What we're doing now...

I've really streamlined what we are doing. First, my husband and I designed our own curriculum around the top 250 words in English vocabulary. We re-arranged the words into different categories with phonetic explanations. We printed the words on 3x5 cards to be used as flashcards. We have a system that is working wonderfully! I set the timer for 15 minutes every day and I sit with my dd5 on the floor. I explain the words and we go through them together slowly a few times, learning the phonic sounds that make up these words. Then we go faster; she looks at the words and tries to read them. She's getting pretty good at reading subtle differences in words such as "off" and "of", "men" and "man". Sometimes I have to remind her (look at the vowel, or look at the last sound...) After our 15 min timer beeps, we're done with our top 250 words lesson. If we finish our new words before the timer beeps, then we review past words. Daddy comes home from work later and does another very short review of the words with her. She does very well and is starting to pick up speed. She's starting to get the idea that sounding out words is for words she doesn't know, other words can just be said, and don't have to be broken down every time.

After that, we do our BJU math. I've cut out a lot of review. I briefly glance over the Teacher's Ed to see if there is anything I need to teach. Then we go straight to the workbook page. I began adding in Phonics again, but same thing...I skip the TE altogether and go straight to the workbook pages. With our 250-words, Math, and Phonics, we are now getting everything done in about 1 hour.

As for next year...I'm having 2nd thoughts about SWR. It sounds pretty time-intensive and teacher intensive. That was really BJU's downfall for me. I'm torn because I want my dd5 to be a good student and a good reader. I want a product that gets the job done. SWR probably does get the job done but I'm wondering if it will drive me crazy, LOL. I'm realizing that I'm pretty short on patience and need to pick the EASIEST and MOST Direct route to reach our goals. SWR users would probably argue that this is probably the most direct route. But is it easy? I feel like I'm going around and around in Phonetic Circles. Its obvious by now that I don't have one of those children that just picks up on phonics and reads easily. DD5 is learning the phonics rules pretty rapidly, but reading practice itself is very difficult for her. Right now she is refusing to read books to me. So I'm trying to find other ways to get the reading practice in (hence, we went back to BJU's workbook pages). I'm not sure when I'll have her read books again.