New to Beyond...??'s

[Shannon 8540]

Hi there. We just started Beyond last week with Thomas Edison. We had planned to use FIAR vol. 4 this year, but for some reason it didn't work for me, so we ended up having a bit of a hodgepodge year - but it was still fruitful. Anyway, I had planned for us to read Thomas Edison, so I pulled out my unused copy of Beyond FIAR and thought we might give it a try. I needed some added umph to get me through the end of the year. I am liking this so far. I really am ready for something like this where I don't have to hit science, LA, history EVERY day....something easy to follow. I purchased Steve's talks on teaching multiple children and was helped by some of the things he shared. My concern is that so many of you add science and history and other things to FIAR. I know I don't have to do this...but I guess I'm concerned that if you find you need more supplementation in the areas of history and science than will I feel this way? Any thoughts on this? Anyway, if I do use Beyond, I think all I'd really be up for adding would be a few literature read alouds and a few history read alouds that tie in somehow with our studies. I plan to do a little more with SWR for spelling and we use Bob Jones & Miquon Math. Not long ago I started using LLATL with both kids, but decided to take a week off, because there was only time in the day for either LLATL or Beyond and the day was getting too long. I am really looking for next year to be a lighter year. My other question related to giving assignments. My other question is this: How do you handle giving assignments to different age children or doing longer projects? If one child's assignment takes several days and one child's assignment is simpler and only takes one day OR you decide to do a longer project...do you just wait until you are completed with the assignments/projects to pick the book back up? Do you find you lose momentum with the book or do you not worry about this? Sorry this is so long!

[Suz MamaFrog]

I'll try to answer your questions in the order you presented them:

1.) Supplementing BYFIAR - Most supplement NOT because they feel theyNEED to, but because they WANT to do so. Some supplement history to present it chronologically, which FIAR/BYFIAR doesn't. Some supplement history to present a broader view (world history, or more in depth US history, or the history of their country if not US,) than FIAR provides. As far as science goes, I think most who supplement science do so because they want a more logical sequence of concepts than what FIAR?BYFIAR provides. Others, I think, may do so because they do not trust their own abilities at arranging/planning/implementing science on their own. If you want these things now, if these things are a part of a "complete" education, or feel you just won't be able to "pull it off," then you have answered your own question, in a way. We DO supplement FIAR/BYFIAR with history, because I like my dc to have a broader, more chronoligical view of history than FIAR provides. I DO NOT supplement science, other than to make scrapbook/notebooks as we complete our units. It's a matter of personal choice. Only you can answer that question.........

2.) LA - If you want a "lighter" year, do less. Choose something lighter and gentler, that both dc could use together, like ILL. Or create your own. There's a post (http://fiarhq.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72528) on the FIAR boards where I describe briefly how we do/used to do LA without a program.

3.) Assignments - I give both dc the same assignments/type of assignments. I typically help ds, my younger, with his, while dd works independently. Or, if that's not possible, we'll simply spread a project or assignment over several days, to keep them together. I don't have both in BYFIAR, but we do this with history, LA, cooking/sewing, etc. I'll break ds's projects up into smaller pieces that he's able to handle more easily on his own, for example, or I'll assign him two or three different short paragraphs/writing assignments to dd's one longer, more involved report, etc.

I hope this is of some help to you. BYFIAR doesn't have to be any more cimplicated than FIAR. Don't make it harder tha it has to be. Remember homeschooling isn't rocket science unless you're studying rocket scientists!! ;)

Anyother questions, please don't hesitate to ask! Feel free to PM me if you'd like.

Blessings!
Suz

[Rebe]

I think that the FIAR boards can be misleading as to how many people supplement history or science with FIAR or BY. If we don't supplement, we don't talk a lot about not supplementing, KWIM? But if someone does supplement, then they might ask a question or mention it in a post somewhere, in order to talk to others who use it, too.

So anyway, just be assured that you don't have to supplement history or science with BY. I don't. :D Through 6th grade (FIAR and BY for us), we don't supplement either of those subjects. (My oldest tested really well on the Stanford in both subjects at the end of 6th grade, too!) My oldest loves history, but I don't add anything to his studies. He simply reads history books on his own, whatever he may be interested in. Your plan of adding occasional read-alouds is what we do here. Or I might get a science book or two on a certain topic. But usually what Becky has in the manual is so thorough, I often don't have to get anything additional.

For your other question, I don't have two in BY at the same time, so I'm no help there. :)

[Tracey]

Hi :hi:

We are currently using Vol 4 (almost done :unsure:) and Beyond. We do not supplement anything. I feel that both offer enough choices that it is not necessary in our homeschool. We do, however take many bunny trails on topics that are interesting for dds and by doing this we cover A LOT of material. Both my kids read a lot on their own as well.

I never worry that they are not learning enough. When we started out of course as a newbie I did purchase school in a box but found that to be unrealistic and boring and then I found FIAR. :kiss: We really have not used anything else and both my kids are testing at 95% or above on standardized tests (not a brag, I am just saying).

We do use Singapore math and living math which is great.

I think with this type of curriculum, you just have to de-school yourself and realize that it is okay not to fill in worksheets all day. I feel like schools are artificial in some ways by keeping all the subjects separated. You can find a lot of history in science, math, and language arts. You can find a lot of science in history, math, and language arts as well(I think you get the point). Life is not compartmentalized and that is exactly what this type of curriculum shows.

If you are worried about chronological order just do a timeline. You can just add things as they are learned. We have the FIAR timeline notebook and a wall timeline. You could also, for example, if you are learning about pioneers you could point out some interesting events and people from other parts of the world and tie them together. In other words, we did a artist study on Claude Monet while we were working on our pioneer study (which was prompted by vol 4 Cowboy Charlie) because he was born in 1840. We also took that opportunity to learn a little about France in that time period because he was born there.

This is a very fun and user friendly curriculum but since most of us went to public or private school we were taught a different way and I think sometimes that makes us question ourselves.

I hope the responses you get are helpful. :)

[Anjie in PA]

We are another non-supplementing family. We sometimes expand on a subject by getting out a bunch of library books, finding online resources, etc., but find that that gives us more than enough to do!

Also, I pretty much give my girls the same assignments. Occasionally I will have Laura read an extra book, or I expect her assignments to be a bit more in-depth, but that's all.

Hope we are helpful to you! :group:

[Shannon 8540]

Ladies, these replies are helpful. I am not overly worried about the kids getting what they need. I do feel FIAR or Beyond is enough. I think it's just that I only have so much time per day that I can give to their school and we do love history and enjoy reading great literature. This year and last year we studied American History and we really enjoyed that. I just don't do that well when I've got to many burners on at once. I worry that I will miss chronological history, because we've been on that track. We do love being immersed in history. But not following any set curriculum this year was a pleasant surprise and yet, almost not enough direction. Maybe that's why BFIAR is a refreshing change. No curriculum is perfect (Beautiful Feet & Heart of Dakota have worked well for us in different seasons) but what I think is lacking in our homeschool is the opportunity for the kids to respond and participate more in the learning. Some of the projects and activities in Beyond really allow the child so much creativity and thoughtfulness. I don't know, I'm just thinking out loud here. I probably just need to give the unit study we're on a little more time and see what I think at the end of it. Tomorrow we go learning about dew. :)