BamaTanya Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 (edited) I can't really combine kiddos in pairs or groups because of the special needs and personalities involved. I guess my role as 'teacher' needs to shift to 'facilitator' or 'trouble-shooter.' As in, "Go do this and come to me if there's a problem." I guess like the old ACE program. People write about Saxon's being written "to" the student and call it "self-teaching." Saxon was pretty long and tough for my math phobic dc, so we're attempting Teaching Textbooks now. What are your recommendations for other subjects? tia OH --- I want to add one thing. I'm talking about curriculum choices that work this way with average kids, not just with super-motivated and brilliant kids who enjoy taking on their education. That may make a difference . . . Edited December 10, 2008 by BamaTanya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 my kids are pretty average, and I am schooling 5 kids. I switched to Math U See last year so I wouldn't have to teach them all separately, Abeka was just killing me. I have them watch the dvd's and then do the work, I try to watch with them or watch parts, but honestly I am just too busy. They are all doing really well with it. I am using Growing with Grammar with my oldest 2, because it is self teaching and written to the student. After they are done I go through and correct it and then either ask them to explain the lesson or I ask a few questions for comprehension. I have 1 child age 9 who has an auditory processing disorder and his mom took him out of public school last year, he is not reading, my son is also 9 and is reading at a 2nd grade level, no special needs, we have just taken it real slow and I was overwhelmed and sick the last 2 years, my youngest is a 1st grader and is reading at a 1st grade level..anyways, all that to say we started and fizzled with Abeka, then moved on to Pathways phonics...limped along, the boys began to hate it, then this summer I found Headsprout phonics, it is online. I love it, they are doing wonderfully and progressing and I am not needed to make it go everyday. So, those are my 3 picks for making things move along Math U See Growing with Grammar Headsprout phonics I spend the bulk of my time on history and lit and science with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 MUS can be, You can have the student watch the dvd for the lesson than use it. Writing strands speaks directly to the student. I use R&S grammar, it needs about 5-7 minutes of you as a teacher then they do the lessons. I also use MCP phonics/word study and SWO because I can assign a couple pages and just check their work after, they don't need me teaching it directly, jsut answering questions as they come up. History, I do read alouds together, extra reading I put in a big bin, when they finish another assignment before the timer rings they grab a history book to read. Hands on we do together but any worksheets I just hand them and have them complete on their own. Same with science, we do experiments together but all reading is done separately. Both my big kids have special needs, plus a Ker that needs more of my help and I am finding those things useful in freeing up more of my time. I am also ordering rosetta stone for foreign language so they can simply be sent to the computer to do the lesson without me directly teaching it. I try to be more of a facilitator and guide them with very little direct teaching once they can read because I simply couldn't do it all otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Writing Strands, Math-U-See, spelling workout. Getting SOTW on audio CD was helpful too. hehe I was just listing the same programs just in a long winded way lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johanna Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Growing with Grammar!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahv Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 The Old ACE program is far superior to any other "self taught" program out there. IMO it is the most thorough, interesting, and academically sound workbook program available. And VERY teacher friendly. So much easier on the teacher to use ACE and supplement with classical subjects than to do anything else. But that's just my opinion, and personality. Other people like different styles of teaching. But for ease of use...takes the cake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tami Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Hi Tanya! We like Christian Light for Language Arts and Math -- it is very self teaching and really explains the concepts well. Also, once a concept is taught, it is never dropped, but reviewed systematically. Lessons are broken down into daily bite-sized chunks. I have nothing but positives about this curriculum. We use it a grade level behind, and it is PLENTY meaty. For history, we like the Oxford University Press workbooks that go with the History of Us series. We have also found an Ambleside Online-type schedule very independent. I have dd select a book from the basket, and add "read 2 chapters" or something to her daily schedule. She is responsible for filling in the actual chapter numbers read after it is completed -- I don't stress out scheduling out individial book chapter.:tongue_smilie: For science, dd likes CyberEd on the computer. I get if from Homeschool Buyer's coop, and it is excellent for reluctant middle school science kids, since it is multi-sensory. I also throw in an occasional Total Language Plus guide for language/literature, and my dd does this basically independently as well. Just be sure the guide is at or below grade level if you want it to be used independently. Amanda Bennet unit studies are independent for older kids, as is Oak Meadow's online courses. I also think that Winter Promise's middle school courses are geared toward being used independently. HTH! Tami Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Christian Light Education has been great for fostering independent work here. We use it for math, language arts, reading and science for 1st-6th. My 7th grader is working on her own in almost everything except for discussions. Art of Argument, BJU Life Science with dvd's, Lightning Literature, Mystery of History with Truthquest, Alfred's Music Theory, CLE Bible, Greek Morphemes, Life of Fred, and Daily Grams are all going very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 MCP and Life of Fred w/ Key to.. series has been great for math Hillside's Language series for language (they'll need me to assist at time with things like dictation, but much of it they can do on their own) Reading good books for science and history in the younger grades is enough for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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