What curriculum has taught you how to teach?

[Staci in FL]

I'm realizing (after being at this little adventure we call homeschooling for several years) a fundamental truth about my teaching. The subjects I teach well are the subjects that correspond to curricula that have actually taught me how to teach.

 

Here is what I mean:

Spell to Write and Read taught me how to teach reading/phonics and spelling. I use SWR concepts to go through Ordinary Parents' Guide to Teaching Reading with my dd5, who is the third child I've taught to read.

 

RightStart Math has taught me how to teach math. We don't use RightStart anymore. We use Saxon, but I use the RightStart techniques to teach many concepts covered in Saxon.

 

Tapestry of Grace is teaching me how to teach history. I loved SOTW, but I would just "do the next thing" in the AG or just read the next chapter. Now, I can pick up SOTW and know what I'm talking about so that I'm not reading the chapter like a robot.

 

Classical Conversations taught me how to effectively do memory work and how to teach geography. Again, we aren't doing the CC program this year because now I know how to do it at home.

 

Shurley Grammar taught me how to teach grammar. I prefer the format of FLL, so this is what we use now, but I use the concepts laid out in Shurley to teach grammar now.

 

I know how to teach science because I was an engineer! Enough said.

 

On the other hand, Lively Latin, while a lovely program, has not taught me how to teach Latin. That isn't necessarily a problem, but in the end, we just do what comes next and I haven't really TAUGHT Latin. Same thing goes with Literature. TWTM taught me how to do narrations, but I don't really know how to "teach" writing. KWIM?

 

I'm curious what some of your thoughts are on this. Do you agree? Do you think it is necessary to know how to teach each subject? For me, it just happened naturally this way...I didn't set out to find curricula that would help me "teach". I'd love to hear your thoughts.

 

Staci

[Trivium Academy]

I have a short list of curricula that helped me to teach and the rest really comes from instinct, teachers that inspired me, and reading about teaching.

 

FLL gave me a good start with grammar although we're not using it anymore b/c it wasn't the approach I wanted to use but I still use what I learned from it's structure in our more relaxed approach. I've also read books about teaching grammar, writing and elementary LA.

 

Horizons' TM helps me be a better math teacher, to explain concepts a little differently than I naturally would (which is sometimes in a roundabout way). But I've also read books about teaching math.

 

Tapestry of Grace, this has been the most useful and helpful in our journey so far. I can read the teacher's notes and sound so smart and natural when discussing events with my dd8! I love that feeling.

 

Science comes natural to me because I'm a very curious person, I just share my curiosity, love, and wonderment with the kids.

 

Poetry memorization was greatly helped by The Harp and Laurel Wreath and it is still our primary resource. The information in the Introduction of the book was a great help when I was trying to figure it out with all the stress of wanting to get it right.

 

Writing Aids is unlocking a few teaching tips for me for writing.

 

Truly though a lot of what I've learned has come from reading about teaching and learning how to approach certain subjects and becoming comfortable/confident. I owe a lot to Gilbert Highet, Mortimer Adler, Elizabeth Foss, Ruth Beechick, Rafe Esquith, Marva Collins, Susan Wise Bauer, Jessie Wise, Sara Huffington, Charlotte Mason, Laura Berquist, the entire TOG staff and fellow homeschoolers who share their journeys. I know I'm still learning...

[Mama Lynx]

SWB's materials have taught me how to teach very basic language arts, and Classical Writing is teaching me how to teach higher-level writing. Like you, Right Start has taught me how to teach math, and SWR taught me how to teach phonics and spelling (though I don't use it any more).

 

I do think we are much better off when we learn to *teach* a subject. Otherwise, we are just following along with someone else, with no real understanding. Our students will be better off when we have that real understanding.

 

Latin's a tough one. I want to teach it well. I am learning how to teach it through a combination of Henle, Lingua Latina, and the Oerberg email list. It's a difficult process.

[angela in ohio]

I have written and rewritten a blog post about this very subject the past few days. I wanted to encourage other homeschoolers to seek out "how to teach" rather than "what to teach." But no matter how I have worded it, it sounds bossy. ;) I find that the most effective teaching I do is when I know how to teach a subject, know the material, and can interact rather than following a book. If I can teach an entire lesson without a book or notes, I consider it a very good lesson!

