Third Grade "moderated pace"

[LauraP]

How have your MP homeschooling students transitioned into 3rd grade? While we have followed MP lesson plans in most ways from kindergarten on, we have needed a few adjustments for a young student and some slower-to-develop reading skills. We have completed all of the MP literature suggestions, and read alouds, as well as most of the Enrichment Guide lessons in history, science, art, etc. We have added All About Reading 1&2 for additional phonics help in 1st-2nd grade instead of using the phonics plans. We also waited to introduce any formal spelling instruction. We chose to use Singapore Math and are going along well with it. As I consider our current spot, and think about moving along with third grade materials i want to be sure I don't overwhelm my daughter or myself. She will be newly 8yo this fall. I'd love your expertise and input in placement on a subject-specific basis if you have experience with the third grade materials.

[tanya]

Re: Third Grade "moderated pace"

Hi, Laura.

I'm sure you will get some help from others who have used our 3rd grade, but in the meantime, I wanted to jump in and let you know that we have slowed down the transition to 3rd grade in the past few years so that it is an easier start. We spread out Greek Myths, Latina Christiana, States & Capitals, and English Grammar so that the work load from 2nd to 3rd isn't too drastic. That said, 3rd grade is more serious, with more subjects, so we are kicking it in. We're just kicking it in slower than we used to! If you decide that our pace is too slow once you get started, we will replace your curriculum guide with an accelerated one so you can pick up your pace.

Tanya

[howiecram]

Re: Third Grade "moderated pace"

How have your MP homeschooling students transitioned into 3rd grade? While we have followed MP lesson plans in most ways from kindergarten on, we have needed a few adjustments for a young student and some slower-to-develop reading skills. We have completed all of the MP literature suggestions, and read alouds, as well as most of the Enrichment Guide lessons in history, science, art, etc. We have added All About Reading 1&2 for additional phonics help in 1st-2nd grade instead of using the phonics plans. We also waited to introduce any formal spelling instruction. We chose to use Singapore Math and are going along well with it. As I consider our current spot, and think about moving along with third grade materials i want to be sure I don't overwhelm my daughter or myself. She will be newly 8yo this fall. I'd love your expertise and input in placement on a subject-specific basis if you have experience with the third grade materials.

How are you using the literature guides? Is your child only through AAR 2? I am just concerned she needs more phonics work and to add spelling. Has she done any writing?

For the record, my children have late Aug/early Sept and we chose to use the grade levels they would be in with our town’s cut-off, which is Aug 1st. My first two kiddos will be 9 in 3rd grade. (I am wondering if a slight detour through Simply Classical 4 might help her grow her skills in writing, phonics and spelling before embarking on 3rd grade.

She then might be ready for the 3rd grade accelerated, which completes the content subjects in 1 year,instead of 2. (Did she do Prima?). It will have her in same spot by 5th grade. She can continue with Singapore, etc.

[LauraP]

Re: Third Grade "moderated pace"

How are you using the literature guides? Is your child only through AAR 2? I am just concerned she needs more phonics work and to add spelling. Has she done any writing?

Thanks for your ideas! We just completed All About Reading 2, because we needed to do less than than the Phonics Guide as she wasn't quite that proficient yet. For the last 1/3 of AAR2, she's really gained fluency and confidence. As we read the Memoria Literature selections we often read every other page to each other. She's been able to read "Little House in the Big Woods" this way without much struggle at all. I don't think she'd go read it on her own however (and I see from another post I made about Literature Guides that reading independently initially isn't the intent anyway!) We read aloud A LOT and she enjoys it. As a result, I don't have any concerns with her general comprehension or vocabulary. Instead, the mechanics of reading have come more slowly. We're planning to begin All About Spelling 1 right away and continue thru the summer with those brief lessons. She does write in the Literature Guides by first narrating the answers to me, then copying her own words after I've written them on a dry erase board. We intuitively began this way to alleviate writing/spelling frustration, and have found out since that it is a suggested practice at this point. She will also write about particular "prompts" as suggested in the 2nd Grade Enrichment Guide for history/science/read alouds (ex: What is the most important thing about Emily Dickinson? Write a well composed sentence and illustrate it.) She's happy to write for fun throughout her days, in a nature journal, little poems, etc.

Since her birthday is August 2, and we started when she was five, we sort of have a "cushion" year. I'm just wondering how to work through third grade most effectively knowing that we have this extra bit of time while also progressing rather than stalling in the areas she's growing. I tend to enjoy the well laid out Curriculum Guides, so I'd love the idea of using 3rd grade with the grace to go slowly. We also haven't started any Latin, but would begin with Prima Latin for a gentle start next year.

[tanya]

Re: Third Grade "moderated pace"

Laura,

It sounds like you are on a good track with your daughter. The great thing about 3rd grade is that because we have slowed it down to take two years for several subjects, you can start more slowly if you need to, and you have plenty of time to pick up the pace as your student progresses. We have allowed two weeks for each Latin lesson, Greek Myths lesson, and Christian Studies lesson. This should be plenty of time. If you find that the pace of literature is too heavy at first, don't stress about it. Move at a pace that is comfortable for you and your child, even if it means you skip a book. The key is to continue teaching literature like you are teaching it now, by modeling the comprehension questions and not asking her to complete too many thought processes at once. She will become more fluent and be able to work faster, but because she is young, it could take longer. That's okay because you are homeschooling! You don't have to keep up with anyone else. It sounds to me like you have a good handle on her abilities, so continue to trust yourself as you move through the curriculum. And don't be afraid to modify it as needed. The curriculum guide is just that: a guide. But don't be afraid to make it your own.

Tanya

[howiecram]

Re: Third Grade "moderated pace"

Thanks for your ideas! We just completed All About Reading 2, because we needed to do less than than the Phonics Guide as she wasn't quite that proficient yet. For the last 1/3 of AAR2, she's really gained fluency and confidence. As we read the Memoria Literature selections we often read every other page to each other. She's been able to read "Little House in the Big Woods" this way without much struggle at all. I don't think she'd go read it on her own however (and I see from another post I made about Literature Guides that reading independently initially isn't the intent anyway!) We read aloud A LOT and she enjoys it. As a result, I don't have any concerns with her general comprehension or vocabulary. Instead, the mechanics of reading have come more slowly. We're planning to begin All About Spelling 1 right away and continue thru the summer with those brief lessons. She does write in the Literature Guides by first narrating the answers to me, then copying her own words after I've written them on a dry erase board. We intuitively began this way to alleviate writing/spelling frustration, and have found out since that it is a suggested practice at this point. She will also write about particular "prompts" as suggested in the 2nd Grade Enrichment Guide for history/science/read alouds (ex: What is the most important thing about Emily Dickinson? Write a well composed sentence and illustrate it.) She's happy to write for fun throughout her days, in a nature journal, little poems, etc.

Since her birthday is August 2, and we started when she was five, we sort of have a "cushion" year. I'm just wondering how to work through third grade most effectively knowing that we have this extra bit of time while also progressing rather than stalling in the areas she's growing. I tend to enjoy the well laid out Curriculum Guides, so I'd love the idea of using 3rd grade with the grace to go slowly. We also haven't started any Latin, but would begin with Prima Latin for a gentle start next year.

Wow, yes! It sounds like you are doing everything “right”! . I remember asking Tanya at Sodalitas if we did not do all the books 1 year, if we could move to the next grade and she said “yes”! (And reiterated that to you!)

3M sounds like the perfect fit!