Embassy
-
Posts
3,394 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Blogs
Classifieds
Store
Posts posted by Embassy
-
-
What standardized tests do you use, if any? Which ones do you recommend? I was thinking of giving the SAT or the ITBS, but I'm open to other suggestions.
-
I don't believe in blind "rah-rah" patriotism or of whitewashing the aspects of our country's history where we failed to live up to our ideals. But I do believe that there are two sides to every "hot button" issue and that Zinn tends to present just the "politically correct" one. I understand why he chose to do that when he wrote the original A People's History of the U.S. back a couple of decades ago. He looked at books like This Country of Ours that were racist and whitewashed and felt that people needed to hear the other side.
I don't believe that Columbus and the Founding Fathers are perfect, but neither are they the villains that Zinn makes them out to be. For me, I prefer to use one with a positive depiction and then say "well, this isn't totally accurate" than to use Zinn's very negative depiction & try to make the same qualifications.
I was listening to Zinn last night while I was working. He mentioned that he sought to tell the parts of history that were left out. I don't see how political correctness would come into the equation here.
-
I use Singapore and I supplement. I don't think Singapore needs supplementation. It is a wonderful program. I supplement because my boys are non-sequential learners to a degree and I find they do well when we have our main math program at one level and supplemental books/DVDs at a higher level. They tend to learn easier concepts through studying harder concepts. The supplemental books/DVDs provide a taste of concepts they wish to discover while we go step by step through Singapore.
-
I plan to use Zinn. I'm not sure about next year though. I think I want to use it when we get to that point in the history cycle, but I have no problem using it with young elementary kids.
I guess I don't view it as a negative slant. I see it more as telling the cold, hard facts. I believe that is the most important thing to learn. I'm not interested in building my children's patriotism through a white-washed view of our country. I just wish Zinn's books were more comprehensive. I haven't found anything else I am willing to use yet.
Now, I'm not very well read on all things relating to history so if someone can explain to me how Zinn's book is incorrect I'll all :bigear:
-
Is it normal for children to mispronounce a word while reading when it is not part of their vocabulary?
-
-
Oh, and check out opencourseware for science related topics. There are some great lecture series available at no cost.
-
Maybe go the library books route for science? He can read in depth about different topics or his or your choosing and you can have him do a computer based project describing what he has learned using Powerpoint or a video program.
We do a 3 tier method for math. We are at one level for drill, one level for our standard math program, and another level for concepts. For instance this year we have read books and watched DVDs on math concepts a couple of years ahead of our standard math program. Just wanted to mention that in case you think it could work for you.
-
:iagree:That I don't instantly kill myself trying to walk through it. :lol:Plus I require a thorough clean from time to time.
-
:bigear:
No ideas from me. I have to make one of insects and wanted it on the wall, as well. I was thinking blue painters tape and string...unless someone else has an awesome suggestion.
Hmm... you gave me an idea. Maybe separating everything with yarn (index cards/tagboard with hole punched) and not actually attaching everything to the wall would work. This can give us the adaptability to spread out a certain phylum while we are learning about it and making it smaller when we move on to a different phylum. Blue tape won't work on my wall :(
-
Does anyone know of examples of a tree of life wall chart? I'm doing a study that looks in depth at each class and a selection of orders, families, and species in the animal kingdom. All the ones I have seen are very basic. I would love to do a wall chart with pictures, but need some ideas. I plan to have pictures for each species we look at and would like to post each picture on the wall in the correct place in the chart. I've thought about doing a pedigree style chart in a notebook with pictures added, but I think a wall display will suit my visual learner much better. Any ideas?
-
Do you think Singapore Math is truly "ahead"? I have heard it is about a half a year ahead of other programs... do you think this is true? The bottom line is, would you be comfortable w/ your second grader doing 1B/2A as his 2nd grade math course?
Yes, I think it is ahead. A year ago I gave my son placement tests for Singapore and TT. He was using another program at the time. For Singapore he placed below grade level and for TT he placed above grade level. He was ahead of his grade level in the book he was using too.
I went with Singapore. Now we are nearing the end of the school year and he should complete 3 books this year. We went slowly through the first one because we had to get used to Singapore - especially the mental math strategies. Now we are plugging along with him completing the second book in a couple months.
-
Thanks for the input! It is quite helpful!!
-
I see I'm not the only one who feels the need for multiple programs...lol I always feel like the "crazy mom" for having 3-4 different LA resources, 3-4 math resources...etc. One should be enough, right? Never!
:lol: My kids do well with switching from one thing to another. Keeps boredom away!!
-
I'm trying to decide which Singapore math books to get. I have been using the Standards edition with the Speed Math series. I also use living math alongside Singapore.
I'm considering CWP and IP, but don't think I want to add both. So my question is if you had to choose two of the following which ones would you choose to go along with Singapore Standards edition and Life of Fred?
Speed Math Series
Intensive Practice Series
Complex Word Problems Series
-
Tomorrow is my anniversary. 13 years! Anyway, we had guests over the other night who are newlyweds and the wife mentioned something about their stage of marriage. My brother is going through a terrible divorce right now too. Add to all that the statistics for people staying married and I wondered why some people start at one end of the spectrum and move to another while others manage to stay in one place. Or is it much more complicated than that?
With that said....I have posted a poll. I tried to list of spectrum of ways to describe a marriage with going through a divorce at one end and Unbreakable team perfect for each other on the other end. How would you describe your marriage? Have you seen your marriage bounce or slide from one part of the spectrum to another? If you have improved your marriage please share what you have done.
