We are considering to start homeschooling 2 of our 4 children in January. There are academic and family reasons why this is a good idea, but I'm a bit overwhelmed at the idea of jumping into this half-way through the year, adjusting lesson plans to accommodate the schedule and trying to transition from school's curriculum to home. I'd welcome any and all thoughts and advice on this. It would be for a 2nd and 3rd grader. They've had no Latin, very little cursive and otherwise a fairly standard parochial school education.
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Re: Considering to start homeschooling at semester - a crazy idea?
I think that sounds like a great idea. (Wink wink)
You'll get some great tips later tonight and all day tomorrow, I'm sure.
I'll start it off with a question that will be super helpful. You say there are academic and family reasons for the switch. Are there academic concerns? Your kids could be slow, average, gifted, special needs, etc. Do you think they're at grade level? Maybe they're quick readers, but slow with understanding math concepts. Maybe a learning disability is at play?
You said you were worried about jumping in the middle of the semester. Have you looked at the 2nd and third grade sets? Would that be an accurate placement? MP is advanced, don't be shocked or upset if your kids need a lower level in a specific subject. You can customize to your hearts content.
How old are the other kids? Are they littles at home that will need attention too or are they older and in school?
What attracted you to MP?
Lots of questions, but it will guide us as we help you form a plan. We're a very supportive group of parents, you've come to a great place. Welcome!DS14- Simply Classical mash-up of Traditional Spelling 2 and SC 7/8
DD12- Classic Core 6th Grade w/ First Form
DD10- Classic Core 4th Grade w/ Greek Myths and American History
We've completed:
Classic Core Jr. kindergarten thru grade 5
Simply Classical levels B, C, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5/6 -
Re: Considering to start homeschooling at semester - a crazy idea?
Welcome!
Just jumping on quick to say I know several families that start their school year with the start of the new year instead of the traditional school year. I have 3 school age now and my youngest of the three will begin her “second grade” year after Christmas. One out of the endless benefits of homeschooling..start your year whenever you want or whenever your child is ready to start a new year, or in your case..when just starting out!Katie
DS 18, DD 15, DD 12, twin DDs 9Comment
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Re: Considering to start homeschooling at semester - a crazy idea?
Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply and questions. I wasn't sure how much detail would be helpful to include.
t have 4 children. Right now, I am only thinking about bringing the 2nd and 3rd graders home. I have a 4th grader and he loves school, and although he's at or above grade level, he also has pretty severe dyslexia and gets great accommodations at school. He's also flourishing in all the non-text-based activities they provide. I fear if I brought him home, I would spend the day reading to him and get nothing else accomplished. If this semester went well, I would be open to bringing him home next year, once I feel a bit more confident. My youngest is a toddler and goes to preschool 4 mornings a week and I would keep that for now as well.
My third grader is reading at a 5th grade level, but his math skills are at a 1st grade level and he is currently being evaluated for possible dyscalculia. My second grader is probably at or above grade level, with no special needs.
I am drawn to MP because I believe in the beauty and wisdom of classical education, and am tired of giving my children something that is less than that. I'm also tired of things like the Scholastic Book fair and the mediocre books the kids bring home from the library. I have many reasons for considering this move - some have to do with the appeal of more rigorous academics, some have to do with things like the desire to incorporate history and literature, some have to do with wanting better phonics training, Latin, emphasis on cursive, some have to do with behavior and class dynamics, I could go on and on.... However, I'm worried that I will pull them out of school to give them this idyllic beautiful education and then I will fail miserably! I am drawn to spending more time with them, reading great books together, and working on family unity, but worry I might spend all day reprimanding them!
I do appreciate the flexibility of being able to customize, but also feel overwhelmed by all the choices. If I was starting in August, I could just order a curriculum and start with week 1, day 1, hour 1. But starting mid-year requires a lot of decisions about what to include, what to cut, etc., for both kids that I'm not sure I'm qualified to access and decide.
Thanks again!Last edited by kirkfamily; 12-18-2017, 10:35 PM.Comment
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Re: Considering to start homeschooling at semester - a crazy idea?
Count me as another vote for starting Jan 1st. My 2 girls will be starting 1st and 2nd grades that day as well. I never intended to get on that schedule, but since we basically school year round anyway, it works.Comment
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Re: Considering to start homeschooling at semester - a crazy idea?
