Tell me it's crazy to think of buying a packaged curriculum for next year

[Runningmom80]

Halcyon, have you read through OM 6 anymore? When are you due to get OM 4?

[Runningmom80]

Double post

[Halcyon]

Halcyon, have you read through OM 6 anymore? When are you due to get OM 4?

Not yet, crazy week at work as partner is on vacation. Hope to have time today or this weekend.

[awisha.]

I ordered OM 2 for DD just the other day. Now it looks like I am jumping on the OM bandwagon but I've been researching for a couple of months.

I had this amazing epiphany a few months back. I need to stop buying curiculum *I* like and what *I* think the kids (particularly DD) should use.

I bought SL core B back in Jan and although the books are great, learning that way just does not work in this house. Piles of workbooks don't work either.

 

So yeah, I really looked at DD and she is creative, artsy fartsy, hates workbooks and the added sitting still so I picked OM for her. Getting the craft kit too. We are super excited over here lol.

 

I've also bought Rightstart maths for both kids but I'll still pull elements from OM maths though.

 

So DD will have OM 2, RS maths, handwriting and Aussie phonics/spelling program (plus supplemental reading when needed).

DS is RS maths, handwriting and Aussie phonics. Plus listening in :D

[birchbark]

We've been on the bandwagon since the May sale. :D  We'll be using OM for 1st grade (adding in some 3R's and Bible Stories) and for 7th grade World History. I'm very interested in seeing how this year will go as well as hearing from other OM pioneers later on. There is an Oak Meadow social group.

[Halcyon]

I ordered OM 2 for DD just the other day. Now it looks like I am jumping on the OM bandwagon but I've been researching for a couple of months.

I had this amazing epiphany a few months back. I need to stop buying curiculum *I* like and what *I* think the kids (particularly DD) should use.

I bought SL core B back in Jan and although the books are great, learning that way just does not work in this house. Piles of workbooks don't work either.

 

So yeah, I really looked at DD and she is creative, artsy fartsy, hates workbooks and the added sitting still so I picked OM for her. Getting the craft kit too. We are super excited over here lol.

 

I've also bought Rightstart maths for both kids but I'll still pull elements from OM maths though.

 

So DD will have OM 2, RS maths, handwriting and Aussie phonics/spelling program (plus supplemental reading when needed).

DS is RS maths, handwriting and Aussie phonics. Plus listening in :D

Sounds like it is worth a try, at the very least! I was tempted to get the crafts kit, too. But I am going to piece it together.

 

Like you, we will be substituting math, and adding in latin and some more vocab. I am excited!

[Halcyon]

We've been on the bandwagon since the May sale. :D We'll be using OM for 1st grade (adding in some 3R's and Bible Stories) and for 7th grade World History. I'm very interested in seeing how this year will go as well as hearing from other OM pioneers later on. There is an Oak Meadow social group.

Didnt realize there was a social group! Oh goodie (yes, I'm a dork)

[Upward Journey]

We've been on the bandwagon since the May sale. :D  We'll be using OM for 1st grade (adding in some 3R's and Bible Stories) and for 7th grade World History. I'm very interested in seeing how this year will go as well as hearing from other OM pioneers later on. There is an Oak Meadow social group.

 

 

This is me as well.  I'm excited to see so many of us here :) We'll be using 3, 6 & 7.

[Runningmom80]

How do I find the social group? I need talking down. Lol

 

 

I'm having second thoughts about going with grade 3. I don't want to be pushy...... This kid is so hard to place!

[Halcyon]

How do I find the social group? I need talking down. Lol

 

 

I'm having second thoughts about going with grade 3. I don't want to be pushy...... This kid is so hard to place!

I will think grade 2 with modifications would be right. Remember, you need to reorient yourself, or you may as well not buy the curriculum. That said, I did jump younger to grade 4 because he prefers independent work. But older will stay with grade 6 which as tons of writing.

 

Off to read more of the curriculum so i can post a more in depth review

[Halcyon]

OM social group: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/groups/97-oak-meadow/

[Runningmom80]

Hmmmm. I already have grade 3 on its way, used, so I'm going to try not to worry about it until it gets here.

