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10 Bright Stars
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| Posted: April 18 2008 at 11:36am | IP Logged
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Well, I am thinking that I will have to not use Seton next year and make up my own curriculum. Am I crazy? I just cannot AFFORD to be with Seton next year and have all the kids enrolled. I am going to keep my now 7th grade son enrolled since I want to use Seton for high school, and he works well with their approach. But, we are going through some financial trouble since we decided to flip a house with the worst housing market in 25 years!!  (We didn't know that at the time of purchase, obviously, but that is where we find ourselves.)
So, I thought I have lots of unused curriculum sitting on the shelves I can use. Also, I hope to use more of a one room school-house approach with all the younger kids (6th grade down to 2nd) There isn't any reason why my 6th grade son can't go over the same english for review as my 4th grade son, and then the 4th grader can listen to the older child's work etc. Has this worked for anyone?
I also plan on having them study Latin, D'ulaires Greek Stories, and Famous Men of Rome etc all together. Am I crazy for thinking this will work???? Any input on doing it yourself would be appreciated, and how do any of you all that do this go about record-keeping, lesson planning etc.? Is it MORE work in the end? I hope to read, read, read to them more, require more writing and really get their spelling up to snuff.
Anyway, hoping this will help out academically as well as financially. Please pray that the flip house sells soon!!!
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Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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Matilda
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| Posted: April 18 2008 at 11:49am | IP Logged
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Not at all! Ya gotta do whatcha gotta do! It might only be for a year or you might find that you really like the change and make it a permanent one. Try something new and have fun!
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Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11 , 10 , 9 & 5 ) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: April 18 2008 at 11:56am | IP Logged
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Well, if you are crazy, then you are in good company, because that is exactly what many of us here do. I would even venture to say MOST of us here make up our own stuff, or follow a curriculum loosely, combine grades, etc. It definitely can be done.
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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folklaur
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| Posted: April 18 2008 at 1:45pm | IP Logged
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I would definitely say it is NOT crazy to combine them!
Really. There is some curriculum that even suggests (advises?) you do so...like Sonlight or WinterPromise....Sonlight is particularly full of Literature....
If you want a Catholic company, there is History Links, too - that has all levels covering subjects in Unit Study fashion.
I don't have to keep records, so no help there....
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stefoodie
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| Posted: April 18 2008 at 1:55pm | IP Logged
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Well, when we got back to homeschooling I put dd (then 5th grade, now junior h.s.) in Angelicum because I thought there was no way I could put together my own. Hah!! Spent a few months on homeschooling forums and e-lists and voila. I wanted to change this and that in her curriculum. Before I knew it I was evaluating the wisdom of paying for other people to put together a curriculum for me, vs. making up our own since we know her needs best anyway....one thing led to another and that's why we're here now!
You're in good company, don't worry!!
Praying for the house to sell soon!!
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stef
mom to five
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Christine
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| Posted: April 18 2008 at 3:05pm | IP Logged
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If you're crazy, then so am I because I am thinking about possibly doing something similar with my second child. Seton is working very well for my first (5th Grade)...She actually saw something that I was writing yesterday and corrected my punctuation. My self-designed curriculum is working well for my third and fourth children, but I am having a hard time getting my second child to complete anything, except for all of the books that she reads.
Good luck and I will pray that the house sells.
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Christine
Mommy to 4 girls, 5 boys, & 2 in God's care
Memories of a Catholic Wife and Mother
Pretty Lilla Rose
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SallyT
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| Posted: April 18 2008 at 3:44pm | IP Logged
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For recordkeeping I use Homeschool Reporting Online. A subscription is $20 a year. You get a place to report grades (with a place to key in books used and comments about progress), an attendance chart (you can set it to record attendance for all children when you do one child's), and a very basic lesson planner (essentially just an online notebook -- no especially nifty features, but it's a place to create a printable "weekly list" of books and activities). You can print out report cards, if you're into that, and it will compile transcripts as well. There's also a portfolio feature which lets you record any extracurricular activities your children might be into, field trips you go on, etc. It's a pretty nifty resource, which we have used for five years now.
