shinyhappypeople Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I'm just NOT. I'm not going to bail on TT because it's not utterly perfect for 10 yo DD. I'm going to add in some facts practice apps and some extra teaching and help on the side if she needs it. I'm NOT jumping ship. I really, really want to. I am a compulsive curriculum hopper - esp. with math... and it's done DD no favors at all. This is the first time I've white knuckled it and forced myself to stay the course. Not.gonna.do.it. <gritting teeth, looking away from all the shiny new math programs I haven't tried> Anyone going through the same thing now, or gone through it in the past and come out the other side happier and more content? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolamum Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 You do know that the Bonus Rounds in TT, which are for fact practice, can be have their scores removed so they can do them again, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyhappypeople Posted June 18, 2014 Author Share Posted June 18, 2014 I didn't know that. Making a mental note... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MooCow Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I went back and forth on Shurly English. After realizing my ds WAS learning, I finally gave in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I just wanted to say : More power to ya! Good for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 *sigh* I'm mid-hop but honestly considering doing a 180* and heading back to where we were. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 What I tend to do is hop and then circle back, having gone wider, but having moved forward less slowly. I regret the hop, but all is not lost. Sometimes we are so quick to move forward, that sidetrips and "lost time" actually keep the student at a more developmentally appropriate place. Try NOT to hop. But if and when you do, don't overly beat yourself up either, because children/students learn all the time, no matter what we do. They might not learn the topics charted out on some scope and sequences as fast as possible, but they are learning, often in ways we don't understand or appreciate until years or decades later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 *sigh* I'm mid-hop but honestly considering doing a 180* and heading back to where we were. :D Yup! :lol: I know what you mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyhappypeople Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 I am so sick of acquiring homeschool STUFF. I need to gather up all the bits and pieces I have for every subject and let myself fall in love all over again. I bought them the first time around for a reason. I'm rethinking writing (again). I used and liked Write On last spring. It is gentle, fun, open-and-go, and infinitely tweakable. And yet, I'm also taking second, and third, and fourth looks at Essentials in Writing because it would be nice to outsource writing. Or, I could do both (EIW as main program, adding in stuff from WO). Or I could just stay the course with Write On, 'cause the grass ain't greener (unless it is...). Will the money I spend on EIW cause more or less stress than just teaching writing myself using what I already own? There's not an easy answer for that one. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Is EIW the one that teaches students to overuse adverbs and write "Tom Swifties"? :ack2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Swifty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 When something works, I don't hop. It doesn't matter how wonderful something else might be. When something doesn't work though, I hop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My3girls Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 English Lessons Through Literature, Beast Academy, and Real Science 4 Kids are calling to me. I think I have finally let go of ELTL, but the other two I'm mulling over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyhappypeople Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 Is EIW the one that teaches students to overuse adverbs and write "Tom Swifties"? :ack2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Swifty :) It's this one: Essentials in Writing. I'm REALLY leaning towards getting it but I don't have to decide today. I just think that how the information presented in small chunks, and the traditional, no nonsense approach would work well for my 10 yo. Plus, it (mostly) removes me from the equation, and that might be helpful for our relationship. I'm not sure if I'm rationalizing a hop, or if this could be a useful move. But, again, I don't have to decide today. If I go to the VHE convention in Modesto, I can see the program in person. That might help me decide one way or the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammarGirl Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Is EIW the one that teaches students to overuse adverbs and write "Tom Swifties"? :ack2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Swifty I think you're thinking of IEW, not EIW. I was supposed to incorporate IEW into my classes at the UMS school I taught in. I could not in good conscience force students to add unnecessary adverbs into their paragraphs! IEW violates Strunk and White on too many points for me to warm up to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I would say if you have hopped in the past you probably know what works for your dd. If you still have doubts, would it be possible to try it in the summer and proceed accordingly? I would not have predicted my 10 yo dd would love a math program we just started. I had doubts but I am so glad I gave it a try. I felt tempted to do what we used last year because it certainly is a solid program, but I am thankful now I took the risk. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLMom Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 took me years to learn, but I finally did. Good for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I don't "hop", but I also see no point in sticking with resources that are clearly not working. When a piece of curriculum is not working for my kids, or only working with extensive tweaking, I will analyze why exactly it is not working and replace it with materials that do. When something works, I don't even look at other stuff. Usually, I have a very clear idea what I need in a program and will select one that has precisely those features. I will never again make the newbie mistake of picking a program (which shall remain unnamed) just because it seems to be popular with many homeschoolers. If TT is the program for you that has all the features you require in a program and satisfies your student's needs, I'd stick with it. If it does not, I see little value in sticking "just because". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne J Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Oh, Latin. Every year, some shiny new program lures me away from our (dull but dependable) old faithful program. Ds plods through it and learns, but I keep looking for Fun! Engaging! Colorful! And Latin programs aren't cheap. Especially when they are Fun! Engaging! Colorful! (Minimus, I am looking right at you.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I'm just NOT. I'm not going to bail on TT because it's not utterly perfect for 10 yo DD. I'm going to add in some facts practice apps and some extra teaching and help on the side if she needs it. I'm NOT jumping ship. I really, really want to. I am a compulsive curriculum hopper - esp. with math... and it's done DD no favors at all. This is the first time I've white knuckled it and forced myself to stay the course. Not.gonna.do.it. <gritting teeth, looking away from all the shiny new math programs I haven't tried> Anyone going through the same thing now, or gone through it in the past and come out the other side happier and more content? Yep, BTDT. There is a difference between something being a dismal failure and needing to be chucked out the window pronto and something that just needs some tweaking. Didn't get that when we first started homeschooling. Especially in math, but then DD also has a learning issue with math that I did not recognize at first. But yes, we hopped and hopped and it was NOT a good path to take. Staying the course as much as humanly possible now. Three cheers to you! Oh, and have you looked at supplementing with stuff from this thread of Soror's? http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/499692-looking-to-do-some-relaxed-math-here-want-to-share-ideas/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 If it's working... stay the course. If you feel it's not working then ask yourself what about it isn't working? Can you make adjustments? Can you add a supplement? Can you approach it differently? What can you do to make what is wrong better? If it just can't be done... then consider a change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I have in the past. But I feel guilt about the things I do have that don't get done well because of it. This year I had a bit of an epiphany about it. I feel like dust settling. I recently took a complete inventory of what I do have, and honestly it's good. I read the "don't buy anything" threads and think I can get away with it, truly. But I budget, and I've realized that if I'm not constantly trying to find some better thing, then I have room in my budget for shiny new things that I don't have. I'm able to add more subjects and enrichment that would truly benefit my kids, that I didn't have room in the budget for previously. I would drop something if it was truly a bad fit of course. My main issue isn't the hop necessarily, but the accumulation. It can get hard to focus clearly when you have so much to juggle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I have EIW and IEW so mixed up in my head that I don't know what is what. But I saw video of a teacher teaching the adverbs and I was just SHOCKED. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. I know there are different opinions on what is good writing, and I do understand the pros and cons of templates and formulas and exercises and do use them, but…I will never forget that adverb lessons and now as soon as I see I and E and W grouped together, I just flee. :leaving: No temptations for I and E and W in any order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2OandE Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I've hopped with math as well. It hasn't been good for dd and we circled back to where we started. She clearly learned but she's behind where we would of been. Now for DS we found a better suited curriculum but again he's behind but will hopefully catch up this year. With all that said.....STAY STRONG! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyhappypeople Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 I've hopped with math as well. It hasn't been good for dd and we circled back to where we started. She clearly learned but she's behind where we would of been. Now for DS we found a better suited curriculum but again he's behind but will hopefully catch up this year. With all that said.....STAY STRONG! This has been our experience as well. I finally (!!) brought her back to TT last fall, had her finish TT3, and we're half way through TT4 now. She knows more arithmetic now than she did last September, so I call that a success. :) I *wish* that instead of dropping TT the first time around (when she was complaining about it) I would have just hit the pause button, done some relaxed math for a couple of weeks so she could have a break from it, and then resumed TT3. She would be SO much farther along in her math studies right now. Instead I jumped ship to.... I can't even remember what. Live and learn, right? Maybe my motto should be: less hopping, more pausing. Or something like that :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birchbark Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 No temptations for I and E and W in any order. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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