Questions for summer and fall

[LillianinAl]

Hello Cheryl and all,
Well, I just had a very long post finished and accidentally deleted it! Urgh! So now I will try again. As I've posted before, my two boys, who I will call by the nicknames my 17 year old daughter calls them, Skinny Man, age 9.5 and Chuckles, age 8.5, finished their year at school/co-op and are now home with me full time again. Yay! I'm glad but a bit unsure of our next steps. They have different strengths, so even though they will both be in SC-2, I'm doing Read-Alouds together but working individually otherwise.

In Phonics, they are at the same place, needing a more structured approach to long vowels. I went quickly through FSR-C to make sure they were solid on that book, which they are. Today we started book D. Next week I plan to start the 8-week summer review after SC-1 and also continue with FSR-D. As we start SC-2 Phonics and reading, I expect Chuckles to move more easily ahead. I may have to slow down for Skinny Man, but we will see. Chuckles picks up reading skills and reads more fluently than his older brother.

In Math, Skinny Man is ahead, having done SC-1 the year before, but at school he covered the second half of Math 1 plus the first unit of Math 2. He understands the concepts, I think, but was complaining about Math being too hard by the end of school. The main goal was to "catch up to grade level". He knows the facts through ten pretty well, although we are reviewing flash cards this week.

After doing SC C with me, Chuckles did almost all of Math 1 at school. He understands the concepts pretty well, but only knows his addition facts through the 3's. I'd like him to be much more solid on his facts. I don't want to have them redo the texts they've already done, so I'd like to use worksheets and plan to use the flannelboard and other manipulatives, especially with Chuckles.

So, what is your advice of what to do in Math now? Should I follow the review in the first eight weeks of SC-2 this summer or review each lesson, or? They don't need to practice everything. It was easier when I could just follow the SC guide as written, but that's not where we are in Math. Suggestions?

Thanks so much, and I'm glad to be back. 😃 Lillian

[cherylswope]

Re: Questions for summer and fall

Hello Cheryl and all,
Well, I just had a very long post finished and accidentally deleted it! Urgh! So now I will try again. As I've posted before, my two boys, who I will call by the nicknames my 17 year old daughter calls them, Skinny Man, age 9.5 and Chuckles, age 8.5, finished their year at school/co-op and are now home with me full time again. Yay! I'm glad but a bit unsure of our next steps. They have different strengths, so even though they will both be in SC-2, I'm doing Read-Alouds together but working individually otherwise.

In Phonics, they are at the same place, needing a more structured approach to long vowels. I went quickly through FSR-C to make sure they were solid on that book, which they are. Today we started book D. Next week I plan to start the 8-week summer review after SC-1 and also continue with FSR-D. As we start SC-2 Phonics and reading, I expect Chuckles to move more easily ahead. I may have to slow down for Skinny Man, but we will see. Chuckles picks up reading skills and reads more fluently than his older brother.


Welcome back full-time, Lillian!

This sounds like a good plan. You might be able to keep them together, if you add a separate, second reading period for SM in the afternoon. Be sure you have C practice math during the same time, so SM does not feel "punished" with the extra reading. It can be dubbed an individualized "Strengthening our Mental Muscles" session. Extra reading for SM, extra math practice for C, which leads to ...


In Math, Skinny Man is ahead, having done SC-1 the year before, but at school he covered the second half of Math 1 plus the first unit of Math 2. He understands the concepts, I think, but was complaining about Math being too hard by the end of school. The main goal was to "catch up to grade level". He knows the facts through ten pretty well, although we are reviewing flash cards this week.

After doing SC C with me, Chuckles did almost all of Math 1 at school. He understands the concepts pretty well, but only knows his addition facts through the 3's. I'd like him to be much more solid on his facts. I don't want to have them redo the texts they've already done, so I'd like to use worksheets and plan to use the flannelboard and other manipulatives, especially with Chuckles.

So, what is your advice of what to do in Math now? Should I follow the review in the first eight weeks of SC-2 this summer or review each lesson, or? They don't need to practice everything. It was easier when I could just follow the SC guide as written, but that's not where we are in Math. Suggestions?

What would you think of teaching C with SC-1 nearly as written, omitting only what is not needed, reviewing facts during that time, and then accelerating as much as he can tolerate? You could do the same with SM by teaching him with SC-2 nearly as written, omitting only what is not needed, reviewing facts, and then accelerating as much as he can tolerate? This would still give you a good daily progression with both boys, provide you the opportunity to teach with the flannelboard and manipulatives (and arithmetic read-alouds) to ensure the concepts are solid, yet would not require a lot of reworking on your part. It seems like you might be happiest with this approach in the long run.

Thanks so much, and I'm glad to be back. 😃 Lillian


I'm happy for you!

Some thoughts are in lavender above.


Other people may suggest a different approach.

Do whatever you think is best. As you know, you hold the reins again.

Thanks-
Cheryl

[LillianinAl]

Re: Questions for summer and fall

Thank you, Cheryl! It's good to be back. Chuckles told me tonight that he likes "review school". I am noticing their anxiety levels have dropped back down to normal, which is a big reason they are back home.

With Math, I was trying to avoid having both boys do a text over that they've already done. Do you think I can just teach the lessons in the teacher book, the parts they need, with manipulatives, and do some of the worksheets for that lesson instead of the text? Or should I get a new copy of the student books? I think both of them can go faster, at least at the beginning, than the SC pace, but will need to slow down later.Skinny Man should get through SC 2 Math and move on to SC-3 math before the end of the year. I will read the SC-2 Math Read Alouds with both. It really helps to "talk" to you about it. Thank you!

I told Chuckles today that last year he had learned to add by counting, and that that's one way to do it, but now Mommy wants to go back and practice the math facts so he knows them well, so I can show him an addition fact and he can answer it as quickly as he can answer his name. That made sense to him. He can figure out an answer, but he's counting in his head to find it. I will point out that knowing those facts will help him a lot with Math as the problems get bigger.

[cherylswope]

Re: Questions for summer and fall

This is a great explanation of automaticity!

Yes, maybe you could use the blacklines, flash cards, Teacher Manuals with visual aids, and SC Curriculum Guides to create your Review School without the Student Book. This could work! If you have StartWrite, you could even add your own written fact practice sheets, if either boy needs them.