Name: Great Homeschool Conventions (Columbus)
Start: 2025-04-24T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-04-26T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Columbus, OH

This topic has 4 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 1 month ago by Rebekahy.

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

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February 18, 2013 at 5:28 pm
psreitmom
Participant
Hi. I began reading on the SCM site just this morning. I have been trying to figure out how I am going to best meet my dd’s schooling needs. We have been using a CM based curriculum for more than 2 years. It is a wonderful, planned out guide that has freed me up from having to do my own planning. However, my dd9, who was born with a hemiplegia (CP that affects just one side of the body) and vision problems, has been having struggles in her reading and math. In some ways I have felt a little out of the loop with the guide we were using, because I was having to revamp some things for dd anyway. So, I thought maybe it would be better if I didn’t follow a particular guide (I feel I have to complete everything in it) and just put together a program that fits her educational abilities and interests.
My dd has reading struggles because of some visual processing, possibly dyslexia, and also eye tracking (which is being dealt with) problems. She is improving, but is not fluent. She also has problems in Math. She is in 3rd grade and is only finishing a 1st grade level. She just does not process certain math concepts. My evaluator advised me to use a math curriculum that has a lot of repetition. DD has been making some progress since doing that. She has very good reading comprehension, loves the outdoors, and is talented musically, although learning piano is difficult because she avoids reading notes because of her visual problems and her left hand is weak from the CP.
I will continue with the math we have been doing, at least for the next year because I have purchased it already. I ordered English for the Thoughtful Child. We have been doing R&S. She has learned nouns and verbs well, but I like the contents in the Thoughtful Child book, so I have decided to change that. I ordered 106 Days of Creation Studies, the Nature Study Handbook and Nature’s Notes. DD loves to be outdoors and when I told her we were going to do some science outdoors, she said ‘Finally!’ We are using Phonics Pathways (supposed to be good for those with visual problems)and I am just going to use that for spelling and dictation as we are working through it. I will finish out the emerging readers I have from the other guide, then will get another reading program. She is working in a cursive handwriting program and doing great with that. I don’t require a lot of handwriting, because of her visual problems it tires her out. We also have literature read-alouds that we will finish. DD is in a kid’s club at church and beside singing in church, there is a daily Bible devotional to work on and verses to memorize for that, she brings home a SS paper with reading and questions that need to be done during the week. I have a book called Pearables that I read to her w/ character and Scripture lessons in teaching her to become a Godly young lady. So, I think I have Bible covered. I have some different ideas for art.
My only concern right now is history. I do have some books I continue reading from for the remainder of the year, but I’m just not sure where to go with that. DD does like to hear history stories, but not having a concept of time makes timelines of little understanding. Also, because of her visual spatial and processing problems, looking at a map means very little to her. So, we have done very little map work. I need something for history where we can read and talk about what is happening, but not have detailed mapwork, not focused on dates. Do I just keep reading to her and let her narrate. We do look for pictures of the person we are reading about and making a notebook of them with a few simple facts. I
f anyone has any advice or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to say it. If you think I am going about something in the wrong way, please say it. This has been somewhat of a frustrating year for me. I need to get out of the mode that we need to do a wide range of things in our schooling. If I add a lot of extra things, my dd can’t function. I started spliting certain subjects into 2 days w/ math and reading every day. That has helped. But, I feel I can no longer follow the guide we have been using, because I feel it ALL needs to be done. I just need to lay out my own plans for now.
Sorry this is so lengthy. I just wanted to give you an idea of where we are. I am open for any suggestios. Thanks for taking time to read this.
Pam
February 18, 2013 at 5:48 pm
momto2blessings
Participant
