Our Fall Plans  

Posted by: Laura Delgado in , , ,

Wow. I have put so much thought into this year's curriculum that it's crazy. I truly have had to abandon all thoughts of doing it my way. The curriculum that has worked so well for Therese is just not going to work so well for the rest of my kids. I am happy to say that it's not my vanity talking, thinking that Therese is two grade levels ahead. I got her SAT scores back. That girl is at least two grade levels ahead. I'll just say I am one extremely proud Mama and leave it at that. Nicky's scores prove one of two things: either he is not a test taker, or he just didn't try. I just can't believe that he scores "low" when compared to other 2nd graders in math. Given that I sit next to him every day as he whizzes through 4th grade math, I am just not buying it. I also watch him write story after story, and I teach him spelling. Hence, I'm not buying that he's a poor speller. I *know* what an awesome speller he is. I know where the holes in his curriculum are, and anyone reading this knows that I have *no* problem talking about his shortcomings (ahem!), but academics -- not one of them. It is a very interesting revelation to me about how absolutely meaningless those test results can be, though, for kids who are not strong test takers, or who flat-out don't care to do well. It remains to be seen which one he is. Fact is, he was only six when he took the 2nd grade test. It could be that I was asking too much of him. If he were going to school, then maturity-wise, I would have wanted him to be exiting K at that age. He would have been one of the youngest 1st graders. Sigh.

In any case, here's the breakdown. I have made a tremendous amount of work for myself (but when don't I?).

Therese

  1. Math: Saxon 7/6 (She's about 1/4 of the way through now)
  2. Language Arts - Michael Clay Thompson
  • Vocabulary - Caesar's English (Latin Roots and Spanish Cognates)
  • Poetry - Building Poems
  • Writing - Paragraph Town
  • Grammar - Grammar Town
  • Augustus Caesar's World
  • Caesar's Gallic War
  • The Old World and America
  • Those are the main spines - there are others
  • The First Christians
  • The Story of the Church
  • The Acts of the Apostles
8. Art: Artist study with Salve Regina notebooking pages (link coming)
9. Handwriting: Continuing Cursive Practice
10. Copywork: Salve Regina Scriptorium for Young Ladies (link coming)

Nicholas
  1. Math: Saxon 5/4 (he's 1/2 done)
  2. Language Arts: Michael Clay Thompson
  • Vocabulary - Building Language (learning concept of Latin roots)
  • Poetry - Music of the Hemispheres
  • Writing - Sentence Island
  • Grammar - Grammar Island
8. Art: Artist Study with Salve Regina notebooking pages (link coming soon)
10. Copywork: Salve Regina Scriptorium for Young Men (link coming soon)

Twins
  1. Math: Saxon 1 (1/2 done)
  2. Language Arts: Language Lessons for Little Ones 3 (Queen Homeschool)
  3. History: American History for Young Students - Exploration-1800 (Truthquest)
  4. Religion: Old Testament Bible Stories and The Israelites (History Links)
  5. Science: Apologia's Anatomy and Physiology
  6. Art: Artist Study with Salve Regina notebooking pages (link coming soon)
  7. Handwriting: Writing our Catholic Faith
  8. Copywork: Salve Regina Scriptorium for Brand-New Writers (link coming soon)
  9. Spelling: All About Spelling Level 2
  10. Phonics: Click-N-Kid
I think that's it. I usually realize I forgot something. I absolutely have to write a schedule this year. Therese will have school all day. Her classes are a mix of 6th and 7th grade. She also has piano and dance. I haven't decided if they are going to try out for the play, which, if they made it, would mean Friday rehearsals 2-5 (at least on some days). We're not going to be in town on the audition day, so that may be a deal breaker anyway.

Well, at least it's all down now. I am just compiling my organizer pages now. We'll start after we get back from vacation. Therese and I want to start now!

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 15, 2010 and is filed under , , , . You can leave a response and follow any responses to this entry through the Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) .

3 comments

So happy you posted your curriculum. I'm always interested in what direction you're going. Suffice it to say I am not nearly as ambitious. This summer it's been like pulling teeth to get C to read 2 chapters each day. Lots of food for thought for me, here.

Wouldn't worry about the test. As one school administrator once put it to me, those test scores are only how your child performed on one particular day, on one particular test. Chances are if you had randomly picked a different day, he would have performed better.

Thanks again for all the tips!--K

I enjoy reading what others are doing for their homeschool. I am such a slacker this year when it comes to planning. Instead, we're doing a wrap up of things left unfinished this past year. But, I do need to write a lot out as we have to submit learning plans in a few weeks.

BTW, I'm tagging you for a devotional meme. My post goes live in the morning. Basically, you list your five favorite Catholic devotions. Talking about why is just icing on the cake. I hope you'll have time to participate.

I read your recent article at heart of the matter on the sensitive child but just couldn't find where to make a comment since it arrives in my email.

Thank you so much for writing!

I have twins also and my first born is 18 months older...he is the sensitive son. I love him dearly but the outbursts and the rage often times has me spinning. I wanted to say amen to your dispassionate approach...I have coined it "remaining calm and staying with the facts". Not easy for me, for I am also a sensitive one. When I remain calm and sinply get him back on track, talk with him about the issues and how he can make things better/have some control, and then deliver punishment if needed but with total calm it has communicated love to him. He will tell us he loves being in our home and homeschool because we know him. Your message came to us at a very good time to bring encouragment and commeradery on this sometimes long road...I understand your home, your methods and we have seen great succesess with them but it is ongoing...you are not a fraud but a very wise woman relizing this may be a long learning process for your son and you, and that it is not yet solved. It may not get solved but but I believe the sensitive children we have will have a great chance to grow up to maturity with us because who else could love them this way...and with God in us and with us we will succeed. Blessings and thanks so much for your article.

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