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EmilyC
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Location: New Hampshire
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| Posted: Jan 23 2009 at 12:20pm | IP Logged
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I've been pondering what we'll be doing for curriculum next year a lot lately. I really want to have it all planned out before baby comes, so I won't have to worry about it then.
Here's my dilemma. Sarah is very much a reading and writing kind of kid. She loves spelling, grammar, reading, poetry, etc. Ambleside, Sonlight and other literature based curriculum work fabulously with her. I want to do more Charlotte Mason type things with her because I think it will help her--more copywork and dictation (because she tends to be very careless in her writing) especially.
However...my twins are not good candidates for that sort of work. Robbie will sort of just go along with whatever I give him, but he has a very hard time paying attention to read alouds unless it is something he is very interested in. He's very artistic, and draws amazing pictures, but if you tell him to specifically draw something, he gets very frustrated. It has to be his idea or it won't happen. Riley is extremely literal and very smart. He's definitely a math/science type kid. He always wants to know if what we're learning about is real or not. He doesn't like historical fiction because he wants things to be either all real or all pretend. He's even having problems believing in God because he can't wrap his brain around the concept. The two of them LOVE workbooks as well. In fact, if you ask them what their favorite part of school is, they'll say math and explode the code.
So, what am I to do? I want to do what is best for everyone, but I don't want to have to buy 3 different curriculums. Right now we're kind of doing Ambleside, and while it's going pretty well, I can see the twins will get bored or frustrated with it down the road. As is, they only listen to about 1/4 of the read alouds with full attention. I love the idea of Sonlight, and that's what dd would like to use, but there's no way the boys will enjoy it--too much reading aloud and too much historical fiction for Riley. Sarah would be bored sensless with a more schooly/workbook approach, but I think the boys would do extremely well with something like that.
So, what would you do? Stick with Ambleside and just add in workbooks for the twins? Go with a more schooly approach and add in some Charlotte Mason ideas for dd? I want to do what will be easiest, since I'm anticipating next year being difficult.
Thanks for any and all advice!
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Emily,
Wife to Rob since 8/98
Mom to 4:
Sarah (13) Robbie & Riley (10) Regina (nearly 3)
My secular lit-based curriculum:
Build Your Library curriculum
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Shari in NY
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| Posted: Jan 24 2009 at 7:58am | IP Logged
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Dear Emily,
I would say yes to Ambleside with workbooks for the twins. My twins were the first of my children to use workbooks  but they are thriving on them. I had to overcome my own prejudices but now we are moving along swimmingly with some workbooks and some CM (narration is finally working this year!)Defintely do what is easiest for now and things will get easier down the road! And congratulations on your future arrival. How exciting!!
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: March 20 2009 at 7:09pm | IP Logged
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Hi, Emily! How are you doing? I just popped over to your blog and your 37 week picture was taken on March 8!!!! How are you doing??? Regina is a family name on my dh's side, his mom and sister's name, and my dd#1's middle name! LOVE IT!
And, any conclusions about next year with the twins and Ambleside?
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Suzanne in ID
Wife to Pete
Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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Maggie
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| Posted: March 20 2009 at 9:54pm | IP Logged
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Hi Emily,
I have to say, I have never seen anyone spell "Mae" that way...except in my family. My name is "Maggie Mae"..."Mae" is my grandmother's middle name. Her first is "Henrietta"--glad my parent's had a little sensitivity and didn't bless me with grandma's first name. :)
Congrats on your little one's arrival any day now!
Maggie
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EmilyC
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Location: New Hampshire
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Posts: 250
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| Posted: March 23 2009 at 7:29am | IP Logged
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Thanks everyone! I'm still pregnant, but I'll be getting induced on Wednesday if baby doesn't come on her own sooner. My dr. will be out of town the first week of April, so we decided it's best to go ahead and induce. We're very excited about meeting baby Regina in a few days!!!
I still don't really know what we'll be doing next year. I'm leaning towards doing some Well Trained Mind type curriculum with the boys, and possibly with Sarah as well, and just tweaking it a bit for her to make it more CMish.
__________________
Emily,
Wife to Rob since 8/98
Mom to 4:
Sarah (13) Robbie & Riley (10) Regina (nearly 3)
My secular lit-based curriculum:
Build Your Library curriculum
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Could you help me plan for next year?
