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Curriculum that focuses on Literature only?


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I've been homeschooling a while and know that if I don't have a set plan in place (basically a curriculum/ plan that someone else thought up for me), I don't get it done.  I admire people who can go with the flow and pull together this marvelous plan that works great.  That's just not me.  My fallback this year has been Sonlight.  It's the closest I've been able to get to something like I want.

 

Basically, I want my children to love books right now.  My two youngest have great imaginations and I want to encourage that.  I would love to just focus on reading good literature and memorizing poetry for a year.  But, due to my flakey nature about plans, I know I won't accomplish it unless I have a written plan.  It's my accountability.  And no, writing one myself doesn't work either.  Sigh.

 

So, is there a way to ditch history and just focus on good books?  Is there such a curriculum?  

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 MCT might give you enough materials to focus on for a year that is literature and poetry centered.

 

There is another program I am recalling that I think is lit centered, but I cannot recall its name right now. I has been written about on here before so maybe someone else will put it.

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Are you wanting to totally leave out writing, answering questions, and history? The Just Love Books and memorize poetry sound very anti-curriculum, but you might not mean it that way at all.

 

We used a Progeny Press Guide for The Bronze Bow in a middle school co-op class, and the kids loved it. They read the whole book first. We selected among the questions, and they answered them by presenting evidence from the text (and page numbers). We did not do a writing assignment, but we did do a book presentation that the kids worked on as a group. We used The Reader's Handbook to talk about characterization and other literary elements (we didn't cover them fully--we picked a few that went along with the Progeny Press Guide). It was not scheduled, but we did tackle a chapter per week with an extra week or two to work on the presentation and such. We are going to round out the year with an MCT poetry study. This is just a once-per-week lit thing, and it uses curriculum, but it's not scheduled. I don't know if that works for you. The Reader's Handbook does have an optional teacher guide and lesson planning help (which I haven't used). 

 

MCT is not scheduled. It's just not. RFWP also has a book for lit analysis that is discussion based. It has several volumes depending on the books you are interested and the age level. http://www.rfwp.com/series/suppose-the-wolf-were-an-octopus-guides-to-creative-questioning

Excellence in Literature has writing, and it sounds like it delves a bit into history, but I'm not sure how much--I have not used it at this point.

Essentials in Literature sounds maybe more what you are looking for.

There are some places online where people have made literature lesson plans to go along with Figuratively Speaking, but that is mostly short stories, I think.

 

What about giving your kids some requirements/boundaries/suggestions and then telling them to make a schedule for it? Maybe they would tell if you what they want to read, decide how long to take doing it, and then they could choose x number of poems to memorize? They can "assign" it to you, and then you teach it?

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Are you wanting to totally leave out writing, answering questions, and history? The Just Love Books and memorize poetry sound very anti-curriculum, but you might not mean it that way at all.

 

 

 

Yes - it does sound very anti-curriculum and if I knew I had it in me to keep with that, I would do it.  I just know myself too much and my tendencies.  It's a lot (think running uphill) harder for me to go without a curriculum.  I like to be able to coast a bit and a pre-planned curriculum does that for me.  I guess I'm just longing for something different and richer than what we're currently experiencing.

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If you do 4 year history cycles (or something similar) you can do this in high school to dove tail with history or I guess you could do them on their own even if they don't match up with history:

 

http://www.greenleafpress.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=29&zenid=0f00e1b472b865fb132f1a1f2ac93e88

They have plans for a 30 week year and a 36 week year. They can be done primarily in a discussion oriented way or they can be done in written form.


 

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Does anyone remember the Circe institute discussion from years (?) back?  There was something that resonated in me with that.  I want to give my children beauty and richness in their learning.  I just don't know how to implement that without driving myself crazy.  

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Build Your Library and Moving Beyond the Page are also lit centered curricula, but I don't think either sounds like what you want.

 

Why not just pick the books ahead of time and make a schedule for yourself. If you really just want to focus on books and poems, it could be a pretty simple process.

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...

Why not just pick the books ahead of time and make a schedule for yourself. If you really just want to focus on books and poems, it could be a pretty simple process.

