Posted by: MomofBunbun Apr 5 2006, 05:54 PM

If you have used Pathway Readers, have you used the workbooks? What is in them reading comp questions or is it grammar or something else. Do I need the TE? What is in that?

I am torn between using Pathway Readers next year and LLATL. We will be doing 2nd grade but I also have a 1st grader (who is well on her way to finishing the 100 EZ Lessons before Sept). I was thinking FLL for grammar, A Reason for Spelling B, Handwriting W/O Tears and Pathway Readers as our LA curriculum because I feel that I could do that with both the 1st and 2nd grader on the same level. However, I'm still not sure about not doing LLATL. My feeling about that (LLATL) is that if I have to supplement anyway, I might just go with something else entirely. Any suggestions?

Posted by: Sharilyn Apr 5 2006, 09:36 PM

I didn't stick with the PR workbooks and wish I had.
The early books you could probably do without a TE but later you might want them. There's not much instruction with the TE, it's more of an answer key. After about 3rd grade we dropped the workbooks and just stuck to reading the books. My daughter loved them. I made the mistake though of letting her guide me in the fact she didnt' want (like) the workbooks and I dropped it. My mistake. Had we stuck with that I don't think there would have been a need for LLATL which is what we've been using this year. Inbetween PR and LLATL we used a couple years of A&O Lifepacs for LA.
Hope this helps some.

Posted by: wings Apr 5 2006, 09:45 PM

We really have enjoyed them. They are high on vocabulary and comprehension. They are simple and plain and straight to the point. Not our faith of course so we didn't use all the stories in the older grades but loved the common sense stories in the younger levels.

Ber

Posted by: Donna Apr 5 2006, 11:47 PM

I have the two teacher's books for: Building Our Lives and Living Together. I don't remember what grade level these are.

They are most definitely comprehension. Questions are asked some are fill in the blank and some require complete sentences. in some places the child is told to number sentences in the order that they happened in the story. From what I see by looking at them, words from the stories are also studied in a few ways... definitions, syllabications..etc... and in the book, which is probably for the older child, prefixes and suffixes are also covered.

I see no grammar.


Oh yes.. I forgot to say that the teacher's books that I have were necessary for the answers (makes checking work painless)..However, there are no details explaining things.. just answers. I can't speak for a 1st or 2nd grade one though. I don't know what is in them.

Posted by: Sherinova Apr 6 2006, 12:13 AM

Each chapter has 2 workbook pages. The 1st is 'Working With Words' to be done prior to the reading and covers the vocabulary. There are anywhere from 6-15 vocabulary words. The accompanying questions vary and here are a few examples:
A word that ends with "st".
A word that has a short "I".
A word that rhymes with Dad.
A word with two syllables.
Also on this page there may be a fill in the missing letters exercise, tell how many syllables in a word, or other fill in the blank sentences.

Then there is a 'Thinking About the Story' workbook page to be done after the reading. There is quite a variety of reading comp questions, ordering the events of the story, rewriting the sentences correctly.....

I would say grammar is implied at best. The questions may ask 'Which words are something a horse can do?' or 'Which of these words to not name someone?' and I'm only seeing these type of questions on the reviews. But it would be easy to add that in as you go along.

This is from the 1st grade level Days Go By and More Days Go By.

I hope the examples help.

Posted by: MomofBunbun Apr 6 2006, 10:09 AM

Thanks everyone, that helps.

Posted by: chocolatelover Apr 11 2006, 01:13 PM

Does anyone have a book report form for little ones to use.

Or give me an idea where I could find one.



Thanks.

Posted by: foxchild Apr 11 2006, 01:17 PM

I have downloaded several and saved them to my computer but I am having trouble remembering where I found them. Let me see if I can locate the site.

Posted by: Sammi Apr 11 2006, 01:45 PM

What age?

Posted by: foxchild Apr 11 2006, 02:06 PM

Yes. I finally found it. The forms start at Kindergarden and go up through 6 with 12 listed as coming soon.

http://www.lovetolearnplace.com/BookReports/BookReport.html

Hope this helps. Now I need to bookmark the site and mark it so I keep it.

Posted by: chocolatelover Apr 11 2006, 11:59 PM

All ages......
Gaby is 7
John is 5
Natalie is 3

I know Natalie won't be doing book reports but I would like to get her use to the idea.
John will need alot of help, but again I want to get him use to the idea of book reports.
I want Gaby to begin doing them next year....

So all ages.....
Or at least K through age 9????

Susan, Thank you so much..
That site is great.....they even teach you the whys of book reporting..
I wish I would have known all of that when I had to do book reports.

Posted by: foxchild Apr 12 2006, 01:19 PM

Me too. I love the kindergarden book report form. I think they are wonderfull and Timothy is going to start on them this school year too. I am going to have him do at least a couple. His dad reads to him everynight, so he can use those books for the reports.

Posted by: TiffinKY Apr 12 2006, 06:44 PM

That is a wonderful link! I love to read, but it's been so long since I've written a book report that I was struggling on how to help teach the kids how.

Posted by: carmatlock Apr 23 2006, 12:54 PM

this is a very neat idea. . .love it. . .and the site. Thanks for sharing

Posted by: mom23 Aug 27 2004, 05:55 PM

I like the idea of schooling first thing in the morning, while everyone is fresh and motivated. The problem is, for my family, it is vital to get outside for a couple of hours every day. And it is oh-so hot and sticky by 11 around here. So in order to wear the toddlers out, we really have to get outside after breakfast. I tried afternoon schooling last year but it didn't work out well at all, mainly because DD would be pretty mouthy and also because I couldn't seem to maintain a consistent afternoon schedule. This year, both toddlers nap at the same time, after lunch, around 12:30, so I should be able to arrange school around their nap. Are there tricks to p.m. schooling that I need to know about? Maybe schooling in the afternoon goes against the very grain of children, in general, and is a lost cause?

-Lisa

Posted by: DeborahinOR Aug 27 2004, 06:28 PM

Hi Lisa,
No one in my family is a morning person. I've tried in our six years to do what sounds like what most people do (or perhaps it just gets more press?): get up early and get school done by lunch. First of all, none of do well if we wake up to an alarm. Second, none of starts to really think until after lunch. So, I let everyone wake up on their own and we start school about an hour after the last person is up. We all seem to need some time to truely wake up before we can think. This year my ds, who just turned 14, started putting himself to bed at 10 pm. He says that's when he starts to feel tired. Dd (who's 12) and I stay up until 11-12. We are all up by 9 and we start our day at 10. This means that we do most of our schooling in the afternoon and evening.

The trick I've found is to tell them what I want done that day and let them decide how much to work on at a time. As they've gotten older they've learned things about themselves and how they have to work. For example: both have to do Math first thing. If they leave it to later they don't have the patience or energy to do it well. Ds needs more breaks. He works on two subjects and has a 15 minute break. Dd prefers to do half of her day and then take a longer break. 15 minute breaks are a waste of time to her.

We take breaks to get the things in life done and finish school around them. Sometimes they're done by 4pm. Sometimes they do most of their school and finish after dinner. Sometimes we have so many interuptions (like yesterday) school is spread out all day. We schooled from 10-12, 2-4, 7-8 and ds took his history to bed with him. It sounds gruelling, but all three of us thought it was a great day.

It sounds like afternoon schooling may work for your family. Getting out first thing when it's cool and schooling when the toddlers are resting sounds ideal. If last year was your first, I'd say stick with it. Some of the mouthy-ness and maintaining a consistent schedule will fall into place, but will take time.

My kids came out of public school, so we had a lot to overcome the first 1-3 years.

Hang in there. Try it again this year and I think it will fall into place.

Posted by: AKHomemom Aug 27 2004, 09:10 PM

We do school beginning around 9-10 in the moring to about 12-12:30 then take about 1hr for lunch and school for about 1-2 more hours. While my kids don't like doing stuff in the AM I'm wasted by about 3pm so we have to work w/what works best. I try to have the stuff that will need the most instruction from me done in the morning or right after lunch when I am able to do this. Then the stuff they can do alone or w/little help from me I have them do later.

I'd love to start school about 8-8:30 but I'd never get them up in time w/o getting a bad attitude from their lack of energy/sleep. See I'm a morning bird in a house of 3 night owls (3rd is DH).

I'd say do what does work best for YOUR family and forget about everyone else.

Posted by: shelbygt Aug 27 2004, 09:27 PM

we are all night owls here, expect i have to be a morning person because of work.

DS does most of his school work in the afternoon and evening. he will do about an hour or so with DH during the afternoon and then he gets a break until i get home from work. DS and I then do about 1 or 2 hours more. Some days go very well and some days dont go well at all, like today is a very bad day. DS is mouthy, disrespectful the whole nine yards and he hasnt done one page of work yet (it is 10:25pm here) DS has been grounded to his room until morning so today has been scrapped.

I agree with AKHomemom.... do what is best for your family. This is one of wonderful things about homeschooling.... no set schedules to follow.....

Posted by: sumi Aug 27 2004, 10:08 PM

I have a question. Once the boys get into doing something other than school in the mornings it is really hard to pull them away to start school. That's why schooling first thing is often easier for us. But with the new baby, and lack of sleep...the boys are often up before I am, and starting school at around 10 or 11 would be more practical. How do you get the kids into school-mode when they are already in play-mode?

Posted by: ELSANNE Aug 28 2004, 07:51 AM

I am forced to be a morning person by my dog (drooling Great Pyrenees) who HAS to go out somewhere between 5:30 and 6:00 every day or she smacks her dog lips by my head on my pillow. Don't need an alarm clock. This has given me about 1-1/2 to 2 hours for me and my coffee. I find I really need this for some reason.... Kids get up around 8 or 8:30, and after wake-up time, breakfast, a couple morning chores, we usually start school around 9:30 or sometimes 10. We take about 45 minutes for lunch and usually finish all school work by 2. I don't think I could make it much past 3:00 every day. By then the pub school is out and the kids are so distracted by their friends being done that they can't concentrate. I do have to enforce a bedtime of 9:30 at the latest, or my daughter wouldn't be up until 11:00am every day. She needs about an hour of wake up time too, and by then it would be time for lunch.
I wanted to be one of the moms who could spring out of bed with everything prepared for the upcoming school day, wake kids at 6:30 with pancakes and sausages ready and the clothes laid out from the night before, etc. They would joyfully accomplish all of their tasks for the day and we would be done by noon. That isn't our reality, however. So our actual schooling is about 9:30 - 2 or 3. The great thing about homeschooling is we can all do what works for us. I love it!

Anne

Posted by: CelticMuse Aug 28 2004, 09:05 AM

we manuver our school schedule around my work schedule at least until I'm able to quit. (praying it will be soon)

Noah usually does better in the mornings but he is starting to be able to learn at anytime of the day. I try to do math and phonics/reading early in the day then we do bible, history and science in the evening. But we don't do the experiments until whenever(sometimes we just don't do them) But this year I think I'm going to do them on Saturday morning. We also don't do any writing in the evening yet. I just make him narrate back to me. Although I write I don't make him do it. Writing is very hard for him still..........


It will all work out just be patient and keep your children's interest at heart. Oh yes, I almost forgot~ you have to be stern enough to make them work when you want them to. But that is not any different in the morning vs afternoon/evening for homeschooler's.

Posted by: CareyJ Aug 28 2004, 09:06 AM

I love hearing about everyone's reality! Makes me feel better... we didn't do too well last year.

This year we will try to get up earlier, and get going asap. If I don't, dd gets distracted and it is nigh impossible to get started any earlier than 11:00, then pretty soon it's lunchtime and I'm wasted by 1:30 or 2:00!

So the plan is
#1 I'm not allowed to use the computer till night time!!!! This was the biggest time waster for me, I NEED ya'll but I also really need to get school done. Then at night I can visit here with a clear conscience.

Then I think all else will fall into place, dd is usually pretty compliant and likes to hs, though she does miss her "friends" at ps.

Posted by: dilandcamsmom Aug 28 2004, 09:51 AM

I am glad to hear how everyone works this out. We start our mornings at 7 am and school at 9 am. We are usually done by 1 pm or so. He takes only a small break and then eats lunch afterwards. I make adjustments in the schedule as needed especially since the little one has been so sick. Yesterday I tried letting him wait until around 3 or so to do a math test and what a mess. I agree, he has a hard time switching from play mode to school mode so mornings do work best here, at least for now. Thanks

Posted by: mamamia Aug 28 2004, 10:51 AM

I thought I would add our . Last year I had the kids start school by 10 am and we took a lunch at noon and then continued to work for another hour or two. This worked very well for us. We had no problems what so ever.
This year, however, with moving and all, it seems my kids have gotten totally off schedule. They are more cranky in the mornings and are just completely brain dead if you ask me. I said to my dh that I am not even going to try to do school in the mornings this year!
I now start school right after lunch. Lunch is served at noon and when they are done they can play until 1 pm. At 1 pm we start school and get done in time to welcome dh home and have dinner on the table. Afternoon school is going so much more smoothly than mornings. I have no crankiness and no attitudes and if I do get attitudes dh is home just in time for dealing with them
I do however have those times where they are outside playing and are just so involved with what they are doing that I just let them play. I mean, after all, how often do all of your kids get along? When mine do I just let them play until the argueing starts and then it's school time

Posted by: Donna Aug 28 2004, 11:03 AM

It doesn't matter when a person starts, as long as they start at some point and their schedule doesn't make them crazy.

I was raised to believe early is best for everything, but I don't believe that it is true for everyone or everything. If afternoons or evenings works best, then a family shouldn't feel strange or guilty about not starting in the morning. I think feeling like we're 'doing it wrong' is just a result of the 'early to bed, early to rise' idealism. Of course old Ben didn't have to work 3rd shift, did he.

Posted by: DeborahinOR Aug 28 2004, 04:21 PM

QUOTE (mamamia @ Aug 28 2004, 08:51 AM)

I do however have those times where they are outside playing and are just so involved with what they are doing that I just let them play. I mean, after all, how often do all of your kids get along? When mine do I just let them play until the argueing starts and then it's school time

Gina,
When my two came home from public school, they fought constantly. When they had times of getting along, I did this same thing. It actually helped their relationship a great deal. Now that we've been home for 6 years and they are 12 and 14 they fight rarely. A miracle I didn't think possible!

Posted by: DeborahinOR Aug 28 2004, 04:27 PM

QUOTE (CareyJ @ Aug 28 2004, 07:06 AM)

So the plan is #1 I'm not allowed to use the computer till night time!!!! This was the biggest time waster for me, I NEED ya'll but I also really need to get school done. Then at night I can visit here with a clear conscience.

Carey,

Our computer crashed so I have an imposed one hour a day limit at the library Tues-Sat. What a difference it makes in my day. I had no idea how much time I spent on the computer.

Due to finances, we cancelled our cable (it came with the Internet we couldn't use anyway) and haven't gotten an antennae yet. Another time devourer!

We've never been without either computer or TV and we're living a different life. I miss both and don't want to be without forever, but it's been a good test...for the adults. The kids have handled the change much better than us!

Posted by: mom23 Aug 28 2004, 06:16 PM

Thanks, everyone! I like seeing that other families can make it work. I like the school after lunch idea. I could have DD start some work while I get the boys down for their nap, or even just start at 1, when they are already asleep. I just realized that this will even work out better on the days we run errands, as we usually are gone in the morning.

Oh, I also have to really limit my internet time. We only have dial-up, which is very slow since the phone lines are iffy out here in the sticks. I try not to be too hard on myself about it, though, because I don't really have any neighbors, and the only adult I see five days a week is DH!

Anyway, thanks for the ideas and encouragement!

-Lisa

Posted by: mamamia Aug 28 2004, 07:17 PM

Donna- I think you are so right. I think that most of us have been taught that doing things in the morning is the best way to go. I have always felt guilty about not getting my chores and errands done before noon... I'm not sure why but it always made me feel like I was a slaker. Well, Now I have just realized that sometimes it is impossible to get everything done in the mornings! I have started to feel less guilty and more "normal"
I used to be very strict about the kids doing their work in the mornings and being done after lunch but I say as long as they get it done before I go to bed then it is fine by me. If we do school at 11pm then so what, it works for us. I don't think we should set a limit to ourselves. Being homeschool moms our schedule change daily at times and if you try to stick to one set time limit then you just might make yourself crazy.

This has taken me a year to find out

As homeschoolers our motto should be " You live and you learn"

Don't look back on mistakes.

Posted by: MomofBunbun Aug 28 2004, 10:26 PM

We do a little bit in the morning and a little more when the youngest takes her nap in the afternoon. We are only doing K this year and so I feel better if we do an hour total each day. I am hoping that this prepares me for next year or the year after when there will be more that has to be done.

I know someone who primarily does it in the evenings. Due to circumstances beyond her control, she has to work a couple of days a week and on those days, the lessons get done after dinner. Whatever works, right?

Lynn

Posted by: hsmom64 Aug 30 2004, 01:41 AM

QUOTE

I tried afternoon schooling last year but it didn't work out well at all, mainly because DD would be pretty mouthy and also because I couldn't seem to maintain a consistent afternoon schedule.

Have you considered "quiet time" for everyone after lunch. Then a good snack before schooling? Maybe you were dealing with tiredness and low blood sugar by the afternoon.
No schedule works great for me so this is just a guess. I was advised to have a quiet time where everyone stayed on their beds and read or did something quiet for 45 minutes right after lunch. No need to try to sleep.

Posted by: mom-to-five Aug 30 2004, 07:10 AM

We do it mostly in the mornings because I work in the afternoon and evenings. But when I have days off we sometimes end up doing it in the evening. I am usually "spent" by the time my days off roll around and need time to "recoop" so we spend the day just having fun(or doing any errands or library stuff) and then in the evening get the other stuff done. I have to agree with Donna, it does not really matter when you start just as long as you do and you get it done.

Posted by: Ranchermom Aug 30 2004, 12:06 PM

In the morning we are too busy with farm/ranch chores (whole family) and getting dressed and eating breakfast. AFter her chores, Daughter will usually work on her basics alone like Reading so many chapters, her cursive writing and studying for spelling test or doing some sort of computer problem in the mornings.

Later in the afternoon after lunch we do our main school work. Its like the hottest time of the day for us in the summer and we are thankful to have airconidtioning so its nice to be inside, at our old house we only had airconditioning in one room so we did everything in that room. Daughter wants to get things done by 3pm cause of her cartoons coming on or her neighbor friends coming home from school that she wants to play with. She has incentive to finish up early or no tv or friends.

Sam

Posted by: hsmomforjesus Aug 30 2004, 06:08 PM

Since I have toddlers as well as school age kids, I tried doing school in the afternoon, but it did not work well for us because I would fall asleep reading to them....I am a morning person and most of my kids are too, the latest waking up about 7:30. So morning is best for us. Today we were done with all school work by 1:30 !!! Wahooooo!!! So then we had quiet reading time for 1 hr and baked some zuchini bread, and I took a 15 min nap! What a good day!

Posted by: labellady Aug 30 2004, 07:10 PM

I homeschool two boys and I have found that schedules are hard to keep. My oldest has speech and occupational thearpy two days a week. So some days I do mornings and some days afternoons. I think they like the change in pace from day to day.

Posted by: mimzie Mar 31 2006, 04:20 PM

Zachary is the only one really doing school right now (he's 6) but even that is hard to do sometimes. Its like pulling teeth lately! We had a LONG spring break because of sickness and this was the first week (minus Monday,I was sick) that we've really been able to do anything but it's been horrible just trying to get him to sit and read his book! We are mainly doing reading right now and that's pretty much it, math is an every day thing but we dont actually sit and do it. We have a lot to cover still but its so hard to do it?

He's in 1st but I'm wondering if I should really buckle down right now or let him finish the year like this? Yeah he's learning and all that but could learn SOOO much more if we buckled down. Is asking a hyper 6yr old to buckle down too much though?? We homeschool because I know he couldnt handle a regular school setting with sitting there for 8hrs a day and all that. So I guess I need advice from others that went thru the hyper 1st grade LOL Is it ok to start buckling down next year? Or should we do it this year? When?? help! I feel like such a homeschool failure because we cant even get an hour of school done a day!!! (sitting time)

It seems kinda hard now though because of the little ones (just turned 3 and 1) but then I think I shouldnt use that as an excuse, many mothers have 2 little ones or more! Help please! Would love to hear advice and BTDT and what you did!

Rachel

Posted by: cctabb Mar 31 2006, 04:45 PM

Ahhh, Rachael. We are having the same problem here. We were off all last week and most of this week. There isn't much more to do really, but we need to do something. We started doing work on Tuesday but then it got warm here. All the snow is gone, the yard is mostly dry and the temps are in the 50's. She has been wanting outside. I've got to get dd started again memorizing addition tables. I have to keep reminding myself that she is a young six and only "supposed" to be in K this year. So I'll put everything down for the last two days as P.E.

Hopefully we will get some reading done today and each day of the weekend then buckle down starting Monday. Do you want to "keep tabs" on me so to speak? And I can check in with you Monday and see how much you guys have gotten done. Let me know.

Posted by: mom-to-five Mar 31 2006, 04:51 PM

Rachel,
First of all take a deep breathe!!

Second of all here is a

I guess my question would be what do think you will accomplish by buckling down? And what exactly does buckling down mean to you? It does not have to mean sitting for 8 hours a day!! It sure sound like you have your hands full with 2 other little ones running around.

Also this is just my 2 cents but my 5 year will be 6 in sept. and we are barely doing kindergarten... I really do not have to legally report to anyone until he is 6 so I do not have to do anything as far as that goes until the end of next school year.. so I decided to take it really slow and just let him enjoy being a little boy... I mean yes he is learning but not really formally yet. I know some might now agree with it I think kids grow up so fast and as long as he is happy healthy and learning I am happy.... thats just my little old 2 cents!!!

Posted by: mimzie Mar 31 2006, 05:33 PM

cctabb That may help us both! What will we plan to accomplish though?? LOL Zac needs to work on addition tables too so maybe that. We havent really done any of them yet We just work on a lot of mental math right now. We are using the Robinson Curriculum and have just started the 1st book, cant go further til we finish it but we arent finishing it!

mom-to-five Thank you for your words!! Honestly I keep thinking I just need to let him have fun right now. We are in Texas and it's been 80 here so they go outside a LOT! And in Tx I do not have to report anything so I dont have to worry about getting in trouble. I guess I just feel we should be doing more because other ppl are, does that make sense ? LOL I wonder if he will be behind because we arent keeping up kinda thing.

Zachary will be 7 in May so by age, he should be doing the work but be gender.. well.. he's a boy! LOL I've read a lot that boys arent really ready to buckle down til 8, but is it safe to wait that long? Is it safe not to? By all rights I could but will brain developement hurt things because it wasnt use to doing it? That's the main thing I worry about, if I wait another year will the brain have matured past the beginning of learning?

I've also heard ppl say "Train a child til they are 7 and then it will be instinct" I think many of the nazi's use to do that didnt they or something like that? My mom was telling me about it where the nazi's (or someone like that) would teach a child to think a certain way (religion or something) and at 7 they would no longer have to do it because they would automatically do it so of course that has gone into my thinking with homeschool. If I let him continue past 7, will he then just procastinate because for the first 7yrs of his life he didnt have to do it? Which I know on his 7th bday a magic fairy isnt going to come along and make him stop thinking or anything LOL But I just worry it holds true with learning?

Sorry this sounds like ramblings from a lunitic! LOL

Rachel

Posted by: sumi Mar 31 2006, 06:00 PM

I dunno about the 7 thing...

From someone who has been there and done that... my advice would be to check your own motivation for not buckling down.

I'm a classic avoider...I tend to talk myself out of dealing with tough situations. Last year, when it became tough to have a baby and homeschool 3 boys it was easy for me to grasp on to the whole..."they learn at their own pace...boys need more time to be ready..." thing. Really it was a way of letting myself off the hook so I won't have to knuckle down in some areas of their schooling. The year wasn't a dismal failure, but if I am brutally honest with myself I have to concede that the middle boy was ready and could have been further along with his reading, and the little one in his handwriting, had I been more faithful. Oh, I sound like a terrible mother now ...but for the most part I was just a very overwhelmed one.

Homeschooling with little ones is not easy. There will be times you will have to force some issues with your children. When you'll have to stand your ground and be the "mean mom" even when everything inside you wants to give in. They may resist you innitially but once they see you mean business things will become easier as they fall into a routine of sorts.

My middle boy didn't keep up with his age group in some areas...and I regret not being more consistent when I was able to.

You know I am just sharing my perspective with you, and I'm not saying that you are like me. But if you search your motives you will know...are you really giving the boy a well-needed break or are you giving yourself one at his expense?

I'm sorry this is such a tough post. I wish I had one like this last year when I needed to knuckle down but grabbed onto every excuse in the book not to.

Posted by: hs4hmom Mar 31 2006, 06:06 PM

Try reading "Better Late than Early" by Robert and Dorothy Moore. I personally believe we are asking too much of our children too soon. I'm not talking about when kids are ready, but pushing them before they are ready. It really opened my eyes to what my objective really was. I asked myself did I want my 4th grader reading at grade level--and hating it? or did I want her to love reading.
And, I'll date myself here, but when I was in K it was like a socializing time--learning to get along with others. My kiddos were learning in K what I didn't learn until 1st and even 2nd grade. Kids of my generation were graduating high school at what might be considered 2nd year college now. Schools are dumbing down and I feel this need to do more earlier and faster is part of the problem.
So, while I do ask of my kids, I consider their abilities. My nearly 11 yo is re-doing 4th grade this year because when she started K in ps at age 5, she was not really ready. It has been a struggle to keep her up with where she "should be" and so I just made the decision to back up with her. We don't make a big deal of what "grade" she's in, but if she wants to call herself 5th grade, what do I care? Some of her work is 5th grade level--just not all of it. She's progressing and that's really the name of the game.
Anyway, maybe you've got a little spring fever going on and need to take a quick break.
Good luck.

Posted by: sumi Mar 31 2006, 06:17 PM

I totally agree with this and I am frustrated at how the trend in education is on bragging about what the kids know...(my kid learned all of the states and capitals in first grade....wow, he must be soooo clever!) when the vital foundational skills that supports the learning often goes so lacking. I believe in taking time to get the foundation down firmly...so don't get me wrong, I am not against delayed learning in the least, I am actually very much for it.


I think this is key... being aware where your children are at and requiring them to step up to a challenge that they are actually capable of doing.

I just mean to say that I wish I had been more consistent last year. It is probably unfair of me to assume that anyone is like me in my tendency to avoid things once they become too difficult...and I am embarrassed to admit everything I've said in my post, ...really baring my soul here...but I do wish that I had been more honest with myself last year and that I had been more tough on myself and on the boys.

Posted by: Dr. Pepper Mar 31 2006, 07:25 PM

This is my spin .... why not enjoy the beautiful weather now except for reading every day and when it is 110 outside in August begin home schooling full throttle?

Posted by: mimzie Mar 31 2006, 08:45 PM

Sumi Dont 2nd guess yourself cause you SOOO hit the nail on the head!! lol I do tend to give in because I dont want to push too much, it makes for a horrible day when I push and push and push and then I sit and think "Ok, I've been mean, I've buckled down and he's sitting there......doing his work..every bit... fuming mad, not soaking in a dang thing cause I made him mad.. so what was the point in that??"

As I read your post, I related to every single bit of it thinking "Yep, thats what I'm doing..."

hs4hmom I saw that book a few weeks/months ago and feel that is the way it should be so then I wonder, "Am I not buckling down because I really dont want to right now because of his age?" I havent read the book yet, I just read about it and about the concept and all that and am a true believer in every bit of it but... my child is almost 7 and cant read a chapter book yet!! Even though I want to follow that concept I worry ... well now thinking about it, I worry more about what others will think mainly which I know I shouldnt.

I've read a lot about schools and all that and you are all so right, years ago school was so much more. Todays schools arent even as good as they were 10yrs ago when I was in highschool! What will they be in 10yrs when MY kids are in highschool 20yrs after I graduated?? ACK!!

My grandmother has a 5th grade education, she had to quit school to raise her siblings (she's like 80+) and you would NEVER know that woman never went to even junior high cause there isnt a thing she doesnt know. She's always reading so obviously she either had enough education in the 5yrs she went or she taught herself a lot? Nowadays if a child quit in 5th grade.... .. yikes!

Anyway, I think I have a LOT of thinking to do, I really want to wait with my kids too but honestly even though my kids arent reading way above level yet and all that, they do know a lot of other things. My 4yr old knows all 7 continents!! She memorized them shortly after her 4th bday. My 6yr old LOVES building things (does so daily) and is always exploring things, figuring out how they work etc SO I guess I need to look at it all, they are not sitting around watching tv all day (they hardly watch tv, no cable here lol) so they are constantly learning other things and that's all that matters I guess. I just need to relax and let them be kids. I guess I just needed some encouraging words from others that feel the same way. Thanx for all the help

Dr. Pepper, you are so right too, its always way too hot in the summer so we can get some good schooling in then too! lol I'm going to try not to worry so much about it!

Rachel

Posted by: hs4hmom Mar 31 2006, 09:31 PM

Rachel,
John Rosemond--remember Child's Bill of Rights posted a while back??? Well, he said years ago that a child that went to pre-school and a child that stayed home until starting kindergarten were pretty much even academically by the time they were in third grade.
When a child is older and a little better able to grasp concepts, it will be a quick 1-2-3 thing for them to learn rather than struggle trying to learn something before they are mature enough to handle it.
Robert Moore feels a child should have no more than a few basics until they are in the age range of 8-12 years of age. It's a maturity thing. It's not that you should do nothing, but that you should be limiting the amount of paperwork he does. More activity-oriented type things. He even breaks down age groups and what he thinks they should be doing and why they should be doing it. He's very family-oriented in his philosophy, which I like as well.
It's hard not to give in to the ps timetable of when something is done, but I do try to resist it. Because people do ask my kids questions that they feel the kids should know the answer to--and most times the kids know the answer but mainly they don't like it (the intrusiveness of people). I still struggle with this one because it puts the kids and myself on the spot and none of us likes it.
And you know, it may just all click with him one day for no apparent reason. My 14yodd struggled through public school every year until after the Christmas break and then the lightbulb went on. All the extra work at home, summer school every summer--none of it made any difference. She was on her own timetable. Still is for that matter.
And you certainly don't want to damage the love of learning by forcing simply because it's done at this time somewhere else.
Good luck

Posted by: Sherinova Mar 31 2006, 09:36 PM

Just throwing my in here at the end. Both my boys had a lax first grade and they are fine. I'm quite certain we wouldn't be any further along than we are right now if I had really pushed them.

Posted by: cctabb Mar 31 2006, 10:05 PM

How about this: each child (6 year olds) have to read one book that is at their level, we mom's have to read a slightly higher than grade level storybook to the kids, and some form of math - whatever is comfortable for each child.

Posted by: mimzie Mar 31 2006, 10:44 PM

Ok sounds like a plan! He is using the McGuffeys Primer right now, he reads thru it fine now (He actually figured out how to read with this book) so I guess we'll do a page or two of that if we can.

We've also been reading Treasure Island, 1 chapter at a time, it's a kid version, not sure what grade level but each chapter is *maybe* 3-5 pages per chapter, has pictures so really not full pages of words. Is that an ok book to read to them or you think it's way over his head? I guess it doesnt matter since I'm reading it? I'm really lost on grade level reading too, the books with just a few words he doesnt like reading cause they are too babyish to him? I guess in 1st grade that is too babyish? We have TONS of books but I'd have to search and search and search to find out what grade level they are.. is there an easy way to figure it out? And also, he doesnt know sight words (He's learning them as we go) We never liked the whole memorizing words so we never did it so that throws in a few blocks there, not too bad, I'd rather do it this way than have him memorizing 200+ words by sight right now.

And yes, I think we do a lot of unschooling but I'm really afraid to call it that... why? I dont know.. I guess for what others will think! LOL but just a few mins ago he made a book, no words til the end and he wrote "No" "Yes" (like on starfall... "Did you like this book?") He is always doing stuff like that, making books or making whatever. Sometimes he'll put words in them, sometimes not and he'll try to sound them out (never seeing the word before) and does a pretty good job. Maybe I could have him make a book a day to keep up the learning? He'll love that! Anyway, every day we do stuff, making books or sounding out words, just nothing to show for it really cause we never SIT and do it, but we do stuff like this ALL day long (even right now as I'm typing he's making a "flyer" I guess, he stapled a baby picture of himself on a paper and he put "Kiss" and "I Luv" cause we are gonna go to walmart and get him a girlfriend he said LOL )

Anyway, I better go, cant even concentrate, he's asking a million questions (see why my post are always scadder brained? LOL)

Rachel

Posted by: cctabb Apr 1 2006, 12:20 PM

I'll try to report to you here as we go through the day.

Treasure Island should be fine. I've found that my dd doesn't sit still, but she does listen to what I am reading. For a while I though I was wasting my time because of all the fidgeting, playing, etc that happened while I was reading. But then I got the idea to ask her about what I read when it was over. Open ended questions didn't work. I had to ask specific leading questions. I got specific answers.

I have no clue about grade level reading and what determines it. I figure that if she can read the book with no problems it is just below grade level. If she can read one with a few prompts for new words than she is reading a book at grade level. If I have to prompt her for more than 4 or 5 a page then it is above grade level. Sight words have always been a bit of a problem for us. It is getting better as she gets more fluent, but there are days when she forgets the word "the."

I'm personally not a fan of sight reading (doulch? reading). I perfer a phonics type program of some sort. That way if the word wasn't memorized the child will have the tools to sound it out to get it.

If you don't want to call what you do "unschooling" than go with "eclectic." That is what we do (and probably most homeschoolers) I try very hard to follow a classical curriculum, but it doesn't always happen. We have many unschooling days and days that we just read a bit. Then I'll have a big push to finish up workbook pages and "assigned" activities/projects. (One reason we are doing away with most workbooks next year!) I have to remember to count the days that I let dd sit in front of her computer with her educational software. At the ages our kids are they are always learning - even if it isn't formal school.

Posted by: cornerstone Apr 2 2006, 02:29 PM

Lets face it boys would rather be out playing then inside doing boring schoolwork. My boys are men now but I remember those days. That bike in the laneway was a zillion times more interesting then the math lesson. We use to go for adventures via bike or walks and park under a tree and do a page of math or read a book together. We had a packed snack and chocolate milk in used ketchup bottles.My sons remember this so well. They said it was great fun........because it wasn't in a classroom setting ( home).

Posted by: tabv Apr 3 2006, 02:28 PM

My boys are like this too... Michael is my example right now. He is NOW in third grade, was reading at age 4, so I thought we'd skip ahead and such and be doing academic bookwork immediately. Well, he's a boy, and he's all boy, and he knows his own mind. We fought and fought. I went back to more unschooling and learning form everything around us, with no requirements...

And he's still reading wonderfully, he's ahead of his grade level, even though this is the first year we've done a whole lot of bookwork each day, and he's excelling and very self motivated.

We did hardly anything for K, 1, or 2. Sure, we learned, but it really was up to all of us what we did or when we did it.

Just letting you know of successes and not problems with just backing off and letting him be your guide, especially this young.

My now 7 year old started reading just before he turned 7, and while he isn't as far ahead as his older brother, he is still doing great with whatever I put in front of him, still trying to keep it very low key and laid back.

He is taking more initiative now with Michael doing so much that looks so cool, and I think that helps.

Oh, and my 6 year old (next Tuesday) is a girl, but she is very active as well, but when she wants to do her work? She sits and works for hours... not that she is this way all the time, it goes in spurts, but I think it as much a difference in individual personalities as gender differences lol.

Posted by: mimzie Apr 3 2006, 02:45 PM

Tabitha, thank you so much! That does help a lot to know that it has been done with great success LOL I talked with DH today about kinda unschooling, he's never heard of it before so he keeps asking questions but he's so laid back with the homeschool stuff that he has faith in whatever I decide I guess.

Anyway, I loved reading about those kids that have done this and arent lazy bums or anything LOL!!

Rachel