Here I am, trying to figure out just what we will be using for curriculum this fall. Currently my son is using Switched on Schoolhouse and Saxon Math. Let's just say I think both need to be changed, I know one thing for sure and that's that I am not going to go with SOS this next fall. Its clear that he's not retaining what he should be. So I know it will be back to books/textbooks/workbooks that kind of thing. Because its obvious he needs something more on that level. Even though he *loves* doing stuff on the computer.
I have no problems with that if he was passing everything like he should be, but he's not so for now we'll keep with it, and I'm going to go through the curriculum I had bought b4 SOS and probably get something together for the rest of this year. So those two piles of school books I have on our kitchen table behind the kiddo's computer is going to be drug out and lesson plans figured out.
This out to be fun to get that and my class work together, I will get to learn to balance things, which I think will be easy after I get moving. Yes SOS freed up some to where I didn't need to make lesson plans, but the reality of that is then I had no clue what he was doing. I didn't get to his computer often enough to check things out. So in the end its just a waste of money and often time. At least there's a new desktop computer for him to use, and we have typing that he needs to be going back to, and if we switch to teaching textbooks for math he'll have a computer to use as well.
I honestly can't believe that I would *miss* making lesson plans up. I thought I'd be relieved that I didn't have to do that. But in the end I did miss it, might be an odd thing but its all good :D I just need to find some English/Language Arts that will work for us. Its the one thing we are the most behind on, I mean grade wise behind, its been a struggle since we started. There's just never been something that would fully work and help the kiddo learn. Well that and his reading comprehension. He of course is your typical *I don't like to read* boy. Granted there are plenty out there that love to read, I've just never been able to get him to enjoy it. Which is a bummer because I always loved reading, more casual reading and less school book reading but reading non the less.
So if anyone out there has suggestions feel free to leave them in comments section. We've tried a few things that just didn't work and others we might just have missed that were out there and would be a great fit.
7 comments:
I stopped by from the Homeschool Hop, and read about your dilemma. My two reluctant readers are now voracious readers because years ago we dropped reading for "school". I took them to the bookstore and allowed them to pick their own books (within limits). They spent hours choosing, then reading their books. Then they wanted more! It took time, but their keen interest suddenly generated fluency, comprehension, etc. We took out the formality of reading, and it became fun instead. It sounds like your son would benefit from changing away from anything that resembles a workbook for most subjects.
Good luck in choosing your new curriculum! I have not had to struggle with the non-reading, but have had to struggle big time with my oldest in math. She now loves Teaching Textbooks--it is a keeper for the long haul here! My younger three are no "biggies" yet--5K, 2 and 16 months:-).
I hope you find a perfect fit for your whole family so everyone will be happy.
Stopping by from the HHH!
Good luck.. We'll be making a switch this year too, and I was very interested to see what you had to say about SOS. Thanks.
Stopping by on the Hip Homeschool Hop from Homeschool Science
Have fun choosing new curriculum, Em! Oh, and for non-reading...I let my kids stay up an hour later than usual IF they read!
Jessy
Stopping by from the Hop. Have fun picking new curriculum; it's one of my favorite things to do. And about the reading... could you son's dislike of reading stem from the mechanics? Sometimes if something is difficult to do, the payoff, in this case a good story, isn't worth the effort. Have you tried recorded books? This is how my older children 'read' The Aenead.
Okay,you know where I came from the HHH as well.We have some things in common we live out in No-where and I have an aonly child,he is 10(but thinks he is 16)
I am going to be looking for some new Math currciculum for Zachary this fall.
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Funny- I was just discussing this with another mom last night- how both our youngest daughters are not fond of reading. In the hop today there was a book mentioned - Teach Your Child to Read in 100 easy lessons. I think I may pick this one up. My older 2 kids learned really quickly & I think that is why they don't mind it. Because it is a struggle for my youngest is why I think she doesn't like it. So I am thinking I need to change my approach with her- step out of the one size fits all my kids thought process. I am going to try this book & see where we go.
Our governor said in his state of the state address last night " up until 3rd grade our kids learn to read- from 3rd grade on, they read to learn". It helped me realize that my youngest is only starting 2nd grade reading & maybe she is just more average than her siblings & I may expect too much right now.
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