 

This is what I have ended up doing.  My lists are cobbled together from Ambleside, Sonlight, ideas from folks here, what I find on my shelves, what is at the library book sale.  Not very neat and pretty, but (insert spooky night Dr. Frankenstein and Igor clip here)  "It's alive!"  ;)  

 

The best thing that has helped me in the making of said schedule is to keep a margin of time.  In other words, *do not* schedule out 36 weeks' worth of work.  I shoot for about 32 weeks' worth of work; this leaves wiggle room for life, for space to think, write, and make those connections.  That has been my personal take away from the big bad Circe thread.  That whole beauty and richness thing gets to happen more often because we have time to absorb. 

 

Mensa has nice literature lists for K-12, and nice resources for poetry as well.  It *could* be that simple....

Edited by Zoo Keeper
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You could give yourself an assignment of sorts, like "Read every single Newberry winner," or "Read every novel by X author," or "Read 25 books in x genre or x time period." That wouldn't be a curriculum per se, but something of that sort might provide enough of the structure of "what do to next." Just an idea!

Edited by EKT
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Does anyone remember the Circe institute discussion from years (?) back?  There was something that resonated in me with that.  I want to give my children beauty and richness in their learning.  I just don't know how to implement that without driving myself crazy.  

 

Two things: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

I happen to find analysis of stories, sometimes dissection of them, to be a beautiful thing. That probably makes me some kind of heretic. I also happen to find a well written textbook to be a thing of beauty.

 

If you have something that is good (you say that what you have is very close to what you want) be very happy that you have found the good, and don't pine for the perfect that might not get done. That is crazy-making territory. 

 

Keep in mind that it is also very nearly February. For whatever reason, that seems to be the time of year when the urge to throw my entire curriculum out the window and set a match to it seems to ferment in my overtired brain. Ironically, that's the time when I most need to stick with my structure and haul myself over the finish line along about May, when the fresh spring air and upcoming freedom of a three week break give me the energy and space to really think and plan.

 

Not a curriculum, and maybe not helpful, but I find so often that I yearn after what I already had, but didn't realize that all I really needed to do was blow the dust off of it and polish it up a bit so that I could see it was beautiful after all.

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Combining Simply Charlotte Mason (the history, literature and poetry lists) and Beautiful Feet fulfills that for me.  There are seasons of life where we just read from both of those book lists while doing a little math and grammar.  Even my long siggy list often just follows the read and enjoy format. We sit on the couch and read together, we get audio books for the littles to listen to during naptime, and my olders read on their own.  We talk about what we read. We're kind of doing it now since we just moved, though we're slowly adding other things back in.

 

Don't get me wrong, there are other seasons where I feel the need to get more "academic", but we often just go back to the read and enjoy stage, for sure for the younger crowd!

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If you have something that is good (you say that what you have is very close to what you want) be very happy that you have found the good, and don't pine for the perfect that might not get done. That is crazy-making territory. 

 

Keep in mind that it is also very nearly February. For whatever reason, that seems to be the time of year when the urge to throw my entire curriculum out the window and set a match to it seems to ferment in my overtired brain. Ironically, that's the time when I most need to stick with my structure and haul myself over the finish line along about May, when the fresh spring air and upcoming freedom of a three week break give me the energy and space to really think and plan.

 

Not a curriculum, and maybe not helpful, but I find so often that I yearn after what I already had, but didn't realize that all I really needed to do was blow the dust off of it and polish it up a bit so that I could see it was beautiful after all.

 

Ah yes...February.   It snuck up on me this year.  We moved to a warmer for us climate and the weather has not been in the arctic freeze category so it hasn't felt as much like winter.  I will give myself my own advice.  "Wait for spring and then decide..."

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The "Just Read" curricula get a bad rap. Despite kids using them testing highly, they are considered educational neglect.

 

Robinson and TJeD have long hate threads here. :lol:

 

Making our own plans are tough. I have a link to an ever evolving attempt at one in my signature.

 

Do you want mostly new books or older public domain titles?

 

My education was spotty and back and forth between 2 countries, while being shuffled to whichever parent's substance abuse problem was the least acute. For years at a time I was ignored and left in a corner to read, whatever I could find, from library books to dumpster diving.

 

I have come to appreciate my "educational neglect" and am thankful that I wasn't so busy being spoon fed that I was starving for real books.

 

Okay, so I have some gaps. But I also have some rare abilities and they have served me and others well. I'm not who I am despite my education; I am who I am as a result of my education. I'm embracing it rather than whining about it, now.

 

There are some fantastic reasons to put aside all the other stuff and just read. If your gut is telling you to do that, then do it. As to which booklist to pick, I cannot help you much, as I decided not to use any of them.

