Farrar Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Are the "vast majority of the books on the RC" really racist? The G. A. Henty books are often mentioned (and is it really all of them or just some?) - but vast majority? Are the math and science and economics and law books all racist? Is it all the literature and all the history? Is this a case of "guilt by association"? When I said most, I guess I'm thinking not so much of math and science and so forth but of history and the accompanying literature. But really, you're right. "Most" is definitely incorrect. There are a group of books on each list that are problematic - a few on the AO list (though a quick Google gave me a list that showed that some authors that were on there a few years ago seem gone and there seem to be, on the whole, more current books) and more on the RC list. On the RC list, there are a number of books that I would say are potentially worth reading, but need context... except... the whole RC philosophy is not to do any teaching so... um? And there are a bunch of books that are just worthless. I mean, the Rover Boys? This is not enduring literature. It's trashy children's books of the time period, part of the trashiness being that the adventures all have stereotyped characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I'm going through the Rainbow Curriculum right now trying to pick out which books are blatantly racist and which books are subtly racist. I'm not looking for sexism, because sexism is just as prevalent in modern books. Every book is in the public domain. I'm still reading through this list, even the books I read as a child, because racism didn't jump out and smack me in the face like it does, now, so I don't trust my memory. I don't see this as a racist list. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Fvf4FXKZtoZ1UtTXpZMlJ0SFE/view?usp=docslist_api Do others see this as a racist list? I'm curious. I don't want to debate. I'm just curious if this is viewed as a racist list of books. And which ones are the worst offenders. IMHO, the lit isn't at all, Hunter. However, I don't know most of your geography selections. Some of the reviews raised by eyebrows at a glance, but not having read enough of them, I don't know enough to say. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Paula, we life in Los Angeles. My child is not blind to racism and lives in a real and highly diverse world. Reading racist clap-trap is not a good way to feed his young mind. AO is not shining light on bigotry, it is extending it to further generations by design. Bill Are you assuming that you and your child are above racism and bigotry b/c you live in Los Angeles? Is that not geographical snobbery? A good teacher shines light on bigotry, not any curriculum. It's helpful to have examples. It's helpful to have examples that were accepted forms of bigotry in their day and see them against our current climate. It spurs us on to look at our culture's accepted forms of bigotry and see them from a different pov, and to change what we can for the better. If you assume that you have no forms of accepted bigotry in your circle...well...then you cannot make any positive changes. First of all, while I dislike stereotyping and name calling, calling someone a liberal pig or a right-wing radical is name calling based on political ideologies. Ideologies are chosen and while those aren't "nice" terms, they're not downright offensive to me. Some right-wingers are proud to be right wing, some liberals are proud to be "bleeding hearts." I don't find that anywhere near as offensive as some of the racism or sexism in these old books. And I find the comparison almost apples and oranges, honestly. Racism can include name calling, of course, but the names are indicative of much deeper set attitudes and problems. I could write a long list of derogatory terms, but I'd rather not. Our culture has no shortage of hateful speech to describe race, socioeconomic status, gender, physical traits, religious affiliation, etc... I disagree that it's OK to aim hatred at the opposite political side. We choose religion too, but defend the right to not be discriminated against b/c of it. No one deserves to be hated b/c of the way they vote. Second, I don't think teaching about racism in the context of old books actually is all that useful. So, no, I don't want my kids to learn about racism reading old books. Learning about it on the corner from that child spewing hate is more useful. Racism in older books tends to be pretty blatant, which conveys the message that racism is blatant and easy to identify. Not always true today. Understanding racism and sexism today requires a very different approach, IMO. I strongly disagree with the underlined! My children are of mixed race with dark & obvious features. They have experienced this firsthand. Learning about it in a book is 1000x better than learning about it from the corner bigot!!!!!!!!! I promise, it is easier to talk about when it isn't actually happening to them and emotions are heated!!! A book provides opportunity to talk, think, prepare for the real-life corner bigot (safely and legally and kindly). Finally, It's also just incredibly complex to try and explain to a young child how to read all the various levels of racism in some older books. Some use terms that we don't consider acceptable today but espouse attitudes that were at the time very progressive, others use words that are less offensive but have attitudes that are worse... there's a lot of layers to understanding how to talk about, say, a person who is progressive for their time and yet is racist by today's standards. And it's a trial to pick out all that racism from books about other cultures that are deeply misrepresented. It is complex and it is a trial. True. A few older books with racist attitudes are totally worth the time to sit and explain these things because they're of such literary quality that it's worth it. However, typically those are books like the Little House books, where, while racism is deeply embedded in some ways, it's not the constant focus or message