Changing curriculum already?

[bethben]

So, day 4 here in the homeschool...I tried a new history to make it less history "intense".  I hate it.  It feels choppy, I don't like reading it, and to think of doing this the whole year makes me cringe.  Do I just ditch it and sell it?  Or should I stick it out for a while longer?  i'm not sure anything else will be much better at this point.  I can buy a teacher's guide for cheap for the curriculum I had last year.

 

ETA, I had a horrible day with dd that is a return of the horrible year I had last year.  I called two charter schools to see if they had openings.  That may be skewing my perception also.

Edited August 8, 2016 by bethben

[....]

Yeah, our second or third week here...   :glare:   I had to completely scrap the 8 year-old's plans and she is now doing "whatever she wants" - unschooling?  She's basically been doing a ton of math, reading Commander Toad and reading about human anatomy...oh and we did 2 lessons of a hands-on physics book.  The 9th grader and 8th grader had to switch to Ambleside Online's "Lite" year instead of the regular year.  We just couldn't get all of it finished.  We worked on it 7 days a week and still weren't done...   :svengo:   From now on, only the Lite years for HEO (what was I thinking)!

[....]

ETA, I had a horrible day with dd that is a return of the horrible year I had last year.  I called two charter schools to see if they had openings.  That may be skewing my perception also.

 

That is when you're having a REALLY bad homeschooling day!!  

 

And I'm wondering what history plan you're using.  Is it Biblioplan?

 

Edited to add: At least it's so early in the school year that if you ditch it, it won't make much of a difference.  I say, "Get rid of it!"  LOL.

Edited August 8, 2016 by Evanthe

[OneStepAtATime]

:grouphug:  :grouphug:  :grouphug:

 

Have you read through the rest of the material to see if it gets better for your needs?  If you have and it looks just as awful for you then maybe give it the week to see if you are just in a bad place mentally for other reasons, but yeah, I would plan to ditch it if your reaction was that strong so quickly.

 

 

[bethben]

Not just a bad day, but a repeat from last year.  I thought I had corrected what was causing the defiant meltdown which was math and have changed to the least work/ get it done/ progress her math that I could choose.  Nope---Also, during history, there was a lot of dramatic sighing.

[....]

Nope---Also, during history, there was a lot of dramatic sighing.

 

Ooo...we get a lot of that from the teenagers...  Some kids just don't like schoolwork no matter what curriculum you use!

[HomeschoolingHearts&Minds]

So, day 4 here in the homeschool...I tried a new history to make it less history "intense".  I hate it.  It feels choppy, I don't like reading it, and to think of doing this the whole year makes me cringe.  Do I just ditch it and sell it?  Or should I stick it out for a while longer?  i'm not sure anything else will be much better at this point.  I can buy a teacher's guide for cheap for the curriculum I had last year.

 

ETA, I had a horrible day with dd that is a return of the horrible year I had last year.  I called two charter schools to see if they had openings.  That may be skewing my perception also.

 

Do you mind saying what it is?  Maybe someone can let you know if it gets better. ;)

 

If it helps---I had a similar reaction to my chosen all-in-one last year (Trail Guide to Learning: POE).  I tweaked and tweaked and then 2 or 3 weeks in I finally ditched the whole thing.  I do not regret that decision---the rest of the year really pretty well and the kids learned tons.  I did put the readers/read alouds into the book basket for them to choose from throughout the year.  

[bethben]

It's Biblioplan.  I have the companion and that's the thing giving me the yucks.  It is so choppy and I feel like I barely read about one thing before another little topic comes up.  I like read alouds and good literature and maybe this is what is tripping me up.  I'm thinking of just going back to Sonlight.  We had a decent year last year.  Not the thrill of my life, but decent.  

[Chrysalis Academy]

Yep.  we haven't even started yet, but we met to go over our plans . . . and ended up throwing our history & lit plans out the window.  At least partially.  Back to the drawing board for me . . . 

