rdromick Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 We've begun Sonlight core 1 with level 2 easy readers. I'm a bit discouraged as prior to schooling dd would independently do workbooks without any encouragement. I'm wondering if I should adjust our curriculum to fit her need for independence? What we're using now requires me to assist with most everything. I think part of the problem is she's reading on a 2nd grade level though maybe not LA level?? however, she does understand the LA teachings after some initial frustration. I've been reading posts about easy grammar, thinking that might be a way to give her some independent work? Maybe I need to just hang in there with what we're doing... many thanks rr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Maybe the books are just too hard? Their "reading" or decoding level doesn't necessarily match their comfort reading level. Put a pile of books in front of her with a variety of levels and see what she reads. Then you'll know what level she's on. No, I wouldn't do easy grammar with a 6 yo, because there's just no need. If you're considering her a 1st grader, she's a very young 1st grader. My dd has a late April birthday, and what I did for the first several years was make my expectations a semester later on things, especially stuff that was developmental like writing quantities, line widths, etc. It's just not reasonable to make a newly 6 yo do the same amount of work or same level of work as a 1st grader who turns 7 in October, kwim? I would suggest you do the SL read alouds but not push the readers at all. Surround her with interesting books on a variety of levels and let her just read whatever works for her. Do some pleasant math each day, using a workbook approach if that's what she likes. You can do FLL if you want. Find something fun you want to do together. 1st grade is really your last year when you can just have FUN and not have the pressure of everything else you think you ought to be doing. Do fun stuff and enjoy it! That reading is going to come, just with giving her time to read. She just needs time. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 What exactly are you discouraged about? Sonlight does require alot of parent-child interaction, that's part of the beauty of the program but only if that's what you want. Sonlight is definately not a workbook program, but there will be some more independence in later years (or so I'm told). You may want to check out the 27 reasons not to buy Sonlight and 25 reasons to try Sonlight. We are doing Core 1 with easy readers and it takes about 3 to 3 1/2 hours for everything(including electives, math & science), most of that I work with her. She does her copywork independently and some of her math, but that's about it. Hope that helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prim*rose Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 I didn't even bother with the readers until this year (2nd grade). It's much more enjoyable this way for us since she wasn't ready in 1st grade for them. Grammar - my 7 yo LOVES GWG! She asks to do it all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 We use SL, and I have the grade 2 easy readers and LA here, but have chosen not to use it. While I love SL for history, I don't like their LA at all. I bought the level 2 LA last year for my 1st grade ds and after looking through it, it just seemed like there was so much unnecessary stuff in there. I got it back out again when my dd started 1st and once again, it just looked like a waste of time. This is all just my personal opinion though. My 1st grader reads me a reader each day, I have a bunch in a basket and I let her pick. I have her do simple copywork, we work on narration as it comes up with our history reading, and we memorize some poems she likes together. That's all we do for 1st grade LA here. At that age you have to expect to do history with them, unless you go with AOP or something like that and use all workbooks. But really, I think any 1st grader will need a lot of guidance and help, no matter the curriculum or method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdromick Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 The readers she enjoys. She'll read books by choice from various levels up to beginning chapter books, though she needs help with some words on these. It's the lang arts, with the writing and new concepts. I just feel uncomfortable with finding the right balance between not enough new information and killing her interests in learning. I miss the little girl who would excitedly finish workbook pages... maybe they were too easy, no new material. I'm thinking I need to back off a bit. It sounds unanimous about 1st grader needing little grammar. Totally agree about history, me needing to be there. many thanks rr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdromick Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 What exactly are you discouraged about? Sonlight does require alot of parent-child interaction, that's part of the beauty of the program but only if that's what you want. Sonlight is definately not a workbook program, but there will be some more independence in later years (or so I'm told). You may want to check out the 27 reasons not to buy Sonlight and 25 reasons to try Sonlight. We are doing Core 1 with easy readers and it takes about 3 to 3 1/2 hours for everything(including electives, math & science), most of that I work with her. She does her copywork independently and some of her math, but that's about it. Hope that helps! I guess I'm surprised by some of the resistance I'm getting from a previously cooperative child. She used to sit down on her own and practically finish a workbook and love it. In retrospect, I think she was doing work she had mastered. I love SL. We both enjoy the read a louds. She's reading her bible now, which she loves. It's the LA! I've looked at LA1 and feel confident it would be way too easy for her. She does not enjoy the LA, so I wondered about a workbook for her. She loves ExplodeTC. rr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 I guess I'm surprised by some of the resistance I'm getting from a previously cooperative child. She used to sit down on her own and practically finish a workbook and love it. In retrospect, I think she was doing work she had mastered. I love SL. We both enjoy the read a louds. She's reading her bible now, which she loves. It's the LA! I've looked at LA1 and feel confident it would be way too easy for her. She does not enjoy the LA, so I wondered about a workbook for her. She loves ExplodeTC. rr Good to here, we love SL too, except the LA! The only part I like about Sonlight's LA is the creative writing assignments and I'm not completely sold on that either. We dropped LA1 and just focused on handwriting and phonics/reading. If the LA is not working send it back, they have the 18 week learn to love it guarantee. You could always return to the workbook approach for LA if that's working for her. Hope that helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn E Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Look at Growing with Grammar. My dd6 loves doing the workbook. It is a gentle introduction and reasonably priced, so you may be able to add it to what you're doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdromick Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 Look at Growing with Grammar. My dd6 loves doing the workbook. It is a gentle introduction and reasonably priced, so you may be able to add it to what you're doing. ohh, that looks good, not too basic. thanks rr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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