On the verge of tears (me - not my ds) with history

[Hoggirl]

I am so incredibly frustrated. I have tried all kinds of approaches to history. We used Biblioplan for awhile, but ds retained NOTHING. He had done well with MOH 1, so we are now doing MOH 3. Each day we read the lesson (usually together - though if it is exceedingly long I let him read it independently). We do the pre-tests and the quizzes/exercises. We color time line figures and put them on a time-line. Yesterday we reviewed through material in the first quarter. Today we worked through the Quarter I worksheet. I cannot believe the things my ds did NOT know. at. all. I know my kid does NOT like history, but we have to do it, right? I feel like no matter what approach I take he doesn't remember ANYTHING. This kid is not dumb. He does extremely well in grammar, math, and Latin. He is generally able to memorize really well, too. But he has NO interest in history. I really have tried to make it as pain-free as possible for him, but NOTHING is working.

 

We have done SOTW, VP (that worked fairly well, but we have to move beyond this approach given the fact he will be in grade 7 next year), Biblioplan, MOH, and Diana Waring. I feel like no matter what approach I try nothing "sticks."

 

Please help me. Maybe it is b/c history is emphasized on this board, but I just feel like I am completely failing in this area.

 

I am considering trying Truthquest next year.

[dhudson]

Are you doing any hands-on projects? I find my kids do so much better when we are doing hands-on projects. Build a castle when in middle ages, have a dinner that mimics the food of the period, dress up in costumes of the era, put on a play or a dramatic reading for Dad. Build teepees, wigwams, diorama's, make a lapbook, anything to help the kids to get the kinetic learning in as well.

 

I think we really have to work to make history interesting, and IMHO worksheets aren't helping your cause.

[Julieofsardis]

I'm assuming he's about 13 or 14 based on your curriculum choices at the bottom of your sig. I wonder if you could just focus on a few events more in depth and have him do research and write reports. Those are the things that my dd remembers.

 

I've come to the place where I believe that digging into a few things more deeply sometimes has a better impact than covering everything. It would be good to read MOH 3, but only focus in on a few of the events for more in depth study.

 

After thinking about WTM methods for a while, I've come to the conclusion that the 3 stages of learning (grammar, logic, and rhetoric) are applicable to any body of information, no matter what your age. So, here's my thinking, if he never got the pegs set in his mind, as was the main goal in grammar stage, maybe going back and doing that would be helpful. Choose a few important events down through history for him to dive into more deeply. The Brimwood Press material would be ideal for that IMHO. The Calendar Quest book hits on 13(I think) major events that hit each major time period in history.

 

So, here's my opinion. Keep MOH 3, but only for reading. Then purchase the Brimwood Press What You Need To Know About Western Civilization, along with the Calendar Quest book. He should be able to finish those lessons by the end of the year.

[MIch elle]

My dc remember lots more if they watch it on TV.

 

We have Discovery Streaming and use it for history, science & literature along with our basics texts.

 

Memorization of key brief historical facts works well too (VP cards/CDs). You can chant (like Latin), sing or repeat facts everyday until they are memorized. Use others (VP, SOTW cards) or make your own & have dc tape himself. We have to do this everyday for it to work.

[usetoschool]

I think you are right that because he doesn't like it he is not remembering it. It is not you or him or the curriculum. In order to put something in your long term memory you have to have some kind of connection to the information, some hook to hang it on. And you have to be in an openminded, calm state (not the best words but I hope I am making myself somewhat understood). If he is starting the lesson unhappy, annoyed, or bored he isn't going to be able to remember, even if he wants to, no matter how good the curriculum is. Your brain just doesn't work that way. So maybe he needs more movies about the events, or more hands on, or a personal connection of some kind, or something about it that gets him excited so he can get past the hating history part. And if history isn't his thing, if he wants to be a scientist, then don't feel like you need every detail of every event. As pp's have said, find a connection to the big stuff in history and move on.

[Michelle My Bell]

Have you thought about picking topical history studies instead of going chronologically? I found that taking a topic, immersing ourselves in that topic and really connecting with the people of that era really brought History alive for my daughters. I highly recommend adding in Historically Accurate movies as well. You can see what I mean if you click on my blog below.