 

Some of the most helpful for me have been the books How to Tutor and You Can Teach Your Child Successfully. Talks from CiRCE and Veritas Press and ACCS's trainings have also ben very helpful. IEW, Teaching the Classics, How to Read a Book, and just about anything with a good teacher's manual (BJU math, R&S English, etc.) have also been helpful. I also learned a lot about teaching my own dc by teaching others both in co-op and in Sunday School, too.

[GailV]

RightStart math! Yes! After going through RightStart I felt like I could pick up another math curriculum and do a decent job. I enjoy math, I"m good at math, but I was clueless as to how to teach math until I used RightStart.

 

I can't say I feel the same way about R&S English, Angela. I felt like a deer caught in headlights when I was using that program. Oh, I sounded smart using the TM, but I hadn't a clue what I was doing or why. I've gotten more out of the various levels of FLL, reading lots of SWB, and now using Analytical Grammar.

 

Now, everyone stop waving that Tapestry of Grace flag around, please! Mama Lynx has been tempting me with TOG, and I'd appreciate it if y'all could just pipe down about how wonderful it is. ICAN'THEARYOU ICAN'THEARYOU.

[rafiki]

.

[sagira]

I'm a newbie, but so far I can see MCP Math's Teacher's Manual, even in the first grade, is going to invaluable to me. I'm not strong in Math at all, and I don't think mathematically -- yet. So this will help me enormously. Miquon will be teaching both ds and I to think creatively and discover math in the everyday world.

 

I thank Peak with Books with its excellent literature-based curriculum (we're finishing it in K this year), and my excellent teachers Ruth Beechick, Susan Shaeffer Macaulay, Karen Andreola, Susan Wise Bauer and especially Charlotte Mason.

 

In addition, I find the writings of The Link Homeschool Newspaper helpful.

 

And last but not least, I thank my mom, who although did not homeschool me, afterschooled me the whole time. She's a natural teacher.

[karensk]

(My background is that before homeschooling, I had no teaching experience other than a semester or two of teaching a two-year-old Sunday school class.)

 

Using FIAR & B4FIAR is how I learned to teach literature to young children, mainly by discussing interesting aspects of the book. Going through a story several times instead of just once made me realize that you notice different things each time and that it usually increases your enjoyment of the piece of literature.

 

As I used the first half of FLL, I learned how to engage and direct a student through a mostly oral grammar lesson (as opposed to just handing him a workbook/worksheet, which is what I would've done otherwise). It's script made it so easy. I don't follow the script so much anymore, but FLL is what originally helped me learn how to actively engage a student in a two-way discussion (instead of a one-way lecture) for a grammar lesson.

 

Using Singapore's PM with the TG's, I learned how to use hands-on activities to reinforce abstract math concepts.

 

When ds was in a K/1st Konos class, I learned how to do notebooking, projects and activities. I'm pretty sure the Konos curriculum doesn't have notebooking in it, but it does have some great hands-on learning activities that I learned to love! This is how I learned about active learning.

 

I learned how to teach poetry to elementary-aged children when ds used LLATL-Orange. It was a mix of studying some poems (reading them aloud, copywork) and writing several of your own. Ds made his own poetry notebook.

 

I've been learning how to do guided narrations using SOTW & the AG. The review questions & answers along with the sample narration answers help me know what to expect. Otherwise, I'd be completely clueless!

 

I expect to add WWE to the list soon; we haven't actually started any lessons yet....I'm learning how to direct the copywork/dictation/narration lessons more effectively to improve my kids' writing skills.

[Bee]

Except math which does require you to sit down and teach it most of the time.I prefer curriculums that allow us to read and discuss what we have read.Or lectures we can listen to and then discuss.I do use workbooks and textbooks for any number of subjects,like spelling and grammar but I find that my children can usually teach themselves using those,once they know how to read.We all enjoy anything that allows us to do hands-on work.

For a number of years I found it very frustrating to try to teach writing to my oldest dd and I've only recently come round to realizing that it isn't something that can be forced on a young child.It is a very long journey that requires tiny little steps along the way.