 

Have you seen Wayfarers? I think all the years are almost done, now, but I haven't checked in awhile.

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Last year I began a block of time 7pm to 9pm where all we did was snuggle up and read. Instead of planning curriculum, I just planned time. It evolved into talking as well, but the idea was jammies on and just down time. I put together a literature list with great books and Ds got to pick whichever he wanted. We did not get through the whole list, but man we did a bunch. Most importantly, we both very fondly remember that time. It is definitely a homeschooling moment where I can say I got it right. You might try it.

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I am teetering very close to the edge of adopting a similar approach.  The materials I am drooling over are these:  

 

Teaching the Classics by Center for Lit.  I want the dvd seminar, the ready readers, the roadmaps...  I want it allllllll!!!!!!!

 

 

I will be getting them in March while in the US visiting family and I'm SO EXCITED to dive in and see what I can make with them.  :-)

 

Don't disappoint me Andrew Adams!

 

 

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Does anyone remember the Circe institute discussion from years (?) back?  There was something that resonated in me with that.  I want to give my children beauty and richness in their learning.  I just don't know how to implement that without driving myself crazy.  

 

Great discussion(s)!  There was the multum non multa one, and the making honey one... and many others as well.  That was the golden age of WTM forums.  Let's revive them!

 

Here's what I'm thinking about this:

 

- Literature without history is going to be less rich.  But I think it is safe to shift the focus from history to lit, and just make sure a broad overview of history is covered, along with deeper dives into relevant history.  What is "My Brother Sam is Dead" without understanding the revolutionary war and how often times families were divided along political lines to the point where father might fight brother or brother fight brother?

 

What is Pride and Prejudice without some understanding of women's rights, entails, "livings", class and marriage, and social etiquette?

 

What is Hunger Games without the Ancients?

 

And so on.   

 

But I wouldn't throw writing out.  My goal is to do a plot analysis of each book, look at characterization, look at strong language, descriptive passages, literary elements... and then use these as models to imitate.  

 

If you want a do-the-next-thing, you might consider the Arrow and Boomerang guides from Bravewriter.  These incorporate copywork, grammar, literary elements, and writiing, with a pace of about one book per month.  There are a zillion titles already done that you can pick from at HSBC or directly from Julie at BW.  

 

Segue to Bravewriter.  By far the best resource out there for making literature and learning into a lifestyle as opposed to a 8am-3pm list of things to do.  Her most recent periscope talk gives a bit of an overview if you're not familiar.  But her Enchanted Homeschool periscope is really the place to start IMO.  

 

Here are her periscopes: www.katch.me/bravewriter  

Start with Enchanted Education all the way at the bottom, then try BW Lifestyle (all the way at the top), then look at Awesome Adulthood (somewhere in the middle), then watch all the rest of them.  :-)

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I am teetering very close to the edge of adopting a similar approach. The materials I am drooling over are these:

 

Teaching the Classics by Center for Lit. I want the dvd seminar, the ready readers, the roadmaps... I want it allllllll!!!!!!!

 

 

I will be getting them in March while in the US visiting family and I'm SO EXCITED to dive in and see what I can make with them. :-)

 

Don't disappoint me Andrew Adams!

Just want to mention that www.conquestbooks.co.uk sells them too :)

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I learned a lot of history from historical fiction with no textbook or discussion back up. And I certainly wasn't writing about it. :lol: When you read enough historical fiction, the topics overlap, and eventually you get enough. And what you get, you tend to remember.

 

How did I know what was fact and what was fiction? I didn't always. But now that I have been reading the textbooks, and trying to "repair" the "problem" I am more confused than ever, and have in fact lost a belief in historical "truth" at all. "Truth" seems to be whatever propoganda a subculture wants to indoctrinate their members in to further their agendas. I don't believe indoctrination is wrong, just that it is not "facts". And as someone who is no longer part of any subculture, I just really really really don't care about the shifting trends of facts and truths.

 

We tend to overcomplicate this stuff. It is like a really fancy recipe for banana bread. I prefer a really basic recipe. Less is more sometimes. In banana bread and books. I know people that tell me about all the ingredients and fancy equipment that is NEEDED to make "good" banana bread. I just shrug and nod. I'm not going to argue. But if a younger person asks me if that is true, I'm going to tell them, "No."

