mommy4ever
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Posts posted by mommy4ever
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I went to the gym tonight, the kids were home alone, dh has ball hockey. DD11 and dd13 were quietly reading a book.
DD7 is downstairs, she has the keyboard playing loudly on demo mode, she was dancing and conducting, and ds17 was laying on the floor singing for his sister :lol: and loudly.
:D Nice to see they CAN get along if they try.
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I don't know how long is recommended, but on youtube, SWB had her 13 doing dictation, they were going back to it to help him keep the words in his head. (Search peace hill press at you tube). It was neat to see.
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Flash cards are good for mom too..lol
There is a pronunciation key in the TM. I didn't realize it, I was just going by the examples given.
There are some possible differences depending on local dialect that may need to be addressed if it affects you. But so far so good.
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I don't know how old they are. But consider having them doing free reading during AAS time, even if it's picture books to look at the pictures. Or puzzles. Something quiet. Set a timer so the lesson doesn't go too long, with the expectation that the child not in the AAS lesson stays quiet. Each should be able to do something constructive during that time. penmanship sheets, fun math sheets(below level, simply for the practice, great way to remember the facts). A coloring sheet relating to something they are studying.
It is a challenge when everything is parent intensive! I have that issue too. It does get better.
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Awwww... I have tears of joy for her accomplishments! GOod for her! WTG MOM!
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Surprisingly.... yes.
We just started2 with dd7 a few weeks ago. She can read the phonetics used very easily.
She has learned the sounds with AAS since we use it for spelling, and with flash cards. So, perhaps making flash cards with the letters on one side the letters, and all their sounds on the back, use the phonetic symbols.
She used to just rattle them off - the sounds of a - -- the sounds of e ----
etc. It was amazing. They are sponges at this age. A quick review every day and in a few days it's all in there!
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Joanna,
Does this printer make copies quickly? Our Canon MP160 takes forever to copy something. There is a lot of wait time.
Kimberly
Kimberly,
You may want to consider printing portions of a book. I find with my computer/printer combo, if I try to print 60 pages, it starts to bog, but print 50 and it's really fast. It means paying attention to what the last page was, and not just walking away, so I can print again, but it prints way faster AND I can still use the computer.
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Thanks for sharing your WWE notebook! I've been tempted to do that for WWE, which we haven't used in awhile. I might start today.
I made a writing journal for my daughter today, she totally loves it. Next we'll make some drawing notebooks for her.
OH, nice! Those are cute!
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They're easily cut. Thanks to Halcyon who mentioned that she made little books and you can get 2-3 spines out of one spine for the little books. Actually, thanks to everyone who shared their great ideas!
Thanks for the idea!
I did some small-ish ones too! This is 1/2 page and top bound(thanks, nukeswife)
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Dear Susan,
I am new to homeschooling(officially a year now). I've never been opposed to homeschooling, however my husband wasn't sold. My son is going to be entering grade 12, and I'd researched in K due to some issues, but as I mentioned, my hubby wasn't for it.
Fast forward to a year ago. The school had lost our then 6yo after school, letting her wander away, thankfully one of my older daughters classmates found her and brought her to the school. Then our 10yo was assaulted at school. The school lay blame at our feet for not stepping forward sooner, despite records of our communications with the school.
After that incident, my girls were in school for 1/2 day, I walked in, had them pack up their things. Done, buh-bye! We initially thought to transfer them, but no school wanted us so late in the year. We were being threatened with truancy, so we registered as homeschoolers. This felt right. Dh figured it was for the remaining 3 months of school.
I put out some help pleas to the local homeschool group, I was put in touch with a mom who has a small curriculum store. We talked and she told me to sign out some homeschool books to see where we'd fit, that it would help in choosing curriculum. The first on her list was WTM. I read a couple others before WTM was available to check out. I didn't relate to those books, but what you had to say, the guidance you offered was exactly what I needed. I knew what I needed to do. I knew that we were in this for the long haul.
Soon, dh realized this is where the kids needed to be! Our 6yo wasn't reading, didn't know her numbers, couldn't add or subtract, minimal phonics. In a month she was reading, spelling and had advanced significantly with her math facts.
He was thrilled!
DD11 progressed more slowly, she had(and has) healing to do, but we had her doing just the basics initially. She has come a long long way. She has surpassed her old classmates at this point, with only having used a few of your recommendations. Next year we're going 'hardcore' WTM at her request :) So it works, she observed how her little sister is doing and likes it, alot!.
