Placement help.... starting over :)
Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 6:54 am
Okay, I'm still trying to figure out placement and I think I need to start from scratch.... Here's some info about each child...
ds 11.5 (turns 12 in Oct), 6th grade, Love to read, even very challenging books - no formal literature study. Can do written narrations - but would rather not, LOL. Has completed 4 FLL books and part of CLE 5 (My Current plan is to do Daily Grams 6 this year to keep from losing grammar skills while we focus more on writing.) His spelling is probably is biggest weakness in the LA dept. Math - we have switched around some, but have come back to Singapore. He is in 4B right now - it's pretty easy for him, but he needs it before we start 5. I'd like to see us complete 5A and 5B this year unless we hit a snag. He has had the 4 year history cycle pretty much from the beginning (give or take a bit). He studied Ancient History last year with my hodge-podge plans. I have RTR on hand for him and it's the logical guide for him unless I combined him in some way with his younger brother.
ds 8.5 (turns 9 in Oct), 3rd grade. Has become an independent reader in the last 3-6 months, but would still benefit from reading aloud. Recently read many of the Liza, Bill, Jed mysteries. Writing - he had cursive instruction last year, but needs review. He can do copywork easily. He has done a few written summaries, but needs help - this was a stretch for him. He is doing FLL3 and it is easy for him. He is in Singapore 3A and doing very well. He also had Ancient History last year with my hodge-podge plans. I may add some Middle Ages easy readers for him as he is interested in knights and castles. My first thought was that he would fit well in Bigger, but I think he might be able to handle Preparing.
DD 7 (just turned 7 in June), 2nd grade. Still needs phonics instruction. Could become an emerging reader later this school year. Our reading lessons are typically not a struggle, she just needs more time and practice. Writing - she is glad to do copywork. Grammar - she is ready for a gentle intro. We're about 20 lessons into FLL 1, but often skip it because phonics/reading/math is my priority. Math is her biggest struggle. She is almost half way through CLE - 1, but still struggles with place value, "before" and "after," and sometimes with the concept of subtraction. (SHe was the oldest of any of my kids before she got one-to-one correspondence a few years back.) She also had Ancient History read alouds last year, though I'm not worried about a particular sequence at her age. SHe sometimes says she doesn't want to listen to read alouds, but often begs for more afterwards. I recently read Dangerous Journey aloud to all of them and she begged for more along with everyone else. She probably places best in Beyond.
DS 5 (just turned 5 in Aug), K. It's entirely possible I will call him Kindergarten for two years because of his August birthday, but he is very ready to learn letter sounds (already knows many of them). He started Get Ready for the Code a couple weeks ago and it is easy for him. He is learning how to form letters. He is doing well with CLE 1 for math, but I could see him thriving in Singapore next year. He probably place in LHTH or LHFHG, but I probably won't be able to do either of these due to the number of older siblings and number of guides we may end up with for them.
DD 2 - With everything else going on, I'm not going to even consider LHTH for her yet, but she is very bright, fairly verbal and copies everything. SHe is a typical "baby" of the family - she is 2 going on 10!
Combining thoughts.... though the 8and 7 year old are closest in age, they are not so close in academics. What is easy and obvious to my 8yo (he was National Chess Champion as a K'er) is a struggle for my 7yo. The two oldest boys, though 3years apart, are natural buddies. They've been competing at chess tournaments together for 3 years. They do many things together. As much as I want my oldest to do RTR, I could see possibly combining these two in Preparing with my oldest doing extensions. I could also see combining my 7 and 5 yo. My 5 yo is very bright. It might be a good confidence builder for my 7yo to be the "oldest" in a combining situation instead of comparing herself to her older brother.
And, I should add that my dh is deployed until ~February. I am blessed with tons of help from my parents who live close by and from friends, but we will obviously have a few interruptions this year (He will have two weeks of leave this fall) and again when he comes home for good.
Okay, it is helpful to get all that on "paper." I'm going to finish getting ready for Church and rejoice in God's goodness and know that He gave us each of these precious ones at precisely the time he wanted us to have each one and He will provide for me and for their needs.
If you read all that, THanks!!!
ds 11.5 (turns 12 in Oct), 6th grade, Love to read, even very challenging books - no formal literature study. Can do written narrations - but would rather not, LOL. Has completed 4 FLL books and part of CLE 5 (My Current plan is to do Daily Grams 6 this year to keep from losing grammar skills while we focus more on writing.) His spelling is probably is biggest weakness in the LA dept. Math - we have switched around some, but have come back to Singapore. He is in 4B right now - it's pretty easy for him, but he needs it before we start 5. I'd like to see us complete 5A and 5B this year unless we hit a snag. He has had the 4 year history cycle pretty much from the beginning (give or take a bit). He studied Ancient History last year with my hodge-podge plans. I have RTR on hand for him and it's the logical guide for him unless I combined him in some way with his younger brother.
ds 8.5 (turns 9 in Oct), 3rd grade. Has become an independent reader in the last 3-6 months, but would still benefit from reading aloud. Recently read many of the Liza, Bill, Jed mysteries. Writing - he had cursive instruction last year, but needs review. He can do copywork easily. He has done a few written summaries, but needs help - this was a stretch for him. He is doing FLL3 and it is easy for him. He is in Singapore 3A and doing very well. He also had Ancient History last year with my hodge-podge plans. I may add some Middle Ages easy readers for him as he is interested in knights and castles. My first thought was that he would fit well in Bigger, but I think he might be able to handle Preparing.
DD 7 (just turned 7 in June), 2nd grade. Still needs phonics instruction. Could become an emerging reader later this school year. Our reading lessons are typically not a struggle, she just needs more time and practice. Writing - she is glad to do copywork. Grammar - she is ready for a gentle intro. We're about 20 lessons into FLL 1, but often skip it because phonics/reading/math is my priority. Math is her biggest struggle. She is almost half way through CLE - 1, but still struggles with place value, "before" and "after," and sometimes with the concept of subtraction. (SHe was the oldest of any of my kids before she got one-to-one correspondence a few years back.) She also had Ancient History read alouds last year, though I'm not worried about a particular sequence at her age. SHe sometimes says she doesn't want to listen to read alouds, but often begs for more afterwards. I recently read Dangerous Journey aloud to all of them and she begged for more along with everyone else. She probably places best in Beyond.
DS 5 (just turned 5 in Aug), K. It's entirely possible I will call him Kindergarten for two years because of his August birthday, but he is very ready to learn letter sounds (already knows many of them). He started Get Ready for the Code a couple weeks ago and it is easy for him. He is learning how to form letters. He is doing well with CLE 1 for math, but I could see him thriving in Singapore next year. He probably place in LHTH or LHFHG, but I probably won't be able to do either of these due to the number of older siblings and number of guides we may end up with for them.
DD 2 - With everything else going on, I'm not going to even consider LHTH for her yet, but she is very bright, fairly verbal and copies everything. SHe is a typical "baby" of the family - she is 2 going on 10!
Combining thoughts.... though the 8and 7 year old are closest in age, they are not so close in academics. What is easy and obvious to my 8yo (he was National Chess Champion as a K'er) is a struggle for my 7yo. The two oldest boys, though 3years apart, are natural buddies. They've been competing at chess tournaments together for 3 years. They do many things together. As much as I want my oldest to do RTR, I could see possibly combining these two in Preparing with my oldest doing extensions. I could also see combining my 7 and 5 yo. My 5 yo is very bright. It might be a good confidence builder for my 7yo to be the "oldest" in a combining situation instead of comparing herself to her older brother.
And, I should add that my dh is deployed until ~February. I am blessed with tons of help from my parents who live close by and from friends, but we will obviously have a few interruptions this year (He will have two weeks of leave this fall) and again when he comes home for good.
Okay, it is helpful to get all that on "paper." I'm going to finish getting ready for Church and rejoice in God's goodness and know that He gave us each of these precious ones at precisely the time he wanted us to have each one and He will provide for me and for their needs.
If you read all that, THanks!!!
They sound precious. From what you've shared, combining your 5 and 7 yo in LHFHG would be a good placement. You can really focus on reading instruction and math then, while still having a good balance of science, history, Bible study, devotions, and hands-on activities. If you wanted, you could get the Beyond manual to do spelling lessons and the gentle grammar introduction with her, but there is no harm in waiting on that a year either.
As long as younger ds can do the science readings, he should be fine, as this is meant to be done independently and will be important for him to do so he can be ready for CTC the next year. What are your thoughts about all this though? HTH!