 

Yes, their banana bread is DIFFERENT than mine. It looks and tastes like it was made with more. Different and obviously-more isn't always better though. Dripping-with and screaming more is not always better. Better isn't always about more.

 

Sometimes even bruised and stunted has its own charm. Have you ever eaten an apple off an old abandoned apple tree that wasn't created by scientists to be disease resistant and produce waxy tasting apples that won't bruise? Some of those old trees actually produce fruit with seeds that will grow more trees! Generation after generation after generation of smaller, sweeter apples with a few worms and bruises.

 

Just reading is a choice with consequences that evens out in my opinion. It is what I prefer right now for me and mine. Yes, I see what just reading does not accomplish, but I also see what it does accomplish.

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http://barefootmeandering.com

 

We are using their language arts this year, and will be switching over to Wayfarers from them next year.

 

If nothing else give their booklist in their freebie section a looking at.

Thanks! I'm on a cellphone and links are difficult to gather!

 

I used a bit of Ancients. If the rest of the levels are similar, I can recommend this above many other pricier options. This author is a prolific writer and in the trenches field testing the curiculem on her own mixed ability children. This leads to a superior product.

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- Literature without history is going to be less rich.  But I think it is safe to shift the focus from history to lit, and just make sure a broad overview of history is covered, along with deeper dives into relevant history.  What is "My Brother Sam is Dead" without understanding the revolutionary war and how often times families were divided along political lines to the point where father might fight brother or brother fight brother?

 

What is Pride and Prejudice without some understanding of women's rights, entails, "livings", class and marriage, and social etiquette?

 

What is Hunger Games without the Ancients?

 

 

 

Good point.  I guess I'm a little tired of the history running the whole show.  I have nothing against learning history, but maybe I'm looking for something that has good literature just because it's good not because it fits into the sequence of history that you are studying.  For example, Sonlight in the early years doesn't have history driving the literature.  Literature is there just because there are such good stories for younger learners.  As they get into the older years, everything has to match.  You learn about the civil war and there's a read aloud literature book that reflects that learning and a book that your children read also talking about the civil war.  I guess that's not horrible all in all, but maybe I'm looking to separate them a little more and read good books because they're good, not because they match up with the history sequence.  

 

I'm not ditching writing or other subjects.  I'm just trying to maybe have literature drive the rest of the curriculum not history. 

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Good point.  I guess I'm a little tired of the history running the whole show.  I have nothing against learning history, but maybe I'm looking for something that has good literature just because it's good not because it fits into the sequence of history that you are studying.  For example, Sonlight in the early years doesn't have history driving the literature.  Literature is there just because there are such good stories for younger learners.  As they get into the older years, everything has to match.  You learn about the civil war and there's a read aloud literature book that reflects that learning and a book that your children read also talking about the civil war.  I guess that's not horrible all in all, but maybe I'm looking to separate them a little more and read good books because they're good, not because they match up with the history sequence.  

 

I'm not ditching writing or other subjects.  I'm just trying to maybe have literature drive the rest of the curriculum not history. 

 

Yes!  We are definitely literature-driven.  History (for me personally) is a vitamin that should be taken, but that doesn't mean I enjoy it.  I do love histo-fic though and always have.  

 

All of my favorite English classes have been with teachers that know their books well enough to give us relevant background knowledge to the novels.  I also like annotated books that give background information.  It's not necessary when reading for pleasure, but I find it so helpful when diving deeper.  

 

My instinct is to use a timeline, read or study whatever we want, and when applicable, add it to the timeline, including fictional settings.  On the side, we listen to SOTW almost daily, and I'd like to add in memorizing a basic timeline sort of like VP only not VP.  We'll probably do the Classic Catholic Memory one.  

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I learned a lot of history from historical fiction with no textbook or discussion back up. And I certainly wasn't writing about it. :lol: When you read enough historical fiction, the topics overlap, and eventually you get enough. And what you get, you tend to remember.

 

How did I know what was fact and what was fiction? I didn't always. But now that I have been reading the textbooks, and trying to "repair" the "problem" I am more confused than ever, and have in fact lost a belief in historical "truth" at all. "Truth" seems to be whatever propoganda a subculture wants to indoctrinate their members in to further their agendas. I don't believe indoctrination is wrong, just that it is not "facts". And as someone who is no longer part of any subculture, I just really really really don't care about the shifting trends of facts and truths.

