What to do??? I have son doing Calvert 6th...WE HATE IT!!!

[Robin in DFW]

I am in such turmoil right now. My son cries daily---ds11 (he's a young 6th grader...July birthday). He is so stressed out. We have tried altering the lessons, but some of the explanations really stink...for lack of a better word!

 

The math is making him say he's "stupid" and the Language Arts is...well, I can't even describe that emotion.

 

It started out fine, but after about 5 weeks now, it's getting worse and worse.

 

I decided to go with Calvert because I am the sole caregiver for my terminally ill grandmother (cancer). I needed the organization and accountability. I thought it would be great not to plan or have to choose...just have it set before me. My dd15 is using Keystone and it's going great, but she's older and very independent with her work.

 

WAS I WRONG!!! I am having to sit with ds ALL DAY in order for him to even do the work. I am more tied down than before. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE working with my kids and helping them...I LOVE explaining the lessons, but I have literally been sitting by his side for 6 hours a day to get all the stuff done in the lesson manual. If we don't get done, we try to catch up the next day. We have had to take 2 days to do some of the lessons because they are so dang long!!!

 

I know a ton of people use Calvert and love it. I like the Literature selections, but I could have come up with those on my own, nothing groundbreaking in the lesson manual to make those special. The math manual doesn't really have explanations of how to teach the lesson and the book explanations are just examples...not really a "here's how you do this and here's why you do this".

 

I have a ton of stuff I could use instead, since I am a confirmed curriculum junkie, but I feel like I wasted a ton of money. I may end up needing that money for my son's therapy if I don't figure something out soon.

 

Not to mention...my dh thinks everything is rockin' along just grand!!! I can't even think about telling him...since I went on about how great this was going to be in order to sell him on it.

 

OY!!! I'm so up a creek!!!

 

Suggestions NEEDED...badly!!!

 

Thanks,

Robin

[pjssully]

I don't even know what to tell you but i wanted to let you know that i do feel your pain. I have had years when i bought a ton of stuff and just hated it! is there any way you could find some used curriculum-like sonlight that your son could do mostly on his own. I would think the schedule they have would be helpful and you can always cut out items that you don't want.

Just a suggestion

pam

[PamJH]

I've never used a boxed curriculum just for the reasons you've stated. Wouldn't work for us.

 

Since he's a young sixth grader, I'd think you could pare down some things. If it doesn't matter if you continue with Calvert, I'd say keep what you like and dump the rest. I don't know what Calvert includes, but if you like the history or the science, hang on to it.

 

Sounds like the math and LA are the worst parts. I'd find a math book he can work with (maybe Life of Fred) and find some workbooks with grammar he can do on his own. Many people here like the Christian-based grammar programs that are pretty much self-teaching. Secular families use them, too. And for math, there's nothing wrong with buying some Barnes & Noble math workbooks for his age group that he can work on when you're really pressed for time. At least he's doing math every day that way. None of these items has to be expensive. In fact, you can probably pick up some stuff on ebay.

 

Get yourself a notebook and write down (briefly) each day's assignments. This takes me about 10 minutes for two kids. That way your son knows what he has to do on any given day. Make him responsible for checking off the items.

 

Read, read, read. Have him read all kinds of novels on his own, the ones he likes and some you choose. When you go to the library, check out as many books as possible, including history and science books. That way, if you don't have time to teach history or science, at least he can read about some subjects and write paragraphs about what he's learned.

 

Time with your grandma is important to you now. Your taking care of her is a wonderful thing, but I'm sure it's stressing you out. Can you get visiting nurse services or something similar to help you?

 

Your little guy is only 11. There's plenty of time to catch up. And don't worry about spending the money. This kind of thing has happened to all of us.

 

Good luck. Keep us posted.

[Just Another Jen]

We had the same problem with Calvert. I'd say dump it. If there is anything he likes from Calvert keep it. If not just try and schedule him with some things you already have. You can always keep it and use some of it next year. I think 11 is young for 6th grade- and Calvert is hard even if you are the right age for the grade.

Just my 2 cents.

[4wildberrys]

Funny you start this topic----we totally ditched MY son's Calvert 6th because we were in the SAME EXACT BOAT! I kid you not. He cried and complained every day----I ditched that horrible LA book very early on too.....maybe try Sonlight? Ace? As far as independent style so you can care for someone else----these 2 come to mind first (BTDT also :001_huh:) I also bought Calvert 6th last year thinking the structure would save us time and make it easier for ds to get his work done---NOT!

[Robin in DFW]

I am feeling better!!!

 

Thanks for all the great suggestions and stories!!!

 

I have many of the items you all have suggested. I will be making some serious adjustments this weekend so we can start fresh on Monday.

 

Funny thing...he actually likes the science, history and geography books. It's the language arts and math that are causing the meltdowns.

 

Poor little guy...I feel terrible. He's really been quite sporting...I know it has really been tough on him...he hasn't really complained...just works and works until he hits the breaking point...then he cries.

 

I want to cry just thinking about these past few weeks.

 

Thanks again...you all are great cyber friends.

Robin

[G5052]

DH has battled chronic health issues for six years now, and has been disabled for the last four, and I wish I had a dollar for every time someone recommended Calvert to me as a way of helping me manage life (which means homeschooling, most of the house/yard, and two part-time jobs)!