By fall, dh had our older dd14 convinced homeschooling was the way to go, and she joined us for grade 8. She has been resistant to using the WTM method, but has asked to do it the WTM way for grade 9..lol.
AND, ds16 is asking if he can finish his high school with year at home!
Dh has stated that the littlest will never again be in school, he'll work 2 jobs if he has to to make it happen, never will she be victim of bullying as her brother and 1 sister did, nor will school mates have opportunity to corner and assault her.
Dh hasn't read your book, he doesn't have the attention span for it..lol. But he loves what he sees in his kids. He loves that his kids are bright, that they are learning many cool and interesting things.
So, again, thank you, Susan, I have read your book, perhaps not cover to cover, but I think I've covered every section at least a dozen times at various times, we just jumped in feet first! I've listened to your lectures(MP3), they are on my player, I have FLL 1-3, WWE 1-3, OPGTW, SOTW 1 -2. We love it all. You have guided us as though you were a dear friend next door :), while we may not do it all, perhaps even as it is meant to, my kids have learned so much. Thank you for taking time from your life and family to share with the rest of us. You've given us the knowledge to teach our own with confidence, the knowledge to research and choose curricula based on what we need, believe, and require of it. Your guidelines for selecting curriculum have been awesome. I know that if one of your suggestions isn't the right fit, then I can look to see what we need of it, and go in search.
Thanks!!!
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Yeah, that thread is what started me down this road. LOL
I was just making sure that I wanted WWE to go with FLL.
How about spelling and HW? Do I need to add something seperate for those as I start back at the beginning with these two kiddos? I have A Reason For Handwriting and they both enjoy that.
WWE and FLL are great. Since you have a little one coming up, it wouldn't hurt to move through the books from the beginning. FLL has a lot of repetition, if the kids are grasping and retaining, then you can move through it faster. If it is a concept they do know from CLE, review then move on.
It won't hurt.
Assess their reading. Where are the getting hung up? Review those concepts in OPGTR. Maybe you'll need be able to start past the letter sounds into reading, or maybe even further in. Again, review.
You say they are pretty easy going. Have a sit down with them. Tell them what the game plan is.
Listen guys, I think I missed something in the curriculum, so let's do a really good review and see what I missed. If it's easy, we'll go over it quickly, when it gets harder we'll know this is where we need to slow down a little and really learn it; make sure we get it! If it takes us a few months, great, if it takes 6 months, great! I just want to be sure you have everything you need to do great as you get the Jr high. It'll be so much easier when you guys have all those tools to use.
I had to do it with my 10yo last year, we're doing it with writing and grammar now. I told her, not your fault, what the school was using simply didn't teach it. I don't care what number is on the book, I'd rather she 'get it' then be pushed through higher levels and struggle. She understood that. We're still 'behind' but we're getting quality work at that level, vs poor work at the advanced level.
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Since CLE LA doesn't offer writing, WWE is a great addition to it. It is only 10 or so minutes more than CLE.
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Thanks. I'm going to have to see if I can find it over here. The investment would be well worth it. The printer/copier that I have needs £50 printer cartridges.
That printer on amazon.ca was $40 less, but cartridges weren't readily available, and those that were, were $8, so be sure you can get them before investing in the printer
I have an HP but use non-oem cartridges(I use familyactionstore on ebay). I can get just over 1500 pages on draft setting. I pay $7 per cartridge and get free shipping. So before changing printers, check to see if you can find an non-oem for it. From the brother site: "Up to 450 pages for Black."
My experience though is generic tends to have a little less output. So for now, I'll stick with the HP, it works out a little cheaper and no new printer needed.
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I created my own in StartWrite, so that is was in a consistent font line spacing. I think I have pictures on my blog anyone wanted to see what I did with it. Pictures are the bottom of the page.
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My timeline is morphing into something of a note-book meets lap book meets timeline :glare:
When our next set is done, I'd be happy to share pictures.
DD is very crafty, until it comes to school stuff, then she scribbles. So we're using more images, less coloring. It still makes a pretty cool page ;)
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For her it was a 6 month process. She had to provide every possible violation of law she has ever been cited for, parking tickets, speeding tickets, any thing that involved the police. Then it was an 18 mo 'trial' period. I don't know about the other gal, she's been there for years, it seems almost right out of university.