of the stories. It's worth reading them and then also reading books like The Birchbark House to balance that. However, the vast majority of the books that are discussed on threads like these - the vast majority of the books on the RC and the problematic AO books - are not in that category. They're just not. If someone came here with a - which books *are* worth the effort, then I think that's a worthy question. But to use this stuff wholesale and claim that you can just talk it through would mean that either it's not really being talked through, or some of these families have the most versant 8 year olds in nineteenth century racism on the planet because it's basically the entire focus of their whole homeschool. The last bit seems hyperbolic, and I'll carry on....though I will admit we do spend a large portion of our school on history and literature and humanities. I think it's part of the core of a human education. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Are you assuming that you and your child are above racism and bigotry b/c you live in Los Angeles? Is that not geographical snobbery?Good lord, seriously? LA is a cosmopolitan city, in case you were unaware. That was the point. A good teacher shines light on bigotry, not any curriculum. It's helpful to have examples. It's helpful to have examples that were accepted forms of bigotry in their day and see them against our current climate. It spurs us on to look at our culture's accepted forms of bigotry and see them from a different pov, and to change what we can for the better.Perhaps, at times, looking at anachronisms of the past provides learning opportunities. I do not, however, believe for one monent such questionings are the intentions of AO. They provide a steady diet of rubbish to "feed" children's minds under the cover of some warm and fuzzy educational philosophy. But their reading list might as well come from the KKK. Bill 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 IMHO, the lit isn't at all, Hunter. However, I don't know most of your geography selections. Some of the reviews raised by eyebrows at a glance, but not having read enough of them, I don't know enough to say. Thank you Farrar. I want to update this, now that I have had time to sit on it and have gone through another period of personal growth. Eventually I would like to offer a list of books that I have entirely read personally in the past couple years, but for now, I want to speed read the potentially most problematic. Eliminating as much racism as possible is not my first priority, but it is a high priority. And I am curious about others' opinions on these books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Good lord, seriously? LA is a cosmopolitan city, in case you were unaware. That was the point. Perhaps, at times looking at anachronisms of the last provides learning opportunities. I do not, however, believe for one monent such questioning are the intentions of AO. They provide a steady diet of rubbish to "feed" children's minds under the cover of some warm and fuzzy educational philosophy. But their reading list might as well come from the KKK. Bill I don't have a TV and am so out of touch with current events right now, but I heard there was some sort of KKK list being revealed? Did you check it for curriculum writers? :lol: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Bill, want to look at my list and give me a couple books to read first, that you think are the worst? I'm rereading Water-babies after several decades, which I have heard is a problem, but even though I have read parts of a few versions, I think they are all sanitized of what has been vaguely referred to. I started the Egyptian and Arabian Cousin books months ago, but need to start them over. I think the Egyptian one might have been subtle and I'm not remembering much of anything from the Arabian. I know the Cousin books don't have the best reputations as a whole. I read many of the Twins books as a kid. They need a fresh reading. Even before Farrar mentioned the geography, I was looking hardest at the geography and history column. If you have specific titles that you really hate, I'm interested to hear which ones they are. Moby Dick is the one you hate most right? :lol: Don't ever change, Bill. You are one of the few constants in my life. You changing would unground me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 The McGuffey Readers might be the most racist of the bunch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 The McGuffey Readers might be the most racist of the bunch? Oh. Of course. But the revised editions are in the pubic domain and not nearly so bad, yes? I know they revised them but I don't know to what extent. A quick search of the fourth on Project Gutenberg, for example, doesn't turn up the mentions of "savages" that are supposedly in the original. ETA: Though this gets to the issue overall. Then I did a quick search for "Indian" instead and found a snippet of a story that... it's not excellent. I mean, not the worst thing ever. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Even the revised McGuffey are really weird and preachy at times. All sorts of discrimination of every type imaginable. I think the originals had some sort of dialogue of a kid sitting next to his dead mother and talking to his dad. I don't remember anything quite that creepy from the revised. McGuffey Revised is a good vocabulary builder. TWTM uses books 3-6 only. Book 6 was seldom used in schools from what I have read. The vocabulary building is mostly the second half of book 3 through book 5. I'm thinking TWTM waited till students were a bit older and didn't start until the books switched from the phonics focus to the vocabulary. So far, in practice, I've gotten more tripped up by McGuffey than anything else. But McGuffey Revised hate is not in fashion, and I'm in no rush to start that trend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 If you do a search for racism and McGuffey, it turns up a bunch of anger about how certain homeschool publishers have brought back the original text, which is apparently much worse. Sigh. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Rural schools used to "grade" kids by reader. I find it useful to know what reader level a student is at even if I choose not the use the reader with them. I'm not sure if that makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 If you do a search for racism and McGuffey, it turns up a bunch of anger about how certain homeschool publishers have brought back the original text, which is apparently much worse. Sigh. Thanks. I'll try and get to a hotspot tomorrow. I'm too bleary eyed to look at my phone screen much longer. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma2three Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 We're doing read-alouds from the revised McGuffey's (as recommended in the WTM) and so far I haven't seen anything, though I admit that we're only about 12 lessons in. I have been pre-reading each lesson. It's mostly just kind of boring and really preachy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Good lord, seriously? LA is a cosmopolitan city, in case you were unaware. That was the point. Bill I've lived in a wide variety of places, Bill, from the outskirts of a few major cities to a tiny, rural town of 1000 and a few other places in between....North, South, and Midwest. Granted, I've never lived in LA. But, I think I can still make a broad generalization that living in one place or another does not give a person some sort of superpower over racism and bigotry. For you to claim that (by default of your claim to LA) small town dwellers are more likely to be bigots is highly bigoted! Do you not see that? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma2three Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I don't think that's what he was saying. He was saying that he lives in a large city where racism is very much part of everyday life, and his kids have personally witnessed it. Personally, I can't imagine that teaching modern racism through poorly written, hundred year old books is any more useful than teaching molecular biology through a 100 year old kids book about plant identification, or teaching about modern relationships through a 100 year old shlock french romance novel. Modern racism is far more sophisticated than anything that appears in a Henty book, and constantly evolving in its own special little way, and is best taught by reading about it, calling it out, and talking about it with your kids. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I've lived in a wide variety of places, Bill, from the outskirts of a few major cities to a tiny, rural town of 1000 and a few other places in between....North, South, and Midwest. Granted, I've never lived in LA. But, I think I can still make a broad generalization that living in one place or another does not give a person some sort of superpower over racism and bigotry. For you to claim that (by default of your claim to LA) small town dwellers are more likely to be bigots is highly bigoted! Do you not see that? Who's claiming a super-power over racism Paula? We live in a diverse city. One that includes some people with vey backwards ideas. It is unnecessary to read bigoted authors to deal with that junk. But I'm glad my child has grown up with friends and schoolmates of every possible hue, with ethnic roots from all around the world, and all sorts of beliefs. His generation of friends doesn't hate, and I could not be happier about that. The white suprematism in many of those AO book is nasty stuff that can poison young minds. Not good. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Who's claiming a super-power over racism Paula? We live in a diverse city. One that includes some people with vey backwards ideas. It is unnecessary to read bigoted authors to deal with that junk. But I'm glad my child has grown up with friends and schoolmates of every possible hue, with ethnic roots from all around the world, and all sorts of beliefs. His generation of friends doesn't hate, and I could not be happier about that. The white suprematism in many of those AO book is nasty stuff that can poison young minds. Not good. Bill You claimed it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luanne Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 OP, just remember that some people on here just give you opinions and not facts. For some reason, some on here have very strong opinions based on their own hatred (while condemning Art for the same thing.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luanne Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Are Hunter and Spycar related? Or are they the same person? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luanne Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Are you assuming that you and your child are above racism and bigotry b/c you live in Los Angeles? Is that not geographical snobbery? A good teacher shines light on bigotry, not any curriculum. It's helpful to have examples. It's helpful to have examples that were accepted forms of bigotry in their day and see them against our current climate. It spurs us on to look at our culture's accepted forms of bigotry and see them from a different pov, and to change what we can for the better. If you assume that you have no forms of accepted bigotry in your circle...well...then you cannot make any positive changes. The last bit seems hyperbolic, and I'll carry on....though I will admit we do spend a large portion of our school on history and literature and humanities. I think it's part of the core of a human education[/quote Apparently some people don't live in the real world and don't want their children to either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luanne Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I guess some people prefer to water down history and make it all seem happy and not let their children know what truly happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Are Hunter and Spycar related? Or are they the same person? :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: They are not related and definitely not the same person. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Are Hunter and Spycar related? Or are they the same person? This made my morning! I don't think Spycar and I could be more different. I think we disagree about just about everything. Spycar's consistency of thought grounds me. It makes me happy to see his avatar pop up. People don't have to agree with me about anything for me to like them. Probably we are the sum of our DNA and our experiences. Neither of those things are something we have much control over. 2+2=4. 3+5=8. The sums don't contradict. They cooexist nicely as long as we don't try to expect the same answer from different addends. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Are Hunter and Spycar related? Or are they the same person? :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: They are not related and definitely not the same person. I can vouch for that! :lol: This thread got sticky (not everyone agrees with me???...the shock!!!), but I have great respect for both Spycar and Hunter. Both are decent and good human beings who live in worlds that are about as polar opposite as you can get in the USA. If you want to know how to nudge your math-gifted kid into greatness, ask Spycar. If you want to know how to continue homeschooling even though your dh just lost his job and a flood just ravaged your schoolroom and all you have left is one tote box full of spiral notebooks, pencils and a library card, ask Hunter. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: They are not related and definitely not the same person. Rosie, I can see that made your morning, too! No need for Tim Tams this morning. :) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I can vouch for that! :lol: This thread got sticky (not everyone agrees with me???...the shock!!!), but I have great respect for both Spycar and Hunter. Both are decent and good human beings who live in worlds that are about as polar opposite as you can get in the USA. If you want to know how to nudge your math-gifted kid into greatness, ask Spycar. If you want to know how to continue homeschooling even though your dh just lost his job and a flood just ravaged your schoolroom and all you have left is one tote box full of spiral notebooks, pencils and a library card, ask Hunter. 4blessingmom, I have a huge amount of respect for you, too. When we are talking about a topic that I don't know anything about, I look for posts by you. You are open minded, adaptive, kind, and don't think everyone should do exactly what you do. You talk TO people not AT them. These threads always get sticky. But I think they are important. Lots of people read them that don't post in them. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Farrar, I just want to thank you again for your input. I was trying to avoid using Google PDFs, and wanting to stick to nicely formatted gutenberg.com ebooks for those few awkward empty spots in the history/geography that didn't have a modern published version of the book. I'm going to switch some of the Twins and Cousins books out for some unique titles only available as PDFs. People without the tech to handle the PDFs will have to substitute those titles. I think that column is the most likely to get substituted with SOTW and library books anyway. If I go with PDFs, I have some better ideas. Thanks! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomeontheprairie Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I've lived in a wide variety of places, Bill, from the outskirts of a few major cities to a tiny, rural town of 1000 and a few other places in between....North, South, and Midwest. Granted, I've never lived in LA. But, I think I can still make a broad generalization that living in one place or another does not give a person some sort of superpower over racism and bigotry. For you to claim that (by default of your claim to LA) small town dwellers are more likely to be bigots is highly bigoted! Do you not see that? others have likely respond. I lived in major metropolitan area for three years, now my family resides in an area of about 3000 in the county. there was much greater likely hood to see racism in a city. I don't think my kids have ever seen hate towards a certain type of person- nearly everyone here is of the same race so it is really isn't an option. Of course you hear some side comments, usually by older generations, but not outright hate that we saw in the city. Racism is simply not part of our daily lives here, Whereas when we lived in the city we saw it regularly. (not to say people here c can't be racist) I'm pretty sure that's his point. Eta: I just finished reading the thread. It makes me happy to hear so many people with different worldviews aknowledge and respect one another despite their differences, or possibly because of their differences. it's good to hear those different views it makes us better people. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 4blessingmom, I have a huge amount of respect for you, too. When we are talking about a topic that I don't know anything about, I look for posts by you. You are open minded, adaptive, kind, and don't think everyone should do exactly what you do. You talk TO people not AT them. I totally agree! There are about 10 people on the hive that I flock to, love reading their posts, and greatly value their opinion and you're one of them 4blessingmom. Thanks for being here! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 (edited) You claimed it. Living in one of the most diverse cities in the world has the advantage of not requiring the reading and discussion of the profound racism and bigotry of the sort in many of the AO (and Robinson) booklists in order to discuss the evils of racism and bigotry. We are not immunized from the world, but part of 21st Century America. Bill Edited November 5, 2015 by Susan Wise Bauer Edited to remove the snark. Ramp down the personal remarks, Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
