advice for my school, 3rd, 7th grader

[Kelly]

Hello,

I have a 3rd grader who is a good reader, etc. and has done a year of Rod and Staff. I have purchased Aesop's A and plan to do that. Do I need a separate spelling program?

Also, and more importantly/urgently, I have a daughter, 11 3/4 who is doing mostly 7th grade work next year. She is a strong and quick reader, though not as strong as my firstborn was, who was a national merit scholar...It is hard to look at our kids comparatively. But in co-op settings she tends to be tops in her class. She has done solid grammar programs (Abeka and Rod and Staff) for 3 years at least. So, I purchased the Homer, thinking that's what I needed. But it looks to me like I should have purchased something else. What do you advise? Aesop's B, or Aesop and Homer for Older Beginners...? My budget is tight, but want what is best.

Thanks,
Kelly

[Carolyn]

Aesop B is probably not a good option for your older daughter. If Homer looks too challenging, then the Aesop and Homer for Older Beginners may be a poor fit as well, as it covers Aesop in 3 weeks and spend the remainder of the time in Homer. What I would suggest is to review/introduce the skills in Aesop (since you already have that book) and move into Homer when she is comfortable with the skill set of Aesop.

There are plenty of opportunities to practice spelling in Aesop. If you'd like a formal program, you would need to get something separate. Some people work with spelling informally (probably those blessed with 'natural' spellers) and the practice in Aesop is sufficient.

Carolyn

[Kelly]

Sorry for creating any confusion. What I meant to say was that, as I looked at your website, it seems that you suggest a 6th/7th grader not skip Aesop's altogether, as I had planned on doing. So, I am asking, is it okay for us to just jump into Homer with my advanced 6th grader, somewhat early 7th grader? I am willing to do the older beginner if that is necessary, I just was saying that finances are tight and I did go ahead and get the whole Homer set. However, if skipping Aesop's is unwise, I want to know and do what is best.

She is doing 7th grade work, and even 8th grade + math and science this year.

I hope that I was clearer this time. I look forward to your advice.

Blessings,
Kelly

[greengables]

Kelly, With your daughter's grammar background, you will probably be fine beginning with Homer. You could use the A & B set, and just take her through at a quicker pace, or you could purcahse the Beginners set to go with your Homer core. It's really up to you. The advantage to you in using the Older Beginners workbooks will be less scheduling/planning for you if you want to get her through Homer in one school year. But it really wouldn't be that difficult for you. You would just evaluate which lessons you can combine, and you may even skip some review material.
I hope this helps you. Let us know if you have further questions.

Kathy

[Kelly]

Kathy,

I thank you and Carolyn for your answers.

By the way, I am finding the core Aesop's beginning very helpful to my overall grasp of classical writing. I felt like a dunce, but never got my mind completely around classical writing methodology. I saw enough to know it was what I wanted. And I felt pretty confident that I had experienced a writing teacher that used the approach in many ways. I am still a novice to much of it, but now I see the whole forest a little more clearly, and feel even more excited about the journey and end result. I've been seeking this path for a long time, since I began classically educating.

For those of us who have not been schooled in classical ed, finding our way involves trial and error, discovery, mist. It is exciting when you find something, and the path clears up and you see your goal in sight. That is how I feel at this time.

Thanks to Carolyn, Kathy, Lene, and Tracy for helping us and leading the way.

Blessings,
Kelly