We have always been DIY-ers when it comes to curriculum. Lately I've been singing the praises of Maureen Wittman's book For the Love of Literature, which I'm finding to be a tremendous resource in pulling together good reading across the curriculum for a wide span of ages, but essentially that's what we've always done. We do some workbooky stuff, but our homeschooling has always been largely about reading, together and independently. Pretty simple, really. The only difficulty is in remembering what books we have and that I wanted us to read them.
Sally
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MarilynW
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| Posted: April 18 2008 at 3:54pm | IP Logged
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I am thinking that I am crazy - but going the other way. I am thinking of possibly enrolling the three older children in Seton (7th, 4th and 4th) - I have always done my own curriculum - it will be a stretch financially - but then I usually spend a fair deal anyway on books etc. Dh and I are really praying about it. I seem to be spending so much time planning - maybe sometimes more time planning than doing  Just as we have order and rhythm in our household, I am wondering if I need more order in our schooling?
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teachingmyown
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| Posted: April 18 2008 at 4:49pm | IP Logged
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Kim,
I think the most important thing is to be brutally honest with yourself about what you can do. I think most of the folks here do put together their own curriculum, or tweak existing ones. For me, I have gone into too many school years armed with great resources and high ideals only to find I just don't "have it"! I find myself wishing I had kept it simpler.
I am trying to discourage you. You and your dh know what your style of teaching is. I just want to encourage you to step back and envision the year, challenges and all.
Good luck! Tis the season for re-vamping! 
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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folklaur
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| Posted: April 18 2008 at 6:10pm | IP Logged
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MarilynW wrote:
| maybe sometimes more time planning than doing |
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This is exactly why I can never be a complete DIY-er. I can tweak an SL or WP syllabus, and I can set it aside for awhile to do "other plans" - the de Paola Christmas unit, for instance. But every time I have tried to be a total DIY-er, I plan much better than I *do*...and I spend way too much time with the planning part anyway.
I am really glad you said this. I was just looking at catalogs - and started thinking, "I bet I could pt something together that would be even better...." Seriously....I really needed to hear what you said!!!
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MarilynW
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| Posted: April 18 2008 at 7:29pm | IP Logged
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Laura - thanks for your comments. It is a painful thing for me to acknowledge. I am planning a blog post on the whole revamping thing - I am realizing that there are many faces to "real learning" and that just as we spend so much time figuring out our childrens' learning styles, we need to figure out our "teaching" styles. Again - not an easy thing.
I get so excited about all the different philosophies of education - and love to research and plan, that I maybe do not have the energy to then put them into practice.
I am also figuring out that I need to chose the curriculum that will make me most available to my children, that will help me to be patient and kind and nurturing above all. And I need to consider ALL my children - from the oldest to the newborn.
This is the first Spring that I am not looking at a single homeschool catalog. I am trying to pray before i make a single decision.
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stacykay
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| Posted: April 19 2008 at 4:24pm | IP Logged
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MarilynW wrote:
| I am thinking that I am crazy - but going the other way. I am thinking of possibly enrolling the three older children in Seton (7th, 4th and 4th) - I have always done my own curriculum - it will be a stretch financially - but then I usually spend a fair deal anyway on books etc. Dh and I are really praying about it. I seem to be spending so much time planning - maybe sometimes more time planning than doing Just as we have order and rhythm in our household, I am wondering if I need more order in our schooling? |
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This is me! Except I am considering, strongly, Kolbe. I have been praying for a month, as I just don't have the time anymore to do the detailed plans and get everything outside of school done that I need to. And I need the detailed plans to get the work accomplished. If they aren't done, the schoolwork doesn't get done.
When my mil asked me why, and I just told her I am getting old.  I will have one each in 8th, 5th, and 1rst grades this fall. My youngest will be 4, so pre-school thrown in. Plus, my older sons are 20 (will be a junior in college,) and 17 (will be a senior in private Catholic high school.) We have so much on our plate with school, senior year activities, confirmation and sports, which are important to my boys, that I don't find the time to sit and peruse the library's catalog or book searches for the studies I want to do. Plus, I am finding the older plans I had don't always work with the youngers who are so different in learning styles and needs.
I guess it could be burn out, but really, I just want someone else to take care of the plans this year. And you should note, that is a HUGE departure from my norm. I have never been able to use any plan without tweaking. Now I am looking forward to having it done for me. 
