Teaching reading is a passion of mine (although my focus has shifted significantly). I have researched it A LOT (I toted academic books on teaching reading home 8 months pregnant with my first child from my college library - yes 102 degree heat didn't deter me!). I actually looked down on the series of Bob Books because they just seemed too simple. I was wooed into the Spalding based Spell to Write and Read stuff. However, I could never get a 5 yo to spend 45 minutes on reading and writing. I am so glad I didn't force it TOO much with my oldest. I learned a TON about phonics and reading through that program. I also realized that its latest incarnation "The Logic of English" is spot on. The way they teach reading is a logic skill and 5 yos aren't known for their great logical abilities. SO . . .
I recommend the adult reads some Spalding materials - Logic of English or otherwise - to understand the inner workings of English. Then use Bob Books and Teaching Reading With Bob Books as your daily curriculum with your beginning reader.
One pet peeve is people who discuss all the programs that "didn't work" basically because they tried to introduce reading to their 3 year old! My current story is at the opposite end of the spectrum. I realize that it is time for my second child to "get" reading, so any program would have started working. However, we tried other things and he was getting it, but once I saw how accomplished he felt after reading one small BOB Book - I got the genius of it. Making progress through a gigantic reading book just doesn't have the same feeling as looking at all these little books and proclaiming "I read ALL of these!" DUH!!
I also appreciated Ruth Beechick's driving analogy in the The Three R's. The new driver cares nothing about the scenery because they are rightly focused on the road. This is pretty much how new readers are - focused on decoding and wanting to be successful. Bob Books aren't known for thrilling stories - but that isn't the point of them. I have been SHOCKED at the number of "easy readers" that use words with complicated spelling structures and call themselves "easy". Biscuit - although cute and cuddly - is not an easily decodable word. It's not easy! However, Bob Books truly are.
Two factors that forced my hand on this matter. One, Artios Academies is using them so I guess I should submit on this point if we are going to partner with them. However, I might still be resisting if I didn't have Brandy Vencel's Teaching Reading With Bob Books. She marries phonics (the reason I love Spalding stuff) with Bob Books in sequence. She is the bridge between these two programs. There are no 45 minute lessons here - just simple reading and review 10 to 15 minutes a day. I CAN DO THIS!
Her system is SIMPLE (she calls it gimmick-free) but effective. The best part is that you can see the WHOLE THING, FOR FREE online to see if it fits you and your child. If you like what you see and don't want to hunt around for everything you can buy a bundle (a good deal) that matches each set of readers. (Full disclosure- she sent me the first bundle and I bought the second because I liked it so much - we are still working towards the third).
She has taught her own 4 children to read and tutored many others. The core of her system is the reading binder you create. Basically it tracks the sounds the student is learning and provides ample repetition until they master all of the phonics. It helps you go at the child's pace - not the curricula's pace - which I love!
How is it different from Spalding based methods:
- It doesn't front load phonics learning like Spalding does - learning all 75 sounds in 12 weeks
- It doesn't teach "all of the sounds" of a letter at the same time for example: a - a, ay, ah or ow - ow, oh. However, it also doesn't use "the second" sound without introducing it. It is very methodical.
(Of course, if you prefer teaching all the sounds at once go for it - you will use the first sound most of the time. Suffice it to say that Bob books and, as an extension, Vencel use a popular phonics method that starts with short vowel sounds and CVC words. If I sound like I am speaking a foreign language - don't worry about it.)
- There is no writing attached to this reading. If you have a deep desire I guess you could do copy work or write the new words from the book or write the phonograms that you are learning, etc. I think my son likes it because he can just read and it isn't attached with all that other stuff.
(We do use a Spalding based "spelling" program - it is really a reading program but he feels so much more successful with Bob Books and Vencel's work that we use it for reading and just using Spalding methods for spelling. It is probably too much but oh well.)
Vencel's program essentially outlines the phonics "scope and sequence" of the Bob Books. I like seeing the big picture and she provides it. She also offers clear daily instructions for teaching the material. This is especially helpful if this is your first time. She adds comments on frequent difficulties and how to overcome them. Her flashcard organization is brilliant and even I can keep up with it in my flighty ways. She is writing to mom's, so this is not a classroom curricula that you have to adapt for your child at home. It is a reading tutoring program meant to help moms and kids feel and be successful at their own pace.
Honestly, my son was ready to take off reading and he knows most of his sounds so we haven't needed much of the repetition - YET. I think he will soon. With Bob Books he feels successful and with Vencel's materials I am confident I am offering him a full fledged phonics based reading program.
Showing posts with label weekly resource. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weekly resource. Show all posts
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Weekly Resource: Olim Latin and others
During my blog hiatus, I did not stop the hunt for new resources. That means I have a backlog of programs and books I'd love to tell you about.
You may recall I already have LOTS of Latin curricula at my house. This week I bought a few new Latin resources. Currently, we are going through Song School Latin 2 (I also found their Latin Alive 1 & 2 on sale at Half Price Books - now I own them too). Song School is probably a bit too easy for my 9 yo and I haven't really forced it with the 6 yo. So, I am trying to figure out what to do next. I think I found it!
You may recall I already have LOTS of Latin curricula at my house. This week I bought a few new Latin resources. Currently, we are going through Song School Latin 2 (I also found their Latin Alive 1 & 2 on sale at Half Price Books - now I own them too). Song School is probably a bit too easy for my 9 yo and I haven't really forced it with the 6 yo. So, I am trying to figure out what to do next. I think I found it!
Olim . . . Once Upon a Time in Latin (the orangey color books in the back)
This is my favorite recent find. I have the first set of books. There are 4 available and she is expecting to do 10 in the series. Basically, one book is a reader and you can also purchase the accompanying workbook. A few years ago Andrew Kern discussed using fables in Latin that were simple enough to read aloud to children - this is it!! It has the story in English with simple line drawings, followed by the story in Latin with sidebars that help translate the text. Each page only has a sentence or two and the typeface is large. The workbook focuses on vocabulary in translation to help cement the words in the text. There are also "digging deeper" sections which introduce more complex grammar topics. This is not a grammar based program but you get to see grammar in context! I read the first story - Three Little Pigs - aloud to my 3 and 6 year old and they enjoyed it - in English and Latin. It doesn't say "by the hair of my chinny chin chin" - that is a bit tough to translate, but it keeps the gist of the story in phrases that are easy to understand. She uses fairy tales, fables and Biblical texts for most of the stories.
I have been in touch with the creator and her blog gives tips and reassurance to parents who want to bring Latin alive for their younger kiddos. She is working on audios too! Imagine listening to The Good Samaritan with your kids in Latin! If you want your little ones to love Latin this might be a great way to start. As they get older, your children might need a more grammar based program. Just as we read aloud to kids a ton when they are little and then introduce grammar around 4th or 5th grade (at the earliest). This program allows you to FINALLY follow that same pattern in Latin. I am doing a happy dance here!
I got this book through a friend who is an Usborne consultant. I am sure you have seen these in other languages but you may not have known there is one in Latin. My kids actually thought it was a seek and find book so they loved looking at the pictures. This was an easy way for my husband to get involved in reading Latin with them. Many of the words are not quite true Latin because there were no televisions or computers in Rome - or as my husband mentioned - half the foods included were foreign to the Roman world. So, it is a bit of a stretch that way but my kids have looked at it for a few days in a row now and really enjoyed it.
I am on a quest to get more stories into our Latin studies. When I saw this at my favorite local used bookstore and I had credit - I got it. This comes from the publisher Bolchazy Carducci which carries a variety of Latin texts. I also got their Christian Reader but I am not using it yet. I read the first two lessons with my son aloud and we actually were able to translate it fairly well without looking up too many words. Each lesson starts with background information in English, the story in Latin, followed by a list of the words used grouped by function and then exercises to go with the story. The lesson questions are comprehension questions in English, questions about derivatives and some about grammar. Again, the focus here is reading in Latin and seeing the language in use. I did see that they now have Where the Wild Things Are in Latin. Don't tempt me!
Well that just about says it all. However, this is not your typical grammar. It has one concept per page with a clear explanation, including pictures. As I thumbed through I realized just how much I have to learn about Latin. Who knew there were so many ways to use the Genitive case? This is a great reference and I plan to use it with my kids. If there is a concept they are struggling with we can just look it up and see how it works. We have some of the older grammars but they are much harder to reference.
She also has a website that is designed to help you practice your Latin grammar. Tons of exercises and it grades it for you! This might be a good option if you really want to get those concepts down and don't want to be in charge of grading.
I would be remiss if I did not mention that the creator of Visual Latin has now made his live classes available for a flat subscription fee. You can learn Henle, Hans Orberg, and Greek. It is one flat fee for the whole family to access any of his classes. So if you have students in different levels of Latin - great. If you are trying to keep a bit ahead of your kids - now you easily can. I have seen one class demonstration and it was interactive and fun. I am still debating whether I have enough time to really dig in and use this resource this year. I know I will soon though.
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Weekly Resource: The Get To Work Book
Last year most of my friends went planner crazy. I was caught up and even tried to make my own version of a midori planner. However, mine was made of fabric and stiff board and required borrowing my mother in law's sewing machine because mine was in the shop and I wanted it RIGHT now. Alas, I have barely used it. Although I did get some cool inserts for it.
Everyone seems to be talking about planning, working the plan, etc. So, I decided to look for a planner that would best fit my needs. I saw a cool one that had lots of links to the liturgical calendar. I also saw all of the ordinary ones (Erin Condren) and then I found the Get To Work Book. She has some great short videos that discuss all the features of her planner. Even though it is a bit pricey (although there is FREE SHIPPING available this weekend) I decided that if I truly use it over the course of a full year - it will be worth it. It was a Christmas present to me!
Pros:
Room for Notes - Many layouts are busy with boxes telling you what to put where. Here weekly layout is very basic - long, lined columns, three check boxes at the top (to use how you want) and then grid at the bottom for notes.
Prioritizing - She has three boxes at the beginning of each week to put notes about what must get done. Again, she doesn't prescribe how to use them so you could put different categories of things each week: the three top items each week or big, medium and small goals. I also mentioned that each day there is space for 3 check boxes. I haven't really used them well yet but I need something that helps me think about priorities.
Spiral Binding - Lays flat - I love that it is spiral bound and lays flat. If it is open I am much more likely to use it.
