Would you do a complete change if DC requested it?

[Michelle T]

My DS is 12. We have been reading SOTW, currently halfway through book 2. I knew DS was not too enthusiastic about it, and his retention has been poor, although he does try to pay attention.

 

Today he told me that he is completely uninterested in world history, hates studying the middle ages, and would really prefer to study U.S. history, and he wants to use a textbook to do so. He says he would much prefer a straightforward textbook, that he hates historical fiction, and just wants the facts without a lot of stories or narrative style. He was in no way disrespectful about this, we were talking while in the car and I had asked him for his ideal school day.

 

I had planned on working our way through all the SOTW books, but considering DS is uninterested, has poor retention, and is clearly stating a preference for something else, I'm thinking of going ahead and finding him a US history text.

 

I did tell him that he will HAVE to do a world history course in high school, or possibly jr high, and he is fine with that.

 

So, would you go ahead and switch if you were me? It's so hard for me to let go of my vision of a literature-rich, Sonlight-style, leisurely tour through world history, even though that's clearly not my DS's style.

 

Michelle T, who wonders how she got a child who has been stating for sometime now that he really prefers textbooks for pretty much every subject.

[FO4UR]

*I* would stay the course with the middle ages time period but let him help pick out the text/books to use.

[readwithem]

Honestly I think that age is way too old for SOTW. Isn't it recommended for 1-4th grades? Anyway.... I don't know that I would totally revamp the program but I would listen to him. Maybe get Kingfisher or even Spielvogel - you could start with the Am. history sections and then backtrack if necessary. If he's set on doing Am. history I would probably go with Boorstin.

 

Are you doing Sonlight? it was sort of hard to tell from your post. It almost sounds like your ds can handle beefier books. Sonlight 7th grade (or Core 100? is that what it's called?) is more dumbed down than WTM suggestions.

[Harriet Vane]

I think SOTW might be too young for him.

 

Frankly, if he puts some effort into learning American History, and his passion carries him to do the work with excellence, go with it.

 

Let him study history as a historian might--use a base text but supplement with primary sources that his fact-loving nature can sift. Give it just a trial run. Make an agreement with him for three months, at the end of which you can evaluate together. The important thing is that he is learning, and that the work he does is done well.

[Colleen in NS]

My DS is 12. We have been reading SOTW, currently halfway through book 2. I knew DS was not too enthusiastic about it, and his retention has been poor, although he does try to pay attention.

 

Today he told me that he is completely uninterested in world history, hates studying the middle ages, and would really prefer to study U.S. history, and he wants to use a textbook to do so. He says he would much prefer a straightforward textbook, that he hates historical fiction, and just wants the facts without a lot of stories or narrative style. He was in no way disrespectful about this, we were talking while in the car and I had asked him for his ideal school day.

 

I had planned on working our way through all the SOTW books, but considering DS is uninterested, has poor retention, and is clearly stating a preference for something else, I'm thinking of going ahead and finding him a US history text.

 

I did tell him that he will HAVE to do a world history course in high school, or possibly jr high, and he is fine with that.

 

So, would you go ahead and switch if you were me? It's so hard for me to let go of my vision of a literature-rich, Sonlight-style, leisurely tour through world history, even though that's clearly not my DS's style.

 

Michelle T, who wonders how she got a child who has been stating for sometime now that he really prefers textbooks for pretty much every subject.

 

If it were me, I'd stick with the world history sequence, but step it up with lots and lots of supplemental library books that are age appropriate, that will catch his interest. Maybe he needs more factual supp. history books? Biographies to supplement? Maybe use SOTW as just a jumping off point to go investigate library books. Find topics and people and cities and inventions and battles, etc. in SOTW that he can read further about. Ask him what topics in the SOTW chapter he is interested in finding out more about. Then use some of those topics as writing fodder after he reads books about his topics of interest.

 

I'm not one who thinks that kids should remember as many facts as possible from SOTW - I think SOTW is a great spine, a great story - but it must be supplemented by what interests the child. I plan to use it through 8th grade this way. And we sometimes use a few paragraphs in it to write narrations (for the 8yo) or outlines (for the 10yo). But I don't require them to remember everything in the chapter. They will remember what interests them, if I supply them with lots of supp. reading and get them to write about what interests them. My kids already know WAY WAY WAY more than I ever did about world history, just from me letting them read, read, read.

 

About the U.S. history, you can supplement SOTW 2, 3, and 4 with U.S. history lib. books, too.

 

hth

[Garga]

Isn't the beauty of homeschooling that you can cater to your child's passions? He's just expressed one.

