I started my 7th grader in book 2, but we’re going slow. She had a lot of grammar before (sentence diagramming, etc.) but still, some things in Book 2 are challenging for her. So my plan is to just continue to help her work through it and go slow. If she doesn’t get to book 6 because she finished 12th grade before that, so be it. I’m not going to stress over that.
I did start my 3rd grader (half-way through the year) in Book 1. And she is at week 19 now (but we only have 15 days left in our school year). So, I’m planning for each book to take two years for her.
And I plan to start my dyslexic 5th grader (next year she’ll be 6th grade, and in Level 5 or maybe 6 of the Barton Reading and Spelling program) and my rising 3rd grader in Fix-It book 1. I hope to eventually get my younger 3 in the same book at the same lesson (hold back one and speed up two *L*).
You might be interested to listen to some of Andrew Pudewa’s podcasts. They are very informative on the IEW philosophy. One thing that I picked up — and it’s hard for me to do, because I’m a traditionally trained teacher — is to help the student until they no long ask for help. I’ve worked hard this past year to make sure I ALWAYS help when my kids ask for it. And I believe it is making a difference. And they have stopped asking for help in some things, because they understand it now.
I always thought I should give clues, but not answers. And I don’t actually just hand out answers — I sit next to them and explain it again – working the problem in question and showing them how it’s done. I feel like it’s helped my girls and me have less-stressful days.
That alone has been worth the time I spent listening to the podcasts.
The other IEW philosophy that I really like is “Easy plus one.” Only require one new thing or one hard thing in their assignments. As soon as the new thing becomes easy, get another new thing.
Anyway, all that to say that I agree with Tristan — don’t rush. Don’t double up.
