Embassy
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Posts posted by Embassy
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Neither, Homeschooling is just one part of my daily life. I love my children and teaching them is not a job, it is a joy given to me by God just like everything else I do. I don't always feel like doing it, but that doesn't make it a chore or a job, it is just ME getting in the way.
Very nice :)
However, a job doesn't mean it is a chore. Jobs can be full of joy and a wonderful thing to do. Chore, on the other hand, is something that just needs to get done whether you like it or not. Some may see homeschooling as a chore, but those who call it a job aren't necessarily thinking "chore."
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Do you view homeschooling as a full-time job or a part-time job? Unpaid, of course.
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Wow, it sure is interesting to read how different learning styles learned the same information.
For me, I did 8-3= 5 5-3=2 3x3=9.
I realize some people don't need any sort of strategy, but I'm not one of them.
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If you had to memorize a number and you couldn't write it down, how would you go about putting it in your long term memory?
The number is only 4 digits longs - 8529
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From Hoagies Gifted page:
8. If one child in the family is highly gifted, is it possible that the other children are gifted also?Yes. Recent research indicated that in many cases siblings are within ten IQ points of each other (Silverman, 1987, November). If one child is highly gifted, it is quite possible that the other children are gifted, too. In many circumstances, it is beneficial for families to have all of the children evaluated.
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I am starting French this year with my dd7 and ds10. I wanted to also do Prima Latina but am concerned about their being confusion learning two languages at a time. (Even though one of them isn't really for the purpose of speaking) Any thoughts or experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I am doing Koine Greek, Mandarin, Arabic, and French simultaneously with my boys. There has been no confusion so far. The languages are different enough so it would be difficult to confuse them. We are adding another language this year too. I would guess that learning the language would be slower if you are doing two than if you were doing one though.
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The most challenging aspect of raising a gifted child in my family is the overexcitabilities.
:iagree: :iagree: :iagree: I am still trying to figure out how to parent effectively. And then if you have more than one of them and the overexcitabilities work against each other it is quite overwhelming.
I find this quote from the upside down world to define gifted well:
What I have found out, however, is that high intelligence entails not just being able to learn new things quickly and easily, but affects a person’s entire experience of life. People with unusually high intelligence take in and aquire information differently, process that information differently. They frequently experience emotions and physical stimuli more intensely than others. They have motivations and drives which others often find odd or bizarre. In short, being unusually intelligent tends to create a whole life experience which is markedly more complicated and intense than what most people experience. -
I don't believe in assigning grades until advanced years because in the early years learning is very much about progression rather than attainment or achievement. A child might score 70% on a quiz testing knowledge of multiplication facts today, and 90% next month. Is the child an A student, ro a C student?
Good point. That is something to consider when deciding what should be graded. I'm also one not keen on giving grades at this point in his education, but my son wants to experience it.
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Many truly gifted students have negative aspects to the trait, as well. Those who desire the term or mock the term often only see the benefits of having a gifted child, and don't understand that the term can be useful for parents who are pulling their hair out trying to help a child who doesn't fit the mold.
Gifted is not the same thing as genius. Gifted is not the same thing as accelerated or advanced.
:iagree:
While the term may be overused by some, it is useful for parents who seek to understand their children and meet their needs.
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Very bad idea IMO.
I realize that, in the "American system", that's a very usual way of doing things - assigning certain percentage of the grade for things such as class attendance or participation, but I personally detested it ever since I learned about the concept.
In my opinion, the final grade needs to be exclusively the product of concrete knowledge and understanding, and nothing else. Attitude or not, poor or perfect attendance, participation or not - all of that is far less important. Sure, it's important from the point of view of character, but academically, if somebody knows their material, it's totally irrelevant whether they know it because they attended the lessons or because they learned it on their own, and it's totally irrelevant whether they participate in lessons or not (and if they're disruptive, you can always opt to ask them to leave - which is not true for homeschooling though). Knowledge is knowledge, no matter how "packed".
