Cha cha cha Chaaaaanges!!

I sang that title - and now so did you??  Do you ever make changes or tweaks to your homeschoool?  Of course you do, look who I am asking?!?!  I am working on next year's school list, and one of my main goals is to do it more economical and use things I already have on hand. Yet, I don't want our homeschool to be too different, because, for the most part what we do works for us, and I don't like changing curriculum.  When we do make changes it is after something is completed (unless it is just really horrible, but we haven't done that in years).

Currently I am using CLE LA with Noodle.  He is almost done with the 100 series (1st grade). He is a second grader, but in my opinion the CLE books seem more advanced than typical first grade. He is kind of burned out on all the writing and each lesson being FOUR pages.  Lately, I have been having him tell me the answers and I have been writing them in, just so we can get the lessons done.  For the most part he quickly answers everything and knows the lessons. 

I happen to have a 2nd Grade Rod and Staff English set, so my plan is to go to that when we finish the CLE books (we are on 109).  I plan to do most of it verbally or let him write on the whiteboard.  I really want to give him a break from having to write too much.  He will be required to do the tests on paper, but that's all.  I think we are going to move fairly quickly through RS 2 because the first 3/4 of the text covers all the things we have covered in either CLE or First Language Lessons 1 and 2.

To cover the phonics that he'll be missing from CLE, and not getting from Rod and Staff, I will have him continue the Explode the Code series once or twice a week.  I will be honest. I am torn because I love CLE and it includes spelling.  Switching to Rod and Staff means I have to find spelling from somewhere. I own Spelling Power and I know there are free spelling lists on the Internet, but I like the way CLE slips them into the lessons.  Also, Explode the Code doesn't cover the phonics stuff the same way, or as thoroughly as CLE.  Sigh.  I have told myself that I after finishing Rod and Staff 2 we could always go back to CLE and do the 200 series. Additionally, the CLE 200 series has cursive writing and introduces diagramming, which means I wouldn't need other resources to cover those topics if I just stuck with CLE.  Rod and Staff will cover diagramming too.  Cursive could always be incorporated with copy work pages to go with History.....hmmmmm....I think I like that idea.  I just feel like we are drowning in workbooks right now.

I did find a a really cute spelling sheet on Pinterest, so if I go with Spelling Power I will use the spelling sheet to do our "tests." 

I think I'd also like to start doing vocabulary with Noodle, but I can't make up my mind about this, because we have science and history related vocabulary and I don't want overkill.

We are getting close to the end of The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading. I love it and it saved my hiney when I was panicked about teaching Noodle to read, but I am ready to move on.  Noodle is reading fairly well, but we are still going to finish the lessons.  When we are done we are going to ramp up the chapter book reading and start using more Literature Guides - mostly Progeny Press and Teacher Created Resources.  I already own a library of chapter books and many of the guides - so I am ready!!

Awhile back I posted that we would be switching Noodle's math from Abeka 2 to Teaching Textbooks 3.  Noodle wants the TT3 really bad, but I told him we weren't going to start it until we finish Abeka.  I know he likes the idea of no workbook, and he likes the format of TT3, but I really, really like Abeka and I can't help but think we'd be taking a step back by going to TT3.  If after starting TT3 I discover I don't like it I know we could go back to Abeka.

For Bear, I am switching to Khan Academy. He has one more chapter of Teaching Textbooks Algebra I.  Khan Academy covers Algebra I and II and also has Geometry.  It's FREE and he loves the teaching style of Sal Khan. SCORE!  That means I can buy other stuff with the money from the sale of our TT Algebra I.

I haven't gotten very far in to WWE 2, and I am considering setting it aside for a while..  I have Tapestry of Grace Writing Aids and I plan on incorporating that  fully once we start Year 4 of TOG later in the calendar year.  Before that though I am going to try some other things. I keep second guessing myself and I don't feel Noodle has done enough "writing" - but I will admit I might just be underestimating what we actually do.  I don't know.  I do I need a change in what we are doing to find out if what we are doing has been working. Am I making any sense?

I have a fabulous review item coming up (if I get chosen) and I really want to try it with Noodle for a change of pace in the writing department.  I'd also like to try "book reports" which I know doesn't go with the Classical Method, but it was a part of my childhood that I want my kids to suffer through. Hahaha! I mean, to "experience." 

For History we are continuing with Tapestry of Grace and Veritas Press Self Paced Online History Program.  They perfectly complement each other.

The change I made in our schedule seems to be working fairly well.  We have Bible daily.  Math, Language Arts and Latin on M-W-F and Science, History, Geography and Fine Arts on Tues/Thurs.

Those are the immediate changes. I am also working on our 2012-2013 Curriculum Plans and a post on that will be coming in the near future.

Have you made any changes in your homeschool recently???