Need to start over, any suggestions welcome

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  • MariePowell
    Participant

    Hello! It’s been awhile… we’ve had a roller coaster ride for the last 3 years. Too long to elaborate; but,  I know we need to come back to SCM for my two daughters.  I’m most concerned for my oldest (15, almost 16, approx. 10th grade).  since we left a small co op she attended for 1 and 1/2 years. We figured, by this age she was old enough to keep up with her assignments, organize her work, meet deadlines etc.  Not so.  She got so behind… We pulled out of this group after Christmas break, and since then we’ve been floundering.  We finished her A beka Health book, and what few lessons were left in her Wordly Wise book.  I’ve started her next Math U See; and she attended a kind of, laid back co op one day a week that taught Speech, Economics, Sign Language, and a Myth Busters Science class.  This helped fill in some gaps I’m sure, but like I said, it was very laid back.  No homework or reading assignments.  I did have her at least prepare a written copy for each of her weekly presentations as they came up. I also make about ten index cards per week of vocab/spelling words (pull from lists on internet.  But other than that, i just feel like we’ve not been “doing real school”; more or less winging it, (if that makes sense?).

    At the moment, she does not want to, or plan to attend college.  She wants to work with me at our family owned business, marry, and be a homemaker…. this is fine, if that’s what she feels led to do.  But as I have told her, it doesn’t hurt to prepare for higher education.  Her mind may be changed by 18.  The new co op she and our youngest have attended since Christmas is planning to offer an ACT prep class next Fall, plus other electives (Science, Writing, Music/Art appreciation)…we can pick an choose whatever.  I know we will definitely do the ACT prep.  But in the meantime, for the summer, I would like to retry some SCM  style things.  I was thinking of at least continuing Math… but we have not followed the Language Arts from here, or anything else for that matter in a long time.  I have noidea where to even jump in at…

    On a different note, back when we were active here, my struggling son (that folks here chimed in so many helpful tips..) has graduated (a tad early due to a great job offer)!  He never wanted college either- works with his hands; and, got hired by the state at one of our local community colleges. So, even though he says no now….it may rub off on him, and he can get free tuition!  But if not, the benefits, (insurance, retirement) and wages are great regardless!!

     

     

    Melanie32
    Participant

    Well the best place to start is with a great living book! 🙂 Are you planning on schooling full time through the summer of are you just wanting to do a few things during this time? That will greatly affect any advice you might get.

    If you are planning on full time schooling, I would choose a living book for science, another for lit, and another for history. I would have her write one narration (assuming she is familiar with oral narration) a day on one of these readings and have her narrate orally for the others.

    If you are concerned about spelling, I would have her do dictation twice a week as well instead of pulling spelling words from various places. Take her dictation passages from her readings and it won’t cost you a dime. If you feel that you need a resource, SCM’s Spelling Wisdom is wonderful!

    Add in some poetry or Shakespeare or picture study at least once a week to begin exposing her to the riches of a Charlotte Mason education.

    It sounds like you already have math covered so that sounds like a great CM summer plan to me! You may choose to go with a science textbook in the fall if that is more your style.

    We are currently working through one of the new Charlotte Mason science guides from Sabbath Mood Homeschool. Have you seen them? They are really wonderful!

    If you are looking for more detailed plans, you could go with SCM’s history guides.

    MariePowell
    Participant

    Ok- what are some favorite titles? We will be rusty when it comes to written narration….I will review posts here on how it’s done.  One short question,  how strict are moms about correcting grammar mistakes with these?

    Cathrina
    Participant

    At a high school level dictation (especially studied dictation) I would  have high expectations.

    Written Narrations as well.  If you haven’t done it in a while… even one paragraph is worthy.  But it should be a well written paragraph.  I would be making them correct all mistakes at that age.  Gradually encouraging longer and longer Narrations.

    Also…. this is just us…. do a monthly essay using a graphic organizer.  So by the end of the year they know the basics of persuasive, expository, compare contrast and research essays.

    Melanie32
    Participant

    How much writing instruction has she had? If the answer is not much, I would start with correcting one or two things and quickly moving toward editing the entire narration within a few months. I would give her a few unedited narrations to build her confidence first.

    Some great books for her age could be:

    For history:

    Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution by Natalie Bober

    Charles Coffin U.S. history books

    Um, it is kind of hard to make suggestions when I don’t know what she has covered so far. There are so many great books out there! Give us a better idea of what your goals are and what you would like to see accomplished and we can offer more suggestions.

    For science, I recommend checking out the Sabbath Mood science guides or Ambleside Online recommendations. Again, this all depends on what you have covered and what you would like to cover in the upcoming year.

    Literature is easier. Some lighter but great classic reading would be:

    Little Women

    Girl of the Limberlost

    Huckleberry Finn

    For reading that’s a bit more challenging:

    Jane Eyre

    Pride and Prejudice

    A Tale of Two Cities

    Sherlock Holmes books

     

     

    MariePowell
    Participant

    Great ideas, and yes we are very limited in writing; haven’t done dictation in 4 years 🙁  Like starting from scratch. Our expectations are shoot for college but not likely going to go. She plans to work at our family business ( already is) , but I would like to do the best I can her last two years . We haven’t schooled year round , but she agrees we are behind and summer school needs to happen.  I have the Spelling Wisdom vol 1 from years ago, but it would be too easy for her . So maybe get the next level  book for dictation /spelling, or , do most use passages from their living books instead? Thanks for patience in review lesson 🙂

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