Switching to SC

[CatherineS]

I’ve shared many times here about my two older boys, one with autism and one with dyslexia/ADHD, and how I wished that Simply Classical had been around for me to use when they were in the primary grades. Now I will get to use SC after all—my 5th child, son just turned 7, struggled through and never finished MPK last year and is switching to SC.

We did JrK after his 5th birthday, since he barely knew the alphabet, and not for lack of exposure. That went well, so I was hopeful he could manage MPK. But he reminded me in many ways of his older brother with dyslexia & ADHD. He started strong with MPK, but by mid year was really struggling with the amount of material in the recitations, the pace of the phonics plans, and the amount of writing in FSR.

He hit a wall with FSR D and the readers after Fun in the Sun, which is the same spot (with a different curriculum) where I realized something was going on with his older brother. Per Cheryl's advice we are switching from MP1 to SC2 for math and SC1 for phonics & writing. I need to reteach FSR with more multisensory activities, for one thing.

He has some coordination delays and needed PT as an infant. He does not have a lot of stamina for challenging tasks or exercise. He did learn to ride his bike this summer though, and that is the one form of exercise he will do every day without complaining. He's got a very low pain tolerance, extreme anxiety about getting sick/tummy aches/doctor & dentist visits, and he still sucks his thumb a lot--like whenever he's not using his mouth or hands in some other way.

He is a very sweet and affectionate boy, who wants to like school, and I was so sad to see him get pretty discouraged by the end of kindergarten. Now I am waiting for the SC materials to arrive and trying to decide where to put everything. I've always disliked using a lot of manipulatives because I have such a hard time figuring out storage, and because I have almost always had a little one underfoot. (My son has amazing visual-spatial skills, but he did not inherit them from me. :-)) But I definitely remember that working with the color-coded letter tiles from All About Spelling made such a huge difference for my older dyslexic son in learning to read and spell, so I am going to override my prejudice towards simple paper & pencil and get the materials on the SC1 supply list.

My 18 month old is a real challenge to work around, even if I can keep the manipulatives up high. He is my most active toddler after my son with autism and is extremely amusing and distracting to my 7 year old. I may need to do the schooling during my toddler's afternoon nap, but of course everyone is always fresher in the morning, and I have always used the nap time for discussions with my older kids. I don't know if there is an answer to that problem other than hiring a mother's helper. My older kids can help some, but they have their own difficulties as well as schoolwork to complete.

I would like to say that I feel completely ready to tackle another challenge again. My older sons are doing pretty well now, but I feel like we barely made it through those years by the seat of our pants and only by the grace of God. I am also aware that I am already tackling the challenge of special needs in this child--because that is what is involved in raising him, and getting real about his challenges and changing course with his curriculum is only going to move us in the right direction.

My main concerns are,

Finding the best space/time of day to work with my son so that he can concentrate on our lessons

Finding a few excellent manipulatives that we will actually use

Finding some sensory toys or tools that will help decrease his thumb sucking during school

Thank you so much!!

[cherylswope]

Hi, Catherine. The first few weeks of SC 1 and SC 2 you will use an assortment of objects, games, and "tricks" in teaching. Keep a pencil handy to star those that he enjoys and that you do not mind using! Like recipes when cooking, you'll eventually settle in on your tried-and-true favorites. Side benefit: By keeping his mind active and his hands busy, you may see a reduction in thumb-sucking.

I'll defer to the resourceful and creative moms here to help you set up your teaching space!

[MBentley]

I have a 2 1/2 yr old and had similar "disruptions"....still do sadly. During the 18 month phase though, I used an 8-panel free standing play area -two of them - and connected them so that they were 16 around. It took up nearly the entire living room, but could easily be broken down. Also, you don't have to use every panel. I won't lie - I used tv and movies and tried to throw novel toys in there to keep her attention. It did help - I at least got another hour or so in the morning because she was safely contained and entertained and still in my line of sight. When she became strong enough to push it around the room, I used zip-ties and attached dumbbell weights to several corners of it so that she couldn't push it.

[cherylswope]

He has some coordination delays and needed PT as an infant. He does not have a lot of stamina for challenging tasks or exercise. He did learn to ride his bike this summer though, and that is the one form of exercise he will do every day without complaining. He's got a very low pain tolerance, extreme anxiety about getting sick/tummy aches/doctor & dentist visits, and he still sucks his thumb a lot--like whenever he's not using his mouth or hands in some other way.

