HELP! 5 questions from a "new" classical educator

[Guest WishTheWild]

I have one daughter, age 10, and this is our first year of schooling at home. Despite the ups and downs, I am very pleased we made the decision to educate her ourselves. I am, however, new to the classical education approach, and have just recently read the WTM books (editions 1 and 2).

 

I am not a fan of the workbook style curriculum. I am homeschooling because I wish to be a part of what my daughter is learning, and not to simply throw a set of texts at her and require she complete a set number of pages each day. As a result, our classroom is a stockpile of unrelated curriculum, with no cohesive learning method or progression. If a certain text doesn’t "work", I buy another.

 

Imagine the confusion.

 

Now, imagine my delight in discovering the WTM approach to learning. The curriculum and schedule are very attractive. I am anxious to begin!

 

I do have a few questions, however. Perhaps, some of you can help me. I am a bit confused as to how I should modify the curriculum according to WTM’s recommendations for students just starting a classical education. (We will begin classical education next year, for fifth grade)

 

:confused:

1. For grammar, we will be using the Rod & Staff curriculum. However, my daughter has no experience in diagramming. Do we supplement grammar with the First Whole Book of Diagrams and the Elementary Diagramming Worktext, or is this sufficiently covered in the Rod & Staff text?

 

:confused:

2. For spelling, we will begin with Spelling Workout C. Do we also need Vocabulary from Classical Roots, or should we wait to begin that series?

 

:confused:

3. For history, will the Story of the World texts progress chronologically with the Kingfisher Encyclopedia timeline, or will I need to "jump around" in order to meld these two programs? Will my daughter be missing out on map skills and data interpretation crucial to geography? Will I need to supplement these skills?

 

:confused:

4. Dictation and Narration? Do I read a passage and have my daughter write it on paper, or does she simply copy a passage while looking at it? How does this work?

 

:confused:

5. Power Glide or Rosetta Stone for spanish? Any comments on this would be most helpful.

 

One final comment ...

Our home is a virtual pit of technology.

 

There is a television in nearly every room in the house. My husband, daughter and I each have a computer. We own the Nintendo Gamecube, Playstation 2 and Wii game systems. We have shelves and shelves of videos. My daughter has a Nintendo DS and a cell phone (which she is only allowed to have for sleepovers, or other events where we are not present). She manages her own website. Even her dictionary is electronic.

 

Early this week, we unplugged her computer and put it in storage. Next, we removed the television from her room. We are in the process of moving all the "technology" to the basement, where she can use it in limited, earned increments.

 

Last night, my daughter fell asleep reading Greek Mythology and methodically writing her multiplication tables in a journal. She talked about Euripides over breakfast.

 

I could just cry.

[Parrothead]

1. For grammar, we will be using the Rod & Staff curriculum. However, my daughter has no experience in diagramming. Do we supplement grammar with the First Whole Book of Diagrams and the Elementary Diagramming Worktext, or is this sufficiently covered in the Rod & Staff text?

I don't know because we are using Growing with Grammar along with Classical Writing Homer starting this fall.

 

2. For spelling, we will begin with Spelling Workout C. Do we also need Vocabulary from Classical Roots, or should we wait to begin that series?

Again I don't have an answer for you since we are using All About Spelling

 

3. For history, will the Story of the World texts progress chronologically with the Kingfisher Encyclopedia timeline, or will I need to "jump around" in order to meld these two programs? Will my daughter be missing out on map skills and data interpretation crucial to geography? Will I need to supplement these skills?

It is close, but not exact. I had to ditch 5 or 6 SOTW chapters and rearrange a few things from the KF to make my outline for 5th grade history (this coming fall). I can email you my outline if it would help

 

4. Dictation and Narration? Do I read a passage and have my daughter write it on paper, or does she simply copy a passage while looking at it? How does this work?

At her age you can read the passage and have her write her own narration or have her read the passage herself and then write her narration. But in 5th grade TWTM recommends beginning outlining with a single point outline instead of copywork or narration. If your dd hasn't had any experience with narration you might want to use narration in one area (reading) and outlining in another (history).

 

5. Power Glide or Rosetta Stone for spanish? Any comments on this would be most helpful.

Again not using either one.

 

Like you we have a lot of technology. We have the Gamecube, PS2, three computers for three people, etc. Although we only have one TV. I refuse to have one in any of the bedrooms. For us it works out well. Usually we do video games as a family. The only limits I put on anything are none of it during school hours.

 

Good luck on your homeschooling journey.

[Guest WishTheWild]

Parrothead, I would love to look over your history outline for next year. Please, do send me an email. Thank-you!

 

Also..

 

I assume, then, that outlining "is" the dictation/narration step for fifth grade. Makes sense. Another thanks.

[Parrothead]

Parrothead, I would love to look over your history outline for next year. Please, do send me an email. Thank-you!

 

Also..

 

I assume, then, that outlining "is" the dictation/narration step for fifth grade. Makes sense. Another thanks.

Check your PM box.

[BlsdMama]

 

.

1. For grammar, we will be using the Rod & Staff curriculum. However, my daughter has no experience in diagramming. Do we supplement grammar with the First Whole Book of Diagrams and the Elementary Diagramming Worktext, or is this sufficiently covered in the Rod & Staff text?

 

Rod & Staff will cover it more than sufficiently. Don't bother with the rest IMO as it would be way too much.

 

.

2. For spelling, we will begin with Spelling Workout C. Do we also need Vocabulary from Classical Roots, or should we wait to begin that series?

Personally I'd wait a year or two.

 

.

3. For history, will the Story of the World texts progress chronologically with the Kingfisher Encyclopedia timeline, or will I need to "jump around" in order to meld these two programs? Will my daughter be missing out on map skills and data interpretation crucial to geography? Will I need to supplement these skills?

The Story of the World - just use Kingfisher to "support" whatever you're reading. It has an index and you'll be fine. The activity guide has maps in it. If you want to do something useful without adding to the workload, put a map under a clear plastic tablecloth at teh dining room table and switch it every 4-6 months.

 

.

4. Dictation and Narration? Do I read a passage and have my daughter write it on paper, or does she simply copy a passage while looking at it? How does this work?

Start with copywork - that is merely copying. When she can do that sufficiently, move onto dictation - where you read and she writes. Start with one sentence. When that comes easily, move onto two. Narration is different. This will be based on her ability to write. First she needs to understand how to do narration. (It's explaining the story in her own words.) So, she should do it orally to begin. Then, when it becomes easy and comfortable, she should do it written. She should not copy everything, nor should you dictate tons. She doesn't need to narrate everything or she'll grow to not read for joy. Do each a couple times per week and that is more than sufficient.

 

.

5. Power Glide or Rosetta Stone for spanish? Any comments on this would be most helpful

Rosetta Stone IMO

 

 

.

 

One final comment ...

Our home is a virtual pit of technology.

 

There is a television in nearly every room in the house.

 

Early this week, we unplugged her computer and put it in storage. Next, we removed the television from her room. We are in the process of moving all the "technology" to the basement, where she can use it in limited, earned increments.

 

Last night, my daughter fell asleep reading Greek Mythology and methodically writing her multiplication tables in a journal. She talked about Euripides over breakfast.

 

I could just cry.

 

Good! Because IMHO, I'm not sure you could train a mind classically with so many things to keep her from thinking!! Congrats!

 

And on the final note, make sure you don't overplan. It's very easy for new homeschoolers to decide on so much curriculum they do one of two things - they either bog down the child with so much work, or they burn out mama trying to plan 2,000 things. Start slow and with the basics, then build on as you go. Classical education can be much more intensive than what most children OR parents are ready for out of the gate. It's more than just doing sheet X or book 1. It's a whole concept of learning, teaching, and thinking.

[Harriet Vane]

[

 

:confused:

1. For grammar, we will be using the Rod & Staff curriculum. However, my daughter has no experience in diagramming. Do we supplement grammar with the First Whole Book of Diagrams and the Elementary Diagramming Worktext, or is this sufficiently covered in the Rod & Staff text? Rod and Staff contains simple, clear instructions. I think your dd will do just fine with R&S alone--more would be overkill.

 

:confused:

2. For spelling, we will begin with Spelling Workout C. Do we also need Vocabulary from Classical Roots, or should we wait to begin that series? I would wait. I think doing both would be redundant at this stage.

 

:confused:

3. For history, will the Story of the World texts progress chronologically with the Kingfisher Encyclopedia timeline, or will I need to "jump around" in order to meld these two programs? Will my daughter be missing out on map skills and data interpretation crucial to geography? Will I need to supplement these skills? SOTW gives page assignments from Kingfisher so it's all "meshed together" for you. SOTW also includes map work in each unit, relevant to what is being studied. I would try just SOTW to start. Later if you feel more geography is warranted it's easy to add that in as a special unit study.

 

:confused:

4. Dictation and Narration? Do I read a passage and have my daughter write it on paper, or does she simply copy a passage while looking at it? How does this work? She's probably old enough to write from what you dictate to her. She needs to try to fill in proper punctuation too. Afterward show her the original and discuss the differences in what she wrote vs what the original said.

 

:confused:

5. Power Glide or Rosetta Stone for spanish? Any comments on this would be most helpful. Definitely Rosetta Stone.

[Reya]

Neither RS nor Powerglide will give a very usable Spanish experience. She is old enough that I would do RS just as an intro to the language--NOT for credit--and then I would have her do Destinos from the Annenberg (sp) website and buy the text/workbook that goes along with it. I would use Platiquemos/Let's Talk Spanish alongside. Then, over the summer, I'd send her to a Spanish immersion day camp if there's one available.

 

I majored in Spanish, among other things, :-)

[Gretchen in NJ]

If your child has not diagrammed before, I would suggest First Language Lessons 3 or 4.

 

I do use and like Spelling Workout. I don't know your child, but level C might be a little too easy for her.

[Colleen in NS]

1. For grammar, we will be using the Rod & Staff curriculum. However, my daughter has no experience in diagramming. Do we supplement grammar with the First Whole Book of Diagrams and the Elementary Diagramming Worktext, or is this sufficiently covered in the Rod & Staff text?

 

:confused:

2. For spelling, we will begin with Spelling Workout C. Do we also need Vocabulary from Classical Roots, or should we wait to begin that series?

 

:confused:

3. For history, will the Story of the World texts progress chronologically with the Kingfisher Encyclopedia timeline, or will I need to "jump around" in order to meld these two programs? Will my daughter be missing out on map skills and data interpretation crucial to geography? Will I need to supplement these skills?

 

:confused:

4. Dictation and Narration? Do I read a passage and have my daughter write it on paper, or does she simply copy a passage while looking at it? How does this work?

 

:confused:

5. Power Glide or Rosetta Stone for spanish? Any comments on this would be most helpful.

 

R&S covers diagraming just fine. She'll get plenty of practice.

 

I'd do the vocab books after getting further in Spelling Workout.

 

Check here (scroll halfway down the page, look under the history and geography heading, and click on SOTW/KHE/UILEWH correlations) for SOTW all lined up with the Kingfisher book. I'd use SOTW as your spine, and use the KHE as part of the supplemental reading and to get dates for the timeline. Mapwork: is in the SOTW AG, but if you don't have the AG, you can also buy the Knowledge Quest blackline map set recommended in WTM grammar stage history - they're on CD ;) and you can print them off. They go with all four years of SOTW.

 

For all the help you'll ever need for copywork/dictation and narration, look at Writing With Ease chapters 3 and 4 here (scroll partway down to click on the chapters). This book will walk you through everything you need to know about teaching writing with copywork/dictation and narration. Then you can move on to outlining, once the foundation is in place.

 

Rosetta Stone for Spanish, only because I've read so many negative things about Power Glide. When you get a few years of classical style education under your belt, you might want to look into Spanish for Children or So You Really Want to Learn Spanish.

 

Welcome to the boards, and have fun! I loved reading about your daughter!

Edited February 20, 2009 by Colleen in NS