 

If its not going to work I will order grade 2 and save grade 3.

 

 

DH & ds want grade 3, no question. It's just me that's caught up in the "but I want it to be gentle and fun and developmentally appropriate." Typical. Lol

[Halcyon]

Hmmmm. I already have grade 3 on its way, used, so I'm going to try not to worry about it until it gets here.

 

If its not going to work I will order grade 2 and save grade 3.

 

 

DH & ds want grade 3, no question. It's just me that's caught up in the "but I want it to be gentle and fun and developmentally appropriate." Typical. Lol

Now that I think about it, that is probably better, because you can always use it next year if you decide to buy om2.

 

After our local curriculum sale here (cant resist) today, I am going to do a full review of om6. Still haven't received om4 :impatient:

[awisha.]

Now that I think about it, that is probably better, because you can always use it next year if you decide to buy om2.

 

After our local curriculum sale here (cant resist) today, I am going to do a full review of om6. Still haven't received om4 :impatient:

Ha!! I have to wait the 7-14 days for OM to process and ship my order PLUS another 6-10 days for it to arrive in Australia.

[Runningmom80]

Ha!! I have to wait the 7-14 days for OM to process and ship my order PLUS another 6-10 days for it to arrive in Australia.

Brutal!

[Halcyon]

OKay, so for those of you who have used OM, how do you schedule it?

 

Here's my tentative guide for 6th:

 

Monday: OM Vocab (20 m), OM Spelling (20 m), OM History/English (60-120 m), Latin Prep 2 (40 m), Math (40 m), Grammar Kiss (20-30 m), OM Science (30-40 m): 

Tuesday, OM Spelling (20 m), OM History/English (60-120 m), Spanish (30 m), Math (40 m), OM Science (30-40 m), Caesar's English (30)

Wednesday: OM Vocab (20 m), OM Spelling (20 m), OM History/English (60-120 m), Latin Prep 2 (40 m), Math (40 m), Kiss Grammar (20-30 m), Science (30-40 m)

Thursday: OM Spelling (20 m), OM History/English (60-120 m), Spanish, Math (40 m), OM Science (30-40 m), Caesar's English (30

Friday: OM Vocab (20 m), OM Spelling (20 m), OM History/English (60-120 m), Latin Prep (40 m), Math (40 m), Kiss Grammar (20-30 m), OM Science  (30-40 m)

 

Do you schedule brief Science (30 minutes) daily, or do you chunk it up throughout the week in longer time slots? Total for everything for each day is about 4.5 hours, not including reading time. 

 

Thanks for helping me think this out. I prefer a "guide" to my day, and not a hard and fast schedule...

 

[BugsMama]

Can I just say I am so excited for all of you? I never thought I would be am OM mom.... and then I thought I would supplement OM, and now tonight I am sitting hubby down and trying to rationally explain why I don't want to use all the curriculum I bought before I got OM, and just do OM instead of doing both. I want to do Singapore math with it, and that's IT.

 

Wish me luck!

 

(and also, I bough MBTP 5-7 used for my son, and then found OM 1 used, and I want to buy THAT instead. Gosh, I feel like a total psycho. But we're having SO much fun with OM!)

 

and Halcyon, don't forget to come back and tell us about 4! I *really* want to see it.

 

And Running Mom- I think you made the right choice with OM 3. You can always lighten it up too, if you need to. Its very flexible!

[Halcyon]

Hey BugsMama...4 just arrived in the mail today, so I am going to sit down and look at it and will post back!

[Runningmom80]

Can I just say I am so excited for all of you? I never thought I would be am OM mom.... and then I thought I would supplement OM, and now tonight I am sitting hubby down and trying to rationally explain why I don't want to use all the curriculum I bought before I got OM, and just do OM instead of doing both. I want to do Singapore math with it, and that's IT.

 

Wish me luck!

 

(and also, I bough MBTP 5-7 used for my son, and then found OM 1 used, and I want to buy THAT instead. Gosh, I feel like a total psycho. But we're having SO much fun with OM!)

 

and Halcyon, don't forget to come back and tell us about 4! I *really* want to see it.