He is a very sweet and affectionate boy, who wants to like school, and I was so sad to see him get pretty discouraged by the end of kindergarten. Now I am waiting for the SC materials to arrive and trying to decide where to put everything. I've always disliked using a lot of manipulatives because I have such a hard time figuring out storage, and because I have almost always had a little one underfoot. (My son has amazing visual-spatial skills, but he did not inherit them from me. :-)) But I definitely remember that working with the color-coded letter tiles from All About Spelling made such a huge difference for my older dyslexic son in learning to read and spell, so I am going to override my prejudice towards simple paper & pencil and get the materials on the SC1 supply list.

My 18 month old is a real challenge to work around, even if I can keep the manipulatives up high. He is my most active toddler after my son with autism and is extremely amusing and distracting to my 7 year old. I may need to do the schooling during my toddler's afternoon nap, but of course everyone is always fresher in the morning, and I have always used the nap time for discussions with my older kids. I don't know if there is an answer to that problem other than hiring a mother's helper. My older kids can help some, but they have their own difficulties as well as schoolwork to complete.

I would like to say that I feel completely ready to tackle another challenge again. My older sons are doing pretty well now, but I feel like we barely made it through those years by the seat of our pants and only by the grace of God. I am also aware that I am already tackling the challenge of special needs in this child--because that is what is involved in raising him, and getting real about his challenges and changing course with his curriculum is only going to move us in the right direction.

My main concerns are,

Finding the best space/time of day to work with my son so that he can concentrate on our lessons

Finding a few excellent manipulatives that we will actually use

Finding some sensory toys or tools that will help decrease his thumb sucking during school

Thank you so much!!

Catherine,

I was thinking about your situation. With few responses so far, I'll toss in some additional thoughts:

Wondering If We Can Do It
For me, the anticipation was always worse than the execution. Summers I almost always began worrying whether I could manage the fall, but when we started, invariably I fell into a routine. Teaching, rather than anticipating, became the welcome focus. When you can create on paper or at least in your mind a workable schedule and then begin implementing it, that will help. (Secret: ALL of us do this only by the grace of God.)

Distractions
In my home my daughter was the visually distracted one. A glimpse of our cat gently walking across the floor and, poof, her attention vanished. In your home, the main distractor is a charming 18-month-old who delights your 7yo! You may need to do all that you mentioned: Consider hiring a mother's helper for the toddler who will turn two during the school year, enlist an older student for 30 minutes each day (paid if necessary, no guilt); devote some of the naptime to your 7yo and some to the older students' discussions, divert some of the discussions with your older students until a different time -- perhaps after Dad is home, after younger children are in bed, or in a larger session on Saturdays.

You might also write a short Social Story for your 7yo about how we all must ignore distractions, about becoming a strong student, about learning to focus on your work, about separating work from play, about strengthening your "ignoring muscles" by working hard to keep your eyes on your paper. Use boy words -- strong, muscles, hard work. Reward him by noticing, "You worked hard reading that sentence. Even when xxx giggled and pulled on your leg, you kept reading! Good for you! You are becoming a strong student." When we practice ignoring, we get better at it. (Think of ignoring all of those pushed notifications and pop-ups on your own computer. We practice working through them!)

Bike Riding
Riding his bike might allow him a physical and mental break that, when he returns, allows him 30-40 minutes of good work. If you can time your toddler's outdoor play to happen daily with your son's bike riding, then you might be able to place your toddler in a safe play space -- preferably with a rotated collection of novel toys -- while you squeeze in a session with your 7yo.

Thumb Sucking
It just occurred to me that perhaps responses were slow because your post contains quite a bit of information! On the topic of thumb sucking it seems everyone has an opinion ranging all the way from "extinguish the behavior asap" to "let him self-soothe with thumb-sucking indefinitely." For this you might ask his dentist if the protracted habit is impacting the structure of his mouth. If you uncover a medical reason for nixing the habit, you might find increased motivation. You can include in your home school a Code of Conduct that requires hands in lap during instruction for listening, preferably allowing some means of soothing (a smooth rock or other hand-held object). For writing he will have one hand on the paper and one hand grasping a pencil. For reading he will hold the book in both hands. You can have him flip through his flash cards, hold his counting objects, use his Wikki Sticks, and otherwise keep his hands occupied. You will need to decide if/when thumb-sucking is ever "ok." Perhaps never during school lessons, perhaps only during story time, only when he is in bed at night, not at all, always? You can ask in-person speech & language, dental professionals, pediatrician, psych, etc.

