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mom2bee

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  1. For a child who really-really struggles with math at 5-7 years old. I wouldn't broaden her program UNTIL we'd made it through some other material. I would let her growth and progress with counting, and addition/subtraction inform my use of supplemental topics.
  2. So...because you didn't understand something you decided to just say that some people find "that" bizarre? Even though you didn't understand what I'd said? :huh: Why didn't you ask for a clarification instead of saying that some people find "that" bizarre? I guess everything can be construed as "bizarre" when you're ignorant of it. To be clear, I was commenting because someone mentioned tasbih beads in a way that implied that they were (essentially) just a a socially acceptable fidget toy for old men. They are not. Tasbig beads have a religious purpose and are not considered a toy, and they are not (only, or primarily) for old men. I was simply pointing out that was incorrect because 1) Tasbih beads are not for old men. They are for everyone. 2) They have religious significance and aren't a toy or a trinket. 3) Some people would be deeply offended by the insinuation that tasbih beads are a "toy" or simply be fiddled with absently. But I didn't want to make the poster think that I was personally offended. Whether or not it's offensive varies between individuals and is cultural. There is no official rule anywhere that I'm aware of that says it's disrespectful, blasphemous or sinful, but nevertheless. You run the risk of upsetting/offending some Muslims very deeply if you are disrespectful of a set of tasbih beads. A large part of their upset comes from the fact that the individual beads are often inscribed with the various attributes and names of Allah (which are considered holy). To disrespectfully handle the beads is seen as sacrilegious to some people. Even if a particular set of Tasbih aren't inscribed with the names of Allah, they are used as a part of worship/praise so again, some people get really upset to see them treated without respect.
  3. And some people find that really bizarre. I'm sorry, but I'm not even sure what this is supposed to mean given the context. Were you trying to make any specific point or were you just responding out of habit or something?
  4. As a person who spends a lot of time with children and young adults in educational settings, I find that the recent increase in "fidget toys" is disruptive, and I have several students who are just playing and pay less attention when they have those things in their hands. I will say that I feel that there is a time and place for those who possess them "just 'cause" and they really do get on my nerves. But I've also got kids who are positively affected by using a fidget toy, so yeah...time and place.
  5. In no Muslim country that I've ever been in are those beads only (or even primarily) for old men. Those beads are a counting tool/instrument that many people use while praising God or praying. Children, as well as adults of both genders and every age may have them. This is cultural and generational, and not religious, but some people even find fidgeting with or playing with those beads (because they may be inscribed with the holy names of God, or just because they're used for something special/holy) to be unspeakably disrespectful.
  6. Beast Academy Online is Live!! NO IT ISN'T. They redid the web-site, but the online component isn't scheduled to be launched this year.
  7. 100 EZ doesn't follow the standard (and not super efficient) sequence of 1-syllable short vowels, (sight words introduced without a strong pattern) 1-syllable silent e-words 2-syllable short vowels, (sight words sprinkled in to maintain readable sentences/stories) 1-2-syllable contractions/compound words. Which is kind of what K-2 reading levels are "based on". AFAIK, K-2 reading levels are kinda based on 3 things: phonics exposure, sight word vocabulary and fluency (the speed at which you can recall and apply both your sight words and phonics), So answering your question in a 1 or 2 sentence manner is kind of meaningless. I'm sorry to be long winded, but I like to think of 100 EZ is a functional phonics program (with uneven pacing). Based on what it is and how it teaches, I think that completing the 100 lesson program and how you complete the program determines what level you are at. The first 50 lessons builds the foundation in phonemic awareness, blending and symbol-sound relationships that I'd think that stopping there a student has had a firm K-foundation in reading. However, that is also the point where, in my opinion, you SHOULD have the child begin buddy reading from other materials with your support. Even just having children read the word or two that they know in a sentence as you read to them. so 1-50 = K, but 1-50 + daily buddy reading practice from real books gives your child a STRONGER end to "normal" K. I think that completing the program with buddy reading and some thoughtful scaffolding