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shadah

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Everything posted by shadah

  1. We tried mep this week. We backed up to year 2. A year ago the pages would have been too busy. She really likes it. I had her make her own flash cards. She thought really hard how she wanted them to look. I also added card games and dice games. Again, a year ago this would have been a melt down. So, yay. Whatever is the problem we at least have something to work with. Maybe also a little maturity was needed. She is 8. I have considered Developmental Mathematics in the past. I think you are right and she would do well with it. We have been to two specialists about her eyes. She has trouble focusing. Glasses helped but didn't solve the problem. They told me it was developmental and to give it more time. It has gotten better since then. She can read regular size print now. Busy pages are still an issue. I may have to get another referral.
  2. I meant she prefers pencil and paper. I drew two squares with dots, sort of like a domino would look like. Sorry for the confusion.
  3. We've had vision evaluated. It was hard to get anybody to take it seriously. They said her vision was good and didn't see anything more serious. We were sent to two different specialists. She had almost perfect vision but could only read if it was large print. And I mean large, like 24pt. That has in the last year gotten better. She can read normal size type now without strain. My brother is ADHD. I'm not seeing that in her, but maybe I don't really know what to look for. She has sensory issues - hates certain fabrics, chews on things constantly. I feel like lately I'm getting to know her better. Partly because she started expressing herself more, but also partly because I've been stepping back and observing. It was very revealing to me to discover that her fascination with languages has nothing to do with communicating with people. Sorry for the rambling. I'm still trying to figure this kid out.
  4. So how do I teach math in a big-picture way? And yes, she is driven. She doesn't have a love of math, but is very passionate about words. She is studying 5 languages currently. Very motivated, but not necessarily for fluency. It is just a fascination with words. I've wondered if numbers are just not important enough to her?I've been wondering about the parts to whole or whole to parts thing. She needs sequential, orderly work. I never though about how to present the whole first and then sequential. Maybe that's why the pages I made for her made more sense? We had the number and multiple ways to look at it.
  5. This is my post I posted on the main board. It was suggested I put it here. We have since started mep math and she loves it. We started with year 2, so it is very easy for her. She likes the different ways of looking at things. I looked at Singapore and it was not something I think we can work with. MM is too busy. The best math we did was with a vintage math book that used dominos to illustrate numbers. I would draw the domino on a blank page and then we would exhaust all the ways you could make that number by using all four operations. The book we were using did a different method for numbers higher than ten and completely lost her. I wonder if that made sense to her because we were looking at dots and not numerals. I need a math program that is: Black and white Clean pages Mastery Works on number sense- ex. What is four? 4 objects, two groups of two, etc. Dd needs to map, draw, diagram, graph .... every number to understand. For example, 2x4 is not just 8. It is 2+2+2. It is our family and the neighbors. It is dots lined up but also dots randomly placed. It is 2x5-2. How does it compare to 10? What if we had a number system based on 12? You get the idea. She has to see every angle for one problem before moving on. She cannot work with manipulatives. Too distracting. Pencil and paper diagrams or pictures. She loves word problems. Words make sense. Numerals have no meaning. She can memorize anything. That's not the problem. Conceptually she needs every angle, every piece for it to make sense. I originally thought discalcula, but I think it is more creative thinking. Something is not done until we have exhausted the ways we can look at it. Please tell me someone has seen this before. What did you do?
  6. Yes, this. Nighttime is the only complete solitude I have. I sleep much better and don't stay up as late when I have quiet alone time in the afternoon or evening. I don't mean reading time necessarily. Although, being lost in a book is a form of solitude. It is not enough if I am reading in a busy environment. I need complete downtime. Do you do a daily quiet time? For dd, I still sit in her room at night until she goes to sleep. I allow audiobooks within a reasonable time. Sometimes, soft music, but mostly just quiet. Ds shares her room, but I put him in my room until she is asleep.
  7. Children's language courses come in basically two types: instructions for how you can teach your child a language or video/computer program. One is very parent intensive. The other is hands-off and independent. Guess which works for us...of course, the ones that are hard to implement. I gather materials, play games, converse, etc.. I really wish there were programs that laid all this out better. Our best language resource has been youtube. We watch songs, cartoons, look up word pronunciations that are difficult. I highly recommend learning some basic children's songs and folksongs. They build confidence and are so much easier to listen to the hundreth time than language learning songs. As far as choosing which language, we chose the one I speak better, German. It is probably more impractical. But, she has since added Spanish, Latin, Greek, and Russian. Working with one language that I could do gave her the confidence to branch out.
  8. I taught myself from knittinghelp.com. For children, I would start with finger knitting. You can find that on youtube. Dd could knit with large knitting needles at 3. At first, I had her knit 6 stitches every day. She took it from there. Really, videos form knittinghelp were the best thing. You can watch them over and over to see what you are doing wrong.
  9. I'm going to print some MEP this week to try. MM has too small print. It blurs together for her. I may just keep going with R&S with lots of math journaling on the side. But, I have to do that. It's not pre-made for me.
  10. I need a math program that is: Black and white Clean pages Mastery Works on number sense- ex. What is four? 4 objects, two groups of two, etc. Dd needs to map, draw, diagram, graph .... every number to understand. For example, 2x4 is not just 8. It is 2+2+2. It is our family and the neighbors. It is dots lined up but also dots randomly placed. It is 2x5-2. How does it compare to 10? What if we had a number system based on 12? You get the idea. She has to see every angle for one problem before moving on. She cannot work with manipulatives. Too distracting. Pencil and paper diagrams or pictures. She loves word problems. Words make sense. Numerals have no meaning. She can memorize anything. That's not the problem. Conceptually she needs every angle, every piece for it to make sense. I originally thought discalcula, but I think it is more creative thinking. Something is not done until we have exhausted the ways we can look at it. Please tell me someone has seen this before. What did you do?
  11. Oh, quark, I am in awe! NACLO looks perfect! Thanks.
  12. Yes, she will spend free time on it, but only if there is no more tv time that day. Ha ha. She watches in several languages on youtube. I didn't know this wasn't normal until friends were over and complained until we switched to English. Dd was shocked that other people don't think in more than one language at the same time.Native speakers have been most unhelpful. They don't know the"why", can't teach the grammar, and generally have no teaching skills. I found one native speaker who did classes and had built up some of these skills, but she taught too basic a level and then moved. We live in a multilingual neighborhood. It is motivating to hear several different languages every day. I haven't had any luck beyond exposure with this. Everyone automatically reverts to English in a mixed group. I need a group of language learners. Especially those far ahead of where she is. Dreaming, aren't I? Or maybe just a tutor who could really teach and not charge an arm and a leg?
  13. I like languages. I only speak German and English, though. I spent three months in Spain years ago, but I have forgotten alot and what I did learn is just bits and pieces. I'm willing to learn with her and facilitate, but I can't handle more than one language a day. Right now, we alternate Spanish and German. I've heard of families that alternate weeks, but I think that is too far apart. Most families who do languages focus on getting fluent. For dd this is more like a never-ending word puzzle. Each word is fascinating in how it fits with other words or how it contrasts across languages. In fact, she decided to learn Latin and Greek as languages when I introduced word roots. She said it makes more sense in the structure of a language. Why would anyone learn only roots? Ha ha. This is why I decided to post in this board. I thought you guys might understand this kind of crazyness.
  14. My mom's method was to require the bare minimum and then leave us to our own projects. If we couldn't keep ourselves busy, she came up with something. I've been thankful for that, but I wish she had set the bar higher in things I had no interest in. It looks like you have found a good balance. The problem with languages is that she needs me for a conversation partner, game player,or general sounding board. German, Spanish, and Greek will be done at least partly with me. I told her I cannot do Russian and she can at least try Latin on her own.
  15. Are you still looking for something that works on Reading in German? We have tried a few things if you are interested.
  16. Dd8 has decided to learn Latin and Russian. I checked out an audio course from the library for Russian. She cuts out paper dolls or draws while she listens and repeats. She taught little brother some phrases from that. For Latin, she scoured homeschool catalogs and picked out the courses she wants-Latin's not so tough and CAP's line of Latin courses. I agreed to order the cheaper one and if she finished order something else. The thing is, we already do German and Spanish and we are adding Greek this semester. She is thrilled (read ecstatic!). I am overwhelmed. I also know time-wise this will be hard. I am tempted to drop some other things and let her run with it. But, she enjoys history, grammar, lit,typing, learning chess etc. and she needs work on math. Two years ago, we took a semester for languages. We did math and then two hours of either Spanish or German. I made a big stack of all our resources and we just went through them until the time was up. She loved it, but I struggle over whether it was a good use of time. We can A. Have a longer day B. Cut some subjects or C. Limit time on languages to get other things done.
  17. Is Classical Conversations Latin worth memorizing? We are not part of a group, but I own the cds. Dd is interested in Latin, but would it be worth having her copy or recite any of it? Is the grammar likely to be taught in a different order or format in an actual Latin program?
  18. Can this be done without the prayers? We are not catholic.
  19. I considered GSWL, but she really wants this to be her project. She wouldn't do well enough independently. I do need to let her see it in person, though. Maybe we can do the sample on that, too.
  20. Dd8 is drooling over Latin's Not So Tough and Hey Andrew. What she likes: Clean pages Black and white Large print Independent Incremental I've heard this is not the best curric., but what else meets those requirements? She loves the idea of SSL, but I think it would be too easy. She doesn't handle "flashy" programs. She is going to do the sample of LfC and I am looking at Elem. Greek tomorrow. Any other ideas? This child is wired for langauges and I am trying to find a way for her to run with it.
  21. I didn't know Language Transfer had German. I did it for Greek for a missions trip. I learned alot and retained well. Even more than I did with Pimsleur (which is still my favorite). I'll keep this on my list of resources. Thanks for reminding me.
  22. Check to see if your library has Pimsleur. It's my favorite. You could also try FSI which is available free online. A bit dated, but very, very thorough. Duolingo is free and would be a start. It's better than Rosetta Stone any day. I can't think of any good books to learn from. They tend to go too fast. You need to break it down more. German Made Simple looks good. I loved the Schaum's Outline books. To be honest, if you are going to dyi, go with what is readily available. When you hit a wall, switch it up with something else and keep going. I have found language learning forums and blogs to be very motivating.
  23. We do folksongs, hymns, and Bible verses. In German, we also do counting rhymes and simple poetry.
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