Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.



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chicken lady
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Posted: May 08 2008 at 9:44pm | IP Logged Quote chicken lady

OK, is the pregnancy induced?   For the first time in my HS career I feel like I need textbooks and curriculm    I can hardly believe this coming from me, but recently I was critized on my dd's lack of grammar and now I am panicking.   Do I need to?   Is this going to pass?
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KC in TX
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Posted: May 08 2008 at 10:07pm | IP Logged Quote KC in TX

All I can say is that many "educated" people have terrible grammar. Hang in there.

ETA: That's not to say you're doing anything wrong, just that it may take a bit more time for your dd to get the grammar. How old is she?

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Posted: May 08 2008 at 10:30pm | IP Logged Quote lapazfarm

It will pass.
Rather than throw in the towel and change everything you have been doing, why not just try to think of ways to address grammar that do not involve a textbook?
Was it written grammar or spoken grammar which was criticized?
How old is your dd? Maybe we can brainstorm!

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Posted: May 08 2008 at 10:31pm | IP Logged Quote Cay Gibson

KC in TX wrote:
All I can say is that many "educated" people have terrible grammar. Hang in there.



I agree with KC.
Does she read a lot, Molly?
If not, what about having her follow along with a book-on-tape from the library?

I think you would find a very gentle, comforting approach with CHC's Language of God workbooks. That's what we use (and Seton).

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Posted: May 08 2008 at 11:06pm | IP Logged Quote missionfamily

Molly--It will pass, but if it keeps you from panicking before and right after this baby, find a gently workbook you can live with and let her work at it for a while. If there's no resistance that causes stress, you'll both benefit, and then when the panic subsides, you can put that workbook away...until the next panic .

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Posted: May 09 2008 at 6:39am | IP Logged Quote marihalojen

Molly, whenever I hear "grammar" I think Mad Libs!!!

How fun are they?


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Posted: May 09 2008 at 7:26am | IP Logged Quote marihalojen

I remembered this thread from awhile back, Molly. Go and reread Unschooling proof...mama bragging!

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chicken lady
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Posted: May 09 2008 at 8:52am | IP Logged Quote chicken lady

Oh thank you everyone!   Jennifer you made my day!!!!

Now for a textbook, besides the CHC (which I am looking into) what would you all suggest?   Rememeber, I have never done formal texts!   My dd is 11 yrs old.

Cay, she does read, but she is one of my dc with the vision focusing issue.   I find myself needing to do ALOT of strewing with her
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Posted: May 09 2008 at 9:09am | IP Logged Quote Willa

I agree with Theresa.

Plus, lots of 11 year olds are still weak on grammar. Are you talking about knowledge of grammar terms -- parts of speech?   Or is her grammar in sentences weak when she writes? Or when she talks?


These are all different.   If it is weakness in grammar and mechanics when writing, she may just need more experience writing and also in noticing how sentences look when she's reading.

A workbook might help her notice things she has not noticed before, but it won't work wonders unless she is really into it for her own sake.   

Copywork can help -- or trying to write her own story based on one she has read. If those are things she enjoys.





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Posted: May 09 2008 at 9:59am | IP Logged Quote Elizabeth

Molly,
I am not an unschooling expert. The term frustrates me because it means different things to different people. But...I'm going to venture here for a minute. I used to be opposed to textbooks/workbooks on principle. Then, I decided that I was being stubborn (this is just me ladies; my own experience). At the suggestion of some very wise older moms,I ordered workbooks. What I really, really believe at the core of my own education philosophy is that we need to tailor the plan and the materials to the needs of the family. I believe that teaching style matters as much as learning style. I believe that if you consult the Holy spirit every step of the way, He is going to lead you where He wants you to be. And, for a season or more, that might just be workbooks. She might LIKE workbooks. They might "click" with her. It's not like introducing workbooks will change your family's learning lifestyle--it won't. But don't assume that they cannot serve your needs quite well.

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Tina P.
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Posted: May 09 2008 at 10:11am | IP Logged Quote Tina P.

