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Becky Parker
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| Posted: Jan 21 2010 at 6:38am | IP Logged
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I'm looking into some options for next year. My ds will be in 4th grade. The language arts have always been his struggle. Reading, writing, etc. I'm wondering what your opinions are regarding the CHC materials for LA? Language, Spelling, Reading Comprehension etc. We use HWOT and would stick with that, but I might consider switching for the others. Also, and this is a different subject, but if you use CHC, it seems a bit light in history for grade 4. Any thoughts on that?
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Becky
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Paula in MN
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We used CHC for four years. Their approach is very gentle and Catholic-orientated. My kids were able to complete the Spelling and Grammar workbooks without a lot of direction from me. I supplemented History with a lot of living books.
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 Paula
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Becky Parker
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Thanks Paula. Did you find that the transition into whatever you followed it with went well?
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Becky
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Paula in MN
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Sorry, Becky, I should clarify. We used the entire CHC for four years. I'm still using the Spelling component, as it works well for my dd10. For Grammar we have moved to Intermediate Language Lessons. I have her write paragraphs two or three times per week on Science and History Topics (ala WTM), and that is where the handwriting comes in. My ds7 transitioned well to 2nd grade at public school  . In fact, he is the top speller of the 2nd grade. 
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folklaur
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i have always wanted to love CHC.
however, i found them to be beyond what i would call "light."
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Becky Parker
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Thanks Paula, I use ILL too, once my kids reach 5th grade. I'm thinking about the CHC for the kids in 1st and 4th next year.
Laura, could you elaborate? Was it the level of difficulty or the amount of work that seemed "beyond light". We're having a difficult year and I certainly don't need to make it worse next year!
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folklaur
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Becky Parker wrote:
Thanks Paula, I use ILL too, once my kids reach 5th grade. I'm thinking about the CHC for the kids in 1st and 4th next year.
Laura, could you elaborate? Was it the level of difficulty or the amount of work that seemed "beyond light". We're having a difficult year and I certainly don't need to make it worse next year! |
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it's so hard, because every child is different.
and you have to understand, i want to love their stuff. i make exceptions for it that i would not make for, say, a secular spelling book.
i don't know if that is good for my dc's education.
mostly, how very dull, dry, and boring it is. if my children already know all the work - they are bored.
for instance - their spellers.
i don't think the words are challenging at all. i've tried them with two different children - one a boy, one a girl. one a natural speller, one not as much.
if i grab the grade level book, i could pull basically any word out of any list, and they could spell it. so i went up a grade level. same thing. my ds wasn't writing cursive yet, but could spell all the words in the speller that was cursive.
if they can spell all the words from every list in the spelling book - how is that "teaching" them spelling? that just seems like a waste of time to me.
they are so light on history.
the science is very weak.
i do like the FHC prep. i bought the LP just for those this year for my dd. ( however, if i wasn't so brain-fried, i could have used resources from blogs from the ladies here and it would be even better. )
i want my children to be learning - not just being retold what they already know.
they can be beefed up nicely - but at that point - you could do it yourself w/o too much difficulty - or there are enough free resources floating around to help if you need some guidance.
i hate getting down on them. they seem like such "sweet" books, if that makes sense.
and, as always, YMMV.
hth.
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SeaStar
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We use the Little Stories for LIttle Folks reading books... my kids have really done well with them. I like that they have a lot of words... not just huge pictures with a sentence or two like many readers. But they are small, easy for little hands to hold and they start out very gently for new readers.
My ds is in the second book of the handwriting series 
I have the first grade speller, and at first I thought it was a lot of busy work and was disappointed. The I had an "aha' moment.... my ds is almost finished with the 1st grade writing book. When he finishes it, I am go to start him in the speller instead of going on to 2nd grade handwriting. He will still get gentle writing practice, I won't have to buy another book quite yet, plus he will get some spelling in. Doing two workbooks a day for him would be no good- he is not a WB kid. But this approach will work well.
Most of all, I love how *Catholic* the materials are. I have great respect for this company... I feel like the ladies there really listen to what families need/want and move with the times.
ETA: I just got an e-mail that CHC will soon be having a virtual HS conference:
Do you love Catholic homeschooling conferences as much as we do? What an opportunity to page through displayed books, gathering ideas from products at each grade level.
Unfortunately, we’ve learned over the years that most of our families cannot attend conferences because they can’t find babysitters, aren’t able to squeeze a day-long conference into a schedule already filled with dental appointments, nursing and napping babies and other family concerns, and couldn’t afford to travel the distance anyway.
