Critique my plan: homescooling newbie (3rd grade)

[poppy]

My daughter would be going in 3rd grade next year, but  I want to give homeschooling a chance. I think it will be FUN to spend time with her.

 

DD will be 8.  She is sweet, loves to write, imaginative, laughs a lot, is eager to please.  She has dyslexia, some serious anxiety issues, has a very hard time sitting still, and has pragmatic communication disorder (basically, a very hard time reading simple social cues).  Her self image has taken a huge hit the past few years. I think she'd be better away from the peer-based realm of public school.

 

 

So here is my plan, very tentative, I would love suggestions.

Oh, and we are a secular family, if that makes a difference.

 

 

ELA: All About Reading & All About Writing (it is OG so good for dyslexic kids)

(do I need to do grammar as well?)

(this is my BIGGEST hesitation about homeschooling.  In school she gets 3x per week OG tutoring).

 

Math: Math-U-See

(or, will have my husband do Signapore or Math Monster----- he is an engineer, math's my weak point).

 

Science: Noeo

 

History: Story of the World (which I know isn't entirely secular, but its so appealing anyway, and teaching history is very important to me)

 

Plus:

Artistic Pursuits

Recorder lessons

and for the body: gymnastics, lots of hiking, a little horseback riding & archery

 

 

Sound like too much? Too little?  I welcome any feedback.

 

[Kiara.I]

Sounds fun to me, too!  ;)

 

Language arts, no idea.

 

Math.  What's drawing you to Math-U-See?  It's got a very different sequence than most programs, so I'm not sure what level you'd put her in.  She'll probably have already been introduced to subraction in school, but not yet truly mastered addition, so that might make jumping in to Math U See tough.  What about a program with a more typical sequence?  Singapore is good.  You know, you don't need to be strong in math for most of these programs.  They're written with instructor guides and answer keys, generally.

 

And lots of read-alouds or audio books, too.  You want her getting lots of good literature, but as reading is a struggle, let her absorb it aurally.

[hands-on-mama]

I think the above poster has a good suggestion about math placement. If she's been in public school, the sequence has been very different than that of math u see. You may want to look into that.

 

[hands-on-mama]

Also, do you mean All About Spelling with All About Reading? Both are great programs! It is definitely a good place to start using OG at home. If these programs don't work for you, there are quite a few other OG programs that are geared specifically toward dyslexic students. How is her reading currently? If she is not reading fluently, I would focus on the reading first, then add in spelling as she is ready. I wouldn't start grammar until the reading is solid. 

 

Story of the World should be a great spot to start with history. 

 

I haven't personally used NOEO, but I have heard great things! 

 

Will you be doing handwriting of any kind? That's the only thing I can think of maybe adding at the moment.

[poppy]

Thanks for the feedback!

 

I've only been using Cathy Duffy's "102 Top Picks" so far, and she recommended Math-U-See for hands-on learners..... but the sequence issue, I hadn't thought about.   I'm very open to other ideas. I know from the 3rd grade planning threat that Mammoth and something called Beast are most popular. Will definitely look into that.

 

She has asked many times to learn cursive, I will def add that. I think Handwriting without Tears is how I'd go.  And good advice about learning to read before spelling and grammar. She is about a year behind reading (though she listens to tons of audiobooks).

Edited February 28, 2016 by poppy

[luuknam]

and something called Beast are most popular. Will definitely look into that.

 

Beast Academy is AOPS's younger sibling. I haven't looked too much into it because it's not cheap and they didn't/don't have the series complete yet.

 

I'd focus on remediating her reading AND also focus on one of her strengths so she doesn't feel like she's bad in everything. And leave lots of time for free play etc.

Edited February 28, 2016 by luuknam

[laughing lioness]

Some memory work- poetry memorization is very fun at that age! 

[KSinNS]

MUS can be a good place to start, particularly if your child is struggling. The books are out of sequence from standard but allow you to catch up easily, since the books don't have grade levels. I personally think the sequence is very logical, but it isn't standard. You must do a placement test. My child at that age started in beta. There is lots of review between books. The books are easy to teach. The videos are helpful if you need them or want them, depending on your kid. It's reasonably conceptual. MUS weakness is word problems. They are standard and practical but not challenging. If you are dealing with dyslexia, you may not want to challenge your dd in that area. There are some great options if/when you do.

