Help with 4th grade, New Homeschooler

[AMDG]

My son will be entering 4th grade, and has spent the last 2 years in a brick-and-mortar school. It has not gone well. We homeschooled for K and 1st, and he attended school for 2nd and 3rd after the birth of my daughter who was born with medical problems and a disability. 

 

We knew when we put the kids in school, that it would be temporary until we got our bearings back as a family. We aren't quite there yet, and will have a K'er and 1st grader in public school this year, but we actually have had a good experience with them in the early grades thus far. 

 

My 4th grader has Aspergers. He is very bright in math and a good reader, although he doesn't enjoy reading. He is also argumentative and demanding. If I want homeschool to be successful, it has to have me as a minimum player, as we will surely butt heads if I am constantly at his side telling him to do the next thing.

 

Because he is bright and naturally curious, and also because I am extremely busy, I'm wondering if I can take a very laid back approach? 

Specifically, I want to buy curriculum for Math and Language Arts, and for those to be our "anchors." Everything else he'd supplement with books, documentaries, special classes, etc. 

 

Does that sound reasonable? 

 

For math I want to do Teaching Textbooks. 

For LA I want to either do MCT or Memoria Press.

I'd say his weaknesses are writing and not having a love for reading. He reads about sports, and that's about it. I am overwhelmed by the idea of several different programs for LA (grammar, spelling, vocab, comp, etc.), and really want an all in one program that works collaboratively with all the LA subjects. 

 

I am open to any and all advice! Especially on a thorough and strong LA program that will yield a great writer and reader!

[mysticmomma]

I'd look into eltl and math mammoth. Math mammoth is written to the student. She has free placement tests online.

 

Eltl is only 3 days a week and includes grammar, writing, literature and even spelling if needed/wanted. I would start in level 3. Most people run it a level behind grade level.

 

As for the other subjects, what do you need to document for your state? As long as you can meet their requirements I think outsourcing or rabbit trailing other subjects is fine.

[dragonflyer]

Memoria Press is not very all-in-one for LA.  They offer their literature guides for lit; then have a separate composition program; and even their grammar is designed to reinforce what is being learned through Latin.

Something to think about: what if you plan on offering a checklist each week that details the work to be done in Math and Language Arts?  It should also have space for him to write titles of Science and History books that were read that week.

This might help him see all the work to be done without mom needing to assign it.  If that would be overwhelming visually, what could you do to assign daily work so that you are not seen as someone nagging?

[AMDG]

Memoria Press is not very all-in-one for LA.  They offer their literature guides for lit; then have a separate composition program; and even their grammar is designed to reinforce what is being learned through Latin.

Something to think about: what if you plan on offering a checklist each week that details the work to be done in Math and Language Arts?  It should also have space for him to write titles of Science and History books that were read that week.

This might help him see all the work to be done without mom needing to assign it.  If that would be overwhelming visually, what could you do to assign daily work so that you are not seen as someone nagging?

 

This is helpful. Thank you. 

 

I was thinking that I would have a student planner of some sort and write out the weekly assignments for him. It's on him to complete the work, and he comes to me with help, or we at least have a time to work together for a bit everyday. 

 

I was looking at some Seton materials for basic grammar and spelling, with Memoria as a reading program. I was thinking those would be better for more independent work.