for leading into lessons 70-87, is what puts a child through to the 2nd grade reading level. The reason why I say 100 EZ has uneven pacingand that you need to apply thoughtful scaffolding leading into lessons 70-87 is because In 100EZ, the special orthography is dropped in lesson 75 and ALL of the capitals are introduced in lesson 81. That's a span of 6 lessons. If children have done 90% or more of there reading in the 100 EZ program, than that can be a BIG jump to some. So buddy reading words in normal books, spelling dictation with letter magnets or as tying in the reading/writing connection can really help ease the transition. If you're child doesn't know the upper case letters then letter flashcards (1 set of upper case, 1 set of lower case) and begin introducing the upper case letters now. You can introduce 1 or 2 letters at a time, play memory match with them. Write them, practice them in reading, and whatnot. Then when you get to lesson 81, it's not 26 new to them symbols to be internalized without any extra help. This isn't a problem for some children, but it is for others. Some kids will be over whelmed entirely just because there are so many symbols (even though many of them are visually similar) and they'll feel like they need to know them ALL. But that's just my opinion. People have used and loved the program for 40 something years, but I think that 100EZ kinda introduces them quickly and a child who is already familiar with the upper case letters has an easier time with it at that point, than a child who has never heard of them. I think completing JUST 100EZ with no outside reading and not working daily, (depending on how well it worked for your child) could leave them anywhere from early K to 2nd grade reading. But I think that using the program dutifully (almost daily), and completing it all (repeating and doubling back where needed) will leave at any where from the END of K to END of 1st grade. (again, depending on how well it worked for your child). But I think that using the program dutifully (almost daily), buddy reading, supplementing letter/digraphs sounds so that they're all covered and completing the first 50 lessons (repeating/doubling back where needed) will leave you at the END of 1st level. This child will be able to use the phonemic and phonological foundation that they have and their sound/symbol knowledge to tackle any 1 and many 2 syllable words. Obviously, completing the ENTIRE 100 EZ, dutifully (almost daily), buddy reading, scaffolding/preteaching upper case so that they're all pre-exposed by the time you get to lesson 70-87 and buddy reading will leave you at some where between END of 1st and END of 2nd grade level, just depending on how your child took to the program. I like 100 EZ a lot because it is thorough, explicit phonics. A child who learns the fundamental sound-skills it teaches such as blending, rhyming, phonemic awareness, etc, will be ready to soar when they are given more sound-symbols to work with. They know how to blend/decode, so all they need are sound-symbol associations.
  8. Do you have a full list of topics that you're looking for? Look on Amazon for supplementary math books by topic and just type in the topic you're looking for. There are books out there that span a wide range of topics at the 5th-10th grade level. The Number Power Series has a book on Measurement and one on Decimals. I have never seen a book on money by itself for the upper grades/age range. It's usually covered in the book on decimals and percents.
  9. Well, if you think that she'd genuinely enjoy the flowers and given the circumstances, then maybe, but even if I were going to be hospitalized for a while, I wouldn't want flowers. (or any other "stuff"). I just don't like them. But I would love to have a letter to read/reread.
  10. :huh: Sorry to be dense but is your dad taking the class or your child?
  11. I'm looking at a set of older books online that are from Math U See (1996-2000ish) and they're comb bound. Can anyone help me figure out how the correspond to the Greek Letter Series? Does anyone have any of these books? Math U See Introduction Mathematics -- 30 lessons (1-30). <--This book is basic counting and simple addition within 10 from the samples. Math U See Foundation Mathematics -- 37 lessons (A-36) <--Does this book cover all of arithmetic with whole numbers? From the samples, I don't see where division is taught. Math U See Intermediate Mathematics -- 56 lessons (RevA-F, 1-36 and 14 Special Lessons mixed in)<--From the sample pics, this book has six lessons on Division, but they're spread out amongst lessons that touch on things like 1quarter = 25 cent and other things like exponents :huh: Math U See Advanced Mathematics --___ lessons. <--I can't find the table of contents for this one. Does anyone If you have experience with these books, then can you share with me your experiences and what you feel was the main weakness of this version of the series? If anyone has specific details about the Math U See Advanced Series, I'd really like to figure out what this book covers.
