Embassy
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Posts posted by Embassy
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I've almost completed three years of homeschooling and have used a different schedule set up each time.
First year: Primarily Sonlight already planned for me. Liked knowing what was next, but felt we spent so little time on one thing per day.
Second year: Counted hours for each subject area. Didn't have assignments planned out. Needed a little more structure, but enjoyed the freedom to spend a long time on one subject or come up with new things without having to change things.
This year: I had everything planned out similar to Sonlight, but had some subjects a couple times a week instead of every day. I also used my weekly plan as a weekly checklist instead of what we had to do everyday. I enjoyed not counting hours, but found that some things took a lot longer than expected and others took only a third of the expected time.
This coming school year I am trying what I hope to be what will fit with us the best. I am pretty much combining the second year and third year styles. I am counting hours, yet I will have everything planned out chronologically. Counting hours will also help us be more flexible in terms of trying out new things not in the original plan. With everything planned chronologically we can do a sort-of loop schedule for each subject where we pick up where we left off. At the same time we can spend 5 hours on history one day if we want. For example, history may have a total of 75 hours for the school year. I would just keep track of how long we spend on a subject. Our schedule may look like:
Read x book together on ancient Egypt
Art project on mummies
Read x story together
Watch video of ancient Egypt
etc.
I wrote more about what we are doing here. Anyone else try something similar? If so, how did it go?
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There is no way my 6 and 8 year old would handle that movie. They are sensitive little guys though. Maybe in a couple years.
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I am completely not thinking about "dumbed down" stuff or boring, dry grade level textbooks - I am just thinking about kid books, pictures books on history, stories, etc. that I sometimes pass up because I don't think they'll challenge my kids enough. KWIM? Does slowing down really speed things up?[/i]
I am interested in experienced HSers commenting. Tear me apart at will. :)
If you look at it in terms of depth versus breadth then picture books and stories have a role. When it comes to topics like history I go slow and deep. I find my children learn much better that way. When I go slow and deep I can choose books that are grade level, easier, or more difficult. I find a combination works well. For instance we may spend 10 hours just looking at ancient Mesopotamia and read books geared to young children as well as books geared to older listeners.
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What happens if you ask him later? Sometimes my youngest surprises me with what he retains when I'm certain he's getting nothing. At dinner, for example, if the older one son starts telling Dad about the book, the younger will chime in with a detail or a narration of his own.
Just a thought.
I hadn't tried that..until now. I just asked him about the book we are currently reading. He remembered a couple details mostly surrounding one character. Interesting. The character is the witch from the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. He would remember the witch because it is "scary" to him. He is a sensitive little guy so scary parts would make a big impression.
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My boys are 7 & 9 and they still prefer a good picture book. Given the sheer quantity of excellent picture books available, I'm rather tempted to stay in that section of the library for a little while longer.
Our first chapter book was a large, illustrated copy of Charlotte's Web. They also loved My Father's Dragon (the chapters were short, if I recall correctly, so we could read a little and take a sanctioned break :-) and then they loved a few of the Narnia books. Again, illustrated versions.
In addition to illustrations, I've found it's helpful to stop every few pages and ask questions: "What do you think about that?" "Oh no! What's going to happen now?" "Oh, I like this Home Price guy. Do you? What do you like about him?"
HTH.
I've been looking for illustrated books like you describe. I think they will be a helpful bridge to chapter books without pictures. I'm reading the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe now. It doesn't have pictures on every page, but it does have some. If I stop and ask him to tell me what has been going on he has no clue. If anything he will just repeat back the last word read.
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Thanks for all the responses.
I've been trying for 3 years now! I don't know how long I have been reading to him, but it extends back to age 1 if not before. I didn't try any chapter books until he was 3 though.
My plan is to start the school year in books with lots of pictures. Then gradually increase the amount of print at the same time I gradually decrease the number of pictures. I hope to attempt chapter books with a few pictures toward the middle of the school year. I have been combining my two boys for read alouds, but I will separate them for this coming school year. My 8 year old is very auditory and is ready to listen to things like Moby Dick.
Maybe getting the wiggles out before reading may help. Snacking while listening does help somewhat. Maybe narration would help too.
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You may have a visual learner.
Yes, I am pretty sure he is a visual learner.
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Have you tried play-doh or coloring while you read? (Well, the child, obviously!!)
Yes, that backfired though. He ended up going off into his imagination with his play doh or drawing.
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Thanks for the responses. So not being about to listen attentively at age 6 isn't normal then? My older son was able to listen attentively by age 4. He can sit still while I read, but he goes off into daydreams. He does fine with books with pictures.
