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JennyM
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| Posted: Sept 26 2009 at 1:39am | IP Logged
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Hi ladies,
I've spent a lot of time today reading through the threads compiled under "early education resources", specifically in regard to FIAR vs. Little Saints. After reading your former discussions, I felt like I should really look more into FIAR mainly because many of you said LS is so time consuming/labor intensive, etc. But, I poked around on the FIAR website and their own message board and have a question for those of you who use it or are familiar with it-- it seems as if I could do (and do it already) what the FIAR program sets up for you. Someone's "rabbit trails" would not be the same or maybe not always as in depth as the program guide, but it would certainly be cheaper--- not buying another program manual!--- and we all read lots of good books to our little ones already!
Anyway, just wondering what your thoughts are. I know from reading your earlier threads that many of you really enjoy using FIAR and highly recommend it-- so maybe you need to sell me on it!
Thanks for your help!
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Sept 26 2009 at 3:26am | IP Logged
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I guess it would depend on what you are looking for and how confident you feel about creating stuff on your own.
Absolutely, you can "row" books on your own. The nice thing about a FIAR manual is that its grab and go, with less planning than creating your own units. That said, on the FIAR forums, many of the moms take the manuals and create elaborate units of their own anyway.  If you are a planner by nature, you might like to do it yourself. If you want something simple, a FIAR manual is a cheap literature rich curriculum, in comparison to many others.
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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MaryM
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| Posted: Sept 26 2009 at 3:50am | IP Logged
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My kids are older now, but I was more inclined to create my own - and didn't necessarily plan it out. Just develop as it progressed, based on child's attention and such. We did much of it naturally. Sounds like you are doing that naturally and it's working.
And there is always Homeschool Share which has free online FAIR style units you can use - no planning  .
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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JennyM
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| Posted: Sept 26 2009 at 8:17am | IP Logged
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I think part of my hesitation with FIAR is that it seems that you could end up buying all sort of supplemental stuff above and beyond the manual and books... at least that's what I gathered from the FIAR forum boards--- like what you mentioned, Bookswithtea.
Thanks for the thoughts, ladies!
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Erin
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| Posted: Sept 26 2009 at 3:43pm | IP Logged
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Jenny
I so get what you mean, to me FIAR is a jumping off point, once I 'get it' then I can do it with the books I already have on my shelf. So really now with Homeschool share you can 'get it' too. The other thing for me is many of the books in FIAR are American and hard to obtain here. Also Americans put emphasis on certain areas we here don't. Vocabulary, comprehension questions aren't really an issue for us.
If you are looking for some Australian picture book studies these are an ebook. And here is a Free one. 
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
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Sarah M
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| Posted: Sept 26 2009 at 3:57pm | IP Logged
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We love Five in a Row! We've rarely used the lessons as written, though- like you said, the rabbit trails we want to go on often differ from the ones Jane has laid out in the manual. I do find her manual helpful in some respects, though- the book selections are fantastic, and we really enjoy the social studies/geography component (and often the art, too). We've always skipped the applied math (seems very contrived to me).
If you are already reading beautiful picture books to your children and expanding on them in the children's play/crafts/activities to some degree, you are doing FIAR. I'm not sure the manuals will tell you anything you don't already know. If, however, you'd like to have a few units tucked away for when you're sick, or things get a little chaotic and you don't have quite the time or energy to pull something together yourself- the FIAR manuals are wonderful helps.
I still have the two first volumes, and I hold on to them for those reasons! It's what I almost always recommend to moms of littles. It's wonderfully gentle, simple, lovely, and pretty darn comprehensive.
One caveat (and I hope this doesn't offend anyone here!)- going to the FIAR forums/Homeschool Share can be a bit overwhelming. There are supplemental ideas/lapbook ideas galore at both of those resources, and while they can be helpful, I think some mothers leave there wondering if they can "just" use FIAR as it is written, without all the extra bells and whistles. Jane Claire Lambert created FIAR to be simple and gentle, and (for some- certainly for me), all the other resources have made it far more complex than it needs to be! We tried making lapbooks, but found that the joy of FIAR was lost in all the busywork. I had to give myself permission to use the FIAR units without feeling the need to add on in a hundred different ways. They are enough on their own. Doing more does not always mean learning more. I think we learn more (and enjoy it more) without any of the supplemental ideas offered on Homeschool Share and the FIAR forums.
Best wishes while you decide! You might want to check your library and see if they carry the manuals, so you can get a good look at them before purchasing.
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AndieF
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| Posted: Sept 26 2009 at 9:44pm | IP Logged
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I bought Before Five In A Row when my oldest was a preschooler and ended up getting most of the books of that booklist, and have kept most of those books in our library. I "row" those books, and others, with my preschooler now, but often don't use the resources that are in the book, and some books we row for a day or two and others for two weeks. I don't row as much with the older kids, and I don't have any of the just FIAR books, but I've looked at the booklists when building booklists for the year.
I think that you could do it yourself, but I think that it would be good to have a manual as a resource too.
Andie, homeschooling 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd graders, and preschoolers!
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: FIAR program- do it yourself?