 

We tend to overcomplicate this stuff. It is like a really fancy recipe for banana bread. I prefer a really basic recipe. Less is more sometimes. In banana bread and books. I know people that tell me about all the ingredients and fancy equipment that is NEEDED to make "good" banana bread. I just shrug and nod. I'm not going to argue. But if a younger person asks me if that is true, I'm going to tell them, "No."

 

Yes, their banana bread is DIFFERENT than mine. It looks and tastes like it was made with more. Different and obviously-more isn't always better though. Dripping-with and screaming more is not always better. Better isn't always about more.

 

Sometimes even bruised and stunted has its own charm. Have you ever eaten an apple off an old abandoned apple tree that wasn't created by scientists to be disease resistant and produce waxy tasting apples that won't bruise? Some of those old trees actually produce fruit with seeds that will grow more trees! Generation after generation after generation of smaller, sweeter apples with a few worms and bruises.

 

Just reading is a choice with consequences that evens out in my opinion. It is what I prefer right now for me and mine. Yes, I see what just reading does not accomplish, but I also see what it does accomplish.

 

 

As E.D. Hirsch would argue, content builds on content builds on content.  The more you know, the more you can learn.  I agree that there is no such thing as objective history, but that doesn't mean there is no value in the studying of history.  

 

I think a lot depends on goals.  One of my goals is to produce adults with a large breadth of general knowledge, and I feel that this must include an overview of world history.  Not everyone has that same goal though.  

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I learned a lot of history from historical fiction with no textbook or discussion back up. And I certainly wasn't writing about it. :lol: When you read enough historical fiction, the topics overlap, and eventually you get enough. And what you get, you tend to remember.

 

How did I know what was fact and what was fiction? I didn't always. But now that I have been reading the textbooks, and trying to "repair" the "problem" I am more confused than ever, and have in fact lost a belief in historical "truth" at all. "Truth" seems to be whatever propoganda a subculture wants to indoctrinate their members in to further their agendas. I don't believe indoctrination is wrong, just that it is not "facts". And as someone who is no longer part of any subculture, I just really really really don't care about the shifting trends of facts and truths.

 

Hunter, you've just summed up much of contemporary historiography with a lot less jargon.  :laugh:

 

History as a discreet discrete (LOL, discretion is not a virtue I've particularly noticed among historians) - academic subject is of very recent vintage, and even a lot of historians these days are kind of lukewarm on its 19th century origins. Which isn't to say older models of education didn't include learning about the past, just that it was mostly via the context needed to understand great literature - just like your experiences with good English teachers now, Monica. Are people really out there trying to teach lit without historical context? Wha?

 

I'm kind of a Hirsch fangirl and definitely a history lover (washed out of grad school to be a homeschooling mom, but maybe someday...), but I think it's still totally possible to get a good general knowledge of history the old-fashioned way, without doing much study of "history."

Edited by LostCove
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I guess my main issue is this.  My dh and I have been through some major stress the past three years (major job pay cut, lost job, move 1000 miles, another job loss, new job) and semi-major stress for the past 6 (adoption of a child with RAD type problems that got worked through, two more than minor surgeries for adopted kid, two major surgeries for bio kid).  Now oldest ds is dealing with more medical issues that require multiple trips to new doctors.  I'm tired.  I have thought almost daily to put everyone in school just so I could breathe which means I would have to deal more proactively with my dd's ADHD issues instead of keeping lessons short so she gets a lot of active time.

 

I'm looking to simplify without compromising.  I'm a pretty intense homeschooler and it's hard for me to let stuff go.  I guess I just want less parts and more richness.  

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The 15 year old is taking online classes and is pretty much independent.  We're working on getting him into all/ most online classes next year.  He's not the one I'm thinking about thankfully.  I wish there was  a classical Christian school around here we could afford that he could go to, but online classes are the next best thing for him.  So, this is for the 11 and 8 year old.  I've got subjects that I'm used to teaching and work - I just want to streamline a bit.  

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Well, one option is to put lots of good books on a shelf and require they read a certain number of minutes per day.  Or if you want more structure than that, I believe Veritas Press and Memoria Press have literature for each grade that's not strictly tied to their history.  Personally, I wouldn't use lit. guides as I think that would kill the joy of it and possibly have you feeling guilty about what parts of it you don't use beyond the schedule.  I think a lot of "free reading with boundaries" sounds very.... healing?  When I'm feeling burnt out, I'm not very good at drawing richness out of anything, and I've never found it in a guide either.  So I think it's going to be hard to find what you're looking for in a curriculum.      

