Quick-"ish" Question / Lit & Math ;)

[OrthodoxMomOf7]

Before I go all out and buy 3 - 4 cores, I have decided to finish up what we are doing now and hope to start full MP in the fall. BUT I wanted to try out one of the guides for one of my kids (or maybe a few of the kids?) for this last couple of months before we start in the fall. If I bought a guide, would I be missing a lot when it comes to teaching if I did not have the core TM with it? Or is the teacher's guide enough?

Also, was looking at samples of the core TM and noticed that it will assign a couple lessons of math a day, with different sections to do. Example, ls 1 & 2, parts A-D...why is that?

Thank you all!
Meghann

[Colomama]

Re: Quick-"ish" Question / Lit & Math

The math starts with moving quickly through the review portion of the book, that's why it assigns 2 or 3 lessons in a day. Once you get past the previous year review, it does slow down to a lesson per day.

Which ages/ guides are you looking at?

[OrthodoxMomOf7]

Re: Quick-"ish" Question / Lit & Math

Good to know about the math, thank you!

I was thinking of getting the "hardest book" of the level they are currently in now before getting their next level they will start in. So currently would be 2nd/4th/6th. But mostly thinking for my 2nd grader as he has extra time on his hands for our current school day.

[Mary]

Re: Quick-"ish" Question / Lit & Math

Before I go all out and buy 3 - 4 cores, I have decided to finish up what we are doing now and hope to start full MP in the fall. BUT I wanted to try out one of the guides for one of my kids (or maybe a few of the kids?) for this last couple of months before we start in the fall. If I bought a guide, would I be missing a lot when it comes to teaching if I did not have the core TM with it? Or is the teacher's guide enough?

Also, was looking at samples of the core TM and noticed that it will assign a couple lessons of math a day, with different sections to do. Example, ls 1 & 2, parts A-D...why is that?

Thank you all!
Meghann

To add to Colomama's post, if you find that your kiddo is doing well or doesn't need all of the problems, you can merely assign the odds or evens. This gives lots of practice without any overkill. Obviously, you can look at a lesson and your child's comprehension and decide how many to do. In our house, my kids do the odds for each lesson and, if there are issues, I can have them go back and do the evens for more practice.

As for missing out when using the guides, I guess it really depends on the guide. IMHO, I think doing a literature guide over the summer would be a lovely idea! If you read the chapter one day and do the accompanying workbook page the next, you'd be working through at a really good pace (about the pace you would using the TM). You can make this even easier by doing these works as read-alouds. There are a couple of lit guides that are "extra" (The Moffats, Twenty One Balloons...) and are not assigned during the regular school year. Perhaps you could group some of your kids together, read the book aloud and have them work through the workbook. (If I'm remembering your kids' ages correctly, the Moffats would likely be a very good introduction to MP lit!)

Also, if you have any kiddos in 2nd grade or above who haven't yet begun cursive, starting with the cursive program over the summer would be really great.

Lastly, if you have any kids above 3rd/4th who might miss out on Greek Myths, that's another one you might have them at least read through this spring/over the summer.

Of course, these are just ideas... and my thought would be to introduce these toward the end of your year/in the summer so that they won't be overwhelmed with that plus the work they're already doing. <3

[Colomama]

Re: Quick-&quot;ish&quot; Question / Lit &amp; Math

So, you're looking at getting the last literature guide for their current grade levels?

You could totally do that. It would also be great to make sure they are properly placed. Keep in mind, some of the literature is above the grade level of other curriculums.

So, you would buy the student literature guide, the teacher literature guide, and the book if you wanted to. You could also just borrow it from the library. I would also recommend buying the pdf schedule for literature. You would just skip to the last book. This would give you a schedule to follow so you did the correct amount of work each day.

Buying the pdf for just one course is cheaper than the whole curriculum guide, especially in your case.

[Colomama]

Re: Quick-&quot;ish&quot; Question / Lit &amp; Math

Love Mary's advice for cursive and Greek Myths for the older kids. You could also buy an audio version of Greek Myths to keep your summer light and friendly

[Mary]

Re: Quick-&quot;ish&quot; Question / Lit &amp; Math

How do you guys type so fast?

I see that OMo7 had responded while I was pecking away. *LOL* Yep. Agreed with Colomama - trying out the hardest book for the current grade may be a really good introduction and indicator if your kiddos are ready to move on. And just as she said, some of the books are a little above what a child might use at a mainstream school. I don't have any of the 2nd grade guides but I can show you 4th and 6th, if you'd like to see them before you buy. You're in my neck of the woods, so that would be easy.

[Colomama]

Re: Quick-&quot;ish&quot; Question / Lit &amp; Math

We type fast because at this hour we don't have one sitting on our lap, one untying our shoes, and one hanging on our shoulder repeatedly say, "whattya lookin at?"

[Mary]

Re: Quick-&quot;ish&quot; Question / Lit &amp; Math

We type fast because at this hour we don't have one sitting on our lap, one untying our shoes, and one hanging on our shoulder repeatedly say, "whattya lookin at?"

I think I spend too much time worrying about saying the right thing, deleting, re-typing and then having to sign back in once I'm *finally* finished. Perhaps I need to post more in the daytime when the kids distract me from overthinking things!

[OrthodoxMomOf7]

Re: Quick-&quot;ish&quot; Question / Lit &amp; Math

So, you're looking at getting the last literature guide for their current grade levels?

You could totally do that. It would also be great to make sure they are properly placed. Keep in mind, some of the literature is above the grade level of other curriculums.

So, you would buy the student literature guide, the teacher literature guide, and the book if you wanted to. You could also just borrow it from the library. I would also recommend buying the pdf schedule for literature. You would just skip to the last book. This would give you a schedule to follow so you did the correct amount of work each day.

Buying the pdf for just one course is cheaper than the whole curriculum guide, especially in your case.

Thank you for mentioning the pdf schedule, I hadn't realized there was one and that would be most helpful!!

And Mary, great ideas about the greek myths (they are all doing cursive so we are good there)...I will definitely add that to our summer, especially the audio sounds great! Hope to see you at liturgy soon, really looking forward to meeting you! Fr is out of town (Mt. Athos) till next Thursday, but I'm guessing we should start back the Thursday after.

[OrthodoxMomOf7]

Re: Quick-&quot;ish&quot; Question / Lit &amp; Math

Lastly, if you have any kids above 3rd/4th who might miss out on Greek Myths, that's another one you might have them at least read through this spring/over the summer.

<3

Mary, would you recommend us doing the guide as well for the Greek Myths for those that would miss it over the summer, or just reading/listening to it would be enough?

[Mary]

Re: Quick-&quot;ish&quot; Question / Lit &amp; Math

Hmmm...that's a good question. My nerd side says to do the workbook (answer all questions orally but only write out the ones they'll be tested on) so that the information is really cemented in.

My soft side (wait, I have one of those?) says to read the book, enjoy it, and have it around for reference...and maybe listening to it in audio book form, too.

If you've got eager, voracious older readers, merely reading and discussing the book may be totally fine. If they're more reluctant or have trouble retaining name/places, you may want to do the workbook - even if you do nothing more than purchase the TG and lead discussion questions.

***I hope this makes sense. Typing on my phone in a waiting room and I can only see two lines at a time. My apologies if this is disjointed!***