justasque
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Posts posted by justasque
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Over the years:
Tennis lessons, community soccer, dance lessons, swim team, mini-golf outings, hiking, park days, biking, scout activities, wii fit, roller skating, ice skating (with and without lessons), dance dance revolution, walking to the ice cream store with dad. :)
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My oldest son is very weak academically in all areas except reading. He just turned 14. He is NOT starting high school. Our plan is he will take the GED when he finishes Algebra 2.
I have considered dropping history to focus on these other areas but he loves history.
I would actually look at it from a different direction. If he is getting a GED, is he college-bound? If not, what is his and your plans/hopes for his future? What skills will he need to reach those goals? What skills does he have now?
If he can write a fairly useful business letter, and gain information as needed through reading, does he really need to master the finer points of grammar? Does he need a spelling program, or does he need to learn how to work with spell check to make sure it doesn't miss certain words? Does he have the math skills to manage his personal finances and perhaps a small business? How much literature does a man need? If the interest is there, then reading the classics and identifying symbolism and foreshadowing and so on can be fascinating. But if it just flat-out isn't his thing, and yet he's interested in reading, then why not steer his reading to things he wants to read (however non-school-y they might seem)?
You've said he loved reading and history. What if he took a significant amount of time to do just that - read history? Not just history textbooks, but all kinds of books about various time periods in history.
I've seen kids who are really horrible in some aspects of school really thrive in their area of passion, and it's not always easy to see, while you're in the middle of it, how that all fits together. Sometimes, you've got to make a huge leap of faith. Homeschooling lets us have that freedom.
Just trying to think outside the box. If you hate these ideas, then throw them out. But I do think it would help you to see a clearer path if you took stock of where you hoped to be in a few years, and chose your curriculum based on that.
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Not books, but Jim Weiss has some good storytelling CDs about early scientists and astronomers.
And I second Jeannie Bendick!
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Strawberries and plain unsweetened yogurt, blended 1:1 in the blender.
Plain unsweetened yogurt with berries and walnuts in a parfait.
Trader Joe's Raisin Bran cereal (full of fiber) with milk.
Shredded Spoonfuls cereal.
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Polly, you are not an ogre.
It is not your responsibility to parent this young man.
Good for you for asking here for advice.
I hope my post above didn't feel attack-y - I figured there was more to the story, and your 2nd post cleared up some questions.
I posted above, but I'll reiterate that communication is the key - with the boy's mom, with the boy himself, and with the sister. As previous posters noted, a blend of playing all together (perhaps outside) and "girl time" is probably the best way to go. Hopefully the mom is sensible and this was some kind of misunderstanding or oversight. Hopefully, with communication, things will go better next time. Otherwise, her son has an even tougher ride than we may realize.
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I'm a little confused. When the boy knocked on the door, did you answer and explain that his sister was playing with your dd but that he couldn't play with them? If so, how did he react to that? Why didn't you include him - you didn't explain that part. Younger siblings, autistic or not, can feel left out if not invited. I know there is an age and gender difference, but without talking to the mom I don't think I'd have one kid in and not their sibling. Some families are more used to socializing inclusively, and two years isn't all that much.
Also, it can be incredibly helpful, educationally/socially, for autistic kids to be included as much as possible with other kids' play. It can be challenging for all involved, but so incredibly valuable to the autistic child. I really feel it's our moral duty to include the disabled whenever we can, so I'm not sure I understand why you didn't?
I would not assume the mom knew he was there, and even if she did she may not have been aware of the problem, especially if she is used to having him included.
(ETA: If you want to have a play date with just the sister, I'd make sure the mom was aware of it so she could engage/distract the brother, and help him to understand that sometimes his sister will be doing things without him.)
Playing in the yard in the future may be the best way to solve the problem if you are uncomfortable having him in the house.
I know it's strange to have "roaming" kids in your neighborhood. I have addressed the issue by making them welcome in my home, and treating them more-or-less as I'd treat my own kids. It's paid off in the long run, for our community and for our family, not to mention for the kids themselves. Of course, you have to set some limits, but so long as these are clear, and pleasantly conveyed, it works out well.