 

Michelle

[Melissa in CA]

Well, if it makes you feel any better, my older boys used MOH 1 at one point and didn't retain much either. I think one boy was in 7th and the other in 9th (it could have been 8th/10th though...can't recall off hand). They read everything themselves and we used all the tools that MOH provided....Timeline work, memory cards, mapping, etc., and they STILL couldn't get all the answers on the quizzes. I didn't read much, if any, of MOH and even I could answer most of the questions!! It was exasperating to say the least. I finally realized that I, at their ages, probably would have been the same. I hated history in school. Hated. It. It was boooooring and frankly, not worth my time to truly learn. Good grief, these people were long dead, I thought,...who cares about them and what they did waaaay back when! :lol: Some how though, through just plain living in this world for the past 44 years, I picked up on things here and there which is why I was able to answer a lot of their quiz questions.

 

All that to say...

 

Not every child is going to LOVE history. Some do...and due to the nature of this board we hear about a lot of them....but many children just don't. They are math lovers, science lovers, english lovers, language lovers, or literature lovers instead. Or perhaps they are like my youngest who has no great passion for any one school subject but can sit for hours and hours drawing cartoons. :blink:

 

I have found through homeschooling and graduating my two olders, that young adults can live just fine in this world and 'make the grade' in college regardless of how much history they have actually memorized. Can they pass a history CLEP...doubtful...but they know enough.

 

I wouldn't fret too terribly much. Honest. Does he have a subject that he does love? Or passion in another area? In retrospect, I now see where my older boys' passions lie. For example, my oldest hated all school subjects. He just did not like school...regardless of what curriculum I tried. He muddled through, barely putting any effort into anything. He thought getting a 'C' was excellent. Ugh! I wanted to pull my hair out. Now, he is in college and getting A's and B's...because he is studying what he loves; Human Anatomy! When I look back through the years I recall how whenever he had to study bones, or body systems, that he did quite well. He had no problem memorizing them but memorizing history was plain torture. He now plans to become an RN, specializing in something having to do with the heart (can't recall the exact words). He has no need of history. He knows what he needs to know...but a history major he is not, nor will he ever be. Same with my middle son. He is going to be a mechanical engineer. Give him math and science...history is not his passion, nor will it ever be.

 

My advice. Give your son a good solid history program, but don't expect him to love history or to somehow develop a love for it. Some do over time, but many just learn enough to get by. I would focus on his true passions and develop those as that is probably what he will end up pursuing one day. ;)

 

My 2 cents...for what it's worth.

[Melissa in CA]

I second Brimwood Press! Just got a good look at it myself and it looks great. I think I will try to add it in to our TOG this coming year...especially the worldview stuff. :D

[TheCoffeeChick]

Well, if it makes you feel any better, my older boys used MOH 1 at one point and didn't retain much either. I think one boy was in 7th and the other in 9th (it could have been 8th/10th though...can't recall off hand). They read everything themselves and we used all the tools that MOH provided....Timeline work, memory cards, mapping, etc., and they STILL couldn't get all the answers on the quizzes. I didn't read much, if any, of MOH and even I could answer most of the questions!! It was exasperating to say the least. I finally realized that I, at their ages, probably would have been the same. I hated history in school. Hated. It. It was boooooring and frankly, not worth my time to truly learn. Good grief, these people were long dead, I thought,...who cares about them and what they did waaaay back when! :lol: Some how though, through just plain living in this world for the past 44 years, I picked up on things here and there which is why I was able to answer a lot of their quiz questions.

 

All that to say...

 

Not every child is going to LOVE history. Some do...and due to the nature of this board we hear about a lot of them....but many children just don't. They are math lovers, science lovers, english lovers, language lovers, or literature lovers instead. Or perhaps they are like my youngest who has no great passion for any one school subject but can sit for hours and hours drawing cartoons. :blink:

 

I have found through homeschooling and graduating my two olders, that young adults can live just fine in this world and 'make the grade' in college regardless of how much history they have actually memorized. Can they pass a history CLEP...doubtful...but they know enough.