 

If your skill subjects are do the next thing, and you have some way of motivating or enforcing a certain amount of reading each day (a reading log, a chart with stickers, a reward after X number of books, no screen time until X minutes read per day, etc.), would that be enough structure and accountability for you?

 

For poetry memory, you could choose about anything, or look into IEW's poetry memorization product.  The booklet alone has the poems, or if you want it "off you" and you like Andrew Pudewa's voice, get the cds.  

 

If they need more, you can always add SOTW CDs or Science dvds back in - good content that doesn't always rely on you. 

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Basically, I want my children to love books right now.

 

Because of this and your current stressors, I completely agree with this: 

 

Well, one option is to put lots of good books on a shelf and require they read a certain number of minutes per day.

 

I think a lot of "free reading with boundaries" sounds very.... healing?  When I'm feeling burnt out, I'm not very good at drawing richness out of anything, and I've never found it in a guide either.  So I think it's going to be hard to find what you're looking for in a curriculum.

 

Reading great books is healing. Perfectly said! I wouldn't make it hard. Just a shelf full of some really terrific books and time scheduled every day.

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I would try to come at it from the perspective that books and time together make something at least potentially rich - not a preset plan or filling in blanks or checking off things in a lit guide. It sounds like just being together reading would be a great, less stressed use of your school time.

 

Hugs. I hope you're able to find a solution that doesn't feel like a compromise for you.

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 So, this is for the 11 and 8 year old.  I've got subjects that I'm used to teaching and work - I just want to streamline a bit.  

 

Do it for one year. That will help ease the urge to do more when your time is needed elsewhere.

 

Just read.  I wouldn't buy a curric for this. Nope.

 

Hand-pick a few books. Schedule those at the pace of 1-3 chapters a week.  Perhaps have a tea time once a week with both 11yo and 8yo, and use a narration cube to spark discussion about the books. Casual.

 

For the rest, a book basket will do.  I agree with others who recommend scheduling the time and not the books.

 

 

And, I'd purchase both kids a nice hardbound journal, a little tote bag to keep it in, and some lovely new writing utensils. No instructed writing assignments needed, just time and opportunity.

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More hugs, I completely agree with the above suggestions of just picking some good books and having reading time. Personally I've never been very good at following lists either- I want books to be good, not to fit into some box. Along with you looking at books I'd also let the kids pick from your shelves and the library- I remember seeing a plan from SWB one time that was pick a book from history, pick a book from science, pick a bio and it seems there were a couple more categories. I always thought that was quite a well-rounded plan.

 

What I have the kids do(just did this yesterday actually) is pick out something from the science and history section and pick some from from the fiction area(my youngest ones just pick picture books). As of late we've been getting every mythology related book we can find as ds is getting ready to take the mythology exam(as we were studying ancient history and he keeps reading and re-reading d'Aulaire because he loves it so). So, he got a couple more in a graphic novel series on gods(and I picked out Stickman Odyssey for him), some poetry books(we do lots of science anyway so I was ok that he picked out poetry instead of science) I love seeing how much they are into poetry. 

 

What I do for reading is browse lists and recommendations here and pick out some I think will catch their interest(and mine). I also sweep the non-fiction area for titles that I think they will find interesting.  We have read-alouds and reading time. DD is just getting into reading so I will require her to read but ds I pretty much just provide him with books and he does it on his own- I will sometimes assign some more challenging books however. So we read "good" books together but we also read more fluffy books- I'm ok with that- I love seeing them pulled into a topic that they would have never thought about on their own by an interesting book cover. All the kids are loving poetry time- we just sit around and read poetry for the most part, head baker dd1 bakes some goody for us, we have some lemonade or tea, everyone grabs a poetry book. We do some memory work from a free document I downloaded somewhere that we are working through- along with work from How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare and that's that.

 

Fwiw next year I'm looking at BYL7 for ds, because I really like her booklists and ds has been thriving with a checklist- he is loving having some independence and I could use a break from planning and thinking about it. I am adding in some science books though as it suggests an outside science curriculum. As much as we loved books I looked at Sonlight and varoius other curriculum over the years but I didn't like enough of their books to make it worth my while. This year we have a small amount of content scheduled but most of our work is just as I just posted- I think it is fine just to do it ad lib but for those times I'm not on top of it having some pre-scheduled keeps me with feeling like we are getting something done.