We are all given gifts to use for the benefit of all.
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Check the TSA website (a previous poster gave the link). Print out anything that says "yes" to something that might raise questions, so that you can show the TSA workers that it's an approved item.
YES pack food! I always pack as if we will have to camp out in the airport for 24 hours, because I've had to do that before and it's *way* nicer if you're prepared. Extra food, diapers, a toothbrush to freshen up, a polar fleece pullover that can be used as a pillow or blanket, cash for airport food, charger for your cell phone, dice or other small activities for your dc. If you assume you'll be held up and you aren't, you'll feel happy and any food can be eater later. If you don't assume you'll be held up and you are, you'll be miserable. It's an adventure. All will become part of family legend. Prepare, then enjoy!
Nuts, fruit, bread, cheese, water bottles, muffins.
Don't forget the CHOCOLATE!
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You can drive yourself nuts over this. I count days we've done something significant, but I don't worry about being exact over it. When I get to about 10 more days than I need, I quit. I know that our learning is not accurately measured by "days", so I take a reasonable shot at it and let it go. It only matters if there's some question later on as to whether we've done "enough", and since we do a lot (and my kids score well on standardized tests) that's unlikely to be an issue. I would consider your audio book day a school day if you did a couple hours of it. Since the lecture series is probably a shorter time per day, I might not bother counting those days (unless we did something else cool on those days, or were hurting for days that year), but I would include it as part of our "school work". On the other hand, most days my kiddos read on their own for at least an hour, and often do some kind of exercise/PE, so it really doesn't take much more to fill out a robust school day.
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There are some excellent podcasts about EMT work, as well as EMT continuing education lectures, which would be a great way to get a head start on coursework as well as get a sense of whether the work would be of interest. Just go to iTunes and search the podcast section for "EMS". There are some from Albany Medical Center, one called EMS Garage, and a ton of others. You'll also get a sense of the profession and its rewards and challenges. "Blood Sweat and Tea" is a recent non-fiction book written by an EMS blogger; it's available free on the web.
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Personally, I'd take the time to play with rhyming - not just how it relates to spelling, but hearing the different parts of the words and understanding "front sounds different, back sounds same". It's a pretty basic skill, to be able to break down the sounds in a word, and without it you're not going to get very far. There are all kinds of games you can play to help with this.
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Just as an aside for anyone who may be interested, the information Mrs. Mungo detailed about Cherokees living in large farmhouses, planting orchards, farming, owning businesses, etc. is mentioned at some length in Hakim's History of US, as is Andrew Jackson's deliberate flouting of court rulings prohibiting the seizure of such properties.
That's good to know. I read the link someone posted (way above) of a Catholic critique of Hakim; basically it seemed to say "there's not enough emphasis on the contributions of Catholics". A valid point, but one could probably say the same about the series' coverage of the contribution of any particular group; one can only squeeze in so much to one series, especially one meant to be a sweeping overview of 400 years of history. I do like Hakim as a spine; she seems to at least try to see/convey the motivation of the folks on both sides of a disagreement, and to encourage the reader to look at things from various points of view rather than just a "good guys vs. bad guys" approach. Of course any book like this can only give a brief summary of any particular subject. I can (and do) add in extra depth to any aspect that interests my family. (The linked article discussed a few sentences here and there that were potentially problematic for other reasons, but, at least for me, didn't make the case for the kind of systemic problem like what folks have been seeing in TCoO.)
Are there other books/series out there that work well as a middle school spine? (I'm assuming TCoO is used in lower elementary grades?)
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Are you suggesting that no tribe in the Americas had ever conceived of architecture equaling a cathedral and no tribe in the Americas had ever conceived of aqueducts? That isn't true on either count.