Space
See if you can fit all of his manipulatives in one bin. Keep them up high and labeled School Only. You might keep a separate bin or two of special soft books, busybooks, or quiet toys for the 18mo. on the same shelf. This can serve as the 18mo's quiet playtime daily. You could cue this time with soft instrumental music. We had a set quiet play time twice daily when mine were 18mo. It establishes some expected independence. Rotating novel toys can create anticipation for the 18mo, so the child knows this will be an enjoyable time. A local friend homeschooled near a dividing half wall that enclosed a play area. The young ones could play safely while she homeschooled from the kitchen and could see over the half wall. The toddlers could not see over the half wall, so they contended themselves with the objects in front of them.

Tutors
You might consider tutors or MPOA for an older student where possible. Another homeschooled friend would not have considered MPOA but for her demanding 9yo boy with autism. She reluctantly enrolled, just so she could have more time with her 9yo. Lo and behold, the older students thrived in MPOA! Those older students benefited from having a teacher other than mom and from having intelligent discussions with peers studying classical education subjects that neighborhood children did not study. Your new situation with your 7yo and 18mo might be just the nudge to let an older student flex some independence.



This may seem new, but these changes are really just a rearranging of everything you have been doing. I have heard such changes likened to a dangling mobile. When we add a new piece to the mobile, everything sways and seems out of balance, but then little by little it all settles down. If we can aim for "settled down" rather than for "perfect," we do well.

[CatherineS]

Yes, I did put a lot in that post.
Thumb-sucking, toddler distractions, good manipulatives, and organizing space are probably four separate post-worthy topics. A good friend reminded me recently that I always want to fix all the problems completely, all at once, and today, actually preferably yesterday. :-)

[cherylswope]

No problem. You're thorough.

[howiecram]

Yes, I did put a lot in that post.
Thumb-sucking, toddler distractions, good manipulatives, and organizing space are probably four separate post-worthy topics. A good friend reminded me recently that I always want to fix all the problems completely, all at once, and today, actually preferably yesterday. :-)

I'm the same. I also came to MP thinking it would solve ALL my problems. It did not. However, 5 years later, things are very different in our home, but they did not happen overnight! My youngest was 18 months old the first year we homeschooled (not with MP) and it was a challenge. My oldest was only 5 though, so we did not do a LOT of schooling. I took to schooling in the evening, frequently, when my husband came home. I spent from 6-7pm with her. That may not work for you exactly, but I do suggest maybe looking outside traditional school hours to see where you might find some time. The 7 year old really needs 20-30 mins of devoted time though with that phonics instructions, at least 5x a week. It is also best if it is at the same time everyday. I would follow a similar pattern each time as well. It might look something like: 1) Review (ALWAYS begin with review) - if you get to 20 mins and this is all you have done, stop! The review session could get mixed up, meaning maybe you set a schedule that Monday review is lining the cards up across the room, calling them out and the child runs to them. Tuesday, take the same cards and scatter them and the child jumps back and forth to the cards as you call them out. Wednesday (same cards!) call out the cards and see how fast the child can pick them up. Thursday, spiral the cards and have the child read them. Friday write the words you have been working on, on the board and add "his, her, the, etc" so "the red dog" or the cat sat, etc. 2) New lesson - teach what the lesson plan says to teach - stop after 5-10 min 3) write words - could be from the lesson or could be words you dictate. 4) - read assigned "fun in sun, etc". 5 ) (do this one at a totally separate time) - have child read previously read stories - maybe this is something that the child does every day as Dad comes home, before bedtime, etc.?? I find it important at this critical time to have them reading a few times a day.

The other subjects could get broken up over the day. R&S math at that stage should be no more than 15-20 minutes. (the lessons from the teacher's manual). Highlight a row or two in the workbook for the child to do "alone" and then have the child answer the rest orally. My kids have been able to do the right side of R&S 1 alone, but I'm not sure where your child is at.

