My kids found the audio book boring. We listened to the last one, because it covered a the time between what we had just finished with MOH, and the time I wanted us to be before we started American.
Yeah we didn't like the audiobook either - HOWEVER - we were able to listen to it in the car, get that part of history out of the way and do the crafts and such at home. That year we rotated listening to Mr Poppers Penguins, SOTW 1, & A Cricket in Times Square
Although this will be my 5th year homeschooling, I have yet to get it all done. Like a few others here, I have a DH that would get irritated if he came home from a long day and didn't have certain things done. To be fair, he often works long hours as a cabinet maker. During the fall and spring college semesters, I am also working on a degree in history/library science, so time is at a premium for us. I try to make sure that the things that are important around the house to both me and DH get done first. For example, DH wants dinner at a reasonable time, and clean clothes in his drawers. I want the living room picked up and swept (hardwood floors) and the tables and counters cleared and cleaned. We both want the dishes done regularly. My kids are 15, 14, and 8, so they are very capable of helping, and they do have regular chores to do. We have also had days when we didn't get done until 4:30. For myself, I think maybe I have been too focused on making sure they have all the "extras" I think are important, such as critical thinking, and art and music history/appreciation (as well as applied music and art). Also, I noticed my 8 yr old, who will be a 4th grader this year, can make a very easy lesson drag on and on. Getting her to focus on her schoolwork can be very time consuming; maybe you have had this problem as well? For time-saving cooking, I also second the slow-cooker! Like another poster mentioned, we have often made shredded bbq sandwiches out of roast, bbq sauce, and buns. Also, as young as possible, show your kids how to help with cooking. My oldest two now have regular nights during the week when they each are responsible for cooking dinner. If you have not already read it, a great book that offers some useful suggestions is "Help for the Harried Homemaker," by Christine Field. Also, "Large Family Logistics," by Kim Brenneman, is very helpful, even for smaller families.
I do disagree of the characterization of public schools as non-learning entities in general. There are many public schools who do a great job with academics. They do teach to the standard average learner so if your child isn't one of those then it wouldn't be a good fit for learning. Embassy I don't think anyone is saying, least of all me, that public schools do not teach anything at all. I was simply putting across the point that with a small number of children to teach, and a more flexible environment, you can do the same amount of learning as in a school day within a few hours. If someone gets stuck, they do not have to wait for x number of children to finish with the teacher, before they get attention - it is a matter of moments and mine know that while they are waiting they are to go onto something else that they do not need help with from. Our experience within the public school system was pretty dire, but Im only speaking for that school, and my child, of course. That particular school made no effort to teach children to read, allowed bullying to continue, and was far from a place of learning, more a place of day to day survival. In six hours of that school day, she learnt nothing at all. We wasted a good long time of her being very upset and not learning. I stand by what I say, 3 hours a day for a child who is not in high school, is plenty within a homeschool environment, leaving plenty of time for fun/housework/cooking.
There is a whole other aspect of public schools that aren't really the fault of the schools, just a problem that pops up. Some kids have a hard time concentrating in a classroom of other kids, especially if there are kids not doing their work. Of course there are a lot of times when one or two kids are not staying on task. Some kids do fine and can do their own work with others not working, but some don't focus well unless the environment is totally controlled and quiet. My son is like that. He would bring home a lot of "homework" that really did not need to be homework because he wasn't able to concentrate in school. So for him, the amount of time would have been significantly less if I had homeschooled him at those ages.
Well, my ADD kicked in and I couldn't read all responses! I agree with "Why SS and Hist.?" Saxon math is so labor intensive, we tried it but did not like it. If you like it, stick with it through high school or start trying now to find something else. Your kiddo's are young enough to do science together, just expect a little more of the older one. He should be fine til 7th or 8th grade, then he will have to move on to general and physical science. Get the 3 "R's" in and have fun. I have a "less is more" attitude. We work hard from 9 or 9:30 til lunch, take a break, do chores, chill out, then start back around 1:30 or 2 and finish by 3 or 3:30. Some days go better than others. Write down everything you have to do around the house, pick out what is most important and schedule time to do it. Let the kids do some of the easier tasks and so what if your sink is full of dirty dishes! (Mine will hold a dishwasher full of dirty dishes!) Leave the broom and dust pan out in the kitchen and if anyone comes over, they will think they interrupted you cleaning!