Thanks for your advice. I appreciate it. I agree that grades should show knowledge alone when the are used for academic records or high school transcripts. But these grades are for us alone. We live in an area where we report to no one. With these grades I don't desire to measure knowledge because as a homeschooling parent I know what he knows and what he doesn't. My goal is to measure the learning process. Because things come easy to him I want him to understand that he should always try his best.
I will be giving him standardized tests this year as a measurement for his records. I am also making things much more difficult for him this year in his areas of strength.
This thread has helped me figure out what to do. I wrote about our grading scale here. I'd welcome further suggestions.
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Research shows that preschool isn't as beneficial for a child as extensive pretend play. That said, what has been your experience with a child who was advanced or gifted? I've seen or heard from parents of gifted or advanced children who have started formal academics earlier because of the child's thirst. I HAD to start formally schooling my oldest son at 5.5. He was insatiable and that was the only thing that seemed to satisfy him.
So I haven't started anything formal until around the age of 5. Yet, I found my kids learned so much through play during the preschool years. Case in point, my daughter who is a young 2 knows most of her letters and a good deal of the sounds they make. This is all driven by her interest and I've never sat her down to teach her something. So I am one to advocate for no formal preschool. Then I wonder if that is fair. What if my kids learn well through play because they were advanced in some way? I hear of some parents who formally teach things like colors, shapes, and letters during the preschool years and I can't fathom that. But then again, I think of the research that doesn't support formal learning during the preschool years. Maybe the answer is informal schooling during the preschool years?
Thoughts? Experience?
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Thank you all. You have been very helpful. It is difficult to make decisions of a curriculum without seeing it. You have helped me "see" the product better.
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The IP has less white space, and more questions per page. I suspect there are fewer questions overall in the IP (I don't have any on hand for comparison's sake), but that's not a fair comparison because, with the exception of the revision section, they're tougher than those in the workbook. You'll have to go through the entire topic in the text before starting the IP.
Thanks! That leads to a few more questions...
Typically would I do a little in the textbook and then have him do a little in the standard workbook? If I have him do an entire topic in the text before the IP workbook, how long does that typically take?
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You'll probably get more responses asking this on the Accelerated Board.
We did it this way. However, since IP assumes topic mastery has already been attained, I'd recommend getting the workbooks for first level each child will tackle, just to cover your bases. The IP can be quite challenging; I'd tread carefully with a non-math lover, especially if he has a low frustration threshold (I obviously have no idea if this is the case with your son).
ETA: Is there anything in particular you're wondering about?
Thanks for your response. This is the first program we are using where I will actually be teaching them something. I think going through the textbook with examples and then the workbook with similar problems may be too much of the same thing. My older son will likely find the first book has a lot of review because we are switching programs and he has covered some items from 2A-3A in his other math program. I am working on helping him with his dislike for math hence our branching out into living math this school year. I just sent him to bed and had him put down "Go Figure!" so it is likely that living books may help him. He is also a whole to part learner so I wonder if the regular workbook would suit him. It is a big guessing game it seems!
What am I wondering? Does the intensive math program have fewer problems or about the same? Also, do I have the manipulatives that I need?
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What does he want grades for? That may be the key right there.
I asked him and he said "I thought it might be exciting." He is just the type to be motivated by grades.
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In the past I've attempted to base a percentage of grades on attitude. The problem is that when I did that I found that I was constantly judging my son's behavior and since his behavior could easily range from having a meltdown to being a total angel all in the course of a single lesson, how do you grade that? Also, by the time the reporting period is over, the bad attitude he had a month before is long forgotten (by him).
I was thinking of assigning a daily percentage grade based on preassigned behaviors and then average them for the final grade. That would make one bad day have minimal impact. It would look more at the overall behaviors.
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Anyone? Has anyone used the Intensive Practice and Challenging Word Problems in place of the regular workbook with success?
