Combine or separate for Latin?

[Jweishaar]

My oldest two will be in 2nd and 3rd next year. We went through about 3/4 of PL orally this year all together. Both kids love Latin, but my daughter was only 1st this year and my 2nd grade boy wasn’t ready for the extra writing workload, which is why we did it orally.

My plan was to have both kids fully work through PL next year together, but it has become very apparent lately that my daughter is really struggling with being in big brother’s shadow and not being able to do things at the level he can. She’s only 14 months younger, so she can do most things he can, but he can do them better or more easily. Her confidence is really taking a hit. I’d like to separate out as many subjects as I feasibly can so I’m not sure where to put people for Latin.

For next year, each child will be working on separate grade levels for math and literature. Spelling will continue to be together since my son started a year late (so both in TS 2). We’ll be working through CS1 and and Greek myths together orally, which I don’t think will be an issue. So that leaves Latin. My son is at a place where he’s going to whiz through PL next year…both with the content and the actual work of it…and my daughter is going to plod along.

I could just have my son do PL next year and not require it if my daughter, but I fear she’s going to want to do it (she loves Latin) or feel left out if she’s not doing it. But she also may not be ready for all the extra work/writing of fully doing PL next year, much like my son wasn’t ready this year. My other thought is I could have her do PL next year and have him do LC (I think he’s plenty ready for it) but would it be crazy to try to teach those both? I also have a 4.5yo who will be doing SC B.

Any thoughts or suggestions? It’s crazy how huge the difference between them suddenly seems. A child approaching third grade is somehow on a different plane than a child approaching second grade.

[VAmom]

I keep the kids in their own cores for the same reasons you mentioned. For us, this means keeping Latin separate. When they were younger it was more challenging for me, because everyone needed my attention to complete their work. I would often have one watch the dvd or listen to the cd, while I worked with another child. I’ve also staggered the lessons so that I review with the older kid, then while she is doing independent work, I review with the younger one. As they have gotten older, they can do a little more together (recitation, review, Latin games) and are more independent. It is important for the kids to feel successful in their work and it’s hard to feel that way when they are comparing themselves to an older sibling.

[Jweishaar]

I keep the kids in their own cores for the same reasons you mentioned. For us, this means keeping Latin separate. When they were younger it was more challenging for me, because everyone needed my attention to complete their work. I would often have one watch the dvd or listen to the cd, while I worked with another child. I’ve also staggered the lessons so that I review with the older kid, then while she is doing independent work, I review with the younger one. As they have gotten older, they can do a little more together (recitation, review, Latin games) and are more independent. It is important for the kids to feel successful in their work and it’s hard to feel that way when they are comparing themselves to an older sibling.

Thanks for the advice. I was an oldest child so it hadn’t really occurred to me until recently how a younger sibling may feel. So should I have my daughter do PL and start my son on LC? I think that’s where the 2nd and 3rd grade cores would place them.

[Mom2mthj]

I would keep them in their own Latin. I think you will be happy in the long run to keep them separate. I would seriously consider putting your third grader in Latina Christiana. I think if you made it 3/4 of the way through Prima that he is likely more than ready to move on. I had two kids use Prima - both “orally” although they did copy out some vocabulary. Two skipped it entirely and moved onto Latina Christiana in third. I know many here are very adamant that you have to do “all the writing” in the second grade subjects. Some kids may love that, but I don’t believe that all kids have to be able to do that much writing in second grade to move on academically. My kids gradually work up their writing stamina through third grade or so. I think Prima and LC are fine to teach at the same time. There is a lot of vocabulary overlap. My kids did most of the student book work in LC on the marker board as the lines were so small and copied vocabulary there as well to avoid so much paper usage. The two that had the review book did the writing in their themselves, but we often were behind the pace of the guide and using it a bit every day to keep the old stuff fresh. I did help with the grammar crosswords so that I knew it was correct before it was written down.

Good luck on your decisions!

[enbateau]

Piling on the bandwagon for PL and LC. Since you've already gone through it, treat PL like copywork time and save the teach for LC with your son. She could sit in if she wanted, but let it be organic.

[jen1134]

I've been in a similar situation with two sets of kids, although in both those cases it was the younger one who was more advanced than the older sibling. I'd agree with the PL/LC path, but wanted to add this in case it comes up in the future (especially since they're close in age): an extra issue for us was that each child was properly placed with one just needing a slower pace and to be out of the other's shadow. To solve this, I kept them in the same books (when it was the proper placement for each), but taught them separately. Just something to keep in your back pocket for future!

[Jweishaar]

I've been in a similar situation with two sets of kids, although in both those cases it was the younger one who was more advanced than the older sibling. I'd agree with the PL/LC path, but wanted to add this in case it comes up in the future (especially since they're close in age): an extra issue for us was that each child was properly placed with one just needing a slower pace and to be out of the other's shadow. To solve this, I kept them in the same books (when it was the proper placement for each), but taught them separately. Just something to keep in your back pocket for future!

That’s a great idea! I think I’ll try that with their spelling next year. Thanks!

[Jweishaar]

You guys are the best! Thanks for the input. Latina Christina it is for the eldest. I think he’ll love it and I think my daughter will shine in PL without him