[.]

I'm not sure about the issue with the steroids, but I went through a very similar situation with my cat. He suddenly had terribly loose bowel movements but was otherwise acting fine. My vet said cancer was a possibility, but before she did a biopsy we tried switching him to a prescription food (Royal Canin) with hydrolyzed protein. It worked! He hasn't had issues since. He must have been having an  an allergic reaction to the protein source in his food. Please keep us posted on your cat. It's so tricky to get to the bottom of intestinal problems.

https://www.royalcanin.com/us/cats/products/vet-products/hydrolyzed-protein-adult-hp-dry-cat-food

[nvm :)]

I also met my husband at 18 and started out with a similar concern: he's a dedicated hunter. When we started dating no one in my family hunted or owned guns. I didn't understand the appeal at all. It takes up a great deal of time and he's not much less obsessed with it now than he was when we met 20+ years ago. I'm so happy I stuck with him though. Like your dd's boyfriend, dh is exceptionally considerate and family focused, and that carries over into us coming up with solutions to accommodate his hobby in different ways through different seasons of life. (It's one thing to miss Thanksgiving when you're 18, it's another when you have a baby and two toddlers ten years later😉). I'm not familiar with racing-perhaps it's not as flexible?-but it did work out for us. 

Best wishes to her, whatever she decides.💗

 

[Research-based homeschool methods]

8 minutes ago, Noelle said:

I’m not so sure about this. Here’s a study I found comparing structured vs unstructured homeschoolers against public school students. The researchers acknowledge that their unstructured sample size is small and discuss why that is problematic. But it seems clear that structured homeschoolers outperformed both unstructured homeschoolers and public school students, even controlling for mother’s education level and family income. There are many conclusions one can draw from this, even debating the desirability of standardized testing for elementary students. (I don’t have a problem with this, but I know some people do.) But I still wouldn’t call the results meaningless.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232544669_The_Impact_of_Schooling_on_Academic_Achievement_Evidence_From_Homeschooled_and_Traditionally_Schooled_Students

 Yes, this study suggests that if your goals include having kids who do well on standardized tests then perhaps unstructured homeschooling isn't the way to go (maybe). I would guess that most people who are unstructured dont consider standardized test skills to be a primary goal though. That's the tricky thing about a lot of the research that focuses on educational outcomes specifically. The outcomes that education professionals and researchers consider paramount dont necessarily match the outcomes that homeschoolers prioritize. There are different approaches that represent different visions of what it means to be well educated. 

[Whatcha Planting?]

2 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

Ooooh, oooh, oooh . . . maybe elderberries!  Great, now I need elderberries. My huckleberry bunny trail led me to elderberries. 😆 This is your fault and I'd need at least two bushes.

I was just came on here to say that I'm planting elderberries this year! I found cultivated elderberries at Jung Seed. Apparently you're not supposed to eat the berries raw though (who knew?). I'm also trying something new this year: propogating pussy willows from cuttings. So far they look like sticks I pushed in the ground, but itll be interesting to see if they do anything.

[Research-based homeschool methods]

15 hours ago, Not_a_Number said:

Honestly, this thread is reminding me that half of social science research is gobbledygook anyway. Lots of the experiments are done on college students. Lots of the experiments are extremely short-term. (Like, it's kind of interesting that people are less interested in doing fun puzzles they are paid to do as opposed to fun puzzles they AREN'T paid to do, but what happens in the long term when the intrinsic motivation wears off? Who knows.) 

I've seen many more examples of people citing social science to support their decisions than people sifting through the science to figure out which studies are actually good and which long-term approaches are actually supported. 

The stuff I tend to like best in the social science realm is either fairly longitudinal intervention studies, or just interesting snapshot observations on actual kids that I can personally verify. For example, if you dig into the math education research, you discover that people know very well that kids usually have an operational and not a relational model of an equals sign, and that never seems to actually affect what anyone does. You also find that most people are aware that kids have serious difficulty with place value... again, without this affecting much of anything in classrooms. 

Anyway, I think that perusing the literature can actually be kind of helpful, but only if you know how to ignore the irrelevant stuff. But I've definitely been affected by some of the things I've read in both math educational literature and reading educational literature. 

I disagree with the idea that the social sciences are "gobbledygook". Yes, studying people does pose unique challenges and there are people who overstate the generalizability/significance of their conclusions. However, as someone who made a suggestion about intrinsic motivation and growth mindset, I am 100% aware of the controversies and limitations surrounding the research. I found these things to be helpful for my kids though, so I'm fine with recommending that others look into them too.