Scheduling still remains the most difficult part of homeschooling for me. My youngest is now 6, but a "full-time" student now and 3 kids is taking a LONG time to school each day. The good news is, we have been building each year. "MY" stamina was only schooling until lunch just 2 years ago. Last year we added 1 "after" lunch subject and this year it is 2. You might not be able to do full cores, but do the important subjects and then find what works for your family for the other things.

God Bless! P.s. - I find picking ONE thing that is bothering me (or my husband) the most and sticking with fixing that really helps. I would make a list of the problem areas (I think the "nicer" term is "areas for growth" and just go down the list. I would take a good 30 days before moving onto a new "growth" area. Obviously, if something is a safety issue, start there!


P..P.s - My apologies if my thoughts are unorganized, or blunt. We went on a fun field trip today, but I am exhausted! The new school year has us very busy, but I did want to take some time and say "hi" and know that you are not alone. This is not easy.

[CatherineS]

I have a 2 1/2 yr old and had similar "disruptions"....still do sadly. During the 18 month phase though, I used an 8-panel free standing play area -two of them - and connected them so that they were 16 around. It took up nearly the entire living room, but could easily be broken down. Also, you don't have to use every panel. I won't lie - I used tv and movies and tried to throw novel toys in there to keep her attention. It did help - I at least got another hour or so in the morning because she was safely contained and entertained and still in my line of sight. When she became strong enough to push it around the room, I used zip-ties and attached dumbbell weights to several corners of it so that she couldn't push it.

Thanks Melissa! Sometimes you have to do whatever it takes, and I do know that from experience. I definitely find the year the toddler is 1 the hardest stage to homeschool around. At least time is our side in that regard!

[CatherineS]

I'm the same. I also came to MP thinking it would solve ALL my problems. It did not. However, 5 years later, things are very different in our home, but they did not happen overnight! My youngest was 18 months old the first year we homeschooled (not with MP) and it was a challenge. My oldest was only 5 though, so we did not do a LOT of schooling. I took to schooling in the evening, frequently, when my husband came home. I spent from 6-7pm with her. That may not work for you exactly, but I do suggest maybe looking outside traditional school hours to see where you might find some time. The 7 year old really needs 20-30 mins of devoted time though with that phonics instructions, at least 5x a week. It is also best if it is at the same time everyday. I would follow a similar pattern each time as well. It might look something like: 1) Review (ALWAYS begin with review) - if you get to 20 mins and this is all you have done, stop! The review session could get mixed up, meaning maybe you set a schedule that Monday review is lining the cards up across the room, calling them out and the child runs to them. Tuesday, take the same cards and scatter them and the child jumps back and forth to the cards as you call them out. Wednesday (same cards!) call out the cards and see how fast the child can pick them up. Thursday, spiral the cards and have the child read them. Friday write the words you have been working on, on the board and add "his, her, the, etc" so "the red dog" or the cat sat, etc. 2) New lesson - teach what the lesson plan says to teach - stop after 5-10 min 3) write words - could be from the lesson or could be words you dictate. 4) - read assigned "fun in sun, etc". 5 ) (do this one at a totally separate time) - have child read previously read stories - maybe this is something that the child does every day as Dad comes home, before bedtime, etc.?? I find it important at this critical time to have them reading a few times a day.

The other subjects could get broken up over the day. R&S math at that stage should be no more than 15-20 minutes. (the lessons from the teacher's manual). Highlight a row or two in the workbook for the child to do "alone" and then have the child answer the rest orally. My kids have been able to do the right side of R&S 1 alone, but I'm not sure where your child is at.

Scheduling still remains the most difficult part of homeschooling for me. My youngest is now 6, but a "full-time" student now and 3 kids is taking a LONG time to school each day. The good news is, we have been building each year. "MY" stamina was only schooling until lunch just 2 years ago. Last year we added 1 "after" lunch subject and this year it is 2. You might not be able to do full cores, but do the important subjects and then find what works for your family for the other things.

God Bless! P.s. - I find picking ONE thing that is bothering me (or my husband) the most and sticking with fixing that really helps. I would make a list of the problem areas (I think the "nicer" term is "areas for growth" and just go down the list. I would take a good 30 days before moving onto a new "growth" area. Obviously, if something is a safety issue, start there!