 

For LA you may want to go over to the Learning challenges board. Many moms have tons of experience teaching kids with dyslexia. Good luck and enjoy the ride.

[Hobbes]

Your plan looks great! Welcome to homeschooling!

 

Math Mammoth is very straightforward and simple to teach. It doesn't come with manipulatives, but I often use them along with a lesson and it's easy to add, if you want to have some hands-on with math. Singapore has a great reputation and was initially my first choice, but I found it hard to wrap my brain around using all the different parts... maybe that's something to consider if you're just getting started. We have been very happy with Math Mammoth.

 

I wouldn't bother with grammar until reading is solid and you find your schooling rhythm. Grammar does not need to be taught every year.

 

Handwriting Without Tears is simple and works well. You may want to consider whether you like the cursive script. My daughter wanted to learn cursive and did well with HWT, but is now re-learning it with Pentime because we both felt it would be worth it for a prettier script!

 

Enjoy! I LOVE the time homeschooling gives to spend with my kids and 8 is such an enjoyable age.

[Kiara.I]

I've only been using Cathy Duffy's "102 Top Picks" so far, and she recommended Math-U-See for hands-on learners..... but the sequence issue, I hadn't thought about.   I'm very open to other ideas. I know from the 3rd grade planning threat that Mammoth and something called Beast are most popular. Will definitely look into that.

 

 

If she's very hands-on, and needs/wants manipulatives for her math, Rightstart is an excellent choice.

Beast isn't hands-on, really, and it is considered an advanced curriculum.  Is she advanced in math?  Fairly typical?  Behind or struggling?

[poppy]

I'll definitely look into Rightstart and HWT alternatives- thanks. 

She is average at math. Definitely more interested in other subjects...... but that's probably true of mots seven year olds. She is "on target" for 2nd grade in all subjects except reading and spelling.

[AggieMama]

Make sure to give her placement tests before buying a math curriculum. As for missing the OG lessons in PS I wouldn't worry. You'll probably do better at home.

[waa510]

I wouldn't worry about tutoring in OG at school. Homeschooling is like tutoring..so she's really going to get *more* OG tutoring from your homeschooling than at school. ;)

 

I agree with the concerns about Math-U-See. For me, I'd see which Math curriculum resonates with *you* as teacher. If it makes sense to you as a non-math person it'll be easier for you to teach. I agree that Singapore is a great choice but I've been told it's not the best for non-mathy moms as it assumes a  certain math proficiency and comfort. Math Mammoth gets that great conceptual math in without a ton of manipulatives to keep track of. Rightstart Math is great for hands-on, though. You can also just add pieces of RS like the Card Games kit or Abacus to use while working through problems. Math Mammoth would probably be the easiest to jump into as it follows fairly closely to a traditional school sequence. 

 

Story of the World is great for grammar stage. I'd make sure to get the Activity book if she likes coloring and crafty projects. 

 

That science looks good. I haven't used it but have heard the chapters can jump and be a bit scattered. Not a huge deal for grammar stage though.

 

I'd add in some copywork/dictation. Maybe Writing with Ease, but start at level 1 to get her used to narrating? 

 

I also agree about getting reading more solid before moving into formal spelling. AAS is fantastic, though! Getting a smaller magnetic white board helps with the tiles and teaching the concepts. 

 

My biggest piece of advice is to start small and build up from there. Tweak and add/remove things as needed. The curriculum is ultimately a *tool* to help you out...you aren't married to it! But overall it sounds like you're track, with a little bit of writing added in.

 

Welcome to the forums :) 

[3 ladybugs]

I thought Noeo wasn't secular. I could be wrong about that but I remember I didn't like it for some reason and I thought that was it. Have you looked at Elemental Science? We are doing Classic for grammar age and have been very pleased with it. 

 

If you are wanting grammar that you wouldn't have to do everyday, I have been happy with GUM grammar (Zaner-Blosser). I started it about a month ago and I have seen my son learn from it already. 

