I keep doubting myself....Anyone use Abeka Curriculum?
So my oldest son did Abeka for second grade. It has gone pretty well thus far although I am worried if we are doing enough. So I ordered Abeka for him for 3rd and the K for my second son for next year. Well 3rd grade is A LOT different then 2nd, and there is a lot more work. I am just freaking out thinking...."Is he ready?" "Can he do it" "Can I teach him it" I am really fretting!!
Has anyone else noticed the difference from 2nd to 3rd is really pretty big?
Just remember Abeka was originally designed for classroom use, so there is a ton of unnecessary busy work. You do not have to do all of it. Pick what you need, toss the rest. Don't let the curriculum boss you around, it works for YOU not the other way around. I hear this complaint about Abeka pretty frequently, so it's not just you. BTW, keep in mind, it's only 3rd grade, school should still be fun and carefree, not the "make-or-break" year in education, LOL.
I use abeka, because my 5th grader was using it when I took him out of school. I stopped using the spelling book, we use the dictionary. I also just go through the other books and highlight what I think is interesting, and then discuss more in detail about what he seems interested in. The math is okay, he seems to like it.
I am not sure if I will continue next year or not, depends on him and me too !
If you are doing the accredited program, make sure that you get all the necessary work done (the stuff that they need to see). I have called and spoke to them about inconsistencies in the seatwork (as in things not being listed properly or pages missing). They told me that the seatwork is there to keep the class busy while other things are going on like reading groups and oral testing. We LOVE this program. You can tweak it to fit your needs. We may have to make adjustments for 2nd grade, but we will see when it gets here. We have one in K and she is thriving and so far ahead of other kids her age.
Thanks Ladies, I feel like my son is excelling in some of the curriculum (Math, Science, History) but struggling in Reading, Spelling, etc. I feel like if I dont do it all that he will get behind. How do you ladies have the confidence to know your teaching your kids just fine? I am scared if I sent him back to public school right now he would fail miserably :(
I used aBeka with a 4th grader and a 6th grader. My kids used the other grades in a Christian school. It WAS overwhelming because I tried to do everything in the TMs, all the workbook pages, all tests and quizzes for both grades.
In retrospect, I could have relaxed a bit with it, made it more fun.
With my daughter, I like Heart of Dakota better. The style of teaching and learning fits us better. It isn't like classroom work at all.
I don't have any that have used Abeka in 3rd grade, but I used to work in a christian school that used Abeka and I know that there is a lot of work that I think is unnecessary.
We use Abeka for my daughter (kindergarten) and we use some Abeka for my boys (9th grade). We do not do everything. I pick what I feel they need extra practice in and concentrate on that. Right now, my daughter does not do any of the copywork. She is doing very well without it, so we just don't do it.
I am sure that you are capable of teaching. You just need to breathe..lol. I know it can be overwhelming. This is our first year HS and sometimes I wonder what I've gotten myself into, especially with the boys since they are in High school.
ABeka is wonderful for younger grades and very strong in phonics, however the math curriculum is lacking. I think it is pretty easy to follow. This is the same curriculum your child would have in a private school, there is no difference in the curriculums that they distribute.
What works best? Please help.
- NoraDun
on Mar. 1, 2013 at 11:39 AM