More importantly, it's not what I think of when I think of how advanced a civilization is. When your culture is all about living off the land, possibly moving with the seasons, etc., then building a cathedral really isn't a good fit with your lifestyle. If you compare it with today's "frugal living" vs. "McMansion" cultures, I don't think one approach is more advanced than another, it's more about what each family values, and how they feel it is best to spend their time/resources. One can find beauty, skill, craftsmanship, and technology in a really well-made shoe/moccasin, a beautiful woven basket, a nicely-presented meal made with love and shared with friends, or a well-built but temporary structure, just as much as in a cathedral. One is not more advanced than another.
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update: well for now i've decided to pass the books on to a fellow hser who's junior high son like the series. if, in the furture dc are interested we can revisit this whole topic. my fellow hser was happy, and this way the books won't just sit there on my shelf until i read them, or my daughter gets old enough to. thanks for the replies everyone.
Sounds like you've made the right decision for your family. You can always get them from the library if you want to try them, and you've made a tween boy very happy, so everyone wins!
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I agree with the previous posters, it was inappropriate for the event, and inappropriate for young children (when you are not their parent).
While I probably wouldn't have withdrawn my child then and there, I would be doing some hard thinking about having them in the care of someone who is that clueless about what is and is not appropriate to discuss with someone else's young child.
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Another option is inter-library loan. Most libraries can borrow more-or-less any book on your behalf from another library. Some libraries charge a nominal fee, but most don't. We've gotten quite obscure books this way, sometimes from libraries several states away. Very inexpensive way to go - ask about it at your library. The only downside is that you have to be somewhat flexible in your timing.
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I thought they were useful, but as a previous poster said they are "read once" books. Borrow them from a friend if you can, or buy used then resell.
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TOG also uses History of the US (though not the Civil War book) and that series is liberal,
I'd be interested in hearing more about concerns about HUS.
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I think you have a lot of people who like the methodology of a program and use the recommended resources because it is easier than making the substitutions or because they don't know what to use instead. I am not sure why the PROGRAMS are recommending them. I would love to know the answer to that one.
Yes, this makes sense. I know, too, that some of us have access to amazing public libraries and some don't. I don't have to worry about finding the one perfect book, because we can check out handfuls on any given subject. But all the more reason that the full-curriculum programs should make better choices, I'm thinking.
I was also wondering what level the programs use this book for? Some posters (if I remember right) said that they used it with older kids who would understand <old book = sometimes problematic> and could discuss the issues involved, but reading it I would put it at 2nd or 3rd grade level, at the most, and for those kids it's likely to be their first introduction to the subjects involved. If a kid's first introduction to Mormons or Native Americans implies that such people are "lesser" in some way, rather than people who share our basic values (love their kids and families, etc.), then that idea can become pretty deep-seated, though subtle.
My family has done early history mainly through historical fiction (which sometimes has issues but at least is not presented as fact), field trips, hands-on activities, library books, etc. I didn't use a "spine" until they were ready for History of US, which I like.
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Pauline,
I cannot defend TCoC - I have never even read it. That is not my goal. It sounds like TOG may need to make an update in the future.
My new RR catalog came last week. P. 835 describes TCoO: 99 exciting stories from American history...(lengthy description of the 7 parts the book is grouped into)....great supplementary reading or read aloud. Recommended for 5-9 year olds.:confused:
Wow - thanks for doing that legwork, TracyP! Now my faith in RR is somewhat shaken. (And thanks for the heads up - I'll be watching my mailbox for the new RR catalog - I've already got the old one marked up and dog-eared with next year's choices!) As others have pointed out, perhaps TOG never even uses the chapters that we've seen issues with. My thoughts are mainly - why make do with something that flawed, if so many much better choices are available?
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>>1. Naivety....
>>2. This was already mentioned but a lot of hs'ers would rather explain the wrong in a books presentation of Native Americans than explain the wrong (in their view) of a books presentation of gays....
>>3. This goes along with #2 but TOG offers around 900 books just in their primary resources. They cannot have an easy job.