[bethben]

I also figured with selling my old curriculum at a loss and buying used with the new curriculum (using books I already have), I'll break even.

 

[GoVanGogh]

Your daughter is nine? That is a dramatic age. At least it was here.

 

We haven't started yet, but I decided yesterday to change out our poetry study. And that would be why I make lesson plans in pencil. LOL I only planned out a few weeks of biology (high school) because I am worried about it being too much for DS. I have a backup book already on the shelf, just in case.

[bethben]

My daughter was a dramatic 2,3,4,5,6,7,8, and now 9.  I just don't want the stress again of homeschooling her another year.  Yes, the year is young, but I didn't want to start this homeschooling thing this year already because of what I was hoping to avoid.

[Jackie]

I say scrap the history. No reason to use curric that makes you miserable, especially with a child that's already pushing your buttons. And maybe don't replace it. Have her choose history books or biographies at the library and read them.

[HomeAgain]

I feel you.

 

We bought First Language Lessons.  I didn't realize how incredibly slooooooooooow it moved and my kid was going bonkers.  There was no way for me to rework it to fit him given how it's set up, so after the first 10 lessons I ditched it.

 

We went back to our original plan: Grammar-land with a follow on of Simply Grammar Primer.  I had introduced the Grammar-land symbols during FLL and my child panicked when I packed up the book to give away.  "But I love that!  I want to play with Mr. Noun and his friends!"  :laugh:

 

After showing him what was staying, and what the book would be replaced with, he's more than happy again!

[MotherGoose]

Take this for what it's worth, but I thought the companion for biblioplan was a bit over the head of the average elementary aged child. If it were my child, I'd force the "get it done " in the 3 rs, but try to make history and science tolerable for you both. And possibly fun. IIrc biblioplan can be done without the companion?

[mamamoose]

Are you doing too much of the companion at once? I think it's broken up so that you can pick and choose where you start and end, and we do bible history one day, ancients another, etc. however my kids are young and I don't feel the need to get it all in.

[bethben]

It's so choppy isn't it?  I feel like I'm reading little factoids and I do break it up enough, but it feels like an inch deep and a mile wide.

[OneStepAtATime]

Why not be more relaxed with History this year?  Maybe read fact and fiction books from a time period of her choice?  Let her do some more targeted research on some particular event and report her findings.  Let her watch some documentaries.  Keep it lighter this year.

[scbusf]

We are new to Biblioplan, but we are not using the Companion. Instead, we are using SOTW 3 and lots of the recommended books. The Companion would be waaaaay too much for us.

[bethben]

I have to keep my 11 year old and 9 year old together.  I tend to go with the 11 year old since he would get lost in the shuffle if I didn't pay attention.  I'm trying to up his work load a bit more thoughtfully this year since he is entering middle school age. So, the curriculum problem is mine - I just don't like reading it and I'm not so sure it would engage my 11 year old enough either.  I tried out a Veritas Press online history thing for the 9 year old and she liked it well enough and her comprehension was good with it also.  They still both want the mom on the couch snuggle time with reading and if I'm reading history for one, the other will want to be there also anyway.

[KrissiK]

Yep. we haven't even started yet, but we met to go over our plans . . . and ended up throwing our history & lit plans out the window. At least partially. Back to the drawing board for me . . .

We didn't start, either and I threw our new history out the figurative window. It was Mystery of History. Going with SOTW for my little girls (I already have that) and will try History Odessey with my oldest daughter. I have that, too .

 

So, OP, don't feel bad about chucking it. It happens to the best of us!

[HomeAgain]

It's Biblioplan.  I have the companion and that's the thing giving me the yucks.  It is so choppy and I feel like I barely read about one thing before another little topic comes up.  I like read alouds and good literature and maybe this is what is tripping me up.  I'm thinking of just going back to Sonlight.  We had a decent year last year.  Not the thrill of my life, but decent.  

