There are several changes that we have already made to our curriculum for the fall before we have even started.
I have a love/hate relationship with Simply Classical. There are so many things I like about it. I love the math, and the science books we read. I love introducing kids to artists and composers. When I was teaching years ago, I always played classical music and we spent time each month doing a minor study of artists then would do artwork in that style. It made things fun. We did not do the full classical approach where we were actually doing a study of the person behind the music and art. It was simplified for kids. Some kids in my class really were interested in the artists and composers and asked more questions and learned more about the artists and composers. Other kids just were able to enjoy the paintings of the artists work and listening to the composers music.
One struggle we had this year was the history books. They were all great books, however, some of the books were way over our kids head. To combat that I ended up spending more money buying books that were easy reader books. It was during this time that I started looking back on our Abeka history books. They were easier to read, they gave more detailed information in bite sizes about different people and events in history (several pages rather than bigger chapter books)
I looked more into the Simply Classical curriculum and realized that while SC3 had the history chapter books, it was an option for SC5/6, the same history books! Had I known this I would have waited on the history books and I am sure I would have been more successful.
There are so many things I do love about Simply Classical but I struggle with the the classical method since I did not grow up with that. I wonder about the practicality or even the necessity of it in our children's lives. Will it enrich their lives to see works of art and hear classical music? I am sure it will! Will it enrich their lives to learn when the composer or artist was born and in what country and how many works of arts they made in their lifetime? Probably not. While they are able to tell me the days of the week, months of the year, and tell time, they do not relate to time like we do. If we are talking about going to the Grand Canyon they can not recall things like it being done last year around this time. They might remember going, but the time line would not be something they are able to fully comprehend.
So what do they need to know? What WOULD be the best ways to enrich their lives? Learning how to do basic math so they can learn how to double or triple a recipe. Learn fractions well enough so if they can't find the right measuring cup they know how to adapt. Learn how to read well enough that they can enjoy the Bible and books. They should learn how to do some basic sewing, learn how to follow a recipe. Learn healthy habits and hygiene. Learn how to use tools properly, learn life skills. Learn how to tend a garden, gather eggs, care for animals.
We will be doing a good part of what we had already planned but with a few changes.
The kids are doing very well in Spanish and they enjoy it so we will be sticking to Spanish and ASL as our two languages we are working on. We have decided to drop Latin.
Another change we are adding is adding in a review of the Abeka Science and Social Studies book since Simply Classical does not cover science and history in level 4, instead it covers mythology and folk tales.
Another thing we will be doing is adding a craft day once per week. We were doing that with Abeka and the kids have really missed it. I actually do not enjoy art, but some dear friends of ours do and have offered to come over a couple times per month to do art with the kids.
We will also go back to doing a puzzle every day. We had been doing this before we moved and had see great strides in our kids focus but have gotten out of the habit and those skills need brushing up on again.
Goals for the future in homeschooling.
Home Economics - Sewing, grocery shopping, cooking (goals - to learn to sew on buttons, make a meal plan and grocery list, and to be able to cook simple meals with the use of Raddish Kids cooking club)
P.E. -Special Olympics, hikes
We also want to make trips to places part of their education. And be more active in our local homeschool group.
We will be starting school in a couple of weeks and while we homeschool year round, we do take a short break for summer (about 1-2 weeks once the kids are done with all their books from the previous year).
