus on math, reading, and writing.

[MerryAtHope]

Welcome to the WTM! Agree with others--cut back and give yourself time to learn the new programs more gradually. That's a lot to take on all at once. Do just the basics, then pick one thing to add, get to know how that one works, then when you have that one under control try another. In my early years I often took a month to gradually ramp up to full speed, and you may even want more time since you are switching from building school to home school.

 

So glad your daughter is enjoying home school!

 

Merry :-)

[go_go_gadget]

I'll cast yet another vote for paring back to the the 3Rs and getting used to those until after the holidays, and then slowing adding things in at a comfortable pace. If you're into it and she's enjoying it, you've had a magnificent start. Let that be enough for a little while, and let yourselves ease into your new lifestyle.

[magnificent_baby]

Thank you all so much for your wonderful advice. I think I will stick with focusing on the basics for now, and add in other subjects as we get more comfortable. The book suggestion on household management looks great, I am going to look into that.

 

I really appreciate all the encouragement and sharing your own personal experiences, this board is such a blessing to me!

[magnificent_baby]

Have you looked at Memoria Press's grade level curriculum packs? I also love CLE Math!!!! So we skip the R&S. We will likely skip the Latin. It makes my eyes cross!

 

We are currently almost done with Kinder and it has been the best time homeschooling ever. I wish my older 2 could have had this way back when we started.

 

I have not looked into MP, but I am going to keep this one in mind! Thanks!

[speedmom4]

Since you love CLE for math you might want to look into it for English. I have been homeschooling for 11 years and I wish I had found CLE years ago. It is a full English grammar curriculum with handwriting and spelling included. It is quite cheap also. You might want to look at the samples online. We used Shurley for a while but I really wanted something a bit more traditional and comprehensive.

 

I would stick with what is working and look at alternatives to switch to or for next year. I would advise not to become a curriculum hopper though (like I was in the early years). I did learn a lot about curriculum but it was confusing for the children (plus really expensive)!

 

God Bless,

Elise in NC

[magnificent_baby]

:iagree:

 

Don't go with the box. It might not be the solution. ;)

 

It might be time to consider switiching in January if things haven't gotten better. You might prefer and all-in-one LA such as CLE.

 

Thank you so much for mentioning LA from CLE. I had not thought of that at all! I almost ordered it after browsing through the samples yesterday, but the spelling looks a little easy for her. I love the set up and ease of use with CLE.

 

I am going to continue Shurley/PZ for now, but really keep this in mind, just in case. Thanks!!

[Mommy7]

Be encouraged...homeschooling is a big change. It takes time to adjust and it *will* get better! It's wonderful that your dd loves what you have chosen! I agree with the advice of several others that it is always good to start with a subject or two...the basics...and do that for a while and then add another and another *gradually* until you are going full force. You are more than likely going through the adjustment to homeschooling in general. I'm sure that I would be overwhelmed if I started all that at one time and I have been homeschooling for about 12 years. I have to gradually start for it to not feel so overwhelming. It sounds like you are doing a wonderful job, btw. :)