Elizabeth86 Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 I have a first grader, but Im having to think ahead here for his 2nd grade year to have plenty of time to do research. Im expecting a baby in April, so his 2nd grade year is going to be crazy. I will have 2nd, K, 3 year old and 4 month old when we start. I dont enjoy the thought of dvd classes, but it may have to be so or private school. Im just looking for something that is more hands off teaching wise until the crazy settles down around here. My 3 year old Im sure wont be napping that year. All my babies tend to be terrible sleepers, so Im going to be exhausted and super needy and demanding. I just dont have the kind of kids that are content sitting in a baby seat watxhing the rest of us. This one could be different lil. Honestly, I prefer my time spent with my kids playing and having fun rather than teaching. For whatever reason I just do not enjoy it so much. So, what curriculum will pull us through? Im interested in bju dvd for language arts and math, but it seems so time consuming. Please dont anyone tell me Im worrying way to soon. I have to think about this to ease my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 I would probably do MUS over BJU. It's a once a week video lesson with practice between times. Someone else on here mentioned Mobymax, which is a free online program where I can customize subject, grade, and lesson plan. We're trying that out this year (2nd grade) to back up science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixpix5 Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 We are in the full swing of BJU 2nd grade math with dvd right now. I will say my daughter loves it. She thinks it is the greatest thing ever. She gets geography lessons along with it thanks to "Matt and Paddy" and it is so hands on and engaging. She is already asking to do it next year. My dislikes of it are that it is so loooonnngggg. The videos are about 27 min long so not too bad. If your child is like mine though, she does everything Mrs. Walker tells her to which results in pausing the video alot. It makes the video so much longer. It is our only video based subject so it ends up not being bad but I honestly couldn't imagine adding in another video. The curriculum is so great though! That is a plus. My son uses MUS and I love the short video lesson at the beginning of each week and he independently works through his pages snd asks questions when he needs to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liza Q Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 Did you homeschool last year for K? Even if you did, was it very academic? I ask because you may want to wait and see how this year goes - how your oldest learns, etc. He may not be reading independently enough by the 2nd grade to work on his own yet, even with the dvds. He may be so independent that he can blow through workbooks on his own and won't want to be held back by the dvds. What will you be using this year? Is it teacher-intensive and you're already concerned that you won't have the time next year? Not too soon to think and plan but, I think, definitely to soon to make decisions. Just in case my experience helps - I remember the fall my oldest started 2nd. I also had a 5yo starting K, a 4yo who was quite ill, and I was very pregnant - my 4th was born that October. It was a very hard year, as I had a newborn and my son was in and out of the hospital quite a bit. My oldest read very well and was able to work quite independently so I remember giving her plenty of workbooks for Math/Spelling/Science and focusing on teaching phonics and basic math to my 5yo and doing lots of reading aloud for history - we did Ot/Egypt with Greenleaf and Veritas that year. But I still have good memories of that year - lying on the couch with the baby and the kids all around me, reading aloud while they colored/legoed. I do NOT have good memories of the state of my kitchen floor....but you can't have everything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth86 Posted August 19, 2017 Author Share Posted August 19, 2017 Did you homeschool last year for K? Even if you did, was it very academic? I ask because you may want to wait and see how this year goes - how your oldest learns, etc. He may not be reading independently enough by the 2nd grade to work on his own yet, even with the dvds. He may be so independent that he can blow through workbooks on his own and won't want to be held back by the dvds. What will you be using this year? Is it teacher-intensive and you're already concerned that you won't have the time next year? Not too soon to think and plan but, I think, definitely to soon to make decisions. Just in case my experience helps - I remember the fall my oldest started 2nd. I also had a 5yo starting K, a 4yo who was quite ill, and I was very pregnant - my 4th was born that October. It was a very hard year, as I had a newborn and my son was in and out of the hospital quite a bit. My oldest read very well and was able to work quite independently so I remember giving her plenty of workbooks for Math/Spelling/Science and focusing on teaching phonics and basic math to my 5yo and doing lots of reading aloud for history - we did Ot/Egypt with Greenleaf and Veritas that year. But I still have good memories of that year - lying on the couch with the baby and the kids all around me, reading aloud while they colored/legoed. I do NOT have good memories of the state of my kitchen floor....but you can't have everything! This year we are using all Abeka for language arts. We both love it. We are doing Singapore Primary mathematics 1A and 1b for math. We did all of the reading lesson for K, so he actually reads quite well. I just didnt feel it was super thorough so we are reviewing with abeka the rules and things the reading lesson left out. Ive actually learned phonics rules I never learned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth86 Posted August 19, 2017 Author Share Posted August 19, 2017 We are in the full swing of BJU 2nd grade math with dvd right now. I will say my daughter loves it. She thinks it is the greatest thing ever. She gets geography lessons along with it thanks to "Matt and Paddy" and it is so hands on and engaging. She is already asking to do it next year. My dislikes of it are that it is so loooonnngggg. The videos are about 27 min long so not too bad. If your child is like mine though, she does everything Mrs. Walker tells her to which results in pausing the video alot. It makes the video so much longer. It is our only video based subject so it ends up not being bad but I honestly couldn't imagine adding in another video. The curriculum is so great though! That is a plus. My son uses MUS and I love the short video lesson at the beginning of each week and he independently works through his pages snd asks questions when he needs to.