 

I wouldn't fret too terribly much. Honest. Does he have a subject that he does love? Or passion in another area? In retrospect, I now see where my older boys' passions lie. For example, my oldest hated all school subjects. He just did not like school...regardless of what curriculum I tried. He muddled through, barely putting any effort into anything. He thought getting a 'C' was excellent. Ugh! I wanted to pull my hair out. Now, he is in college and getting A's and B's...because he is studying what he loves; Human Anatomy! When I look back through the years I recall how whenever he had to study bones, or body systems, that he did quite well. He had no problem memorizing them but memorizing history was plain torture. He now plans to become an RN, specializing in something having to do with the heart (can't recall the exact words). He has no need of history. He knows what he needs to know...but a history major he is not, nor will he ever be. Same with my middle son. He is going to be a mechanical engineer. Give him math and science...history is not his passion, nor will it ever be.

 

My advice. Give your son a good solid history program, but don't expect him to love history or to somehow develop a love for it. Some do over time, but many just learn enough to get by. I would focus on his true passions and develop those as that is probably what he will end up pursuing one day. ;)

 

My 2 cents...for what it's worth.

 

:iagree:

 

For what it is worth I totally agree with this! I know, I only have little ones ;), so it is hard to take advice from someone who has not BTDT! I hated history in high school and college. It is only now at 27 that I actually find it interesting. My only B in high school was in history, and you really only need basic history 101 in college to get a degree in most fields (unless you are doing political science or history). My passion was always science and math -- I even do alegbra problems for fun, like some do crossword puzzles :). I say keep with teaching the basics in history and not get too upset if your dc don't retain much.

 

I'm sure by the time your dc are ready to head to college, they will have learned more and spent more time in history than most public schooled kids. :tongue_smilie:

[SonshineLearner]

Depends on what your goals are for him. It may be that he's not going to ever want to know about history until it's something he feels that he's missing out on when others bring it up in conversation.

IF he's willing to do the memorizing thing, you might want to think about having him memorize VP materials, either with the VP cds or with Classical Conversations'.

We do Classical Conversations, partly because when I was going through it and looked at the cumulative amount of information that they can attain in 3 years, I decided that it was at least enough information that when people were talking about different subjects, they would be able to follow along and offer some of their own insight.

My oldest (16) is in public& homeschooled(each half time) my next(13) is all ps and my 10yr and 5yr olds do Classical Conversations & are homeschooled.

We just went through all the information for the last 18 weeks, and ALL of them knew at least 75% of the info...and the rest knew more...depending on which one. The 5 year old did best on the History:-)

SO, just with cds studying in the car, in three years, they'll know over 70 weeks worth of facts in Latin, History, Science, Math and English and Geography.

As they get older, they can flesh out more facts as they desire.

Of course, we also listen to SOTW and Jim Weiss has some really good cds to listen to about specific people and events.

My daughter really likes to listen to cds and then I get out the book and ask some questions...She knits and crochets. Is there something your son could do while listening? Drawing? Or any quiet activity.

Also, for general knowledge, you have him see if he'd listen to or read GA Henty books.

We are having our children memorize the VP history cards. I know one mom who is paying her kids to "work" at memorizing the timeline. Then you have 160 facts that you drill into your mind.

Nothing says it all happens in the next couple years....Set out the 3 or 4 year plan. I find that school looks best, when it's school or chores...

Carrie:-)

[Rebecca in VA]

Does he like to outline? My daughter isn't much of a history lover either, but she does enjoy outlining. So I'm having her work through the Guerber books, outlining one chapter per day. The material is not hard to outline at all, and it's in story form and very interesting. She's enjoying these books in spite of her determination not to.

 

I write a quiz for her to take after every five chapters. She will take a test after every 50 chapters, and a cumulative test at the end of each book.

 

The Guerber books go up through part of the 19th century (the more recent histories are American histories), so she will be doing this for a couple of years.

 

I also have her watch at least one history DVD per week, and often two, and read as many historical fiction books as we can fit in (not many).

[Karen in CO]

I have heard great things about the Brimwood press material, but have never used them.

 

I think your ds needs a smaller focus. Help him find a topic he is interested in and spend a lot of time on it. Let him become an expert in one small area. If he doesn't know what he is interested in - which is fairly common at this age, you pick a few things and plan to spend at least a month on each thing. If he finds something more interesting, stop and live it. For each of the topics before you find one he is interested in, watch movies, read fiction, go to the library and check out that whole shelf full of book on the topic. Have him do a short research paper on it. Write a short story set in that place and time. Learn to cook the food.