[Research-based homeschool methods]

Rather than putting any homeschool ideology first, I've found it helpful to follow research on how children learn best and what kind of an environment produces happy, well-rounded people who confidently meet challenges. For me that led to lots of playing, focusing on effective effort and fostering intrinsic motivation, and putting relationships first. We're eclectic with a classical lean, but I could see applying evidence based approaches to a variety of different homeschool styles. 

There's tons of research out there about intrinsic motivation, but here's an article that sums it up:  https://www.healthline.com/health/intrinsic-motivation#extrinsic-motivation

Growth mindset is a theory that has done a lot to inform what I do as a parent in general. Ive found that the challenges presented by a rigorous classical education fit well with the idea that kids who are challenged develop tenacity and persistence. An article on growth mindset:  https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/people-who-adopt-a-self-compassion-mindset-in-2021-are-more-likely-to-achieve-their-goals.html and a book (written for school teachers but easily adaptable for home)  https://www.amazon.com/Growth-Mindset-Coach-Month-Month/dp/1612436013

 

[How much do you take into account your child’s preferences when choosing math curriculum?]

2 hours ago, Not_a_Number said:

By the way, which of you are in the private math group? 

I'm not in it, but I'd be interested in joining!

[How much do you take into account your child’s preferences when choosing math curriculum?]

 

9 minutes ago, domestic_engineer said:

Yes to both questions. Although, I am personally very, very, very wary about changing the sequence of the curriculum because I believe the curriculum was designed and tested to be used a certain way. If I am going to change the sequence/design, I think long and hard about doing it because I think there’s potential to be blinded by pride and think that I know better than the creator of the curriculum.   (Of course I must also recognize that the curriculum was created to reach a certain audience and that my kid might not be part of that audience.)

I've been the opposite of wary about mixing up the order of topics, combining programs, and going down rabbit trails when it comes to math, and comments like this give me pause because I dont have any proof that my approach works in the long term. (My oldest two are in 8th grade). On the one hand, we may miss something important or end up with a piecemeal understanding, but on the other hand my kids are comfortable with being able to approach problems from multiple perspectives in a way that I wasn't at their ages. 

 

[How much do you take into account your child’s preferences when choosing math curriculum?]

1 minute ago, Not_a_Number said:

As in, skipping problems or giving more problems or whatnot? Yeah, I imagine people do that! Or do you mean you mess with the sequence? 

 

Probably not! I do it because I have a pretty specific vision of how a math education should go, and because I like being able to tinker with every single aspect. So we work on whatever the kids aren't understanding from as many angles as they need to understand it, and then we move on. This is very informed by what I've seen in teaching college kids, though -- I'm way too aware of the pitfalls. 

I always enjoy hearing from you on math topics, Not a Number. Anyway, I've been thinking about the OP's question, and my answer is yes, like sweet2ndchance I take my kids' preferences into account, especially at the outset when I'm choosing what to use for the year. It's gotten easier to anticipate what may work now because, as my kids have gotten older, we've had plenty of discussions about their preferences. If my expectations and my kids' favored approaches come together in a resource then I will stick with it though, even if it's sometimes "boring" or "hard". If they're really unhappy with a curriculum, it's probably not a good fit. If I'm unhappy with the way math is taught (or not taught) in a resource, it's also not a good fit. It's a tricky balance, and I've combined resources at times if there was something they enjoyed but I thought could be stronger conceptually up or didnt provide enough practice.

 

[1st/2nd grade Language Arts]

Hi! Welcome to the board. I can't speak to FLL, but I have used WWE and would recommend it as an open and go curriculum. WWE contains short stories for narration as well as copywork and dictation exercises. I used the student book and didn't miss the teacher's guide, but if you're unfamiliar with this style of teaching it may be helpful as there's a section in the teacher's guide that explains the philosophy behind the approach and techniques for implementing it. 

Once you're comfortable with Writing With Ease it's simple to come up with you own narration/copywork/dictation from your child's favorite books. It's so handy to have the passages already chosen for you in the beginning though. 

 

 

 

[Do I need the Teacher's Manual for MCT, IEW, W&R?]