Welcome, Pam! I don’t have a child w/learning challenges, but I can relate to the stress of following a guide. All those boxes to check off or else feel behind really took some joy out. If all you are looking for his history, I think if it were me I’d just pick the history cycle you want to do and buy the family books to do together, and the grade level books to either read together or she can read independently, if able. Before each reading, you can ask what she remembered from the last reading. And then you can ask for an oral narration after each days reading. This site has a narration idea list if you want to get creative (I tend to just ask them to tell me what we’ve/they’ve read). What you’re doing with notebooking sounds great. We also do a timeline in a book…not sure if that would be helpful in your situation. For mapping, I follow the SCM handbook/guide…so since we’re studying Egypt we’re mapping Africa. My kids have a blank map w/page protector in a folder, w/the filled-in map on the back side. They start copying one country in w/a dry erase marker. Then the next day try to remember that one, then add one more, etc. until they know the whole continent. Best wishes. Hope something was helpful! Gina
February 18, 2013 at 6:58 pm
sheraz
Participant
Hi Pam, welcome to the forum. I have a daughter with Auditory Processing Disorder – and has other health issues…we LOVE CM methods, which we started when she was about 9 (she’s 11 now). She sounds very similar to your daughter – she LOVES being outside and is a natural Nature Study lover – she has really enjoyed the 106 Days study. She also loves music and art – I use those things to bolster her talents and self-esteem.
I also have to adapt a few things for her and she struggles with math and reading due to her processing issues as well. I did a blog post about how CM methods are so helpful with processing disorders here:
http://mysouldothdelight.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/auditory-processing-disorder-another-tender-mercy-moment/
For history, I really like the SCM guides as they are thorough and easy to use. They are wonderful. We just discovered that the Ancient Greek one didn’t go well for us (the spin wasn’t a continous story), so I had to create my own because we also do better with continous storylines.
Since we do really well with continous story lines, I also use pictures as much as possible to help her focus while she listens to the story (either CD or me). For that purpose, another EXCELLENT resource is the Yesterday’s Classics collection. They have tons of living history books about a lot of different times that are written for kids ages 9-14. She loves them and so do I. I just wrote out our Ancient Greek studies using the Yesterday’s Classics books and added in color illustrations of the YC book chosen as our spine, coloring pages, Greek art and architecture. You are free to use and adapt to your situation – here’s that link:
http://mysouldothdelight.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/the-story-of-greece-study-guide/
You can download all the PDF’s at the bottom.
My dd does follow along in a book if we have the capabilities (she now has a Kindle, too, so follows along with me). It has really helped her retention alot to have narrations and not fill in the blanks.
We also let her draw narrations because it gives her time to process, organize, and think through the information. Then she tells me what is in her pictures so she ends up with both drawn and oral narrations.
We also use a Book of Centuries and a timeline (but I am also teaching 3 other people, lol). In her BOC, we are coloring and gluing a little figure of the incident or person in the appropriate page. It is simple. It is not overwhelming in the information presented and so it does work well that way. Because she colored the figure and we discussed it before gluing it in, she remembers more now than ever before. This is a great tool for us to help her remember things, so I would suggest that you use one instead of a timeline. =) (My guide includes the figures out of the Homeschool in the Woods figures.) You can get a free BOC template here – just be sure to print it on the cardstock.
Honestly, we practise map drill every week for about 10 minutes. Sometimes she remembers, sometimes not. It’s okay – it is good practice and as we both know, repetition is the key!
Another amazing history resource for living books is Heritage History. They are also written at a level that your dd will easily get, even if you are reading it to her. I read most all the stuff aloud so we can progress since she understands it, and have her personal reading time scheduled to be her practice time.
Here are the links:
http://www.yesterdaysclassics.com/ They are on sale until the 28th of Feb. They include nature stories, too. 😉
http://www.heritage-history.com/
http://homeschoolinthewoods.com/
If you are serious about planning your own stuff, might I suggest that you get and use SCM’s Planning Your CM Education? It really helps you figure out what, how and when you want to do things in such an easy, non-stressful way.
HTH
February 18, 2013 at 8:27 pm
psreitmom
Participant
Gina and Sheraz,
Thank you so much for your suggestions and information. I’ll be pouring over this the next few days and will order the Planning…. book/dvd. I’m excited about doing this. I thought having a guide all planned for me was all I needed, but even with the extra time planning, I think I will enjoy picking out our own books. I really appreciate the choices of books in the guide we are using, but this really opens up a so many possibilities for us. I only have one left to homeschool, so I can be flexible.
Keep the suggestions coming:)
February 19, 2013 at 3:09 am
Rebekahy
Participant
Your daughter sounds very similar to mine – though mine is younger… You might be able to benefit from Dianne Craft’s website – so many great resources there. We’re doing her daily program and it has helped immensely with reading, reversals and even retention.