It will be a financial stretch for us, too. I was able to save a lot by putting my own plans together and utilizing the library. But I really think this is where God wants me for next year.
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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stacykay
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| Posted: April 19 2008 at 4:29pm | IP Logged
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Kim,
In my effort to try to be brief, ha!, I forgot to ask if you are going to continue using the Seton materials with the younger ones, just not enrolled?
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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Willa
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| Posted: April 19 2008 at 4:35pm | IP Logged
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If it's any help, I always thought that working without Seton can be very similar to working with Seton.
That is to say, if you get muddled with all the choices (which is often my problem) you can get comfortable with a few key resources that you really like and just as importantly find do-able in your family culture. You mentioned Latin, Greek Myths and Famous Men of Rome, for instance.
These basic resources provide a-- I don't want to call it a spine, precisely, but a sort of groundwork which gives you freedom to tweak other things a bit more.
I do not think everyone needs this -- Theresa doesn't seem to because she seems so grounded and creative. But since I started with Seton, went to Kolbe and still return to a very trimeed-down Kolbe-type curriculum whenever I feel I've lost track of where we're going -- I find it helpful to have a few stable things going on at any one time.
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Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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10 Bright Stars
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| Posted: April 19 2008 at 6:31pm | IP Logged
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Well, as to the question as to whether or not I was going to use Seton's curriculum with my younger bunch, I don't think so. I know I will enroll my soon to be 8th grader since I planned on using seton in high school for the records etc.
So, for the younger crew, I have a math book here and there unused, a bunch of history books. I have all of MODG's recommended reading books for history for third grade, for example, and things like that. So, why not just use what I have? I will supplement with things I need here and there, but for the most part, I just plan on using what I have on the shelves, which is a lot. I will use Seton's religion, and I already have all the grades I need for that, so no purchases. Not only are we in a tight financial situation, but it is sort of wasteful to not use what I have availible.
I like using Seton's detailed lesson plans, but part of me felt frazzled the first day of school, admittedly. If you think about it, with 4 kids "enrolled", I have about 28 subjects to keep track of and where they are etc., plus book reports etc. That is not even taking into account mothering etc. I just felt so behind in everything this year, and I am thinking that with a large family and trying to mother etc the younger ones, something has to give, and I think it will just be easier to do everyone together for history, language etc. It may be a failed experiment, but I have to give it a try.
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Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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MarilynW
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| Posted: April 21 2008 at 8:31am | IP Logged
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stacykay wrote:
This is me! Except I am considering, strongly, Kolbe.
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Stacy - what is Kolbe like compared to Seton?
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Marilyn
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stacykay
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| Posted: April 21 2008 at 3:05pm | IP Logged
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Hi Marilyn,
I haven't done Seton, outside of using some of their English and Reading books for Young Catholics in assorted grades, plus the handwriting. So, I don't know that I can give a very good comparison.
What I do like about Kolbe is that it is classical, Ignatian (I love St. Ignatius, ) and I can adjust their suggestions as I need to for each boy. So, I can use a grade up or down as needed in any subject, or I can substitute my own favorite if I want to in place of their subject recommendation.
I think, mostly what I am looking for, and it could be any program, I just feel drawn to Kolbe, is a year, at least one for now, in which the boys will be accountable to someone else besides me .
Sorry I can't be more helpful.
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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10 Bright Stars
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| Posted: April 21 2008 at 8:49pm | IP Logged
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All very interesting. I guess what I am searching for in my "mother's heart" is a way to make homeschooling mesh with our "real life". I have 8 children. I have 4 children under 4. They need me during the day just as much as the "homeschooling" children do if not more.
When I am using Seton, as much as I love them, and as much as I KNOW they expect me to tweak things and fit it to meet our families needs; when I see what I have to send in for grading for each of the 4 "homeschooling" children, it is just so daunting.
I guess what I am searhing for is a family friendly homeschool experience. Maybe I am being naive. I have been at this for 13+ years now! I have researched so many angles even prior to having children. I don't know. I just think there must be a way to have family life and learning go hand in hand as opposed to being at odds with each other which is how it feels right now. I know that is a dream perhaps, and probably why most people send their children to school, but I hope to read to the kids as a family more and have things be less stressful. I hope to have us learn together as opposed to telling them to just finish this or that page. Am I just in a spring fever pipe dream or are some of you all doing this????