Molly:

Check out what Tracy Q has to say in this post. It was very helpful to me.

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Posted: May 09 2008 at 10:14am | IP Logged Quote Tina P.

Cay Gibson wrote:
[a very gentle, comforting approach with CHC's Language of God workbooks. That's what we use (and Seton).


I find that at Level E, CHC's grammar becomes stilted. This is not the fault of the writer, but because my kids can't "own" the work they're proofreading or the subjects they're asked to write about or outline. At this point, my kids edit their own writing with my direction.

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Posted: May 09 2008 at 10:50am | IP Logged Quote chicken lady

Thank you everyone!   

Elizabeth, I hear you loud and clear Thank you!

Willa, it is her sentence structure (or lack there of). This is however, her first attempt at formal anything with education. I am proud of her efforts, I guess I am shocked by this adults attitude.   But, as my dh stated, she is a "traditional" school teacher!
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Posted: May 09 2008 at 2:53pm | IP Logged Quote Cay Gibson

chicken lady wrote:
I am proud of her efforts, I guess I am shocked by this adults attitude.   But, as my dh stated, she is a "traditional" school teacher!



Exactly! Molly.
My 15 yr old son is this way. He makes his best effort and it still wouldn't measure up as "good enough" in the school system's eyes.

That's one of the several reasons we're hsing.

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Posted: May 09 2008 at 9:27pm | IP Logged Quote chicken lady

I just popped over to the Kolbe thread, read the Lit ouline for 7-8 grades, my dd had read all those books, in 5&6th grade. So am I just being to hard on myself?   So her grammar is poor (and her math), so what, she is 11,right??????

BTW I am looking into those workbooks. I talked to dd about them, she seems really open and excited. She said, "wow, like real school"     
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Posted: May 10 2008 at 11:30am | IP Logged Quote Tina P.

Pardon my forthrightness, but it sounds like you are reacting to an unjust criticism. So in short, yes, you *are* being to hard on yourself. I get a little wobbly myself when I hear what other kids are doing (especially, it seems, the classically trained kids). But then my kids start talking and other kids remark at their extensive vocabulary. And when they start spouting about nature, the other kids' mothers jaws start hitting the floor.

In every educational approach, there are holes. Some on this thread have said it and implemented it before far better than I'm going to say it now, but here goes. We are here to instill a love of learning, not necessarily to fill the bucket.

Play games. This one comes immediately to mind. Lego grammar looks like a fun Friday thing to do. And, as long as she's enthusiastic about workbooks, let her roll with them. I have the kids jam on their workbooks for one semester *or* spread it out so that they do a couple of pages three times a week and then play grammar games the other two. It depends on how excited they are about work books.

Sorry about my earlier posts. I thought your grammar issues were with vocabulary, for some reason.

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Posted: May 10 2008 at 11:33am | IP Logged Quote Tina P.

One more thing. Here's a good thread discussing the need for teaching grammar.

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Posted: May 10 2008 at 1:02pm | IP Logged Quote Red Cardigan

Molly, everyone's given such great advice here! I'm not an unschooler, so I'd say go for the workbooks if she's interested.

In addition, I recommend this!

Remember "Schoolhouse Rock"? The "Grammar Rock" section in particular is helpful for those basic parts of speech etc. mnemonics. My girls sometimes ask to watch it before a grammar test just to "brush up" on their facts!

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Posted: May 10 2008 at 3:11pm | IP Logged Quote Tina P.

Red Cardigan wrote:
Remember "Schoolhouse Rock"?


How could I forget!?? This series and This is America Charlie Brown are two of our favorites! They're our version of Saturday morning cartoons.

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Posted: May 12 2008 at 11:16am | IP Logged Quote Elizabeth

Molly,
It occurred to me in the middle of the night that there are some non-workbook pretty creative grammar lessons here. . My kids have really enjoyed these. It's Stephen's favorite thing to do--lesson-wise. Remember to read them from the earliest post up so that it all makes sense. There will be a new installment soon but there's enough there to keep her busy for a while right now.

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