AHHH I want to throw it all out!!

[Blessed5x]

I need some advice!!

I have 3 homeschoolers. A kindergartener, and 2 grade 3's. This post is geared towards the grade 3's.

 

Lately we've only been concentrating on Language arts, math, reading and handwriting. That's about it.

We haven't done much in social studies or science.

 

I'm finding lately that I want to burn the curriculum that I chose for language arts. My kids are not enjoying it. I am hating it. Some advice that I was given was that at the grade 3 level that I should be concentrating on reading skills, fun story writing, and journal writing that helps with sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, etc. Try to capitalize on interests, whether it be science, fieldtrip experience, life events, etc.

 

She also said to maybe focus more on social studies and work LA into it...fun little writing assignments, after a few months, concentrate more on science with LA worked in.

 

I really like this idea....however I'm not sure what they should be doing for social studies or science at the grade 3 level. What I have chosen is extremely boring and it's in one ear and out the other.

 

Any recommendations on what we should focus on for social, and science? They do love animals...could we do animal studies for science...like learning all about cats, hamsters, etc? or is that not enough? Please be honest with me.

 

This is my 1st year...and I hate the idea that I'm failing :( However I'm not giving up. I want learning to be fun, and enjoyable.

 

Thank you sooooo much. You have no idea how much I appreciate your help!!

[Blessed5x]

Is what I described called unit studies?

[TianXiaXueXiao]

I am only on my second year, so I do not have much hindsight to offer, but I will say that being new to homeschooling is incredibly stressful and anxiety producing for the parent. We get so concerned about "getting it right," that we lose sleep, patience, and motivation. The best advice I received during my first year was to keep academics at a minimum (just like you are doing) and allow my child (4th grader at the time) to "deschool" or get used to being at home instead of in an institutionalized setting. We did the bare minimum: Math and Language arts with lots of outdoors time and play.

 

The first year was my time to play catch-up and learn as much as I could about homeschooling and settle on what our home education style would be. We dabbled with unschooling, Waldorf, and being eclectic, but nothing clicked until I started reading more about classical education. There are so many new habits, devices, and tools to acquaint ourselves with in the classical education model, that I still spend a considerable amount of time in my own form of "professional development" for the homeschooling parent.

 

I would definitely do many more read-alouds if I could go back to last year and start fresh! Reading aloud is our family's favorite part of school and I regret that my daughter missed out on so many good books whens she was young enough to appreciate them. I have always read to her, but I wish I had read so much more last year instead of worrying about doing things "right"... thankfully it is not too late and we have been reading many books that we have both always wanted to read! :)

 

My daughter is in fifth grade and this year our school days have settled into a nice rhythm and we are getting used to copy work, memory work, picture studies, sentence diagramming, etc. I don't know which language arts program you are using, but I cannot recommend Language Lessons through Literature strongly enough! We recently began using this program and I find it is really the way I wish I had started doing language arts from the get go. The author is still working on publishing more levels as she currently has only 1-3 at this time, but I think level 3 is really working out for us in terms of nurturing good learning habits under a gentle classical model.

 

I don't know if I am telling you anything useful, but I just want to encourage you to be easy on yourself and give yourself enough time to review your options and prepare for the many years of homeschooling that lay ahead by letting your kids just enjoy being home with a mom who cares to invest her time in their education.

 

Unit studies can offer many educational opportunities for fun and exploration, so have fun learning more about whichever animals you pick! It will be enough if you think it is enough :)

 

Good luck and have fun!

[MerryAtHope]

Is what I described called unit studies?

 

Yes--unit studies focus on a topic and bring other subjects in (like bring math or la into a science topic, or even history).

 

First of all...Please know that we all buy things that don't work the way we thought they would from time to time. I know it's frustrating, but you definitely haven't failed your kids, and you CAN make some changes. 

 

History could be simple like reading Story of the World to your kids. Or geography as someone mentioned--learn about a place, maybe cook a traditional meal, do a craft etc... if you want more hands-on.

 

If literature-based history appeals to you, there are lots of curriculum out there that have that kind of focus (we've used Sonlight and really enjoy their literature read-alouds, but there are others like Winter Promise-more hands on, or Diana Waring which is more hands-on/project oriented, etc... 

 

Science--absolutely you can start with some animal units on animals they are interested in. You can get books from the library, visit a zoo (maybe in the spring--brrr!), check out local museums (do you have a children's museum anywhere near you?), visit a farm (any chance you could see baby animals in the spring?), and so on.

 

At their ages, you are just exposing them to history and science--you really can't go wrong!

 

I hope your first year starts to get better for all of you!

Merry :-)

[Elisabet1]

I learned early on to not do a reading curriculum. That is all I can help with here. For us, we do journal writing (story starters, this is not graded), and strong grammar program, spelling, and handwriting. I do not generally purchase something for everything. So far, I have always used BJU English for 3rd grade, Spelling Workout, and different handwriting programs depending on the child.

[Berta]

I have a 3rd grader this year too. We started the year with Trail Guide to Learning: Paths of Exploration, which I loved but my daughter was in tears. I made an unpopular switch to ACE. She absolutely loves it. She is using the ACE Literature and Creative Writing as well as Science, Social Studies, Word Building and English. She is the type that likes to sit down with workbooks and work by herself, which is why TGL wasn't working out for us.

 

I would highly recommend the TGL POS if your kids like to work with you. It's awesome and has lots of hands on activities. It's history based and includes all subjects except for math.

[Jess4879]

Is this a new feeling?  Was everything working two months ago? It could be the winter blahs.  I get a case of them every.single.year and ultimately hate everything we are using for about two months and swear it isn't working and then Spring starts to look a bit closer and I relax. LOL 

 

Now, when I start feeling like something isn't working, I make a list of what I don't like about it and what I do, and then I wait a few weeks and look at the list again.  We've also been known to dump certain things for a month and do a fun activity instead.  This helps immensely.

 

Best of luck!!

[tjdan]

If your kids love animals and you're looking for a fun, low-stress science, check out the Sassafrass Science Zoology adventure.  http://elementalscience.com/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=61_73

It's an adventure-style living book curriculum about twins going around the world studying animals, and you can get the logbook and activity that goes with it.  It's very engaging, and if your kids love animals, might be a way to study that without having to piece together 8 different unit studies (which can be a lot of work).