In our home, homeschooling is a part of life and not simply bookwork. As my daughter advances academically, so does the amount of time it takes to complete her lessons. With that said, we do not have a set schedule. We make academics revolve around our day and not the other way around. More hours do not equal a better education. Public school students spend many hours a day, for at least 12 years studying for what? Aside from walking away with a basic knowledge of math, reading, and possibly writing skills, most people I talk to regarding their education feel they were taught little. Our public schools, meaning the district where I reside, are not even teaching the average student how to learn. Obviously, I have not attended every school in the country so I will not attempt to make the assumption that all are meeting or not meeting the educational needs of the average student, still, I feel safe in saying that our local schools are failing our students. Just because our schools are graduating students doesn't mean the students are walking away ready to take on the real world. The real world can't be taught through books. To the OP, I homeschool one and do not get it all done. Thankfully I have a husband who does not complain about the house. We have a rule, I do not criticize "his" job and he doesn't criticize "mine". We are a tream working for the best of the family. Em's age is to my advantage. She can do all things that I can do to keep the house tidy. The downside is I only have one at home so the work load is heavier because we each have more chores per person in order to keep the house tidy. So we adjust as needed. ...and I CAN'T STAND SAXON!!!!!!!!! LOL :lol: :lol:
Emma's#1fan, I agree with you 100% on the Saxon!!!!! Also, my husband and I do not expect the house to be spotless at all times. As long as I feed him when he gets home, he is cool! My housecleaning is always a work in progess! Laundry, dirty dishes and toilets are my priorities! When we first started homeschooling, we finished our lessons so early, I wondered what I was doing wrong!
Wow, thanks all of you! Social Studies is about the US, so far. I don't know where it goes into the upper grades, but its all about USA, and to a small extent about our relations with other countries. SOTW is world history. The Egyptians and the Sumerians and the Babylonians etc etc etc all the way to the ancient Romans. I LOVE that sort of stuff, and it excites them as well when we read it together. But I think I should probably cut back on it, as its not really "necessary" at this age. Social Studies is a big fat book with text, activities, assessments AND a workbook. It takes a lot of time because my children drag it on, they don't really like it (and neither do I). I tried to combine the lessons in the beginning, but the 3rd grade book had so much more in it than the 1st grade, so we started to get sidetracked and confused and decided to just do it separately. I think I will ditch the 2nd grade's book this year, and then just work both out of the 4th grade level, but simplifying it a little for my 2nd grader. Science we already do together, they love it, and again we get side tracked talking about anything specific that catches our fancy. More discipline is in order. Finish the lesson, and jot down any interesting questions we can talk about later. Spelling Power takes only about 15 minutes, thats not a time hog. I love how quick and easy it is. Easy Grammar doesn't take too long either and he does it on his own. Its the writing program that he really struggles with. My oldest hates writing, and is bad at it too. I'm really torn about this. Should I drop it? How will he learn how to write properly? Easy grammar doesn't teach you how to write. In the beginning I tried to just let him write a paragraph on his own, but he hates it so much, it wasn't working well. I thought maybe if its in a textbooky format, he might be more inclined to do it. How do you all teach proper writing techniques? Saxon--Ugh! yes I hate it too! Unfortunately my son is very insecure about math, and he is the kind of kid who feels safe when you do the same rituals every day. So saxon is a good fit with the boring repetitiveness. I will let him read and try to do it on his own first, this year. I dont think I need to sit forever with him. For the younger one, you are right, maybe I should switch. He insisted he wanted saxon too because his brother has it, but now I'm thinking that was a hasty decision. He will probably be bored.
