Give FIAR more time or try something else?

[Linz1084]

I have 3 boys, and my oldest is 4.5 and has been begging for school.  So, I wanted to do something "light" with him.  I chose AAR (which is the favorite so far), HWOT (slowly), and FIAR.  I'm also doing some bible and basic calendar, etc.

 

So, I'm really not enjoying FIAR.  I should have known, because I really didn't like BFIAR also, but I heard FIAR was better.  People rave about it, so maybe there is something wrong with me??  Or maybe I need to give it more time.  I have planned out 6 weeks right now, and I already feel like the planning might do me in.  My kids aren't the lap book coloring type, but they love hands-on.  I feel like I need more structure, but I don't really enjoy the FIAR guide.  

 

I know I don't NEED a literature guide like this, but I really would love to go deeper with the books we read and have some structure to add in history/science/art, etc.  I have heard of Memoria Press, and that looks interesting, but I don't want to buy the whole curriculum for Jr. K.  

 

Any thoughts/suggestions/encouragement?  Do I need to give it more time?  

 

Or maybe just stick with a good book list and call it good?

 

 

[mathmarm]

Go with a good book list and call it good at this point--your OLDEST of 3 kids is 4.5 years old--you want to keep things simple and consistent at this point.

 

What we do is check out books on a simple theme + several random picture books. So if we are reading a lot of color books then when we read our picture books we point out and talk about the colors in the pictures. When we are learning numbers, we count pictures in the picture books, if this is too easy then we count the green things in the picture or compare the blue flowers in a picture to a group of red flowers on another page, etc...

 

You really can do a great deal of PreK-2nd with just picture books and discussion.

[HomeAgain]

There's quite a bit you can do! We're taking Wee Folk Art this year and extending it to be a few days each week.  This week we're doing vegetables out of salt dough, reading Tops & Bottoms, learning to draw texture when drawing animals, memorizing the poem "Rain", reading Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! and putting the children in charge of the garden out back.  I pull some from Wee Folk Art, some from what our library has available, and some of what we already have at home.  We'll keep the same basic theme all month (harvesting) so that I'm not switching back and forth and constantly looking for new resources.

[Linz1084]

Mathmarm - you're right, I think that right now we all really need a routine and something we will stick to.  I have an almost-2-year-old, a 3-year-old, and a 4.5 year old (each 15 months apart).  So I just need something that is going to actually HAPPEN.

 

HomeAgain - I like the idea of spreading it out more.  Maybe not 1 month (or maybe so?) but if I do units, use FIAR as a springboard for something else.  Hmmm.  Thanks for the ideas.

[ByGrace3]

We did some FIAR last year. I love the concept--loved the books and discussions, but knew I needed more laid out plans and more structure. To make FIAR work best last year we read the books, discussed any history/geography-- placed the token on the map, and had some light discussions about the book reading it 2-3 times per week not 5. It worked very well, but I wanted a little more art/music/history/science...so...

 

We are using Memoria Press' Kindergarten enrichment this year and absolutely loving it! Same idea as FIAR-- one week per picture book, but the weekly schedule is more structured. Day one read book, intro author, illustrator and use their discussion guide to talk about the book. Day two art and music -- art card/ artist info, music selection with composer info, a craft that goes along with the book, day three poetry, day four science, day five social studies...all guided discussions and my dd and I are loving it! The crafts are super simple-- I copy it on card stock and have made most crafts even simpler using only construction paper, glue, and scissors so far. We are in week 3 currently.

[kalusignan]

We did some FIAR last year. I love the concept--loved the books and discussions, but knew I needed more laid out plans and more structure.

 

We are using Memoria Press' Kindergarten enrichment this year and absolutely loving it! Same idea as FIAR-- one week per picture book, but the weekly schedule is more structured. 

 

I agree. I also love the idea of FIAR but need more structure and laid-out plans. I moved to Memoria Press this time around with my little, and it's exactly what I needed! We're using Preschool and getting most of the books through our library, so the cost is about the same as FIAR but each day in the TG tells you exactly what to do!

 

Hope that helps!

[Jackie]

Something must be wrong with me, too. I really disliked FIAR. I loved the book lists, but the amount of planning was ridiculous even with an only child and me being a person who generally loves to plan. Plus, we'd hit a book every few weeks that my daughter didn't take to, and then she didn't want to reread it even once and so a whole week's worth of plans were wasted.

 

Use the book lists. Maybe use a couple activities per book. But leave the rest.

[barnwife]

I am with you. I want to love FIAR, but it's just too much. We are on the "use a good book list and call it good" plan, more or less.

My kids are similar ages (barely 5, 3, and about to turn 2).

We did a letter of the week curriculum based on bible stories. Though it was a pretty simple curriculum, it was still too much. I basically read the Bible story a few times throughout the week and chose 1 activity to go along with it. 

Now that we've finished that and the 5 yo knows his letters/sounds but isn't quite ready for blending, we are doing a study of the life of Jesus. I am trying to start a virtue and saint of the month (we are Catholic). 

We also do morning and evening prayer, go to the library once a week, play outside a lot, garden, go for walks, build with things (We read Roxaboxen yesterday. They then spent almost 2 hours working on their own Roxaboxen outside. It's too hot now, or they'd be out there right now!,) bake, etc...I try to do music appreciation and art (appreciation or a project) once a week. We do "picnic and poetry" once a week too.

Anyway, with so many littles, FIAR just wouldn't work for me/us. I'd constantly feel like I was behind.

I think you should read books you/your kids like. If an associated activity appeals to you, go for it. If not, forget it. Read a new book until something inspires you to do more. 

We are at the beginning of the marathon of HS. Don't wear yourself out because you are sprinting.

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

I would go one of two directions:

 

1. Pick a loose theme of your own & plan coordinating activities / discussion related to the theme. If a book doesn't appeal to the littles, don't read it again. If they absolutely love one, you can read it 10x.

 

2. Try another, similar program that does EVERYTHING for you - MBTP comes to mind. Pay them to do the planning, find the books, & prepare the craft supplies. Then you just open & go.

[5forMe]

I have a 5 1/2 year old. We very loosely did Wee Folk Art last year, very loosely (some of the crafts were too hard for my boy at that age). This year we are picking and choosing from Wee Folk Art as an addition for our arts and crafts (I LOVE the arts and crafts in WFA) but we are using the structure of Memoria Press Kindergarten Enrichment. I LOVE MP enrichment. I bought the lesson plans and follow them. 

 

We veered off course a little and have followed rabbit trails when discussion about a topic leads to another topic, so right now I am off schedule, but we will get back on. 

 

I own FIAR but have never really liked the flow. We used it mainly for book suggestions.