The Planner pages - These are GREAT. I have a tendency to get a sheet of paper plan and then lose said sheet of paper. She has pages built in to help you plan things. Again, not overly directed but general enough to be useful for whatever situation - from a party to a major project.
Grid Paper - She has grid paper included so that you can easily sketch a layout or include measurements of something.
Reflection - She includes a reflection sheet at the end of each month. This sheet includes a whole column of things to let go of. Man, do I need that! There are some things that just aren't going to happen in this season or ever and I need to just let go of it. We are still in January so I haven't really used it yet - but I will!
No Daily Pages - Honestly, I agree with the Leadership Education peeps that working in a weekly time block makes the most sense.
Cons:
Monday Start - I think I like having my weekends at the end on the weekly pages BUT I am used to a Sunday start so it throws me off a bit.
Big - I am trying to just keep mine open in my kitchen so that I will really write in it and use it. If I planned to carry it around a lot it could get cumbersome.
Writing Things Down - I currently am trying to run 2 calendars - a big wall calendar the whole family can see and this more personal one. I am not always getting everything into this book which means that it isn't doing its full job. I know you are supposed to have just ONE main calendar - that's the one on the wall BUT I need somewhere to really plan. I am still figuring out the balance.
Operator Error - I listened this morning (as I could) to the planning chat done by Mystie. She had a guest who wrote a post about your personality and planning. It hit the nail on the head - although I don't really make things pretty - I do have a tendency to start and not follow through! I am a Sanguine.
I hope that you are finding a way to keep yourself more organized this coming year. I did buy a stack of "how to keep yourself organized" books from a friend. Maybe I will get some ideas from there. Really, it comes down to the fact that I am not good at executing, following through, getting it done. Did I tell you about the time I lost the library book talking about how to organize according to your personality. Yes, it is that bad! I am hoping to turn it around THIS YEAR!
Everyone seems to be talking about planning, working the plan, etc. So, I decided to look for a planner that would best fit my needs. I saw a cool one that had lots of links to the liturgical calendar. I also saw all of the ordinary ones (Erin Condren) and then I found the Get To Work Book. She has some great short videos that discuss all the features of her planner. Even though it is a bit pricey (although there is FREE SHIPPING available this weekend) I decided that if I truly use it over the course of a full year - it will be worth it. It was a Christmas present to me!
Pros:
Room for Notes - Many layouts are busy with boxes telling you what to put where. Here weekly layout is very basic - long, lined columns, three check boxes at the top (to use how you want) and then grid at the bottom for notes.
Prioritizing - She has three boxes at the beginning of each week to put notes about what must get done. Again, she doesn't prescribe how to use them so you could put different categories of things each week: the three top items each week or big, medium and small goals. I also mentioned that each day there is space for 3 check boxes. I haven't really used them well yet but I need something that helps me think about priorities.
Spiral Binding - Lays flat - I love that it is spiral bound and lays flat. If it is open I am much more likely to use it.
The Planner pages - These are GREAT. I have a tendency to get a sheet of paper plan and then lose said sheet of paper. She has pages built in to help you plan things. Again, not overly directed but general enough to be useful for whatever situation - from a party to a major project.
Grid Paper - She has grid paper included so that you can easily sketch a layout or include measurements of something.
Reflection - She includes a reflection sheet at the end of each month. This sheet includes a whole column of things to let go of. Man, do I need that! There are some things that just aren't going to happen in this season or ever and I need to just let go of it. We are still in January so I haven't really used it yet - but I will!
No Daily Pages - Honestly, I agree with the Leadership Education peeps that working in a weekly time block makes the most sense.
Cons:
Monday Start - I think I like having my weekends at the end on the weekly pages BUT I am used to a Sunday start so it throws me off a bit.
Big - I am trying to just keep mine open in my kitchen so that I will really write in it and use it. If I planned to carry it around a lot it could get cumbersome.
Writing Things Down - I currently am trying to run 2 calendars - a big wall calendar the whole family can see and this more personal one. I am not always getting everything into this book which means that it isn't doing its full job. I know you are supposed to have just ONE main calendar - that's the one on the wall BUT I need somewhere to really plan. I am still figuring out the balance.
Operator Error - I listened this morning (as I could) to the planning chat done by Mystie. She had a guest who wrote a post about your personality and planning. It hit the nail on the head - although I don't really make things pretty - I do have a tendency to start and not follow through! I am a Sanguine.
I hope that you are finding a way to keep yourself more organized this coming year. I did buy a stack of "how to keep yourself organized" books from a friend. Maybe I will get some ideas from there. Really, it comes down to the fact that I am not good at executing, following through, getting it done. Did I tell you about the time I lost the library book talking about how to organize according to your personality. Yes, it is that bad! I am hoping to turn it around THIS YEAR!
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Weekly Resources: Move it!
Exercise has never been high on my priority list. I grew up in an athletic family but I was never athletic. I don't have a discipline for it or even a drive. But, I have boys who have energy and need some direction. Here are two of the simpler, shorter, but active things I have found for our brood.
First, I have re-started using a high intensity workout app. We used it a LONG time ago (before my last pregnancy) but then it fell by the wayside. I love it! It is 7 minutes - 30 second bursts of 12 specific exercises, with 10 second rest periods. It times it for you, announces the exercise beforehand and doesn't require any special equipment - not even a bunch of space. I love it because I can just let it play and do it with the kids. Everyone can do it at their own ability (even the 3 yo tries it - the 1 yo thought we were CRAZY). It is a great morning break and it really is a full body workout. If you are not coming straight from the couch you can make many of the exercises more complicated by changing the type of lunge, squat, plank, etc. you are doing.
After coming from the couch to this 7 minute workout I was sore. So we decided to alternate with Yoga Pretzel cards I have. These are easy enough that my 3 yo can look at it and pretty much figure out what to do. Again, everybody does it at their level but we can do it together and you can feel the stretch (if you are coming straight from the couch). This is something simple that gets us moving but not going crazy.
More research talks about moving frequently throughout the day. Now we don't sit and homeschool for long periods BUT having directed movement is great for all of us a few times a day. Plus, it teaches my boys different ways they can use their body and use up energy.
The other trick a friend of mine shared was not encouraging running races but bear crawl and crab races. Running can hype kids up but bear crawls and crab walk require using your whole body and it will wear you out and you can't go too fast. So, especially in the winter months (even though it's 70 here today), find the track in your house - that place kids run in circles - and challenge them to crab walk or bear crawl.
I am so glad that I have found some simple ways to incorporate activity that we can do together for short bursts throughout the day. It has been good for everyone.
First, I have re-started using a high intensity workout app. We used it a LONG time ago (before my last pregnancy) but then it fell by the wayside. I love it! It is 7 minutes - 30 second bursts of 12 specific exercises, with 10 second rest periods. It times it for you, announces the exercise beforehand and doesn't require any special equipment - not even a bunch of space. I love it because I can just let it play and do it with the kids. Everyone can do it at their own ability (even the 3 yo tries it - the 1 yo thought we were CRAZY). It is a great morning break and it really is a full body workout. If you are not coming straight from the couch you can make many of the exercises more complicated by changing the type of lunge, squat, plank, etc. you are doing.
After coming from the couch to this 7 minute workout I was sore. So we decided to alternate with Yoga Pretzel cards I have. These are easy enough that my 3 yo can look at it and pretty much figure out what to do. Again, everybody does it at their level but we can do it together and you can feel the stretch (if you are coming straight from the couch). This is something simple that gets us moving but not going crazy.
More research talks about moving frequently throughout the day. Now we don't sit and homeschool for long periods BUT having directed movement is great for all of us a few times a day. Plus, it teaches my boys different ways they can use their body and use up energy.
The other trick a friend of mine shared was not encouraging running races but bear crawl and crab races. Running can hype kids up but bear crawls and crab walk require using your whole body and it will wear you out and you can't go too fast. So, especially in the winter months (even though it's 70 here today), find the track in your house - that place kids run in circles - and challenge them to crab walk or bear crawl.
I am so glad that I have found some simple ways to incorporate activity that we can do together for short bursts throughout the day. It has been good for everyone.
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Weekly Resource: Restful Teaching
The Circe Institute is offering up one of their fall conferences in video format online. It is 4 1/2 hours for less than $10!!! The topic is Restful Teaching and it is AWESOME. I am an Andrew Kern groupie so I have listened to most of what he has taught in the past. This series adds in Matt Bianco and it is a great addition. If you are used to tangents and randomness as they talk you will be impressed - they are trying VERY HARD to follow an outline. It is the clearest presentation of some of the key concepts Kern has talked about for years that I have seen. I love how you can see the layers of his thought grow! That's how we all should be.
I love Circe material because it makes you think. It also constantly leaves me with quality questions that I can use to help myself stay focused and evaluate. The questions so far include:
Where is the Lord in this?
Am I listening to the Sirens or the Muses?
Is this content, skill or truth? Am I teaching and assessing accordingly?
Will my children be able to recognize the truth if they see it?
How does skill develop into an art and lead to virtue? Am I moving my kids in that direction?
Honestly, I just got it yesterday so I have only listened to the first half but it is so helpful. Next week we are going to start planning a new coop for the fall. This discussion has really helped me know how to better organize our planning and help us more clearly communicate as a group. Perfect timing.
I can't wait to listen to the other half of the series. I can't believe the price point and I don't know if that will change soon. I'll update you once I finish the other half!
Saturday, December 12, 2015
Weekly Resource: Wayfarers
I am a huge fan of almost anything that Kathy Jo Devore develops. I have used her English curriculum for three years now and still love it. She has started introducing some basic composition skills in book 3 and uses a progym approach to teach writing - I am excited!
Last year, she put out a full curriculum using a 4 year history cycle called Wayfarers. It is WONDERFUL! It has a two page spread for each day and includes science, history, math, art, Bible, language arts, geography and the rest laid out over the course of a week. Her free online samples are extensive (80+ pages) and include the introduction which provides some of her philosophy, why she made particular choices, common tweaks and then shows EVERYTHING outlined to read at each level for that year! She also includes a few sample days so that you can see the format. You can choose whether you want the print or digital version - depending on how you work best.
There are a few unique parts of her curriculum:
1. Geography- She has reading choices scheduled that center around geographical locations. So, while history follows the thread of Western development, her robust geography track includes reading, map work and activities to help educate children about "the rest of the story". I was introduced to authors I had never heard of and we have enjoyed the books on the list that we have read so far.
