extendedforecast Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 After admiring it for several years, I decided on Oak Meadow for my rising K & 1st graders earlier this summer. Since then I've procrastinated on purchasing it. I'm afraid that I will find it too difficult to implement and decide to switch gears mid year, throwing $600, more than I've ever spent in one year down the drain. On the other hand, I have Saxon and MM as back up. I have OPGTR, Funnix, and another reading program that I can't recall. I have SOTW and BFSU. I suppose they could be my backups? Help me think this through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AppleGreen Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 There is a Yahoo Group for used Waldorf curriculum that I would join and see if you can pick those up used. You can post what you are looking for. OM comes up fairly regularly. You can probably get what you need for close to half OM's prices, perhaps that may make you feel better about spending the money on something you are not sure you are going to love. Also, as I am sure you know, OM is quite the opposite of the other curriculum you listed. What draws you to OM? Wee Folk Art offers free curriculum plans for ages 4-6, so your kindergartener. They are literature based, gentle and Waldorf inspired. They offer weekly crafts, science, some phonics if you are interested in including that. I think they may have retooled the guides a bit and now charge a nominal fee, but I believe you can still get the original versions for free. It would probably be very easy to combine your K and 1 using those. Edited to clarify. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extendedforecast Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 My son is the reason I'm attracted to Oak Meadow. He is a reluctant learner who balks at the idea of doing school. My almost five year old, on the other hand could sit at the table and do workbooks all day long. So for K, I had to ditch most of our plans and learn how to fold his learning into our everyday lives. It worked really well but was exhausting for me to plan and implement. He loves working with numbers, counting, mentally adding, subtracting, and multiplying as long as it doesn't involve him actually writing. He knows the alphabet and can blend three letter words but is miserable doing reading lessons. I've backed off a lot, waiting for him to be ready. I also did a lot of read alouds, but not as many as I would have liked. Writing is just beginning to be enjoyable for him, but only for short spurts, and only if it's his idea. I like the gentleness that Oak Meadow strives for. I'll have to supplement the math because looking at the scope and sequence, he knows about 75% of the concepts to be taught. I'm open to any other suggestions. And thank you for the yahoo recommendation. What should I search for? It's been years since I've been on a yahoo group. Also thanks for the recommendation of Wee Folk Art. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AppleGreen Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 I have no idea what your circumstances are, but it sounds like you have two young little ones at home you are teaching (I am going by your sig). Rather than spending a lot of money on curriculum you are unsure of, I would spend time reading up on creating the environment and philosophy you desire, because it sounds to me that is what you are drawn to about OM. I would be inclined to build your year around quality literature and activities tied to your lit choices. Make up some little blank books (or get some packs at a Target Dollar Spot) and let your kids dictate stories to you. Write a newsletter with them, play math games, get audio books for when you don't can't/don't want to read aloud, cook, visit the library, get outside a lot and work hard to create a predictable rhythm and routine-that'a what OM is going to tell you or a least a big component. :001_smile: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonflyer Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Even if OM fits with what your son needs, if it goes against what you want for your family and school you will not be happy, especially if you feel you have to supplement. Lots of counting and read-alouds. Phonics when your kids show interest. More read-alouds. It sounds like what you have been doing is great. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extendedforecast Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 Even if OM fits with what your son needs, if it goes against what you want for your family and school you will not be happy, especially if you feel you have to supplement. Lots of counting and read-alouds. Phonics when your kids show interest. More read-alouds. It sounds like what you have been doing is great. Do you think that is sufficient for first grade? The other thing that attracted me to Oak Meadow is that the plans are all laid out so that I don't have to come up with ideas. On top of homeschooling, I manage the house, work in real estate part time, and also keep on top of the older kids school and activities. I suppose I could plan it all out in advance like normal people do, huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonflyer Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Do you think that is sufficient for first grade? The other thing that attracted me to Oak Meadow is that the plans are all laid out so that I don't have to come up with ideas. On top of homeschooling, I manage the house, work in real estate part time, and also keep on top of the older kids school and activities. I suppose I could plan it all out in advance like normal people do, huh? Ha! If you are keeping up with all of that, I am sure you can make a plan for what you want to accomplish each week. I truly believe that first grade is still a little kid and you can follow their lead. If you have a workbook crazy kid, then give them a list of pages to fill out. If you have a kid that is resisting formal learning, then go back to the basics. They need to listen and speak (there is lots of time for reading and writing). They need to count, weight, measure and estimate real things (there is lots of time for the abstraction of using numerals later). They need to move A LOT to build their body up for being able to control their body in a couple of years. For science, give them the specific names of real things (Daisy as opposed to flower). If you are reading a lot of books, they will get a good bit of history, geography, and science there as well. They need to learn to care for themselves and their possessions. They need to learn to respect you and one another. Find things for them to memorize (nursery rhymes and poetry are great for building a love of words). There is time to learn to sit still, there is time to learn to read, there is time to learn self-discipline. You will never again have the chance to hold them close and just sit on the couch and read things that delight all of you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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