 

Just musing here.  We tried a history program that was a terrible fit (History Odyssey level 2).  The next year I did a 180 and picked a minimal plan: Creek Edge Press task cards.  It let us use the resources we already had, gave us a basic guideline, but allowed flexibility in how and when they were used - or even at all.  And they were pretty cheap.  Something like that could make the year not a total waste for you, or at least help you cut down on having to buy a whole new program.

[PeterPan]

I have to keep my 11 year old and 9 year old together.  I tend to go with the 11 year old since he would get lost in the shuffle if I didn't pay attention.  I'm trying to up his work load a bit more thoughtfully this year since he is entering middle school age. So, the curriculum problem is mine - I just don't like reading it and I'm not so sure it would engage my 11 year old enough either.  I tried out a Veritas Press online history thing for the 9 year old and she liked it well enough and her comprehension was good with it also.  They still both want the mom on the couch snuggle time with reading and if I'm reading history for one, the other will want to be there also anyway.

 

Why not give her the online history (since she liked it!) and do the corresponding lit as your snuggle reading?  VP has terrific lit suggestions to go with their history.  It's actually in the literature section.  So, for instance, if you're doing MARR, they'll put the Hobbit in their lit.  They'll give suggestions in the grade but probably also have the up/down indications if you need to take the level up or down.  

 

But yeah, that's what I would do, give her back the VP online.  When it's working, it's working, mercy.  There are lots of things to read aloud.

 

As far as the math, do you have a winner for that?  If you don't, you could get a tutor or do MUS.  MUS at least has entirely clear structure.  Since she's responding to the structure of VP, she might do well with the structure of MUS.

[Soror]

(hugs) I have a dramatic 9yo too. I changed some things around here to help with the attitude, lucky for me it seems to have worked. Although she still has her moments I believe she is overall doing better- for her she needs to know exactly what she is doing and likes incremental learning- so I have wrote out her schedule 6 wks at a time for her to see what she has every day and for math she is switched to Saxon.

 

As far as changing I'm considering it for my son(of course after I finished the next 6 wks of plans). I'm pleased with our core subjects- 5 wks in here anyway(which is good after our struggles finding math and writing that fit last year)- but our non-core, meh. I like to go structured to make sure it gets done but I get bored and then I wonder if he is at the age for him to take more control with driving content by his interest. He does his work with little complaint but I'd like to see more engagement (perhaps I'm just wanting too much). I went w/ BYL and I love the books but it is just too much- I've cut out a bunch already but a lot feels like busy work and busy work annoys me- maybe it wouldn't be busy work if he was more invested but as it is that is how it is feeling a bit. Anyway, he has 2 wks to finish this session so I know we will at least do that much. I might ask him if he wants to head more interest based. Or perhaps I'll keep my mouth shut and stop chasing rainbows!!! (my one goal for the year was to actually stick with things and stop admiring everyone else's grass!) Perhaps instead what I should do is look at it entirely different- change up the scheduling but keep w/ the same focus.

Edited August 9, 2016 by soror

[happypamama]

Yeah, we're a couple of weeks in, although on break this week for a camp, and I've changed a couple of things already. I realized that Trail Guide to World Geography is great, but the questions are too tedious, too much investment of time for the value, and they aren't going to retain much from the questions. So we will stick with the mapping, which everyone likes, and our supplemental music, art, animals. monuments, etc. as planned and get a better feel from those about what makes a country special than we will from the questions.

 

I also discovered that, as I thought might happen, six chapters of SWB's HOMW per week, plus the exercises, is just too much for DD, who is not the fastest reader. So I dropped it back to fewer chapters per week, but that means she can't possibly get through HOMW and HORW in a year. I don't want to lock her into needing to do that for history next year unless she wants to, but I also feel like she needs to hit a greater scope of time this year, and there are some major things that don't come up until HORW. Much as I love SWB's books, I think they're way more depth than she needs for ninth grade, since we haven't done Middle Ages in many years. But I already have the History Odyssey Level 3 Middle Ages, so I ordered the Roberts book inexpensively, and it should work just fine. She'll get the breadth she needs in a survey course, and she'll have more time for the supplemental stuff without cramming it all in too much.

