Dealing w/ self-starter, independent, no-nonsense 8 yo girl curricula-wise

[Ummto4]

All right,

 

I have this accelerated, independent, self-starter, no-nonsense 8 yo girl who I treat as a third grader. She loves workbooks (especially the colorful one like Horizons - she can do 4 lessons of Horizons in one sitting for pleasure) and do them independently (or w/ little explanation from me - she gets things quickly).

 

Currently we use Horizons 4 w/ MM 4 for math, ILL (usage, writing) ,Kiss &Paragraph Editing (grammar), Apples and Pears spelling, and Reading Comp. workbook for LA. For science and social studies, we use FIAR/By FIAR, Singapore MPH, and nature read aloud (NOT at the same time - we pick whatever we want to do that week. No schedule at all).

French is L'art de Lire and Arabic is from Madina Reader.

On top of that, she has religious instruction.

NOTE: curricula I listed above are for weekly work, not daily.

 

Problem is, she complains when I'm not available for her (because of baby and her older brother who needs me more than she does) for subjects which are more teacher-intensive at 'that moment' because that would lengthen her school day. She wants to be more independent so that she doesn't have to wait.

 

How do you deal w/ that ?

 

Of my curricula above, I'm thinking of replacing Apples and Pears w/ something more independent because she doesn't have problems whatsoever w/ spelling, but I want to make sure she knows the rules (the reason I put her in A&P in the first place is because I want to use the same program for my ds and her). May be spelling work out or megawords (any input; she lovees workbook - used to love ETC a lot !!) ? She will get dictation from ILL.

 

I don't see how to get science/social studies to be more independent though. But may be I should stock some independent work for her to do when I'm not available immediately or during bad days ?? If so, what book ?

 

Thoughts ?

 

PS: she loves interacting w/ me, but she sometimes drives me nuts w/ her question, "What's next ?" And then I would say, "ummm .... wait for me okay, I'm still teaching your brother."

[SkateLeft]

My oldest was like that. She used to drive me nuts with "What's next?" and "What comes after this book?" :lol:

 

Have you tried writing on her assignments in a planner, so she can just keep working without asking what's next? You can make science and history more independent by writing out reading assignments for her. I notice that you're using SOTW with your older child. Is there a reason that your 8yo isn't using it also? A motivated, independent 3rd grader who is a good reader could do the reading, mapwork, coloring pages and additional reading for SOTW 1 on their own. If you write it out, she can go ahead and do it, then talk about it with you whenever you're available.

 

At that age, my dd was using K12's science and history independently. She'd do the reading and history record journal, and then I'd do the experiments and discussion with her. I used to write out additional reading assignments based on the Sonlight book lists and the SOTW activity guide. We also use the Daybooks of Critical Reading and Writing as independent work. My son is using the reading and science daybooks this year, and enjoying them as a fun, mostly independent supplement.

[5LittleMonkeys]

For science check out AHA! Science. She can watch the modules and work through the lessons and games independently and then come together with you for additional instruction, reading, and experiments. Or, you could just use it as a filler for her to do something independently since it isn't too expensive.

[Aurelia]

Most of Galore Park's materials can be used independently by a motivated student. They carry both history and science texts. Exploration Education also has physical science that she could probably do on her own, since the teaching is on a CD-ROM.

[walkermamaof4]

I think IEW's Excellence in Spelling (The Phonetic Zoo) might fit the bill: http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/page/getting-started-excellence-spelling

 

The student listens to the words on a cd and writes them and checks their own work. They do the same list until mastered.

[frugalmama]

:bigear: Sounds about like my dd who is almost 6.

[Ummto4]

For science check out AHA! Science. She can watch the modules and work through the lessons and games independently and then come together with you for additional instruction, reading, and experiments. Or, you could just use it as a filler for her to do something independently since it isn't too expensive.

 

Just bought AHA! science for her. She loves it. She picked light unit and watched 3 videos on her own while I was going through her brother's writing. Thanks for this suggestion.

[Ummto4]

My oldest was like that. She used to drive me nuts with "What's next?" and "What comes after this book?" :lol:

 

Have you tried writing on her assignments in a planner, so she can just keep working without asking what's next? You can make science and history more independent by writing out reading assignments for her. I notice that you're using SOTW with your older child. Is there a reason that your 8yo isn't using it also? A motivated, independent 3rd grader who is a good reader could do the reading, mapwork, coloring pages and additional reading for SOTW 1 on their own. If you write it out, she can go ahead and do it, then talk about it with you whenever you're available.

 

At that age, my dd was using K12's science and history independently. She'd do the reading and history record journal, and then I'd do the experiments and discussion with her. I used to write out additional reading assignments based on the Sonlight book lists and the SOTW activity guide. We also use the Daybooks of Critical Reading and Writing as independent work. My son is using the reading and science daybooks this year, and enjoying them as a fun, mostly independent supplement.

 

She has her own timetable in a sheet protector, where she can cross off the list of things she has learned at a particular day. It's a generic one, though.

 

I'll ask her whether she wants to do SOTW as well. So she'll have options on different things she can do independently. I think she has the capability of writing her SOTW narration - this is what her brother's doing anyway.

[Ummto4]

We finally settle for:

- SOTW or AHA!Science for independent (or almost independent) work. With SOTW, she will read, narrate, and write the narration (yes, she can write summary pretty well).

- Spelling Workout to replace Apples and Pears.

 

On good days, we'll use FIAR /ByFIAR/MPH Singapore science instead of SOTW and AHA! Science.

 

She's happy with the change, knowing that she still uses FIAR/ByFIAR which she loves, but has the choice of doing independent work whenever the needs arise.