How do we provide a conference experience for these families? CHC has been trying to develop ways to provide conference-type displays for the majority of our families for whom conferences are out of the question, and also for the smaller number who could attend conferences if one were only available in their locale.
After months of preparation and planning, we are excited to announce CHC’s upcoming ‘Virtual Conference,’ which will not only be an improvement in many ways over a ‘live’ conference, but will also reach all families, not just the minority.
What will the ‘Virtual Conference’ feature?
CHC has nearly completed production of interactive, in-depth, product videos that can be viewed as your schedule permits, accessed at any time of the day or night, and can be viewed as many times as you like, at no expense to you.
Learn about CHC materials, without standing in line to talk with a representative who may or may not have personal experience with that product. Simply click on the ‘pause’ button at any time to read sample pages, or return to listen and see again the details and ‘how-to-use’ descriptions of a product.
These professionally-produced videos can be viewed in the comfort of your own home, without pressure of time constraints or interruptions, and they are available not just on one conference day, but 365 days a year!
In addition, CHC will soon have available a grade-by-grade e-catalog which provides lengthy, detailed, interactive sample pages of core materials, with search and page turning features. If, for example, a parent is interested in first grade lesson plans and texts, he or she can go online and have immediate access to numerous sample pages and descriptions of how the materials ‘work.’
Do you have homeschooling questions, too? Our ‘Virtual Conference’ webpage will also include answers to a myriad of homeschooling questions, and other support features, available year-round.
Finally, CHC will offer special ‘Conference Discounts’ for orders placed during conference season!
What will the ‘Virtual Conference’ not feature?
no crowds, or waiting in line
no time commitment away from family duties
no travel time, gasoline, registration, motel, or babysitting expenditures that eat into an already-limited homeschool budget
If you have always wanted to browse CHC materials at a conference, but were unable to attend because of distance, time, or family constraints, we invite you to visit our 365-days-a-year, free ‘Virtual Conference.’ coming soon. Be watching upcoming e-newsletters for the release date of CHC's first virtual conference!
This looks like a really great way to get a feel for their materials. See- they are always up to something new over there!
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Becky Parker
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Laura,
Thank you for your honest reply. I know that all kids are different. I tried CHC with my dd when she was in first grade and it worked for a short time but she got bored. My oldest never really used it because I wasn't sure of the junior high/highschool part. But those two are so different from two of my younger boys. (I don't know about the toddler yet.) I am rethinking CHC because it might just work for them, or at least the language arts. These two are into "projects" and I was thinking of using CHC for the language arts and maybe religion and then let them have their projects for the rest. (But that's a whole nother topic!)
Melinda,
I too love the Catholic aspect of CHC. I think, especially in the younger years, you really can't over-do that. My ds who is now in kindergarten is learning to read from Teach Your Child to Read In 100 Easy Lessons. He really likes it and is doing well. I notice the CHC LSLF starts with the second set in first grade so I'll have to see if we can make that transition or if I'll need to go back to set 1 at the beginning.
I also heard about the virtual conference. I'm curious to see how it will be. One of my biggest frustrations is having to order HS books before I actually look at them, then feel disappointed because they aren't what I thought. I'll certainly use the virtual conference to check things out a little more.
Thanks!
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Tina P.
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Becky, I found CHC to be a good fit for a family with all girls. My boys, particularly my oldest who was exposed to it the most, just thought it was smarmy. I had to bail out after a few years. My son wanted stories about imperfect people. 
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CatholicMommy
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Becky - for the level 1 booklets - I would suggest just leting him read through them. If he knows how to read decently, he'll breeze through them, but since each reading program teaching slightly differently (all the basics are covered, just in different orders and patterns), it will help assure he has everything CHC puts into level 1. Then just slow down when needed. :)
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Becky Parker
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Thanks CatholicMommy,
I did pull them out yesterday and he tried the first one. It's an adjustment, going from 100 EZ... to these. He struggled a bit. I think if I decide to go with CHC next year, I'll switch him over to the LSLF now and see if we can get through Level 1 fairly quickly. He knows all the sounds of the letters, it's just getting them to "smush" together to make the words.
Tina, I could see that happening here too! My first grader probably wouldn't mind, but my 4th grader might. I've pretty much decided CHC would be a good route to take for the 1st grader, but I'm still not sure about the 4th grader.
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Becky
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4Real Forums : Language Arts Come Alive
Topic: Opinions about CHC