P..P.s - My apologies if my thoughts are unorganized, or blunt. We went on a fun field trip today, but I am exhausted! The new school year has us very busy, but I did want to take some time and say "hi" and know that you are not alone. This is not easy.

Thanks so much, Christine. I think you have mentioned before repeating kindergarten, is that right? That's essentially what I will be doing for phonics for my 7 yr old, since we did MPK last year.

Yes, we may need to look at outside school times. We often miss a day during the week because of therapy or medical appointments for our older children with special needs, and my delightful toddler prevents us from doing any meaningful schoolwork in appointment waiting rooms. I don't think evening will work because of how busy our dinner hour is, but a bedtime review reading with Dad and a Saturday teaching time might work.

I like your physically active review ideas! The flashcards were a problem last year, causing him a lot of anxiety which led to more determined thumb-sucking/trying to read the cards with thumb in mouth.

Thanks again!

[CatherineS]

Catherine,

I was thinking about your situation. With few responses so far, I'll toss in some additional thoughts:

Wondering If We Can Do It
For me, the anticipation was always worse than the execution. Summers I almost always began worrying whether I could manage the fall, but when we started, invariably I fell into a routine. Teaching, rather than anticipating, became the welcome focus. When you can create on paper or at least in your mind a workable schedule and then begin implementing it, that will help. (Secret: ALL of us do this only by the grace of God.)

Distractions
In my home my daughter was the visually distracted one. A glimpse of our cat gently walking across the floor and, poof, her attention vanished. In your home, the main distractor is a charming 18-month-old who delights your 7yo! You may need to do all that you mentioned: Consider hiring a mother's helper for the toddler who will turn two during the school year, enlist an older student for 30 minutes each day (paid if necessary, no guilt); devote some of the naptime to your 7yo and some to the older students' discussions, divert some of the discussions with your older students until a different time -- perhaps after Dad is home, after younger children are in bed, or in a larger session on Saturdays.

You might also write a short Social Story for your 7yo about how we all must ignore distractions, about becoming a strong student, about learning to focus on your work, about separating work from play, about strengthening your "ignoring muscles" by working hard to keep your eyes on your paper. Use boy words -- strong, muscles, hard work. Reward him by noticing, "You worked hard reading that sentence. Even when xxx giggled and pulled on your leg, you kept reading! Good for you! You are becoming a strong student." When we practice ignoring, we get better at it. (Think of ignoring all of those pushed notifications and pop-ups on your own computer. We practice working through them!)

Bike Riding
Riding his bike might allow him a physical and mental break that, when he returns, allows him 30-40 minutes of good work. If you can time your toddler's outdoor play to happen daily with your son's bike riding, then you might be able to place your toddler in a safe play space -- preferably with a rotated collection of novel toys -- while you squeeze in a session with your 7yo.

Thumb Sucking
It just occurred to me that perhaps responses were slow because your post contains quite a bit of information! On the topic of thumb sucking it seems everyone has an opinion ranging all the way from "extinguish the behavior asap" to "let him self-soothe with thumb-sucking indefinitely." For this you might ask his dentist if the protracted habit is impacting the structure of his mouth. If you uncover a medical reason for nixing the habit, you might find increased motivation. You can include in your home school a Code of Conduct that requires hands in lap during instruction for listening, preferably allowing some means of soothing (a smooth rock or other hand-held object). For writing he will have one hand on the paper and one hand grasping a pencil. For reading he will hold the book in both hands. You can have him flip through his flash cards, hold his counting objects, use his Wikki Sticks, and otherwise keep his hands occupied. You will need to decide if/when thumb-sucking is ever "ok." Perhaps never during school lessons, perhaps only during story time, only when he is in bed at night, not at all, always? You can ask in-person speech & language, dental professionals, pediatrician, psych, etc.

Space
See if you can fit all of his manipulatives in one bin. Keep them up high and labeled School Only. You might keep a separate bin or two of special soft books, busybooks, or quiet toys for the 18mo. on the same shelf. This can serve as the 18mo's quiet playtime daily. You could cue this time with soft instrumental music. We had a set quiet play time twice daily when mine were 18mo. It establishes some expected independence. Rotating novel toys can create anticipation for the 18mo, so the child knows this will be an enjoyable time. A local friend homeschooled near a dividing half wall that enclosed a play area. The young ones could play safely while she homeschooled from the kitchen and could see over the half wall. The toddlers could not see over the half wall, so they contended themselves with the objects in front of them.