[Another Lynn]

Definitely dump it now.  You already know how you feel about it, so don't prolong the agony.  

 

I agree with putting dd back on VP SP online.  Even if you do still end up reading to your ds and even if she does hang out for that, so what?  VPSP would be something she likes that doesn't demand engagement from you - a win-win!

 

:grouphug:  for the math.  Starting back up is the hardest part, isn't it?  

[Another Lynn]

Yep.  we haven't even started yet, but we met to go over our plans . . . and ended up throwing our history & lit plans out the window.  At least partially.  Back to the drawing board for me . . . 

 

Ahem.   :toetap05:   You know some of us would like a link to your new plans after you finish them.   :thumbup1:

[bethben]

I think what I may do is ditch the companion for Biblioplan and use the rest of their suggested spines.  I already have them (well, I need to buy two books - not that big of deal).  I wanted to challenge my 6th grader this year a bit more with deeper comprehension questions, and DH has said that perhaps his online writing class will be challenge enough for him and just let it go.  He tends to find the easy road and take it if I let him.  So, I guess I'm trying that route and hoping my daughter gets calmed down.  I think I have to find some math fact practice apps to give her as a motivator for not arguing and yelling at me and see how that goes.

[Another Lynn]

Sounds like a good plan to me!   :thumbup:

[Chrysalis Academy]

Ahem.   :toetap05:   You know some of us would like a link to your new plans after you finish them.   :thumbup1:

 

:lol:  Well, in a nutshell, we decided to do unit studies on topics in history rather than plodding through it chronologically, trying to "cover" everything.  She picked the topics because they are things that she wants to know more about & research for a novel that she's working on. So we agreed that her written output could include both academic and creative components.  Why let school get in the way of learning about what you really want to learn about?  :tongue_smilie:

 

We also realized that we had way too many Great Course lectures scheduled. We've discovered that it's not her preferred learning style - she'd rather read and answer study questions than listen to a talking head. So we went through the 4 Great Course lecture lists and ruthlessly culled them to a core of really interesting topics, and we'll add more reading and writing assignments.

 

Glad this happened now, while there is still time to redirect our efforts, rather than persisting in something that isn't working for anybody.  You are wise and brave, OP!  Good luck.

[Another Lynn]

Yay, Rose!  That sounds great!  

[Soror]

:lol:  Well, in a nutshell, we decided to do unit studies on topics in history rather than plodding through it chronologically, trying to "cover" everything.  She picked the topics because they are things that she wants to know more about & research for a novel that she's working on. So we agreed that her written output could include both academic and creative components.  Why let school get in the way of learning about what you really want to learn about?  :tongue_smilie:

 

We also realized that we had way too many Great Course lectures scheduled. We've discovered that it's not her preferred learning style - she'd rather read and answer study questions than listen to a talking head. So we went through the 4 Great Course lecture lists and ruthlessly culled them to a core of really interesting topics, and we'll add more reading and writing assignments.

 

Glad this happened now, while there is still time to redirect our efforts, rather than persisting in something that isn't working for anybody.  You are wise and brave, OP!  Good luck.

Rose, you are sure tempting me :) That is exactly what I have been mulling- whether or not to go to interest led unit studies. The problem of course is that is well and good when I'm feeling good and energetic but as the year goes by my energy and enthusiasm wanes. So, I had told myself the goal for this year is to NOT change, to stick with things even if they aren't perfect. My son is fine, actually the year is going well it works for him to have a clearly delineated list I just sometimes get this idyllic vision in my head of how I want school to look. I'd like it to be more free and interest/student led but honestly when I've tried in the past he hasn't been ready for it- I just need to keep it in mind for next year(perhaps he will be ready for less structured study at that point)- it would be silly to switch out something that is working. I need to remember what I was excited about for this year! And remember it is the same every year- I start out more structured then long to be more loose and then end up reigning it back in, which is fine in theory but it also brings me down not too see enough tangible proof of learning- I need a certain amount of box checking to feel we've accomplished what we need to to keep my head in the game.

Edited August 10, 2016 by soror

[Chrysalis Academy]

Rose, you are sure tempting me :) That is exactly what I have been mulling- whether or not to go to interest led unit studies. The problem of course is that is well and good when I'm feeling good and energetic but as the year goes by my energy and enthusiasm wanes. So, I had told myself the goal for this year is to NOT change, to stick with things even if they aren't perfect. My son is fine, actually the year is going well it works for him to have a clearly delineated list I just sometimes get this idyllic vision in my head of how I want school to look. I'd like it to be more free and interest/student led but honestly when I've tried in the past he hasn't been ready for it- I just need to keep it in mind for next year(perhaps he will be ready for less structured study at that point)- it would be silly to switch out something that is working. I need to remember what I was excited about for this year! And remember it is the same every year- I start out more structured then long to be more loose and then end up reigning it back in, which is fine in theory but it also brings me down not too see enough tangible proof of learning- I need a certain amount of box checking to feel we've accomplished what we need to to keep my head in the game.

 

Yes, and yes.  I've always wanted to go more interest-led, but it's taken time for maturity and interests to develop.  I mean real interests, that would drive a whole plan for study across integrated units.  In 4th grade, dd loved entomology, so we did an insect unit. in 5th grade it was horses. in 6th grade it was astronomy.  That stuff is easy.  This is a whole new level of involvement, where it's not only her interests, but her own understanding of how she likes to study, how she learns best, and an understanding that there are requirements that must be met - fine - but there is flexibility about how to do that. Her involvement in planning has been pretty minimal other than throwing out topic ideas. It ramped up some last year in 8th but I feel like she's now poised to take more interest and ownership. Which is great, but definitely takes work & energy on my part. The reward is having an engaged student who looks forward to her year, rather than dreading it!

 

I also usually start out with a pretty full plan and follow it for a few months, then meander, drift, or intentionally leave it as the year progresses.  This is what happened last year.  In the absence of guidance from her about what she wanted to study, I made a plan, and we started following it. As the year went on, we dropped some things, added some things, and then got to the point where we felt like we were done with that stuff.  The year definitely got less structured and less compliant to the pre-plan as it went on.  This year we've planned out the first semester in some detail, but are being intentionally vague about the second - we'll see how this works, where it goes, and adjust accordingly.

[homeschoolmama37]

It's Biblioplan.  I have the companion and that's the thing giving me the yucks.  It is so choppy and I feel like I barely read about one thing before another little topic comes up.  I like read alouds and good literature and maybe this is what is tripping me up.  I'm thinking of just going back to Sonlight.  We had a decent year last year.  Not the thrill of my life, but decent.  

 

If you  can find an older copy of Biblioplan (I used for elementary and middle with my son which was about 6-8 years ago, it has a great schedule that uses MOH and SOTW, plus maps, questions, and timeline pieces and we really enjoyed it. It was 3 days a week and I only used the parent companion from time to time.

I've had a friend tell me that she also left BP because of the choppy companion especially in the high school years. I wouldn't recommend it for that age, but I didn't use it for that age. But I really liked it for elementary and middle school.

 

[bethben]

If you can find an older copy of Biblioplan (I used for elementary and middle with my son which was about 6-8 years ago, it has a great schedule that uses MOH and SOTW, plus maps, questions, and timeline pieces and we really enjoyed it. It was 3 days a week and I only used the parent companion from time to time.

I've had a friend tell me that she also left BP because of the choppy companion especially in the high school years. I wouldn't recommend it for that age, but I didn't use it for that age. But I really liked it for elementary and middle school.

 

That's what I'm doing. So, day two into the new plan using SOTW, Usborne encyclopedia, and some church history resources ( scheduled by Biblioplan) and I'm much more satisfied. I am also thinking of buying my daughter a subscription to reflxmath.com because she can practice math facts and have fun.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JessReplanted]

Can you have your kids read their own history?