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Child 1 - 3rd grader. Does not like math, but does okay. Transitioning into Singapore this year from Critical Thinking's math. Needs work with math facts (addition, subtraction, and multiplication). Does better with word problems than problems detached from meaning. Does not do well with pages and pages of practicing the same concept over and over.
Singapore 2A textbook
Singapore 2B textbook
Singapore 2A Home Instructor's Guide
Singapore 2B Home Instructor's Guide
Singapore 2A Intensive Practice
Singapore 2B Intensive Practice
Singapore Challenging Word Problems 2
Math Express Speed Maths Strategies 1
Math Express Speed Maths Strategies 2
Math Express Speed Math Strategies 3 (don't know if we will get to it this year)
Child 2 - 1st grader. Math comes easy to him. He is especially strong in mental math skills. He is a visual learner. He is making the transition from Critical Thinking's Mathematical Reasoning to Singapore this year.
Singapore 1B textbook
Singapore 2A textbook
Singapore 1B Home Instructor's Guide
Singapore 2A Home Instructor's Guide
Singapore 1B Intensive Practice
Singapore 2A Intensive Practice
Singapore Challenging Word Problems 2 (for last half of school year)
Math Express Speed Maths Strategies 1
Math Express Speed Maths Strategies 2
In addition to these I am purchasing:
balance scale (is this really necessary?)
Base 10 place value set
football multiplication game
Snap it up addition/subtraction game
We will also be incorporating:
Living math books
Math DVDs
Online math magician program to learn math facts
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As for attitude and effort- that's your call. We do not have any issues in this respect. My kids' assignments require effort anyway.
Thanks for the input. It isn't that we have issues in that area, but I want him to understand that effort is more important than ability. In other words, I want him to always try his best.
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My oldest son is requesting that he receive grades and a report card this school year. Because learning comes so easily for him, I wanted to possibly make half of his grade come from attitude and effort. Bad idea? Good idea?
Also, he is doing some work several grades above his age "grade level." I was planning on grading him at his level even if his report card says third grade. Good idea? Bad idea?
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I compiled a list of 2nd-4th grader reading books here. I designed the list for a boy, but some of those books may appeal to your daughter as well.
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I'd rather spend billions on foreign aid than wars and unnecessary military expenditures.
:iagree:
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I had some family who were rejected because they wanted an outside dog too. They too had plenty of room for the dog to run around.
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My creative\artist dd11 was just like what you describe when she was younger. Her actions always took precedence over her brain. She once made a picture by dipping her feet in paint and walking all over the large sheet of paper. Then she walked upstairs to clean her feet off in the bathtub. :glare: When I asked her what she was thinking she said she knew I wouldn't want her washing her feet in the kitchen sink. :confused:
LOL, my son would do that too.
I had to balance allowing her to act or create spontaneously with being able to quickly evaluate the outcome of the action she was about to take. The more importance I placed on the outcome the less she created, imagined and played. I believe she became stifled by the fear of making a mess, or doing something wrong. I backed off and she was back to her old self.
My solution was just a lot of supervision with guidance if I saw a mess brewing. If I saw her grabbing the flour I would let her know that she should set up her lego man snow-scene on a disposable tablecloth so that she wouldn't have such a mess to clean up. If I didn't catch her in time then it would be a lesson in how to clean mayonnaise out of a carpet. Frustrating? Oh yes! Did I want to put her in a straight-jacket until she turned 18? Definitely! It was a learning process...but she never made the same mess twice.:tongue_smilie:
Good advice. I don't want to inhibit his creativity, but he does need supervision. I know when the bathroom door closes and all is quiet for a few minutes to go and check on him. That is his main "experiment" area. At least it is easier to clean than carpet!
She is much better now that she is older. She has gained the maturity or maybe the brain capacity to be able to maintain her creativity and think ahead. Hang in there!
Thanks, hopefully maturity will make a big difference.
Ideas for age 2/3?
in Accelerated Learner Board
Posted
LOL, no advice for you but I could totally picture what you described. :lol: