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LLMom
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| Posted: Aug 18 2007 at 10:08pm | IP Logged
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I was reading last night on love2learnan article called mistakes to avoid. One thing that jumped out at me was about not jumping from program to program (or method to method). Do you think that it matters? I have jumped from unschooling, to MODG, to Seton, with CM in between those years. Mostly the change has been according to what is happening in our life at the time. But do you think that it is detrimental to children to change a bunch?
I have been pondering this a lot lately and especially whether any one method is better than the other and I think that it doesn't really matter as long as we love our children. And of course I believe that most homeschooling parents love their children and are trying to give them the best and that is what gives them a good education not whether we unschool, use CM, Seton, etc. Because we see over and over again children excelling in academics from all of these types.
I would love to hear your thoughts.
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Lisa
For veteran & former homeschool moms
homeschooling ideas
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GraceandCoffee
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| Posted: Aug 19 2007 at 2:47pm | IP Logged
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Is this an issue of consistency? I am curious about this too, being a brand new homeschooler and thinking that I may have to do some experimenting to get it just right for each child.
I'm already having to rethink my Bible time because the Bible I chose is too wordy for my kids.
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GraceandCoffee
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| Posted: Aug 19 2007 at 3:06pm | IP Logged
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Ok, wow, I just skimmed over that list. It makes me feel as if I can never do things perfectly. However I will continue to put one foot in front of the other and PRAY!
I noticed that the next thing they mentioned was that it's a mistake to NOT change programs when you SHOULD.
I think the point is that you should be practicall attentive to whether or not your kids are learning and make changes accordingly or keep to it without getting obesessed and freaking out at every turn before trying to work out issues with what you have. I think it's an issue of personal discipline and stick-to-it-iveness.
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vmalott
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| Posted: Aug 19 2007 at 3:07pm | IP Logged
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I think the key word that was used here is "unnecessarily." I do agree with that. Notice that the following "mistake" is "not switching from a program when you should." In that segment, the writer states: "a parent must also be able to recognize when something isn't working for their child..." Amen to that.
I think many of us may be guilty of being "curriculum junkies", hoping the next best thing touted on a forum or at a conference just might be the thing that will work for our child. That might be detrimental to your pocket books!  But I do think it takes some time and some experimenting to find out whta works for each child. And that's definitely more of a challenge the more children you have in the family!
Of course, I also wonder about the idea of a "program." It kind of sounds like the writer assumes that most of Catholic homeschoolers choose to enroll their children in a program like Seton, Kolbe, or MODG.
Personally, we didn't start homeschooling with the help of a program...and here we are still plugging along, doing what needs to be done according to the seasons of our family's life. There are times when more structure is needed and there are times when only the very basics can be demanded. Do I feel like I'm shirking my duty to be my children's primary educator? Heck, no! Do I think the skipping around with various materials and approaches has been detrimental to their formation? Not a bit. Yes, they have weaknesses and there will surely be gaps in their education once there done here at home, but there is no one curriculum, program, or material that will be the perfect fit for each and every one of my children.
Valerie
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Mom to Julia ('94), John ('96), Lizzy ('98), Connor ('01), Drew ('02), Cate ('04), Aidan ('08) and three saints in heaven
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JuliaT
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| Posted: Aug 19 2007 at 3:14pm | IP Logged
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I don't think switching methods is detrimental to a child's education. At least I hope not because we have done a whole lotta jumpin' around in the last three years. My kids have not slowed down in their learning because of these method changes. If anything, these changes have been positive as we have finally found a way of learning that is benefiting all of us.
I can see, though, where switching programs in one subject would be a problem. For ex. in math switching from Miquon to Singapore to Saxon and then to RightStart. For one thing, you are not teaching the child perserverance. For another, these programs teach math in totally different ways so I could see where jumping around would be confusing to a child and might hamper their math learning.
I know that in the beginning with some subjects we have to try some programs out in order to find the right fit. But I know of some famiies that do not give the program a chance. At the first sign of difficutly, they bale and try yet another program.
I don't think, though, that what you are describing is a problem. Life happens and when it does we need to go with the flow and use what fits.
Blessings,
Julia
mom to 3(8,6,4)
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Juliainsk
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Leonie
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| Posted: Aug 19 2007 at 11:33pm | IP Logged
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We have done a lot of jumping around but the constants have been a) homeschooling iteslf and b) the influence of home and family.
