abrightmom
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Posts posted by abrightmom
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Not unrealistic at all!! Actually, we use Math Mammoth in lieu of Singapore and we are also teaching Right Start. MM is a fantastic conceptual math program that is very similar to Singapore. It is SUPER user friendly, thorough, rigorous and her Blue series is designed to use as a supplement. There are quite a few threads discussing this!! Let me see if I can find one for you:
http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177719&highlight=Singapore+MM
Anyhow, I think the coordination of math programs/approaches becomes very individual. Some folks use one program as a main program and fit the other around it. Others do two full programs as written (IMHO this is a lot for any young kiddo). Others take bits and pieces of various programs to cobble together a personalized, tailored plan for their child.
If you do a search on combining math programs I think you will find several threads discussing this! :001_smile:
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Form drawing is drawing forms, not pictures. The children copy the form as exactly as they can in the younger grades. Here are some first grade examples:
http://www.millennialchild.com/Slideshows/Resources/Grade01FormDrawing.html
They get progressively more complex, allowing more room for individuality, as the children get older:
http://www.millennialchild.com/Slideshows/Resources/Grade04FormDrawing.html
They morph into geometric designs around 6th or 7th and get really intricate and multicolored.
Thanks! This is very interesting and definitely different than Drawing With Children. What is the purpose for teaching form drawing? The goal or the reason behind it? I'm intrigued. :001_smile:
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Euromom,
We use Right Start and Math Mammoth and my kids are thriving with "conceptual math" and with learning about math in many different ways. I still feel "weird" when we lay on the floor and play with our Base Ten set for 30 minutes and that "counts" as doing math. :D I hope that Miquon will be joining our family this year as well. I also LOVE Bill's approach to teaching math and have learned a lot from him. He is a fantastic resource and mentor in this subject area.
The games with Right Start are a blast and my kids enjoy them. HOWEVER, I have had to swallow the bitter pill called "Reality". I have four children and it is IMPOSSIBLE aside from NEVER doing anything else to play enough games each week to help said children learn those facts. Perhaps as my younger moves up the ranks they can begin to play together, without Mom. Anyway, for now reality dictates another approach. We will continue to learn math with a multi faceted, hands on approach (and we don't even try that hard to follow a pre-set schedule right now). But, I am going to simultaneously encourage my oldest to learn those facts via a variety of methods (games being one of them). I won't drill and kill him but I will start encouraging/requiring other ways of practicing the facts outside of playing games. So, my response to your question is that I *think* it's O.K. to do both.
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We've used the book Earthways and the book The Nature Corner to get ideas for ours.Other books you may want to check out for those who are interested in "Waldorf Lite" (i.e. the fun stuff without the philosophical reasons---in the spirit of full disclosure)---
A Child's Seasonal Treasury - out of print and expensive but you can occasionally find it on eBay cheap
All of those resources are available at our library and I was able to reserve all of them just now!!!! :D Thanks again for the suggestions.
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Fairytale Mama! :grouphug: Thanks for sharing. This is VERY inspiring. I'm in LOVE with the idea of a seasonal nature table. My kiddos would FREAK OUT if we had something like that. I'm going to pursue that. Thanks for the links and the specifics.
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I've kept the things I liked from Waldorf (e.g. the nature table, the main lesson books, the block beeswax crayons) and pretty much have passed on using the overall approach. I guess you could say we kept the garnish, but we didn't eat the entree. I guess I don't really even consider us "Waldorf inspired" anymore, but more taking a gentle, creative path to schooling. I still am a member of a Waldorf Yahoo Group though because there are some awesome interesting people who use Steiner's methods and I've learned a lot from them.
:001_smile: I realize this thread is discussing philosophies more than practicalities BUT I am so interested in hearing MORE (lots more) about nature tables, main lesson books and block beeswax crayons. Please share :D.
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Would someone please explain what form drawing is?? I'm intrigued . . . How does this compare to Mona Brooke's Drawing with Children? I think I'm a dunce because I just could NOT figure out how to USE that book with my kids. I wonder if form drawing is easier to teach . . . I DID look at the samples on the Christopherus site but it didn't reveal much. :D
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Our state has a virtual school we could use. As others have said, I won't use them. If I did, my children would be legally considered ps students. I want absolutely no connection to public schools in any way. $$ doesn't entice me b/c with $$ always comes strings. I want freedom.