My children range in age from 9 months to 13 years. My eldest does great with Seton and I plan on keeping him enrolled, esp. since he will need transcripts soon etc.
But, I just often feel so frazzled with all the kids doing so many different classes at different levels. It is hard to keep up with!
__________________
Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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MarilynW
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| Posted: April 21 2008 at 10:08pm | IP Logged
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Eight Wonders wrote:
All very interesting. I guess what I am searching for in my "mother's heart" is a way to make homeschooling mesh with our "real life".
I guess what I am searhing for is a family friendly homeschool experience. Maybe I am being naive. I have been at this for 13+ years now! I have researched so many angles even prior to having children. I don't know. I just think there must be a way to have family life and learning go hand in hand as opposed to being at odds with each other which is how it feels right now. I know that is a dream perhaps, and probably why most people send their children to school, but I hope to read to the kids as a family more and have things be less stressful. I hope to have us learn together as opposed to telling them to just finish this or that page. Am I just in a spring fever pipe dream or are some of you all doing this????
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Dear Kim
I am sorry if we have confused you! I love what you wrote above. And despite my earlier post about whether to enroll or not - I think you are on the right track. Please take time to pray with your dh about what is right for your family - that is what I am doing right now.
What I have come to realize that the most important thing (for us) is that our kids have a peaceful, loving, nurturing Catholic environment to grow up in. Having prayer and peace and joy and love is so much more important than any academic program - as my blog says getting to heaven as a family is our main goal. The difficulty comes from trying to find a way of educating them that is consistent with that goal. I think what I was pointing out earlier is that whatever way you choose can have drawbacks.
I am sure that there are many much more qualified people on this forum who will tell you that life has seasons too - eg this year was a year when all my kids did the same thing. We have had a wonderful year - they did the Math for their grade, and age appropriate readers - but everything else we did, we did together - we worked in unit studies - Second World War, Elections, Botany, Geology - they kept notebooks, did coypwork, and we did a lot of reading. This was a good plan for a year in which I had a newborn and was not very well. But I have not been very happy because I have not had a definite plan, I have spent way too many weekends and late nights planning and winging it. My kids do well with a written weekly plan - my boys especially like to have their schedule, tick it off and get on to sports and play time. It has been hard for me when I have not had a written plan.
Some of the reasons I am considering something like Seton - my dd is going into 7th and the whole transcript thing scares me a little. Also my twin boys like a written plan. I am trying to figure out whether having plans written up for the older ones will free me up to spend more time with the littles.
Sorry if this is long-winded - I just think you are right in trying to find something that works for your family. I think that you are likely to find good ideas on this "real learning" forum!!
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Marilyn
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stacykay
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| Posted: April 22 2008 at 8:50am | IP Logged
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Kim, I too am sorry to have taken away from your original post (hijacker that I am! )
These were the areas I combined grades:
history (I think the easiest thing to do with all ages)
science (I gave the oldest more outside reading to accomplish, but as he is getting older, it is harder to do together.)
geography (this was really easy too, maybe slightly more so than history)
religion/Bible study/saint study
read-alouds
It was nice to get all of the boys' work done, together, not go from one to another, but I know I spent an awful lot of time planning. If I don't have things written down into a plan, I wind up feeling lost, and the lessons, if you will, don't go as well .
Now, I don't know how the preparation time will compare with going with Kolbe, and I know I will have have to gather materials for any projects or experiments.
One thing I did that wasn't hard was to get lots of educational videos out from the library each week, so when a little needed more of me, I would have the olders watch a video that usually pertained to something we were learning. I then would have them make a page about it, just a picture and couple lines. It would work out to one video a day, or every other day.
I have never been with a set curriculum for any of our 9 years of hs'ing. I am a tweaker. But, like I posted before, I really think I am just getting tired (maybe I need to boost my exercise and vitamins! )
You will do well with whatever you decide for your family. There is no one who knows your children or their needs (and yours!) better than you. Except for God. Maybe a novena would help set your mind at ease and show you how to make your dreams reality for your children.
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
dh Frank '85
dss:
Matt '88
Mike '90
Pete '95
Mark '98
Paul '01
John '04
and two Blessings in Heaven
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Topic: Am I crazy??? Total curriculum re-vamp
