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jhigdon
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| Posted: Oct 29 2007 at 8:35pm | IP Logged
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I have posted here before for answers to questions about Real Learning and CM, and am feeling a huge call from the Lord that the Real Learning style is what He wants for our family.
But, it would mean changing again what we have been doing up until now. We have been using Seaton, and as much as I enjoy it as it's all laid out, I'm finding that as we get into the end of the first quarter, I'm putting a lot of pressue on myself and my daughter to "perform" so that she can take the upcoming test and pass.
Religion has been a huge problem for her as she has problems with understanding what she has been read. But I think it's because it's "school" that she has to listen to. When we read regular books that we get from the library (I have been using the booklist from the Real Learning book and cannot tell you what a joy we've had reading from them), she will illustrate, narrate, and remember most everything about them. But when we get into the Ten Commandments from our Religion book, she's lost in space, we go the material over and over, then one of us is dissolved in tears. This has been going on for two weeks now, and I know that our current style of learning is not working.
My question is I used Seaton because they are accredited in the state of MD and I don't have to go through review with the state. Seaton is the only accredited umbrella allowed in MD. So, if we were to go with the Real Learning approach, I'm assuming I'll have to be accountable to someone in the school system to check up on her process.
Also, when you change gears like this and start using Real Learning, how do you plan a day? For instance, Seaton has something for everyday (pg 1 for day 1 - example), and for every subject they should be learning. My oldest is six (almost seven), and I'm not sure everything she should be learning.
Also, how will they learn things such as nouns, verbs, addition, division, if not through a text book?
I was looking at the Mater Amabilis website and fell in love with the curriculum. I'm guessing this is Real Learning laid out for moms like me.  I need direction, esp with a four year old, three year old, and a ten month old.
We almost have been doing Real Learning and not realizing it. We've started taking nature walks in the morning, trying to implement tea time (with little success), and really trying to instill a love of books and reading by weekly trips to the library and snuggle time with the books when we get home.
I'm afraid to switch gears so late into the year, and feel like I can't just stick with something because nothing I pick seems to work, except this.
Sorry to ramble...I have a twenty pound baby asleep on my arm and it's getting numb... 
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cathhomeschool
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| Posted: Oct 29 2007 at 10:14pm | IP Logged
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Some initial thoughts:
nouns, verbs? MadLibs and books mentioned in this thread. We also play a game in the car -- I'll shout out a word, and the kids have to guess which part of speech the word is. We go round taking turns.
math? Well, we use a text off and on, but we also use living books and we journal/narrate math concepts and practice with real life word problems: LivingMathList.doc And this thread has great living math suggestions too: Math Picture books
Nature study, teatime, love of reading, snuggle time -- You've got real learning down! For religion, I would incorporate picture books and stories of the saints and feast days. Maybe a lapbook or scrapbook-style notebook pages would be more appealing to your daughter. You could record the 10 Commandments and things of that nature in a more visual way and it might help her remember better. A longer art project might be more meaningful for her also. Maybe a First Communion notebook is something you two could work towards? (several examples if you search the forum -- one of the more recent ones here.) (My first grader certainly doesn't have all of the Commandments memorized. We have pictures of them up on the wall that he regularly looks at. We've talked about all of the pictures and knows that they represent God's laws for us, but he doesn't know all of the wording and couldn't list them all off without looking.)
Planning: I tend to plan a week at a time or a unit at a time (anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks). I gather reading lists, ideas for crafts, projects, experiments, snacks, etc and then make a list. Then we start working down the list, making sure to read some every day. Now, we don't have to report to a school or to the state, so I'm not sure how much that might impact what you do. I do hope that someone from Maryland (or in a similar situation) chimes in!
If you want something laid out, I would definitely keep looking at Mater Amabilis. Five in a Row is a nice "curriculum" too, but definitely requires much more planning and "filling in" from Mom.
