One Curriculum to Fit Two Very Different Twins?
By Heather Idoni
Added Thursday, June 25, 2009
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The Homeschooler's Notebook
Encouragement and Advice for Homeschool Families
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Vol. 10 No 47 June 25, 2009
ISSN: 1536-2035
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Copyright (c) 2009 - Heather Idoni, FamilyClassroom.net
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IN THIS ISSUE:
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Notes from Heather
-- Happy Fourth of July!
Helpful Tip
-- 'Toy Theater' Site
Winning Website
-- Math TV
Reader Question
-- Teaching Twins Together
Additional Notes
-- Newsletter Archives
-- Sponsorship Information
-- Reprint Information
-- Subscriber Information
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Notes from Heather
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Just a quick note to let everyone know our next regular issue
will be sent out on Monday, July 6th. If you live in the U.S.,
hope you have an enjoyable and relaxing 4th of July holiday!
Also -- our next special high school edition is July 13th. If
anyone has questions particularly about high school, please
send them in!
Use the following address: hn-questions@familyclassroom.net
Thanks!
-- Heather
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Do you have comments to share? Please do!
Send your emails to: mailto:heather@familyclassroom.net
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Helpful Tip
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"Hello -- My husband has spent many years creating www.toytheater.com
as a free and quality educational website for PreK through Grade 5.
It covers areas of math, reading, art and music. Please visit when
you have a chance to see if it can help with your homeschooling
experience. It is completely free and will remain that way. We want
children to learn!" -- Maaria Hoagland, learning@toytheater.com
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Do you have an idea, experience, or tip to share? Please write!
Send to: mailto:HN-ideas@familyclassroom.net
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Winning Website
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Math TV - http://www.mathtv.com
Imagine taking a math concept and having several people explain how
to solve various problems. That's just what you'll find at Math TV!
This innovative website has videos featuring different people solving
problems encountered by high school students. Subjects include basic
math, algebra, calculus, and trigonometry.
-- Cindy Prechtel, http://www.HomeschoolingFromTheHeart.com
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Last Issue's Reader Question
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"You all are such a valuable source of information and I really
appreciate all of you and the time you so generously give in sharing
information. I am searching for a first grade program to use with my
nine year old twins. My daughter is reading and my son is not. I would
like something with videos or some sort of viewing. I use A Beka with
my older children but it is too advanced for my younger ones. We have
made it half way through the first grade and it is far too complicated
for my son at this time. We need something that does not progress so
quickly. A more gentle approach maybe. Any information or suggestions
you can offer would be so greatly appreciated as I am at a loss as to
what would work for them. Thank you so very much for all the wisdom
represented here and your willingness to share it with the rest of us!"
-- Linda
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Our Readers' Responses
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"Linda, if I'm understanding you're question, it sounds as if you're
trying to keep them together. It might be better for them if you
teach them separately, at least for reading. Girls usually develop
reading and other language skills earlier than boys. I'm wondering
if your son is simply not ready to progress at the same pace his
sister is. I believe that both children will be frustrated if they
are expected to accommodate the other's pace. Your daughter should
not be held back, and your son should not be pushed beyond what he's
ready to do.
I acknowledge that some people use videos with success, but I personally
do not recommend them. The best teaching is done heart-to-heart, and
provides rich relationship-building experiences; you'll be giving all
that up if you stick them in front of a TV. I've also found that pre-
fabricated curricula can be difficult to use because children progress
at varied rates in different subjects. It's a bit time-consuming to
select your materials smorgasbord style, but families who do that seem
to be more content with what they're doing, and have fewer struggles.
Do family read-alouds with all of you together. For now, that will be
your son's reading program. I would suggest for your daughter that you
simply let her read. If she's reading well, she probably does not need
a formal reading program.
I'll share with you what we have used, but there might be other resources
out there that will work better for your family. I'm doing this simply
to give you an example of how it works to individualize your curriculum.
