Gentlemommy Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 For second grade, what's wrong? I would not call my dd advanced or quick. In fact, I believe she's behind a bit in reading and writing, and average in all other areas. VT has helped her tremendously, and she is catching up very quickly, so I think she will be at a mid second grade reading/writing level by Christmas. She is also highly distractible, but VT and Brain Intergration Therapy techniques have helped there too. Basically, the only thing going for her is her eagerness to get school work done so she can play lol. Today we did- MEP-one lesson and subsequent worksheet Grammar-LLATL component for this weeks lesson was drawing pictures of herself, and labeling how she felt when she was well rested and when she wasn't. Went over the term antonyms. Spelling-AAS, orally spelled ten words Etc-4 pages, finishing book 4 Reading-read one chapter to herself and narrated to me History/handwriting-listened to SOTW on cd, while writing the copywork sentence She will read aloud again at bedtime for 20 minutes. We do history 2x a week, the next time she will do the Lapbook part. On the other days she does an art lesson from Mark Kissler, bible, poetry, or we work on her literature Lapbook from CoaHS. Science is interest led, we have an extensive home library, and plenty of learning opportunities at the barn. We have science experiment kits as well. I read aloud to them everyday, I'd say at least 30 minutes, although we often go much longer. She listens to audio books, classics and things from Librivox that are quality literature. I aim for school 6x per week. We both do much better when the routine is in place daily. I guess I just worry. I keep seeing people spend 2-4 hurs on second grade. And I wonder what I'm missing. My child, though I love her and think she's perfect:D isn't advanced or focused lol. However, after VT and some very strict guide lines, we've gotten into a good rhythm. Schoolwork isn't too easy or too hard. What else should we be doing if we get done quickly? Sme days it does take us a bit longer, because of interruptions or focusing issues, but generally, if we buckle down, it can be done in just over an hour. This is new, it used to take us longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 There's no such thing as "second grade" for a homeschooler. :) There's nothing wrong with finishing in less than two hours. If you feel as if you're moving along well, and your dc is enjoying and seems to be learning, then that's all the time she needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I guess I just worry. I keep seeing people spend 2-4 hours on second grade. And I wonder what I'm missing. We have music (from K), vocabulary (from 1st grade) and foreign language (from K) which are counted into "school" hours. Both my kids also does an hour of unassigned reading per day which I do not count as "school time" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I don't see any problem with what you're doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Your time is fine. Do your subjects.....I found 1-3rd grade to be about 2 hours MAX. Many days much less, but some days longer if we had a project to do. And I always find the beginning of the week to be longer days than end of the week. AND the beginning of the year to be longer days than a few months in. For example...our school year is 4/5th grade this year. In Sept we were doing school 9-4 daily and never finishing. Now we are 9-2ish most days but Friday we are often done in 2 hours. :tongue_smilie: But at 2nd grade we were doing an hour or two. You are fine. Realize that is someone is doing hands on projects for every subject and you only read and discuss there would be a large time difference. You really can't compare to anyone else unless you both have the exact same curriculum/levels. Enjoy your time b/c it does get to be longer every grade we move up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durriyyah Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I guess the only thing I would be curious about is if you are exploring and discussing things, or filling in blanks. When we work on stuff together (DD1 is in 8th grade, so it is largely independent), it takes longer because I want to discuss it all with her, and not just have her fill out worksheets. If you have 6 things you did today, and only spend 15 minutes on each, that could be fine, but if she's interested in something, I would explore deeper. You said she is reading and narrating. Are you reading to her also? If you think she could use a boost in reading, I would suggest reading two pages to her one, and this will help her get into the story (assuming it is longer) and get her more interested in the characters and plot. Just my two cents. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 There's no such thing as "second grade" for a homeschooler. :) There's nothing wrong with finishing in less than two hours. If you feel as if you're moving along well, and your dc is enjoying and seems to be learning, then that's all the time she needs. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jane Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 There's no such thing as "second grade" for a homeschooler. :) :confused: Yes there is, even if you work at your kids level they still can be "second grade age" There's nothing wrong with finishing in less than two hours. If you feel as if you're moving along well, and your dc is enjoying and seems to be learning, then that's all the time she needs.:iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyhock Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Nothing wrong at all. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nancy Ann Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 When my son was a second grader we only had formal school for 2 hours. We were using Five in a Row. Math and language arts would take us about an hour or a little more. Than we would read books and do Five in a Row for our history, science, art etc... I don't think he could handle more than that at that age anyway. The rest of the day still had learning through play, talking with him, computer and television, errands etc... At this age A LOT of learning is going on just in regular day stuff. So don't add more school stuff add more life experience. This age is precious for that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbotoast Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Sounds great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentlemommy Posted October 29, 2012 Author Share Posted October 29, 2012 (edited) Thank you for your replies. :001_smile:Yes, I do read aloud to her daily, as does her dad when he's in town lol. As for projects, any time I've tried, she hasn't gotten into them...if its mom-led, *I* end up doing the prep/work/clean up, and trying to get her interested, so I stopped planning projects. If she expresses an interest in exploring things further or making a project, I absolutely support and help her out. In fact, she just started a 'business'. She's wanted a puppy for two years, and in six months, on her birthday we told her we'd get her one, if she could pay half of the adoption fee and half of the vet insurance every month. Plus any extras (toys, clothes {lol} and treats) will come out of her pocket. She found a craft on pinterest she felt she could make, paid for the supplies ($13, so I helped her some) and made them. She's almost sold 24 units already! She also decided to donate half of her profit to the humane society, "To help the other dogs that we can't adopt, mom" :D Have I mentioned how awesome I think she is???:D Anyway, I am satisfied with how she is progressing, and I love that school work gets done quickly and without fuss or frustrations, I just worry. Poor first chld...:tongue_smilie: Edited October 29, 2012 by Gentlemommy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 :confused: Yes there is, even if you work at your kids level they still can be "second grade age" Homeschooled children are ages, not grades. We've had a gazillion discussions on this forum about how homeschoolers muck around with their children's "grade levels," but age is age. It just makes much more sense to talk about how old children are than what "grade" they are "in.":) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentlemommy Posted October 29, 2012 Author Share Posted October 29, 2012 Ellie, that makes sense. She's 7.5, and doing second grade curriculum...as for reading, her decoding is good, but the fluency and speed could still use more practice. Same with writing, her letter formation is good, (actually thanks to Spalding:D) but she tires quickly with it, and can not write many sentences at one time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 A wise person told me that K takes a half an hour a day, and to add a half hour a day for every year after that. It has been exactly right for us. So, 2nd grade would take 1 1/2 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 My second grader is ahead of grade level in every subject, but she can also rip through her seatwork in a straight hour. That means she's motivated and enjoying herself immensely. Nothing's wrong with that! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicMom Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Sounds fine! I know I had a good day recently where we got through all of school in half the time and my mental response was, "Wait a minute, are we not doing enough? Why are we done already? :001_huh:" :lol: I say be thankful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 (edited) Field trips! That's what fills our days, that and good films and read-alouds. The "hard core" academics get done in a fairly short amount of time; I think 90 minutes of focused work is quite reasonable at this level. We are getting everything checked off our daily list. Honestly, I am tracking hours and our field trip numbers far outweigh the other categories (of course I can tie most of 'em back to a core subject area if necessary). We LOVE learning this way! ETA - Oh, I forgot science labs. If we have a spread-out-and-get-messy science lab session, that goes beyond the regular 1.5-2hrs. But we love these, too, so it doesn't feel like pencil to paper school time. Edited October 29, 2012 by Seasider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentlemommy Posted October 29, 2012 Author Share Posted October 29, 2012 As for field trips- Social one-We bike to the park daily (there are four playgrounds in our neighborhood, and a pool), have hs coop at the park (it's mostly play, optional lesson or craft if kids want to participate), and two weekly playdates with friends. They also attend Sunday school. A few times a month, we do a more educational type field trip, or if something we are learning about can be enhanced by a visit to the farm/aquarium/zoo/science center/history museum/nature center, ect. I feel so much better you guys. Seriously, where are you all when I'm reading the threads about 2nd graders doing 4 hours of school??? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS Mom in NC Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Right now my 7 year old is writing a letter to her pen-pal (my cousins' daughter in ME who is also homeschooled.) We read aloud about 2 hours a day to all of our children (currently ages 7, 14, and 16.) In addition to the usual school work we read aloud an hour of classic literature in the evenings while the kids play or draw quietly or just sit and listen if they're older and so inclined. Unabridged classics by the greats like Lewis, Tolkien, Kippling, etc. are a good starting point if you don't already so this. Really well written literature trains a child's ear for writing in the future. It also exposes them to people and ideas they would otherwise not get in person. My husband just finished Anathem by Stevenson with the older two. My husband is reading the unabridged 1001 Arabian Nights with the 7 year old. I'm reading an abridged Peter Pan with her at bedtime because the illustrations are not to be missed. I'll read the unabridged next time. For my 7 Year old : We also have about an hour total during school between very well written and illustrated picture books of folklore and storybooks related to our area of study-right now it's