 

My son learns like your daughter though he isn't dyslexic, he is also going into the 3rd grade next year. All About Reading and Spelling have worked well for him. I have him using a different math program, Shiller. It is a great math program (there is another thread yesterday about it) and my husband, like yours, is the math wiz of the house, not I. 

 

I also agree that HWT has a very distinctive cursive. Depending on your reasons for learning it, it may not be right for you. I want my children to be able to read historical documents, so I am having  my son learn with Zaner-Blosser script. I also have him using a fountain pen (Pelikan Twist). He only uses his fountain pen for penmanship but I have noticed huge improvements in his handwriting. 

 

Good luck to you!

 

 

[SilverMoon]

I think you have a glitch in the list. All About Writing? I was only aware of spelling and reading from that company. In light of that I don't see any writing in your list. I would add some daily copywork taken from good children's literature. Start with small, simple pieces and gradually build up in complexity and length as you progress through the school year. If you don't want to pull this together yourself look at Writing With Ease, and make sure to use the placement test.

 

Other than that you have all the major bases covered. I'd also delay grammar until reading is more firm. If you really want to add some this year, First Language Lessons 1 and 2 are gentle and nearly all done orally. My late bloomer couldn't wrap her mind around nouns and verbs at all until her reading really took off though.

 

Welcome to homeschooling!

[bluemongoose]

Noeo is secular... No worries. I used it for a couple of years and then switched to elemental because I liked the student pages better and noeos science experiments often didn't work out well.

 

I have used mm, right start, Singapore, miquon, and beast at various times with various kids. Mm is written to the student and very easy to teach with manipulatives but some kids are overwhelmed by the amount on the page. Singapore is great too but it is more expensive and has a lot of different books. My children who were overwhelmed with mm do well in Singapore because there is much less on a page. Right start is expensive too and works great for hands on IF you are not trying to use it with many children. I simply could not do this program with multiple kids..it takes a lot. Beast is fun but very challenging. It is great for Mathy kids. It doesn't follow a traditional math sequence and I use it instead of adding Singapore's extra challenging work problems and extra practice books. Miquon is more free form. I ended up ditching it because I have many students and I didn't like not having and answer key! Also...they moved from miquon to beast. I didn't need 3 maths going.

 

Handwriting...my kids went from hwt print to Getty dubay italics. They find handwriting challenging and looped cursive made it hard to read their writing.

 

Aas and aar are awesome!

 

I agree with adding in wwe.

Edited February 29, 2016 by bluemongoose

[8filltheheart]

My daughter would be going in 3rd grade next year, but I want to give homeschooling a chance. I think it will be FUN to spend time with her.

 

DD will be 8. She is sweet, loves to write, imaginative, laughs a lot, is eager to please. She has dyslexia, some serious anxiety issues, has a very hard time sitting still, and has pragmatic communication disorder (basically, a very hard time reading simple social cues). Her self image has taken a huge hit the past few years. I think she'd be better away from the peer-based realm of public school.

 

 

So here is my plan, very tentative, I would love suggestions.

Oh, and we are a secular family, if that makes a difference.

 

 

ELA: All About Reading & All About Writing (it is OG so good for dyslexic kids)

(do I need to do grammar as well?)

(this is my BIGGEST hesitation about homeschooling. In school she gets 3x per week OG tutoring).

 

Math: Math-U-See

(or, will have my husband do Signapore or Math Monster----- he is an engineer, math's my weak point).

 

Science: Noeo

 

History: Story of the World (which I know isn't entirely secular, but its so appealing anyway, and teaching history is very important to me)

 

Plus:

Artistic Pursuits

Recorder lessons

and for the body: gymnastics, lots of hiking, a little horseback riding & archery

 

 

Sound like too much? Too little? I welcome any feedback.