For math, we started by using hands-on, real life items using numbers --
money, measuring tools, scales, thermometers, etc., and also played games
that required the use of numbers. Then we used Developmental Math in the
earlier levels and are using 'Life of Fred' now. For history, we used
mostly Beautiful Feet and supplemented with Mantle Ministries and Vision
Forum materials. For science, we took nature walks and kept journals
when they were young, then we went through the History of Science course
from Beautiful Feet, then did God's Design for Science in physics and
chemistry, supplemented with Robert Krampf's experiments and lots of
materials from Answers in Genesis. Whenever the children show a special
interest in something, we allow them to pursue it in more depth. For
writing, we did copywork at the early levels, then the Excellence in
Writing program. We also enjoyed 'Caught'ya' for a fun grammar supplement:
Most of their science and history they do together; some of their math
they do together and some according to what they're needing at the time.
Most of their language has been done separately because of drastic
differences in interests and ability." -- Mary Beth
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"When my children were in First Grade we worked with Pathway Readers
by Rod and Staff (I have also heard good things about their English
program) and the Explode the Code series.
-- and Phonics for Spelling and Reading by Bonnie Dettmer (I don't know
if the Dettmer curriculum is available anymore, but Institute for
Excellence in Writing has a spelling program that works well.) We used
those through second or third grade and then moved on to Abeka Grammar
and Wordly Wise.
I continued to read aloud to them and assign them silent reading from
age-appropriate books and at age 4 and 5 they were taught reading with
'Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons'.
This laid a firm foundation." -- Kathy in CA
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"Linda, I also have boy/girl twins, yet they are now 17 years oldand going into their Senior year in high school. Although I am not
THE authority on teaching or on twins, I do feel that in the last
12 years that we have homeschooled I have learned a few things on
the way and I hope my experience is somewhat helpful for you.
First, I have to say that no one knows the difference between boys
and girls better than a homeschooling mother of boy/girl twins.
They are different. It doesn't matter what you think or want to
think or anything, they are just different. It is true that girls
'tend' to be faster at learning to read, however, it is also true
that all children do things as differently as God created snowflakes.
So, as parents we have the most wonderful opportunity to learn things
the average person doesn't always get. With that said...
The most important lesson I have gotten is this: I can use whatever
curriculum that I like -- I just need to tailor it to the child I
am working with. My daughter took to phonics like a fish to water
and can spell and read with the best. She is very visual and auditory.
Her twin brother, on the other hand, is very hands-on -- and because
he is a boy is very attracted to anything multimedia. So, my daughter
learned to read 'the Phonics way'. My son learned to read by sight
word with video and music. He used paper letters on the floor, and
magnets on the fridge. He can spell, because I forced phonics, but
that doesn't always work. I have another son that also benefitted
from the videos we used but really did learn phonics, can spell and
just doesn't really care to read. The next one is in preschool and
it will be all music from here -- no videos. He is easily distracted
and needs one-on-one attention and is very auditory.
Another thing I learned, was this: Just because someone else thought
it was 'perfect' didn't mean it was. I had to give myself permission
to really take some time to search out what was going to work for my
family. First, it had to be Bible based, then I had to like it. The
last criteria was that I could change it to fit the child. You can
take any program (including Abeka) and tone it down or speed it up.
Every child will work differently, including twins. So, if you like
Abeka, if it fits your family philosophy, then have your daughter
continue at her speed and slow down a touch with your son. He'll
catch up. They always do. Then you can supplement his with a video
or two.
The last thing I learned that was very important was this: Reading
to your children is like a balm on their mind. It allows them to
think and experience without the trouble of having to sound out every
letter. It always makes better readers.
In answer to your question about videos, the sight word videos we
still use are called 'You Can Read':
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1560159901?ie=UTF8&tag=hsaudio-20
I hope that helps even a little. I know it can be so overwhelming,
but take it slow. You have plenty of years ahead of you and God is
on your side." -- Marlena Jo in WY
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Answer our NEW Question
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"I am new to home schooling. We pulled our 6 year-old out of public
school because of behavior problems associated with his ADHD. He is
doing great except for one area... writing. He really does not like
to write. From my reading about ADHD this appears to be a common
problem. He is also left handed, which has its own set of challenges.
Any work that involves writing turns into a frustrating wrestling match.
Just getting him to practice his spelling words is a chore. How can I
help him get the writing practice he needs without the frustration and
tears? Any and all suggestions are welcome." -- Charli
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Do you have some ideas and/or practical advice or wisdom for Charli?
Please send your answer to: mailto:HN-answers@familyclassroom.net
[Answers will appear in our next regular issue, Monday, July 6th]
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