Hi I have been using CLE with great success with my 6th and 2nd grader. My 1st grade son is another story. We are still working through LTR (he is in 107 now) and we are in LA 102. The problem is somewhere along the way I began moving faster than he could. I was worried he would get left behind. I slowed things down and he is happier but I dont know if we should keep moving slowly (getting through 2-3 lessons per week) or if I should move to another curriculum. I purchased Rod and Staff units 2 & 3 but honestly he may not be ready for those either. I guess I just dont know what to do with him. If I break out the workbooks he panics. He does love to read simple stories to me and I do him, but the phonics rules are way too advanced. Anyway if anyone has any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it :love:
You're right - some kids just need to take it slower. It's perfectly okay to do only two or three lessons a week. Maybe alternate LtR one day and LA the next, or just do half of one and half of the other each day, or some other combination that seems right to you. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon. There's no ONE right way to reach the end, as long as you eventually get there. Take time, review often. Get his confidence back up again. Do ALL the oral exercises in the TM, do all the flashcard stuff, but if it takes two or three days to finish one lesson, so be it! You may want to plan, if you weren't before, to do some through the summer as well. I'm glad it's working out well for your olders.
I think Lindina said it all... stay at his pace, as he best feels comfortable. He'll learn what he needs as he needs, just be there to help guide him.
What do you mean "left behind"? Left behind WHOM? Who are you comparing him to? Lindina's absolutely right. Would you rather speed through with frustration and confusion, or slow down and have understanding? One big reason for homeschooling is for a child to move at HIS OWN pace...as fast or as slow as benefits him. Faythe has taken almost two whole years to get through the Pre-Algebra book, BUT SHE UNDERSTANDS WHAT SHE'S DOING!!! I'm just hoping it won't take us so long to finish Alg. 1!!!
I so wish I had been homeschooled.... I hated school and I know without a doubt that I could have done SO much better had I been taught in different ways than they offered at the schools here. I try to remember how I felt when I am worrying about whether Will is behind or different than any other kids.
I know he is not really "behind". Its my issue really in that the curriculum is laid out in such a way that it is lesson 1, 2, 3 etc and I feel the teacher guide sort of "expects" that by middle of the year he should have worked through the LTR part of the program. My son will however have needed the entire year to work through it and may not have grasped its entirety. Thanks for the reminder though ;-)
mama2four, some parents have spent an entire year with their child in LtR, and didn't start LA until the following year (along with I Wonder)! It's just fine! The curriculum works out fine either way.
I think you should just keep at his pace. It's okay if you don't finish when the books say you should. They are intended for group use as well as individuals, so I think the guidelines are intended more for the group setting in a formal school. You want him happy and learning, not frustrated and shutting down. You will be fine and you know he'll actually understand what you've been working so hard on regardless of the time it takes
