WTM style LA

[Emmy]

I'm sure this has been covered but LA is the thing that confuses me the most. :)

 

So if I'm doing....

 

Spelling workout

Reason for Handwriting

First Language Lessons

The Complete Writer

plus Readers of my choice

 

then I'm covered for LA right? It just seems like so much.....although honestly none of it (that we are using so far) takes very long, it's just a lot of balls to juggle it seems.

[Colleen in NS]

I'm sure this has been covered but LA is the thing that confuses me the most. :)

 

So if I'm doing....

 

Spelling workout

Reason for Handwriting

First Language Lessons

The Complete Writer

plus Readers of my choice

 

then I'm covered for LA right? It just seems like so much.....although honestly none of it (that we are using so far) takes very long, it's just a lot of balls to juggle it seems.

 

The idea of WTM LA is to cover:

 

-spelling

-handwriting

-grammar

-writing skills (copywork/dictation and narration help with this in the grammar stage years)

-reading and understanding what has been read (narration helps with this)

 

I know your first three choices cover the first three skills I mentioned, and your choice of readers covers reading. As for writing skills, I'm not familiar with The Complete Writer. At the ages of your kids, we do copywork/dictation and narration for writing and reading comprehension skills. SWB's Writing Without Fear CD really helped me to understand how to teach writing skills in the grammar years.

 

It is a lot of skills to cover and they will take time, but it will be worth it later on.

 

hth

[Beth in Central TX]

I think this is the question most homeschoolers will deal with at one point in time: What does [insert subject] look like in my homeschool? For me, I had to set goals in order to answer this question. Once I had goals set, then I had to prioritize those goals because there's not enough time to do all that I would like to get done and still have healthy, happy boys.

 

Many homeschoolers don't like to juggle all the different aspects of Language Arts, so they will fold the separate subjects like grammar into Latin (http://www.latincentered.com/). There are many different ways to do this as there are homeschoolers. My focus is more language arts driven so I continue with the separate subjects of grammar, spelling, and writing.

 

As you gain experience and confidence in homeschooling, you will better understand what will and won't work for you and your children. At first, it's mostly trial-and-error, but after awhile, you get into a routine and continue what you are doing, or you change it. We are finishing up our 5th year of homeschooling, and for the most part, I feel good about what I have planned. My biggest concerns involve my oldest son because it's always new with him. While he's my guinea pig, my other sons greatly benefit from his experience.

 

HTH!

[~Puddins~]

Emmy,

Your schedule looks a lot like ours. We are currently transitioning from a traditional approach to classical and I feel a lot like you do. I'm sorry I can't be much help in suggesting other things, but I wanted you to know that I'm right there with you trying to build a solid language foundation for my grammar aged children, yet feeling slightly lost :o

I have begun my son copy sentences that I've written out and that's nice because it's some thing he can do while I'm helping his younger brother.

Blessings on your day!

[Emmy]

Thanks for the responses!

 

I'm definitely still trying to find my fit on stuff like this. When I first homeschooled my oldest we just did OPG and ETC books (and readers of course). Then I transitioned into Winterpromise's LA and it just seemed like a big hassle (admittedly I tweak so much sometimes I think it's not's worth getting a "program" LOL). So then I went back to my WTM book and read everything again and said ok, I'm just going to do what it says. Spelling x minutes, reading x minutes, etc.

 

So we'll see. I'm not ready to think about latin I don't think. I was thinking I'd do that for 3rd grade......I'm still trying to get a handle on schooling 2 (although my 2nd son is Kinder so it's very light).

[Colleen in NS]

Thanks for the responses!

 

I'm definitely still trying to find my fit on stuff like this. When I first homeschooled my oldest we just did OPG and ETC books (and readers of course). Then I transitioned into Winterpromise's LA and it just seemed like a big hassle (admittedly I tweak so much sometimes I think it's not's worth getting a "program" LOL). So then I went back to my WTM book and read everything again and said ok, I'm just going to do what it says. Spelling x minutes, reading x minutes, etc.

 

So we'll see. I'm not ready to think about latin I don't think. I was thinking I'd do that for 3rd grade......I'm still trying to get a handle on schooling 2 (although my 2nd son is Kinder so it's very light).

 

You'll find your way.

 

I liked the overall philosophy and practicality of WTM so much that I've just followed most of the suggestions over the years. Each year and with each book or method suggestion, I glean a little more insight on what I am doing and why. Everything by the WTM authors that I have ever read has made so much practical sense to me, that I am content to keep going, trusting their advice, and keep trying the next thing even when it is daunting at first ("Latin in 3rd grade?? Are they crazy?? I don't know any Latin!" Now we are in the 2nd year of Latin study in 4th grade, and it's going well. Prima Latina turned out to be really easy for this non-Latin person to teach, and didn't take long each day).

 

The amount of minutes that WTM says to spend on each subject are just guidelines to begin with, and SWB has emphasized that many times, in the book, here on the forums, and apparently when she speaks at conventions. Also, you'll figure your way with using the resources recommended in WTM - for example, many people do the R&S English exercises orally with their kids, instead of having them write everything out, because it's a better way to see if the child understands the grammar concepts.

 

I'm not crazy about "programs." I like the way history, science, and literature are laid out in WTM because it's so flexible, yet the child is practicing the reading and writing skills within the methods - not to mention learning tons of fun stuff.

 

I love WTM because it boils everything down to the skills that need to be learned, and shows how the skills can be practiced on a wide variety of information.

 

BTW, if you can't do Latin in 3rd grade, it's OK. :) You could shoot for 4th grade. But you never know, you could have a lot more confidence earlier than you think. :)

 

Enjoy.

[Emmy]

Thanks Colleen! I totally agree about liking the flexibility of how things are laid out in WTM. I am really enjoying that. I appreciate your message. :)

[Another Lynn]

Emmy, I have appreciated your thread very much. My oldest is 3rd grade and I feel like I'm still figuring out my approach to LA. When he was K, I thought I knew exactly how I would teach him to read. It did not go smoothly, so I adjusted and we got over the hump. Then I thought I knew how I would do spelling. It did not yield success. So I adjusted. etc. etc. I will say his reading has finally really "taken off" (can't pull the book out of his hands, LOL!), so now I'm trying to sort out my ideas about writing. I can't wait for to see The Complete Writer/Writing With Ease. I think it's really what I need! (BTW, I had Latin in high school and have no fear of it, but I keep putting it off each year anyway. Opposite of some folks, I've decided I want him to have a strong foundation in grammar and THEN apply that to the Latin. At this point I'm thinking we will probably start it in 5th.)

 

I think you're off to a stronger start than I was. I didn't read the WTM until after I started and I originally had biases against some of it for awhile. The further I go, the more I value it (not that I follow it very accurately :) )

 

I totally agree with you about LA being a lot to juggle!

 

Isn't it fun?!