So for those suggesting that we start the school year on January 1st, would we just start 2nd and 3rd grades over? I'm not sure I want to do that, considering I have another in a brick-and-mortar school and the two at home will likely not appreciate having to do school all summer!Comment
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Re: Considering to start homeschooling at semester - a crazy idea?
Hello.
I'm going to respond to your question about your 3rd grader here: Our 3rd grade curriculum is a great place to start because it is a transition year. My advice would be to start every subject at the beginning except math and spelling. If you are homeschooling, it doesn't matter that your 3rd grade year will run from Jan. - May and then Sept. - Dec. These subjects of literature, classical history, geography, science, and writing don't have deadlines for completion. They won't get too easy for a 4th grader, but will remain interesting and challenging. If you want to accelerate the pace, you can, but this transition to homeschooling should be gentle for your students, so I wouldn't push it. My bet is that it will be more academic than your children are used to. And we want them to enjoy it - and you too! For math, you have already adjusted, so I would continue on where your student is. But I do think you should look closely at Rod & Staff. It is very basic math and drills math facts, which is what it sounds like you need. If you go with our 2nd grade math for your other student, you will have the opportunity to look at it as a fit for your 3rd grade student. For spelling, I think you could just pick and choose the lessons you want to do that you feel will be challenging for your child. Or you can just start at the beginning and take a full year to do our 3rd grade spelling book too. We do Spelling Workout a year ahead, so the 3rd grade book is technically for 4th graders.
I hope this helps get you started. I'm going to let Michelle take care of recommendations for 2nd grade. That is more her area than mine.
TanyaComment
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Re: Considering to start homeschooling at semester - a crazy idea?
Hi.
One thing you might consider, which would reduce your stress load, is to select some subjects that benefit your kids, but not purchase a whole grade level core package. Most (all?) of us found out, when we came to Memoria Press, that our kids had holes in "the 3 R's": reading, writing, and 'rithemetic. Kids themselves master these skills at uneven paces, so there really isn't "normal" as much as "normal for this child".
The Core lesson plans (full grade level plans) are so beautiful and wonderfully laid out, but you can also purchase individual subjects. OR, simply purchase ala carte subjects and work through them from January 8th to your other kids' last days of school. Then reassess, make decisions, deliberate on your course of action.
May I suggest:
Math - this subject is easy to "unhinge" from the core plans. Either flip through the book for the place that looks like your kids are at, or start at the beginning, knowing that you will have your kids do "a lesson a day", until they need the new math book. Often, math is scheduled independently of other plans, since it is so critical to master, no matter what The Core Lesson Plan book says your child should be on. Does that make sense?
Handwriting - Cursive. Do it now!
Literature - Select 2 books per child on MP's suggested grade levels, to work on until June.
Spelling - easy to implement
Other LA subjects that your kids can continue to work through.
Possibly a set of enrichment and/or read aloud books that give your kids a sense of fun, structure, and education at home.
If you save the 3rd grade Christian Studies, Classical Studies, science, and geography (States and Caps) for the following year, you can purchase a set of lesson plans from MP with many iterations. You could have your 2nd and 3rd grade work through those subjects as a team starting next year.... not a bad plan over all! You could focus this upcoming Jan-June on learning how to homeschool, helping your kids get up to speed on weak areas in the 3 R's, and generally building confidence among teacher and students for a full-blown homeschool experience the following school year. It might sound strange, but the lack of a full blown set of lesson plans will actually help you to feel your way ahead and gain confidence, never feeling "behind". There is something to be said that *that*.
JenDS, 28 yrs, graduated from MIT (Aerospace)
DS, 26 yrs, graduated from SIU's School of Business, ENGAGED!
DD, 23 yrs, graduated from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC; 2nd grade teacher.
DS, 13 yrs, 9th grade; attends a private classical school, 7th - 12th.
All homeschooled for some/all of their K-12 education.
Me: retired after 16 years of continuous homeschooling, now a high school chemistry teacher at a large Catholic high schoolComment
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Re: Considering to start homeschooling at semester - a crazy idea?
Hello, and welcome to MP! I am sorry to hear that your school situation has been a disappointment in a lot of ways, but I am excited for you to consider/begin a journey to homeschool! While it is not for everyone, it does sound like something that has been on your heart for a while. I apologize for not getting a response in to you yesterday but our internet was down starting at about 2pm and going into the nighttime hours!