1. Naivety makes sense. Not everyone has the reading skills or the history background to do a critical analysis of every book they use! I certainly don't. I'm not claiming to have all the answers, especially when it comes to history (or science)! I'm just asking questions to learn more. But that's kind of why I personally would rule out a book with the passages that a previous poster linked to. If the books has stuff that is that blatantly wrong, what other subtle things are there that I might miss? It's *because* I am *so* not a history expert that I want to use sources that I generally trust.
2. I guess I'm used to buying things from places like Rainbow Resource, who make an effort to describe any potential problem areas up-front, so that each family can decide whether a particular resource is appropriate for them. I went on the TOG web site and, at least at first glance, there was no warning that the book might have some sections that might be problematic for some families. The description didn't mention anything at all.
Stories from the history of the United States beginning with a full account of exploration and settlement and ending with the presidency of Woodrow Wilson, this book has 99 chapters under seven headings: Stories of Explorers and Pioneers, Stories of Virginia, Stories of New England, Stories of the Middle and Southern Colonies, Stories of the French in America, Stories of the Struggle for Liberty, and Stories of the United States under the Constitution. Another winner from H.E. Marshall that is used beginning in Year 2, Unit 2 and continues through Year 3 Unit 4 (There are a handful of pages that can be used in Year 4, Unit 1, but we won't assign them. However, feel free to use them if you own the book already.) Questions in the Student Activity Pages are directly tied to this title, so it won't be easy to substitute, although it is available for free online. 636 pages PB
Amazon is a bit better:
"This Country of Ours: A Classic United States History Book" is a well-known children's history book of the United States by the best-selling British author, Henrietta Marshall. This classic book tells the story of America from the start of the settlements to 1912, ending with the presidency of Woodrow Wilson. In " This Country of Ours: A Classic United States History Book," Marshall tells a riveting story of America's history that can't help but engage the attention and hearts of young readers. Because she wrote a hundred years ago, Marshall sometimes used words that we wouldn't choose today (such as "savages"). Despite such usages and a few historical inaccuracies, " This Country of Ours: A Classic United States History Book " is a great tool for helping children to understand how perspectives of history change and that points of view influence the retelling. Marshall wrote with an engaging, delightful, and interesting style, weaving in some of the Christian morals and biblical truths that influenced the founders of our nation. Filled with about 100 years of history which is broken down into regions, " This Country of Ours: A Classic United States History Book " remains an excellent read.
3. I realize one curriculum can't please anyone, and one "school in a box" program can't be a perfect fit for every child.
Please understand - I am in no way bashing this curriculum or the people who use it. I came across this thread, found it interesting, and was surprised that homeschoolers would use a book that seemed so out-of-date and inaccurate in its portrayal of Mormons and Native Americans (going by the passages linked by a previous poster). Of course we all pick and choose, and use material we disagree with for discussion (Tintin comes to mind in my house), but these passages seemed to go a bit further than that, and since there are other Christian curricula out there which don't use this book, I assume there are other/better choices that can be made, so I wondered why TOG chose this one, and how those who use TOG felt about this choice.
FWIW, I'm using History of US, and so far I've been very happy with it. I haven't found anything offensive, the stories are interesting, and the author is very careful around the difficult conflicts that are inevitable in the study of history. Not trying to push this series in any way, just kind of surprised at the difference in accuracy and tone between the two books.
Just out of curiosity, I looked at some more of the book:
They [the Spanish] came in all the pomp and splendour of warfare; they brought also the Cross of Christ, threatening the heathen with death if they did not bow to Him and be baptised.
The section on Florida mentions "the Thimagoes", apparently a Native American tribe. When I googled it, I only found references to this tribe in Marshall's books, which I find strange if it is/was a real tribe.
I liked the section on Ben Franklin.
The section on Salem seemed to be somewhat inaccurate about the facts. The intro paragraph was interesting:
WE have all read stories about witches, but we do not really believe in them. They are exciting enough to read about, but we know they are merely bad-fairy sort of folk who are only to be met with in books, and not in real life. We should be very much astonished, and rather frightened perhaps, if we thought that witches were real, and that we might some day meet one.
