| Author | |
SeaStar
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 16 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9068
|
| Posted: Feb 01 2010 at 8:07am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
I am contemplating these days the value of "sticking to it". Someone commented here awhile back about how she thought most programs she has tried were just fine and would work well if only she stuck to them.
I am not talking about forcing your dc to do Saxon math when she hates it or Using Voyages in English when, obviously, it is not the right thing for your child.
I am talking about the near constant temptation to switch programs, try something new, take a new approach- when what you already have is working just fine. In the past I have always thought that was part of the fun of homeschooling- being able to try new things all the time.
But now I am thinking that it is (maybe) more fun for me (if you discount the stress and worry over picking the right thing, plus all the time it takes) than it is for my dc, who like routine and find change hard.
We use Right Start math at our house, and the other day I was thinking how happy I am with this program- how clever it is and how much my ds is learning through it. Is it the best program out there? Is it "fun"? Is it that "perfect" fit we are all after? I don't know. Truthfully, I think the only perfect math fit for my ds would be a brain transfusion of all math knowledge into his head while he simultaneously played with legos  .
But we are sticking to it, and I have given up my idea that I can find a better program, a better fit- or do it better on my own. Same thing with our art- we use Artistic Pursuits. It is working just fine. We like it.
Only boredom or pride (that I can do better mentality) would lead me to start looking (again) at other programs.
At this time of year I am always tempted to start looking at all kinds of different things for next year: maybe Seton... maybe MODG... maybe a different handwriting series. I want to pick and choose- again- which is ironic, since I have already picked and chosen what I thought was the best , and what didn't work I weeded out quickly.
I've heard February described as the toughest month of homeschooling- I guess this is the month when boredom and pride can really kick in. So, I am going to prayerfully consider all the good in the things I already have and use and try to stick to it.
__________________
Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Paula in MN
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 25 2006
Location: Minnesota
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4064
|
| Posted: Feb 01 2010 at 8:13am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Funny you should post this....right now...as I was just logging on to post my version of these same questions. I never thought we suffered from the dreaded February rut, but we certainly are today, and it is only 8:10! 
I have the same mentality, the stick-to-it-since-we-paid-good-money-for-it mentality. I get so involved in sticking to it, that I don't notice if it is working.  And I don't think it is... 
__________________
 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
|
| Posted: Feb 01 2010 at 9:21am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Melinda and Paula,
I can relate. I was just praying for grace this morning regarding sticking to it. Most of what we are using, is working ... when I use it correctly. Latin is a good example. It's not working. But, in all honesty I have to say I really don't like it and so I'm the one that tends to blow it off. I think my dd would do very well with it if I did a better job at sticking to it. Thankfully, most other things are going okay. I guess I view Latin as an extra so I don't worry too much if we don't get to it.
But, whether things are working or not, I get bored. I've learned that for me, a good way to deal with this is to change something other than curriculum. We moved our school books upstairs not too long ago. We have a great school room in the basement, but we all like to work upstairs during the winter. There's more natural light up here. I also change our schedule which puts different subjects in a new light. Starting with history reading intead of math has been a great change for the last 2 weeks. The kids are fresh and so they are really into the books we are reading right now. Math comes second, so we are sure to get it done early in the day, but starting off in the sunroom instead of at the kitchen table has given us a new view on life .
Last year, I started using workboxes at about this time. What a great motivator. I didn't have to change anything that we were doing, I just arranged it differently, put it into boxes, and the kids felt like we were doing something completely new.
Anyway, didn't mean to go on and on. I just wanted to share how I cope with the same feelings you are having!
__________________
Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Rebeccca
Forum Rookie
Joined: Jan 17 2010
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 86
|
| Posted: Feb 01 2010 at 9:33am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I don't really understand what it is about February. Even when I was brand new to homeschooling and everything was exciting and new to both of us, we still suffered from some kind of . . . doldrums.
It took a couple of yrs to get into the hang of it but what really works for me is to plan in February. Doing that injects a sense of new, wonder, excitement for both of us.
By February, we should know what is working, what isn't and what new things will be coming in. There are things that won't change programs but will change levels, Math, Latin, and Language Arts, for example. We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE what we're using now and won't change but we look at next year's books and see what we'll be doing. We get excited about what's to come and look forward to it. I start making the literature list and we get physched about the books; we crack open the next CNR and read maybe one good story and then shut it up and don't peek again; we look for sample pages of the next level of math and think about how crazy it would be to be able to do that now.
Some things will be new in the up coming year. We do history ancient through modern so we know what period we'll be doing and we research materials for that and make our lists. We know we'll still be doing the same Latin next year and we just peek ahead at some of that but we also know that next year she gets a modern language, too. We'll be researching that this month. That's a big one we don't usually have, though.
We do our research and make our lists. Having done that in February and sometimes March, we know what we need and can purchase a little bit each month instead of a big cash outlay when school is about to start. I don't need much for Language Arts except for books I've identified as necessary but that are not avail through the library. So, we generally save that one for last. Otherwise, we order a few books each month to spread out the cost.
If you enroll in a program that does all that planning for you and you're happy with it, you could still spend February taking a peek into the upcoming books (sample pages online, library visits, et c.) and build excitement for the upcoming work. That definately works for us.