:iagree::iagree::iagree:
In Oregon we don't get any $$ either but could opt to participate in a virtual charter school with state chosen curriculum. We looked into it (briefly!!) and they required my KINDERGARTEN student to log 20 HOURS of school work (read: SEAT WORK) every week. I was like, "Are you NUTS????" Sheesh. That and the THOUGHT of the state government breathing down my neck was enough to make me :auto: with a smile on my face. I'll leave the provision for home school curriculum in God's hands!! :D We DO have to report our students to the local school district when they are 7 and we are required to begin testing in 3rd grade. I wish we could just be off the radar completely though! There is always something happening "on the hill" with the state legislature here. There are quite a few law makers who don't support home schooling. Thank God for those savvy folks that stand up in defense of home schooling and debate with these law makers on the hill. More than once in recent years some nasty legislation has been stopped.
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1. The scholars lesson plans for history only show the parent reading the VP Card and then sometimes Journey through the Bible. The rest of the reading is for the children to do. I think I was a little disappointed the kids read everything to themselves.:tongue_smilie: We have really enjoyed reading outloud BF Early American and I want to continue to read aloud. My question is this...Do you read aloud some of the "older" selections to the younger children? My current 1st grader is reading from the list of "first favs," their history selections seem like a big jump in reading, do your kids read the assigned reading? What do you do if they can't?
Hi Melissa! :001_smile: Good to hear your voice and know that you are well. We are also using Veritas History and Bible (woo hoo) and I am looking through Scholars today. My thoughts are not based on experience but based on what I want to DO with my kids regardless of what the plans dictate. I think you SHOULD read aloud to them as much as you want and are able. Once you dig in to those books you'll know whether or not your DS7 (or maybe 8 by then) can handle or should handle the reading on his own. Make those Scholars plans serve your family and not the other way around, KWIM? :D I am going to take it one week and one book/lit selection at a time. Actually, I'll probably preview a term's worth (9 weeks or so) and plan ahead so my child has a pre-written plan from Mom detailing his reading assignments.
2. I'm just curious, have you made any changes to the Scholars lesson plans would be helpful? I'm not sure we are going to do all the activities. I will be adding a few books: Gilgamesh Trilogy, Lift the Lid on Mummies, Science in Ancient Egypt, Pyramid, and Tutankhamen's Gift.I am going to pick and choose activities based upon what we can handle AFTER the three R's. We have a house full of littles and those 3 R's are HUGE right now. Also, I think we should pick and choose between the Bible and History activities. I *think* that once you start with the new line-up of subjects and curriculum a rhythm will develop. Then you will know what you can and WANT to do as far as activities. :D We are also adding the Gilgamesh Trilogy, Science in Ancient Egypt and Pyramid. Not sure about Lift the Lid (looks great actually) or Tutankhamen's Gift. I just did my price list today and I'm excited to order those books. I already have the plans as God provided them CHEAP! :001_smile: I think my DS6 will do his MFW first grade Bible notebook throughout the year and I'll focus on the VP history and Bible with my almost 8yo. I am also going to follow the VP/SOTW schedule on the VP Elementary yahoo group. The ladies there are very helpful and there are helpful files to look through. I like that schedule because I can pause in our OT/AE studies to include reading sections on other countries/cultures not included in the Western Civ. focus VP has. We will also use some of the maps included in the SOTW AGs as they fit in. That schedule shows just what chapters/sections line up with the VP schedule and so I think it will be simple to plan in advance. :D They like to color while I read anyway so that works out nicely.
3. If you don't use Scholars, how do you use the VP cards and TM?Silver Moon is a fantastic resource here. I love that Mama!! I'll find a thread in which I asked for help and she answered in detail.
Here it is: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166149&highlight=veritas+press+history
She is a very organized Mom and I think her methods are fantastic. She uses the TESTS rather than the worksheets. I think the worksheet questions make good oral quiz questions and that is how I will use them. I think of them as being like the summary questions included in the SOTW AGs. Moon also applies WTM methods to the VP history at the appropriate learning levels (narration, summarizing, outlining). Obviously, this is at your discretion! She also uses CW which I know is your first love in writing curriculum :001_smile:.