So for curriculum I like Sonlight,SOTW,FLL,WWE,Mosdos Press, and Teaching Company lectures.Things that don't require a lot of prep,memorization, and note-taking on my part.

[susie in tx]

Rightstart math helped me teach math. But, it also helped me to teach other subjects. It taught me to stop and teach rather than just keep going on to the next thing.

 

FLL taught me how to help my child do narrations. Actually, so did SWB's writing CD.

 

Writing Tales taught me how to teach Classical Writing. Classical Writing is helping me to teach writing.

 

My first job after college was teaching inmates. There, I used a curriculum that three of my colleagues had written. It, along with one of my colleagues, taught me how to engage a student, how to interact in an discussion, and how to make sure *I* remember pertinent information that a student has said in the past to help them learn something better today. I haven't used my experience teaching adults a lot with my kids, but I hope to use it more as we get more into high school.

[Colleen in NS]

I'm curious what some of your thoughts are on this. Do you agree? Do you think it is necessary to know how to teach each subject? For me, it just happened naturally this way...I didn't set out to find curricula that would help me "teach". I'd love to hear your thoughts.

 

For me, it's necessary to know how to teach a skill. I figure if I can do this, then my kids can use the skill to teach themselves a content "subject" like history, science, literature, art/music appreciation, etc..

 

Writing Road to Reading book plus my mother taught me how to teach handwriting, spelling, and how to read. She got me started, gave me continued support, and I continued studying WRTR and asking her questions until I knew how to teach the skills.

 

WTM, FLL, Writing Without Fear CD, and a sample chapter of WWE taught/are teaching me how to teach writing skills. I've also read various other articles by SWB to glean information I need to figure out a more detailed plan of how to teach these skills through grade 8.

 

WTM and FLL taught me how to teach memorization skills.

 

R&S grammar and math are teaching me how to teach these skills. I don't always "get it" at first, but if I study ahead of my kids, then I do, and can teach more effectively. Mostly because I've taken the time to read ALL the information in the TM for each lesson, rather than feeling rushed and pressured to figure it out and teach at the same time.

 

Drawing With Children has definitely taught me how to teach some basic drawing skills.

 

WTM taught me how to help my logic stage student start to make connections between historical events, and between literature and historical events, by using a timeline. It also taught me how to teach some geography skills, by telling me how to compare maps, globes, and atlases. It also taught me how to start talking about literature with my kids. TWEM and WTM rhetoric great books section will teach me how to continue that in high school.

 

WTM and SWB's Science in the Classical Curriculum CD taught me how to teach some basic science skills (observation in grammar stage, critical thinking and scientific method in logic stage), in addition to science reading.

 

Latina Christiana is teaching me how to teach Latin. I do find it difficult at times to extract from the TM what it is I need to do and know about how to teach Latin, but by careful reading, I've been able to figure out how to teach it (go over vocab. cards every day, recite grammar forms every day, recite prayers often, recite sayings often, here is the pattern for creating Latin sentences, plug words into the formula, etc.).

 

Language Logic, a book by Canadian author Robyn Matthew, taught me how to teach a foreign language, and piece together a teaching plan with various books/CDs.

 

I seem to have written a lot about SWB's products, but they have all given me a huge start, and I now know I can go out and look at other books and figure out what other books would be most useful and efficient at teaching me how to teach something.

 

I, too, didn't set out to find books that would tell me how to teach. But now I sort of know how to look for that quality in texts. I never really thought about it until I read your post! I guess that's why I like books like WRTR and DWC. They take awhile to study, but once I know what to do, I can teach confidently (until I come up with an unexpected problem, then I go searching for how to solve problem x! :)).

 

EDIT: Oh, and these boards!!!!!! How could I forget? I have learned TONS here about how to teach!! And I've learned a lot from my mother, who is a teacher who specializes in early childhood education. She taught me TONS about how babies, toddlers, preschoolers, early elementary kids learn. And about how to set up a good learning environment.

[Kimber]

For me, I find it impossible to teach curriculum I don't know or understand. I really gravitate toward curriculum that teaches me the subject more than how to teach it. But how to teach is something that I am learning from the boards, friends that are teachers, books on the subject, and trial and error.