  12. Since you already know about the various websites out there, if you wanted to find something local then you can try looking on MeetUp.com for a conversation group in your area. (this'd be free) Also, call the high schools, community colleges and universities in your area and see if they have a Language Table. At my CC there was a Spanish Table, French Table, German Table and Italian Table--1x a week, you could go in and converse. If the event wasn't held on campus, you could attend for free. (It's officially for college students, but in actuality any attendance was welcome) If the schools around you teach German than by looking online you can't find out the names of any of the teachers there who teach German and probably their work email so you can contact them directly. if they aren't available, they might have someone in mind for your daughter or be able to tell you other sources in your community to look. Call the International Student department at the cc and university and see if they have any Native speakers who might be interested in PT work and ask them to pass on your information to the student (don't expect them to give out student info)
  13. Yes. I agree with getting the reader. I hope that OP doesn't think I'm saying not to. What I'm trying to get at is that you really don't need much to get started laying a strong foundation at all, but OP, having the reader will make your task easier and manageable. She can read and re-read pages in it for fluency practice and vocabulary. But I wouldn't over thing which reader. I'd get the cheapest Spanish reader that I could find. I can link you to some of our past discussions on readers if you'd like. Seriously OP, I think that you will be able to be very successful with teaching your DD to read in Spanish. Begin with the exercises that I outlined above, and some time in early April begin using the commercial reader. OP, based on what I think I know about you and your daughter, in your shoes, my shopping list would be: Cheapest Native Reader Possible It seems that La Pata Pita is the cheapest one at 8.99 USD, but if I found one cheaper, I'd go with that. You might even be able to download something for free online. First 100 Words in Spanish (Usborne.) This book has clean pages and each of the words are clearly and plainly illustrated. Great for basic discussion and easy sentence making exercises. Sharing a page spread you can spend a few minutes talking about the picture and asking/answering "Donde esta..." and "Que color es...?" type questions. Spanish for Beginners (Passport's language guides) Once your little girl is reading Spanish (probably early May), this book has a lot of basic Spanish conversation and the phrases are illustrated in easy to read comics. She can ignore a lot of the side-bars. This is a good book to share and will expose her to many of the basics and is great as a spring board for Role-Playing in Spanish and this book, unlike most others enables beginners to communicate. Does your library have many Learning Spanish videos? If so, start taking them out and letting your daughter watch some. She'll develop her ear for Spanish and it'll grow and reinforce her vocabulary.
  14. Because student-wise, in my experience ALL of the Spanish Phonics programs (that I've seen personally) follow a very similar scope and sequence. It's on the teacher to make or break the experience. Well, okay, there is one Spanish phonics program that I can think of that does things differently, but it's $$$ and made by an American woman for children from socio-economically disadvantaged homes and who were at high risk of illiteracy. It is more of an Intervention Program and teaches by drilling the syllabary ONE vowel at a time through the whole, then adding another one. I don't think it's a whole Reading program. It's marketed to schools and costs $$$. My understanding is that this $$$ program, is supposed to lay the ground work so that Spanish speaking children can be successful with the typical readers. I think that spending the money on this program for in-home use with a child who has no problems with reading phonetically would be excessive and needlessly expensive. You can recreate the benefits of that program for pennies on the dollars. I am perfectly happy to help you brainstorm ways to "stretch" a phonics program, without buying more stuff and to make it more meaningful to her. If you want to put in extra effort for anything, then my vote would be to place that extra effort on the vowels, and consonants that differ from English but to just do it at home on your own but in a way that the exercises are beneficial and not busy-work for the sake of busy work. Make a chart of the ABC en Espanol. Highlight the consonants that have different sounds than they do in English:. Begin orally and aurally teaching words that have these exclusive consonant sounds. (such as Pajaro and anillo). Just order the cheapest Spanish reader that you can find. By my estimation, you'll want to spend about 7-10 sessions (5-10 minutes each) on the Spanish vowel sounds before you begin the Native Spanish reader with your daughter, because the readers don't spend much time on this at all. Here is a sample lesson plan for vowels: Get a mirror and teach her the vowel sound. Have her make that vowel shape with her mouth and practice saying it. Let her cover her eyes and listen to the vowel sound as you say it. Have her repeat the sound that she hears. Read 10 or so words to her (don't let her see the paper you read from) If she hears the sound, she gives you a thumbs up, if she doesn't, she gives you a thumbs down. Orally and aurally blend the consonants that are in her full name, with the vowel sound to make syllables. Then show her the vowel letter and let her write the letter 10 times, saying the sound as she does. Using a chart, go through the syllables of ONLY that vowel. (ba, ca, da, fa, ga, ha...) You can make or download a chart that has the Silabas con a/e/i/o/u for free. For a child who reads as well as your daughter does, I really can't imagine this being a complicated process. I think that you might be at risk of making things harder than needed. By like...a lot. After you've taught the vowel sounds exclusively for a week or so, begin the reader but for the first 2 weeks or so, each time that you sit down to do do the reader, quickly chant/drill through the syllables by vowel right before you do a couple of pages in the cheapest Spanish reader you can find. Typically the coverage of vowel sounds in the Native readers are minimal. Like 1-3 pages and the few times I've seen it take 3 pages is because they are including handwriting practice. Any child who was able to phonetically thrive with OPG and read other books is not likely going to require a lot of trappings and extras to learn to read in Spanish. If you have a workbook lover on your hands, fine get a series that has a workbook. If not, then save yourself some money and some time. Just teach Spanish phonics. For an English speaking child, I would intentionally teach several words (aurally and orally) that use consonants that are unique to Spanish, so I would want her to know lluvia, anillo, reloj, pajara, etc...before she reached lessons on those consonants. That way she can map those sounds to some of the the words that she knows already.