 

I would do both if I were you. I would spend only 15-20 minutes a day, 3 days a week on world history. My only goal for the world history would be to expose him to it, so that in a social situation he doesn't look foolish if he doesn't know basic facts that most people know. I wouldn't expect a lot, just basic knowledge of how things unfolded.

 

Then I would let him go in depth into American history. Not fictionalized, as he asked, but having him read the real deal. Real biographies, real correspondence of the time, etc. If it's available, go to every historical site in a 100 mile radius of your home.

 

That's the beauty of homeschool! Cash in on it!

[Jen500]

Frankly, if he puts some effort into learning American History, and his passion carries him to do the work with excellence, go with it.

 

Let him study history as a historian might--use a base text but supplement with primary sources that his fact-loving nature can sift. Give it just a trial run. Make an agreement with him for three months, at the end of which you can evaluate together. The important thing is that he is learning, and that the work he does is done well.

 

:iagree:

[PeterPan]

Absolutely I'd change! A book like Cynthia Tobias' book on learning styles might make this less flabbergasting to you. Some people just learn better with textbooks. They need to see the big picture. He might not be an auditory learner. He might want to be in charge himself rather than having it driven by you. No matter what it is, he sounds like he understands his needs pretty well and is expressing them respectfully. Oh, and if you want a middle ages text, here's one http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1020313&item_no=779960 I haven't seen it recently enough to know if it's appropriate for a 12 yo, so you'd want to look at the samples. Might as well let him pick out what he prefers from a pile of several acceptable options.

[SkateLeft]

I agree with the posters who said to go with his interests. :D

 

I allow my oldest daughter to have a considerable amount of say in choosing curriculum. (Actually, I let all my kids have a lot of say in choosing curriculum...hehe). When she tells me that something isn't working for her, we talk about it. I find that her ownership of her own education has increased as she's gotten older, and she's more diligent about studying when she's been at least partially responsible for choosing the course.

[Susie in CA]

I agree with the poster who said that SOTW is too young for him. I can not see my dss liking STOW 2 at that age. I would switch to a different history book but stick with the cycle.

 

Susie

[MicheleinMN]

I would find/let him help choose an American history textbook. I might still assign 1 chapter of SOTW 2 each week just to give him background information for world history later.

 

HTH,

Michele

[love2read]

A few of mine loved textbooks and learned better with them. It drove me crazy at first! Over time I noticed their interest would be sparked by something they read in the textbook and they would check out other books we had in the home on the subject. I'd pick up a copy of one used on ebay and give it a try. You don't have that much to lose.

[laurad1125]

 

So, would you go ahead and switch if you were me? It's so hard for me to let go of my vision of a literature-rich, Sonlight-style, leisurely tour through world history, even though that's clearly not my DS's style.

 

 

I would and I have - not in history, but other subjects. DS and I have an understanding. I will do my very best to find ways for him to learn what I think he needs to learn in the least painful way possible and that includes letting him help choose curriculum. After that, he has to just grin and bear it. I've found that the more I let him help choose, the better his attitudes and grades are.

[LindaOz]

A few of mine loved textbooks and learned better with them. It drove me crazy at first! Over time I noticed their interest would be sparked by something they read in the textbook and they would check out other books we had in the home on the subject. I'd pick up a copy of one used on ebay and give it a try. You don't have that much to lose.

 

Yes, I have one like that too. She just functions better, and seems to learn more, from a textbook/workbook setup. I'm learning to accommodate this as my goal needs to be for her to learn and love learning, not just to learn in the way I say she has to learn. Meanwhile, she still can learn in my preferred 'literature' style through read-alouds and books that attract her attention. I guess that's one of the beauties of homeschooling - we can adjust to suit the child so that they are learning to their maximum capacity.:001_smile:

[Renee in NC]

Yes, I would change as long as he kept learning. I have let my 10yo choose some of his own curriculum with the understanding that a few things that I have chosen are also done with limited fuss. It has worked well so far.

[Greta]

I would definitely change! My personal approach to my dd's education is that there are two things that we absolutely study and learn without question: Math and Latin. On the rest of it, I'm flexible. I'm willing to follow her interests and adapt my style to her needs. I am of the opinion that systematic and thorough instruction in Math and Latin build her thinking skills, while the other subjects build her interest in and love for learning. So naturally, in the latter areas, I want to do the things that are most likely to spark her interest and passion! That's not to say that I have *no* requirements for her in those areas, just that there is a lot more wiggle room in how and when we approach them.

 

While I hate to compare education to war, I have picked my battles, and they are Math and Latin, and not History. Other moms and teachers, of course, would pick different ones.