 

I think IEW is fantastic for teaching writing structure. It's intuitive information, but I had never verbalized it nor seen it laid out in such a way.

 

Math and science I get content wise, but I had to learn how to teach little kids, my own. I learned a lot from you guys and from Ruth Beechick.

 

Writing I learned more from reading, working through curriculum, and taking an on-line class. It's been fun.

 

For reading, I use 100 EZ lessons. I also bought the OPGTTR. I don't follow the script, but I love the organization. I don't feel the need to reinvent the wheel and both of those books do a good job and laying everything out.

 

I plan to get Teaching the Classics next year as part of my self education.

 

For foreign languages, I don't think it's possible to teach until you've learned it. Otherwise, the curriculum does it. At least this is how it works for me.

 

Kimberly

Great Discussion!

[Nan in Mass]

I usually am on the high school board, but I'm escaping packing up my oldest for college today and popped over here and ran across your post. I just wanted to tell you that I've managed to homeschool grades 1 through 11 now with open-and-go curriculum. Yes, often I do the curriculum with them. Yes, it takes lots of time. But I do not do any prep work. I'd probably be a better teacher if I did, but I can't. I just don't have time. I memorize very slowly, so if I had to teach in that style, there is no way we'd survive. TWTM stuff is open-and-go, and I've found some on my own. I even managed to do high school physics this last year in this manner. The only place I've had trouble is high school Latin. I open-and-go the book, but I do have to memorize the endings. I have a horrible time with just that. I can't imagine trying to add lecture prep.

-Nan

[Linda...inOwasso]

RightStart and Singapore Math

Shurley English Grammar

IEW Writing

Classical Conversations Memorization

AlphaPhonics Reading

 

These boards have provided a wealth of wonderful teaching tips which I can't imagine living without. :)

[Baseballmom]

Teaching the Classics, The Phonics Road...., Shurley English, and Writing Aids.

Dorothy

[Jami]

I think this is a great thread!

 

I'll echo those that mentioned the R&S teacher's manual (math in our case), I feel like I'm finally teaching math not just handing them a workbook to do.

 

SWB's Writing CD and now WWE have helped me understand how to break down the skills of writing. I've only heard a bit of the IEW lectures, but I gleaned helpful information from those too.

 

And then my non-curricular teachers--a couple of yahoo groups with people more knowledgeable than I, along with this board; CiRCE conference CDs; Veritas Training CDs; Memoria Press articles; books by David Hicks, Susan. S. Macauley, Gilbert Highet, Charlotte Mason, Laura Berquist and SWB.

 

I'm still not a natural teacher by any stretch, I'm hoping that I'll continue to grow and develop in this area.

[Carol in Cal.]

...teaching Sunday School openings--originally something I agonized over that over the years has become easy and fun.

 

...SWB's work, especially TWTM.

 

...The Writers' Jungle, for writing.

 

...100 EZ Lessons, Saxon Math, and Rod and Staff, for repetitiveness and just how much DD needs that for new skills work.

[Woodland_Mom]

The things that have been most instrumental in improving my teaching abilities have been:

 

First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind - Helped me refine the narration and diction skills that TWTM discusses.

 

Five in A Row - Gave me a good grounding on how to approach literature and what types of things to look for to bring about lively discussion.

 

Saxon Math - Helped me to understand how to teach step by step.

[Johanna]

RS math and the little time that I dabbled in SWR gave me tools forever!

[Another Lynn]

I heard this idea in one of Andrew Pudewa's talks: separate education into three areas: 1)character 2)content and 3)skills. For this discussion, separating content from skills helped me see where our strenghths and weaknesses were and how to address them. And I have found that I am more CM for content areas and more WTM for skill areas. Here's my list of curricula that have helped me learn to teach:

 

SWR (now phonics, reading, and spelling make sense and I have confidence to explain almost every "exception" we find)

 

FLL3 - even my writing phobic ds "complains" that this is too easy, LOL. I love it. It is holding my hand, teaching me how to teach grammar and ds thinks he is an expert!