  15. I know that no one cares but OMG! I have been thinking about this and it just 'clicked' for me as I was going back to bed. It's almost midnight right now but I had a eureka moment and had to come share. :hooray: Congrats OP and daughter! So happy that she got it now! Going back to bed now.
  16. This makes perfect sense. But for some reason, in my mind, that English explanation doesn't communicate this. The and their difference seems....vague? I don't know. Also, this seems like a weird way to explain it in words. The mathematical notation is very "duh" too me, but this wording? Huh. I'm thinking a little too hard. "The GCF of any 2 numbers is the same as the GCF of either number and their difference." I think that more than the concept, the wording of this, especially the red and blue part is a little confusing. Maybe that is what you're daughter is struggling with OP. re the red: There can ONLY be a greatest common factor if there are two or more. For some reason, in my mind the word "either" would instinctively translated to one of the numbers OR the other number being factored. 12 does not have a GCF, but 12 and 16 do have a GCF. re: the blue, I was confused because "their" seemed like it was talking about the GCF and I was all :huh: Because the GCF is just one number, so GCF-GCF would 0. I get it now, but on the first several readings this seems like a bad English "translation" of what they are getting at. Since she's struggling with the definition that uses multiplication-terms, I would walk-through this with your daughter and find the equivalent definition that uses divisibility-terms. That might help her see the concept without the English clouding up her math. Basically it's saying "when you have the numbers. a, b, then assuming that a > b, you can have: a, b and (a-b) as your 3 numbers. If TWO of those numbers are divisible by n, then so is the third number. Guaranteed. OP, maybe your daughter just needs help unpacking the verbiage the way that I did?
  17. 1) That seems like a really clunky definition. Are you sure that's what it says? Perhaps I'm slow, but that seems like a typo. I don't know what that underlined bit means in this context and I know what a GCF is and how to find it. The GCF is the BIGGEST (greatest) factor that two numbers have in common. It's practically a verbal/vocabulary comprehension thing to someone who understands how to factor numbers. It's "intuitive" through understanding that terminology and seeing the connection to the math, but not really a math concept to be intuited in and of its self if that makes sense. To find the GCF of two numbers, factor both numbers and see what is the BIGGEST factor that they have in common. That they share. That part that says "and their difference" is just...REALLY confusing me. Do they mean difference, mathematically, like...subtract them? OP, would you mind posting a picture of that page/definition? Perhaps they are teaching it some way that makes the extra verbiage necessary, but now I'm painfully curious to see this page myself.
  18. :bigear: I've been shifting away from curriculum junkie/hoarder who gets and keeps just anything, to more of a curriculum collector. I have a couple of things that are really neat and that I like. I think my two "rarest" items are my 1908 Websters Speller as an original hardback. 1965 Open Court Blue Book and Gold Book in the original. Of course I have a lot of more modern things---but these are probably my rarest pieces. I have been keeping my eyes peeled for something for math, but wouldn't know what to get. I want something older/vintage for handwriting and math. Any suggestions as for what I might keep my eyes peeled for?
  19. Absolutely not. I don't care what aspect of adoption you are discussing, I wouldn't even attend the conference. 100% NO.
