Need Advice, Wisdom, Thoughts

[tnahid]

Okay, ladies, I would like your thoughts on something.

My oldest son is doing Bigger this year along with his younger brother. Last year we did Beyond. Overall, it has been going well, but it's always a struggle for my oldest to do his work. Today he came to me and just said very sweetly, "Mom, I would really like to do a different history/science. It's just too much reading and I don't like the boxes." (He was respectful about saying this, not whiny or complaining-like.) He is doing the extensions also.

Hmmm... Now, here's my dilemma. I definitely am going to have him finish out the year with Bigger, as I think he expects that. He is asking for something different next year. He is my black/white, very concrete yet silly and expressive and rowdy ALL-boy. His comprehension isn't grand and he is just not what you would normally call the "academically inclined" type, whatever that really means. Anyway, I am inclined to let him choose his own history and science next year instead of me choosing it for him, as I believe this may give him the impetus to do his work better. I really HATE for him to leave HOD, but he's just not enjoying it like his younger brother seems to. The younger one has expressed that he wants to stick with HOD for next year. He likes the approach, but I must say, for my oldest, it is a daily struggle.

So, my question is:
Are there some children whose minds just don't really click with this type of approach to learning as much? Or is it that he is just lazy about it... or what?

This son is almost 11 years old, and whenever he can, he will try to get out of as much "school" work as he can. He reminds me of a modern day "Huck Finn" type of boy, very sweet but just very physically oriented (way into Taekwondo, etc) Now he DOES LOVE the DITHOR and wants to continue that though. He just doesn't like the History/Science.

Has anyone else had this experience? What did you do?

I have been having my oldest do his history/science (as well as most everything) as independently as possible, and he seems to like that, not being "micro-managed" yet, he's just not really enjoying it as much. I admit he liked it better when I did all the read-alouds to them last year, but I just can't continue that this year. It was just too much for me personally. And I want them to be more independently led. Maybe that is why he doesn't like it as much now, because he is having to read it all himself? Should I force him to continue next year if he doesn't like it? I am pretty confident I will use it for my younger son, as he has specifically requested it, but just not sure for him.

Thanks for any tips, hints or advice. I feel that the more options I can give him in choosing some of his curriculum, the better off he will be (ALL of us!) But let me know your thoughts and experiences.

If it were me as a child, I would absolutely have LOVED, LOVED, LOVED to be taught by HOD all the way. But I am thinking we are not all the same...

[water2wine]

I am not sure I am understanding it correctly. Forgive me if I am not. I think you are having your 11 year old do Bigger with the extensions and he is also reading what is listed in the guide as what would be read aloud. If so I am thinking that is the problem. It sounds to me that he might be a little overloaded. I also did Bigger with an older child using the extensions. She is an avid reader but I think it would have been too much to have her also read the portion that was listed to be read to her at that age. Also I think that sort of would take a bit of the joy out of the program for the child. Bigger I think an older child could handle the history projects and some of the science independently but having them read the read aloud portion of the history would be too much. The books read well aloud but the language is tough for a kid to read on their own at that age and really enjoy it.

HOD really does lead them to independence but I think if we get them there before it is actually written in the guide you are not going to get the same program. The guide where they really start learning more independence is Preparing. After Bigger you will find that the HOD guides are very much written toward independence and less reading on the part of the parent. I think if you could use the guides more as written you would find that as you progress that effort would be well worth it. they very naturally progress to independence learning different skills before they actually become independent in that area. Eventually much of the guide is written for the child to do on their own. But there is always some part that the parent does, at least so far in the guides that are written. It does become less and less, or so it feel sot me having progressed from Beyond to Rev to Rev now for us.

Since you are finishing Bigger. I would recommend using it more as written and see if that joy does not come back. I am going to bet it will. That would be the best advice I have. I hope it helps. I know others will have more wisdom on this. And again I hope I understood correctly.

[LynnH]

I am understanding things the same way as water2wine. If he is doing all that reading on his own plus DITHOR I think that may be the problem. That is so much reading. No way would my ds have enjoyed that at that age. He is just now doing that with RTR at 12 1/2 and we still do the storytime together. I really think that is probably the issue. In Preparing the boxes that are geared for them to read on their own are very short readings since they were written with the idea that the student would be reading them. I would second the suggestion that you have him only do the science readings on his own and do everything else as written in the guide.

[tnahid]

Thank you ladies. I started reading the history and storytime again. My oldest was very happy! My youngest was less than excited. But he ended up liking it, especially story time! So thank you for re-directing me back to that important aspect of our day. It is helping.

[water2wine]

Thank you ladies. I started reading the history and storytime again. My oldest was very happy! My youngest was less than excited. But he ended up liking it, especially story time! So thank you for re-directing me back to that important aspect of our day. It is helping.

Yeah! I am so happy for you. I have been thinking about you and wondering how it is going. So glad it is back on track. We loved Bigger both times we did it. Enjoy the rest of your year!