CLE LA... overkill or thorough?

[staceyobu]

We loved CLE LA 100. We are nearing the end of CLE LA 200 and I'm feeling a little frustrated.

 

Some of my frustrations...

 

We use something else for writing and handwriting, so I have to figure out what sections to skip.

 

Sometimes there are lengthy exercises on topics that don't seem to be much use to us personally... phone book usage (we don't have a phone book in the house), Canadian addresses (I've never sent a letter to Canada in my entire life), how to check out library books (but it's not done in the same way we check out books from our local library), etc.

 

Annoying phonetic markings. DD can read "cool" and spell "cool". Does she really need to know what marking the "oo" sound has?

 

Sometimes grammar exercises that seem unnecessary. Does anyone need to know that long vowel words divide after the vowel and short vowel words divide after the consonant?

 

I'm caught between feeling the program is excellent and thorough and feeling that it borders on unnecessary. Is it wasting time? Or totally worth it?

 

A few things we like:

 

The price.

 

DD can use it independently.

 

The spelling.

[Random]

We loved CLE LA 100. We are nearing the end of CLE LA 200 and I'm feeling a little frustrated.

 

Some of my frustrations...

 

We use something else for writing and handwriting, so I have to figure out what sections to skip.

 

Skipping the writing is pretty easy. It's usually its own section. Handwriting is usually its own section of the lesson as well. You could look through the lesson ahead of time and mark out the sections for your student to skip.

 

 

Sometimes there are lengthy exercises on topics that don't seem to be much use to us personally... phone book usage (we don't have a phone book in the house), Canadian addresses (I've never sent a letter to Canada in my entire life), how to check out library books (but it's not done in the same way we check out books from our local library), etc.

I know what you mean here. Some of the exercises are 'dated.' I think they are still kind-of fun for my kids to learn. We talk about how things used to be done and how things are done today. Sometimes those dated references help my student understand something in context when reading something else.

 

Annoying phonetic markings. DD can read "cool" and spell "cool". Does she really need to know what marking the "oo" sound has?

I like this because my kids can sound-out any word they look up in a dictionary by its markings. Not everyone thinks that is an important skill.

 

 

Sometimes grammar exercises that seem unnecessary. Does anyone need to know that long vowel words divide after the vowel and short vowel words divide after the consonant?

This is an important spelling rule/skill to learn. I think it's helpful to learn about open and closed syllables.

 

 

I'm caught between feeling the program is excellent and thorough and feeling that it borders on unnecessary. Is it wasting time? Or totally worth it?

 

A few things we like:

 

The price.

 

DD can use it independently.

 

The spelling.

I love these things about it, too. Except the spelling. ;)

[Mommy to monkeys]

We're using levels 400 and 200 right now. . .when we used level 100, I thought some of the activities were a bit overkill, but those types of activities seem to decrease the higher up we go.

 

For the record, I mentioned going back to Rod and Staff next year to my kids (8&9), and they were really upset. Seriously. . .my dd cried. They both want "light units".

[keyjoh62080]

CLE100...OVERKILL! We dropped it after about a month or so.

[Anne in CA]

I think it is much easier than A Beka or Rod and Staff to teach. I love the simplicity and it does not have the "preachy" paragraphs that some other LA programs have that are like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. I do not think that the few sections that are out dated are a big deal to skip.

[Mommy to monkeys]

CLE100...OVERKILL! We dropped it after about a month or so.

 

This I totally get. I won't be reusing CLE 100 when my next in line is ready. We'll probably go with FLL 1&2, BUT my current 2nd grader and 4th grader are doing well with theirs even though I don't really care for the spelling. . .or the phonics and handwriting sections (which we skip). I do go round and round over whether I should be using an all in one LA program in which we cross out the phonics (at early levels), handwriting, and spelling.

[delaney]

I just mark out the stuff I don't want them to do. I am using it with PR as independent work and reinforcement. I may end up doing the same with math.

[campmom]

delany

Which CLE levels have you put with which PR levels for reinforcement, if you don't mind my asking?

[keyjoh62080]

This I totally get. I won't be reusing CLE 100 when my next in line is ready. We'll probably go with FLL 1&2, BUT my current 2nd grader and 4th grader are doing well with theirs even though I don't really care for the spelling. . .or the phonics and handwriting sections (which we skip). I do go round and round over whether I should be using an all in one LA program in which we cross out the phonics (at early levels), handwriting, and spelling.

 

I hear you on this one!!! I tried this very same thing with hopes of using an all in one. But after so much of crossing this out and skipping this part and supplementing, it ended up not really being and all in one anymore so I gave up on the thought and am now okay with piecing things together.

[walkermamaof4]

keyjoh62080 - what do you piece together now? thx

[jer2911mom]

:lurk5:

 

I was about to post a thread very similar to this one. We are using CLE LA 200 this year as well and I can't tell if it is thorough or overkill. It feels like it takes forever if we do all the oral review, too. The phonics work has been very good for my dd and I like that it isn't as heavily focused on the dictionary markings this year as in 100 last year. Also, I'm not sure if everyone knows that CLE is updating the LA every year, so this is the first year for the new 200. The next level will be revised each year, so we are in line for that. I like the CLE LA format, the good use of white space, the coverage, etc., but it just feels so long and tedious and it's really hard to figure out what to cut out. I can't figure out if I piece-mealed the LA components together separately on my own if I would save us any time or not. It's nice not having all those transitions. I also wonder if the phonics work is what makes it feel so tedious. We use the new phonics cards and those feel tedious to work with. I just don't know if we should continue long-term or if this is a recipe for burnout. I really like the increasing independence factor, and with a Ker next year, that would be helpful. I wanted to get other people's thoughts as well.

