[Poll: What is your homeschooling method?]

Eclectic with a classical twist.

 

:iagree:

[Heart of Dakota vs. My Fathers Word]

We used MFWK for dd this past year. She was 4.5 when we started. By the halfway point she was bored and we were supplementing with math workbooks and phonics pathways (to speed up the reading process). I didn't know she loves math and apparently was ready for 1st math work which is why we supplemented there. The phonics are very slow moving in MFWK.

 

Now we loved the science aspect. Every week was a new topic and we really enjoyed learning about each of them so much. My dd's binder from this year is stuffed with pictures she made (handprint octopus in a painted ocean, a leaf poster detailing the different parts of a leaf, a poster of the moon cycle, etc), experiments she did (homegrown geodes, shadow drawings from same time of the day in the different seasons) and many other items. I love the curriculum and will be using it again for my son. However, I will supplement with extra math and phonics if he's ready.

 

I have found no curriculum is perfect. So, if you find something that you love in one curriculum over the other, then it probably will be something you enjoy teaching! You can always supplement what is lacking.

[totally confused about science for 1st grade]

I have struggled with the science thing too. I wanted something that would give my dd a strong start. We ended up with REAL S.O. We actually deviated from the norm in that DD will be doing Earth and Space for 1st as that is where her interest is, probably due to mommy's background (I have a M.S. in atmospheric sciences).

 

Having a science background I wanted something strong from the start. I remember as a child what stuck with me the most was the doing, not the reading. I love REAL S.O. for this. It encourages the kids to take actual measurements and observations from the first week. To me it was real science.

 

There's a great booklist full of real books and website list at the beginning of the TM broken down by the units. There are pages in each unit labeled "For My Notebook". This notebook is where I will have dd add her narrations.

 

Good luck!

[If you are not using workbox system....]

I bought a nylon wall file for my boys. I print out their weekly schedules on Sunday night. Each slot has a folder with their schedule for each day. 5 for my oldest, and 5 for my middle (Mon - Fri). The folder has the day of the week on it. The printed daily schedule has check boxes for them to mark when done. It worked well last year.

 

I did this exact same thing last year with my dd. It worked beautifully. We even used the exact same wall file from OT.

 

My dd is going bonkers recently with the slots being empty. :lol: I guess it's time to start back!

[Which Phonics did you LOVE or Hate, and why?]

We love Phonics Pathways. We tried HOP and 100EZ and dd hated them both. She claimed HOP was too easy and 100EZ brought her to tears with the symbols and such.

 

PPs has been great. We incorprate the games and use the BOB books for reinforcement and confidence building. This weekend she picked up the book Owen and read it to her brother with little help (just 1 or 2 blends we have not gotten to). We started PPs in March (after she became bored with MFW K phonics).

 

PPs is also a great choice for a whole program that's cost effective.

 

Good luck!

[I need a list of best and worst places to homeschool.]

I think GA is pretty easy. Send in intent form, send in monthly attendance.

 

The yearly written report is to be filed by you... where? I put mine in a file folder. The standardized test scores from our kids are filed... um.... well we haven't reached third grade yet but I'll probably put them in another file folder.:lol:

[Need some advice]

:grouphug:

 

Thank you for your encouragement. The next time the subject comes up I'm just going to get up the nerve to tell her "My child is my business and I'm doing what I feel is right."

[monthly mortgage]

1000.00 which includes city and state taxes (we live in city limits.) and homeowners.

 

We have a 3/2full and 2 half bath townhouse with three finished levels. ~ 2000 sq ft. It's also an end unit that overlooks woods. thought we lucked into it but the value has now diminished by 34%. ugh.

[Do you spank your children?]

Haven't read all replies. But, yes we do spank. Our dd is 5 and our ds is 2. Ds dosen't get spankings as he's just learning the rules. Once he shows signs that he can distinguish our rules then it will become a viable form of punishment. We only spank for serious infractions (like running into the road, or outright, blatant disobedience). We use other forms of punishment for mild infractions.

