I was so worried about transitioning to the Logic stage...

[Dolphin]

Now that we are here, it is soooo much easier than grammar. Does anyone else find this or am I missing something? We are really happy with our 5th grade choices, so we are just doing the next level for 6th and 7th.

 

DS is transitioning into a more independent learner. I feel I am part time teach, part time mentor.

 

I guess I am posting this to find out:

Is this because of logic stage just being more logical?

Is it because it is my third year homeschooling?

Am I doing it wrong, and it should be harder?

 

 

If it is easier, then people lurking and thinking about 5th grade will hopefully be relieved by this post.

 

Oh, I should probably say what we are using.

Math: TT5, BA, and LOF for fun supplement

Science: Galore Park, so you really want to learn science, with fallacy detective

History: SOTW 1 with additional Encyclopedia and library book reading.

Writing: WWS

Grammar: R&S English (skipping writing)

Critical thinking logic

Spelling: Phonetic Zoo

Handwriting: HWT

Latin: Galore Park LP

Greek: Hey Andrew book 1

Memory: Linguistic Development through Poem Memorization

 

He is already at a 9th grade reading comprehension, so I just make sure he is reading good books mixed in with Pokemon and ask him to tell me about what he is reading.

I am also not counting his extra curricula, Ballet, Tap, TaeKwonDo, Piano, Drums, Drama, and Swimming.

[Joshin]

I agree, it's much easier. I think it's a combination of having more experience/confidence and the child not needing as much hands-on time. My 12 year old just needs minimal help from me most days, although there are moments when he needs a bit more. Last year, in fifth, there was a learning curve as we changed up curriculum from the grammar stage, but now as a 6th grader he knows and is comfortable with what he is using. It takes him longer to get through his work, but my part is so much less. I think since he's more self-directed now days there is also less head-butting between us, since we are no longer both trying to push our way of doing something on each other. It's not all kittens and rainbows, but it's easier!

[Dolphin]

I agree, it's much easier. I think it's a combination of having more experience/confidence and the child not needing as much hands-on time. My 12 year old just needs minimal help from me most days, although there are moments when he needs a bit more. Last year, in fifth, there was a learning curve as we changed up curriculum from the grammar stage, but now as a 6th grader he knows and is comfortable with what he is using. It takes him longer to get through his work, but my part is so much less. I think since he's more self-directed now days there is also less head-butting between us, since we are no longer both trying to push our way of doing something on each other. It's not all kittens and rainbows, but it's easier!

 

Thank you! So, no big glaring hole of something that I am missing?

 

Do you ever find yourself thinking that because it is getting easier you must be doing something wrong, or is that just my low self esteem?

[kalanamak]

Count your blessings. I have found it harder on every front. More time, more choices, a moving away from all that discovery science and wonderful history stories.

 

I'm demanding more, he's capable of more, but with much of the "fun" stuff set aside, "I hate school" is the new mantra.

 

(I will admit the Mosdos stories and our couch discussions on them are really wonderful, but the rest is feeling like a grind.)

[Lori D.]

I, too found the middle school years much easier and more enjoyable. Our 2 DSs were just one grade apart, and our younger DS has mild LDs and a very strong-will; the combination made homeschooling grades 1-4 extremely difficult every.single.day of those early years. He finally turned a corner and a few things began to "click" in 5th grade, and we really hit our stride for the next 3 years after that.

 

I will say: enjoy this patch of smooth sailing while you are in the midst! :D

 

Somewhere along late middle school you hit those hormones that make their brains go away, removes their ability to focus/concnetrate, and they develop a whole new "attitude" that has to do with pushing away from parents, esp. mom, in order to develop their independent identities. :eek:

 

And then, high school gets a whole lot more time-consuming for YOU as teacher due to every topic needing more in-depth discussion more input for teaching complex subjects (sciences! maths! foreign languages! logic!). PLUS, you take on the additional roles of administrator (grading, transcripts, record-keeping, and test registrar -- AP, PSAT, SAT, ACT, CLEP, and the rest of the alphabet soup) and counselor (researching curriculum and outsourcing options, online classes and distance learning or no, dual enrollment or no, AP or no, college search and admissions, scholarship search, etc.) Not to mention the additional hours you spend as chauffeur to all the additional activities...

 

But high school has its unique joys and benefits, too -- check out this recent thread for all the GOOD parts of homeschooling high school you can look forward to!

 

 

Each season has it joys and hardships, advantages and disadvantages. Enjoy this season to the full while you are in the midst! And then enjoy the unique blessings of high school! So glad you are having a great year! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Penelope]

In some ways it is easier, but I am finding the transition tricky.

 

One thing I find difficult is that he wants to do most everything independently, and now with more maturity, he can.

