CTC Questions and Need Advice

[faith0428]

We are getting ready to begin CTC next week and I was wondering if there are certain pens that work best on the student pages since they are glossy. I was hoping to buy erasable pens since this will be the first year I am going to encourage my daughters to use a pen instead of pencil, but couldn't find any at Walmart. I used erasable pens all the time when I was in school. They haven't gone extinct have they?

Also, I think I remember reading somewhere a "caution" about some violent content in some of the History Storytime books. Can anyone give me more specifics?

Last thing for now......Did you stick to allowing your child to do independently all the boxes marked "I" and how did that go? I just realized all of History and Science is independent. Last year with PHFHG I allowed my two daughters to do all the independent things on their own, but I do feel I missed out on some things. Should I read all their independent things in advance and then discuss it with them? I was really excited about Science and don't want to miss out on that and I definitely could benefit from the History. Would love to hear what worked for you?

Any other tips or heads up for CTC would be appreciated! Thank you!

[netpea]

My son just used pen and pencil and it worked fine. I have heard people say before that they liked the erasable sharpie. Don't know anything about it though.

[annaz]

We are getting ready to begin CTC next week and I was wondering if there are certain pens that work best on the student pages since they are glossy. I was hoping to buy erasable pens since this will be the first year I am going to encourage my daughters to use a pen instead of pencil, but couldn't find any at Walmart. I used erasable pens all the time when I was in school. They haven't gone extinct have they?

Also, I think I remember reading somewhere a "caution" about some violent content in some of the History Storytime books. Can anyone give me more specifics?

Last thing for now......Did you stick to allowing your child to do independently all the boxes marked "I" and how did that go? I just realized all of History and Science is independent. Last year with PHFHG I allowed my two daughters to do all the independent things on their own, but I do feel I missed out on some things. Should I read all their independent things in advance and then discuss it with them? I was really excited about Science and don't want to miss out on that and I definitely could benefit from the History. Would love to hear what worked for you?

Any other tips or heads up for CTC would be appreciated! Thank you!

I don't know anything about the pens. We did it in pencil. As far as the Independent boxes, I felt I missed out on the homeschooling together feeling in CTC, so this year in RTR, I am trying to read most of it. It certainly helps if you have the time, because the reward is greater discussion and time with your kids. Plus I feel like I'm part of her schooling instead of a watcher. But with multiple kids and books it is difficult. I don't know how Carrie reads all these. I've already not been able to read some of the readings daily and I only have one child. But I will be making it a priority and everything else LESS of a priority. Don't let the "I" boxes stand for "Mom is done". It's a stepping stone. I found dd wanted to just blow through it...she loved the books and just wanted to read. This year, I won't allow it to happen, trying to make a schedule in a way that I can read the next reading. So if dd is doing Math, I can read the Storytime read, for example. I didn't learn this stuff and I want to know it! Just because it says "I" doesn't mean you are hands off. It means they can start it and read it. But that's it.

Sorry, because I was hands off in CTC, I don't remember the violent content. If there was, Carrie would put a heads up in the guide.

[Tansy]

You can get the erasable sharpies at CVS but remember they are only erasable for a short time!

My kids are using colored pencils and regular pencils. And occasionally a pen if I'm not looking.

[faith0428]

Thank you, ladies. I love how the independent parts teach them responsibility with their school work and frees up some of my time. I do have two other children to teach as well. But, I just love being a part of it with them. Time is limited though, so it's nice that they can do some on their own. I think I'll at least try to read ahead of time so we can discuss it together. I'm sure there will be a lot of trial and error before we get in our "groove".

[mskogen]

I got my son the gel erasable pens. He is loving them. I found them at Office Depot. HTH!

[LynnH]

My ds still uses pencils so I can't help as far as that. For the Independent boxes yes I have my ds do all the Independent boxes Independently, but that doesn't mean I loose touch with what he is doing. I do read the books over the summer, so I have an idea what he will be reading, but I forget the details by the time he reads them. I make sure that he meets with me to do the follow up activities in the guide. I will use the key ideas to help with this. Here is also a post I did last year about the Upper Guides and the Independent boxes viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10939

[blessedmomof4]

As far as the independent boxes go, I do not read all of the books. What I do is, if an oral narration is scheduled, I skim the assigned reading and then have dd narrate. If research is assigned, I also skim the section, then ask my daughter to orally answer one of more of the questions listed for the research. For written narrations, I have dd read the narration aloud to me, and again I skim the assigned reading to check for accuracy. the Key Ideas in each box are also a great help here. I feel like this frees me from having to know everything, so that my daughter instead can learn on her own and tell/teach it to me in a way I am not completely out of the loop, as we still have these discussion times built into our day.

[pjdobro]

April, I am wondering if you have started CTC and how it is going? Are you finding time to read the history and science? I'm just wondering because I had the same sinking feeling when I started looking through the guide and planning for this year. I found that I was sad that I wouldn't be a part of those wonderful books. I so enjoyed our journey through world history in Preparing last year, and I don't want to miss out this year! Isn't it funny that as an adult I feel this way? I love the idea of reading ahead and that is what I was thinking of doing. It's very freeing knowing that I don't have to because of the key ideas listed in the guide and the independence that my dc have gained through the guides but wonderful that I can share their journey too. I was just wondering how it is going for you and if you are keeping up with your dc?

[faith0428]

Hi Patty,

We actually start our first day tomorrow. I plan on allowing my two daughters to do it independently, but reading ahead myself (probably the night before) and jotting down some discussion points to go over with them. I also might do it with them on some days depending on how the day is going since I have a kindergartener and first grader too. I've read two days ahead so far and jotted down key things I want to discuss with them. I am really enjoying it. I hope I can keep up with the readings, because I am excited about learning along with my kids. I do also wonder how I want my girls to do their readings since I've usually read to them - should they read aloud together or each read silently to themselves? I'll update once we've done school for a week or two and let you know how it is going.

[pjdobro]

I would appreciate hearing an update after you get rolling. I have 2 dc also doing CTC and we'll start in a little over 2 weeks. Last year on their independent reading my two each read to themselves, but that is an interesting idea to have them read to each other. I'll look forward to your update!

[Larissa]

I am on week 3 of CTC with my 5th grade son. I am also doing Bigger with my 3rd grader, and a modified LHFHG with my K'er.

I have been dealing with the same thing with my son - I enjoy the one on one time that we have to read through the amazing books! I have decided that I am definitely going to read through the history with him even though it's supposed to be independent. I don't have time to read through it on my own, and I am making time during school hours to do it. It's a busy day for me - but I treasure the time reading through the books together! I also treasure the independence that is slowly taking place. I do appreciate that he can do many of the boxes on his own. There may be a day that he will need to do his history by himself.

So far, CTC has been really intense. It is taking a while to really get a routine going. My son keeps telling me that it's too much work. The first few weeks of the school year always seem to be that way, though. We'll find our way!

[faith0428]

Sorry it has taken me so long to update. We are on our 4th week of CTC and it is going very well. This is how things have been playing out so far. Typically, my girls do Reading About History, Independent History, Bible Quiet Time, and Science Independently. I have been reading it all myself the night before, other than a few times when I just wasn't able to get it done. The Key Idea in each box and a brief skimming of the asigned reading for the day help in those situations. After they have completed their independent work (and I finish school with my two youngers), we all come together and go over it. They share with me any questions and/or things they found interesting about what they read. Also, I take notes on what I read so that I can go over with them things I want to discuss, thought were interesting, or that would make for good discussion. Then I look over their History and Science notebooks to make sure they completed the notebooking assigned in the lesson.

The things I do with them are Storytime (We are loving The Golden Bull!), Geography, Bible Study (Genesis Finding Our Roots), Language Arts (Dictation, Write With the Best, Rod & Staff Grammar, DITHOR), Poetry, and Math. I also help them with their History Project and Science Experiments. I miss doing Reading About History with them as the content is great for discussion. And I still do when I am able, but since I also have a kindergartener and first grader, I'm usually only able to about once a week. And like I said, we do come together and discuss it, but my preference is to read it with them if/when I am able.

As far as how they get their independent work done, they do Bible Quiet Time and Independent History separate from one another. Some days they do Reading About History and Science Exploration together with one reading to the other and sometimes they do it separately reading it on their own. I just leave it up to them how they want to do it.

While I initially was disappointed with how much was "independent", with teaching a total of 4 kids, I don't think we could possibly get everyone's work completed each day if it weren't for them having those independent categories to complete on their own. And while it is independent, I am still very involved in making sure they are getting it completed and discussing it with them. It is definitely still a full day, but it is going very smoothly, we are learning so much, and having fun!

[Carrie]

Thanks so much for taking time to update us! I enjoyed reading about your progress. I agree that CTC is a transition time, as the kiddos move into more independence. It is so true that it is probably harder on the parent to allow the child to move toward some independence, than it is for the child.

I have been blessed by the ownership of their education that the independence has brought forth in my older two sons. I also have discovered that I never would have had time to do all of the discussing of issues and subjects outside of history that I do with my older two, as scheduled in the guides from CTC on up, if I hadn't allowed my boys to move toward more independence in the history readings and follow-ups. Plus, the older boys' independence freed up time for me to work with my little guys one-on-one. So, I was blessed by that change as well.

I do enjoy a daily meeting time with my older two boys as individuals to go over their independent work. We do some discussing and follow-ups during that time so that I continue to keep myself involved even in their independent work. So, there is definitely some finding a balance as the kiddos branch out toward more independence. Yet, it is a crucial step in gradually moving them toward maturity and the handling of a heavier work load.

Blessings,
Carrie