[Jenny in Florida]

Well, I would probably listen to his concerns and make some changes, but I wouldn't thrown out everything.

 

In this case, I'd probably be willing to switch spines/materials/approaches, but would stick with the history cycle. And I would tell him that I would like him to be more involved in selecting materials and planning for next year.

 

What I've always done with my kids is to set the parameters (this year = ancient history), do some preliminary research and then, once I've got it narrowed down to two or three good options, ask them to help me decide.

[Tammyla]

Normally, I'd most likely say no. However, because of his age, respectful attitude and the suggested age of STOW... I'd say yes.

 

 

My DS is 12. We have been reading SOTW, currently halfway through book 2. I knew DS was not too enthusiastic about it, and his retention has been poor, although he does try to pay attention.

 

Today he told me that he is completely uninterested in world history, hates studying the middle ages, and would really prefer to study U.S. history, and he wants to use a textbook to do so. He says he would much prefer a straightforward textbook, that he hates historical fiction, and just wants the facts without a lot of stories or narrative style. He was in no way disrespectful about this, we were talking while in the car and I had asked him for his ideal school day.

 

I had planned on working our way through all the SOTW books, but considering DS is uninterested, has poor retention, and is clearly stating a preference for something else, I'm thinking of going ahead and finding him a US history text.

 

I did tell him that he will HAVE to do a world history course in high school, or possibly jr high, and he is fine with that.

 

So, would you go ahead and switch if you were me? It's so hard for me to let go of my vision of a literature-rich, Sonlight-style, leisurely tour through world history, even though that's clearly not my DS's style.

 

Michelle T, who wonders how she got a child who has been stating for sometime now that he really prefers textbooks for pretty much every subject.

[Melissa in CA]

SOTW is just too childish, in my opinion, for a 12 yo boy. Give him juicy facts and details. I also agree that you can drop the WH in favor of American, though I personally would hate to do so. ;)

 

OK, this is going to come out of left field, and it's not really what you're asking for, but can I recommend Winter Promise's American Crossing I? The reason I suggest it is because it's kind of like the best of both worlds. No, it does not offer a textbook, but it does have a lot of fact-based INTERESTING history books. I found out that my youngest needed these types of books after we began SL's Core 3 in 4th grade (he did Cores 1 & 2 and loved them) but somewhere in that time period he really began to dislike SL's style. I finished up the year with SL, but got many, many history type books from the library to supplement it. This helped greatly! The type of books I got were the same type that Winter Promise uses. So, the following year, I did a combo of WP and SL's Core 4. I only used Core 4 for the readers, and used WP for the history and read-alouds (I had Core 4 on-hand already). My son began to love history again! He loved that HE got to read the history books himself...not listen to me drone on and on. He loved that they were fact-based high interest books. He liked the read-alouds chosen by WP. SL gave us too many read-alouds and he found some of them very dull. He just really enjoyed taking charge of his own history and learning it for himself. Does that make sense?

 

Anyhow, I offer this suggestion to you because it sounds like your son may be a bit like mine. And if you are hesitant to give up your dream of a non-textbook history approach, you may want to try this first.

 

We now use TOG because it, too, is very fact-based and independent using a variety of history books. He likes it very much. It was a toss up for us between WP's Quest for the Ancients and TOG's Y1. TOG won due to their added student activity sheets, evaluations, etc., which WP does not offer. But I still look at the WP catalog with longing. :D

 

Well, that's my 2 cents worth. ;)

[Obi-Mom Kenobi]

Remember, the Middle Ages aren't going anywhere :); he can always come back to that period on the next cycle through, or after looking around for a more interesting introduction to the Middle Ages. My DS didn't like the SoTW series at all so we used other things for history.

 

Perhaps, if you feel you simply must complete the Middle Ages before moving on to American History, you could read a few pages in your history spine (such as the Usbourne Encyclopedia of World History) every day until you reach that point.

 

Ultimately, I am most concerned with Padawan Learner understanding and retaining the things he's spending his time on. If your ds is expressing a deep interest in anything, I think you'll be well served by following up on it. Best wishes and good luck to you both.

[WTMindy]

Short answer. Nope. :001_smile: At least at this age I don't think my kids know best.

[debbielong]

Yep. At that age, they don't know what is best, but they are quite adept at shutting out anything they don't want to learn (or learning it long enough to take a test or write a narration, or whatever). And, especially because he approached you in a rational, respectful manner, I'd respect that back.

 

Like other posters, I'd go with Usborne, pick up where you left off in SOTW, and have him read and outline or summarize a page a day. You'll get to American History in no time.