 

And Running Mom- I think you made the right choice with OM 3. You can always lighten it up too, if you need to. Its very flexible!

I think so too. I was originally going to start MCT, but I think I'll just go w/ OM & SM at first and see how it goes. I printed out some of your planner pages, and bought a pretty new binder. :) I can't wait for my syllabus to get here so I can plan it all out!

[awisha.]

Brutal!

It is indeed!! I could've paid an extra $30 to get it shipped in 3-5 days but decided not to.

Rightstart Maths shipped the day after I ordered (last Wednesday so U.S Tuesday) and I should get it (hopefully) in a day or 2.

 

I am so excited lol.

[Runningmom80]

I got my syllabus today!

 

My kids are in 1/2 day camp all week, so I am going to be curling up with the OM syllabus and a latte at the local Starbucks tomorrow!

[Nicholas_mom]

RunningMom80 - I have been using ENKi education from Pre-school thru 3rd Grade, with a child I did not know was an accelerated learner.  Enki is a waldorf WITHOUT the anthro phylosophy stuff (whatever that is). 

 

Anyway, I just wanted to give you some food for thought.  The MOST important of these curriculum is not so much skill area, because as you can see that varies.  It's the stories that feed the child's development at the time.  So, a 5-6-7 year old, who is grounded in the family, is ready to leave it's family and go on a quest, meet some chaos and quickly come home to "all is well".  They are still in the imaginery world, make believe world.  So, hearing fairy tales and playing out the stories is how the child plays out his unconscious heart desires.  It keeps them grounded.

 

So, you can always work with skill, but I think you should look at the stories from Grade 2 and then sit quietly away from everything and imagine reading these stories to your son.  What do you feel inside?  What do you see in your child?  Look inward for the answers.

 

Grade 3 is about the "9 year change" where the child suddenly realizes that Santa is not real, etc.  He may still play make believe world but KNOWS its all make believe world and conscously sits and go over his younger self as, he will say "rememeber when I was 2 and I used to think Santa was real?" things like that.

 

 

EDITED TO ADD Sorry -- I have to add Grade 1 is usually Fairy Tales around 5-6-7 yrs old and Grade 2 is more on Sage Stories like Ghandi or Martin Luther King Jr. (for Enki) and Saints and Heros for Waldorf.  Grade 2 is about "hero worship" stories like Batman, Superman, etc. 

[Runningmom80]

Thank you for that insight. More to ponder....

[Runningmom80]

How is everyone scheduling this? As in, how many days for science, social studies, art, etc? (Especially for younger grades.)

[Halcyon]

I posted my schedule above, a few posts up...

[Runningmom80]

I'm having a hard time with the details, maybe I just need to let it go.

 

For example, this is specific to third grade, lesson one asks for 3 entries into the main lesson book, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to use the folk tales for all of these, or some of it is HW practice, or if I'm supposed to supplement other reading. There are only 41 folk tales, so if I do 3 a week, it only lasts a semester. Do we do 3 per folk tale?

 

 

Maybe I need to reread through the other semesters, I know there is a poetry focus at some point, so maybe I do go through the folk takes book fast.

 

 

I'm already over thinking this. Lol.

[Karen in CO]

I'm having a hard time with the details, maybe I just need to let it go.

 

For example, this is specific to third grade, lesson one asks for 3 entries into the main lesson book, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to use the folk tales for all of these, or some of it is HW practice, or if I'm supposed to supplement other reading. There are only 41 folk tales, so if I do 3 a week, it only lasts a semester. Do we do 3 per folk tale?

 

 

Maybe I need to reread through the other semesters, I know there is a poetry focus at some point, so maybe I do go through the folk takes book fast.

 

 

I'm already over thinking this. Lol.

 

My dd was in a Waldorf co-op, and I had OM 2 last year.  For the folk tales, the stories typically should last at least a whole week.  This gives the child time to live in the story.  In our co-op, the kids would make several main lesson entries for each story.  They'd do either copywork or a summary on one page and a picture on the facing page typically decorated with a border around the pages.    I think OM also has you read a story at bedtime to let it sink in before you start to work with it in your main lesson block.  