-
If you'd loaned her the $$ it would be one thing, but for helping her move? It sounds like you all did this as a favor & then *she* insisted that you be paid. That alone would make me drop it, but then another question--is it possible that the total bill seemed too high to her? Unless she's priced movers lately, she could easily have expected to pay you $50-$200, & be too embarrassed/angry to talk to you about the bill.
So I vote for let it go, unless there's information I'm missing.
:iagree:
-
We read them because they were written by talented artists who knew their way around the English language. They are good models for development of language arts skills. Oh, they are good too!!
-
Yes, they think I expect a lot. I've been told that on this forum. Maybe I do:tongue_smilie: But I don't expect anything that is out of their reach.
Our school days are usually about 6 hours for everything. Most people think that is too much, but they assume that is 6 hours of sit down work. Sit down work may only be half of that. We have an activity focused homeschool that goes broad and deep. So part of our day may include things like a 1-2 hour hike, a movie, a baking project, reading many books out loud, science experiments, relay race/Mother May I/Red Light Green Light foreign language activity, or computer activities. We don't even do things like math and reading every day.
They also think I expect a lot because of the level of things my kids are doing. When my son enjoyed a college class last school year I was told by my mom that he was only 8. Yeah, I get that. But sometimes you have to feed a child who is hungry. Sometimes a satisfying meal may not be found where most kids eat.
6 hour days with a broad and deep focus feed my kids well.
-
Can you give an example of a guided complex play sequence? :lurk5:
A child starts out with simple pretend play skills like pretending to drink from a cup. That expands over time to things like pretending to pour a drink and then drink it or pretending to make lemonade, pouring a drink, serving it, and drinking it. To expand a play sequence I would add something to the sequence that will keep it going (i.e. spilling my drink, telling my child how my drink is too cold or too hot, needing more drink, asking for a different kind of lemonade or drink, "dirt" falling into my drink, etc) that will teach my child to add more steps and the ability to go into a different direction the next time the child does that activity. These types of skills build connections in the brain.
Here is real life example:
My little girl prepared me a plate of goodies and brought it to me into the other room. When she handed it to me I spilled it causing the "drink" and "food" to get the floor messy. That caused us to pretend to clean up the mess before she proceeded to make me another plate of goodies. The next time she played that activity she initiated the spilling and cleaning up.
Expansion can happen at any level whether your child is just starting to develop pretend skills or already showing a great deal of complexity.
-
This is probably why a lot of us do not include our dc's ages. If people knew how long our day is, then they would know that working on "school" (and I don't include her own unschooling time) is only a small fraction of our day.
I found it easier to leave off my children's ages as well and I don't do formal academics at a young age. That way when I get recommendations for certain programs respondents don't answer according to my child's age or grade.
-
So far I've done slightly different things with all my kids.
With my oldest I unschooled him until he was 5.5. I just exposed him to things like educational games and he loved surfing science websites and shows. He had taught himself how to read and when I started some formal phonics with him at 5.5 he zoomed ahead. I pretty much ended up unschooling for the second half of Kindergarten too. I had to stop the full-time unschooling with him because he grew quite hungry. Although he was able to feed his hunger to a degree, he was much more satisfied when I could spend lots of time filling him up with knowledge. Still I don't regret the unschooling years. It fit him then.
For my second child I started a little phonics and math when he was 4.5. It was easier because I was doing some formal work with my older son at the same time. Prior to 4.5 he was unschooled. He wasn't reading, but he had taught himself how to write at age 3. I was pretty relaxed with him until age 5.
My third child is 3 right now. I plan to unschool her until she is 5 and spend the time focusing on expanding her play skills and increasing the complexity of her play sequences. She sits on what interests her from her brother's studies which are mostly projects and foreign language.
I have also done exposure to foreign languages from a young age in the form of watching DVDs in the target language.
I realize there is often a play/formal work debate. I realize every family is different and each child has different needs. I did want to clarify my position on play. For me play doesn't have to be about letting the child go off and do whatever. Play can focus on deliberate skills. In my former life I used to work with young children teaching them through play and building up their play skills. So play is important to me. Developing more complex play sequences during the preschool years will do more to develop future cognitive skills than starting formal academics at a young age. True some do both, but I think many have more of a passive approach to play. IOW, the parent may do some formal academics and then let the child go off to play for most of the day. I say this to express the idea that there aren't only 2 options: early formal academics and free play. Play can be a powerful tool to learn new things if the parent uses it as a vehicle to teach.
-
I absolutely LOVE this one, and I'm going to use it in the future. I try not to get into these types of discussions with people because you just can't convince some people. I have a Master's and people will still ask, "But is it in Education?"
That is my favorite one as well. It is simple and will likely leave them without something to say. Walking away after you say it is probably the best way to handle it though.
I do have a Masters in an education related field and people don't leave you alone even then. They just go to talking about socialization. :glare:
-
I know, right? I've always wanted to emigrate to Canada, because it seems like this magical, happy place. I envision it like what the US is supposed to be, but isn't. ;)
I did that a couple years ago and it sure is!:lol:
Standardized Tests
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
Good point. Testing is just for my information. I also want to test to have something official showing they are homeschooled and learning something. I want a test that goes into detail. Sounds like the CAT wouldn't be a good fit then.