 

Oh, and SOTW is excruciating for my 11 year old.

[Annie Laurie]

My DS is 12. We have been reading SOTW, currently halfway through book 2. I knew DS was not too enthusiastic about it, and his retention has been poor, although he does try to pay attention.

 

Today he told me that he is completely uninterested in world history, hates studying the middle ages, and would really prefer to study U.S. history, and he wants to use a textbook to do so. He says he would much prefer a straightforward textbook, that he hates historical fiction, and just wants the facts without a lot of stories or narrative style. He was in no way disrespectful about this, we were talking while in the car and I had asked him for his ideal school day.

 

I had planned on working our way through all the SOTW books, but considering DS is uninterested, has poor retention, and is clearly stating a preference for something else, I'm thinking of going ahead and finding him a US history text.

 

I did tell him that he will HAVE to do a world history course in high school, or possibly jr high, and he is fine with that.

 

So, would you go ahead and switch if you were me? It's so hard for me to let go of my vision of a literature-rich, Sonlight-style, leisurely tour through world history, even though that's clearly not my DS's style.

 

Michelle T, who wonders how she got a child who has been stating for sometime now that he really prefers textbooks for pretty much every subject.

 

 

I could have written your post. My ds is 14 but we've reached the same situation, he's tired of historical fiction and he has asked for a textbook. Now that I've reached the SL highschool cores that I've looked forward to for so long, I'm finding it very dissapointing, but it's his education and since my son is in highschool I feel he should have some say in it.

[Peela]

I would still do the world history, using textbooks, with a parallel stream of U.S. history.

Its not all bad just to use textbooks- my kids are the opposite, and sometimes I would just love to have them sit down and work through a textbook.

I think I would keep some balance though and insist on some reading- a little historical fiction, picking the books you think might appeal to him the most (King Arthur for Middle Ages?) and leave it at that.

[keptwoman]

Yes I would. We have just had a similar conversation with DS aged 14.

He is bored rigid with the type of history we have been doing. While I believe that there is stuff that kids just HAVE to do; I don't believe history is one of those things. I want my kids to LOVE history and be passionate about it. To have them with a passionate attitude means that to a degree they need to study what inspires them.

 

What I am requiring for next year is a basic reading of Spielvogels History text and then further study in areas that inspire him. For him that is explorers of Sea Sky and Space.

 

We are doing a trial run at the moment on this method with the Tudors. He has 4 weeks studying them now.

[Osaubi]

Granted my ds is only 6, but I want him to enjoy learning. I ask him on a regular basis if there is anything he wants to change. If there is we talk about if and what we can change. There are some subjects that he knows we will do no matter what, but if I can make it more enjoyable for him I will.

 

He told me he didn't like math. I told him that is too bad, but I did do some research to see what else was out there. I found something that made both of us hapy. Now we do one day of Livingmath.net instead of our regular math program. I also changed one other day to playing math games such as addition war.

 

Then he told me that he doesn't think we do enough history. Off to do research I go! I found that TOG would be a good fit for us(esp. since ds insisted we stick with SOTW). We tried it out and we both love it.

 

HTH

[at the beach]

My DS is 12. We have been reading SOTW, currently halfway through book 2. I knew DS was not too enthusiastic about it, and his retention has been poor, although he does try to pay attention.

 

Today he told me that he is completely uninterested in world history, hates studying the middle ages, and would really prefer to study U.S. history, and he wants to use a textbook to do so. He says he would much prefer a straightforward textbook, that he hates historical fiction, and just wants the facts without a lot of stories or narrative style. He was in no way disrespectful about this, we were talking while in the car and I had asked him for his ideal school day.

 

I had planned on working our way through all the SOTW books, but considering DS is uninterested, has poor retention, and is clearly stating a preference for something else, I'm thinking of going ahead and finding him a US history text.

 

I did tell him that he will HAVE to do a world history course in high school, or possibly jr high, and he is fine with that.

 

So, would you go ahead and switch if you were me? It's so hard for me to let go of my vision of a literature-rich, Sonlight-style, leisurely tour through world history, even though that's clearly not my DS's style.

 

Michelle T, who wonders how she got a child who has been stating for sometime now that he really prefers textbooks for pretty much every subject.

 

How about Hakim's History of the US books? I think your child is probably the perfect age for those. You could get Sonlight's Core 100 IG used if you wanted to *try* to add in some free reads. I have found using SL this year, my kiddos just like the books better than what we'd done before and are more than willing to read them. Just a thought.

 

Best wishes,

Anita