2. Supporting notes - She has interesting notes, thoughts and background information for key parts of the curriculum each week. These notes help you go a bit beyond what you would get out of just reading the story.
3. Preschoolers - Each week she outlines an activity or two that you can do with the preschooler set to help keep them busy and working on age appropriate skills. She also includes the books outlined in her free Pathways program (reading suggestions for PreK/K kids).
4. Easy to read - Each two page layout includes what kids are studying at every grade level (she divides them into three - roughly elementary, middle and high - but aligns them with grammar, dialectic and rhetoric). It really is open and go (if you have the living books to go with it) and not too busy. If you are looking for comprehension questions, themes and a "teacher's manual" this is not it. She provides great books with integrated themes and encourages narration and commonplacing.
5. Read aloud series - Each history cycle also includes a few read aloud stories that are just good books. These "free reads" are series I want to read anyway - Madeleine L'Engle, Narnia, Lloyd Alexander, etc. It is scheduled a few times a week so that you make it through the books. If I was more organized, this is the perfect thing for dad to read to the kids.
6. Science for non- science kids - Her high school science suggestions encourage you to have a working knowledge of science but are not lab heavy with outrageous college level expectations. I think this is in keeping with her CM philosophy and few places have resources for this type of approach. Of course, if you have a science nut then you can use something else. I appreciate knowing what options will provide a good science foundation. Also, she includes resources that come from a young earth, intelligent design and evolutionary perspective in the upper grades. That way you can determine what best fits your family and know worthy resources that differ from your own take.
7. Options - She uses a "spine" for history and science (with a schedule) and then has a TON of optional reads (also scheduled in case you want one but really read/ use them as they work for you). This is a great approach because if you do the spine your bases are covered, but if you have a super reader or extra interest or time you know what books to get from the library. She also has a few different options for the spines - her own, of course - and then some other programs that are similar.
If you want a good sense of her philosophy and approach you should read "A Walk in the Park".
I did buy all three volumes of Wayfarers: Ancient this past year (the program is broken up into 3 - 12 week terms). I started off trying to use it but I am a part of two different co-ops that have different "core curricula". I know - foolish! So, I have not been able to follow Wayfarers and everything else and stay sane. I have used some of the reading selections and they are great! I also struggle following someone else's schedule - because I am actually trying to follow 3 different program schedules. How do I get myself in these messes!?
There are two key things that she does not include - but are easily overcome.
1. Foreign language study. I think that you can choose the language and program you like and add it into the mix. I think there are too many options and circumstances for her to include it - so better to just allow the family to decide. I think they have studied Latin in her home but knows that isn't for everyone.
2. Content memorization. This is the classical side of me coming out. She includes poetry, maxims and Bible verses in her Language Arts program that can easily be used for memory work. However, I have found that I like to have some content related memory work to make the main points "easily accessible" to my kids. Obviously, if she's done everything else I could easily add memory work. Instead of spending time messing with her schedule maybe I should concentrate my efforts on adding this personal preference.
Although I couldn't make it work this year because of my craziness - I potentially have another 18 years of homeschooling ahead. If you are looking for something that uses living books, is fairly open and shut, covers everything from art to zoology and uses a four year history plan - THIS IS IT!
Just a note - Many of her items are sold on Lulu.com and if you sign up for their "newsletter" they send out their sales. Often they have sales from 25% to 30% off for print materials.
Last year, she put out a full curriculum using a 4 year history cycle called Wayfarers. It is WONDERFUL! It has a two page spread for each day and includes science, history, math, art, Bible, language arts, geography and the rest laid out over the course of a week. Her free online samples are extensive (80+ pages) and include the introduction which provides some of her philosophy, why she made particular choices, common tweaks and then shows EVERYTHING outlined to read at each level for that year! She also includes a few sample days so that you can see the format. You can choose whether you want the print or digital version - depending on how you work best.
There are a few unique parts of her curriculum:
1. Geography- She has reading choices scheduled that center around geographical locations. So, while history follows the thread of Western development, her robust geography track includes reading, map work and activities to help educate children about "the rest of the story". I was introduced to authors I had never heard of and we have enjoyed the books on the list that we have read so far.
2. Supporting notes - She has interesting notes, thoughts and background information for key parts of the curriculum each week. These notes help you go a bit beyond what you would get out of just reading the story.
3. Preschoolers - Each week she outlines an activity or two that you can do with the preschooler set to help keep them busy and working on age appropriate skills. She also includes the books outlined in her free Pathways program (reading suggestions for PreK/K kids).
4. Easy to read - Each two page layout includes what kids are studying at every grade level (she divides them into three - roughly elementary, middle and high - but aligns them with grammar, dialectic and rhetoric). It really is open and go (if you have the living books to go with it) and not too busy. If you are looking for comprehension questions, themes and a "teacher's manual" this is not it. She provides great books with integrated themes and encourages narration and commonplacing.
5. Read aloud series - Each history cycle also includes a few read aloud stories that are just good books. These "free reads" are series I want to read anyway - Madeleine L'Engle, Narnia, Lloyd Alexander, etc. It is scheduled a few times a week so that you make it through the books. If I was more organized, this is the perfect thing for dad to read to the kids.
6. Science for non- science kids - Her high school science suggestions encourage you to have a working knowledge of science but are not lab heavy with outrageous college level expectations. I think this is in keeping with her CM philosophy and few places have resources for this type of approach. Of course, if you have a science nut then you can use something else. I appreciate knowing what options will provide a good science foundation. Also, she includes resources that come from a young earth, intelligent design and evolutionary perspective in the upper grades. That way you can determine what best fits your family and know worthy resources that differ from your own take.
7. Options - She uses a "spine" for history and science (with a schedule) and then has a TON of optional reads (also scheduled in case you want one but really read/ use them as they work for you). This is a great approach because if you do the spine your bases are covered, but if you have a super reader or extra interest or time you know what books to get from the library. She also has a few different options for the spines - her own, of course - and then some other programs that are similar.
If you want a good sense of her philosophy and approach you should read "A Walk in the Park".
I did buy all three volumes of Wayfarers: Ancient this past year (the program is broken up into 3 - 12 week terms). I started off trying to use it but I am a part of two different co-ops that have different "core curricula". I know - foolish! So, I have not been able to follow Wayfarers and everything else and stay sane. I have used some of the reading selections and they are great! I also struggle following someone else's schedule - because I am actually trying to follow 3 different program schedules. How do I get myself in these messes!?
There are two key things that she does not include - but are easily overcome.
1. Foreign language study. I think that you can choose the language and program you like and add it into the mix. I think there are too many options and circumstances for her to include it - so better to just allow the family to decide. I think they have studied Latin in her home but knows that isn't for everyone.
2. Content memorization. This is the classical side of me coming out. She includes poetry, maxims and Bible verses in her Language Arts program that can easily be used for memory work. However, I have found that I like to have some content related memory work to make the main points "easily accessible" to my kids. Obviously, if she's done everything else I could easily add memory work. Instead of spending time messing with her schedule maybe I should concentrate my efforts on adding this personal preference.
Although I couldn't make it work this year because of my craziness - I potentially have another 18 years of homeschooling ahead. If you are looking for something that uses living books, is fairly open and shut, covers everything from art to zoology and uses a four year history plan - THIS IS IT!
Just a note - Many of her items are sold on Lulu.com and if you sign up for their "newsletter" they send out their sales. Often they have sales from 25% to 30% off for print materials.
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Weekly Resource: Song School Latin
First off - Happy Mother's Day! I hope that you had a great day. My big present was taking a nap! Hopefully yours was great too.
If you have been around a while you might know that I am a little obsessed with Latin. I mostly collect resources about learning it - but have yet to apply myself to studying it. After spending some time with Prima Latina (and the videos) we moved on to Latina Christiana this year. I didn't do the book and we didn't watch the videos (they were a little dry) - we just listened to the vocabulary in the car. I am not sure that much was retained- if any.
Through CC we memorize the noun and verb endings in different years so I am not too worried about those. The tutor for A (so about 7th graders) said that learning vocabulary, knowing their Latin endings and having a firm grasp of English grammar by the time they enter that class would help them a lot. Although Latina Christiana does have more vocab that will prepare them for Caesar and other readings - if you aren't retaining it there is limited benefit. When we finished listening to Latina Christiana I decided we needed to try something different.
So, I splurged and bought Song School Latin. Around here we call it "monkey Latin" and even my 3 yo asks for it. The difference in interest level and retention is night and day. I did get the videos; to me, they are worth it. My boys think Simeon (the monkey) is hilarious and they go around repeating his jokes using the Latin he uses. The humor is spot on for my boys. The songs are fun and they get stuck in your head. The derivative river is just enough to show words we get from Latin but not too long to lose kids attention. We, again, aren't really doing the book part. I do have it and read the stories and do some of the games but I really just want the kids to hear it. My mom learned French in elementary school (through dialogues) and she said in 7th grade when they finally read it they already knew so much. I think now that my oldest is making progress in spelling (YEAH) we could probably do more written Latin - maybe next year. I didn't get the clash cards but I might make something similar to play with over the summer.
Song School Latin 1 teaches just a few words a lesson and uses the words in multiple songs and stories. It focuses on "everyday" language versus a prep for Caesar and is appropriate for this age. It allows us to use it more naturally in our conversation. I can say to the boys "Go stand by the porta" and they can do it. We plan to do levels 1 and 2 and then I'm not sure what next. My 5 yo actually seems to remembers things better than the 8 yo. At that point the choice will probably be between Visual Latin and Latin for Children.
I don't think that entertainment is necessary for education - but I do have to say at this age there is a lot to be said for engaging kids in what they are learning, especially when it is something that most people think of as "hard". I am glad we made the switch and my boys are too!
If you have been around a while you might know that I am a little obsessed with Latin. I mostly collect resources about learning it - but have yet to apply myself to studying it. After spending some time with Prima Latina (and the videos) we moved on to Latina Christiana this year. I didn't do the book and we didn't watch the videos (they were a little dry) - we just listened to the vocabulary in the car. I am not sure that much was retained- if any.
Through CC we memorize the noun and verb endings in different years so I am not too worried about those. The tutor for A (so about 7th graders) said that learning vocabulary, knowing their Latin endings and having a firm grasp of English grammar by the time they enter that class would help them a lot. Although Latina Christiana does have more vocab that will prepare them for Caesar and other readings - if you aren't retaining it there is limited benefit. When we finished listening to Latina Christiana I decided we needed to try something different.
So, I splurged and bought Song School Latin. Around here we call it "monkey Latin" and even my 3 yo asks for it. The difference in interest level and retention is night and day. I did get the videos; to me, they are worth it. My boys think Simeon (the monkey) is hilarious and they go around repeating his jokes using the Latin he uses. The humor is spot on for my boys. The songs are fun and they get stuck in your head. The derivative river is just enough to show words we get from Latin but not too long to lose kids attention. We, again, aren't really doing the book part. I do have it and read the stories and do some of the games but I really just want the kids to hear it. My mom learned French in elementary school (through dialogues) and she said in 7th grade when they finally read it they already knew so much. I think now that my oldest is making progress in spelling (YEAH) we could probably do more written Latin - maybe next year. I didn't get the clash cards but I might make something similar to play with over the summer.
Song School Latin 1 teaches just a few words a lesson and uses the words in multiple songs and stories. It focuses on "everyday" language versus a prep for Caesar and is appropriate for this age. It allows us to use it more naturally in our conversation. I can say to the boys "Go stand by the porta" and they can do it. We plan to do levels 1 and 2 and then I'm not sure what next. My 5 yo actually seems to remembers things better than the 8 yo. At that point the choice will probably be between Visual Latin and Latin for Children.
I don't think that entertainment is necessary for education - but I do have to say at this age there is a lot to be said for engaging kids in what they are learning, especially when it is something that most people think of as "hard". I am glad we made the switch and my boys are too!
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Weekly Resource: Primary Language Lessons
This week I am going to chat about a program we have actually used - SHOCKER! Actually, that's another reason I went on hiatus with blogging. I felt a bit fake because so many of the resources I have found I don't actually use - I just collect ideas and haven't really been putting them into action. But, we have used Primary Language Lessons with my 2nd grader (8 yo). I love English Lessons Through Literature and we will return to it next year, but I started it too early. My 8 yo was not prepared for longer copywork and I wasn't ready to introduce diagramming to him yet. So, this was our "break year" in that respect.
Primary Language Lessons has been gentle but we have been listening to (and maybe memorizing) the English grammar memory work with CC so I feel like he's still gotten some of the definitions, etc. I just printed and used the download from google books and halfway through the year found a hardback version at Half Price Books (I picked up Intermediate Language Lessons as well). There are workbooks available (don't know about her family situation) but I just had my son write his work in a regular composition book. That has worked for us.
The lessons are picture (tell what's happening in the picture - but it's not a "famous" work - she uses more ordinary scenes), conversation, letter writing, simple fill in the blank grammar and poetry memorization. My son was always excited about the conversation lesson because then he felt like he wasn't even doing work. I did at least make him answer in complete sentences. Some of the subjects I altered a little because us city folk don't know much about some of the topics she addresses (but we are trying to be more observant). The letters sometimes put him in fits - he could do them just fine but they upset him because he had to work a little bit. Typically I had him narrate the letter to me while I wrote it down and then he did it as copywork. He is getting closer to writing things like that on his own, but if I write it and tell him he has a time limit for copywork I will get a more thoughtful answer than if I let him do it on his own. We totally failed with the memory selections. They are good ones to memorize but I didn't use them to their full advantage. I had him work on the first stanza a little bit and then used them more for copywork. For the most part I let him do the grammar orally and just write a few of the sentences in a lesson. I was aiming at neat and accurate more than sloppy and careless.
I do think that it is a good gentle introduction and I know we didn't use it to its full potential but for just the cost of a composition book this program has a lot to offer. I realize now that we should have been doing more copywork from his regular readings (we did do more of that in the fall - before the baby). That is one thing I like about English Lesson Through Literature is that all of the sentence work is from good literature.
I did also try to do this in concert with Memoria Press's Introduction to Composition guide. We stopped using the guide half way through. These guides select passages from every few chapters of the assigned book (which we did use for a while). Each lesson provides oral questions to spur conversation about the passage and from there the student produces a summary of the passage (I think they do this in a classroom setting at their school and work together towards one summary passage as a class). My son read the whole section to himself, then read the selected passage (normally 2 or 3 pages) aloud to me, then we would either answer the question MP provided or I'd have him narrate it. Often I wrote this out for him and then he did it as copywork. He balked at writing them - but he did do it. The guides also have room for dictation but we took our dictation from other sources - not his literature.
I guess in the end we used three different things for our "language arts" this year. Primary Language Lessons was our daily practice, MP's Composition provided our literature readings and narrations (sometimes written) and CC gave us our "memory work" for grammar definitions (honestly we just discussed some of the concepts out loud we didn't practice any of them). Next year, he will be ready to do book 3 of English Lessons Through Literature and we will do CC Cycle 1 memory work (I think prepositions is a primary focus next year). I still might have him read the selections from Memoria Press's literature on his own because I will probably read the English Lessons' books aloud. We'll see though.
Primary Language Lessons has been gentle but we have been listening to (and maybe memorizing) the English grammar memory work with CC so I feel like he's still gotten some of the definitions, etc. I just printed and used the download from google books and halfway through the year found a hardback version at Half Price Books (I picked up Intermediate Language Lessons as well). There are workbooks available (don't know about her family situation) but I just had my son write his work in a regular composition book. That has worked for us.
The lessons are picture (tell what's happening in the picture - but it's not a "famous" work - she uses more ordinary scenes), conversation, letter writing, simple fill in the blank grammar and poetry memorization. My son was always excited about the conversation lesson because then he felt like he wasn't even doing work. I did at least make him answer in complete sentences. Some of the subjects I altered a little because us city folk don't know much about some of the topics she addresses (but we are trying to be more observant). The letters sometimes put him in fits - he could do them just fine but they upset him because he had to work a little bit. Typically I had him narrate the letter to me while I wrote it down and then he did it as copywork. He is getting closer to writing things like that on his own, but if I write it and tell him he has a time limit for copywork I will get a more thoughtful answer than if I let him do it on his own. We totally failed with the memory selections. They are good ones to memorize but I didn't use them to their full advantage. I had him work on the first stanza a little bit and then used them more for copywork. For the most part I let him do the grammar orally and just write a few of the sentences in a lesson. I was aiming at neat and accurate more than sloppy and careless.
I do think that it is a good gentle introduction and I know we didn't use it to its full potential but for just the cost of a composition book this program has a lot to offer. I realize now that we should have been doing more copywork from his regular readings (we did do more of that in the fall - before the baby). That is one thing I like about English Lesson Through Literature is that all of the sentence work is from good literature.
I did also try to do this in concert with Memoria Press's Introduction to Composition guide. We stopped using the guide half way through. These guides select passages from every few chapters of the assigned book (which we did use for a while). Each lesson provides oral questions to spur conversation about the passage and from there the student produces a summary of the passage (I think they do this in a classroom setting at their school and work together towards one summary passage as a class). My son read the whole section to himself, then read the selected passage (normally 2 or 3 pages) aloud to me, then we would either answer the question MP provided or I'd have him narrate it. Often I wrote this out for him and then he did it as copywork. He balked at writing them - but he did do it. The guides also have room for dictation but we took our dictation from other sources - not his literature.
I guess in the end we used three different things for our "language arts" this year. Primary Language Lessons was our daily practice, MP's Composition provided our literature readings and narrations (sometimes written) and CC gave us our "memory work" for grammar definitions (honestly we just discussed some of the concepts out loud we didn't practice any of them). Next year, he will be ready to do book 3 of English Lessons Through Literature and we will do CC Cycle 1 memory work (I think prepositions is a primary focus next year). I still might have him read the selections from Memoria Press's literature on his own because I will probably read the English Lessons' books aloud. We'll see though.
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Weekly Resource - Todally Comprehensible Latin
Well, there are many things I have tried, found or read about in the past year. I'll start sharing a few of them. First, I want to sing the praises of Half Price Books (again). Yesterday I was trying to get rid of books but found a hardbound interlinear translation of the Aeneid. I couldn't believe it. My books sold back for just the amount of the Latin book so now I have an interlinear version. I was SO pumped - because I am SUPER nerdy.
Now to the resource of the week. This week I'd like to mention the blog Todally Comprehensible Latin. The approach that he uses in his classroom is immersion and comprehensible input - so lots of stories in Latin and an attempt to speak Latin most of the time in the classroom. It has some of the same underpinnings as I Speak Latin. After reading much about language instruction I know that you have to know a LOT of Latin to pull this idea off full time. Most homeschooling mom's don't know that much Latin. BUT some of the ideas that he presents could be used in addition to your normal curriculum.
I remember Andrew Kern discussing the use of interlinear Latin texts read aloud to elementary aged students to help them become more comfortable with the language (or anyone really - thus the squealing over the book above). Basically, this blog gives you lots of games, questions and ways to play (found with search word activity) with a short, easy story in Latin. More common languages, like Spanish, have short published stories (and full curricula) available to use this approach - but Latin doesn't have a full book- yet. Kern also discusses using Latin fables and actually mentioned possibly putting together such a resource (there is one google book that has an interlinear version of Aesops). If that ever did become available you could use some of these techniques as you teach the story. Although the idea behind the interlinear approach to learning Latin and comprehensible input are very different - for those of us who aren't Latin scholars we need the interlinear to help us teach the comprehensible input. So we have the cheat sheet to help us teach our students to really read Latin and not just translate it. The games at Todally Comprehensible could be used in other contexts as well - if you are running out of creative ways to review information. Although he is using these games in a high school setting - most of them are very appropriate for kids who can write on their own.
In some ways the key idea behind the comprehensible input approach is like reading a story to a three year old. The minute you finish reading it, they want to read it again. They pick two or three favorite stories and want you to read them over and over. Eventually they "read it" which really means they have memorized it. Here, you do that with a story intentionally (but with some different focus and games to keep it interesting) so that the students really begin to internalize the language. Some of these ideas probably are best for a classroom - but why not have a Latin coop class together so that you don't carry Latin alone. Yes, parsing sentences as a class isn't super exciting (although probably helpful) - but reading a Latin fable and playing games with it - now that might be! Here are some simple stories that he uses in his classroom. You'll see that they are about the level of Bob Books in Latin. If you want something with more classical themes you might write out some of the you tube story from Learning Latin from Virgil.
