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Becky J
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| Posted: Feb 18 2009 at 1:08pm | IP Logged
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My daughter, Molly, is due to start kindergarten next fall. We have been hoping to send her to a private Catholic school run by some Dominican sisters. However, we are starting to have serious doubts about this setting being a good fit for her personality and maturity level. Molly is a sweet child who is fairly well-behaved at home, but she has trouble in any kind of structured group settings, such as Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, gymnastics class, even her preschool at times. The kindergarten we've been considering is an all-day kindergarten. We are starting to think that is going to be way too much for her to handle.
So, I am reconsidering the option of homeschooling. The difficulty I face, I think, is that I have a very structured personality myself and gravitate towards a curriculum like Seton in which every last thing is laid out for me. Also, I am due to have a baby around the time the school year would begin, so it seems like I would need to have a plan for homeschooling that would be simple enough to follow under our changing circumstances.
But, Molly, as I said, is the kind of child who would probably best thrive under some form of unschooling or a living-books approach (since she loves books, is already reading very well and even interested in writing already).
Is there a way I could make a more structured homeschooling approach like Seton, MODG, etc., work for me and Molly? Of those set curricula, what might be the best compromise between my need for structure and hers for freedom? If I were to try to take a living-books approach, would I have to reinvent the wheel or is there more guidance than that out there now? (I do have "Real Learning" but feel incredibly overwhelmed when I read a book like that and can't imagine how I'd have the time, especially once I have a newborn, to piece everything together the way moms like Elizabeth have.)
Please let me know if you have any thoughts.
Thanks!
Becky J
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Sarah M
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| Posted: Feb 18 2009 at 2:49pm | IP Logged
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Have you looked into Oak Meadow? We've used it this year and really enjoy it. It's comprehensive and all laid out, but is still flexible. They give you a list of things to do each week, but you choose when (and if) to do them. They explore almost every subject in an artistic way that respects the child's development. They aren't Catholic or Christian (or influenced by any other religion, for that matter), so I have to add in all the religion myself. But for that, we attend CGS, observe the liturgical year, and use Catholic Mosaic. That seems to do it! You can see sample pages of their Kindergarten curriculum here. Hope that helps, Becky!
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Feb 18 2009 at 3:15pm | IP Logged
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Have you looked at Five in a Row? Its premade unit studies in a volume. Volume 1 would cost around $20, and is a year's worth of materials covering all subjects except phonics/handwriting, religion (I actually incorporate our religion into FIAR) and math. If you wanted, you could use workbooks for those subjects. CHC is gentler than Seton and MODG, imho, but you could pick and choose from all three if you wanted. There really isn't a need for lesson plans for the basics. Workbooks are usually clearly laid out for how much to do each day. I have a serious bias against MODG's phonics program (extremely confusing and mom intensive, imho), so I never recommend it to new homeschoolers, but there are moms that love it, so maybe its just me. It would be very easy to pick a math book, a handwriting book, and a simple phonics program from the more structured providers and not feel overwhelmed beyond the normal "I'm new at this and its all scarey" feeling that hits everyone at the beginning (ignore that, btw. It'll pass  ).
I am *very* structured, personally. So I do know what you mean. I get overwhelmed easily by fancy unit studies. If you do it as the Lambert's suggest, picking one lesson for each day, it is done easily by the manual, and there is tons of help on the FIAR boards if you need encouragement. For more structured moms, I do recommend FIAR's planner download.  It helped me tremendously with getting organized. I do all my planning and ordering over the summer. With 1 K child, we would easily be done with school before lunch, starting around 9ish (after chores and breakfast). I would recommend seeing if someone has a FIAR manual for you to look at, first (or maybe check a hs supply store).
If you decide you want something completely structured with daily lesson plans, then I would recommend CHC, and then use Elizabeth's read aloud cycle at the back of Real Learning for literature (CHC's program is everything you need except read alouds). Affordable, cute, easy to follow and charmingly Catholic. It also has stuff to cut/color/paste that little girls often love.
Hope this helps!
__________________
Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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Lorelei
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| Posted: Feb 19 2009 at 9:35am | IP Logged
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Becky,
I too have a "spirited" 5 year old. He is my fifth, and although I have been homeschooling for many, many years, I found this spiritedness a new challenge. (I LOVE to see the check marks over my lesson plans..)