Anyhoo, I hope you will find a pace and a schedule that is realistic and fun for your crew. I have debated between VP and doing Sonlight for another year or two (we have thoroughly enjoyed this and learned a ton along the way) and then starting a rotation through Mystery of History. Oh, the agony of decision making. It's AWFUL!!!! :D
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http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/SOTWmenu.htm
Check these lists out. They might help you! :001_smile:
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http://www.usconstitutioncoach.com/page0003.htm
Definitely looks interesting and perhaps a fantastic resource to have at hand for use in logic stage and beyond! This is by no means an endorsement . . . I just ran across this and my eyes bugged out of my head!! Looks like an all-in-one resource for a variety of primary sources . . . :001_smile:
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:grouphug: Thanks! I'm going to order one for my kiddos. DS7 will be in "heaven" . . . :D
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I have not done the labs. I read most of them. For some kids they would be busy work, but when I did elementary science, I used the labs as a way to review our science book. I would have read this book to my kids--curled up on the couch, reading straight through it over a few days in the summer. Then I'd have gotten all the equipment together for the labs I wanted to do, and then we'd have a day or two or three when we simply did them all on the same day. We'd review the chapters and what we had learned by doing those labs and by asking the questions (you know--those questions in each chapter) to see how much they had retained. The rest of the year we would get books from the library on astronomy or star lore or mythology or physics and read them for fun to solidify what we had studied--and we'd be sure to go outside and look at the night sky. A planisphere, a red light (so you don't lose your night vision), a pair of binoculars, a few nights under meteor showers, a trip to an astronomy club to see through a telescope...and we'd call it a year.
:001_smile: I love this idea. Food for thought here . . . I'm going to have to find out what a planisphere is :D.
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:D Thanks for all of the helps Spy Car (Bill). Rainbow Resource has all of the teacher helps you recommended and they're inexpensive! I'm nervous . . . but I'm also excited to put these C rods to use. I've had them for years and every now and then I pull them out and go "huh" :glare:? Why did I buy these and what do I do with them? Now I know! Time for some summertime math exploration a la Miquon . . .
Thanks again!! :001_smile:
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I'm thinking of combining MM and SM next year (I still haven't fully decided between MM and MEP but from what I've read here I think MM will be a better fit). I will use SM as our main text but plan to do some of the questions in MM (or MEP ;)) as SM does not provide enough practice for my child. Should I be buying the blue or the light blue series? Would I use MM level 4 to go with SM4?? Which level of MEP should I be looking at??
I am not a Singapore math user but I am a Right Start and Math Mammoth user so I'll just throw a tid bit of info out there. The Light Blue series is organized by grade whereas the Blue series is organized by topic. Unless you want to use another full program then use Blue to supplement as you wish. This allows you to pick and choose a topic. You can buy them by the topic or as a set of topics based on a grade range. I think you should look at the Blue series according to topic and the author's recommendations. Here is a link: http://www.mathmammoth.com/blue-series.php Scroll down to look at the individual titles with descriptors.
There is a coupon code for 20% off right now! Here's the info: Math Mammoth downloads and CDs are 20% off through June 1st with the sale code MMSALE2010.
Also, I have another who will be working through RS B. I'd like to have more of a math workbook to work through in times when I am too busy (I hate even writing that, but it's a reality some days :glare:) or sick to do a full RS lesson. I want to make sure that math gets done every day. Would MM work well with RS?? If so, again, which series- blue or light blue? Or, would MEP work better with RS B? Again, which level of MM and/or MEP, please??I don't use MEP but do use RS B. My kiddo using RS B is also using Math Mammoth for just the reason you have stated. I want math done daily and sometimes, with four munchkins under foot, I can't teach RS. Anyhow, for now we are using the Blue series and it has worked quite well. We purchased the bundle with various topics through 3rd grade. She has a chart with a recommended sequence if you prefer that to choosing topics yourself. Here's a link to that: http://www.mathmammoth.com/study_order.php
I've liked Math Mammoth SO WELL that we are shifting to Light Blue this next year. I am going to use the full program! But, as a supp. to RS then I think Blue series topics go quite nicely. We have enjoyed MM and I've seen quite an overlap. We have applied skills learned in RS to MM. :001_smile:
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Link here:
http://lampstandpress.com/virtualconference/
I would start with the three video on the right side of the page - under Juli's picture. These are free.
Then I would "attend" the two virtual conference sessions listed under "May." You can use the coupon code for the first one "Out of the the Shrink-Wrap." The second one, "Lesson Planning 101" will only cost you $ 7.
She covers a lot in those sessions. If you still have specific question about how to get started after watching the videos, I'm sure the hive will be willing to help.
Peace,
Janice
Enjoy your little people
Enjoy your journey
:iagree: I watched these just this past week and it dispelled the scariness. TOG REALLY is not as scary as it *seems* and these webinars broke it down step by step. VERY highly recommended . . .Definitely watch them right away. You do want to watch both of the May webinars as they go hand in hand.
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:lurk5: Bumping this up to remind Bill to answer all of those questions. :001_smile: Might need another bump on Sunday . . . :D
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Hi there!
If you join the VP Elementary Yahoo Group there are some helpful files showing how OT/AE and Gen - Josh correlate. You will like them and I think it will answer your questions!! :001_smile: Here's a link to the group:
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BTW, Math Mammoth downloads and CDs are 20% off through June 1st with the sale code MMSALE2010.
Jackie
Thanks for the reminder here!! Time to buy the Light Blue series. We LOVE Math Mammoth here. I'm pleased as punch with it for DS7 . . .:D
If you subscribe to her newsletter there are helpful articles and links to You Tube videos in which she teaches math concepts!!! Good stuff.
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Can you elaborate on what a newbie to Miquon needs to get started? What is the best vendor to purchase from? I am going to look into it again right now . . .
Can Miquon be used to supplement or as a "math unit study" in summer time?
We are slogging through Right Start and also using Math Mammoth (love this). I have observed that my children thrive with these hands on methods (as much as I dislike teaching RS it is all me who wishes math could be learned by simply throwing a workbook at my kids! :D).
It sounds like my kiddos would like and learn from Miquon. Does it dovetail with RS/MM ? We seem to be morphing into a family who likes to tackle math from a variety of angles . . . my youngest big kid wants to do math as well and it sound like Miquon is the ticket here. I do have two buckets of C rods and have never been "quite sure" what to do with them. :glare:
I'm "off" to read more . . .
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:001_smile: More experienced Moms should chime in BUT I can say that you should use WWE with your first grader. It is narration and copy work - essential skills! WWE 1 is designed to use with a first grader and is a gentle progression. We have loved it and my son has thrived with it.
FLL is easy to do and IMHO very appropriate to use with a first grader. Essentially, it introduces grammar, narration, memory work, picture study and oral language skills. It's fun too! FLL has been revised to exclude some of the copy work and possibly other "assignments" that would overlap with WWE. I don't know if the *new* FLL is for sale yet. However, we're using the original version and I just omit the copy work suggestions in FLL and use WWE instead. I suppose, if you have an eager writer (I do not :D), you could use the optional copy work suggestions in FLL. It's totally up to you!
I haven't used IEW (looking though :001_smile:) but it's not needed in first grade. You have time to watch the DVDs and get very familiar with the program in the meantime!
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Moon,
:001_smile: Thanks for answering all of my questions!! You are a Mom to listen to as you are wise and experienced!!! Thank-you thank-you thank-you!
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:iagree:
:iagree: too!
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:iagree: :grouphug: :thumbup1::thumbup::001_smile::party:
ETA: Praying right after I hit Save :).
I don't like WTM history breakdown
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
I think that one of the reasons VP is spread out a little more is their (IMHO necessary and right! :001_smile:) inclusion of Biblical history. They split ancients into two years and fold in all of Old and New Testament Bible history. There is just more there in the study of ancients. SOTW, while touching on many other countries/cultures (not just Western Civ.), does not start with Creation and does not incorporate much Biblical history.
If you visit the VP Elementary yahoo group there are some nice charts in the files that show using the VP cards/order of events and where SOTW fits in. This way you could have the Biblical history component AND not miss the non Western Civ. stuff. Just pause in the VP studies and read the relevant SOTW chapters/do the maps/follow up reading. I find these charts to be very helpful!!