January 8th, 2008 @ 6:13 am
I’ve run out of things to do this year, except for some math. I’ve tried buying a K level lapbook on autumn (lame) and printing out some worksheets, or perhaps they called it a unit study, from Enchanted Learning on firemen (more lame).
I’m at a bit of a loss.
So I figured I’d start looking for stuff for next year and maybe I’d find something for now too. AND I’ve decided I want a boxed curriculum for next year. I think that would be much easier for me.
I never realized how frustrating it would be to find one. Boxed curricula are expensive. Its not like spending $20 on a subscription to EL to see what it’s like. Some are close to $1000. I can afford that, but its not an amount I want to invest in a product without being pretty sure its right for me.
K-12 seems to be an all day deal, and I’ve heard they are controlling. Also, I couldn’t see any sample lessons or syllabus online.
Calvert sounds great, but their sample lesson had an error in it (in the middle of a paragraph their story changes from past tense to present tense. Then it changes back. There is no reason for this change beyond sloppiness), which does not inspire me with confidence.
Oak Meadow also sounds great, but their language arts (what the heck is language arts?) is way below my child’s current level. I don’t want her to be bored. On top of that, I’ve already decided to stick with Singapore for math and science. So there’s not a lot there for me to use beyond their structure–which I must admit is what I truly want anyway. On the plus side their cs says you can start their “year” at any time.
Laurel Springs sounds like its all distance learning, which I emphatically do not want.
Enki doesn’t post sample lessons, and when I have emailed with them in the past they have avoided answering my questions. Since I want to SEE precisely what I’d be buying, I’ve not bought from them.
Winter Promise, I’m assured, is easy to secularize. I’m a little lost on what unit to pick for a 4 year old about to turn 5 who is behaviorally age appropriate, but is reading at about a first grade level. Especially since I am not sure she’d be interested in studying nothing but animals, nor am I certain I want her to hear about abused children.
Konos I know very little about. What it would take to secularize I don’t know.
On the positive side, I think it would be easy to do either a Konos or a WP unit for the second half of our academic year.
Sycamore Tree has a secular option, and its less expensive than other boxed sets, but there are no sample lessons or syllabus that I can find.
I have NO CLUE what to do.
.
Schooling
said,
January 8, 2008 at 8:14 am
Oak Meadow is a bit delayed. I don’t care for their language arts (I actually like the phrase since it is easier to say than ‘phonics, spelling, grammar, penmanship, writing’ all in one breathe! You know, the study of the art of one’s language. But anyway, I have done Konos and that would be very easy to secularize and it is also very easy to do as simply or as in depth as one wanted.
I think if you just want something to give you a springboard but allows you to have a lot of freedom, Konos might work. However, Konos doesn’t have blow by blow language arts plans. You’d have to supplement, maybe with a phonics workbook and lots of reading practice? You’d get ideas for writing projects and puppet shows and such from Konos related to a topic.
But your child is so young. I unschool at that age. I tried to be systematic with young ones and it just turned them off.
Anyway, my very humble opinon.
said,
January 8, 2008 at 9:10 am
And you’re just doing kindergarten? Well… it’s easy.
I tell people to pretend you’re on Sesame Street (old school, pre-Elmo) and just contantly talk about stuff.
Also, “home Learning year by year” by Rebecca Rupp is a great guide.
said,
January 8, 2008 at 3:57 pm
The structure is more for me than my dd.
I use it to structure myself and my day, then adjust it for wherever she is that day. It’s like I need to have a guide in my head so I know whereabout we should be, then I adjust it to her taste and needs. Sounds weird but it works for us. Plus I’d never think of half the things I do if I wasn’t being told to do them by some book.
You’re right Andrea, I like Rupp’s book. I should take another look at it.
said,
January 10, 2008 at 6:31 pm
What about the “Learn at Home” guides? They are inexpensive, and give lesson plans for each week for each subject. Since your daughter is young this might be just enough to give you the structure you’re looking for, without committing to an expensive curriculum. I used these guides when my kids were young and really like them. They are published by American Education Publishing.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. To answer your question about getting a second opinion about ECT: The pdoc we saw before the holidays was actually our third opinion. ECT had been suggested twice before, and each time I just dismissed the whole idea. But since my son is struggling so terribly with side effects to his schizophrenia meds, and isn’t stable enough to reduce the meds, I thought I owed it to him to keep an open mind and talk to a pdoc who specializes in ECT. Fortunately he agrees with me that ECT isn’t a good option for my son.
Anyway… thanks for the comment, come on back and visit me anytime!
said,
January 11, 2008 at 7:09 am
I’ve never come across those–thanks! I’ll go google them.
said,
January 13, 2008 at 2:07 am
WP AS1 is great for K & first graders — lots of adventure.