I don't have time right now to look further. Interesting stuff!
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Very interesting discussion. So here's my question: There are so many good history books out there to choose from. So many that are well-written, with good pictures, and based on primary sources. Why then would anyone putting together a curriculum choose to include a text as offensive as This Country of Ours? While it may have non-offensive parts, why not choose a book that is overall a better resource? We all only have so much money and so much time - why waste it on something that is so obviously flawed? If you were stuck on a desert island, you could make do with such a deeply flawed book if you had to, but we're living in a time of unprecedented wealth when it comes to non-fiction children's books. I'm curious why you think the curriculum authors chose this book, and why those of you who use it do so?
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Do you know anything about the books? Basically, the children are orphaned, and sent to live with assorted inappropriate caretakers, who mistreat them in various ways. They are constantly dealing with danger, and the grownups who should be taking care of them often do not listen to them or take them seriously. Oh, and a bad man is stalking them because he wants do do away with them (or marry the young girl) so he can have their money. The children are smart and polite and take care of each other. There are a lot of good vocabulary words in the books. It is very much a situation of either this dark, ironic style is to your taste or it is not, and the only way to find out is to read one yourself. Elsie Dinsmore, it isn't. They're fairly easy reads, and each is very similar to the next, so you'll know after a few chapters whether it's for you or not. We loved them, especially the books on tape - the readers (some by the author and some by Tim Curry) are excellent.
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I got my set and I love the looks of it, but I need more encouragement. How exactly do I set up the lessons? What do I do with the first grade diary stuff? Do I do that first, before starting the workbooks? Do I do it with the workbook lessons? Then, once I start the workbooks, do I let the child do the workbook by himself? Do I walk him through the workbook pages? How many pages do I have him/her do a day? It is set up to do 1-2 pages per day? Sorry for the twenty question, but I'm just trying to understand all of this. I have looked at the Notes to Teachers, but I haven't read it closely. Maybe all of my questions are answered there, not sure. TIA!
I would start by getting out the first workbook and the Cuisinaire rods, and, along with your child, taking a look. Treat each page like a puzzle. What do they want you to do? What are they trying to show you? Let your child have a bit of time to figure it out. Talk about what your child discovers. Play. When you're done with the first page, see how you feel. Do you want to do another one? If so, go ahead. If not, put it aside and do it again tomorrow. You might speed through pages at first, then slow down as you get to material your child doesn't already know. (But it's worth doing the beginning stuff, even if it's easy, to get the hang of Miquon.) Meanwhile, when you have a spare minute, begin reading the support materials. It will help you get ideas for how to talk with your child as you go, and additional things to think about or things to do with the rods. Miquon is powerful stuff, but the pauses to think and ponder are just as important as putting pencil to paper. If you find yourself butting in too much, take up a knitting project or chop up some vegetables while your child works. (Yes, I am very serious about this part.) This is not stuff to hurry through.
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A good approach at that age is to use a lot of historical fiction read-alouds, roughly by time period. It gives a sense of the essence of each era, without being overwhelming. As you will likely do Hakim later on, think of it as laying groundwork for that future study. If you can go to a few historical festivals or reenactments, perhaps do a historical play or two with friends, go on some field trips, and do a few hands-on activities, you will foster interest in the topics. I would do about a month per topic, on: -- native americans --early European settlers --colonial times --revolutionary war --westward expansion --Lewis & Clark --slavery/underground railroad --civil war That should provide a good foundation for later study.
Moving and not sure if I should continue homeschooling???
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
If you're moving, I would focus my efforts on finding like-minded hsing families with compatible kids. Having the right kids to play with in the afternoon makes all that morning book work worth it. Also look for co-ops in your new area; you may be able to build a hybrid of classes and work at home, which will lighten your load and give your ds some academic peers. At this age, my boys needed to branch out in this way, and it helped both academics and attitude. But do be aware you're on the brink of entering the tween zone, which isn't easy no matter where your kids spend their days!