Alternative LearningAre you a homeschooling mama? or maybe you unschool... or maybe you are interested in another alternative learning style? or maybe you don't have any idea what i am referring to?? this forum might just be for you! share your thoughts and ideas
I know we had a what do you plan on using at the beginnign of the school year, but I am just curious what everyone is using now.
Austin:
Math - Sadlier-Oxford grade 3 - I ended up buying this off of EBAY because Nathan wanted the same math we used with K12. I couldn't afford to buy K12 math, so I found out their publisher and got a used text book. Austin was using Saxon 5/4 - but there was a LOT of reading before getting to the math, and it was colorless. He really likes this better for now.
Language Arts:
Each day he has a few independent work books that he does. This settles him into work mode for Math. He does Wordly Wise 3000 bk A, Early Reading Comrehension bkA, HWT cursive, Primary Analogies.
We decided to use Learning Language Arts Through Literature for the basis of his Language Arts. He likes it, I like it. The spelling is helping him a lot, too.
We also toss in some Writing Strands a couple of times a week.
History:
Story of the World year 2. We are loving this. Although, we have been reading everything we can about each story we've read, because this is really neat stuff to read and the boys love it. Today we are making clay crosses like monks would have done in the middle ages.
Science:
Living Learnign Books - earth and space science - again, loving this. We have been looking up neat internet sites dealing with what we read about, getting out more library books, etc.
We've been going to the library at least once every other week.
The only thing Nate is doing different than Austin is that he is still learning to read. He's been copying items from catalogs onto paper for his Christmas wish list, and his writing is improving a LOT.
Austin and Nate have also been learning to crochet. They want to do some handwork, so this is what they are doing for now.
Math- Math-u-see, Miquon and various print-outs from here and there
Science- We are using Sonlight k Science and lots of books from the library. I found this book magnets to mudpies, which I use a lot Sonlight science is ok, but it is not as comprehensive as I like. I will probably change to Apologia elementary Science next year.
Language Arts/ Phonics We are using Explode the Code and Phonics Pathways. I am so glad I found Phonics Pathways. We started out with 100ez and disliked it so much. Phonics pathways works very well for us. I also use the book "Games for Reading" book a lot. For our "Read-Alouds" I use Sonlight Core K. For handwriting I am using HWT.
History I am using Sonlight K History and and the Library.
Art I am using Artistic Pursuits. I love this curriculum. I never took any Art Classes growing up, and this curriculum has given me more of an appreciation of Art.
Foreign Language I have just been doing alittle bit of SApanish from an Usborne Book I have, but I just found Power-glide spanish from an used sale. I hope to start that soon.
I also like to do field trips a lot. Our area has such a variety of things to do and see.
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We are pretty eclectic around here, combining unschooling and TWTM.
Phonics: I am using ETC primers with my 4YO and 5YO. The 5YO and I are also using The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading. DH and I both read to the boys daily.
Math: Still looking for something here. We just did the money worksheets off of LearningPage.com and are now counting and sorting coins. DS#1's handwriting book is also teaching him numbers 1-30. We use attribute beads and pattern blocks when the boys feel like it. They play with Legos and K'Nex, and build train tracks. I think I'm going to pick out the math workbooks I saw at Costco since they seem to really love workbooks. TWTM doesn't actually recommend a formal math program in K.
Science: I have Mudpies to Magnets and Bubbles, Rainbows, and Worms and haven't used either. For science they play out in the dirt a lot, finding worms and bugs and watching things grow. We also go to our local natural history museum and they love to look at the live animals as well as the stuffed mammals. We take them on hikes to look at native flora and fauna. There was a great article in Marths Stewart Kids that had kitchen table science, so we're going to do a few of those experiments.
Handwriting: We are using the Kumon workbooks. DS#1 finished the uppercase letters book and is now working on numbers. DS#2 did the First Book of Tracing and is now working on uppercase. DS#1 has just shown a desire to do copywork, so we are going to start that.
Social Studies: We celebrate holidays, talk about community workers and other jobs, grocery shop, etc.
Health/Safety: We talk about these things throughout the week. Handwashing has been a big topic lately.
P.E.: They play outside daily. Right now we aren't doing any lessons or organized sports.
