4Real Forums: Doing it all

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Topic: Doing it all

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terayon_124
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Joined: Feb 28 2005
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Posted: March 29 2008 at 3:05am \| IP Logged

Hi,

Can someone offer some wisdom as to doing this CM approach with 5 children under the age of 11? [ Soon to be can pair 2 of them for some subjects but in the scheme of things this doesn't help much.....

My biggest struggles are with Science and History, and some of the struggle is that the Education Department here in Australia has a keen preference for a paper trail to show learning..... I am ready to duke this out a little with them this year but could do with some 'science' of my own to woo them! Only my eldest is ready for written narrations and the recording of narrations to satisfy the Department is principally what is making me ready to give it all away....

Habit of attention is an ongoing struggle... and this interferes with the keeping the lessons short - there seems to be so much time wasting still!

My questions at the moment boil down to:
Science: how necessary is the hands on experiments for a well rounded science education? My 11 year old does not like doing them AT ALL and doesn't seem to get them when he does, though there are occasional sparks. He is happier reading biographies of scientists and I can tell from his narrations that he retains a lot from them.

History - can this be done just by reading living books even through high school? IF yes, how do you rotate through a history cycle [ like WTM or AO] a couple of times over their schooling years? Together with the BOC or written narrations?

Also - with the narrations for History - do you keep these in a separate notebook to the BOC or slip them behind the century they relate to [ I am thinking of a 2 page century spread and then a 2 page blank spread where narrations could go - or shoudl this be in a separate file?]

Thansk so much for any advice,

Rita

LookaBook
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Joined: Jan 07 2008
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Posted: April 01 2008 at 4:20pm \| IP Logged

Hey Rita,
If your DS doesn't care for experiments don't do them. My guy thinks there ok but I have way to much to do- 5 under 10yrs here.

What has been a God-send for me is the 4th grade Seton Science book. Yes, it is a work text but it is short sweet and to the point! It provides that paper trail- and the best part he can do it on his own!!!

I have needed ds to be more independent as I am teaching 2 to read (my advanced K and my reading struggling 2nd grader). I wasn't doing science at all and then we tried an Abeka text- he hated it. The Seton has short lessons with experiments if he wants and then a fill in the blank for review- 10min tops!!!

Hope this helps
Al

Erin
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Joined: Feb 23 2005
Location: Australia
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Posted: April 01 2008 at 11:21pm \| IP Logged

terayon_124 wrote:

My biggest struggles are with Science and History, and some of the struggle is that the Education Department here in Australia has a keen preference for a paper trail to show learning..... I am ready to duke this out a little with them this year but could do with some 'science' of my own to woo them! Only my eldest is ready for written narrations and the recording of narrations to satisfy the Department is principally what is making me ready to give it all away....

Rita
What state are you in? There are ways around this

Habit of attention is an ongoing struggle... and this interferes with the keeping the lessons short - there seems to be so much time wasting still!

terayon_124 wrote:

My questions at the moment boil down to:
Science: how necessary is the hands on experiments for a well rounded science education? My 11 year old does not like doing them AT ALL and doesn't seem to get them when he does, though there are occasional sparks. He is happier reading biographies of scientists and I can tell from his narrations that he retains a lot from them.

This is great

IMO at 11 science can quite easily be more nature study based. Are you aware that in NSW highschools are hardly doing any experiements now as they are too dangerous? Mostly the teacher demonstrates at the front of the room. One science tip at this age is to watch lots of magic school bus videos. Covers so much.

terayon_124 wrote:

History - can this be done just by reading living books even through high school? IF yes, how do you rotate through a history cycle [ like WTM or AO] a couple of times over their schooling years? Together with the BOC or written narrations?

Yes, yes, yes. 99% of our books are living books and my oldest is 14.7 now. You can rotate there are various suggestions out there, I have come to accept that we don't, we just go with whatever I am passionate about or the children.

terayon_124 wrote:

Also - with the narrations for History - do you keep these in a separate notebook to the BOC or slip them behind the century they relate to [ I am thinking of a 2 page century spread and then a 2 page blank spread where narrations could go - or shoudl this be in a separate file?]

Well either idea is great. We keep them in separate notebooks and at the end of the year I
bind them in with all their work of the year. Really it is your choice.

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Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians

terayon_124
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Posted: April 03 2008 at 2:17am \| IP Logged

Thanks for the replies - I am in Perth.

I have gone over more closely the Education Acts here and feel more confident that I am meeting the state requirements even though the beloved paper trail is not there....I tend to freeze when put on the spot and asked to defend my position - I keep expecting there to be an advocacy between the Ed dept and myself and keep getting surprised when that's not the case...

I have not been able to find anyone that uses CM through upper primary and into HS. Lots of families I know start out but tend to go to a more text book based curriculum though still using CM ideas. I am very visual so I have been going over and over the 'how-to's' in my head.

Erin - with the history - do you separate out the ages into different time periods or keep everyone in the same cycle and just have a mix of readings going on?

And my 11ds has finally decided that he would like to separate out all the narrations through the year and then file then in a BOC that is separated out by dividers for the different time periods which works for me!

Thanks again,

Rita

Erin
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Joined: Feb 23 2005
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Posted: April 03 2008 at 2:44am \| IP Logged

terayon_124 wrote:

Erin - with the history - do you separate out the ages into different time periods or keep everyone in the same cycle and just have a mix of readings going on?

I keep all my dc doing the same cycle, I'd go insane otherwise. Although my dd14 has asked a few times lately to do some different interest areas and that is fine as she is independent.

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Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians

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