 

WWE - NOW I understand how copywork, narration, and dictation can be done systematically to build writing skills. When I was more CM-influenced I knew we were supposed to be doing these things, but I didn't understand how to go about it from day to day (what to expect, how to increase difficulty, etc) nor did I understand what it was accomplishing. I love WWE and I can't wait to get the workbooks.

 

AmblesideOnline - for content AO cannot be beat. It is one of the reasons we love homeschool so much. It is the one of the reasons my oldest is always begging for one more chapter, one more story, etc. It provides great literature and history even from the first year and the kids are hooked! We don't follow it to a "T" but when I'm fumbling around with plans I know I can go back to AO to get my bearings and trust it will give us good stuff. It has helped me learn how to choose good books and how to plan our year.

 

Science - I still run from screaming, LOL. We love the terrific nature stories from AO. We're still not very good at nature study, but we notice more than we used to thanks to AO. I'm not sure I'll ever learn how to teach science.... co-op anyone?, LOL!

 

Fun thread!

[LanaTron]

I prefer curriculums that allow us to read and discuss what we have read.Or lectures we can listen to and then discuss.I do use workbooks and textbooks for any number of subjects,like spelling and grammar but I find that my children can usually teach themselves using those,once they know how to read.We all enjoy anything that allows us to do hands-on work.

 

Things that don't require a lot of prep,memorization, and note-taking on my part.

 

 

:iagree:

I've never wanted to be the "teacher," but more of a guide. I want my dc to be self-teaching where possible, and frankly, they all seem to get frustrated when I try to teach them things, unless it is scripted, like FLL.

 

Obviously, I am the teacher in the sense that I decide what subjects they do and which curricula/resources to use. I use things that are "do the next thing," although I add in my own discussions, etc. where pertinent.

 

I just don't have a lot of time or energy to put into actively learning to be a teacher, but I will say that it is just happening with time and going through materials with my older two children.

 

My oldest dc is about to start Singapore 6. I feel that I finally get how to "teach" Singapore math, so I am actively teaching my youngest dc, who is just starting Singapore 1. But I suspect that she will move into reading the text and doing the work, with me available to answer questions and explain concepts where necessary, as both my ds's do.

 

And I think I'm getting enough of a handle on Latin, having gone through LfC A and B with my oldest, and now working through Latin Prep, that I'm even beginning to consider teaching Latin in a co-op.

[Mamagistra]

Latin's a tough one. I want to teach it well...It's a difficult process.

 

Amen, sista. :tongue_smilie:

[Tammy]

Calvert was the first curricula I used (1st grade)....and I am glad I did, LOL!

 

Tammy

[sweetbaby]

I don't think any curriculum has taught me how to teach. As a mother, we are already teachers from birth. But there are some books that have assisted or guided me along. TWTM is one. As for curriculum that helped me to teach, I would say Rod and Staff. The TM are very thorough and filled will ideas. Apologia Sciences have been helpful along with Wordsmith Writing. We haven't started MFW but the TM looks awesome. I can't wait to start.

[TracyR]

For us I'll have to say

100 EZ lessons taught me how to teach reading

Writing Tales is teaching me how to teach Classical Writing

Sonlight has taught us a better way to learn science and history without dry boring science books.

Bob Jones and Saxon math has taught me how to teach math

Prima Latina is teaching me how to teach Latin.

I haven't used a grammar program that has taught me how to teach grammar. I just teach it since this was a subject that I've done naturally well with.

 

These are all easy to use programs and I too am not one for having to learn to teach a curriculum. I find as I teach each child each grade level I become more and more relaxed, and teaching just becomes easier.

 

I'm sure throughout our homeschool journey that I'll find more curriculum that will help me out in the long run but so far these books have helped me learn to teach my children.

[Staci in FL]

This is a wonderful thread with fantastic input. I'm book-marking it so I can refer to all of your suggestions. Thanks for helping me out.

 

Staci

[fractalgal]

I really gravitate toward curriculum that teaches me the subject more than how to teach it.

Great Discussion!

 

:iagree: If I really understand a subject and topic I am teaching then I don't need to follow an exact script, and I present it in a much clearer way. Visual aids are helpful, too.