Regarding changing curriculum often . . . that's tricky. We want to make sure that we find what's right for the child but at the same time, don't want to give up on something just b/c it challenges a child who may not want to be challenged just at the moment.  I admit it's tough to decide. After 2 1/2 years of tears and angst, we gave up on IEW and switched to Writer's Jungle/Brave Writer. We couldn't be happier and I just lament all that lost time. On the other hand, While we just adore out Latin program, my daughter will balk and complain when it gets hard for her (read: too much work load). I find that my help in finding a more productive approach to the work is more profitable in many ways than letting her change programs or dropping what we have. I know . . . it's so tough to decide.
and just to let you know: letting a child change writing implements can really spice up a boring patch. I just bought a bottle of white-out and some cool pens . . . suddenly writing Latin paradigms is a little more fun.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: Feb 01 2010 at 11:54am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Well I have to admit, that I'm not at all tempted to look at other math programs  .. once we found what works for us. So instead I use February (and do you suppose getting a tax return at the end of Feb/early March ties in?) to look at other things.. things that I don't have a good program.. maybe things that I don't want a program for. Figuring out what neat science or history books to get or other stuff Saint books, Catholic books etc.. I'm wanting to get more of the Uncle Eric books this time around.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
10 Bright Stars
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 16 2006
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 728
|
| Posted: Feb 01 2010 at 12:21pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Melinda,
I used to switch curriculums every February too when the kids were little. Not just books but WHOLE SCHOOLS of THOUGHT. (MODG to Seton, Seton to my own stuff, my own stuff to MODG again.) This didn't seem to hurt the kids that much when they were little, but now that my oldest are getting into high school I am just sticking with a program. I can see gaps here and there from switching over the years, so I would recommend sticking with something if it is not actually bad for your kids. (i.e. a bad fit)
I do think we get burned out with a program or bored. Perhaps this would be a good time to add something "fun" such as picking up "A Picture Perfect Childhood" or "Honey For A Child's Heart" ,"For the Love of Literature" or any number of those types of fun books. They will wet your appetite for a good, new book, which I finally figured out that maybe that was what my problem is being a bit of a bibliophile!! So, you can then explore choosing books to read to the kids and plan around that and maybe doing a fun little break away study for a few days to just mix things up. It can get so boring and dull at home with the cold weather. I finally just realized though that slow and steady with one thing really can produce results in the kids, so I would stick with what you can and maybe just add some spice and zest to your basic recipe so to speak. Or, maybe something like, "Mondays with Mary" and have a nice warm tea date with your kids.
__________________
Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SeaStar
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 16 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9068
|
| Posted: Feb 01 2010 at 12:34pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I love reading all your comments!
Most of you have been at this way longer than I have and have so much wisdom to offer.
I love the idea of peeking ahead- especially in the math department.
And I truly appreciate your advice, Kim, about settling in to one program to avoid gaps. That has been on my mind- if I keep switching from this to that, how will I remember where we've been or plan for where we are going?
I have been using a lot of CHC stuff this year and last- I am thinking that maybe I need to settle into that or make a switch now to MODG or Seton.
Yesterday I spent a few hours with CHC's Easy as 1-2-3 Science and Stories from Science. Previously I have dismissed this program because I thought it looked kind of weird and fluffy, but delving into it yesterday gave me new perspective... once I got past the first unit I liked it a lot. I know my dc will really enjoy the science stories. Plus the whole idea is clever- repeating the topics three years in a row (good review) but delving deeper each time. The activities and subjects get more detailed over time.
I also have determined that I want to stay with an "already Catholic" program for the most part so I don't have to worry so much about tweaking or the underlying philosophies that might be involved.
Jodie- I sure hear you about loving the books! Maybe that is where I will direct my spring fever this year  
__________________
Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mommiepappa
Forum Newbie
Joined: March 03 2008
Location: Georgia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 14
|
| Posted: Feb 03 2010 at 6:10am | IP Logged
|
|
|
For me, February begins the "looking to next year" syndrome that haunts me until August. I begin perusing blogs, checking out what is working for others in subjects that might not be going so well for us. I was like Kim and use to switch curriculum a lot around February, totally changing tracks on my girls "road" of education. I have learned that it is Mom that is getting bored and not my girls. I do agree that sometimes just "sticking to it" is the best way to go. At least until next year....
Kat
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mariB
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 20 2006
Location: Vermont
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3815
|
| Posted: Feb 04 2010 at 6:15am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I love sticking to what works best...especially for the basics like grammar, math, writing, etc.
During this February, we are doing a couple of new extra curricular activities and a new read aloud...
This January, I did buy a couple of new workbooks for my 13 and 10 year olds. We have been doing hands on geography and science and I found that maybe a little critical thinking was in order for them. I guess I found a weakness in the middle of this year and wanted to address it!
I thinking you all are right about sticking to works best! It makes sense when you think about it!
blessings,
marianne
__________________
marib-Mother to 22ds,21ds,18ds,15dd,11dd and wife to an amazing man for 23 years
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Pride and Boredom vs. Sticking To It