 

Seriously, I'm not recommending that you throw it all out and go with something totally mom-intensive, but sometimes choosing something in between will keep both of you happy. I tried and could never do TOG again, but Sonlight pretty much as written keeps me happy for history/lit and science. We use pretty scripted programs for the 3 R's, art, Latin, and Spanish. And the kids have always done very well through all of periods of medical crises and dealing with my work deadlines. For me, picking-and-choosing is much easier than going wholesale Calvert. Frankly I don't change much year-to-year either. Don't fix what ain't broke is my motto.

 

Calvert might work for some, but not me!

[Annie Laurie]

Just commiserating. I took my oldest out of public school when he was in 4th grade. After six months of deschooling I decided we needed to follow a curriculum, and thought I would need a lot of hand holding so I chose Calvert 5th grade. It was my first experience with homeschooling and we hated it so much, it was sheer misery. I thought I hated hsing. But it was just the curriculum.

[BizyPenguin]

No suggestions, just a hug. :grouphug: I've BTDT with Calvert's 1st grade program and I sooooo know how frustrating Calvert was. Best wishes!

[deeinfl]

Keep the things that you like and ditch the rest!!! Definitely ditch it and don't look back.

 

Life of Fred, Key to series, School of Tomorrow 5th and 6th grade paces are awesome and the explanations are great. He could test into them at the schooloftomorrow.com website and then you could order a few paces to see how he does.

 

For language, there's easy grammar with Wordsmith apprentice for writing...there are so many stress free English programs for that age bracket.

 

And just read your own literature selections as you have time and do some narrating on some chapters, not all. He's had a rough time, you want him to heal a bit before taking on too much.

 

Blessings to you and all of yours,

 

Dee

 

ps Due to moving and deep mourning at the loss of my best friend from cancer, my daughter's 7th grade year barely had any work, but you know what, it didn't matter. In the 8th grade she was where she needed to be and it hadn't hurt her in one bit. You have permission to take it easy this year.

[Robin in DFW]

again...Thank You All.

 

I really appreciate your caring advice.

 

Robin

[TracyR]

I feel your pain. So far I've used Calvert PreK , 1st , 2nd , 3rd ,4th and 5th and its been shear misery for us all. But that's because we've been using it through a cyberschool. It has never fit my two oldest girls , ever.

The math makes my 2nd daughter cry. It was alright for my oldest she is good in math. I've never liked their grammar.

There are some good parts, like the spelling , the literature selections ( we've enjoyed those). But their math , grammar, and writing portion of the program is AWFUL with a captial A. We've only liked the history for 4th grade because it was CHOW but the rest of the grades its been terrible dry. We've never liked the science. I don't think it can get anymore boring. I'm so glad to know I'm not alone in my thoughts about Calvert.

I say ditch it and go with something else. There is so much more out there other then Calvert.

I'm not sure if your willing to use Christian Curriculum but Christian Light is a very good self paced curriculum.

If not still there is alot more out there that doesn't require all of your time either.

I'm praying after this year we will be able to homeschool on our own. I can't take another year. I know right now we're burnt out from Calvert.

 

Have you looked at K12? My third daughter is using this and its an excellent curriculum, and we're at least enjoying that :>)

Edited October 19, 2008 by TracyR

[Guest]

I understand your hatred of Calvert. We tried 1st-3rd and detested it.

Keystone has a middle school option now you may want to consider. K12 is another excellent option. They have a placement test, as well.

 

HTH!

[Robin in DFW]

Thanks again for all the helpful replies...and the sympathetic ones, too.

 

Here is what we have decided on:

TT6 (already had this, he loves it)

 

GWG6 (already had this, he loves it)

 

Spelling...going back to SWO F...I know many really like Calvert's spelling, but my son says the workbook pages have too much going on...busy...he likes plain pages.

 

Writing Strands 3 (already had this, he actually really likes this, too)

 

Literature...some from Calvert, some of our own choosing with lit guides I already have on hand along with a poetry workbook and some Evan-Moor "Read and Understand" workbooks if needed for fillers between novels

 

Science...Calvert...but broken down by me for smaller amounts of reading per day and doing one lab a week...he loves labs and we have tons of lab stuff

 

History...continuing with SOTW 3...we have gone through SOTW 1 & 2 over the past 2 years, so we will just finish out the series...the Calvert history was a repeat of what we've done the past 2 years...I thought the textbook was a "whole" world history, not just through the fall of Rome...we might use the textbook for reference, though. We also use the maps and tests for SOTW and will read from the UILE or KHE.

 

Geography...picked up a workbook at the teacher store...I don't think you need a textbook for geography in the 6th grade...high school, yes, but not when we are doing history that has geography in it, too, which SOTW has. I'm not sure this workbook is even necessary, we'll try it and see how it goes.

 

We will probably use the Art Sculpture stuff. My ds likes it and it's pretty short and easy. After that, we will just do art projects.

 

All these things take much less time. He was such a happy boy yesterday. No tears, no negative thoughts about his intelligence. Whispering here...(the funny thing is...it still took about 4 hours to do school with him, but he thought it was much less). And, he understood grammar (he just didn't get Calvert's grammar book).

 

Thanks again,

Robin