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What age was your child able to listen to chapter books attentively?
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The r sound is a difficult one. Some kids do outgrow the problems and others do not. I would recommend finding a speech therapist when you are able to. She may be able to do some sessions and get you set up on a home program. As for qualifying it depends on the school district. It may be likely that he would not qualify until he is 7 or 8.
The only thing that could make it worse (in my opinion) is if he starts to feel like a failure because he isn't pronouncing them correctly. While you are waiting for a speech therapist you can model the r, th, and l sounds and have your son watch your mouth and try to copy.
A former speech therapist
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I'm curious, though, if I hadn't given DD's age, would you have given different advice?
If you said she was 10 I would have given different advice, yes. She is at the age where writing can be done informally and enjoyed. You still have plenty of time to build her writing skills. I tend to think that the beginning love of writing or reading is very important toward future feelings about writing and reading.
You said she is coming up with rhymes and poems, but doesn't want to write them down. Perhaps you can get her to record them on video to show others. The creative process in writing is important too.
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At your daughter's age I wouldn't require too much writing. If she enjoys it then let her write. My six year old son loves to write and does so on his blog. Maybe just do spelling informally now and move onto a formal program later if necessary.
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My kids would just respond with the grade level I tell them they are in. They are in grades according to their ages (Kindergarten and grade 2). The work they do has nothing to do with the grade they are in. I have one child that is doing grade level work a couple years ahead of his grade and another child that is all over the place (11 grade level span of skills).
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My cards looked like that when my youngest was a little guy. When you're using picture books, you go through a ton of them very quickly! If I had multiple littles, I'm sure I would have used even more. It won't be like that forever. Glad your library is supportive. There are some at mine who act as if it's a big imposition for patrons to actually check out materials.....
Yes, quite a few picture books. My younger son's attention span for chapter books is limited so we will be using lots of books with pictures.
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Anyone else raid their library in preparation for the upcoming school year? I put together a lot of my kid's curriculum and I'm picking and choosing what books to use this coming school year. Here is my current situation:
My card:
23 items checked out
132 hold requests (46 ready for pickup)
Husband's card:
30 items checked out
182 hold requests (59 ready for pickup)
Guess where I'm going tomorrow :D
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I schedule everything and adjust as necessary.
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So, then, how long do you think is appropriate for children who are capable of long periods of focused study? I am asking more for my older daughter, who has been HS level since about 4th grade.
My son could spend all day in focused study on something he is interested in. Overall, he spends about 5-6 hours a day in school. I assign him one hour of his topic of interest per week (he is taking an online video class). He often makes that hour class turn into 3-4 hours by going off exploring tangents that the teacher is talking about. His interest plays a role in how much he does. I think kids can spend as much time in school as their public school peers. We just use time more effectively.
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I think both methods are valuable and necessary to achieve fluency. I think the learning style of the child/adult will also influence how quickly you learn using a specific method.
I took Spanish in high school with a grammar and memorization approach. I had quite a bit of exposure to Spanish in my environment previous to that as well. I took one semester of German in college with a teacher who used more of a immersion method, but still incorporated some grammar. I learned so much so quickly. Memorization is not my thing. I also picked up some Korean pretty quickly from friends just from conversation.
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My kids are learning four languages. The only confusion I have seen is my younger ds using the wrong name for the language he was learning. For instance, he might say I'm done with Arabic when he was working on French. The learning process for each language can be slower when you do more than one language though. I do use different programs for each language too.
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I don't think there is any one right way to do it. My two boys would probably test as gifted, but they are as different as night and day. One child is capable of handling long periods of focused study and loves to go in depth. The other child has a small attention span and can spend a long day in school, but the day needs to be full of hands on or visual activities.
I find myself screening content quite often so they can still be challenged at their maturity level.
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I really want to start my kids writing journal entries this summer.
I have a 7 and 9 yo, with a 4yo tagging along.
If your children journal, what do you have them write? I'm mulling over a few ideas now.
TIA!!!
I have blogs set up for my boys. They write about anything that interests them. I do have my older son write some of his writing assignments on his blog too. I think they both blogged this morning while waiting for school to start.
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It never crossed my mind that it could be considered unsanitary. They are all getting washed, aren't they? I don't typically wash other items with my daughter's cloth diapers though.
Rigorous or not?
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
Are you considered a rigorous homeschooler? If so, what does rigorous mean to you? If you are not a rigorous homeschooler please explain what rigorous means to you and why you have not chosen that path. Have there been any long term studies or observations on the benefits or negative aspects of rigorous homeschooling?