CTVKath Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 History is my nemesis. The one subject that I absolutely cannot figure out and cannot seem to get myself out of the research and "what is the best method" and "what is the best curriculum" and the "American first vs. 4-year chronological question" cycle. My ideal would be to read living books and have my kids narrate and to keep a timeline. In 3 years, it hasn't happened. So I want and am ready to move on to the history that will get done. My daughter is 8 1/2, is a voracious reader and has to date read tons of biographies - David Adler, Who Was/Who Is, Childhood of Famous Americans, etc. I let her try the Veritas Press self-paced 1 week samples and she is in love with it. Other than waiting for a sale on the online access, I'm hesitant for two reasons: never having done a chronological American history and missing all the good elementary American history books (eg. Beautiful Feet, HOD lists, etc.). My question is this - would it be too much for my 8yo daughter (9 in August) to do the Veritas Press self-paced history but for us also to have American history read-alouds separately. I wouldn't do school with them. Just put them in a stack and read them one by one. Is that too much? Will that confuse her? Sorry this is so long. I'm just absolutely at my wits' end with history. I've prayed tons and talked to my husband until his eyes glaze over. I think I've got the answer (Veritas Press self-paced history) but the American history nags at me in the middle of the night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal_Bear Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 My son loves VP self-paced history. It would make the most sense to save your American history read-alouds for the last two courses in the series. You can take them out of order, but the latter courses feel older and the topics are more mature (lots of wars that are more present). I found that the last two years are pretty much American-centric in history so it isn't a "world" history at all for those two courses. So if you are worried she will miss out doing the VP series, she won't being missing that at all. What she will be missing is a world history. I also have to be honest and say that while I really like the program, it is very Euro-centric/Western Civilzation focused. This as opposed to Story of the World for example. As you can tell by my siggy, I use multiple history program because 1) my kid really likes it and 2) every program has a particular slant or emphasis. I find value in each program I use. Hope this helps put your mind at ease about missing American history. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixpix5 Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 I'm not sure about American History read alouds but we concurrently use SOTW and other books that cover topics VP is covering. It works fine for us. Doing two at once is probably fine. Just point to your timeline and remind her that this is the time period we are taking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTVKath Posted February 13, 2018 Author Share Posted February 13, 2018 My son loves VP self-paced history. It would make the most sense to save your American history read-alouds for the last two courses in the series. You can take them out of order, but the latter courses feel older and the topics are more mature (lots of wars that are more present). I found that the last two years are pretty much American-centric in history so it isn't a "world" history at all for those two courses. So if you are worried she will miss out doing the VP series, she won't being missing that at all. What she will be missing is a world history. I also have to be honest and say that while I really like the program, it is very Euro-centric/Western Civilzation focused. This as opposed to Story of the World for example. As you can tell by my siggy, I use multiple history program because 1) my kid really likes it and 2) every program has a particular slant or emphasis. I find value in each program I use. Hope this helps put your mind at ease about missing American history. Thank you!!!!! This helps so much. I might stick an American history book in our family read-aloud rotation from time to time but I'll leave them alone for now. I'm so ready to quit the research and go with something and my daughter keeps asking when she can do the VPSP program so now I'm just going to wait for a sale. I don't mind if those last 2 years are American focused or Euro-centric since it's still elementary. We'll cover world history once and possibly twice in the 7th-12th grade years. Again, thank you!! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal_Bear Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 If she liked that, she would probably also really like the self-paced Bible courses as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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