[Soror]

 

As far as changing I'm considering it for my son(of course after I finished the next 6 wks of plans). I'm pleased with our core subjects- 5 wks in here anyway(which is good after our struggles finding math and writing that fit last year)- but our non-core, meh. I like to go structured to make sure it gets done but I get bored and then I wonder if he is at the age for him to take more control with driving content by his interest. He does his work with little complaint but I'd like to see more engagement (perhaps I'm just wanting too much). I went w/ BYL and I love the books but it is just too much- I've cut out a bunch already but a lot feels like busy work and busy work annoys me- maybe it wouldn't be busy work if he was more invested but as it is that is how it is feeling a bit. Anyway, he has 2 wks to finish this session so I know we will at least do that much. I might ask him if he wants to head more interest based. Or perhaps I'll keep my mouth shut and stop chasing rainbows!!! (my one goal for the year was to actually stick with things and stop admiring everyone else's grass!) Perhaps instead what I should do is look at it entirely different- change up the scheduling but keep w/ the same focus.

 

Quoting myself for an update :) I had a pow wow with both the kids on school so far, dd 4th has complete 6 wks and ds 7/6th has completed 5, after this following week we will be doing a 1 wk break so I've been working on their plans.

 

As usual my son asked for more reading and less writing. He actually likes the writing program(Cover Story) just not the pace, he is not a quick writer(even when typing) and it is taking him about 2x as long each day as I thought it would. So, I spread this out more for him, he will take the whole year to finish it instead of finishing in 2/3 or so.

 

I had already planned on adding some books so I'm proud to say I didn't abandon ship I just tweaked the heck out of it to make it suite him better. Mapwork will be done by apps or games; projects will just be one per continent; reading is consolidated to fewer days to add in documentary days and allow for time at the end of each continent to work on the project. Reading and documentaries added for science as well (we've been skipping science so far as we do a lot informally and I wanted to take time to get it all up and going). I dropped the dictation and copywork- I've decided Cover Story plus his geography and science writing projects will be sufficient. I dropped formal poetry as well, we do weekly poetry tea and just read what we like. 

 

dd4th - I just decided to switch out her spelling last week as it became more apparent each week that this was not working. I've already got the new one ordered. Her only complaint was science, which I had discussed with her before and she liked but now does not. I asked her about different topics and plants rated the highest(I kind of had a feeling they would and have had botany on the back of my mind) I showed her Mystery Science and she loved the look of it so we will be trying it out starting with the units on plants. We'll see how it goes, I don't know if she will want to stick with studying plants using other resources or stick with doing different mysteries. 

 

Despite these changes this is actually the smoothest start we've had in awhile. Ds is good in all his core subjects- I'll be thrilled to make it through a year with the same math and writing we started with (and only one). I switched math for dd this year after a bit of a rough math year(she did fine on the problems but would often get stressed out about it), she is now 27 lessons into Saxon 5/4 and it continues to go well(I've read that the difficulty increases after about 30 lessons so I'm anxious to see that it stays that way. I had kept her with the same spelling (R&S), which I thought had worked well last year, but either I was mistaken or it has stopped working. 

 

dd1st is sailing along she is continuing LoE Foundations from last year and after doing nearly all the math programs in existence I ended up on RSB for her this year and we've finally stopped the hopping. It is wonderful. She is doing great with both (and it feels so nostalgic to reuse the very first math program I ever used)

 

You know I realize this year that when I am unsettled/don't like etc. what I am using it really detracts from focusing on what I'm doing. I feel like I've got this extra brain power freed up b/c I'm not so stressed trying to figure out why this or that isn't working and what I should do about it. Maybe next year I'll manage not to have any changes. Is that possible? Do people pull that off? Maybe eventually of course nothing stays the same with hs'ing, like with life, we think we get them figured out and they change.

Edited August 14, 2016 by soror