Talk to me about Oak Meadow

[TKDmom]

I'm contemplating using OM2 and OM5 for my youngest two next year. I think I'm probably crazy for considering another boxed program...

 

I'm attracted to the useful, hands on crafts and creative outlets. I'm terrible at providing hands-on kind of things. I'd rather just read all day and live in a theoretical world. My youngest dd is very hands-on. She colors, writes stories, makes up crafts, and spends her time devising new ways to disturb my peace. ;)

 

I think ds10 would benefit from something more hands-on and creative as well. He would be happy playing video games 18 hours a day, and he really needs something to help him out of the mentality of, "I'll finish two pages of math and then can I play Wii?" He reads, but gets bored easily and he needs something more engaging than what I'm doing now.

 

I used a copy of OM6 science for a little while with my oldest dd. My own anxiety about the amount of output kept me from using it fully, and I ended up dropping it and selling it. I think I'm in a better place now. This isn my first time doing elementary school, and I have a much better handle on what kids are capable of if I give them the opportunity to stretch themselves.

 

What have been your experiences with OM??

[Janeway]

I am considering purchasing it for my 4 yr old, who is about to turn 5. I am thinking I might not want to send her to preschool next year. Preschool costs a lot. 

[Guest]

Son 2 completed all of OM 5 in a month. This was doing every assignment. We found it needs a lot added to it to be full.

 

OM 2 will require you to do a bit of footwork. It will say things like "explore xyzzy with your child" but you have to find the books to do so. Also, while the math stories are great, no practice problems are included (or were not when we did it) so you need to be writing your own. If you need phonics still, you will have to add that, as well.

 

Now for a 4yr old, OM K is great! We loved it! It was a perfect fit!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited May 26, 2016 by Paradox5

[TKDmom]

Son 2 completed all of OM 5 in a month. This was doing every assignment. We found it needs a lot added to it to be full.

 

OM 2 will require you to do a bit of footwork. It will say things like "explore xyzzy with your child" but you have to find the books to do so. Also, while the math stories are great, no practice problems are included (or were not when we did it) so you need to be writing your own. If you need phonics still, you will have to add that, as well.

 

 

Wow. So it sounds like I would be able to continue with Latin and math, without overloading him. He can complete all his work in less than 90 min, when he's motivated, so I feel like it would be hard to less than we are now.  :glare:

 

I'm planning to continue with Singapore Math, and dd6 is reading fluently, so those aren't concerns.

[ondreeuh]

In my experience,having OM did not make me the creative, hands on teacher I wanted to be. For one thing, some of the stuff wasn't even scheduled. It was like, use this recipe book during your year. Practice the recorder, but on your own. It was not enough to just include the stuff in the box, I need it really explicitly scheduled or I forget. And the cookbook and recorder book weren't better than stuff I could have found on Amazon.

 

I'm contemplating using OM2 and OM5 for my youngest two next year. I think I'm probably crazy for considering another boxed program...

 

I'm attracted to the useful, hands on crafts and creative outlets. I'm terrible at providing hands-on kind of things. I'd rather just read all day and live in a theoretical world. My youngest dd is very hands-on. She colors, writes stories, makes up crafts, and spends her time devising new ways to disturb my peace. ;)

 

I think ds10 would benefit from something more hands-on and creative as well. He would be happy playing video games 18 hours a day, and he really needs something to help him out of the mentality of, "I'll finish two pages of math and then can I play Wii?" He reads, but gets bored easily and he needs something more engaging than what I'm doing now.

 

I used a copy of OM6 science for a little while with my oldest dd. My own anxiety about the amount of output kept me from using it fully, and I ended up dropping it and selling it. I think I'm in a better place now. This isn my first time doing elementary school, and I have a much better handle on what kids are capable of if I give them the opportunity to stretch themselves.

 

What have been your experiences with OM??

Edited May 27, 2016 by ondreeuh

[Reverie]

I am considering purchasing it for my 4 yr old, who is about to turn 5. I am thinking I might not want to send her to preschool next year. Preschool costs a lot. 

 

@Janeway- We're you contemplating OM's PreK for your daughter, or kindergarten for the future? I just wanted to share that the Oak Meadow PreK does not include lessons or schedules of any sort. There's a craft kit, and books for you about Oak Meadow's philosophy on early childhood and academics, as well as a book on what to focus on with preschoolers- storytelling, block play, etc.

 

@TKDMom- We're finishing up OM kindergarten, and really enjoyed it. I loved the creative, story- and craft-filled approach, but was hesitant because my daughter already knew what was covered academically. I did add to meet her where she's at, but there was a lot more to engage her in OMK than I'd thought at first glance. We plan on continuing on with OM1. It sounds like OM would be a good match for your family- I'm finding it flexible enough to use as a stand-alone or modify to meet your needs. I haven't hit the higher grades yet, but I've heard from many that third and up are fairly writing intensive. If you want something detailed down to the day, you might feel like you need to do more work, but the weekly lesson plans worked great for my family- lots of flexibility. less fear of falling behind if you make changes.

[TKDmom]

 If you want something detailed down to the day, you might feel like you need to do more work, but the weekly lesson plans worked great for my family- lots of flexibility. less fear of falling behind if you make changes.

 

The weekly lesson plans are part of the attraction for me too. I've used SL and the detailed lesson plans are a disaster for me. We get way ahead in one book, way behind in another and I'm just enough of a box-checker to feel extremely guilty about not doing everything every day in the way they tell me. But I still need some accountability of written plans.

[TKDmom]

In my experience,having OM did not make me the creative, hands on teacher I wanted to be. For one thing, some of the stuff wasn't even scheduled. It was like, use this recipe book during your year. Practice the recorder, but on your own. It was not enough to just include the stuff in the box, I need it really explicitly scheduled or I forget. And the cookbook and recorder book weren't better than stuff I could have found on Amazon.

 

 

Don't tell me that! lol.  There must be some program out there that will correct all my parenting flaws!  :lol:

 

I've started writing school subjects on our sliding glass door with window chalk markers. They have to check off subjects every day, and I try to loop schedule somewhat, so we get to things that are always getting forgotten. As long as I have things written down on my own loop schedules (I have to have things written down in a ridiculous number of places. I think it's the act of writing that helps me remember).

 

Can you elaborate any on what the cookbook and recorder books? I have a couple of recorder books and a few kids cookbooks. Both dc play piano, so I don't feel a huge need to play recorder, but I think it would be fun for them. Ds12 rediscovered his recorder last week, and it was fun to listen to him try to figure out Ocarina of Time melodies.

Edited May 28, 2016 by TKDmom

[ondreeuh]

I looked at the new samples, and it looks like they've improved it quite a bit in the past few years since I bought OM 4. It's still more like an outline of what to study than most other programs, but it is more clear about the point of each lesson.

 

The cookbook in OM 4 was just a simple little self-published one, and the recorder book was nothing special. If you like the open-ended teacher-intensive projects in OM, then go for it .... but if you are like me and do better with more open-and-go type materials, then the reality of OM may not live up to your hopes.