Quiet Life Homestead

Simplified Homeschooling, Part 2

While I was writing yesterday's entry my sister called and so I hurried and got the entry done.  Later I realized that I may need to explain a few things, so that's what this entry is about.

We do a modified version of Robinson.  I do have the CDs but the printing out of the books just isn't feasible right now.  We do have ink (my husband showed me where it was) but now the printer has basically died a slow, painful (for me) death.  The reason I made up our own list is because of the inability to print off the books from the CDs. 

We do not use Saxon Math anymore.  The children kept getting frustrated with the curriculum (even math man Dallas), so I moved everyone to Bob Jones.  Bethany's problems in math are the reason why I switched to the other two programs she is now using. 

I don't have the children write a paper everyday.  We do spelling and they write their "book report" after the completion of each list book read.  I've gone back and forth with trying to decide if we should have them write everyday, but, honestly, their spelling is so awful that we need to focus on it.  I do have Writing Power (made by the same people as Spelling Power), Easy Grammar, BJU grammar, AND Rod and Staff grammar, but we aren't using them right now.  I tell the children that proper grammar comes from proper speaking and that's how we work on that, informally, throughout the day in our speech.

I keep going back and forth on the merits of teaching a science curriculum.  Dr. Robinson says they don't need it until they have the math background to properly teach, understand, and apply science.  We've just started doing the science again about a week ago.  Dallas wanted to try to do Biology and so that's why it's included.  I should make it be an extra-curricular thing, oh, I don't know.  See what I mean?  Bethany and Cody have for over a year been keeping animal notebooks.  They get books from the library and do their research on various animals (right now they're on different breeds of dogs) and fill up the notebooks with the information they've gathered.  That seems like enough science for me, but then there's the if one does a science curriculum should the others?  Bethany LOVES her science books and wants to do them - in fact, she already has all her schoolwork planned for the day as she planned it last night.  But Cody, who I consider Mr. Science, doesn't like his science textbooks.  (He and Bethany both have BJU and R&S science.)  He likes reading them (I think) but doesn't want to answer the questions.  Maybe I should just let him read books in our science collection here at home.

I like the bulk of our homeschool being done by lunchtime, which it usually is, even if we begin late.  It seems to take anywhere from 1-2 hours for their work - not including the reading of list books.  That leaves the afternoon free to read, take a nap, or work on projects.

Vicki

Thank you!

{ 12:27, Wednesday, February 28, 2007 } { Posted by LittleHouse }

Thank you for taking the time to write out what you all do. After reading what you all do all day I think I might be on the right track:) The only thing I don't do are tests.(We do have a spelling test each week) I just don't think there is a reason for them. We go over their studies together and they know what they are learning. Do you think they have to be tested?

Thank you again for sharing what you do as a family.

Many Blessings,

Ma