I will be lone dissenter. AAS did not work for my dyslexic. We had much greater success with Apples and Pears. They also produce a reading program called Dancing Bears. (I have not used DB's, though.) They have an awesome look inside feature so you can preview every book.

http://www.soundfoundations.co.uk/en_US/shop/

 

For math, I would consider whether you want a mastery program (strictly focusin on one major skill development at a time) or spiral (new concepts interspersed with review of old concepts). There are a lot of programs that fit between MUS and Beast or SM. Those programs are pretty much end of spectrum examples in either hyper mastery focus or complexity of presentation of topics.

[poppy]

I'm taking notes on all these suggestions, thanks.

 

 

I think you have a glitch in the list. All About Writing? I was only aware of spelling and reading from that company. In light of that I don't see any writing in your list. I would add some daily copywork taken from good children's literature. Start with small, simple pieces and gradually build up in complexity and length as you progress through the school year. If you don't want to pull this together yourself look at Writing With Ease, and make sure to use the placement test.

I mean All About Spelling, whoops.

 

I hadn't heard of copywork..... why teach that? I'm intrigued!  My daughter loves to write short stories and reports.  Very, very simple stuff due to her reading level, and a lot of it really is copying from a book to keyboard: Name an animal, why its interesting, where it lives, what it eats, that sort of thing.  She does it on the computer and finds pictures to go with it.  Would that serve the same purpose? Or  is copywork really a way to practice handwriting and spelling?

[wendyroo]

I hadn't heard of copywork..... why teach that? I'm intrigued!  My daughter loves to write short stories and reports.  Very, very simple stuff due to her reading level, and a lot of it really is copying from a book to keyboard: Name an animal, why its interesting, where it lives, what it eats, that sort of thing.  She does it on the computer and finds pictures to go with it.  Would that serve the same purpose? Or  is copywork really a way to practice handwriting and spelling?

 

SWB's lectures on writing (elementary, middle, high) are one of my best homeschool purchases to date.  She outlines her gentle, systematic method of writing instruction which begins at the very beginning (copywork and narration) and walks the child step by step through developing all the fundamental skills necessary to be a good writer.

 

I listen to all three lectures at least once a year to get the big picture of how to cultivate a writer.  We use the WWE workbooks to implement SWB's method in an open and go format.

 

Wendy

[8filltheheart]

A few yrs ago I wrote 2 sequential posts which provide general description of how I approach writing with my children, including how we use copywork.  It worked well with my dyslexic children.  http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/239259-bringing-karens-mention-of-essay-writing-to-a-new-thread/?p=2363522

[...................]

Looks great!

 

I think if you can find some art classes outside the house that would be good. Most dyslexics love art and having that in a fun environment would be great. Just keep your eyes and ears open for that.

 

My hands on dyslexic dd didn't love MUS because she is very good at math and it makes it slow for her. But you may have a good idea there since it is hands on. However she may like Singapore Better. If you need a lot of hand holding the Math in Focus is expensive but walks you through more details with more built in review.

 

I think you did an amazing job choosing good stuff.

 

Oh yeah my girl hates repetition, she needs to know what to expect but every day that looks the same is misery for her. So when you do start try to vary the week a bit. :)

[Incognito]

Beast Academy is a very different sort of math program - it uses comic books about monsters to teach the math, and then the workbook is full of math problems that involve a lot of thinking to get to the answer - so you practice math facts by using them in complex problems.  It's not common - but it is new, so it gets talked about.  For what it is worth, it worked very well for my child with learning disabilities in reading and writing, but I had to read everything with my child and there are always mistakes in the answers for my child to re-do.  I expect this because while understanding the math comes more easily, writing things and keeping track of what is being worked on doesn't for my child.

 

Copywork has kids seeing and copying a good example of writing.  It shows them right spelling, punctuation, interesting sentences, etc.  In some approaches to writing, it is used to lay a foundation of good writing by allowing the kids to practice good mechanics in writing before having to come up with good content.  Often, copywork will lead into dictation, which is where you read a passage the child writes it down.  Copywork and dictation help a child practice holding words in their mind.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Incognito

[poppy]

Great advice all around, thanks all.

 

 

Thinking about adding Build Your Library with Story of the World..... looks well worth the $35 to supplement the history with great book suggestions.  I think I will start with the "1st grade" package even though she'll be in 3rd.  It's all fluid around this age anyway, right?