If you are feeling really inspired you can try your hand at writing a story to use with this format and here he gives some tips on writing a story (which also helps you understand how this method is supposed to help students).
I haven't really tried many of these games yet (remember moving and new baby). But, I try to find basic Latin texts (often the Bible because my kids are already familiar with the story) and read them aloud in an interlinear fashion during our circle time. I just use short pieces (one semester I used the translation texts from Visual Latin part C). I need to get back to this. The idea of comprehensible input is along the lines of Andrew Pudewa encouraging second language teachers (and everyone) to encourage students to memorize poems because it implants phrases and vocabulary into their minds in ways that just lists of words cannot accomplish.
So try some Latin stories and games this summer as a break from your regular routine!
Now to the resource of the week. This week I'd like to mention the blog Todally Comprehensible Latin. The approach that he uses in his classroom is immersion and comprehensible input - so lots of stories in Latin and an attempt to speak Latin most of the time in the classroom. It has some of the same underpinnings as I Speak Latin. After reading much about language instruction I know that you have to know a LOT of Latin to pull this idea off full time. Most homeschooling mom's don't know that much Latin. BUT some of the ideas that he presents could be used in addition to your normal curriculum.
I remember Andrew Kern discussing the use of interlinear Latin texts read aloud to elementary aged students to help them become more comfortable with the language (or anyone really - thus the squealing over the book above). Basically, this blog gives you lots of games, questions and ways to play (found with search word activity) with a short, easy story in Latin. More common languages, like Spanish, have short published stories (and full curricula) available to use this approach - but Latin doesn't have a full book- yet. Kern also discusses using Latin fables and actually mentioned possibly putting together such a resource (there is one google book that has an interlinear version of Aesops). If that ever did become available you could use some of these techniques as you teach the story. Although the idea behind the interlinear approach to learning Latin and comprehensible input are very different - for those of us who aren't Latin scholars we need the interlinear to help us teach the comprehensible input. So we have the cheat sheet to help us teach our students to really read Latin and not just translate it. The games at Todally Comprehensible could be used in other contexts as well - if you are running out of creative ways to review information. Although he is using these games in a high school setting - most of them are very appropriate for kids who can write on their own.
In some ways the key idea behind the comprehensible input approach is like reading a story to a three year old. The minute you finish reading it, they want to read it again. They pick two or three favorite stories and want you to read them over and over. Eventually they "read it" which really means they have memorized it. Here, you do that with a story intentionally (but with some different focus and games to keep it interesting) so that the students really begin to internalize the language. Some of these ideas probably are best for a classroom - but why not have a Latin coop class together so that you don't carry Latin alone. Yes, parsing sentences as a class isn't super exciting (although probably helpful) - but reading a Latin fable and playing games with it - now that might be! Here are some simple stories that he uses in his classroom. You'll see that they are about the level of Bob Books in Latin. If you want something with more classical themes you might write out some of the you tube story from Learning Latin from Virgil.
If you are feeling really inspired you can try your hand at writing a story to use with this format and here he gives some tips on writing a story (which also helps you understand how this method is supposed to help students).
I haven't really tried many of these games yet (remember moving and new baby). But, I try to find basic Latin texts (often the Bible because my kids are already familiar with the story) and read them aloud in an interlinear fashion during our circle time. I just use short pieces (one semester I used the translation texts from Visual Latin part C). I need to get back to this. The idea of comprehensible input is along the lines of Andrew Pudewa encouraging second language teachers (and everyone) to encourage students to memorize poems because it implants phrases and vocabulary into their minds in ways that just lists of words cannot accomplish.
So try some Latin stories and games this summer as a break from your regular routine!
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Weekly Resource: Primer to Composition, Rhetoric and Literature
I realize that this week I said we'd cover more full fledged Latin curricula; however, I got sucked into google books this week. I also ventured into Half Price Books (a serious temptation) and found one book on Composition and Rhetoric from 1917 for a dollar. How can I pass that up? I did wonder if it was on google books - and it is. So you too can enjoy this great resource for FREE.
I was looking for something that gave the background to the way they used to approach writing, composition and rhetoric and this book delivers. This book is so much more than that though!
Composition, Rhetoric and Literature a Four Year's Course for Secondary Schools
Book One: First and Second Years
Although I don't think that I would hand this book over for a high schooler to move through on their own, it is an excellent resource. It touches on practical and poetic aspects of writing and provides simple ways to help students grasp concepts illustrated. It truly is a step by step guide and resource to help students learn all aspects of writing. I have not been able to find the second book (year three and four) but honestly, this volume covers much more than most programs out there do.
If you realize that you don't know much about poetry (like me) you might want to check out the book on Poetics (aimed at college students). It is a quick introduction (40 pages or so) to meter, types of poems, images and figures in poetry, poetic forms and the like. Again, each term also has an example from a published poet for reference. I don't think we need to analyze poetry in depth with young children, but it is nice as an adult to have some sense of these categories and types.
I was looking for something that gave the background to the way they used to approach writing, composition and rhetoric and this book delivers. This book is so much more than that though!
Composition, Rhetoric and Literature a Four Year's Course for Secondary Schools
Book One: First and Second Years
From the Preface
This book is based upon the belief that a human being learns by imitation, by repetition, and by challenge to increased exertion.
It (this book) follows a special arrangement in presenting the subjects: Narration, Description, Exposition and Argumentation.The overall goal
The subject is presented in the belief that what students need is not novelty and intellectual vaudeville, but sustained effort and the discipline which seeks to teach future citizens how to read appreciatively, how to think clearly, and how to express their ideas vividly, rationally, and with straightforward directness.
Notes to the Teacher
I. Apportionment of Time.I think you see the pattern.
First Year: four recitations a week devoted to Rhetoric and Composition; one recitation to Literature
Second Year: three recitations a week devoted to Rhetoric and Composition; two recitations to Literature
Writing Composition - It is expected that every student will write a theme every two weeks during his first two years, and one theme every week during his last two years in the secondary school. (later he defines themes as short explorations of a topic)In his suggestions on working with themes he includes these two:
The irksome task of rewriting themes should be insisted upon.As regards corrections he says
The corrections placed upon themes should be very definite, explicit and yet kindly.
The first criticism should, of course, be criticism of the arrangement of thought, and every student should be trained by constant vigilance to see unity, coherence, and emphasis in his compositions. The student's success in the whole theme should be stated first, followed by detailed, specific criticism of faults in grammar, punctuation, diction, sentence structure, and paragraph structure. (We are talking about high school students here.)They also discuss reading aloud as a class and discussion and make the point
Training of the Imagination - Training of the visual imagination is something that becomes more and more important in these days when copious illustrations of books leaves little for this faculty to do.They end this section by focusing on how to help students best appreciate literature.
An appreciation of the music of poetry, of melody and cadence, ought surely to be fostered during the early years when the ear is sensitive, for a large share of the enjoyment of literature depends upon the proper cultivation of the love of harmonious sound. If the same poems are read frequently, they will stay in the memory as guides in the future for judging poetic measures. Wordsworth's I wandered lonely as a cloud and The Solitary Reaper, Blake's Ah, Sunflower, Burns' A Red, Red Rose, Marlowe's The Passionate Shepherd, Ben Jonson's "Drink me to only with thine eyes," the Shakespeare songs, Herrick's "Her eyes the glow worm lend thee" and Keats' La Belle Dame Sans Merci, may be cited as poems possessed of special lyric beauty.I think that gives you a great idea of the depth and philosophy of the book, The first part of the book focuses on the history of the English language, word usage, and grammar basics (with lots of details). It moves into sentences, then paragraphs, letter writing and then into aspects of narratives (description, characterization, plot, etc.) and arguments. Examples are drawn from published authors to illustrate points. The authors then provide exercises to help students focus on that aspect of writing.
Although I don't think that I would hand this book over for a high schooler to move through on their own, it is an excellent resource. It touches on practical and poetic aspects of writing and provides simple ways to help students grasp concepts illustrated. It truly is a step by step guide and resource to help students learn all aspects of writing. I have not been able to find the second book (year three and four) but honestly, this volume covers much more than most programs out there do.
If you realize that you don't know much about poetry (like me) you might want to check out the book on Poetics (aimed at college students). It is a quick introduction (40 pages or so) to meter, types of poems, images and figures in poetry, poetic forms and the like. Again, each term also has an example from a published poet for reference. I don't think we need to analyze poetry in depth with young children, but it is nice as an adult to have some sense of these categories and types.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Weekly Resource - Beginning Latin Programs
After thinking about it a little more I decided to cut the Latin programs into two large categories. Last week, we talked about considering your family goals for Latin - anywhere from SAT prep to reading Latin texts as high school students. There is no one right way - any work in Latin will help your child's vocabulary and work that includes the grammar will develop more systematic thinking and grit!
At this level we have programs and games that focus on Latin roots for words.
Caesar's English I and II by Michael Clay Thompson Press - This series is meant for 4th and 5th graders - but can easily be scaled up for older children. These texts are actually the vocabulary portion of a full orbed language arts program which includes vocabulary, grammar, composition and poetics. I do think that you can just use this vocabulary module by itself if you'd like. These texts actually connect Spanish, Latin and English together - so if you are primarily pursuing Spanish and just want to look into some Latin roots this might be a great resource for you.
English From the Roots Up - This text subtitle is "help for reading, writing, spelling and S.A.T. scores". There you have it. It looks at root words in Latin and Greek and is a text for helping middle and high school students master these roots. This does not lead to a formal study of Latin in any way - but it will give you some vocabulary background.
Rummy Roots and More Roots - Actually a card game to help you playfully learn Latin root words. There are several levels of play with the same deck of cards so it can serve a wide age range of students.
Word Up by Compass Classroom - This is a brand new video series to help teach Latin and Greek roots. It is meant for older elementary students and introduces 20 roots. It is brought to you by the same people who do Visual Latin and will be available this summer.
These programs are not full orbed programs but provide a gentle introduction into the basics of Latin. They are meant as an introduction to some basic concepts in Latin - vocabulary, conjugation, and declension. The more recent programs do recommend other programs that you can use if you desire to continue your studies.
Getting Started With Latin - This program was designed just for homeschoolers who wanted a gentle introduction to Latin. It introduces one word each lesson and a new grammar concept for 134 lessons. I don't think any lesson has more than 10 questions to answer. I have heard of mom's doing this with their children aloud. His website has many resources and mp3 versions of each lesson so that you can hear the Latin spoken correctly (in both ecclesiastical and classical). The author has now completed the "next step" in Latin which is a free online class using Linney's Latin (it is available from google books or Amazon). He also provides many links to items that support the study of Caesar's Gallic Wars.
I Speak Latin - This program is designed for late elementary students and uses the total physical response method of teaching. It does not focus on grammar based learning - instead it uses activity and picture flash cards to help students learn vocabulary. The text lays out exactly what the teacher should say (there is also mp3 audio companions on the website) to the student during the lesson. Each lesson is designed to take about 20 minutes. He recommends two lessons a week. He actually recommends Getting Started With Latin (above) as a next step after his curriculum for younger students. This might be a great way to get active boys engaged in speaking and playing with Latin concepts but don't expect them to memorize declensions or conjugations with this series.
Junior Latin: Book One - Google books has a plethora of old Latin books (as you can imagine). I particularly like this one for practicing nouns and adjectives. It provides lots of examples and practice for using declensions. This book introduces a few verbs for the sake of making sentences but does not teach conjugations. If you are using another program and just want more practice with declensions - this is where I would turn. The introduction in this book is also helpful in summing up the link between Latin and English grammar and some thoughts about how to learn Latin. I have yet to find a corresponding verb book.
That's it for now. I know there are many more programs out there - these are just some of the ones I have more experience with. If you have tried or seen any feel free to leave them in the comments! Next week we will look at programs that are designed for multiple years of study.
Level I - Latin for Vocabulary
At this level we have programs and games that focus on Latin roots for words.
Caesar's English I and II by Michael Clay Thompson Press - This series is meant for 4th and 5th graders - but can easily be scaled up for older children. These texts are actually the vocabulary portion of a full orbed language arts program which includes vocabulary, grammar, composition and poetics. I do think that you can just use this vocabulary module by itself if you'd like. These texts actually connect Spanish, Latin and English together - so if you are primarily pursuing Spanish and just want to look into some Latin roots this might be a great resource for you.
English From the Roots Up - This text subtitle is "help for reading, writing, spelling and S.A.T. scores". There you have it. It looks at root words in Latin and Greek and is a text for helping middle and high school students master these roots. This does not lead to a formal study of Latin in any way - but it will give you some vocabulary background.
Rummy Roots and More Roots - Actually a card game to help you playfully learn Latin root words. There are several levels of play with the same deck of cards so it can serve a wide age range of students.
Word Up by Compass Classroom - This is a brand new video series to help teach Latin and Greek roots. It is meant for older elementary students and introduces 20 roots. It is brought to you by the same people who do Visual Latin and will be available this summer.
Level II - Introductory Latin
These programs are not full orbed programs but provide a gentle introduction into the basics of Latin. They are meant as an introduction to some basic concepts in Latin - vocabulary, conjugation, and declension. The more recent programs do recommend other programs that you can use if you desire to continue your studies.
Getting Started With Latin - This program was designed just for homeschoolers who wanted a gentle introduction to Latin. It introduces one word each lesson and a new grammar concept for 134 lessons. I don't think any lesson has more than 10 questions to answer. I have heard of mom's doing this with their children aloud. His website has many resources and mp3 versions of each lesson so that you can hear the Latin spoken correctly (in both ecclesiastical and classical). The author has now completed the "next step" in Latin which is a free online class using Linney's Latin (it is available from google books or Amazon). He also provides many links to items that support the study of Caesar's Gallic Wars.
I Speak Latin - This program is designed for late elementary students and uses the total physical response method of teaching. It does not focus on grammar based learning - instead it uses activity and picture flash cards to help students learn vocabulary. The text lays out exactly what the teacher should say (there is also mp3 audio companions on the website) to the student during the lesson. Each lesson is designed to take about 20 minutes. He recommends two lessons a week. He actually recommends Getting Started With Latin (above) as a next step after his curriculum for younger students. This might be a great way to get active boys engaged in speaking and playing with Latin concepts but don't expect them to memorize declensions or conjugations with this series.
Junior Latin: Book One - Google books has a plethora of old Latin books (as you can imagine). I particularly like this one for practicing nouns and adjectives. It provides lots of examples and practice for using declensions. This book introduces a few verbs for the sake of making sentences but does not teach conjugations. If you are using another program and just want more practice with declensions - this is where I would turn. The introduction in this book is also helpful in summing up the link between Latin and English grammar and some thoughts about how to learn Latin. I have yet to find a corresponding verb book.
That's it for now. I know there are many more programs out there - these are just some of the ones I have more experience with. If you have tried or seen any feel free to leave them in the comments! Next week we will look at programs that are designed for multiple years of study.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Weekly Resource What Latin Program is Right for your family?
Everyone seems to be talking about planning for next year - I am still trying to make sure we are faithful to complete this year's tasks (we are a little behind on the read alouds around here). I thought I would offer some thoughts on choosing a Latin path for your family. In the most classical sense Latin or Greek or both would be one of the essential parts of your classical studies. However, the reality is that not everyone wants to go down that route - for a variety of reasons. Today, I will give you a few questions to ask yourself about what you hope to gain from language studies - particularly Latin. Next week, we will look at some of the resources available to help you follow whatever path might work best for your family. Trust me - there are tons of resources available - regardless of what your family is hoping to accomplish.
So here are the questions to get you started?
1. What is your goal for your children? Do you just want to help increase their SAT vocabulary? Do you want the to learn the structure and "discipline" of Latin? Do you see it as a base for them to learn other romance languages? Do you want them to better be able to connect with the Catholic church and it's Latin past? Do you just want to expose them to the language and have fun with it? Do you want them to eventually be able to read Latin authors in the original?
2. How much Latin do you (as a mom or dad) intend to learn? Will you learn along with them? Would you prefer a program that will teach it to them and you just help as needed (from a teacher's manual)? Do you want to study ahead so that you can help make some wise curricular choices?
3. Is Latin a long term study area or do you just want an introduction? Is this something you are committed to trying long term? Are you just wanting to try it out knowing that you might do something different next year?
4. How much time do you want to spend on Latin during a typical week? Do you want a lesson once or twice a week (with maybe some quick review of vocabulary)? Would you prefer a fuller program that expects daily lessons for about 30 minutes?
5. What is your budget? In this game there are everything from online courses you can enroll in, to video courses that basically teach it for you to free google books that you can figure out and use on your own. How much do you want to spend on this area of study?
6. Do you want to combine English grammar and Latin? This can help cut down on overlap if you intend to spend a lot of time with Latin.
7. Do you want your Latin studies to tie in with other subjects - like History?
8. How old are your children? With younger children it really is more about exposure and interest. However, if you have older children you might be wondering if they can get credits for their work and how it looks on a transcript.
If you want a quick overview of different approaches to teaching Latin (in general) there is a good article in the Memoria Press Summer edition (it is on page 4 and 5). Obviously they are interested in promoting their own approach (grammar first) but it does explain the other paths well with examples of what programs use that approach. Here is another thoughtful article about examining reasons for studying a language (written by the author of Getting Started with Latin).
I am so happy that we are studying Latin at my house and my kids (although young) see it all around them already. Hopefully these questions can help you get a good idea of what you'd like to do. Next week, we will look at curricula that might help get you to your goal.
So here are the questions to get you started?
1. What is your goal for your children? Do you just want to help increase their SAT vocabulary? Do you want the to learn the structure and "discipline" of Latin? Do you see it as a base for them to learn other romance languages? Do you want them to better be able to connect with the Catholic church and it's Latin past? Do you just want to expose them to the language and have fun with it? Do you want them to eventually be able to read Latin authors in the original?
2. How much Latin do you (as a mom or dad) intend to learn? Will you learn along with them? Would you prefer a program that will teach it to them and you just help as needed (from a teacher's manual)? Do you want to study ahead so that you can help make some wise curricular choices?
3. Is Latin a long term study area or do you just want an introduction? Is this something you are committed to trying long term? Are you just wanting to try it out knowing that you might do something different next year?
4. How much time do you want to spend on Latin during a typical week? Do you want a lesson once or twice a week (with maybe some quick review of vocabulary)? Would you prefer a fuller program that expects daily lessons for about 30 minutes?
5. What is your budget? In this game there are everything from online courses you can enroll in, to video courses that basically teach it for you to free google books that you can figure out and use on your own. How much do you want to spend on this area of study?
6. Do you want to combine English grammar and Latin? This can help cut down on overlap if you intend to spend a lot of time with Latin.
7. Do you want your Latin studies to tie in with other subjects - like History?
8. How old are your children? With younger children it really is more about exposure and interest. However, if you have older children you might be wondering if they can get credits for their work and how it looks on a transcript.
If you want a quick overview of different approaches to teaching Latin (in general) there is a good article in the Memoria Press Summer edition (it is on page 4 and 5). Obviously they are interested in promoting their own approach (grammar first) but it does explain the other paths well with examples of what programs use that approach. Here is another thoughtful article about examining reasons for studying a language (written by the author of Getting Started with Latin).
I am so happy that we are studying Latin at my house and my kids (although young) see it all around them already. Hopefully these questions can help you get a good idea of what you'd like to do. Next week, we will look at curricula that might help get you to your goal.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Weekly Resource - Options for Elementary Science
In a truly classical sense young students can't "do" science. They are encouraged to observe nature, name what is around them and enjoy the wonder and awe that comes with it. So, in some ways the best science "curriculum" might be to keep a pet or grow a garden or do both. But, if you feel like you need something a little more substantial than that, here are a few resources.
CM followers and some other classical groups really encourage lots of nature study. Naming what is around you, drawing it, keeping a notebook of your findings can encourage a love of science that will last a lifetime. Here are a few resources that can get you started with that approach.
Handbook for Nature Studies (or online) - this mega volume by Anna Botsford Commstock is often what people recommend to give you some background information about the animals you will encounter. This is really background information for the parents so that they can talk about or look up what they are finding.
There is a series of supports for this book that can help you make it more manageable. It started with the idea of the challenge to go outdoors for an hour a week and just see what happens.
Here is another more general way to use the book - breaking it down by species group and then focusing on each one.
The Ultimate Guide to Nature Study from another homeschooling mom might provide some encouraging thoughts as well.
Christian Liberty Nature Readers - This series of books provides age appropriate reading material about different aspects of nature. There are 5 levels that correspond roughly with reading levels for those grades. They are actually based on a series that was written in the early 1900s.
Thorton Burgess (librivox) or Clara Dillingham Pierson (librivox) both write books that explore the habits and lives of animals in a way that is friendly - especially to early elementary students. Burgess wrote over 26 books that feature animal characters, the links above are just ones that are free to give you a taste of their style. Ambleside uses Burgess' Bird book and Animal book in Year 1 and Year 2.
Jim Arnosky books cover a range of nature topics and are accurate and include lovely illustrations. He actually is a nature illustrator and has books on the topic as well. Many of his books can be found at the library. Crinkleroot is a series that introduces children to common birds, fish and other animals - many of them might be out of print but your library might have them.
Magic School Bus Science Kits - you are probably familiar with the books and maybe the video series (which can be found on netflix) but they do have a series of contained experiments as well. The Young Scientists Club allows you to order experiments that have everything you need to do to perform them. They often come up as a discount on homeschoolbuyerscoop.
The Happy Scientist has lots of free videos and experiment ideas that cover the range of science. There is also a subscription fee (about $20 - unless you get it half price off of homeschoolbuyers coop). that provides more videos and experiments. If you want your kids to see someone excited about science but may not want to do EVERY experiment at your house - this might be a good option.
Janice VanCleave books are also a good option if you want to find a few experiments on a certain topic with your children. She covers a whole range and they can often be found at the library or half price book store. Many more formal curricula use her experiments as part of their program (Classical Conversations, Elemental Science, etc.)
Elemental Science - this group actually provides 3 different approaches to science education. The first is more classical in the sense that you use a resource book (normally DK) and then do a lap book to record your findings. They also have the Sassafras Twins series which uses more living books and has you following the story of these twins as they discover science themes (they are scheduled to create 8 books to cover one semester a piece). The last group are unit studies - like human body, plants, etc. They obviously offer lots of choices to meet the approach that best matches your approach.
Noeo Science - This curricula is produced by Logos press which follows a classical approach to education. They have three areas of study - biology, chemistry and physics and three levels - early elementary, later elementary and middle school. This provides a whole package which includes that resource books and they use experiments from the Young Scientist Club mentioned above. This seems like a more open and go approach - you can look at their teacher manuals for each subject to get a good idea of what is covered and the resources that they use.
R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey (read, explore, absorb and learn) - These lessons provide a read aloud story written by the authors to introduce the subject, experiments or activities to support learning and then a page to document what you have learned. Level One has life, earth and space and chemistry. Level 2 currently only covers biology.
Real Science For Kids - They actually provide two different approaches to science. The first is a series of books that looks at a particular discipline and includes a textbook, lab workbook and teacher's manual for the core subjects of chemistry, physics, biology, geology and astronomy. The second is a series of grade level readers that cover all five of those subjects (in a more spiral method) over the course of one year. So you can either spend a year studying one subject area or cover all five areas each year going slightly deeper as the child ages. The FAQ page has lots of answers to questions about sequence, deciding between the two approaches, etc.
Memoria Press - They are another publisher of texts that follow a more classical tradition. Their science program doesn't start until 3rd grade and each year is dedicated to studying one area - astronomy, insects, birds, and trees. Each level includes a reader and a workbook (based on the books by Arabella Buckley and Julie McNair Wright in the late 1800s (here is a sample of an original book that they have not used). So this is living books approach. In middle school they use the James Tiner (his amazon page) series. In high school they are beginning to use Novare Science.
The Lab of Mr. Q - This series of textbooks with experiments covers a year of life science, earth science, chemistry and physical science. Each set has a separate student and teacher's manual and you can get the whole life science book for FREE so that you can see if it works for you (you can also get the first chapter of each of the other books for free). This guide also includes steps towards doing science projects if that is something that is important for you. He also has a lot of interesting lab experiments you can try.
Intellego Unit Studies - Science based unit studies for a variety of topics that are aimed at early elementary, late elementary and middle school students. They have special studies as well (baseball, dolphins, etc.)
History of Science Through Literature - This is a survey of science history for late elementary aged students using living books. Even if you don't use the curriculum as it is designed you might want to take a peek at the books they use to support your more "typical" science studies. There are experiments associated with this program as well.
Novare Science (I have written more about their middle/ high school program) has a reference book for elementary school teachers to help them better understand the basics of physics, biology and chemistry. They have only published the physics book so far, but it is a great resource. He also has a book that just discusses a Christian view of science education.
Elemental Science also has an overview of science education for parents as well. This includes some resources to help with science fair activities.
Honestly, this is just the beginning of available resources. I highly recommend that you type a curriculum name and "review" in google to see what others say about in practice or check out what Cathy Duffy says about it.
Nature Study
CM followers and some other classical groups really encourage lots of nature study. Naming what is around you, drawing it, keeping a notebook of your findings can encourage a love of science that will last a lifetime. Here are a few resources that can get you started with that approach.
Handbook for Nature Studies (or online) - this mega volume by Anna Botsford Commstock is often what people recommend to give you some background information about the animals you will encounter. This is really background information for the parents so that they can talk about or look up what they are finding.
There is a series of supports for this book that can help you make it more manageable. It started with the idea of the challenge to go outdoors for an hour a week and just see what happens.
Here is another more general way to use the book - breaking it down by species group and then focusing on each one.
The Ultimate Guide to Nature Study from another homeschooling mom might provide some encouraging thoughts as well.
Book Series
One Small Square is a series of books that explores different biomes and provides experiments, observations and ideas about how to explore nature. Themes include the night sky (okay, not a biome), the seashore, your backyard, etc. These books can often be found at the library.Christian Liberty Nature Readers - This series of books provides age appropriate reading material about different aspects of nature. There are 5 levels that correspond roughly with reading levels for those grades. They are actually based on a series that was written in the early 1900s.
Thorton Burgess (librivox) or Clara Dillingham Pierson (librivox) both write books that explore the habits and lives of animals in a way that is friendly - especially to early elementary students. Burgess wrote over 26 books that feature animal characters, the links above are just ones that are free to give you a taste of their style. Ambleside uses Burgess' Bird book and Animal book in Year 1 and Year 2.
Jim Arnosky books cover a range of nature topics and are accurate and include lovely illustrations. He actually is a nature illustrator and has books on the topic as well. Many of his books can be found at the library. Crinkleroot is a series that introduces children to common birds, fish and other animals - many of them might be out of print but your library might have them.
Resources for Experiments
Maybe you don't want to pursue nature studies or you feel like you need some experiments to try out around your house.
Magic School Bus Science Kits - you are probably familiar with the books and maybe the video series (which can be found on netflix) but they do have a series of contained experiments as well. The Young Scientists Club allows you to order experiments that have everything you need to do to perform them. They often come up as a discount on homeschoolbuyerscoop.
The Happy Scientist has lots of free videos and experiment ideas that cover the range of science. There is also a subscription fee (about $20 - unless you get it half price off of homeschoolbuyers coop). that provides more videos and experiments. If you want your kids to see someone excited about science but may not want to do EVERY experiment at your house - this might be a good option.
Janice VanCleave books are also a good option if you want to find a few experiments on a certain topic with your children. She covers a whole range and they can often be found at the library or half price book store. Many more formal curricula use her experiments as part of their program (Classical Conversations, Elemental Science, etc.)
Full Curricula
Maybe you do want something more than just nature study or random experiments on a theme, if that is the case there are more options beyond Apologia. As with all studies you need to discern your comfort level with their approach to the creation/ big bang issue. I am giving you resource ideas and you get to discern what might best fit your family.Elemental Science - this group actually provides 3 different approaches to science education. The first is more classical in the sense that you use a resource book (normally DK) and then do a lap book to record your findings. They also have the Sassafras Twins series which uses more living books and has you following the story of these twins as they discover science themes (they are scheduled to create 8 books to cover one semester a piece). The last group are unit studies - like human body, plants, etc. They obviously offer lots of choices to meet the approach that best matches your approach.
Noeo Science - This curricula is produced by Logos press which follows a classical approach to education. They have three areas of study - biology, chemistry and physics and three levels - early elementary, later elementary and middle school. This provides a whole package which includes that resource books and they use experiments from the Young Scientist Club mentioned above. This seems like a more open and go approach - you can look at their teacher manuals for each subject to get a good idea of what is covered and the resources that they use.
R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey (read, explore, absorb and learn) - These lessons provide a read aloud story written by the authors to introduce the subject, experiments or activities to support learning and then a page to document what you have learned. Level One has life, earth and space and chemistry. Level 2 currently only covers biology.
Real Science For Kids - They actually provide two different approaches to science. The first is a series of books that looks at a particular discipline and includes a textbook, lab workbook and teacher's manual for the core subjects of chemistry, physics, biology, geology and astronomy. The second is a series of grade level readers that cover all five of those subjects (in a more spiral method) over the course of one year. So you can either spend a year studying one subject area or cover all five areas each year going slightly deeper as the child ages. The FAQ page has lots of answers to questions about sequence, deciding between the two approaches, etc.
Memoria Press - They are another publisher of texts that follow a more classical tradition. Their science program doesn't start until 3rd grade and each year is dedicated to studying one area - astronomy, insects, birds, and trees. Each level includes a reader and a workbook (based on the books by Arabella Buckley and Julie McNair Wright in the late 1800s (here is a sample of an original book that they have not used). So this is living books approach. In middle school they use the James Tiner (his amazon page) series. In high school they are beginning to use Novare Science.
The Lab of Mr. Q - This series of textbooks with experiments covers a year of life science, earth science, chemistry and physical science. Each set has a separate student and teacher's manual and you can get the whole life science book for FREE so that you can see if it works for you (you can also get the first chapter of each of the other books for free). This guide also includes steps towards doing science projects if that is something that is important for you. He also has a lot of interesting lab experiments you can try.
Intellego Unit Studies - Science based unit studies for a variety of topics that are aimed at early elementary, late elementary and middle school students. They have special studies as well (baseball, dolphins, etc.)
History of Science Through Literature - This is a survey of science history for late elementary aged students using living books. Even if you don't use the curriculum as it is designed you might want to take a peek at the books they use to support your more "typical" science studies. There are experiments associated with this program as well.
Resources for Mom
If you have a general outline of the topics to cover (like you might with Classical Conversations) but want a little more background so that you can talk about the topics knowledgeably you might want to check out these resources.Novare Science (I have written more about their middle/ high school program) has a reference book for elementary school teachers to help them better understand the basics of physics, biology and chemistry. They have only published the physics book so far, but it is a great resource. He also has a book that just discusses a Christian view of science education.
Elemental Science also has an overview of science education for parents as well. This includes some resources to help with science fair activities.
Honestly, this is just the beginning of available resources. I highly recommend that you type a curriculum name and "review" in google to see what others say about in practice or check out what Cathy Duffy says about it.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Weekly Resource - Old Western Culture
A few months ago when I heard Andrew Kern speak he mentioned Wes Callihan. He was surprised that not many of us knew him well. I think that is about to change. He has put together an in depth study of The Greeks, The Romans, Christendom and Early Moderns called Old Western Culture meant to take a high school student through each of these eras as they read original texts. The Greeks is the only year currently available as a full set of DVDs, workbook and texts. They have formatted many older texts into kindle editions to make it easier for students discussing the course. Each year is further broken into four sections (the first is The Epics) and the website clearly indicates which texts are studied in each section.
Honestly, I plan to use this for self study. I think my dreams about covering the Great Books series that I bought might be a little too difficult (plus I misplaced book one). Callihan also points out a huge gap in the Great Books series and that's a gap that needs to be filled for me. The website is packed with information. You must go to the resource page for each of the sections and check out the guide to the art and other resources there. It truly is an amazing body of work.
I hope to find a way to use some of the ideas discussed in Jenny Rallens look at studying literature in my own approach to going through this series. Her discussion of the type of "worksheets" or questions discussed in class was telling. I want to move more towards helping myself and my children find the themes that are common across authors and discuss how different people, eras and philosophies address these issues. Obviously, we aren't there yet, but maybe if I start for myself it will help shape me so that I am more prepared when we get there.
I highly recommend taking some time to look over this site even if your kids are no where near high school. It will help you learn a little bit more and maybe provide you with some direction. I would love someone to compare it to the King's Meadow Study Center curricula.
Honestly, I plan to use this for self study. I think my dreams about covering the Great Books series that I bought might be a little too difficult (plus I misplaced book one). Callihan also points out a huge gap in the Great Books series and that's a gap that needs to be filled for me. The website is packed with information. You must go to the resource page for each of the sections and check out the guide to the art and other resources there. It truly is an amazing body of work.
I hope to find a way to use some of the ideas discussed in Jenny Rallens look at studying literature in my own approach to going through this series. Her discussion of the type of "worksheets" or questions discussed in class was telling. I want to move more towards helping myself and my children find the themes that are common across authors and discuss how different people, eras and philosophies address these issues. Obviously, we aren't there yet, but maybe if I start for myself it will help shape me so that I am more prepared when we get there.
I highly recommend taking some time to look over this site even if your kids are no where near high school. It will help you learn a little bit more and maybe provide you with some direction. I would love someone to compare it to the King's Meadow Study Center curricula.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Weekly Resource - Another Sort of Learning, a Mom resource
A few weeks ago, when I was still allowed to enter into book stores and good wills, I came across Liberal Learning by James V. Schall and I had to get it. Don't tell my husband but the link actually takes you to the full text of the pamphlet - oops. It is a very small volume - so it's a good overview. It is addressed to college students and their parents to help them realize some of the shortcomings of the current college system while encouraging you to pursue some real learning. It is in keeping and, in some ways, an introduction to his larger work Another Sort of Learning. Really you should just follow the link so that you can read the subtitle - which is long and amusing - which is indicative of his style. This work is a collection of essays on education and other assorted topics along with interesting "booklists". His booklists are not standard fare and are meant for the students seeking classical and not so classical resources that are worth your time and interest.
A few years ago I read his book On the Unseriousness of Human Affairs and loved it. Actually, I should find and re-read my notes (common placing before I even knew there was such a thing because it was a great book). He is the one who got me to thinking about actually reading Chesterton. That book helped me to remember to enjoy the little things in life and stop being a perfectionist about things. Some things are worth doing just because they are fun and part of a community.
Anyway, if you are thinking about summer reading for yourself you might want to look over this little book and pick out some titles that aren't typically discussed but are probably worth your time.
Here is a quote from Liberal Learning:
A few years ago I read his book On the Unseriousness of Human Affairs and loved it. Actually, I should find and re-read my notes (common placing before I even knew there was such a thing because it was a great book). He is the one who got me to thinking about actually reading Chesterton. That book helped me to remember to enjoy the little things in life and stop being a perfectionist about things. Some things are worth doing just because they are fun and part of a community.
Anyway, if you are thinking about summer reading for yourself you might want to look over this little book and pick out some titles that aren't typically discussed but are probably worth your time.
Here is a quote from Liberal Learning:
The object of self-discipline in the best sense then is not ourselves. That probably sounds strange. The classical writers, I think, used to relate self-discipline to liberty. The person who was most free was the one who had the most control over himself. The person who was most unfree was the one who was ruled by pleasures, money or power. Self-discipline does not, however, solve the question of what is knowledge or truth or good; self-discipline is a means, not an end in itself.
There is an intimate connection between our moral life and our intellectual life. Sometime I think the history of our times can be described as an argument about whether or not this connection is true. Self discipline is the beginning of wisdom, not its end.Really, anything by Schall is probably engaging and worth your time.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Weekly Resource - Learning Literature Through Reading
Barefoot Ragamuffin Curriculum now has a reading program to go with her literature program. It is based on Spalding methods and she clearly outlines how to teach spelling and reading step by step. She uses the public domain Elson readers which are included in program so there are no additional readers to purchase. The spelling words match with the readers.
Each level has the following sections:
Section 1 - includes a list of all the phonograms and flashcards to help you practice them.
Section 2 - the "spelling word" lists, these are marked in a way similar to Spell to Write and Read, the Logic of English, etc. (although she does not include sentences for examples).
Section 3 - the Elson readers. Level 1 uses the Elson Primer, the syllables are separated and the multi-letter phonograms are underlined to help students see how they work together. Level 2 uses the Elson Book 1, words are still separated into syllables. Level 3 uses Elson Book 2 and it reads like a normal text.
Here is an overview of the levels:
Level 1 - starts before you begin reading and you practice 1-A through 1-T (with ten words in each section). After these introductory lessons, the lists work together with the reading passages and are numbered 2 through 29 (again ten words in each section).
Level 2 - lessons 30 through 75 (ten words in each section)
Level 3 - lesson 76 though 127 (fifteen words in each section)
After trying SWR with my son and not getting anywhere - he could do it with help but wasn't retaining anything - I gave it a rest. This week we picked it back up at the beginning using the lists here and he is doing great. I don't plan to do the readers with him because he is beyond them (at this point) but spelling is a struggle for him. I will teach my younger sons using the program as she outlines it. She does provide a workbook and at least in level one it has some exercises that look like many intro reading programs - circle the picture that starts with the letter sound you are learning, etc. My middle son finds this easy and fun - the graphics are simple and direct (she even includes a key to what each picture is so that there is no confusion - is that a cup or a jar?) The Spelling Journal for students to record their words by phonogram is available for free on her website.
She now has free samples for both the reading and literature programs. It is a great way to see her approach and the scope of what is covered in each level.
She also has created a great free list of reading recommendations and plans for covering these stories for preschoolers and kindergarten children. There are a few suggestions in there that I have not seen before and some that I read with my older son that I should bring out again for my middle one.
Finally, if you are trying to incorporate art study but haven't figured out how to pull the pictures together and keep it moving you might benefit from her free art collections (level 1/2 and 3). For each artist there are 6 works and she includes both color and black and white options. These artists are integrated into the Learning Language Through Literature program.
She has also made Charlotte Mason's Geographical Readers, level 1 and 2, available for free. In addition she has put together free reading lists by geographical location - so there is a list of books that talk about Japan, etc.
I truly appreciate the time and care she has put into this curriculum and am glad that I now have a full language arts program - reading and literature!
Each level has the following sections:
Section 1 - includes a list of all the phonograms and flashcards to help you practice them.
Section 2 - the "spelling word" lists, these are marked in a way similar to Spell to Write and Read, the Logic of English, etc. (although she does not include sentences for examples).
Section 3 - the Elson readers. Level 1 uses the Elson Primer, the syllables are separated and the multi-letter phonograms are underlined to help students see how they work together. Level 2 uses the Elson Book 1, words are still separated into syllables. Level 3 uses Elson Book 2 and it reads like a normal text.
Here is an overview of the levels:
Level 1 - starts before you begin reading and you practice 1-A through 1-T (with ten words in each section). After these introductory lessons, the lists work together with the reading passages and are numbered 2 through 29 (again ten words in each section).
Level 2 - lessons 30 through 75 (ten words in each section)
Level 3 - lesson 76 though 127 (fifteen words in each section)
After trying SWR with my son and not getting anywhere - he could do it with help but wasn't retaining anything - I gave it a rest. This week we picked it back up at the beginning using the lists here and he is doing great. I don't plan to do the readers with him because he is beyond them (at this point) but spelling is a struggle for him. I will teach my younger sons using the program as she outlines it. She does provide a workbook and at least in level one it has some exercises that look like many intro reading programs - circle the picture that starts with the letter sound you are learning, etc. My middle son finds this easy and fun - the graphics are simple and direct (she even includes a key to what each picture is so that there is no confusion - is that a cup or a jar?) The Spelling Journal for students to record their words by phonogram is available for free on her website.
She now has free samples for both the reading and literature programs. It is a great way to see her approach and the scope of what is covered in each level.
She also has created a great free list of reading recommendations and plans for covering these stories for preschoolers and kindergarten children. There are a few suggestions in there that I have not seen before and some that I read with my older son that I should bring out again for my middle one.
Finally, if you are trying to incorporate art study but haven't figured out how to pull the pictures together and keep it moving you might benefit from her free art collections (level 1/2 and 3). For each artist there are 6 works and she includes both color and black and white options. These artists are integrated into the Learning Language Through Literature program.
She has also made Charlotte Mason's Geographical Readers, level 1 and 2, available for free. In addition she has put together free reading lists by geographical location - so there is a list of books that talk about Japan, etc.
I truly appreciate the time and care she has put into this curriculum and am glad that I now have a full language arts program - reading and literature!
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