Sunday, August 17, 2008

THINKING OUT LOUD....

and asking for feedback or advice.


HOMESCHOOLING:

Before I started homeschooling, I requested every catalog I could. I wanted everything I saw or was recommended! I was completely overwhelmed. How could I choose what to use? My first year I went with a straight BJU curriculum. Was pleased with it but for K5 I spent WAY TOO MONEY!!!! We are talking kindergarten here... learning to read, to count and color everything! With another child to buy books for I did not want to spend that much every year. We could never afford that! My MIL sat down and went through a catalog telling me what she used, recommended, did not recommended, just good old fashion advice!!!! So I got K5 and 1st grade for less than what I spent the year before!

I love the Explode the Code Books. I love Singapore Math! I love BJU Bible Truths! I love Rainbow Resource!!!!

We as a homeschool family are relaxed. Not so relax that we don't do work. We do! Every day and all morning! If we have something scheduled (dentist, grocery) then we do the work before that day so we are caught up. I just want to make sure we are on schedule and doing it right! I know categorizing grades and levels is not an important thing but I don't want my 4th graders reading kindergarten level, you know? I also have to remind myself that we can't do it all in one year. It takes years and practice to learn it all! Have fun!

Now we are up to this year. I finally read "The Well Trained Mind -- approach to Classical Education! Oh my word, I love this book and want to own it!!!! It is a resourceful book! According to the book, she recommends Explode the Code for phonics. Good. She recommends Singapore Math but recommends math tables from somewhere else! Good and thanks! So we bought math flashcards and are going to run through them everyday! Last year Mom let us borrow her wooden number set to use for addition and subtraction work. They are great! (The kind where each color represents a number in sizes 1-10!) Handwriting. I liked A Reason for Handwriting. But this year we are writing our bible verses we are learning for handwriting practice. One it will help them learn the verse and read what they are saying!

Now for history. The book recommends studying Ancients, Medival, Rennasance, modern times. Each year you study a period during the grammar, logic, and rhetoric stages.

Also, they stated narration a lot. So after a bible lesson, history lesson, whatever have the child to retell the lesson. I or the child depending on level write down the narration. Have the younger child copy the narration! Does this help with comprehension and writing skills?

Start Latin in 3rd grade! I am sooo excited about that part. Really, I have always wanted to know Latin. How cool it would be for us to be somewhere and speak a language with each other that no one will understand us! :) Geeky?

My goals: Kids that are smarter than me!!! ha! No really, I want my kids to speak and write well. I want them to be able to write a paper without freaking! I want them to be able to speak their thoughts and ideas.

So, is classical education the way for us? I understand I can take and leave parts that I want. Did I confuse anyone in my thoughts??? :)

5 comments:

Audrey said...

We have steared clear of classical education for a few reasons.

There is an article on the HOW website that covers why and where we place our focus instead.

http://homeschoolinformation.com/Approaches/classical.htm

Like you said, you can always remove the aspects that you dont like. But is there an underlying theme to classical teachings? Just some thoughts. Ultimately its a personal choice for all families.

Anonymous said...

Oh yes, used to purchase tons of things. Now I struggle just to purchase what I know I need--I just plain forget. Reminds me--I need to order Brooke's LA program, dagnabbit!

Jeanette said...

Letisha,

You have found what works for you so go with it! I use Horizons Math because, although Jon is smart, math does not come to him easily. You must have lax regulations in your state! Not NY! I guess if you enjoy it and your kids are learning what they need to be learning that is all that matters, right?!

Beth said...

Oooh, oooh, oooh, Letisha! I could talk for hours about classical education! Love it!! I was first attracted to it because of the chronological approach to teaching history. Makes so much sense! And the attention to quality literature, learning to read, write, think and express well.

The Well TRained Mind IS a good guide. It's also really ambitious...I think I could only pull off exactly what they suggest if I had one child (and an easy child at that) to teach!

Have you heard of Tapestry of Grace? It is a wonderful curriculum that teaches history in the classical method with a Biblical worldview. A little pricey, but good stuff.

beth

Jacque Dixon said...

I came over here from the Loolie's Mosquito Bite post on my blog. I am glad I could encourage you.

I posted my plans for this year on my blog. I'm not sure if I ever posted our homeschool story, but it's probably somewhere!

Also, I don't know if you have heard of the Homeschool Post (formerly Homeschool Blog Awards), but we do a meme that you might enjoy. It is for homeschool moms to post about their homeschooling in a series of themes. You can find it here: Homeschool Memoirs.

blessings, and thank you for the sweet note on my blog!
Jacque
http://jacquedixon.com
http//growingingraceonline.com