The best advise from my heart, would be to let her explore her world. Take your child, who is interested in everything, outside with the new baby and let her bring you all sorts of new and exciting finds, while you give her lots of ohhs and ahhhs. Build in her a sense of love for learning. And read, read, read...
I have found that structured learning in the early years have been more of a hinderance rather than a positive. I also found that textbooks are much more alluring to my structured, "built in schoolish" frame of mind than to the children. Many times I have found myself more interested in completing the curriculum, than how much the child learns. "Finish the textbook at all costs" mentality.
If she brings you a caterpiller, read a caterpiller poem and then learn penmanship by copywork. Count how many legs this wooly find has, and talk about it's habitat. Make many trips to the library and have a picnic to celebrate your good luck in finding so many great books. But most of all trust in His wisdom and in the wisdom of these fine ladies, who will bring lots of wonderful and imaginative ideas to your school days.
This spirited child has brought back the joy in learning with my children.
In His Love,
Lorelei
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Connections
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| Posted: Feb 20 2009 at 11:36am | IP Logged
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Becky-
I agree with foregoing the curriculum and following her lead.
My spirited child started to despise math when I tried to do workbooks (many different providers) at ages 5 and 6. He actually has an amazing ability to do math in his head but I was making him "hate" math with the way I was approaching it. Every day math (making up word problems, cooking, etc.) and living books and games was the way to go.
I SO wanted to follow something with check boxes. I even spent a lot of time creating my own check boxes (and this is something you can do to feed your structured personality). I realized that he learns SO MUCH on his own- mostly through reading. Academically, there is no problem. These children will stay afloat and excel.
As for your own structured personality. Perhaps you can structure some things based on days of the week. With a K and newborn there are so few things (academically) that you HAVE to do. Perhaps you can instead focus on one thing each day and add in a literature read aloud (from Real Learning, FIAR booklists or classic chapter books) pegged to your day (we do this at lunch). The one thing a day can be pegged, too. This adds structure with room for your child to grow and excel. For example, focus one day on math - read a living book and do an activity. Make one day a library visit day. One day can be all about nature- get outside and explore. You can tailor this to your child and your current situation.
You can plan this out a month or a week ahead (or more) depending on your preference. It does NOT have to be elaborate. If it includes a book and discussion, with an opportunity to let the child explore/read more/ create- you are golden!
In fact, I find with my spirited child (especially in the early years) it is so much more productive for me to have paper and crayons and markers etc. available and let HIM come up with the activities. This really takes so much pressure off and it is feeding their creativity. When I would design and plan the activity it was almost always a flop- or he would change it to make it his own, anyway.
Try not to overthink things (easy for me to say- I already spent years overthinking).
Look at your District's goals for K and you will be amazed at how little you will need to do to keep up.
Learn with your child- you do not have to present the material as if you know it (I especially find that my spirited child enjoys learning with me). To me, this is accomplished through reading aloud, discussion and being curious about the world.
I needed to let go of my "right answer" mentality. I am always amazed at the creative and thoughtful ideas that children share when they are given the time and space and encouragement to develop them.
With our ever-changing world I believe it is especially important to help our children learn HOW to learn and to support and encourage their love of learning. I don't think any of us knows exactly what our children will need to succeed in the job market 20 years from now. But if we support their creativity and love of learning we can rest in the knowledge that they will adapt and succeed.
Sorry to be long winded.
_______________
Blessings,
Tracey
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Connections
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| Posted: Feb 20 2009 at 11:48am | IP Logged
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I forgot to mention Cay's Picture Perfect Childhood- this book and her Catholic Mosaic can really simplify your plan making.
You have so much time. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself now.
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Sarah M
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| Posted: Feb 20 2009 at 12:07pm | IP Logged
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Connections wrote:
In fact, I find with my spirited child (especially in the early years) it is so much more productive for me to have paper and crayons and markers etc. available and let HIM come up with the activities. This really takes so much pressure off and it is feeding their creativity. When I would design and plan the activity it was almost always a flop- or he would change it to make it his own, anyway.
Try not to overthink things (easy for me to say- I already spent years overthinking). |
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 Great advice (as always), Tracey.
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: Curriculum for a "spirited" child?