[/quote #xThanks for the review of bju math 2. I honestly feel my son needs some busy work. He really just cant keep entertained at all. I have had him watch thr sampes and he seemed to enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaceful Isle Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 My boys use some of the BJU distance learning subjects, but not all of them. Way too long of a day. That said, the subjects they are using are great. We are adding in bookshark for literature , science, and history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 If you don't like teaching maybe home school is not your best option. Or do you think you will enjoy it more as the kids get older? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixpix5 Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 This year we are using all Abeka for language arts. We both love it. We are doing Singapore Primary mathematics 1A and 1b for math. We did all of the reading lesson for K, so he actually reads quite well. I just didnt feel it was super thorough so we are reviewing with abeka the rules and things the reading lesson left out. Ive actually learned phonics rules I never learned. I have said this before but we are a HUGE A beka language arts fan club here. We do A beka k- 2nd and then switch to BJU English for 3rd because I think at 3rd is stronger than A beka but that might just be me. I shout A beka language arts praise from the rooftops in those early years. I have never seen anything work quite like it :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth86 Posted August 19, 2017 Author Share Posted August 19, 2017 I have said this before but we are a HUGE A beka language arts fan club here. We do A beka k- 2nd and then switch to BJU English for 3rd because I think at 3rd is stronger than A beka but that might just be me. I shout A beka language arts praise from the rooftops in those early years. I have never seen anything work quite like it :) This was my plan exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 If you don't like teaching maybe home school is not your best option. Or do you think you will enjoy it more as the kids get older? She's just looking for an alternative to being the main teacher until everything settles down. With a brand new baby and three small children I can understand that. I think online learning or DVD based learning is a great choice in her situation. It will keep her son at home & she can still oversee his education. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth86 Posted August 19, 2017 Author Share Posted August 19, 2017 (edited) If you don't like teaching maybe home school is not your best option. Or do you think you will enjoy it more as the kids get older? That Im not sure. Everything new I do takes a while for me to adjust. I am not good at new. Time will tell for me. Edited August 19, 2017 by Elizabeth86 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth86 Posted August 19, 2017 Author Share Posted August 19, 2017 She's just looking for an alternative to being the main teacher until everything settles down. With a brand new baby and three small children I can understand that. I think online learning or DVD based learning is a great choice in her situation. It will keep her son at home & she can still oversee his education. Thanks for understanding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liza Q Posted August 20, 2017 Share Posted August 20, 2017 This year we are using all Abeka for language arts. We both love it. We are doing Singapore Primary mathematics 1A and 1b for math. We did all of the reading lesson for K, so he actually reads quite well. I just didnt feel it was super thorough so we are reviewing with abeka the rules and things the reading lesson left out. Ive actually learned phonics rules I never learned. If you both like Abeka I hope that you are able to stick with it. But if you feel that a dvd program is best, BJU is solid. I was quite surprised by the price difference! BJU math is not much like Singapore, though. I suggest that you spend some time looking at the scope and sequence and samples. But you will have plenty of time for that. I think it's great that you are thinking ahead! I just wish that I could encourage you not to worry too much. It's hard to balance between "Do not worry about tomorrow..." and "The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance...". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth86 Posted August 20, 2017 Author Share Posted August 20, 2017 (edited) If you both like Abeka I hope that you are able to stick with it. But if you feel that a dvd program is best, BJU is solid. I was quite surprised by the price difference! BJU math is not much like Singapore, though. I suggest that you spend some time looking at the scope and sequence and samples. But you will have plenty of time for that. I think it's great that you are thinking ahead! I just wish that I could encourage you not to worry too much. It's hard to balance between "Do not worry about tomorrow..." and "The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance...". Ive actaully seen bju in person. I considered it for first. I am actually not sure we are loving singapore. Edited August 20, 2017 by Elizabeth86 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixpix5 Posted August 20, 2017 Share Posted August 20, 2017 Ive actaully seen bju in person. I considered it for first. I am actually not sure we are loving singapore. For what it's worth, we are doing both. My daughter did all of Horizons math 1 last year and then went right into Singspore 1b and finished that by May. She then asked to do MUS Beta. She rapidly worked through to week 19 over the summer. We had Singspore 2A on the shelf so she started doing it "for fun" about 3 weeks ago. She really likes Singspore and since I am from a Montessori background I also like Singapore. I still wanted her to have the repetition and practice of Horizon. She liked Horizon ok but wanted to have more hands on conceptual activities. Enter BJU. So right now she does one BJU lesson per week day and the worksheet that goes with it. It is the best of all worlds for her because it is similar to Horizon in color, variety and spiral but it has mastery components built in when needed. She gets the fun of the manipulatives and lots of great activities. The recipes have been a hit. She still enjoys Singapore so I assign her 3 lessons a week and she does them at her leisure. I use Singapore regardless of the other curriculum I have them on. All of the kids are working in it. There isn't many problems in Singapore so I like to use them more as a story problem element. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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