Targhee
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Posts posted by Targhee
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I don’t know what’s typical, but the sweet spot for us was around 10 years old. Earlier doesn’t give you an advantage for very long.
ETA GSWL is great!
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Stand alone grammar for 3rd grade we liked MCT. It is not like FLL or probably ELTL, but it is a gentle, yet deep, way of teaching grammar. We used it with W&R.
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I have a 2nd/3rd wish grader next year (late August birthday). I posted in the 3rd grade planning thread too because I honestly don't know what grade to call her. The plan so far:
Morning Basket
Math - Beast Academy 3
ELA - LOE Essentials, PLL continued then start W&R Fable half way through the year, maybe MCT Island, literature from SOTW
History - SOTW 1
Science - mom's hodge podge of fun and interesting science
Other - Artistic Pursuits, Violin, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, weekly one-hour co-op enrichment classes -
Morning Basket.
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My 2nd/3rd grader (she's a late August birthday) has asked to homeschool one more year. We'll see what happens after that, as all the others will be full time in public/college. So, for my fourth and last time through this grade:
Morning Basket
Math - Beast Academy 3
ELA - LOE Essentials, PLL continued then start W&R Fable half way through the year, maybe MCT Island, literature from SOTW
History - SOTW 1
Science - mom's hodge podge of fun and interesting science
Other - Artistic Pursuits, Violin, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, weekly one-hour co-op enrichment classes
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7 hours ago, Bluegoat said:
Yeah, this is what I see too. And I think it's been pretty well documented too. I am now seeing some resistance, but it's still not normative for kids to have the freedom they did.
I do not buy that this change is just chance - there are IMO a number of threads that contribute to it.
Perhaps one of them is people being hyper-critical of other's parenting?
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I would not hold back. I WOULD try to get an IEP established with the charter so it is in place before returning to public. It might take all of next year to get that in place, but it is important. And honestly it’s probably what he needs most - repeating content and hoping his soft skills will catch up is not realistic and morally defeating on two counts for him.
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1 hour ago, Pen said:
I am sorry that you felt distressed and anxious about the kids walking home alone.
I think it is in realm of reasonable and normal, and the only thing that might lead me to comment to parents would be if the kids were hard to see and thus at risk from vehicles such that a flashlight or reflective triangle on jacket would be significantly helpful to safety.
I think neighbors being aware of strangers, lurkers, or issues with neighbors or other problems particular to the area such as cougars, is very important to help make neighborhoods safer—keeping an eye out for things like vans seeming to be cruising and lurking for example, or someone seeming to be spying on or following a child (which could turn out just to be someone worried about them, not with bad motives). If I saw someone seeming to be doing something like this, I would bring it to attention of our local schools and nowadays post on Nextdoor
However, I don’t think dangers coming from people wanting to harm children will necessarily be helped by waiting to age 12 to be alone, nor restricted to daylight hours. Though some issues like cougar attacks are more likely during crepuscular times or after dark.
Different children in different or even the same neighborhoods and depending on family, skills, and emotional maturity have different capacities and will be ready for walking somewhere alone at different ages.
This biologist nerd just smiled 🤓
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For my kids who are great creative writers and balk at academic writing it has much to do with organizing information. I had to spend a lot more time working on structure, necessary elements, tone/voice, and I had to work at helping them find topics which interested them enough that they would more readily engage with the “boring” writing. When explaining basic essay I used an article for an example of why Twilight Princess was the best Zelda game. Totally engaged them! It was a good example of a basic essay too.
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I appreciate a neighborhood where people are aware and watch out for each other. I don’t appreciate judgement of parenting. While in the state we previously lived in I received many looks and comments of criticism when attempting to let my kids have more latitude (eg being scornfully asked you let your kids [5, 7, 9] ride down the block without you?, or even you let your kids [2, 4, 6] play in the front yard when you are inside [doing dishes and watching them through the window]). I also received looks and comments of criticism from reining my kids in (eg telling a 4 year old you can ride your scooter here by the playground where I am but not around the loop circling the park, or telling a 10 year old you have to stay within seeing or hearing distance of one of the adults on this unfamiliar and poorly marked hiking trail). And I have heard the comments and judging about third parties not present. 😞.
You wonder why people are insecure in their parenting? It’s because no matter which decision they make there is someone there to judge them - as unthinking or overthinking, as reckless or overbearing, as uninvolved or smothering, as indulgent or strict...
Thankfully I moved to a place where there are now free-range laws, so well-intended community members can’t call the cops on mom or dad because the kids rode their bikes alone to the gas station and bought candy bars. Sadly the location comes with different forms of judgement. Why are we so judgemental?!?
Can’t we, instead of reporting something we find unacceptable and expecting that the world agrees with our opinion on the matter and that the “offender” should be notified, punished, made an example of, or in any other way shamed, ask questions from a place of sincerity?? For example with the OP’s situation a question might be “how old do your kids need to be before they could walk home in the dark? How did you decide that they were old enough? I get nervous about so many things related to that - how do you feel calm and sure?”
Don’t we as Homeschoolers know that, like there is no perfect parenting out there, there’s no perfect educational approach YET we have had sufficient enough judgement from those who don’t homeschool, and witnessed plenty of judgement of public schoolers by Homeschoolers. 😞 Just give a little credit, give a little love, try to understand and even if you don’t, be slow to say what’s absolutely right or wrong.
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DragonBox and DragonBox Elements
Prodigy Math
BrainPop (without a subscription there’s a free weekly video)
Duolingo
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I agree with trying to start with Narrative 2. We also used MCT grammar and W&R, and I liked the combo.