[Runningmom80]

Ok, I figured it out. I think.

 

I'm going to to the schedule they suggest, Its lighter on math then we've been doing, but I think it will be a nice change. I'm also not going to supplement with mct like i originally planned, until january, if at all this year. Im really excited about the rhythm suggestions, the nature table, etc. I haven't received the process manual in the mail yet, I'm excited to read that as well.

[Upward Journey]

The captcha ate my first response  :glare:   So this one is not as detailed and rather lame.

 

I'm using OM3 next year as well.  Your post prompted me to take a closer look.  I think we're supposed to rotate the folk tales, grammar & poetry by month.  I found the a reference to it in the 2nd paragraph of the introduction to the third trimester.  How's that for a convoluted sentence. :laugh:

[Runningmom80]

The captcha ate my first response :glare: So this one is not as detailed and rather lame.

 

I'm using OM3 next year as well. Your post prompted me to take a closer look. I think we're supposed to rotate the folk tales, grammar & poetry by month. I found the a reference to it in the 2nd paragraph of the introduction to the third trimester. How's that for a convoluted sentence. :laugh:

 

It made perfect sense! Why would they wait until thhe third trimester to explain? I'm aware that this isn't supposed to be a hand holding, box checking curriculum, and that's exactly what I'm asking of it. :laugh:

[Upward Journey]

I'm glad that you asked the question, because I'd already read through the entire TM and somehow the fact that I was supposed to rotate them went right over my head.  Now I'm wondering what else I missed...

[Runningmom80]

I'm re reading for a third time. I'm definitely over thinking this. :)

[Upward Journey]

I'll probably do that on Thursday.  They're replacing the hot water heater etc. in our aprtment building and unfortunetly we live right above it.  The constant noise is impacting my ability to concentrate.  However, it should be done tomorrow and then I'll be able to think again :)

[Runningmom80]

Ok, I get it now, the social studies also counts in the language arts book. So there are 3 main lesson books, LA& SS, math & science.

 

Eta: this is mentioned in the preface, which I only read the first time through, not the second. :laugh:

[awisha.]

My OM package is in the home stretch!!! I checked earlier and it said it arrived in Australia today so *fingers crossed* I get it by Friday (3 days) because my head will explode if I have to wait over the weekend too lol.

[Halcyon]

Well, I have been spending the last couple weeks focusing on organizing my hs room to be more simple, more homey and more "warm". So I haven't sat down withh the OM materials for a true solid block. That's going to happen this week, though. I am very excited at the idea of simplifying ourmo,eschool. Very. And the fact that our books for the year (excepting lit) fit in one basket by their desk is thrilling to me! I am still tryi g to decide of OM spelling is sufficient for older. His spelling was excellent u til the last 6 months and then something happens and he can't spell! I attribute it to tween brain fog, to a point.

[Halcyon]

I want to continue to expose him to challenges, but on different terms.

So what does this mean for,your homeschhol?

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

We ordered OM5 for ds 10. It arrived on Monday, it looks perfect for him.

[Pen]

So did you start yet?   If so how is it going?

[Halcyon]

YES! I posted a bit about it but yes, we began 10 days ago and it is going well. I don't think I have found my groove yet with the curriculum, but I like what we have done so far. Both kids are enjoying themselves a lot (which a sickeningly perverse part of me thinks means IT'S NOT HARD ENOUGH!!!! but we'll ignore that for the moment) and older also likes Latin Prep. Older has covered Ancient History already quite a bit, but I must say it's nice to review and feel you can actually just enjoy the material, dig a bit deeper, and do more projects because the "foundation" so to speak has already been put in place, kwim? OM Science is fun, too, and he's also taking a Chemistry class along with younger so there's plenty of science happening around here this year (yay!!!!) 

So overall, it's going well--I hope in a few more weeks to really have found my rhythm, but for the first two weeks, I give it a thumbs up!

[mc26]

Quick hijack Halcyon--I know there are quite a few writing projects in OM6, but is there any writing instruction?  I am planning to use OM5 and 6 for my guys next year, (our first year at home!) and I am not sure if I will need to add additional writing. (Now math, that's another story...)

 

T!A!