 

But really, he can't. And shouldn't. I'm not okay with letting him self-teach math, for example. He wants to go ahead, but he really needs a teacher or he can miss important things. Same with Laatin. He wants to read and then write things up on his own. But he tries to fight me on editing his work. He reads well and retains well, but he'd rather not discuss it with anyone, he just wants to be "done." He can do a lot more on his own, but he still needs plenty of guidance and oversight on the doing. Yet he doesn't always see it that way.

[Mom0012]

I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but this is the hardest year of homeschooling I've ever had and I'm not 100% sure why. My son is in 7th and my dd is in 5th. Some of the stress is due purely to the amount of time it takes to get all our work done and feeling like the fun times are gone. I think we've also taken on too many outside activities/classes, but they are all so important to the kids in different ways, I can't imagine dropping any.

 

Lisa

[Dolphin]

I guess it is just a swings and roundabout thing rather than grade 5. For some reason this year is going smoothly (the last 2 did not). I am going to enjoy it while it lasts and use the time to teach myself what I can about teaching.

[Pink and Green Mom]

I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but this is the hardest year of homeschooling I've ever had and I'm not 100% sure why. My son is in 7th and my dd is in 5th. Some of the stress is due purely to the amount of time it takes to get all our work done and feeling like the fun times are gone. I think we've also taken on too many outside activities/classes, but they are all so important to the kids in different ways, I can't imagine dropping any.

 

Lisa

 

 

 

I am right there with you with my 5th grader. Between the bad attitude, hormones (his, mine), and the fact that he wants things spoon fed to him as if he's in 1st grade, I am quickly losing my mind. You are not alone.

[2_girls_mommy]

It has been really good here too. I have an independent learner. I spend time daily w/her on her math lesson. But at least once a week she does it w/out me at all, if it is just an expansion of what we covered the day before. I look over English with her a couple of times a week for a few minutes. I watch the latin video w/her once a week, and I teach it in co-op class which she attends (but it is review for her. She is ahead of the class....) But she does her daily work on her own: She pulls out her latin workbook first thing in the morning, picking up where she left off. Then math. If it is time for me to do a lesson w/her I do. Then she does spelling on her own. We look over her English together, and most of the time do most of it orally, unless it is a writing day or I need to assign some diagramming.

 

She knows what to work on for history each day. She has a schedule of what to do. She reads on her own (though I have a read aloud going at all times too) And she writes her summaries on her own once a week. She has a science class at co-op, so she does that homework on her own, and I assign additional reading from books we have here on the topics. She does Spanish on her own with audio for pronunciation, and we practice together a little. We do Bible together with her sis, and she does logic workbooks on her own when she can fit them in.

 

She is doing great this year, and I was so nervous about logic stage too!

 

She has always been independent though. It is a good thing. I need the time in the morning to sit at the elbow of my 8 yr that still requires it :)

[kalanamak]

 

 

I am right there with you with my 5th grader. Between the bad attitude, hormones (his, mine), and the fact that he wants things spoon fed to him as if he's in 1st grade, I am quickly losing my mind. You are not alone.

 

 

I find it "amazing" how much he can do without spoon feeding when a trip to the beach is awaiting him when he is done. :driving:

[Another Lynn]

So far I've had one of each..... challenging and smooth.... varying factors include.... one was my first and one was my second; one is (ahem) a stronger-willed child the other is much more co-operative; one - I knew we needed to address writing skills but I didn't know how (still don't), the other I out-sourced writing skills to CC's Essentials; one is difficult to motivate, the other responds well to checklists, routines and good habits. For one, I have no idea what path we're on and where we're headed, for the other the path is starting to look familiar.

 

Honestly, I've been avoiding this thread because I was prepared to glare at anyone who said logic stage was easy, LOL. But then I remembered that I'm already there again with my 2nd ds and I guess I could say the same about him. Anyway, I'm much relieved by those who posted struggles. I'm still right there with you with my 8th grader and we're suppose to be at the end of the logic stage. Poor first born guinea pig. :)

[Woodland Mist Academy]

I am finding the middle school years much more intense. It is partly by choice, though. I remind myself of that on the frustrating days.

[Dolphin]

I was reading through the descriptions of students in Cathy Duffy's book. My 5th grader mostly falls into the Competent Carl category. He doesn't want bells and whistles. He wants the work, gets on with it and then he is done. He is happier as he is more independent and that suits his personality. Looks like my daughter is a cross between a Sociable Sue and a Wiggly Willy, so I might have more problems with her at this stage.

[Mom22ns]

I was reading through the descriptions of students in Cathy Duffy's book. My 5th grader mostly falls into the Competent Carl category. He doesn't want bells and whistles. He wants the work, gets on with it and then he is done. He is happier as he is more independent and that suits his personality. Looks like my daughter is a cross between a Sociable Sue and a Wiggly Willy, so I might have more problems with her at this stage.

 

 

My oldest never really fit in Cathy's descriptions, but has some definite Competent Carl tendencies. My dd is also a Sociable Sue with a fair amount of Wiggly Willy thrown in. The logic stage was much harder the second time, but I still enjoyed it.