53 minutes ago, caffeineandbooks said:

You know, for Fable I'd recommend just buying the teacher book and not the student one.  We're doing it at the moment and are finding that a lot of it is done orally.  The kids spend longer playing with sentences if they know they don't have to write it down, and there are some lovely gentle copia exercises that are worth the time but don't really need to be written down.  Once or twice a week they actually pick up pen and paper to write a summary or elaboration of a fable, but the student book just provides blank lines for that and we have been using lined paper.  I wish I hadn't spent the money on a book for each kid.  The teacher manual is not strictly necessary - you could get by with just a student book - but the teacher book does have suggested answers, and on mornings when the chaos levels are higher than usual at my house I appreciate not having to think so hard myself 🙂

I second the suggestion to buy the teacher's book for Fable and use a notebook for your child's written work. I wish I hadn't purchased both the teacher and student books for Fable. I'd add that the teacher's book, in addition to having sample answers, provides the passages for dictation. You wouldn't have those with the student book alone. 

As an aside (in case anyone else would find this helpful) my older kids are using Commonplace, and in that case you could get by with just the student book but not just the teacher's guide. Each student needs his own books too, because by that point they're editing passages in the workbook. (Basically, what applies to Fable may not apply in subsequent W&R books)

[autism group that is NOT autism speaks?]

4 minutes ago, Lecka said:

Yes — therapies come up that are not my thing — and I am happy people have found something that is going well for them.  
 

I also think that often a certain person just really clicks with a child or has a lot of experience — and that can be someone doing a therapy I would not care for in theory, but I can see that person is doing wonderful work.

I agree 100%. 

[autism group that is NOT autism speaks?]

1 hour ago, Farrar said:

I know this is taking it sideways from the original topic, but how do autistic folks here who dislike the work of Autism Speaks suggest that people who want to be good allies approach the topic with those who support Autism Speaks? Or, what about people who are suddenly really gung ho for ABA? I seem to have more people than is maybe common in my circles who are vocally for these things and I am never sure what to say to them as someone who doesn't have a natural stake in the conversation. Back when I was in the classroom, I had a lot of students on the spectrum, but it's been awhile and it's not like I'm a parent, neuroatypical, or an educational expert on this issue.

I am a parent of a kid on the spectrum and it's still tough to know how to respond when certain groups or therapies come up, maybe even more so because there's an assumption that we must fit a certain mold/follow a common path (much like assumptions people make about homeschoolers in general). I'm not comfortable with ABA or Autism Speaks, but as a parent of my specific child I'm still in absolutely no position to decide what's right for anyone else. Unless someone asks me for my opinion directly, I agree with innisfree and lecka. 

[Old wildflower seeds - try or toss?]

23 minutes ago, Dreamergal said:

Say what ?? 🤯

I have been planting them for years in window boxes, hanging containers, patio pots and hoping for mix of pretty flowers.I thought I had the blackest thumb. I just thought it says wild flowers, so they should grow wildly anywhere  so why not wildly in a pot.

OMG !!  ☺️

😊

So how does one grow a pretty mix of flowers in a window box from scratch and not buy them in a nursery. 

This is too funny! Theres still hope for you!🌷The answer to your question depends on what you mean by wildflowers and how big your pots are. Most native prairie plants, even the ones that grow well from seed (like purple coneflowers or black eyed susans), have very deep roots. That's what makes them so hardy, but it's also what makes them ill suited to small pots. You can grow them in pots, but the pots would need to be quite large to accommodate their roots. Coreopsis is a native that does grow well from seed and can handle slightly smaller pots; it's more compact. If I had a smaller space (like a window box) I'd steer clear of the seed mixes and choose individual seed packs of plants that thrive in containers (nasturtiums come to mind). 

Wishing you future success and a newfound green thumb!

[Speaking of UPS, does your driver ever honk?]

10 years later...Between awful weather conditions around the country and increased volume because of covid, it has to be an extra stressful time for  UPS drivers right now. 

[Old wildflower seeds - try or toss?]

4 minutes ago, SKL said:

Years ago, I bought some "wildflower garden" planter thingies for a school fundraiser, but we never got around to using them.  Now I want to do it today.  The seed packs say "packed for the 2016-2017 season."  However, Google says there are probably enough good seeds in there to give it a try.  What do you all think?

I have quite a bit of experience with native prairie restoration and I'd give it a try. They'll likely be fine as long as you've kept them relatively cool and dry. Something to keep in mind though is that those wildflower mixes are often not all natives and can take over if you're planting them in an already established garden.