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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cathhomeschool
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| Posted: Oct 29 2007 at 10:20pm | IP Logged
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Oh, I meant to add to *start small*! You're doing great with the nature walks and library time. Perhaps a good way to ease into more Real Learning would be to focus on tea time. Make it easy so that it is more successful -- a store bought snack or maybe toast with jam or honey? Milk with crackers? You could use that time to tell Bible stories or read from a saint picture book. You could show your daughter a beautiful piece of religious artwork relating to that feast day saint (or not) and give a 2 minute description of the person or event. You could take one commandment per teatime and bring it up naturally, describing in conversation what God expects, etc.
*Don't* feel that you have to "change everything you're doing." Work a little at a time. Since religion is what you mentioned that she's struggling with, I'd try to find a more creative approach to that right now and don't worry so much about the rest.
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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Martha
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| Posted: Oct 29 2007 at 10:47pm | IP Logged
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I have got to take a breather between boards.
For a minute there I read "changing from boxed circ" and thought, "what in the world is a boxed circumcision?!" and I wonder if that other board knows anything about this?
Please ignore the wierd lady and continue as you were...
Along the topic at hand, do you have to take all the tests and such or just enroll to avoid the state review? If not, then you should understand that Seton is not requiring it of you and simply ignore those pesky things. I would just do Seton with Real Learning flair. Actually, I've done that very successfuly in the past and some now. If she isn't getting the book, then by all means go the real learning way. What matters is that she knows it and thus the test will be fine. Frankly, if I was that worried about the test, but NOT about her level of learning, I'd give an open book test and not sweat it. And Seton is okay with that too.
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Martha
mama to 7 boys & 4 girls
Yes, they're all ours!
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LLMom
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| Posted: Oct 30 2007 at 6:20am | IP Logged
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I too agree with just doing Seton with real learning for now. Add as you can. I think it is hard to totally ditch something (unless it isn't working at all) and start over. Add living books to the science and history (and even religion) and don't do the tests if you feel pressure. Seton is fine with that. As far as not getting something, she will get it later. Sometimes they need a few years exposure before it sinks in. Also, I think it helps to remember although we want learning to be fun and meaningful, we don't always have to make everything that way. I think sometimes its just good to learn something for its own sake and it doesn't have to be done with a flare. Everything doesn't have to have a song, game,dance, or great story. Like someone else said, take one thing and start small.
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Lisa
For veteran & former homeschool moms
homeschooling ideas
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jhigdon
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| Posted: Oct 30 2007 at 6:38am | IP Logged
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Thanks so much for the input. I like the idea of incorporating the Religion into teatime. She loves teatime (so do the rest of the kids) and I've noticed with her that she's up to sharing and talking during that time because it's sort of like a party to her.
I actually have the whole Rosary print from CHC on our wall. I call it our Rosary wall...maybe I could grab those prints on the Ten Commandments.
I am in love with the notebook idea because this is right up her ally. Total artist!
How do I start one? I'll look at the link posted above too, but is there a general way to do it?
Can I just say I love this place? I am soaking everything up like a sponge and am on fire for this way of learning.
My husband and I were just saying if we could have been exposed to this way of learning we would have been the best students!
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JuliaT
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| Posted: Oct 30 2007 at 8:29am | IP Logged
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I just wanted to address your question as to how to teach verbs and addition with Real Learning. It takes alot of practise, but once you get into the swing of things, it all becomes second nature. Also, when you acquire this state of mind, it is amazing at all of the resources you can find that will guide you in this type of learning.
We learn parts of speech through our read alouds. I take a sentence from the book that we are reading and we find all of the nouns, verbs, etc. I do have a grammar textbook for me, so that I know what I should be teaching but I don't use it with my kids. For math, this one took a little bit longer for me because I am a math phobic. But there are so many great living math books out there that can keep the ideas flowing for a long time. There are so many resources for math storbybooks, math games and hands-on activities. Once you get into the swing of doing subjects this way you gain more confidence and it becomes very easy to think up your own ideas.
I agree with the others that you need to start out small and, then, gradually add more things into your day that is of the real learning variety. By the sounds of things, you are on your way. Enjoy the journey.
Julia
mom of 3(8,6,4)
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Changing gears - from boxed curic to CM
