The day to day stuff has to get done. Over the years I have allowed myself to get overwhelmed, trying to do it all. I've tried Charlotte Mason, unit studies, text books, literature- based curricula, and lots of combos of them all. But... I could never keep up the way I needed. Illness would happen, to me or one of the kids, and school would fall apart for that day. An appointment or an unexpected interruption, and we were behind. I got a cold last year that put me two weeks behind on scheduled read alouds!
Once I was behind, I would feel stress to make up for lost time. I would jump from this method to that method because they all promised results while being easier on me or my kids. Then, I would feel guilty for not sticking with something longer than a year or two.
The results were that, while my daughter learned, she didn't have that steady progression of skills that adds up to success. She is well read, but her math struggles leave her feeling frustrated. She loves to write, but her grammar and sentence structure needs some work. And this is just the 12 year old.
Homeschooling is hard work! After years of trying all the different methods just so I could say that I didn't use public school methods, I came to the point where I was burnt out. I couldn't wrap my mind around planning a unit study curriculum for two kids. I was spending hours planning, but tears would fall when I looked at my half-completed plans. Finances weren't available for me to purchase that $800 lit-based, Charlotte Mason, Unit study flavored curriculum that came all planned for me... For one of my three children.
So, I ordered a couple worktexts for my daughter, smug in my certainty that it was only temporary. Then my daughter bombed her math on the 1st day of school. The diagnostic test revealed some problems. So... I ordered more worktexts.
Now, my two older students are using the same curriculum company. The younger one will transition to it in first grade.
Now, I can plan fun stuff such as field trips, projects, unit studies, etc; but the brunt of the work gets done every day, no matter what happens in our lives. We aren't falling behind. I feel a sense of freedom.
Best of all, this program doesn't take hours upon hours to do every day. We have plenty of time for all the unique learning methods that used to stress me out. I've already added extra reading, typing, and current events.
We are using Ace paces. From the reviews I've read, I'm not alone. It appears that many others, despite the negative reviewers and naysayers, have found out that their child or children do well, even flourish, with a systematic, line upon line, precept upon precept, slow building of skills.
What started out as a temporary measure has brought tremendous relief to me as a mother and homeschool teacher. I get to help my kids, explain concepts to my kids, but not have to be the center of school for school to happen. Yes, I now have more grading, but at least I know what my kids are retaining. Too often, I was never really sure how much they remembered after their narration was completed.
So... I have to say that this year, so far, has been our best in homeschooling! From one that has tried nearly every method and many curricula, that says a lot.
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