 

Kathy

[Mommy to monkeys]

:lurk5:

 

I was about to post a thread very similar to this one. We are using CLE LA 200 this year as well and I can't tell if it is thorough or overkill. It feels like it takes forever if we do all the oral review, too. The phonics work has been very good for my dd and I like that it isn't as heavily focused on the dictionary markings this year as in 100 last year. Also, I'm not sure if everyone knows that CLE is updating the LA every year, so this is the first year for the new 200. The next level will be revised each year, so we are in line for that. I like the CLE LA format, the good use of white space, the coverage, etc., but it just feels so long and tedious and it's really hard to figure out what to cut out. I can't figure out if I piece-mealed the LA components together separately on my own if I would save us any time or not. It's nice not having all those transitions. I also wonder if the phonics work is what makes it feel so tedious. We use the new phonics cards and those feel tedious to work with. I just don't know if we should continue long-term or if this is a recipe for burnout. I really like the increasing independence factor, and with a Ker next year, that would be helpful. I wanted to get other people's thoughts as well.

 

Kathy

 

My dd is lu 206 and we ALWAYS done in 30 minutes or less. . .the math is what seems to take awhile.

[jer2911mom]

My dd is lu 206 and we ALWAYS done in 30 minutes or less. . .the math is what seems to take awhile.

 

Is that with crossing out the parts you mentioned in your earlier post (phonics, handwriting, spelling)? If so, I could see it taking a lot less time. We avg. 45 min. to an hour doing every part of it, including the review at the front of the lesson in the TM. I feel like a lot of times it is closer to an hour.

 

Thanks,

Kathy

[Mom28kds]

I'm using CLE I like it. I agree with overkill on phonics and some of the symbols they use for sounds. I have a 1, 2, and 6 grader using it. I used it last year too. Last year I actually started it with my then 1st grader then, got frustrated and ordered ABEKA. I realized it was doing a much better job than I realized with my son so I sold ABEKA and ordered CLE again. No turning back. I don't use the penmanship because I like another one better. I heard that after 2nd they drop alot of the phonics. This year they came out with a new 2nd which came out after I ordered mine (I have the old one). There is a couple things I've skipped over but it's no problem. I like it overall and not worth trying to find something else that might be a little better. I don't think I'll love everything from any curriculum. This has done a great job. I do like how there are some things that I've learned that my old years of teaching the kids ABEKA I didn't know like when to use things like ge vs. dge etc. They explain all those things and it make it easier for the kids to learn how to spell them. I love their math!!!! I also am one who likes spiral. I think the repetition is good.

[Mommy to monkeys]

Is that with crossing out the parts you mentioned in your earlier post (phonics, handwriting, spelling)? If so, I could see it taking a lot less time. We avg. 45 min. to an hour doing every part of it, including the review at the front of the lesson in the TM. I feel like a lot of times it is closer to an hour.

 

Thanks,

Kathy

 

Yep

[jer2911mom]

Just wanted to bump and see if anyone has any new words of wisdom. We are halfway through CLE 200 and it still feels tedious and like it takes a long time each day.

 

Does CLE LA feel less tedious after 2nd grade?

 

Thanks,

Kathy

[Mom28kds]

Just wanted to bump and see if anyone has any new words of wisdom. We are halfway through CLE 200 and it still feels tedious and like it takes a long time each day.

 

Does CLE LA feel less tedious after 2nd grade?

 

Thanks,

Kathy

 

I would love an answer to this also.

[Mommy to monkeys]

I have a child in 208 and a child in 406. As I've mentioned before, for my 2nd grader I cross off the phonics, spelling, and penmanship sections (although sometimes she does the penmanship sections).

My 4th grader's work seems less tedious for the age group IMO. . .I cross of penmanship and spelling still, but those comprise a smaller section of the work each day than they do in the 2nd grade levels. He's done in 20 minutes usually, unless he has to spend time looking up things in the dictionary. . .then he takes a bit longer. Keep in mind also that from 4th grade on, the teacher manual is completely optional which means that you really are only going over what's in the light units as opposed to bring out the other material in the TM.

 

I still really really like Rod and Staff better, but every time I mention the possibility of bringing it back out, both kids give me the look of death.

[jer2911mom]

Thank you! What do you use for spelling? We have switched back to ARFH for penmanship and I think it helps having something to skip in the LU and using something with a different format for that part.

[Punks in Ontario]

Yes, I agree that some sections are rather tedious and may not be overly relevant. The phonics and phonetic markings especially struck me that way esp. since most modern dictionaries don't use the same markings. (Maybe that's something they're changing.)

 

For my olders I didn't make them learn the markings for that reason. Now I wish I had made them learn them since they still have problems with long and short vowels. I had the youngers mostly learn them and they've done much better with some spelling rules such as doubling consonents after a short vowel. They don't know all the markings and I'm not going to force it.

 

Yes, the phonetic markings are mainly gone be level 3. Some of the parts like checking out a library book and classroom etiquette get less frequent. And while I find it boring and repetitive, the kids have all liked CLE. They like the constant format and predictable methods. We often do other penmanship and for my struggling spellers we do a different format instead of the spelling tests.

 

One of the challenges of crossing out parts of the work is that then you also have to modify the quizzes and tests. In the early years this is easy, but gets trickier as they get older.

 

I'd suggest you stick with it without too much crossing out of the main lesson for now.