 

Do I like to spank? NO. I don't enjoy it. My heart crumbles into tiny pieces when we have to.

 

Has dd learned from her spankings (probably a total of 3 in her lifetime). Yes!

 

And for the record myself and dh were spanked as kids. yet, we both love our parents more than imaginable.

[Need some advice]

I see her quite often in several types of settings.

 

It's been a struggle as she is quite overbearing in her opinions and I have been trying to "turn the other cheek". But, a couple of weeks ago her dd that is in my dd's sunday school class said something mean to my dd (that she had heard from her mom of course).

 

Her claim is that with my dd advancing quickly then she will not be able to relate to peers her own age. In retrospect, it's quite funny as my dd has many wonderful friendships with kids of all ages and her kids are the troublemakers! :glare:

 

She's not so much of a person to take to the bean dip being passed. So I guess a more direct approach is needed. I cringe at that; as I am more of a dip passer than a blunt peron. :blush5:

 

Thanks ya'll.

[Need some advice]

I have a dd who's 5. She completed her K work last year and has started on her 1st work now. Her ped. has acknowledge her giftedness (even though no formal testing has been done).

 

My problem is one of my fellow homeschooler friends has begun to be-little my education of my dd. She keeps hounding me about dds socialiization. Tellingme that it's in dds best interest to work in the level where she would be if in PS.

 

How do I reply to her "adivce" tactfully? How do I stick up for what we are doing when I know it's the right thing and dd is breezing through her work complainig it's too easy?

[New and in need of history help!]

Thank you everyone!!! It really helped. I have been reading your replies and just absorbing them.

 

I pulled some books about ancients and US history this week and dd defintley wants to learn about the ancients. She is so into the Egyptians right now. So I am thinking I'll probably go with SOTW and the AG. Then like you all suggested around Thanksgiving and other national holidays sprinkle in some US history.

 

Thank you all again!!!:D

[If you haven't read WTM, why do you come here?]

I had never thought about a classical education before. I have never read TWTM (I now have it on order at the library so I can read it). However, we stumbled into MFW for K and loved it. Then this year we are using an ecclectic bit for 1st and each of the curriculums I looked at meshed with "classical" principles. I do not consider us "classical" homeschoolers. But, I like to think that when a curriculum is good it doesn't matter.

 

Plus, I have yet to find a board with as many people willing to help newer homeschoolers and answer questions so openly! I thank you all for that!

[New and in need of history help!]

I am so confused about history. I was so sure about everything else and now history just has me stumped!

 

My dd will be in 1st and I am torn about what to do. SOTW and Truthquest have popped out at me. But I wanted opinions from people who have used one, both or even something else.

 

DD loves to read, but she is senstitive to certain topics. So, while I don't want to shelter her, I would like to leave out the harsher parts of history until she's a bit older. She loves the ancients (went to see the King Tut exhibit this year and has been talking about it since) but is extremely interested in US history (thanks to her American Girl doll).

 

Any reccomendations will do I just need some input!

 

Thanks for any and all help!

[Did you choose a math curricula based on longevity of the program??]

We didn't research the math program we ended up with. In fact the one I had reserached and was ready to purchase was a complete no go for my dd. She went with me to the local hs convention and we spent over an hour at the RS booth with her "playing" math. For the first time ever I made an impulse buy on curriculum.

 

Since getting the program I am impressed and will probably use it through Level E. This way we will have a sense of consistency with math through elementary. Then.... well who knows??? I'll probably let her guide me in that decision again when we run out of RS levels. My thought is if she likes the program then she'll like math. That's what matters to me is that she enjoys the subject. ;)

 

Good luck.

[Does anybody not have a homeschool room?]

How funny this was asked. We first moved into our current house a year ago and I was so happy there was a little room that could be used as the school room. Since then I have realized that being in a room away from the rest of the house would not do. So we moved dd's desk into the play room. Makes it easier to watch ds(who is very much a 2 year old toddler boy!). :-)