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I give more of MY attention and time to weaker subjects. What I mean by that is these are the subjects that I spend more time preparing, teaching one-on-one, and analyzing what is working and what is not working. My kids naturally spend more time on subjects they like and find success in (don’t we all). This is especially true of core SKILLS. If the kid hates history and we already tried everything to get engaged with it and do well with it we will probably opt for a get-er-done approach soo there is basic historical literacy. One kid hates art I don’t make them do it often, or I find a creative outlet they do like. We still might study it objectively through art history or picture narration, but I don’t see it as an essential skill and therefore don’t press it. Physical activities - you need to be active but you don’t need to be super skilled if you don’t want to. Science, you need to be literate and understand how to think critically, possessing healthy skepticism. But if you don’t do well in math, or writing, or reading we hit that hard.
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After teaching 3 kids with ADHD math, and one without ADHD, I can say there were some aspects that were important. First, short lessons. Second, engage their primary modality (not all kids with adhd are kinesthetic learners but many are and manipulatives were very helpful initially), and continue to follow their learning style. This is important because they’re already struggling just to listen to a boring explanation or sit in a seat or keep focus through multiple steps (a much greater struggle than NT kids) and so at least give them the benefit of something that makes sense to their way of processing and communicating. Third, reduce the quantity of practice problems, eliminate straight up drill (replace it with games and other forms of practice), and let them use a multiplication chart as long as they need to. Fourth, respect that they may have a very difficult time communicating their thinking (showing work, even verbally explaining is hard). Fifth, allow them to do their work where/what position they please all while respecting their sensory needs (one of mine was auditory avoiding, two were auditory seeking, one preferred inverted positions (vestibular sensory seeking), they all hated sitting at a desk or table, etc). Sixth, encourage their success, be gentle with correction, and don’t assume your way is THE way to do the problem. Oh, and get them graph paper to keep their work lined up neatly, and show them how to use it.
We have used Miquon, Singapore PM, RightStart, Beast Academy, some Life of Fred, some Education Unboxed...nearly any program (that isn’t too repetitious) can be used, if you just respect their neurodiversity.
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It all depends on your child’s disability and learning needs. I took 3 kids through RightStart A or B (just one year each) and was extremely happy I did, even though it was slow at times. The foundation it builds (especially B) is worth the investment. We switched to other things after one level of RS, but I still highly recommend (especially B in first edition).
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Yay, they’ve added Int Alg to Alcumus!
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Hope for a recovery soon, and prayers for you, DH, and family!
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We used to have the game book when I had Essentials 1st edition. It was a fun way to practice with the kids. It wasn’t thrilling, but it was better than drill or more worksheets. I sold 1st edition 4 years ago and then recently bought the Foundations, in which the game instructions are integrated into teacher book. We are doing an accelerated pass through foundations and haven’t found the games as helpful for that reason (much of Foundations is already review), but my dd still enjoys them do you play them once in a while.
Would I just buy game book and cards? Well, if my child needed more practice then yes! Seeing as PP and ETC both provide practice (and PP has some games) I don’t know that you would find it added a lot.
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I have PVCs, did Holter Monitoring, had an echocardiogram, and in the end they said I didn’t need any treatment. Sorry I don’t remember my numbers, but just maybe giving an optimistic outlook that doing nothing is an option too. Oh, that was 20 years ago and I haven’t had any issues.
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SQUILT maybe?
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13 hours ago, Patty Joanna said:
I used to teach high school English and grammar, and then I taught my own kid at home. One of the things I told them was they had to know the rules so they wouldn't break them from ignorance. But when you know them, you can break them for effect.
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It's pretty much the same in any skill--you have to learn the rules--but once you have mastery of the rules, you can break them when it makes things better. I can think of examples from sports to writing, to art, to music, to decorating. I *can't* think of many in math or in strict grammar or the laws of physics, however. :0)
I think this is a good explanation why opening a sentence with a coordinating conjunction is both incorrect and acceptable.
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I believe it is incorrect in academic writing, and in journalism. I am surprised at how frequently it is used however, along with subordinating conjunctions at the beginning of a fragment.
My child was not even taught correct terms for grammar in school, let alone correct usage. For example, in 6th grade the teacher taught the terms “complete though” and “incomplete thought” instead of independent and dependent clauses. 😑 Why? The correct terms are shorter, more precise, and well within the vocabulary of an 11 year old. However, my point is that not knowing these terms also meant they did not distinguish between coordinating or subordinating conjunctions. 😣 She already knew the difference from 3rd grade Grammar Island at home, and I do correct written use of a coordinating conjunction at the beginning of a sentence. In speech I don’t bother. I do require oral answers with dependent clauses to also have their independent clause partners (eg I won’t accept, “Because he was angry,” for an oral [or written] answer to a prompt in the the lesson).
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You might consider Descent: Journeys in the Dark (2nd Edition) as an alternative. It is similar to gloomhaven but scaled down.
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39 minutes ago, Kareni said:
I'm going to give my brother-in-law Snake Oil Game.
Regards,KareniIt’s a great one!! Belly-busting laughs (with a good crowd of people)
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Clubs and Activities
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
I am not sure how out of the box it is, but middle schoolers have done First Lego League, Science Olympiad, Math Counts, and participated in Math Circles for activities. Also band, sports (including archery, Parkour, western pleasure riding, etc), youth group, art classes, teen-directed drama, etc.
Some interesting course work they have done includes electronic music production, Ichthyology, and soon SCUBA.
Have fun with your out-of-the-box Pursuits.