 

Pick a person, Alfred the Great, Charlemane, Bennedict Arnold, Walt Disney, Moses, Superman. Pick a place, the Tower of London, the Great Wall of China, the Moon, the Bering Straight. Pick a Year. Or an idea - ownership of land, child labor, slavery, right to bear arms, the idea that people have rights. A trade, masonry, cooking, blacksmith, gravedigger. An invention... You get the idea. Pick something narrow.

[hsingscrapper]

First off, I know what it's like to be frustrated. My ds9 is slowly improving in math and grammar still needs lots of work.

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

I'm going to take a different tack I think and suggest, since the two dovetail so nicely, what about using a Charlotte Mason approach to history?

 

www.amblesideonline.org has some absolutely amazing suggestions for kids. This Country of Ours is a good source for American History. While I haven't read all of it, Story of Mankind sounds like it would be a good choice for an easy world history.

 

Some children really respond well to a literature approach. I know it's made history and science more enjoyable at our house. I still alternate the two according to TWTM but we don't do nearly as much written work. We also have a 12 dvd library full of war-related footage and movies that my mom bought for dh a long time ago.

 

One more thing comes to mind. Is your dh a history buff? Or your parents or in-laws? Maybe they could take on part of your history teaching load by just discussing it with your dc.

 

I hope one of these ideas helps you. Keep us posted on what you figure out for your dc, please? It may go to help another frustrated parent.

[PeterPan]

I think the linguistics and math bent person who hates history is a pretty common combo, sort of the inverse of the history-loving kids who can't spell or do math. ;)

 

If you're doing things auditorily when he's a visual learner, and you're doing things chronologically when he's a big picture learner, they're never going to stick. I've thought about this for some time as a history hater raising a history lover. I think it's totally about the way their brains think. So I say toss the auditory work except for the sake of promoting discussion, and bring in more visual inputs and outputs. Visual inputs would be reading, studying maps (extensively, like do overlays, compare them, go crazy, get books about architecture and the overlay books of then and now for Greece and Rome, dvd's, etc.). Visual outputs would be the outlining the other poster described, any form of written work. And then get him to do things that synthesize and let him see the big picture. If he TEACHES A LESSON on the material, he has to wrap his brain around it. In other words, an oral report due Friday would cause him to synthesize the material and see the big picture. Memorizing the VP cards and referring to them often helps. Organizing the material into a fresh format of timeline, knowledge tree, etc. would help.

 

Nothing says you have to toss VP just because he's 7th. Start back over with the cards, combining OTAE and NTGR into one year, and work forward, reading the Guerber books and outlining like Rebecca described. It would give him the spine (the cards) to hang things on and have a lot more visual. In fact, I like the way Rebecca described it so much, I'm thinking that's what we may do when we get there! My dd is very visual, and while I like WP AC a lot, the auditory is not making things stick for her. I'm having to make modifications like what I described to you, doing a lot more with visual, or else she retains nothing, el zippo, squat, NOTHING.

 

It could be I'm off on his learning style. You could check it for free using the assessment on http://www.educate.com Also the Cynthia Tobias book "The Way They Learn" could give you some sense of how his brain works. I think you have to have inputs and inputs in the way they learn best and approach the material from the angle of the way their brain thinks, or you get diddley retention. Somehow it shows up really hard in history, because there's so much material, so much you're trying to accomplish.

[Melissa in CA]

He does extremely well in grammar, math, and Latin. He is generally able to memorize really well, too. But he has NO interest in history.

 

I was thinking about your above comment and it brought to mind my middle son. He also did very well in math, grammar, and Latin. In fact, when his older brother decided to ditch Latin in high school, he chose to continue on for another year even though I told him I wouldn't require it of him.

 

Is your son, perhaps like mine, very facts oriented? Though I used a variety of history curricula with my boys, my middle son's very favorite history was SL's Core 300. The main spine for the Core was the 20th Century Day by Day DK book (no longer in print). It was like reading a daily history newspaper. He absolutely LOVED it! Loved it. In all his years of school, that was his favorite history year. I NOW realize WHY!!! Because this boy is very facts oriented. He doesn't want a lot of fluff. Doesn't want to read book after book after book of historical FICTION, or do projects or lap books, etc. He just likes facts. I think that is why he excels at subjects like Math and English...as well as Latin...and why he is geared towards being an engineer.

 

Is your son perhaps of the same bent? If so...I don't really have any advice to offer because I did not figure this out until my sons last year of high school (11th). I thought somehow I could force him to love history if I just had the right curricuum. Ha! If I were to do it over with him, I think I would steer clear of too many historical fiction books, and add in more non fiction type books along with good classic lit. I would possibly even resort to using just a BJU History text each year along with it's questions and quizzes and leave it at that. Perhaps following the WTM's advice in outlining the Kingfisher history encyclopedia would have been perfect as well.

 

Not every child wants to spend large quantities of his time on History the SL or Charlotte Mason way. Many children just complete a BJU history text each year and learn gobs. It is alright to do that! I tried the...pick a topic, person, event, in history you're really interested in and we'll dig deeper idea with my son. Meh. There WAS no topic, person, event he cared enough about to WANT to dig deeper or learn about in great depth. The unit approach drove him batty. He wanted just the facts please...and then to move on.

 

Each and every child is different! You've gotten some great advice, but I think the best advice you've gotten so far is to find out HOW your son learns best. That will give you a good place to start. Cynthia Tobias' book "The Way They Learn" is wonderful. ;)

 

I pray you find what works best for him, and that you will have peace with that. History knowledge is not the be-all end-all of a well schooled child. Thank goodness! :D

[Hoggirl]

I was thinking about your above comment and it brought to mind my middle son. He also did very well in math, grammar, and Latin. In fact, when his older brother decided to ditch Latin in high school, he chose to continue on for another year even though I told him I wouldn't require it of him.

 

Is your son, perhaps like mine, very facts oriented? Though I used a variety of history curricula with my boys, my middle son's very favorite history was SL's Core 300. The main spine for the Core was the 20th Century Day by Day DK book (no longer in print). It was like reading a daily history newspaper. He absolutely LOVED it! Loved it. In all his years of school, that was his favorite history year. I NOW realize WHY!!! Because this boy is very facts oriented. He doesn't want a lot of fluff. Doesn't want to read book after book after book of historical FICTION, or do projects or lap books, etc. He just likes facts. I think that is why he excels at subjects like Math and English...as well as Latin...and why he is geared towards being an engineer.

 

Is your son perhaps of the same bent? If so...I don't really have any advice to offer because I did not figure this out until my sons last year of high school (11th). I thought somehow I could force him to love history if I just had the right curricuum. Ha! If I were to do it over with him, I think I would steer clear of too many historical fiction books, and add in more non fiction type books along with good classic lit. I would possibly even resort to using just a BJU History text each year along with it's questions and quizzes and leave it at that. Perhaps following the WTM's advice in outlining the Kingfisher history encyclopedia would have been perfect as well.

 

Not every child wants to spend large quantities of his time on History the SL or Charlotte Mason way. Many children just complete a BJU history text each year and learn gobs. It is alright to do that! I tried the...pick a topic, person, event, in history you're really interested in and we'll dig deeper idea with my son. Meh. There WAS no topic, person, event he cared enough about to WANT to dig deeper or learn about in great depth. The unit approach drove him batty. He wanted just the facts please...and then to move on.

 

Each and every child is different! You've gotten some great advice, but I think the best advice you've gotten so far is to find out HOW your son learns best. That will give you a good place to start. Cynthia Tobias' book "The Way They Learn" is wonderful. ;)

 

I pray you find what works best for him, and that you will have peace with that. History knowledge is not the be-all end-all of a well schooled child. Thank goodness! :D

 

But, I can't even get the facts into him! This is what I am trying to do!!! Your comment about your son not having any topic, person, event, etc. that he would want to dig deeper about would be my son to a T. I laughed out loud! My son also despises historical fiction. At one point he did memorize all the VP cards in chronological order. Just the titles of them. He has said he wants to do hands-on projects, but when we have tried he has quickly lost interest. We have tried lapbooking. No luck. Now, he does like science experiments. In my mind, the MOH is a textbook approach. So, I feel like that is not working either!

 

And there is this nagging frustration on my part that he is suppose to be doing logic-level work. He is supposed to be thinking. And he can, and he does. He is only eleven and doing geometry. Chalkdust Geometry. With lots of proofs. He loves that. It has to be some sort of processing thing. I used to have that Cynthia Tobias book, but I loaned it to somebody. He is a concrete, sequential learner. He is logical. He likes "rules." It just seems like such a disconnect that he can do the level of math he is doing and can breeze through Latin (and have to explain it to me as I fumble around), yet cannot recall the most basic of history facts.

 

I do think part of my issue is the great number of history lovers that are on this board. My ds is not one of those. I have given up on trying to make him one of those. Really, I have. All I am really trying to do is make sure he acquires a basic knowledge of history. And, I want it to be as painless as possible. I asked him today, "Of all the history approaches we have tried, which has been the least painful?" Can you guess the answer? "I don't know." I.e. "They were all painful." :tongue_smilie: I tried to get him to talk with me about what kind of curriculum he would like. He has lots of ideas/opinions/input (well-articulated) about other curricula choices. But, not in this area. "You pick, Mom."

 

Sigh. Well, I will look at the Brimwood press stuff, and keep pondering away.

 

I do appreciate the wisdom on this board so much. I know you are trying to help me! And, I do know that history is not the be-all, end-all of an education.

 

Sorry to be such a whiny-hiney.

[Quiver0f10]

Maybe he would do better with textbooks? BJU is supposed to be wonderful and it might be the right fit for him.

[angela&4boys]

Maybe he would do better with textbooks? BJU is supposed to be wonderful and it might be the right fit for him.

 

:iagree:

 

This was my thought exactly while reading through the posts. If you (and he) can stomach textboooks, maybe BJU or CLP would be an option. They are more fact-based sources. I lean that way myself and like everything in one location... photos, illustrations, questions etc.... Traditional textbooks definitely have their place and my eldest ds used them when we had a toddler and baby for survival purposes. ;)

 

The outlining suggestion is wise too. I will soon be implementing this with our 11yo.

Edited February 13, 2009 by angela&4boys

[Hoggirl]

Maybe he would do better with textbooks? BJU is supposed to be wonderful and it might be the right fit for him.

 

So, ya'll don't think MOH is like a textbook? 'Cause it seems that way to me?

 

I guess I'll go look at BJU. :tongue_smilie:

 

Honestly, this is just about the ONLY thing I struggle with figuring out.

[angela&4boys]

So, ya'll don't think MOH is like a textbook? 'Cause it seems that way to me?

 

I guess I'll go look at BJU. :tongue_smilie:

 

Honestly, this is just about the ONLY thing I struggle with figuring out.

 

You make a good point. The major difference I see is that the author of MOH talks in a more conversational tone whereas the BJU text is a bit dry. One thing's for sure, they are both hefty books with a *lot* of pages.

 

I took the liberty of viewing CLP's Story of the Middle Ages. Granted, it is targeted at 6th graders, but I couldn't help but notice it was only 130 pages in comparison to BJU's 7th grade history text of 621.

 

If he's mathematically minded, maybe he's turned off by excessive verbiage? I find that with one of my ds's. He is a "Just the facts, ma'am.", kind of fella. He checks out if I don't get the meat in right away. No fluff or twaddle for him. It's a literal waste of time reading aloud to him when he's "not there". KWIM? Maybe short, concise sources would be best for this subject.

Edited February 13, 2009 by angela&4boys

[kellycbr]

You said he loves facts, and is more math and science oriented. So why not just study about great mathmaticians or scientist or different inventions? You can tie it into history and make it relevant to him. I'm guessing he would enjoy this approach, and probably remember something, too. There's probably a curriculum out there that does this, I'm not aware of one. But there's many books that will work. Good luck.

[Quiver0f10]

So, ya'll don't think MOH is like a textbook? 'Cause it seems that way to me?

 

I guess I'll go look at BJU. :tongue_smilie:

 

Honestly, this is just about the ONLY thing I struggle with figuring out.

 

 

I never really looked at MOH so I don't know. Sorry :) I guess I meant maybe drop the lit part of the history and just keep going with the CLE reading and do a textbook history. That might be his learning style, kwim I am still struggling over history too, so I understand!

[PeterPan]

Cynthia, I learn like your ds and hate history, and I recall liking the BJU textbooks when I was in a cs for a few years. No, MOH isn't like a textbook. With a textbook, there's a table of contents, an index, headings, sidebars, boxes, and everything has a place. You can remember where the info was on the page. That's what a visual learner does, and it's conducive to that. It's in color, unlike MOH. And once you get to the junior high levels, it tends to go through history pretty quickly, allowing students to get to the big picture.

[Hoggirl]

Cynthia, I learn like your ds and hate history, and I recall liking the BJU textbooks when I was in a cs for a few years. No, MOH isn't like a textbook. With a textbook, there's a table of contents, an index, headings, sidebars, boxes, and everything has a place. You can remember where the info was on the page. That's what a visual learner does, and it's conducive to that. It's in color, unlike MOH. And once you get to the junior high levels, it tends to go through history pretty quickly, allowing students to get to the big picture.

 

Elizabeth, thanks for this. We are using MOH 3 which is in color and has lots of lovely photographs.

 

At this point, I do believe you have convinced me. I do wonder if he would like doing the Brimwood press for the rest of the year before we move on to a textbook approach. I have lots of things I could use to fill in to keep going with our study of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Reformation, but I am not sure a drastic change isn't in order...just for our last twelve weeks.

 

Also, I am not sure what BJU text to use next year. We will have covered some of what is in the 7th grade World history text already, so I am wondering if we should just do American History next year. I think he would enjoy it more. I wonder if they are going to come out with a 3rd edition in the 8th grade text.

 

Now, I just need to salvage this year.

[hsingscrapper]

What is MOH?

[Hoggirl]

What is MOH?

 

HTH

[Melissa in CA]

No, MOH isn't like a textbook. With a textbook, there's a table of contents, an index, headings, sidebars, boxes, and everything has a place. You can remember where the info was on the page. That's what a visual learner does, and it's conducive to that. It's in color, unlike MOH. And once you get to the junior high levels, it tends to go through history pretty quickly, allowing students to get to the big picture.

 

 

:iagree: Just what I was going to say!

 

With a textbook everything is neatly layed out with chapter questions, etc. right where they need to be for the more visually-organized facts-oriented student. I personally have not used BJU history but know others who do and love it. I think it's worth a try. ;) You can view an entire chapter online at bjup.com

 

As for which text to use, I don't see why you couldn't move to the 8th grade.

For what it's worth, I HAVE used Abeka history texts and we did not like them at all! :tongue_smilie: From what I have seen, BJU's are much more interesting.

 

Whatever you decide to try, don't expect your son to miraculously begin to love history and wax on and on about this new-found love. :lol: Not gonna happen. ;) A text MAY be more palatable to him though and it'll get the job done without a lot of fluff.

 

Something I would add to your history studies are some documentaries, movies, etc. The drive throug history DVDs are good! Gotta go...my battery is dying! :lol::lol:

[hsingscrapper]

Is this it?

 

http://www.themysteryofhistory.com/

[home4school]

You said he loves facts, and is more math and science oriented. So why not just study about great mathmaticians or scientist or different inventions? You can tie it into history and make it relevant to him. I'm guessing he would enjoy this approach, and probably remember something, too. There's probably a curriculum out there that does this, I'm not aware of one. But there's many books that will work. Good luck.

 

 

Have you looked at Trisms? I haven't used it, but am lurking the yahoo group for info. I am thinking of History Makers next year. You could use that for one or two years and it covers all of history, but from inventions, etc. You have a questionnaire that you fill out for different scientists, inventions, etc. He would do the research to fill them out.

 

Just a thought, and it covers Ancient to Modern.

 

Blessings,

Kim

[Hoggirl]

I know all ya'll are just sitting around losing sleep over my inability to choose a history curriculum! :lol:

 

I have ordered the BJU Grade 8 US History. Rushed! We are going to spend next week covering some state history just for the heck of it (and b/c we haven't done it). The following Monday we are just going to start the BJU textbook stuff. We will get through what we get through over the 11 or so weeks we have remaining this year. If he likes it (I DO think he will) we will just carry on with it next year. If not, I will be back whining again.

 

I looked at the Brimwood Press stuff. It seems wonderful to me. But, as so often is the case, what I would like and what he would like are not the same. So, we will start with the BJU. If we finish up next year with 12 or so weeks at the end of next year, I might fill in with it then. But, I feel it is important to try something different right now and not try to just "fill in." And, the Brimwood was more expensive (the entire kit) than the BJU. If I am having to blow some money this late in the school year, I would rather do it on something that would potentially have a longer useful life.

 

I will report back in three or four weeks and let ya' know how it is going.

 

Thank you for reading through my posts and offering suggestions.

[Quiver0f10]

I know all ya'll are just sitting around losing sleep over my inability to choose a history curriculum! :lol:

 

I have ordered the BJU Grade 8 US History. Rushed! We are going to spend next week covering some state history just for the heck of it (and b/c we haven't done it). The following Monday we are just going to start the BJU textbook stuff. We will get through what we get through over the 11 or so weeks we have remaining this year. If he likes it (I DO think he will) we will just carry on with it next year. If not, I will be back whining again.

 

I looked at the Brimwood Press stuff. It seems wonderful to me. But, as so often is the case, what I would like and what he would like are not the same. So, we will start with the BJU. If we finish up next year with 12 or so weeks at the end of next year, I might fill in with it then. But, I feel it is important to try something different right now and not try to just "fill in." And, the Brimwood was more expensive (the entire kit) than the BJU. If I am having to blow some money this late in the school year, I would rather do it on something that would potentially have a longer useful life.

 

I will report back in three or four weeks and let ya' know how it is going.

 

Thank you for reading through my posts and offering suggestions.

 

Sounds like a great plan! Please let me know what you and he think of the BJU materials.

[hsingscrapper]

We will get through what we get through over the 11 or so weeks we have remaining this year. If he likes it (I DO think he will) we will just carry on with it next year.

 

I keep forgetting that some folks actually stop for the summer. We go year-round but I'm getting sidetracked.

 

If he ends up liking it, why stop? I would roll with it until he needs a break. But that's just my two cents. I think the longest we take a break here, medical issues aside, is one week without math and two weeks without everything else.

 

Just a thought...

[Parrothead]

I'm sure by the time your dc are ready to head to college, they will have learned more and spent more time in history than most public schooled kids. :tongue_smilie:

:iagree: Yup, yup! Even if history is never his passion he will absorb more than his PS counterparts.

 

See if historical fiction, history DVD's and the like capture his attention more. Require twice a year reports on something within your history time frame - the physics in building the pyramids or a castle, etc.

[PeterPan]

Well good Cynthia! I hope it works out great for you. And of course we were waiting with baited breath, haha! You know, if you keep going through the summer, you could then give him time OFF from history. That sure would be a winner with a history hater. ;)

[siloam]

Cynthia,

 

I would start doing the memory cards with him. You can use the Table of Contents to go back and make up cards for the lessons you have already done.

 

To me I am looking for the big picture, the flow of history, not the details. I was looking back at year 1 and I was surprised how much I have forgotten, but I still have the big picture in my head.

 

Could he also be a hands on learner? My 2nd dd is extremely hands on, and if I don't find a way to do something concrete it doesn't stick.

 

I would be hesitant to go to TQ, because it is more complicated. I don't think your ds is going to suddenly love history doing it. My 2nd dd didn't (the non-history student in this house). It doesn't get much more simple than MOH, so to be frank I would stick with it, do the review cards and not worry about the tests as much, or give them as open book. History just isn't important enough to spend a bunch of time stressing over it, KWIM?

 

Heather

[Guest HSMomof3]

Try Konos, it's very good. It's a unit study approach.

[Rosie_0801]

Would he like history if it was approached via re-enactment or music? Re-enactment is communal, which might make it more palatable. Political music is a good avenue for exploring modern history. If you were Australian I'd recommend "Redgum" but I have a particular fondness for them :)

 

Cheers,

Rosie