Tutors
You might consider tutors or MPOA for an older student where possible. Another homeschooled friend would not have considered MPOA but for her demanding 9yo boy with autism. She reluctantly enrolled, just so she could have more time with her 9yo. Lo and behold, the older students thrived in MPOA! Those older students benefited from having a teacher other than mom and from having intelligent discussions with peers studying classical education subjects that neighborhood children did not study. Your new situation with your 7yo and 18mo might be just the nudge to let an older student flex some independence.



This may seem new, but these changes are really just a rearranging of everything you have been doing. I have heard such changes likened to a dangling mobile. When we add a new piece to the mobile, everything sways and seems out of balance, but then little by little it all settles down. If we can aim for "settled down" rather than for "perfect," we do well.

Cheryl, you are the best! Thank you! All true, all helpful. I'm going to write a Social Story for him this morning and hopefully get my daughter to illustrate it. :-)

This should be another post, but regarding older students and allowing them to move forward independently...I usually have one child who is my main academic "focus" for the year--the first one I think about each day, the only one I get to if it's an especially insane day, etc. It's been different kids in different years based on whoever is struggling the most or hitting an important transition. It will certainly be my 7 year old this year. I just realized a few days ago that my oldest, who was the focus last year--getting him in a high school routine and getting help with his anxiety & inflexibility--does not need to be my main focus for the year, and that he may never need to be that again. He is taking Latin and Classics through MPOA, independently studying Logic, and studying Physics and Algebra 2 with Dad. My main (homeschooling) job with him is to monitor him enough to make sure he doesn't waste hours pouring over the Wall Street Journal and internally arguing with all the foolish, illogically constructed Letters to the Editor. :-). He's still got all his difficulties, but he is doing pretty well!

[DiannaKennedy]

Thanks so much, Christine. I think you have mentioned before repeating kindergarten, is that right? That's essentially what I will be doing for phonics for my 7 yr old, since we did MPK last year.

Yes, we may need to look at outside school times. We often miss a day during the week because of therapy or medical appointments for our older children with special needs, and my delightful toddler prevents us from doing any meaningful schoolwork in appointment waiting rooms. I don't think evening will work because of how busy our dinner hour is, but a bedtime review reading with Dad and a Saturday teaching time might work.

I like your physically active review ideas! The flashcards were a problem last year, causing him a lot of anxiety which led to more determined thumb-sucking/trying to read the cards with thumb in mouth.

Thanks again!

Throwing out some ideas for you with regard to this ----

We do flashcard review in the car. No joke. Older kids read them aloud to their younger siblings, etc.

AUDIOBOOKS on the drive -- we will often listen to our literature selections in the car, or the Famous Men series. I'm hoping for SOMEONE to record the Dorothy Mills books before my twins get to them. Listening to the older siblings' audiobooks are even engaging for my littles. My 5yo interrupted me the other day when I was working through some questions for literature for his brothers. I chided him for butting in, and said, "You don't know about this story." He looked at me with a stinkeye and said, "Oh yes I do. The brother leaves and joins the White Witch. We listened to it the other night." Color me shocked! (and humbled)

I TRY to bundle doctor visits and outside appointments if I can --- and I shoot for the afternoons, that way I can at least get a morning of school completed. Do you think that would work?

[CatherineS]

Throwing out some ideas for you with regard to this ----

We do flashcard review in the car. No joke. Older kids read them aloud to their younger siblings, etc.

AUDIOBOOKS on the drive -- we will often listen to our literature selections in the car, or the Famous Men series. I'm hoping for SOMEONE to record the Dorothy Mills books before my twins get to them. Listening to the older siblings' audiobooks are even engaging for my littles. My 5yo interrupted me the other day when I was working through some questions for literature for his brothers. I chided him for butting in, and said, "You don't know about this story." He looked at me with a stinkeye and said, "Oh yes I do. The brother leaves and joins the White Witch. We listened to it the other night." Color me shocked! (and humbled)

I TRY to bundle doctor visits and outside appointments if I can --- and I shoot for the afternoons, that way I can at least get a morning of school completed. Do you think that would work?

Flashcards in the car might work! My older daughter might be able to manage that with my son. We will give that one a try next therapy day.
Thanks!