Music: We listen to a wide variety of music daily, both at home and in the car. We also play with their collection of musical instruments.
Art: The boys have access to a wide range of arts and crafts material and generally make art daily. We also watercolor paint once a week.
Math: RightStart. Love it. Level A for 5yo, level D for 9yo. This is the best part of our curriculum.
Language Arts: Rod&Staff English 4 for 9yo. I liked this last year (grade 3). This year I don't like it. What changed -- me or the curriculum? Spelling Power (she likes this a LOT). ETC for 5yo. The "Write" Approach for handwriting (it's a Waldorfy form-drawing based course) for 9yo (used HWT cursive last year, liked it, but ready to try something else).
Latin: Latina Christiana I. We did Prima Latina last year, so this is pretty easy so far.
Spanish: Rosetta Stone
Art: we started Artistic Pursuits last year, need to get back to it.
Science: should be doing Real Science 4 Kids Physics, but I'm a slug...we haven't gotten around to science yet this year. The kids keep begging (we did Real Science 4 Kids Chemistry last year, and they got a kick out of it). I need to get my act together.
History: finishing up Story of the World 2. This is the other best part of our curriculum. We also dip into SOTW3 as appropriate -- like, we celebrated Guy Fawkes day on Nov. 5 since we're almost to that chapter, and we'll celebrate Martinmas on the 11th, which is another early chapter in SOTW3, and I checked out all of the Pilgrim/Thanksgiving books SOTW3 recommended since it's almost Thanksgiving and we might as well get a head start on THAT chapter.
Phonics: ETC 2, MCP A, www.starfall.com, Bob Books, Phonics Dictionary
Math: Horizons K
Writing: HWT printing book
Reading: Christian Academy Press Readers, Bob books, other readers.
She is ready for spelling but not ready for spelling. She wants to spell, but isn't reading as well as I would like. She is just starting blends and just starting to recognize three letter words with only having to sound out a few here and there. So, almost ready for that.
I'm using most of what I planned on with a few modifications here and there. LOL
4yo dd (K):
Handwriting - HWT Letters/Numbers for Me
Phonics and Math - homemade flash cards
6yo dd (2nd):
Handwriting - Getty/Dubay Italic but switching to HWT Cursive (going to buy the book tonight actually)
Phonics and Math - Rod & Staff
Spelling - Spectrum Spelling 3
Grammar - a book I found at the store..can't remember the publisher. Not really pleased with it.
My changes have been going back to HWT for cursive. I haven't been pleased w/ the way Italic teaches it. I also want to change grammar but I think we're going to get thru this book first. Then we'll do some creative writing and bring grammar into that to reinforce what she's learned.
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Heather
Mom to: Emily (6), Abigail (4), GraceAnne (2)
Always in my heart: 11/19/01 & 8/03
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Science: We have _Living Learning Science_ which I love, but we ditched it. Dd goes to a co-op where she is taking science, so we aren't doing LLS now.
History- I loathed pulling out the Sonlight 2 everyday. I wish we would've went with the SL3 because the books are suppose to be intertwined and not just good books. We've sinced pulled out the SOTW 2 and we are just doing the reading portion (no student activity).
Bible- We read the Bible , attend Sunday School and Wednesday night Bible club.
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Your children will become what you are; so be what you want them to be.
- David Bly
We are using Abeka, SOTW, LLS, OM recorder for music and Bob Jones bible right now. Sooo looking forward to switching to Oak Meadow. Ds will be starting OM preschool early this spring and dd will start OM 2nd grade this fall.
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~*~Tiffany~*~
"Receive the children with reverence.
Educate them in love.
Send them forth in freedom."
~Rudolf Steiner
We're using Calvery. Skye loves it. She likes how laid out it is. And how I'm not 'hovering' lol. She prefers that I just tell he what needs to be done, make sure she understands then leave her alone.
The last couple yrs. I used bits of everything and nearly went crazy trying to find stuff that worked with Skye.
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Helen
Single student mama to 3 wonderful people
Austin was using Saxon 5/4 - but there was a LOT of reading before getting to the math, and it was colorless. He really likes this better for now.
Today we are making clay crosses like monks would have done in the middle ages. 
Military wife of a deployed soldier. 
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