The first thing I will do is to answer some of the additional information you provided inline with your reply and then see if there is more to add after that.
Okay, so the last two comments you offer I am going to address fresh and hope that I can allay some of your fears. The first thing I want you to think about is the difference between what you envision homeschooling to be, compared to the reality of your life already. Because I will not sugar-coat it for you: if you pull your kids out of school, that is a huge adjustment for everyone. Your kids will be out of their routine, you will be out of your routine, and you will not yet know what a "good homeschooling routine" is for your family. That simply takes TIME. You have to realize that how you start out homeschooling the first year will not be how homeschooling will look for your family by year three, or by year four, and so on. Realize that when you do start out, whether it is at the beginning of the calendar year or the beginning of a school year, you need some transition time. As you already mentioned, there will be the need for character training on top of schooling - and that has to actually take precedence as you all get used to being home together all day. You may need to set that as priority #1, and have actual academics be priority #2. We have a houseful of young people, and I can tell you, character training is a constant, daily part of our homeschool journey!
But the upside to this word of caution is that it is the best! I LOVE that I see each and every mood my kids have, and that I have to hear about every time they get "into it" with a sibling - because all of those are teaching moments. They are learning that good choices are usually the harder ones, that love entails sacrifice, that their lives are not all about themselves, that they can't talk back to people, and that they have to handle their emotions well. And we have had some pretty rough times over the last couple of years which we have all dealt with together. Having everyone home really, truly does help tighten your family bonds (even though it is a lot more work), and that has been so rewarding.
That being said, the ideals I had in my head when I used to research homeschooling when my oldest was little are not really what it has turned out to be. There are parts that have "come true" - such as the fact that we have amassed a home library of great stories for my kids to read instead of the sad fare available at the library or that I read when I was little. They are all "readers" to some extent; some more than others, of course, and they can all tell the difference between a good book and brain candy. Even more than that, they are all "thinkers," which to me is the great reward. The actual how and why and what and when of how we homeschool is different from what I expected, but the results are turning out to be what I had hoped for. I offer you this so that when you do start out, keep those visions for what you want for your children in perspective. You will not see results right away, and the exact path may not be what you picture in your head. That's okay. You have to set up your homeschool in the manner that suits your family, your personal style, your children's learning styles, etc. You can't figure that out exactly yet because you have not begun. But you will. Make choices, watch, listen, make adjustments, watch some more, listen some more, change things around, ask for advice, repeat, repeat, repeat...and you will get there. Not one of us on the forum has gotten to a place of being comfortable in our own shoes without the help of others, so that is what we all enjoy doing for folks who are a bit behind us on the journey - turning around to offer help and support!
And that is the other key thing to keep in mind about homeschooling in general, and classical homeschooling in particular. It is a journey. All of us are still on the journey, and we all know that there are days where the path is gentle and easy and the weather is beautiful, and then there are stormy days that just about knock you off the mountain. But we keep going because we know the fruits that lie ahead if we keep climbing. Your kids have already been in school, so that means that they have begun, but it does not mean that they are at a place where you can easily purchase a core curriculum and open and go. The MP curriculum builds on skills from one grade to the next, and many pieces of the curriculum are cumulative...which means you want to start them back at the beginning regardless of their age. Personally, I think the best thing for you to do first is to call MP directly and speak with a customer service rep so that they can help you determine where your kids would be in the curriculum in each area of content. It is entirely possible that your second grader could get the second grade curriculum, start in January, and take off swimmingly. But it is also entirely possible that you might want to just get the reading and math portions so that you can concentrate on getting his/her skills up to the level MP expects for a third grader, and then start fresh in third grade in the fall. Having a conversation with a live person about how best to do that would be a really helpful way to decide. And MP reps are the best! They are so nice and helpful!
That would also help you assess where to put your fourth grader as well. I would not hesitate to take this spring semester and have a somewhat more relaxed amount of curriculum content so that you can work on basic skills. This would also give you time to get your own feet wet on the transition to "mom as teacher" without trying to figure everything out at once. I personally would suggest you focus on reading skills, math skills, and do a couple of literature guides with each of them because they offer a lot of writing practice within them. Also cursive if your kids do not yet know cursive. These would be the basics to suggest to you in my book, and then you have all the way until fall to see if they (and you) are ready for a full core. I will tell you, we made the transition to MP when my oldest was in fifth, and the next ones were in third and first. The younger kids were easy; but my older kids took at least two school years to begin doing "all MP." It took me that long to learn how to do it all!!!
Lastly, I would also highly encourage you to attend this year's Sodalitas gathering in Louisville, KY. It is a conference specifically for moms homeschooling with MP, and would give you so much helpful information about getting started. We will be having large group presentations as well as a ton of workshops on all sorts of topics that you would find relevant. And many of us forum folks are "regulars" there - so you can meet us in person!
Please feel free to continue to ask questions, and know that we are all rooting for you!
AMDG,
Sarah2020-2021
16th Year HSing; 10th Year with MP
DD, 19, Homeschool grad; college sophomore
DS, 17
DD, 15
DD, 13
DD, 11
DD, 9
DD, 7
+DS+
DS, 2Comment
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Re: Considering to start homeschooling at semester - a crazy idea?
Welcome to the forum and to homeschooling! One of your first questions was are you crazy to which I would answer no. It seems like a very well thought out plan to start in stages. I never had to pull kids out of school, but I remember a chapter in the well trained mind that suggested taking a month for each year that the kids were in school to allow yourselves to adjust to the new format of homeschooling. There are new dynamics to get used to and I think it is reasonable to expect a learning curve for everyone. You are starting a new job, they are getting a new boss, and their coworkers all changed (even if they weren't the best, they still aren't there). I have been at the homeschooling thing for over 10 years, and there are many benefits to homeschooling, but if you judge yourself against idyllic pictures in your mind or homeschooling catalogues, you will be disappointed. If you are like me, your house will likely be a mess and the kids will still be kids.
As for how to start, I understand being overwhelmed by all of the choices out there. My desire to research them all and try them all has gone down significantly since discovering Memoria Press. I was drawn to memoria press because they had so many of the things I was looking for in one place, and I have stayed because the people are so incredibly kind and helpful and responsive to the needs of homeschoolers. Some people use every last item in the core, others either have kids that don't fit neatly into a package or have some other math or phonics program that they love and don't want to drop when they come to MP. My advice would be to work on cursive (especially for the older one), math, and pick a literature guide for each child to get used to the format. If your kids are dyslexic I would look at the simply classical offerings and post over there for phonics recommendations for the rest of the year to make sure your kids haven't been relying too much on the accommodations the school is providing. I think simply classical has some writing that coordinates with the elementary story bible. The third grade core is very challenging so I would recommend saving full cores for fall.
Good luck on the transition!Dorinda
Plans for 2023-2024
17th year homeschooling, 14th year with Memoria Press
DD College Junior
DS Senior - Lukeion Greek, AP Calculus and Physics with me, MA Medieval History and Tolkien/Lewis
DS Sophomore - Vita Beata Aeneid, MA Short Story
DS 5th grade - 5A with Right Start G, AAS 6Comment
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Re: Considering to start homeschooling at semester - a crazy idea?
Kirkfamily,
Thank you for posting your questions on the forum. Tanya answered regarding your 3rd grader and I'll address the 2nd grader. From the information you provided, no Latin experience, no cursive and reading at or above grade level, you would be fine starting in January and I suggest beginning Week 1. Second grade is the last grade in which phonics are specifically taught and we want to ensure there no phonetic gaps. Starting Week 1 will also make it easier to keep track with your lesson plans because that is the start point for Latin as well. From a bookkeeping standpoint it is nice to have each subject on the same week, if at all possible.
Reading and Spelling should be fine to use as written. Complete what you can before you start third grade remembering Literature could even be carried over and worked on through the summer as part of summer reading. If you can wait to order after January 1, get Traditional Spelling! For Math you can begin with Week 1 but if your child has not mastered his facts 1-10 make that the focus of your first 8 weeks of lessons during the review period. Begin each lesson with 5 minutes of flashcard practice then pick the parts of scheduled lessons you feel will best prepare your child.
For cursive you will need to switch New American Cursive 2 for NAC 1 as this is the introductory program. NAC 2 expects students to know formation and connections already. When you make that switch be sure to switch the Copybook as well for Copybook III (manuscript) this way the cursive transition can occur next year. You will move right into the third grade Copybook. Transition subjects to cursive as you can with the goal of beginning third grade with all cursive.
