Oak Meadow (Nance etc) Need Help! Lots of q's

[Ecclecticmum]

Hi,

 

First of all I want to apologize for what is going to be a huge blurt :glare: But,...it happens. I was going to just privately PM Nance again, but I figured there are quite a few other OMers out there, and I don't want to bother her too much with my incessant rambling :laugh:

 

Let me explain my kids first -

 

Atlas (newly 7) - Phonics - We went through hiccups trying to find the right reading curriculum for her, (first Sonlight & ETC - too much connected with writing, then OPGTR (she glazed over, and promptly forgot everything th next second), then AAR (problems with pronunciation (on my part, I do accents, and easily pick up other accents, so was starting to get confused as to whether I was pronouncing in American or Australian), then I bit the dust and purchased Fitzroy (Australia Phonics program that leads to other stuff (a little bit of handwriting, typing, spelling, grammar I think, basically covers most of LA). Maths - We're working our way through the Singapore Maths Earlybird 2yr program (pre-K/K) (2B), I was told roughly for Aus that it was a grade behind, so she should be finished that and moving onto 1st grade in a bit (but both she & I are naturals at math, so she could possibly skip the rest of earlybird). I am unsure about OM Math, I do have AGLF Math (I tend to end up collected ebooks somehow, I haven't read it, I also have other AGLF stuff). I believe I also have Miquon Math in PDF format as well.

 

She is a very art/craft orientated person (to the point thats all she does in her free time). I had to do up Meal plans and work out budget yesterday, and she was upset so I gave her some scrap paper and some coloured construction paper. She found Xmas card gold pegs and string, and I came back to a washing line hung across the dining room with "lightsabers" she'd made pegged all across it lol. Shes also been making tape dresses for all the barbies this morning and made a mummified barbie before we began learning about egypt. Shes quite a good little artist and loves to draw.

 

I would want to keep with Fitzroy Phonics for all of the kids but it can tend to be rather light on stuff other than phonics. I am unsure about OM math, as to whether to make that my main, I would love to her opinions on that. We would also keep her creative foldeChaos (5 1/5)r going (I buy stuff like anti-colouring books, lollipop logic, sparklers & tin man press stuff for her that she does in her free time.

 

Chaos (5 1/5) - We are awaiting an assessment (could be upto 6 months) for Autism/SPD. He does not like colouring at all, and drawing depends on the directions (its pretty much a 50/50 chance). He's below Eve in concentration & attention, and can have some whoppers of tantrums/outbursts. Books bore him, he has certain "obsessions" (like Disney Cars, Chuggington), and would want a pain sketchbook just because it has McQueen on the cover. I could see him easily getting excited about parts of OM (making shapes from stick, seasonal table, etc) he's more the "doing" type boy. When doing workbooks he'll tend to try to go ahead of you, rambling scribbling stuff without waiting for instructions.

 

We were doing HWOT Pre-K stuff the other day (find crayon, point to crayon, colour crayon) and he duly coloured the small crayon. When it turned out he had to colour the rest of the items on the page, he looked at me, then the book, dropped the crayon, and walked out. All without saying a word. LOL. Whether he thought that it was a waste of time or didn't want to do it, I have no idea. He also tends to nap during the day, especially when we are about to begin school. Because of still waiting for an assessment, I am unsure how to go on this. If you push, he will push right back. So I'm not sure how to approach things exactly with him. He's good with logic/puzzles, and will happily sit there playing the ipad/iphone, he watches too much TV, which needs to be fixed, him and Atlas tend to butt heads a lot.

 

 

Eve (newly 4) - She is a very bright? child. I can't think of the word I want right now. She always wants to do school, is the teachers pet, will help me out with chores, do anything I ask of her, a perfect little obediant princess :laugh: She's very curious and interested, loves the outdoors, she's still working on her pencil grip so not the best at colouring/drawing right now. Shes basically a little girl who loves to play, no matter what it is :).

 

Eve & Chaos also use Core Knowledge Preschool & Activity Books, I would probably keep up with this (since I spent a fair sum getting them out here) and just do them as a "little kids" time on the weekend (so every saturday just do the weeks worth together, theres never much)

 

Summary

 

I would also keep HWOT if it was neccessary (not sure how OM goes about handwriting?), and the Aussie Social Studies books we have (these are nothing, I do 2 pages a week with Atlas, me reading a bit, then her doing something related (a drawing/fill in the blank etc) I only want to keep these as they are a niche australian Social Studies and end up working upto Aus Government & Politics at around Grade 7/8, its very basic, so is just a "native supplementary"). I want to keep Fitzroy Phonics, and am frankly unsure about OM Maths (would love to hear about it, or comparisons with SM, or what you do).

 

I want to be in OM for the long haul.

 

My Plan

 

I want to remove everything (except summary parts above) and transfer over to Oak Meadow. I would like to combine them all and start with OMK, WWYD?

 

Preferably I would like to do OMK for everyone and maybe get OM1 for Atlas just for LA & Maths. Would this work?

 

I also am looking at getting (one time purchases, as idea supplementals) New Child Montessoris Guides (Seasonal Guides & Supplements, unsure about Art Guide) (these follow a yearly spiral and I love they have yoga and practical life stuff in there, I would just use it for inspiration for each year), and Little Acorn Learning (Handwork, Childcare & Enrichment Guides) (For extra art/craft ideas, my kids are art/craft mad lol, so another guide just to pull an item from now and again). I also get stuff from Earth*School (K&F Shops) For Holidays & Ocassions (I like to stop school on days like valentines day, mothers day etc and just do lots of fun crafts).

 

I have CFS/ME plus other lil problems, so I have DVD/Game school for sick days (I cheat with DVD/CD-Rom/Internet schooling, they each have their own computer just for my sick days (and if needed for school of course). I have Fitzroy Phonics, Singapore Math, Happy Scientist, Sky Learning, Magic School Bus, Miss Marnies Tv Teacher stuff and other such stuff on their comps. Its my one cheating thing I need for my bad days, that plus LOTS of scrap paper (who knew I would be so happy oto make mistakes when printing stuff? lol) & craft supplies

 

I would love to hear what other OM Users (or ex users) think, and opinions. Right now, we are seperating so much stuff between the kids causing me to have to jump back and forth/interruptions etc, and its all still too workbooky, we live on farming land and I'd much rather work "with" that, than against it (and maybe turn our verandah into an outdoor school/garden)

 

The Questions

 

Should I just get OMK?

Should I get OM1 for LA & Maths for Atlas?

Is it worth it to also get the Preschool Process & Heart Books (I think one of them is the same as the K one, I mean whichever the different one is)?

Do you feel the need to add to OM Maths? What sort of child does OM Maths work for?

How good is the LA for stuff other than phonics?

 

If I had to seperate it would end up something like OM1 for Atlas and Preschool for Chaos & Eve, I don't really want to miss out on OMK for A though. Do you think Chaos would be ready for OM1 in 8 months (or so) though?

 

Another option is doing OMK for Atlas (with OM1 for Maths & LA), and having Chaos & Eve do OM Pre-K, and follow along with what they want, then starting OMK again with them next year. Then I would end up doing 2 different grades (OMK and OM1/2, and they do prefer to all be doing the same thing, and get upset when they are left out, Atlas already gets upset about not doing Core Knowledge activity books ROFL..

 

Help! lol

 

Thanks :laugh: