This is our 2nd year at this. We took ds out of ps when he was going into 4th. He made A's/B's but afterward was when we learned how much he really didn't know. Anyways, I'm trying my best at this but I fear that he's still not retaining much. He's doing 5th grade now and still needs daily review of math facts. We use Saxon 5/4 and making A's/B's on the tests but if he's not in the "zone" it takes him awhile to figure out simple math questions. We've studied the Revolution and he cannot recall some important battles unless I remind him. "Oh yeah!" He has a hard time remembering to capitalize and put a period at the end of any sentence he writes. He had to write a newspaper article and at the end I felt like I was the one who wrote it. We work all day from 8:30 - 2:30 daily because math takes til 10 and we have a few 15min breaks but it takes that long just to complete all the core subjects and we too tired to do electives, like Spanish. All this isn't normal is it? How can I tell if homeschooling is successful and it's working? The ITBS last year showed he needed improvement in Spelling, computation, and grammar so we changed our curriculum this year. What do you guys use as a scale to determine if your child is really learning besides testing? He learns things for a test and afterward will forget it.
Could it be the curriculum? Maybe he needs to learn things a different way, or just needs more review, in a spiral approach. What curriculum are you using now? My DS is in 3rd, and I've noticed he tends to be this way on things he couldn't care less about. If he has something he's interested in, though, he'll remember every little detail. I am trying to slowly find curriculum for each subject that will get his attention and keep it. But it's tough.
I'm going to throw something out there. Start learning for learning's sake, and not for the test. I do find that with my kids, too, if they're just learning something so that they can pass a test, they rarely remember it. But if they're learning it and we're reviewing, and discussing, etc....It's much more successful. I also find my kids learn and retain more of what they learn on their own. What their own interests drive. I still guide this a little bit...and have them quantify with notebooking or drawing what they learned. My kids DO take tests...for Math. And we use a spelling program that tests DAILY, not weekly a random list. It follows rules, my kids seem to remember more that way. Anyway...maybe it's time to shake up the curricula a little again?
We use Saxon Math 5/4; Time4Learning for Lang Arts, Science, and Social Studies; Wordly Wise for Vocab; Building Spelling Skills (Christian Liberty) for Spelling; Handwriting w/out Tears for Cursive; Daily Lang Review book; He also takes a writing class for 1 1/2 hour once per week that has homework assigned. Last year we used Time4Learning as our main curriculum and I found out about the spiral approach vs mastery approach so that's why we switched to what I thought would help him better.
My oldest is the same way! I have found that I just need to be willing to let her learn at her own pace. We keep working on our regular studies Mon-Thr. On Friday we do educational games, unit studies, and field trips. I find that by having her correct for grammar in all her subjects she has finally started paying attention to capitals and puncutation. By having occasional review days in math she has started to retain more and math has gotten easier. (we review past chapters whenever we finish a chapter) I also have gotten into the habit of writting down all the things she has learned so that we can be encouraged and not always focus on the negatives. I started doing that to help her, but have found that it helps me just as much!
In my book if we have learned something new, if we have completed a few classes if we have learned something interesting or about something that we knew a little about but now we know more.. then we are good.
Your post reminded my of my son, Ryan. He has auditory processing disorder. The child, for example, would get 100's on a spelling test and yet could not spell his way out of a wet paper bag! He would ace a reading test but could not read a book to you. His memory was awesome. So he would pass the tests and just sail by but in fact he was really struggling. I am in NO way saying your son has this. Or any learning disorder for that matter. But it really did remind me of Ryan and I just thought I would pass that on. Maybe he needs another approach to remember. KWIM? More hands on or more paper work (whatever his 'thing' is). I rather like the teach to teach and not to test approach myself!
All good advice from the other posters. I'll add... Try looking at was he does remember - even if it's not "academic". How does he learn that stuff? See if you can find a curriculum that presents information in a similar way. What about unit studies? Don't give up!
I say ease up a little on the testing. Focus more on his comprehension and grasping of concepts instead.
Miska- I completely hear where you are coming from. My ds was an A student as well, then we pulled him.. and I realized he doesn't know far more than I'd thought he should. I'd start with drilling math facts. I make up sheets, and the kids have to say them every day until they learn them without having to mentally add. Flash cards would work as well. Some prefer having them 'learn' them while they are doing them, but my ds just didn't pick it up that way. I personally wouldn't sweat the history stuff too much- but that's just me, and I'm not as concerned that the kids know everything there is to know as much as they know basically what happened and how we got here. (I was a horrible history student.... and most history still bores me to tears) My kids both seem to learn far more from discussions than from assignments as well. Not sure if that helps you, but thought I'd throw it out there.
If you're decided fer shur on switching curriculum, I'd suggest switching from Saxon to CLE for math; choose Wordly Wise and use it for spelling or else drop it for now and add a vocabulary component to the Christian Liberty spelling list; drop Daily Language Review for Daily Grams (and take a little time to discuss WHY the comma goes there, why this needs a capital letter, why the plural of ox is oxen not oxes, etc.). I can't comment about Time4Learning because I've never used it. I'm just naming things that have worked for me, so take it for the mere suggestion that it is....
Good advice! Thanks ladies! I know he's a very visual learner, ADD, and needs a very spiral approach. Any curriculum suggestions? I also like the kind that tells me what I need to do. I'm not very good at piecing it together by myself. I'm going to look into CLE. Is that Christian Light Education?
CLE is a great curriculum! For math, I also suggest taking a look at Horizons.... it's a great program too.
Yes, it is. I find it very good for ADD because it's not distracting on the page (not colorful, with enough white space on the page), and because of the spiral with constant review.