When you are ready to order I suggest you call and talk to someone in the office to help with the order and be sure you have everything you need to begin strong. Should you have any further questions, we are here!
Blessings,
Michelle TComment
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Re: Considering to start homeschooling at semester - a crazy idea?
Hello and welcome! It isn't crazy. Half a year is a long time to stick it out for something that is no longer working for you or your munchkins, so taking action to change things midyear seems wise, if you can swing it. You got so many good thoughts, and I definitely agree that if you do decide to go this route, you should call MP and talk to them to set up an individual plan that will work for your kids. A couple thoughts as I was reading along, were as follows.
1. You could create a lesson plan binder for each child using the individual lesson plans. This way each child could work at individualized pace in each subject without feeling "behind." But this would mean that you may end up working at different paces in different subjects and I am not sure how much that would drive you crazy. I admire those who can be flexible, and deep down I know that is the ideal, however:
2. I think that if you really need to, it can actually work to sort of "make" your kids fit into the core plans for a grade level- as long a you pick a year that is not too hard for them. This is not something I would do lightly, but for serious reasons. I did this when I started with MP, because I couldn't find a perfect fit for a core, and I knew that:
a. Decision overwhelm and not knowing where to start each day is a very real thing in my world, meaning that nothing. gets. done, due to decision paralysis and a strong need for order..
and:
b. I and my children needed to learn to be obedient to something outside of ourselves, and sometimes even our academic needs. ( Some subjects ended up being a little too hard, other things were a little too easy, but nothing totally unmanageable or I would have had to readjust) And learning, a lot of very good learning is happening, even though it isn't my mythically-wished-for "curriculum perfect fit." (I don't think curriculum perfect fits exist) I consoled myself that this is what is done for children in brick and mortar schools all the time. If the children are put with a classroom, it will not be an individualized plan, they will have to fit themselves to the plan of the teacher and the grade level they are in, and in my view, there is nothing seriously wrong with that. Most rightly consider it a big advantage to homeschooling that your kids do not have to meet that particular challenge, but can work at their own pace across subjects. I am probably in a minority in thinking that (for us at least) it can cause it's own set of problems to keep trying to make that happen. On the other hand, if you choose a core and follow the plans day by day, week-by-week, the way we have done, just being obedient to it *as best we can,* then there will be inevitable academic and other challenges that you'd have to take on as a result of that decision. It would just be a different set of challenges than the challenge of trying to fit the lesson plan to the child, instead of vice versa, though. We had a very rough start this year, for example, but my kids are now starting to adjust to the workload and figure out how to get done in a reasonable time frame. But it took 3+ months to get there this year. That said, we are on track, after much wailing and gnashing of teeth... and that feels very rewarding, and they are proud and starting to get in the groove.
Hope this adds something and can help a bit with your decision. You are at the hardest part right now. Once you decide, then you just have to implement your decision, and then accept the challenges that come with that decision day by day. And whatever decision you make will come with a set of challenges to overcome, so don't worry about making "the wrong decision." It will be ok! Never make the "perfect" into the enemy of the good.
MariaComment
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Re: Considering to start homeschooling at semester - a crazy idea?
Waving, as a momma who is now officially navigating formal dyslexia evaluations for our twin boys.
Might I suggest that you check out the Simply Classical sub forum? I know there are some mommas over there who have children with dyslexia, who might be able to offer insight on how they navigate MP with accomodations. In our own home, I'm planning to lean heavily on Audible and probably Learning Ally as well.2023-24 Year 13 of homeschooling with MP
DD1 - 28 - college grad, bakery owner
DD2 - 17 - SENIOR - HLCS Louisville, dual credit classes, theater, equestrian
DS3 - 15 FRESHMAN - HLCS Louisville, soccer/tennis/aviation -dyslexia &dysgraphia
DS4 - 15 - FRESHMAN -HLCS Louisville, soccer/tennis/aviation -auditory processing disorder
DD5 - 11 - Mash up of SC levels and standard MP, HLCS Louisville - inattentive ADHD - equestrian & tumbling
DS6 - 9- SC -- 2E cutie with dyslexia, dysgraphia &ADHDComment
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