netwelladm Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Expect mistake purchases during your homeschool journey. Robinson Curriculum will be a mistake. Switched on schoolhouse was our biggest mistake.Consider Easy Grammar Plus teacher manual only. This large book contains the teacher instructions and worksheets that can be printed for each student. A $30 purchase. We're using this after coming from Rod and Staff grammar.We're using Apologia for science. However, the science selection at our library is becoming a strong contender.We're using Notgrass for history. However, many here suggest watching documentaries, Netflix, library, etc. We're considering this move.Hope this provides additional information. Outside of this post, you will find many great ideas on how to handle younger children. Search the forum. I promise you will find some gems. Happy searching! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 others have likely respond. I lived in major metropolitan area for three years, now my family resides in an area of about 3000 in the county. there was much greater likely hood to see racism in a city. I don't think my kids have ever seen hate towards a certain type of person- nearly everyone here is of the same race so it is really isn't an option. Of course you hear some side comments, usually by older generations, but not outright hate that we saw in the city. Racism is simply not part of our daily lives here, Whereas when we lived in the city we saw it regularly. (not to say people here c can't be racist) I'm pretty sure that's his point. Eta: I just finished reading the thread. It makes me happy to hear so many people with different worldviews aknowledge and respect one another despite their differences, or possibly because of their differences. it's good to hear those different views it makes us better people. I have lived in some very different places. I totally get what you are saying about racism not being a part of daily life, just because there are fewer opportunities for people to display it. I decided to take the path of least resistance. I'm just assigning developmentally appropriate books that don't have the opportunity to display racism. These changes don't reinforce the history rotation, but I don't care. They are safe, and they are widely available in every format. Now with my broken down tech, I need to see what I can accomplish to create and post an updated chart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 We're doing read-alouds from the revised McGuffey's (as recommended in the WTM) and so far I haven't seen anything, though I admit that we're only about 12 lessons in. I have been pre-reading each lesson. It's mostly just kind of boring and really preachy. Which book are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 others have likely respond. I lived in major metropolitan area for three years, now my family resides in an area of about 3000 in the county. there was much greater likely hood to see racism in a city. I don't think my kids have ever seen hate towards a certain type of person- nearly everyone here is of the same race so it is really isn't an option. Of course you hear some side comments, usually by older generations, but not outright hate that we saw in the city. Racism is simply not part of our daily lives here, Whereas when we lived in the city we saw it regularly. (not to say people here c can't be racist) I'm pretty sure that's his point. Eta: I just finished reading the thread. It makes me happy to hear so many people with different worldviews aknowledge and respect one another despite their differences, or possibly because of their differences. it's good to hear those different views it makes us better people. We saw it regularly regardless of population size. It is easier in a big city to find a group of kind friends and avoid the ugliness. In a small town, one person can wreck things badly across the entire population of the town. Also, in small town if you aren't a "townie" you have that barrier of being an outsider..if you are an outsider of a different color it can be very tough. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma2three Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Which book are you using? My son is using the Primer, and my daughter the Third reader, of the revisits 1909 edition. I bought them at a library book sale years ago, before I had kids, because I thought that they were funny. Now I think they're surprisingly useful. There's definitely a lot of 19th century classism, but I think the stories are so removed from their modern life that it just seems part of the fairy tale? I actually think my kids find the emphasis on good and bad behavior kind of OTT and funny, rather the way I always reacted to Goofus and Gallant. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maela Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I haven't read many of the replies. I have looked into RC a few times, but I would never buy it. I don't like the book selection, and the fact that it's 22 CDs?! What attracted me to RC in the first place was the idea of doing the basics like math and writing and then learning everything else through reading (supposedly) really good books. So I made up my own list of great (to me) books that I would like my kids to read. I included the few books from the RC list that I actually like and then a ton of other nonfiction and fiction. We do some form of math every day, some copywork/dictation/freewriting, some Spanish, and then we read. We read a lot, mostly books from the list I made. I also like to throw in fun experiments, documentaries, and outings when I see a book that we've read has sparked an interest in something. What I'm getting at is: if you're attracted to RC but are worried about it being outdated, maybe you can make your own list? There are so many good book lists out there. Check Pinterest. Have your kids do some math and writing everyday, and then read, read, read. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I haven't read many of the replies. I have looked into RC a few times, but I would never buy it. I don't like the book selection, and the fact that it's 22 CDs?! What attracted me to RC in the first place was the idea of doing the basics like math and writing and then learning everything else through reading (supposedly) really good books. So I made up my own list of great (to me) books that I would like my kids to read. I included the few books from the RC list that I actually like and then a ton of other nonfiction and fiction. We do some form of math every day, some copywork/dictation/freewriting, some Spanish, and then we read. We read a lot, mostly books from the list I made. I also like to throw in fun experiments, documentaries, and outings when I see a book that we've read has sparked an interest in something. What I'm getting at is: if you're attracted to RC but are worried about it being outdated, maybe you can make your own list? There are so many good book lists out there. Check Pinterest. Have your kids do some math and writing everyday, and then read, read, read. One can do this with WTM booklists. (Thought I'd mention that, b/c of where we are. :) ) 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Does my signature link to version 13.0 of the Rainbow Curriculum? I have had a frustrating and surreal day trying to get that file updated and uploaded and linked. Did I do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I tried making my own AO/Robinson list according to TWTM 4 year rotations, but got frustrated and decided to resurrect the Rainbow, for all sorts of reasons not worth explaining. This is my plan for this winter. Now, I just need to find a way to print it. I have a link to it on my phone desktop and that is good enough for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 yes Whew! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I already see a mistake and I cannot fix it. The machine with the editable file is dead and won't take a charge. Sigh! I tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 One can do this with WTM booklists. (Thought I'd mention that, b/c of where we are. :) ) :iagree: We can also remember the bit about taking a laundry basket to the library and requiring the kids to check out a history, a science, a literature, a hobby/craft, a biography, etc. 5 kids makes it a big issue to plan and purchase, I'm sure. I understand the appeal of a set curriculum, but I think that in the long run it might be better to have a set math & English and then allow the rest to be delight-led as long as the children are meeting certain standards. (Talking aloud to myself...) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Two recommendations Rebecca Rupp, Home Learning Year by Year, has a good curriculum outline and recommendations of books, drawn from well known ones that are likely to be in libraries. Covers K-12. Core Knowledge (hello, Hunter) is a great multicultural curriculum. The website has lots of info. Books to Build On has some specific suggestions for books, but you can substitute. The CK Sequence is detailed and FREE online. Optional, but not necessary, are the What Your __ Grader Needs to Know. Check abebooks for used. If you take the time to look at free, online CK curricula posted by teachers, you can find worksheets. Saving them as PDFs on a mobile device would save on printing. For math/worksheets, you might want to get the plastic pockets that you slip a page into and then write on with dry erase markers. You can use for multiple children. You can record work by taking a photo or using a scanning app. This will be more cost effective, imo, than printing pages from Internet. You could then use Singapore Math or something similar (hello, Bill). 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maela Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I really used Home Learning Year by Year a lot during that first year. I second the recommendation. The copy work and dictation that we do is all taken from the books we are reading. I'm really into Brave Writer/Julie Bogart right now, but I have yet to purchase any of her products. Her podcasts and periscopes are fascinating me lately. I did really like Treasured Conversations (8filltheheart's curriculum) for a half year grammar program. We use Math Mammoth for math most days. Some days we just find fun stuff to do (usually a game of some sort). We also use www.Matific.com and boring old flashcards. Most of the books on my list I can get at our library. We visit at least once weekly (I have a children's book addiction). I really really don't think it's worth it to buy the RC. At least not for me (atheist liberal :seeya: ). The longer I've been homeschooling, the more I think it's just easier to put together my own stuff using some advice from homeschooling parents I admire. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 I really really don't think it's worth it to buy the RC. This is unanimous, I think. :iagree: Kindle Fire is $50 right now. You can have all those public domain books and more in readable form, no need to print. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 My What Your Grader Needs to Know books and almost everything else is gone. My current level of deprivation rivals our make pretend threads, but is different and keeps evolving. Every time I think I am about to move forward I get slammed again. I need to keep this winter very very simple. I really don't want to bring library books home, because it is not fair to other patrons who take them out later. Tech keeps breaking. And I'm not buying books I will just have to throw away. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 Chapter 4 Water-babies. A nasty remark comparing greasy people to seals. Ouch. Really struck me raw. I flinched. Water-babies is best in abridged never mind sanitized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 It has been so long since my dc were young, but I just remembered Starfall, a very effective -- and fun -- online phonics based reading program. Used to be free, now it is $35 per year per family. Worth checking out, imo, despite the cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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