Our jumping around and our many moves and health hassles have made our education look less than perfect on paper - but it has worked, so far, for our homeschool graduates. I think the important thing for us was not consistency in method or rotuine but in working on relationship.
My five cents worth! 
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TracyQ
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| Posted: Aug 20 2007 at 8:53am | IP Logged
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When we began homeschooling, I was trying to see what fit for each child, etc. At one point, my dh asked of me only ONE thing. He said that he didn't care what I used for any other subject, or how much we jumped around in them, but could I just choose one math program for each child (could be different for each child if that's what I felt was best), and stick through it all the way through? I did that by choosing Saxon, and then ended up using it a different way for each child. I think that's been a really good thing in math for us, and can see how God gave my dh the wisdom long ago for this subject, because it's one that He felt we needed consistancy in.
However, THIS year, I am trying to switch our youngest daughter's math curriculum to see if it's a better fit for her (with my dh's blessing). We're trying it, and if it doesn't work, will go back to Saxon (not any other). This is an extremely difficult subject for her, and I'm losing her completely in it, she's struggling, and so I needed to do something.
But for math, it was a VERY good thing for us to stick with one program for each of them, and was a blessing. Everything else didn't seem to matter much, because there's a set plan for high school that delved into all of the subjects more deeply, and it was fine. But we're very eclectic homeschoolers anyway, so we never had one set approach or curriculum that we ever used anyway, so it was fine.
Looking back, if I were to do any other subject in a more consistant way, I'd have chosen grammar and writing. But then I would have missed out on some wonderful programs that I think were a blessing to us, so I'm trusting God led me to give them all that they needed there too.  I tend to be a perfectionist, so I can get frustrated jumping around, even though I do it anyway.
Hope this helps some!
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Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
 homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Aug 21 2007 at 7:07am | IP Logged
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hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...I've done a ton of jumping around, and that includes math programs. The reality is that we are all using our first children especially as guinea pigs in this whole educational adventure. And I think that's ok.
I have a 9th grader now who has used (in order, I think) Scott Foresman, Singapore, Abeka, more Singapore, Saxon, Math U See, more Saxon, and now Teaching Textbooks. 
He's in Alg. 1 in the 9th grade now and doing fine. The only thing I regret is not pushing math facts more diligently, which I have remedied with my youngers via Flashmaster. That said, I am diehard Math U See/TT user now. But how am I supposed to get to that point until I've used a few things?
Same with language arts. We've used a ton of stuff. Now I am *very* settled on Hillside Education's Serl rewrites and Lingua Mater through the 8th grade, along with regular copywork and narrations/summaries woven into other subjects. It took me a while to get there, though.
I've moved back and forth between 2 history based curriculums since ds was in 1st grade (Sonlight and FIAR). I use them all very differently than I did the first time around.
And I don't think I can count the different things I've tried for science (I'm very science challenged)! But when I flipped through a general science text a year ago, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my oldest had covered pretty much everything in the book over the years. And when he took an Abeka 6th grade gen. science class with a great teacher, she told me the same thing...he pretty much knew it all already.
I guess what I'm saying is that while it isn't a good idea to constantly change just because there is something new on the market, don't be afraid to change when something isn't working or just doesn't feel right. Its not as easy to understand and implement CM methods, especially. Its not that they are harder...just that they are more unfamiliar to most of us traditionally schooled moms. And we are likely to make some blunders as we get used to looking at a curriculum or book critically.
If we love our children, do our best to choose well, and give them something to think about, something to love and something to do every day, then I don't think switching curriculums is going to lead to terrible gaps in the future. Its like Karen Andreola said way back when...the goal is a strong hammock to support them even though its full of holes. A solid hammock is impossible, even in a traditional school.
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~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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GraceandCoffee
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| Posted: Aug 21 2007 at 8:25pm | IP Logged
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Wow. I just had an absolutely horrible day with homeschooling, Books, and your post has encouraged me to keep trying.
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Wife to the most wonderful man in the world, and mama to 4 beautiful children: meteorologist age 7, naturalist age 5, ballerina age 4, and baby boy age 19 months
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TracyQ
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| Posted: Aug 22 2007 at 8:39am | IP Logged
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Books,
GREAT post, thanks! Yes, I agree!!! And you've blessed me too by reading this today to always listen to God's will, and do our best, that's all He asks of us, and I think sometimes we kick ourselves too much, and bring unnecessary guilt when we love our kids more than anyone, want what's best for them, and are doing our best.
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Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: switching styles/programs