They are SO happy with what they are doing, so I thought I'd share. It isn't a really high paying job though. The one took a 45% pay cut to do it, from what she'd been earning with the oil company. But you can't put a price on happiness, she is very happy there.
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I can't answer from personal experience, but I have 2 friends that have degrees in Chemistry. One a Masters, the other her Doctorate.
They both currently work as crime scene investigators. Due to differences in education, they are at different 'levels' within the force.
Prior to working for the police(federal level), one work for a large oil company, she analyzed various samples that came through the lab.
They both absolutely love being CSI. They are both in the lab, one does court appearances, neither goes to the scene itself at this point.
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Can I just download the student pages (9.50) or do I need to download the entire workbook (27.95)?
There are no instructions in the student pages. It would be simply the lined pages, notated with book the passage would be from, no passage. There would be copywork for Level 1 and 2, but nothing for 3 and beyond. Level 3 and up, there would be passages to read, but no instructions, no narrations questions, as these are done orally with the instructor.
So I don't think those pages alone would work. Those are meant form some one who had a hard copy of the book and wants to use it for more than one, It is much easier to print from a pdf than to scan and print.
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Thanks for the ideas! I had fun last night making a few things.
I love it! In the long run, this is going to be more cost effective than continually buying big, expensive, bulky binders that take up so much space.
Great ideas!! I love the little geography booklet! That could be used for many smaller things.
Did the proclick come with smaller bindings? Or did you cut them?
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I have experienced it too!
I use family safety by microsoft. It blocks pretty much everything :) I did remove wikipedia though, thanks for the heads up.
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While we do some copywork, my kids do not much like it-the 7 yo mostly. It is a difference in personality I reckon.
Can you find a topic she loves? So that her copy work gives her interesting facts on that topic?
The best copywork I've gotten from dd11 was when it was about her beloved Geckos. No it's not GREAT writing. However, it got us over the hump. Now she is more willing. We also look for passages from books that she'd like. Not everything in WWE is interesting for her. However sometimes, there's a passage that REALLY tickles her fancy, so I'll get the book and take more passages from that book.
Yes, she is still doing copywork because she is resisting dictation, big time. We're working on it. One day at a time.
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I think every child is different. What classical looks like with one child may be very different with another, even within the same family.
I hear "workbooks are boring" from lots of moms, here and locally, for their children. Yet with mine, they LOVE a good workbook. We just received CLE reading, which I plan to use over summer with dd7 since she'll be done OPGTR and I want to keep it up. She was so excited. Jumping up and down at the sight of 2 new readers and the 10 booklets. "OH MOMMA! Thank you for getting me workbooks!" She is working in CLE LA, it is the first thing she wants to do in the morning. She loves everything about it. We make notes of the new vocabulary, she is building a dictionary in a small binder. Every so often we need to recopy and alphabetize(2 skills here..lol). I am thinking of using photo albums with index cards instead then we can shuffle instead, still have to alphabetize.
Don't be afraid to be a little goofy with them. One mom here suggested getting them to recite while standing on one foot, in childs pose, in downward-facing-dog. However makes it silly and fun!
Adding more physical activity to the day, also helps to get through the boring sections. My girls started karate in January. I drill them. We use their new Japanese vocabulary to test their knowledge of movement and their understanding of the words.They will be learning katas this next session, we'll be working on those too. I actually will video the Sensei so that they can watch it too. This is a great to do for 10 or 15 minutes prior to doing copywork or dictation... or anything that requires a little more attention. I remember reading, but not sure where, that their boys would do the heavy chores prior to starting school, so they were appreciative of the opportunity to sit still. They loaded the wood box, chopped wood, mowed lawns etc before school. This was great for the family as the boys were relaxed enough and paid attention to their studies, rather than antsy.
To make it fun, we need to see what makes the child tick.
DD11 was thrilled to get a big thick science book (Apologia general science) that has 50+ experiments to do. She aims to do each one. But will do a lab report for each. Because she enjoys it, she is also not fussing about outlining from the book either.
DD14 is anxiously awaiting to start grammar(she's been in school and they offered no actual grammar!) over the summer as this is a step closer to being able to do The One Year Adventure Novel program. She is impatiently waiting to start Algebra 1 so that she can start Chemistry next winter.
