Is it time to move on?

[Jeni]

It was my plan this year to move through volumes 1-3 one last time, re-rowing many favorites and getting to a few titles we haven't done yet. The kids loved the first book we did this year (Giraffe, 1st row), were mildly interested in the next 2 (Finest Horse and Wild Horses of Sweetbriar, both 1st rows) weren't really interested in Duchess (it was our 3rd row of it) then they liked our last book, Wee Gillis, but when I'd try to discuss it with them or do an activity they were supremely disinterested and kept asking if we were done yet. :unsure: Granted, I'm not a very creative teacher. Every once in a while I'll have a great idea but not often or even with every story. I tend to teach by discussion alot because I can't seem to find another way.

My oldest two are 7yo and 9yo. They've rowed many of the FIAR 1-3 titles and none of the volume 4 titles but I'm wondering if maybe it's time to move to Beyond with them. We are reading Indian in the Cupboard as a read aloud right now and they are loving it. They are independently researching Indians on their own. Might they be trying to tell me they are ready to move on?

[ami*]

I think I would graduate them from Volumes I-III and go to Volume IV. I won't be able to go to Beyond without doing Volume IV! ;)

I think Volume IV is a nice stepping stone between I-III and Beyond. Just my .02. Hopefully, others will chime in with their advice, too. :)

[Jeni]

Skipping Volume 4 right now doesn't bother me. Even if I graduate the boys to Beyond, I'll keep 6yo dd, who is no way ready for Beyond, on my original plan of Volumes 1-3 this year (she was 3 - 4yo the first time we rowed many of them so they are new to her) and then Volume 4 next year. So they will still get Volume 4 eventually but more in a listening in capacity while they have their own Beyond lessons. Not to mention dd will get a kick out of having her very own lessons which would pique her interest. :thumb:

Just based on their reactions to the recent lessons and their own self initiated studies from our read aloud, I'll thinking maybe they need more challenging lessons which I'm sure I could do from V.1-3 but not being terribly creative, I'm thinking maybe I should just let the Beyond volumes help me out with more challenging lessons.

[Heather W]

I would definitely move them away from volumes 1-3. They are ready. You might choose to try volume 4 and provide them opportunities to do independent research.

I moved my 7yo up to Beyond and now I don't think he'd enjoy volume 4 as much (he'll be 9 in a month), but I sure do wish that I had thought to do volume 4 then before he started BY. So, I would at least consider it further before you dismiss it.

Otherwise, yes! I would absolutely move them up to BY and I wouldn't hesitate on that decision. You'll all in enjoy it!

[Jeni]

What about mixing it up? I found a nice unit study on Woodland Indians that would go nicely with Indian in the Cupboard so I think I may do that with them. My 7yo requested Boxcar Children as our next read aloud when we started Indian in the Cupboard. So what if we threw a few Volume 4 titles in between Beyond books? Could that work?

[Heather W]

What about mixing it up? I found a nice unit study on Woodland Indians that would go nicely with Indian in the Cupboard so I think I may do that with them. My 7yo requested Boxcar Children as our next read aloud when we started Indian in the Cupboard. So what if we threw a few Volume 4 titles in between Beyond books? Could that work?
Sure can! Have fun!!

[Lynna]

I don't know anything about Vol. 4, but if the older two are interested in titles like, The Indian in the Cupboard and The Boxcar Children, I would definitely go to Beyond with them. You can still do vol 4 with the younger kids. Maybe you could do a beyond title then do one or two from vol 4. Like you said, "Mix things up a little."

[Robin(CA)]

Do vol 4! It is great and the lessons are certainly more challenging than vols 1-3.

[KatieCO]

Here's what we did: We did 2-3 titles in Vol 4 as a transition, then started BY. I'd then schedule 1-2 Vol 4 reads between our BY studies. Got it all in that way! :D

[Jeni]

Thanks so much ladies! :kiss:

I think we are going to use Indian in the Cupboard as our lessons for the next couple of weeks and then do Boxcar Children, then a Volume 4 title or two...since the boys are still on the young side of Beyond, we'll go slow, 3 maybe 4 books a year and other studies inbetween.

Dh just told me this morning that he sold his car (we weren't planning to sell it for a few more months but someone offered to buy it off him and we're going to do it Monday) so I'll have a little extra cash to buy some supplies for Beyond that I had been waiting to buy. :thumb:

[denice]

I would definately move on and mix Beyond with Vol.4. Last year we would do a beyond unit and then a vol 4 book or 2. Sometimes I actually felt the Vol. 4 lessons were more intense than the Beyond. I don't know if anyone else felt that , maybe it is because in Vol. 4 the lessons are very well detailed and in Beyond it is more teacher and student generated, you go as deep as you want with both. I would not want to miss Vol. 4. My 12 year old son was involved in Vol. 4 with us last year because we had never rowed them with him , and he loved the books, and learned alot.