What do you do when you think of something not in your curriculum?

[lgliser]

I've had this happen a lot.  We'll be tra-la-la-ing through our curriculum and something will pop into my head or someone will ask if we've learned such-and-such yet and I'll wonder when actually WILL cover whatever it is.

 

I feel like we have a pretty good curriculum lineup and I really wish I could just sit back and relax and trust that it will cover what we need at the appropriate times.  And often that is the case.  Like when we started homeschool in first grade I wondered when they'd learn things like calendars, and then at some point, it came up in our math.  (I just didn't realize what subject covered calendars).

 

I've asked on here before about writing reports and research papers and it seems that most people thought 3rd grade was a little young for that.  And that's cool - it was my mother in law who was saying we should be doing reports by now so I'm happy to blow her off.  :tongue_smilie: But then just the other day I was chatting with the 2nd grade teacher at a classical school and she said they start outlining and reports in 1st grade!  Obviously really short and basic, but still. 

 

(By the way, what subject talks about outlining, and when??  I use WWE but so far, no outlining.  And it doesn't look like it in year 4 either).

 

Book reports too... so far none of our curriculum has talked about doing a book report.  I mean, WWE has them summarizing sections so maybe that's close enough..?

 

These are things I just don't know! 

 

So what do you do if you realize your curriculum isn't covering something you think it maybe should be, but you don't' want to leave that curriculum behind?  Just go out and find a little supplement?  Trust that it's a good curriculum and hope that it covers it later?  Teach it yourself?  (I don't like that option because I am very dependent on my curriculum for guidance).

 

I really don't get caught up in what friends and relatives say we should know.  It's mostly things that come to my mind on my own.  Or I suppose talking to another teacher who is doing the same model of education I'm trying to do!

[HomeAgain]

WWS does outlining. :)

I think it all depends.  Some things can be covered later and be just fine.  You can supplement or rewrite a lesson and be just fine.  You can take advantage of current events and build your own...and be just fine. :)  And if you miss one of those twigs that is helpful, but not necessary?  Chances are your kids will be just fine. ;)

[happypamama]

Nothing wrong with finding a little supplement! I have a subject called General Skills, and I throw all sorts of extras in there, but only one per day, so that little supplements don't pile too much work onto the day. Things we have put in that subject spot at different times: logic, math facts practice, sentence diagramming, health, fire safety, PA history, SAT/NLE practice, spelling, grammar. . .

 

Also, WWE doesn't teach outlining, but WWS1 starts it. So, fifth to seventh grade.

[Hunter]

Some curricula are only pretending to teach something, or are expecting the student to do something that they are never taught to do, or neglecting a foundation to rush ahead.

 

If you are doing TWTM and WWE/WWS you can just trust the process. Outlining is a logic level skill, not a first grade skill. I'm not at all impressed with 1st grade outlining and research reports. There is too much else to cover to fit that in, even if students are ready.

 

There is only so much time in the day. To do more of one thing is to do less of another. Choose wisely.

 

 

 

 

[dirty ethel rackham]

If it is something that I think would be great to include at the current age, I would look to see if we will be covering it soon.  If not, I add it in.  Not everything needs to be a curriculum.  Some can be just every day life - like starting the day looking at the calendar, planning out the week, counting the days until some cool event is happening, etc.  Some things, I make a note in my plan book to look at in the future.  Sometimes, we use our regular lessons to take a rabbit trail to investigate something that would be really cool.  I like rabbit trails.  I think the coolest learning takes place when exploring them.  But this requires a willingness to be flexible and not let curriculum choices control me. 

[Carol in Cal.]

I mostly cover it verbally or with a little break from my curriculum.  I don't go running out to find a curriculum that covers it; instead I think of a way to introduce it on my own and to use for a refreshing little break from curricular materials.  It's more organic that way, and I can adjust to the student's exact level.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Information, skills, and ideas that are not listed in the curriculum fall under the heading of "parenting." :) Talk to your kids. Try new stuff. It's OK if the experiences you share are academic, even outside the curriculum, even outside of school hours.

 

Hunter's advice not to build Rome in a day, nor to overwhelm your children with every thought in your head, is very sound. Stop talking before their eyes glaze over, not after. Short of that, just sharing your life with your children IS homeschooling, and the most authentic type of real world learning possible. Let it happen.

[lgliser]

If you are doing TWTM and WWE/WWS you can just trust the process.

I guess I'm "mostly" doing TWTM.  I sometimes wish I would have just done it all out.  We are doing FLL and WWE, but for history we chose MFW, and then Veritas Press self paced history.  And talking to a friend who is doing year 4 of Story of the World, she said they are outlining a little this year (4th grade). 

 

I like rabbit trails.  I think the coolest learning takes place when exploring them.  But this requires a willingness to be flexible and not let curriculum choices control me.

That makes sense.  I definitely need to be more flexible!

 

 

 

If you are doing TWTM and WWE/WWS you can just trust the process.

I guess I'm "mostly" doing TWTM.  I sometimes wish I would have just done it all out.  We are doing FLL and WWE, but for history we chose MFW, and then Veritas Press self paced history.  And talking to a friend who is doing year 4 of Story of the World, she said they are outlining a little this year (4th grade). 

 

I like rabbit trails.  I think the coolest learning takes place when exploring them.  But this requires a willingness to be flexible and not let curriculum choices control me.

That makes sense.  I definitely need to be more flexible!

 

Thanks for the replies, everyone!

[8filltheheart]

It also helps to know your own personal long term objectives.  For example, in over 20 yrs of homeschooling, I have never had a child write a book report.  Why?  B/c I can discuss the book with my children and determine their comprehension. I also think that book reports can lead to students incorporating plot summaries in essays (a tendency that can be hard to break.)  I have the ability to tailor writing assignments specifically for the skills I want to develop.

 

I also focus on correlating skill development with appropriate ability.  A first grader is typically a beginning reader.  Beginning readers are reading to read, not reading to learn info. The reading process itself takes the majority of their focus. Expecting a first grader to take notes, outline, and write a report is expecting a skill that exceeds the actual ability.   Simply b/c something can be assigned does not automatically make it a worthwhile endeavor.  Typical third graders transition from reading for mastering the reading process to reading for information.  That is when it makes sense for them to take information from their reading and turn it into a writing assignment.  Some kids will be ready earlier, some later.  The teacher should be the best judge of the child's individual skills.

 

 

[Hobbes]

I tend to bring it up at dinnertime. :-P I find a good family discussion sometimes sticks best and also means we don't need more curricula!

 

I also will just mix something into life. We weren't doing early math (just jumped into MM in Gr.2), so as I exposed them to math concepts, there were things that occurred to me that I mixed into our day. When I thought about calendars, I got a small dry erase one for the fridge and have them take turns writing out the days of the months, then cross off each day as we go. That stuff seems to stick.

[abba12]

Definitely supplement. So, for your concerns about outlining and writing a report, I'd probably just, this week, decide to add in teaching that process one-time. Monday try writing a few notes, tuesday do an outline, etc etc. 

 

When I think of something, I just do it. 

[mamiof5]

I probably shouldn't be responding to this...I am so bad at it! When I realize something is not being covered when "it's supposed to" I panic, buy something for it, and then wonder how are we going to fit it all? I am sure I have an overload of language arts...I struggle with trying to include separate instruction for grammar, handwriting, reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, word roots etc. Also have a hard time balancing a Christian curriculum with Catholic add-ons. But it's OK though, at the same time I do feel that this is the beauty of homeschooling and there is some sort of order to my madness :)

[Ellie]

Some curricula are only pretending to teach something, or are expecting the student to do something that they are never taught to do, or neglecting a foundation to rush ahead.

 

If you are doing TWTM and WWE/WWS you can just trust the process. Outlining is a logic level skill, not a first grade skill. I'm not at all impressed with 1st grade outlining and research reports. There is too much else to cover to fit that in, even if students are ready.

 

There is only so much time in the day. To do more of one thing is to do less of another. Choose wisely.

 

:001_wub: :001_wub: :001_wub:

[mmasc]

Some curricula are only pretending to teach something, or are expecting the student to do something that they are never taught to do, or neglecting a foundation to rush ahead.

 

If you are doing TWTM and WWE/WWS you can just trust the process. Outlining is a logic level skill, not a first grade skill. I'm not at all impressed with 1st grade outlining and research reports. There is too much else to cover to fit that in, even if students are ready.

 

There is only so much time in the day. To do more of one thing is to do less of another. Choose wisely.

I just want to say that I appreciate your last paragraph so much. I really needed to hear it today. Thank you Hunter!

[Mrs Twain]

I have a different outlook than many on this board, but please don't throw tomatoes.

 

The Core Knowledge Sequence is available for free download. It lists skills and core knowledge goals by grade level. I use this to evaluate my curricula. If I find something missing, I add things to my program, either buying a supplement, printing extra worksheets, practicing math flash cards or speed tests, etc.

 

The reason I do this is because I want my kids to keep up with our local schools (in addition to meeting my own objectives, some of which are quite different than the schools'). If I were not able to homeschool them next year and they had to be put back in school, I don't want them to be behind and labeled remedial. I do mostly a classical-type of homeschool, but I also include public schoolish items and testing so that my kids will be ready for them if needed.

 

I have fairly good peace of mind about my homeschool program by doing this.

[LMCme]

Happens to me a lot, and I get a bit stressed out about it but am very committed to not doing any more this year (K4 with a wiggly boy, a process I've started affectionately calling "homeschooling Spiderman" as he is often standing in the window frame or adopting a spiderman pose on top of my dresser when we're doing phonics).  I've started just writing all the resources, extra items, etc. in the front cover of my copy of TWTM and figuring we'll get to it when it's more developmentally appropriate.  I may never actually *do* any of it, but knowing that it's there and I won't forget it reduces the anxiety and urge to compare with the mom who just brought up that her 4yo is learning chinese using this absolutely incredible program or what have you ;)

 

LMC

[Jacbeaumont]

Happens to me a lot, and I get a bit stressed out about it but am very committed to not doing any more this year (K4 with a wiggly boy, a process I've started affectionately calling "homeschooling Spiderman" as he is often standing in the window frame or adopting a spiderman pose on top of my dresser when we're doing phonics). I've started just writing all the resources, extra items, etc. in the front cover of my copy of TWTM and figuring we'll get to it when it's more developmentally appropriate. I may never actually *do* any of it, but knowing that it's there and I won't forget it reduces the anxiety and urge to compare with the mom who just brought up that her 4yo is learning chinese using this absolutely incredible program or what have you ;)

 

LMC

Lol!!!!

My nearly 5 year old...exactly. Web slinging during math and phonics

And power ranger jumps and kicks. [emoji5]

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

[athomeontheprairie]

Mrs. Twain, depending on what your long-term homeschool goals are, keeping up with the public school system is not bad advice. Some people (not necessarily you or the OP) may not be planning on homeschooling long-term. in this case it is wise to make sure your kids have the necessary skills for when, if, they reenter the public school sector.

If thought I was putting my kids in public school next year you can be sure I would be looking at what they are "supposed to know" so they would be prepared.

[Mrs Twain]

Mrs. Twain, depending on what your long-term homeschool goals are, keeping up with the public school system is not bad advice. Some people (not necessarily you or the OP) may not be planning on homeschooling long-term. in this case it is wise to make sure your kids have the necessary skills for when, if, they reenter the public school sector.

If thought I was putting my kids in public school next year you can be sure I would be looking at what they are "supposed to know" so they would be prepared.

 

I know a fair number of people who intended to homeschool K-12 but ended up putting their kids in public or private school for various reasons.  I would guess many of you know of such people.  

 

If we can't absolutely guarantee that we will homeschool K-12, it is wise to make contingency plans.

[PeterPan]

Once I plan my semester or year, anything new that pops in my head goes into my file for NEXT year.  You have to be really disciplined about that, or you'll go nuts.

[SilverMoon]

1st - *Everyone* has gaps. I know I left school with some doozies. I'm pretty sure I learned more history doing grammar stage history with my oldest than I did in my k-12 years altogether.

 

Really important holes will be obvious when you get to the next step and you can simply take a step back to fix it then. If you have taught them *how* to learn, they will have the skills needed to fill holes as they go.

 

Book reports are useful if you need to make sure 30 kids read and understand a certain book. You can do this with the one kid right in front of you by asking them meaningful questions and having a discussion about it. My end goal is for my kids to express themselves clearly and eloquently. Book reports do nothing to further this skill, so we don't do them.

 

2nd- Have you read the WTM book? Maybe some other books on homeschool methodology would help too. It's hard to keep driving forward when you don't have a specific destination in mind. :) Decide what your goals are for each subject and let that be your driving force. But you don't have to reinvent the wheel! TWTM book is a great starting place. The Rupp book with year by year in the title may help you out too.

[The Princess and the Jedi]

I've spent enough time in public school classrooms to know that if first graders are outlining, the teacher is probably guiding them every step of the way with a lot of leading questions. The process where a teacher guides students to do something way above their own capability is popularly called scaffolding and it is usually a whole class activity with the teacher writing on a big piece of butcher paper on behalf of the class. The teacher does a lot of work to be able to say the class is learning outlining. The idea behind scaffolding is that if kids are introduced to a harder concept in the younger grades it won't be so hard when the have to do it themselves in junior high or high school because they've seen a model of it. Scaffolding is also supposed to build kids' confidence by helping them do something they couldn't do themselves. I wouldn't worry about what you hear in public schools because first graders aren't really outlining all by themselves. 

 

For what it's worth outlining came up in my son's fifth grade writing program and is a slight challenge. I learned outlining is 7th grade--and it was pretty easy even though I hadn't been exposed to to the concept of outlining at all before. Outlining on my own probably would have been really hard for my third grade self. Trust your writing program. Outlining and report writing will come up, probably at a point where the authors know it is realistically an achievable skill for your child to learn.