[Weekend discussion: whitewashing needed improvement]

11 minutes ago, Quill said:

Right. I agree. I would also not do this fun thing before I actually was going out. Best to save it for a Friday night girls night in activity, so you don’t have to choose between taking off the makeup and doing it over so you will look presentable or whitewashing it and going out with the makeup intact as in the commercial. 

As I was thinking about this more, I thought about the Kids’ Baking Championships tv shows. I think the show’s judges usually hit the sweet spot between insincere praise and crushing criticism. They most often have something nice to say: creative idea, colors were great, it looks tasty, etc., even if ultimately that kid is going home. 

Yes! I wondered if she was truly going to go out like that! Your point about the baking shows sparked a realization for me. We've been watching the older episodes of The Great British Baking Show, and the judges strike a nice balance of critique and praise on that show as well. One of my kids struggles with perfectionism, and I wonder if it's been helpful for him to watch the contestants handle their challenges and feedback with grace. I hope so😃

[Passive aggressive people...]

32 minutes ago, Rosie_0801 said:

Sometimes people's boundaries are so lacking they don't know they can be a good person without having poor boundaries.

This is so true. I had a parent who insisted that the people around him have no boundaries. I didnt realize how much I associated being nice/acceptable with being a doormat until I married dh and was afraid to speak up about anything. By the time I'd finally muster up the courage to say something about whatever it was, I'd be so nervous. Dh's reasonable and understanding responses taught 20-something me that it was fine and even necessary to tell people what you wanted and have a dialogue about it. Healthy people appreciate that and have boundaries of their own. I wonder if the person the OP has in mind (if there is a specific person) needs reassurance that they're safe and will be heard. That can make a huge difference. 

[Weekend discussion: whitewashing needed improvement]

I was bothered by the mom's "you are so talented and gifted" comment. The sentiment is nice. When parents say things like that, their intentions are good. In this case, she's reassuring her daughter that she's capable. But, in my experience, telling kids how smart and talented they are can create kids who are afraid to fail. Im happiest seeing my kids challenging themselves without fear of not appearing to be the best or smartest, and I model that for them by trying difficult things and having a sense of humor when someone is better than I am or it ends in disaster. (Thinking of some culinary debacles🤣)

I also suspect, given the age of the girl, that she realized it didnt look the way she'd intended it to. Id gently acknowledge that, because I want my kids to trust me to be honest them. Like Moonhawk, I'd focus on the effort, how much fun we had, her effort, her persistence. 

[Do you celebrate Golden Birthdays?]

I only vaguely remember celebrating them as a kid, but my sweet MIL  didn't know about them until she had children and made sure that dh's was extra special. She's carried on that tradition with my kids. For my dd's golden birthday, grandma got her a wine glass decorated with golden paint and all kinds of other little gold themed presents in a gold box. 

[US accent tour with a linguist]

This is great! Thank you! I was prepared to catch him not doing my accent right, but he nailed it. In high school I worked in a touristy shop and out of town people would always comment on my accent. As a teen I was self conscious about it, but now I find regional accents so interesting. 

[Daily Movement - Monday, February 15]

I did a half hour of yoga this afternoon and it felt really great. I sometimes feel like I'm going to be too restless to slow down enough to do a more meditative workout, but those are the times when I'm most glad I did.

[STEM teaching book]

Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding isn't exactly like Teaching the Classics- it's written as lessons to be done with your kids-but the spirit of it felt similar to me in that the author offers ideas for incorporating scientific discovery and conversation into your daily life. He also integrates the subject areas so you can really get a feel of the connections between physics, chem, bio...It wasnt the only curriculum we used, but it made me a better science teacher and opened my eyes to everyday opportunities to "do science". 

[What does a coastal Texan in arctic weather do?]

10 minutes ago, Halftime Hope said:

We had ice on Thursday -- 100 car pileup with multiple fatalities. Sigh.  Wort that I can remember and I've been here 28 years. 

Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear this.😥 

[Teaching Math Students to show their work and seek right answers = White Supremacy?!!]

I'm not sure that the course would really be all that alarming. Reading between the lines, they're suggesting that the focus of math instruction should be on the process rather than the result. I doubt anyone is suggesting that the results don't matter. Math isn't purely objective. There isn't always a right or wrong answer. It also looks like they're focusing on promoting deeper understanding and, in my limited experience, that usually does mean focusing on the hows and whys more than on getting that answer down. Overall, I'm encouraged to see that districts are thinking about these issues to address math disparities between white and minority students.