We just went through the placement test of TT Math 4, which is where I figured he should be, going into 4th grade. He was able to do the whole test easily. So next we did the sample lessons on the website, but its all stuff he has already done. Went on to math 5, which is where he should be, I think, but just watching him on the pc, he is waaaayyyy too distracted. "Oh look, there's a silly penguin!" "Why does the guy speak so slowly?" "I wonder what happens if I click on the wrong answer" "Can I try that other link?" Nope, my son is too excited around computers, and would not be able to focus if I weren't sitting next to him the whole time to curb his distractions...
The entire lesson is also in the workbook Shown pretty much exactly as you see it on the computer only in black and white. Would he be able to handle watching the lesson on the computer only if after reading it in the book on his own he didn't understand it, they he could go back to the workbook and do the problems.. then to get you out of checking his work, once you give the OK you could have him enter his answers on the computer and it will check them for you? Also, how married to your SS are you? Maybe there is something out there that is less time comsuming? I love the Intellego Unit Studies and seriously think that the k-2 level would be more than enough for even your oldest... there is way more meat in them than a k-2 kiddo needs for sure.
We don't do any lesson via computer. My kids get tired after looking at the screen and like yours, somewhat distracted. They work better from worktexts. Math U See is great and realativly inexpensive if you wanted to start your younger one on a new program. It goes all the way to pre-calculus I think. However, for your older one, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" If he is comfortable with Saxon and doesn't want to switch, he will be a math wiz by the time he graduates!
When we were hs'ing DS, on a good day he could finish 5 subjects (Bible, LA, Math, Science, H&G) in 4 hours. On a bad day I couldn't even pay him real money to finish anything. He still took his GED (his decision, not mine) and was done a year before the kids he started school with, and got on with life. Social Studies is a big fat book with text, activities, assessments AND a workbook. It takes a lot of time because my children drag it on, they don't really like it (and neither do I). I tried to combine the lessons in the beginning, but the 3rd grade book had so much more in it than the 1st grade, so we started to get sidetracked and confused and decided to just do it separately. I think I will ditch the 2nd grade's book this year, and then just work both out of the 4th grade level, but simplifying it a little for my 2nd grader. Science we already do together, they love it, and again we get side tracked talking about anything specific that catches our fancy. More discipline is in order. Finish the lesson, and jot down any interesting questions we can talk about later. For history, my suggestion about that might be to drop that and do the SOTW which they are liking, and get to the SS later. OR if you think it's absolutely essential they get this information, "just hit the high points" and forget doing. every. single. activity/workbook page. There is absolutely NO reason why you have to do it the way it's written! Even PS teachers pick and choose among all the "stuff" a textbook company provides in a full course! They don't nearly do it ALL. And even then, they send some of it home for homework. Anything your kids get out of it, they'll do again in high school, better. Personally, for first and second grade there's not that many purchased curricula that I love/can't do without. For that age, I much prefer doing "little units" that I make up (both social studies AND science) out of free internet stuff, a couple reproducible books I got on clearance from a teacher store, library books, coloring books, this'n'that. And since you're doing science together anyway, there's NOTHING that says you have to stick to the curriculum: part of the fun of homeschooling is to follow one's own interests. TAKE those little "rabbit trails" and see where they go! Again, there's nothing that MUST be covered that won't be done again in more depth in high school! TAKE TIME TO ENJOY!
I'd drop the social studies you are doing. It doesn't sound like there is anything positive going on there - it is a time hog, you don't like it, and your kids don't like it. Are they learning a lot with it? Maybe something like Cantering the Country would be a better fit. I wouldn't do both social studies and SOTW though if you are looking to save time. Do one this year and the other one next year. For writing does he enjoy writing in any form? Can he write a coherent paragraph or does he need to work on that? Would he enjoy having his own blog? Would he enjoy creating a story?
Oh, yeah, I forgot about writing. Boys that age may not be ready for writing much. I'd stick to maybe writing a good sentence. Later in the year, try a paragraph again.