Edited by soror
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DD and I did the DVD program of Teaching the Classics; it is excellent and you are going to love it!  We went through this when DD was in 7th grade.  In retrospect, 8th would have been better, but I still think she got a lot out of it and so did I.

I am teetering very close to the edge of adopting a similar approach.  The materials I am drooling over are these:  

 

Teaching the Classics by Center for Lit.  I want the dvd seminar, the ready readers, the roadmaps...  I want it allllllll!!!!!!!

 

 

I will be getting them in March while in the US visiting family and I'm SO EXCITED to dive in and see what I can make with them.  :-)

 

Don't disappoint me Andrew Adams!

 

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Thank you for this thread; it's been enlightening!  I haven't had the life challenges you have had, but the bolded resonated with me and I am looking for the same - something with less moving parts to keep track of.

I guess my main issue is this.  My dh and I have been through some major stress the past three years (major job pay cut, lost job, move 1000 miles, another job loss, new job) and semi-major stress for the past 6 (adoption of a child with RAD type problems that got worked through, two more than minor surgeries for adopted kid, two major surgeries for bio kid).  Now oldest ds is dealing with more medical issues that require multiple trips to new doctors.  I'm tired.  I have thought almost daily to put everyone in school just so I could breathe which means I would have to deal more proactively with my dd's ADHD issues instead of keeping lessons short so she gets a lot of active time.

 

I'm looking to simplify without compromising.  I'm a pretty intense homeschooler and it's hard for me to let stuff go.  I guess I just want less parts and more richness.  

 

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I guess my main issue is this.  My dh and I have been through some major stress the past three years (major job pay cut, lost job, move 1000 miles, another job loss, new job) and semi-major stress for the past 6 (adoption of a child with RAD type problems that got worked through, two more than minor surgeries for adopted kid, two major surgeries for bio kid).  Now oldest ds is dealing with more medical issues that require multiple trips to new doctors.  I'm tired.  I have thought almost daily to put everyone in school just so I could breathe which means I would have to deal more proactively with my dd's ADHD issues instead of keeping lessons short so she gets a lot of active time.

 

I'm looking to simplify without compromising.  I'm a pretty intense homeschooler and it's hard for me to let stuff go.  I guess I just want less parts and more richness.  

 

First, hugs! :grouphug:

 

Second, have you tried a "morning basket?"  I watched a great periscope about it last week by Alicia Hutchinson.  Basically you read for an hour out of the morning basket on various subjects, then you take time to go deeper into seat work or whatever.  Alicia was saying that even if the day devolves after the morning basket, you know you got in a little bit of everything. You don't even have to do it in the morning. 

 

I'm at a stressful season in life as well, I took on a part time job, I have a child with medical issues, and I have a lot of family drama that requires my time.  I am really drawn to this idea so I thought I'd share.

 

ETA: here's the scope on morning basket https://katch.me/aliciahutch4104/v/ea54c18a-1a6b-3b46-96fe-393761c53348

Edited by Runningmom80
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Do you have an e-reader or tablet? I think Google books has almost all the Journeys through Bookland volumes. (There are massive old threads on this set of books.)

You could just start working your way through them one by one. That would be Great Literature at your fingertips anytime ... picked out for you & streamlined. It starts with the easier stuff & builds up through the volumes. So, it grows with your kids.

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First, hugs! :grouphug:

 

Second, have you tried a "morning basket?"  I watched a great periscope about it last week by Alicia Hutchinson.  Basically you read for an hour out of the morning basket on various subjects, then you take time to go deeper into seat work or whatever.  Alicia was saying that even if the day devolves after the morning basket, you know you got in a little bit of everything. You don't even have to do it in the morning. 

 

I'm at a stressful season in life as well, I took on a part time job, I have a child with medical issues, and I have a lot of family drama that requires my time.  I am really drawn to this idea so I thought I'd share.

 

ETA: here's the scope on morning basket https://katch.me/aliciahutch4104/v/ea54c18a-1a6b-3b46-96fe-393761c53348

 

We have both a "morning basket" and "evening basket" time. My kids are still young, so they can't sit still for a super long morning reading session.  We read together over breakfast for about 30 minutes in the morning, then right before bedtime for about 45 minutes.  We all treasure the time, and it's become the starting point for a lot of great conversations.

 

We don't have an actual basket :) Just a stack of good books that we want to eventually work through...

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