I'm pulling out history projects for the SOTW AG for the older kids too. They love to craft still, what does it matter that they are in grade 7 and 9 next year? They do most of the projects we do with dd7. They gather round when she does her science experiments, they offer feedback after dd7 offers hers. In turn, dd7 watches them do their experiments and learns a little more with them.
They are each others audiences for 'speeches', recitations. (rules are positive feedback from siblings, criticisms are left to mom and dad).
Field trips, hands on workshops. We did a science olympics that was set up by local homeschoolers. There were 32 tables of experiments to do. Cost was $25 for all 3 to go, and around here, that is a steal.
Now no matter what you do, not everything will be fun and exciting. Learning isn't always that way. But anything that can be fun, should be!
We found it hard to do science a la WTM, we just weren't doing it. One area of science for the year for dd7 wasn't happening. I tried a few different programs, it didn't do it for us. However, recently we ordered McRuffy Science, and she loves it! It is short lessons, easy to do. Ironically, despite the 'lightness' of it, she remembers it too. Since we started late, we have been doing multiple experiments a week. She LOVES science now. We'll definitely use McRuffy's again next year. It isn't WTM, and it isn't quite interest based, but she looks through her book and asks questions about different things we've done or will be, so we add books to it. So it is kinda there, it is being built up by interests. WAY more than it would be if I had to try and pull it all together myself. This is more important, it's introduced AND being done.
So, there is no 'perfect' way to do Classical Education. WTM offers suggestions, and SWB has stated, these are suggestions/guidelines, ones that she has found to be solid, and she has also stated, she hasn't seen all the curricula out there.
There are basics that need to be covered, reading, writing, math. Within that is copywork, dictation, outlining, note taking and grammar. With that skill set, one can learn ANYTHING.
I think once a child is old enough to start to see how the puzzle fits together(and that can be tricky, I am still learning how it all works), they might be able to see past the drudgery of some of the work.
Algebra will lead to being able to do Chemistry.
Grammar is a stepping stone to her novel course
Well done copywork will lead to learning cursive.
Learning to read well, and all it's 'silly' rules, means a whole world of books will be available to read(dd7 sees this and it DRIVES her). Having several books at home tempting her, has been a huge motivator in getting her to sit and learn to read.
Using a topic of interest has made teaching dd11 to outline easier. She is noting how much more she is remembering. We don't outline ALL the time, 2x a week, I don't offer much criticism, she is very sensitive. I read the passage read the outline, and only point out huge omissions, as we move to the 3 level outline, there will be more concise information. I saw this when we moved from 1 to 2.
Learning to outline now will make high school and college so much easier. (dd11 is seeing this as her brother in 11th struggles with writing and tells her how important it is). So she is putting a decent effort.
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I've thought about getting one of these just for when our books come spiral bound on the side. I'd much rather they all be bound at the top like Growing with Grammar, because they like Elegantlion said they don't have a spine/spiral that gets in the way when the kids are writing in them.
Oh the things I could do if I bought one, I really need to stay away from these types of threads because of the temptation they bring. :lol:
Binding at the top! I like it!
I may just try that with the next round of binding!
I don't find that the comb binding interferes much with it being at the side, but I can see where it might.
Down side, comb binding, you can't wrap it right over like a spiral. meaning more space above, we sit 5 at a 32 wide desk, face to face, so not sure it'll work.
Wouldn't hurt to try with one book to start...
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I have bound:
MM by chapter - makes a great workbook size
FLL: I match TG to Worksheets, so we each have corresponding books. Ends up as 4 'volumes'.
WWE: Same as above.
I have cut and bound other workbooks we had so they lay nice.
OPGTR is so much easier to use when bound
Any ebook we use, is now bound.
AAS, spin cut and bound, and created spelling test sheets(lines numbered and spaced, marked as phrase and sentences)
Elemental Science by unit
Penmanship I prepare sheets with WriteStart and bind.
Prima Latin - spine cut and bound(this is for next year)
Anything that requires more the 2 loose pages ends up bound. I have a workbooks of "book reports".
Amanda Bennett Unit Studies
Hmmm.... My planner, their agendas, dd11 and dd14 reports. Grading forms...
I'm sure there's more. I only have a comb binder, we don't have proclick here so I'm satisfied with that!
I am not sure about my faith anymore.
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
Thank you for posting this. It was awesome.
OP I so know where you are coming from. I am there with you.
Thanks to those who answered! It gave me a new perspective on things, and some things to research :)