Guiding Light Homeschool

I am excited to link up with Homeschooling Hearts and Minds, and several other bloggers, for another Virtual Curriculum Fair! This week is “Language Arts”…

Language Arts has been a struggle for us since we started homeschooling in 2008 (when my son was in 7th Grade). Although my son had always gotten A’s and B’s in public school, my findings when we started homeschooling was that he didn’t know some of the most basic information. This posed an even larger issue over the years because the first almost two years of homeschooling was what I call “de-schooling”. He literally would ask if he could go to the bathroom in the very beginning ~ we had a long way to go.

Quite honestly, four years later, Language Arts is still a struggle. We started this year with a complete curriculum (our first year doing that; normally we are eclectic style). Well, mid-year I shook it up because my son was drowning in his work – language arts especially.

So currently we are using a mixture of things: Growing with Grammar, Writing Strands and Progeny Press. All of which seem to be working really well for us. I have the feeling we will be doing some “double time” work to catch up, but that is ok. My goal is for my son to UNDERSTAND what he is learning – not just pass a quick test and move on.

He was supposed to study things like The Iliad and The Odyssey this year but he had a hard time reading through a shortened version of The Epic of Gilgamesh so I decided it was more important for him to enjoy what he was reading and that he understand what he was reading so that he can truly grasp the concepts he is supposed to get. So, his current reading and study guide with Progeny Press is The Hobbit. He has, of course, already seen the new movie – and LOVED it. Yet another part that puts the pieces all together.

Writing Strands was recommended through the program we first started with this year but it wasn’t incorporated in to the schedule so I am a bit confused about how this was supposed to work. Regardless, we are using it with the other items and it seems to be working well. Again, my son is a bit behind, but once he grasps the concepts I am confident he will make great strides and be back where he should be.

Growing with Grammar is actually a review we are working on – so far we LOVE it and it is working REALLY good for us. Again, we are further back than he should be, and quite honestly I probably could have gone one up but again – I want my son to KNOW this stuff, not just pass a test.

So, this is kind of where we are right now. We are making our way through and I am feeling pretty good about where we are now and the solid foundation my son will have as we move forward. He had a bit of a struggle with Math for a short time and we were able to catch him back up, and with a much better understanding – so I am confident we will do it with Language Arts as well.

Stop by and check out what the others had to share…

Susan Anadale
http://homeschoolheartandmind.blogspot.com

Building Blocks of Education--Learning to Read  by Kristi Kerr @ The
Potter's Hand Academy
http://www.thepottershandacademy.com/building-blocks-of-education-learning-to-read/

Finding Our Way Through Language Arts by Christy @ Unexpected
Homeschool http://unexpectedhomeschool.blogspot.com/2013/01/VCFLA.html

How Does a Unit Study Teach Language Arts? by Nicole @ Schooling in
the Sun http://schoolinginthesun.blogspot.com/2013/01/how-does-unit-study-teach-language-a
rts.html

Our Language Arts Adventure by Linda @ Homeschooling6
http://training6hearts4him.blogspot.com/2013/01/our-language-arts-adventure.html

2013 Virtual Curriculum Fair-Playing with Words:  The Language Arts by
Leah Courtney @ As We Walk Along the Road
http://www.courtneysix.blogspot.com/2013/01/2013-virtual-curriculum-fair-playing.html

Virtual Curriculum Fair-Playing with Words by Karyn @ Teach Beside Me
http://www.teachbesideme.com/2013/01/virtual-curriculum-fair-playing-with.html

Virtual Curriculum Fair ~ Language Arts by Dawn @ Guiding Light
Homeschool http://guidinglighths.com/?p=792276

Writing Help in a Critical Thinking book? by Missouri Mama @ Ozark
Ramblings http://oramblings.blogspot.com/2013/01/writing-help-in-critical-thinking-book.ht
ml

Virtual Curriculum Fair: Foreign Language Immersion in the Homeschool
by Tonia @ The Sunny Patch
http://thesunnypatch.blogspot.com/2013/01/virtual-curriculum-fair-foreign.html

Formula for Reading by Erin @ Delighting in His Richness
http://delightinginhisrichness.blogspot.com/2013/01/learning-to-read-with-little-of-this.h
tml

Words and Learning by Annette @ A Net In Time
http://anetintimeschooling.weebly.com/1/post/2013/01/words-and-learning.html

A Custom Designed High School English Credit by Tech Wife @ A
Playground of Words http://www.playgroundofwords.blogspot.com/

Virtual Curriculum Fair 2013: Still Loving Language Arts by Pam @
Everyday Snapshots
http://everydaysnapshots.blogspot.com/2013/01/virtual-curriculum-fair-2013-still.html

Word Play by Lisa @ Golden Grasses
http://goldengrasses.blogspot.com/2013/01/word-play.html

Loving Language Arts by Kristen H. @ Sunrise to Sunset
http://sunrisetosunsethomeschool.com/2013/01/07/loving-language-arts/

Learning Language Arts ~ 2012-2013 School Year by Laura O in AK @ Day
by Day in Our World
http://daybydayinourworld.com/2013/01/learning-language-arts-2012-2013-school-year/

Virtual Curriculum Fair - The Language Arts Department by Joelle @
Homeschooling for His Glory
http://homeschoolingforhisglory.blogspot.ca/2013/01/virtual-curriculum-fair-2013-language.
html

Playing with Words:  The Language Arts by Christa Darr @ Fairfield
Corner Academy: The Story of Our Life
http://christadarr.blogspot.com/2013/01/playing-with-words-language-arts.html

Playing with Words:  Language Arts by April @ Coffee, Cobwebs and
Curriculum http://coffeecobwebsandcurriculum.blogspot.com/2013/01/playing-with-words-langu
age-arts.html

What Language Arts looks like in our house - Are we doing it right? by
Hillary M @ Our Homeschool Studio
http://www.ourhomeschoolstudio.com/2013/01/what-language-arts-looks-like-in-our.html

Getting lost and finding our way in Language Arts by Piwi Mum @
Learning and growing the Piwi Way
http://piwiprincess.blogspot.com/2013/01/language-arts-piwi-style.html

Have a wonderfully blessed day!