Ancient China. Today we'll read a few Chinese stories, The Empty Pot and The Magic Boat by Demi. We'll also read The Story About Ping (The Duck) by Marjorie Flack to reinforce the map of China we made. (Ping lives on the Yangtze River.) We also do engaging historical narratives like SOTW, A Child's History of the World, Learning Through History Magazine, etc. in that hour but you could break it up into shorter sections through out the day. Today it was the SOTW by Confucius and we made a chart about who obeys whom and who is kind to whom when it comes to Confucian philosophy. She'll copy for handwriting the most famous sayings of Confucius quoted in SOTW's chapter on him this week. The chart and handwriting will go into our lapbook about China along with the potato prints of Chinese characters from last week when we learned about Chinese printing. Her narrations I wrote out and she copied for handwriting last week were all about Shing Huang Di the first Emperor of all China, the Great Wall he oversaw, and his great tomb. I read a loud several other books related to these subjects. SOTW is a skeleton that is a great structure for school, but it needs to be "fleshed out" with other books at a child's level with more detail, so it's a trip to the library with each unit study. I go by region, not by chronology because that's how it's set up in the library with the Dewey Decimal system. With the older girls I read aloud something related to History, Bible, or Philosophy. Right now it's C.S. Lewis' Abolition of Man. It's been things like Toquville's (sp?) Democracy in America, Conflict of Visions by Sowell, Common Sense by Paine and the like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Ellie, that makes sense. She's 7.5, and doing second grade curriculum...as for reading, her decoding is good, but the fluency and speed could still use more practice. Same with writing, her letter formation is good, (actually thanks to Spalding:D) but she tires quickly with it, and can not write many sentences at one time. Sounds good for a 7yo. :-) If she tires quickly, could it be that she's gripping her pen/pencil too tightly? If so, you could have her use a fountain pen instead of a pencil. You cannot grip a fountain pen too tightly. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 (edited) Today we did- MEP-one lesson and subsequent worksheet Grammar-LLATL component for this weeks lesson was drawing pictures of herself, and labeling how she felt when she was well rested and when she wasn't. Went over the term antonyms. Spelling-AAS, orally spelled ten words Etc-4 pages, finishing book 4 Reading-read one chapter to herself and narrated to me History/handwriting-listened to SOTW on cd, while writing the copywork sentence She will read aloud again at bedtime for 20 minutes. We do history 2x a week, the next time she will do the Lapbook part. On the other days she does an art lesson from Mark Kissler, bible, poetry, or we work on her literature Lapbook from CoaHS. Science is interest led, we have an extensive home library, and plenty of learning opportunities at the barn. We have science experiment kits as well. I read aloud to them everyday, I'd say at least 30 minutes, although we often go much longer. She listens to audio books, classics and things from Librivox that are quality literature. I aim for school 6x per week. We both do much better when the routine is in place daily. It sounds like what you are doing is working for you! You have all the major areas covered. We spend a little longer on school, maybe 3-3.5 hours. Talk about lack of focus, it often takes us more than an hour to do an MEP lesson (I won't go longer than 90 minutes). We may spend more time on writing also. In math my dd has trouble with focus, in writing my ds struggles, how stereotypical of us, eh? In addition to what you have listed we also spend 20-45 minutes a day on Spanish and an hour a week on American History. Neither are things that you must/should be doing now, so hey! you're good! Edited October 29, 2012 by SusanC clarity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 If she expresses an interest in exploring things further or making a project, I absolutely support and help her out. In fact, she just started a 'business'. She's wanted a puppy for two years, and in six months, on her birthday we told her we'd get her one, if she could pay half of the adoption fee and half of the vet insurance every month. Plus any extras (toys, clothes {lol} and treats) will come out of her pocket. She found a craft on pinterest she felt she could make, paid for the supplies ($13, so I helped her some) and made them. She's almost sold 24 units already! She also decided to donate half of her profit to the humane society, "To help the other dogs that we can't adopt, mom" :D Have I mentioned how awesome I think she is???:D : I think what she is doing here is a wonderful project and in some sense, far better than a lap book or experiment for which she has no interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momtoamiracle Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I think what she is doing here is a wonderful project and in some sense, far better than a lap book or experiment for which she has no interest. :iagree: my son is doing first grade work (just turned 6) and it takes about an hour, a lot of times even less, to do the written part. Only Math and Phonics have any kind of writing as my son hates it. The rest is reading, and that may take two hours a day, broken up at different times. So our school day, on paper, looks like 3 hours, but he hasn't spent that much time on "school work". I think you're doing great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellen Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I have a second grader who has 7 subjects daily. With the exception of baking day and art day he can be done in an hour if he applies himself. I feel like we are doing enough. It does seem that people count hours differently. I don't count hours he reads or I read to him. I don't count sports, experiments, field trips, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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