  20. You probably don't need to change curriculum, you do need to change the way that you are administering the curriculum you have. 1) Warm Up every.single.day. She needs a 0-99 chart. You can make, print, or buy one. I suggest just printing one off. She needs to count to 20, and then count down from 20 every day at the beginning of her math session. IF she struggles to do this, let her read from the chart. She needs to USING a chart start at a random number and count until she reaches a stopping point. So tell her to find 7 and count to 15, or find 17 and count back to 3. Chant/Recite: Addition means to combine the same types of things into a new group.Subtractions means to separate a part of a group of things and take it away. 2) Consider reordering the chapters. IF you do the chapters on addition and subtraction simultaneously, the concepts could reinforce themselves for her and she could learn the concepts more holistically. Subtraction means to separate a smaller part from a whole, addition means to combine parts into a new whole. Fact families are easier for some kids to learn than then disjointed facts. 3) Continue with Math Mammoth but always, always, always, always use manipulatives. YOU read the lesson, but teach it to her with the manipulatives. Walking her through the concept and process. You need to use manipulatives while teaching her the new skill, and she needs to use manipulatives to perform the tasks, first couple of times being guided by you and repeating the steps with you. She needs to be saying and doing the tasks ie: "I'm adding 6 and 7, that means combine a group of 6 and a group of 7 into one big group. So I'll get a 6 and 7 manipulative. "Since I'm adding 7 to 6, I'm going to start with 6 and count on 7 more. 7,8,9,10,11,12,13. So 6 and 7 are 13." Then when she seems comfortable with the process and can prompt you through it, have her begin doing the problems by herself, then let her teach it back to you, with manipulatives. Then she can read and interpret the problems on the page using "plain English" Once she's comfortably and accurately interpreting and performing addition and subtraction, if she hasn't noticed yet, point out the commutative property so that she realizes it's consistent. You can demonstate this with legos if you don't have unifix cubes. Get two different color bricks and build up towers of that are 2-10 units high. GGBBB Talk about how this represents that 5 is 2 and 3, but it ALSO shows us that 5 is 3 and 2. (then flip the tower around) so that its' BBBGG. So now when she does addition practice, she can get double mileage out of each problem, when she answers that. 4 + 3 = 7, you prompt her and ask, what other math fact is 7? and she can tell you that 3 + 4 = 7 as well.
  21. I think it's easier to think about the "Next Step" once the child is closer to lesson 90 in 100EZ. Their performance in 60-80, the transitional lessons helps to decide where to go next. Typically those lessons are the lessons that prove the most challenging for families. Some kids do really well with the 100 EZ book. I think that it works really well with 2-4yos and is a very good "First teaching reading" program for parents because using--or even just read-reading it--can teach parents a lot about how to teach the skills kids need to read, regardless of the program that they use later. Rather than worry about the "Next Curriculum" think about how to help her be successful through the second half of the book. Her performance in the rest of this book will let you know if you need to move to a new curriculum or not. Since she's doing well with 100EZ, don't change it. Just keep going at her pace. A lot of parents dislike 100EZ (because it requires so much detail-oriented work from them, and the orthography is strange to them) but it's a time-tested and really solid option and one of the best phonics programs you could possibly use. But IF she begins to struggle a little in the mid-60s to 70s, when lessons get longer, then break the lesson into 2-3 sessions. If she doesn't struggle as the lessons increase in length then just keep going. Don't be afraid to pace yourselves by repeating lessons and not exactly in the same order. If she's pecking away in the 60s or 70s, then maybe take a second run through a lesson from the 30s, 40s and 50s, then do PART of a lesson from the 60s/70s. Just let her practice reading stories from the 30s-50s the fast way, then read part of a longer lesson. In 100EZ, the special orthography is dropped in lesson 75 and ALL of the capitals are introduced in lesson 81, so to help with that transition, you can make some 3x5 index cards into letter flashcards (1 set of upper case, 1 set of lower case) and begin introducing the upper case letters now. I think that 100EZ kinda introduces them quickly and a child who is already familiar with the upper case letters has an easier time with it, than a child who has never heard of them. Do you all live near a good library? I would take out a dozen or more beginner readers each week and read them with her, running my finger beneath the words, sounding out words the way that the 100EZ book guides students too.
  22. Since he's aware of the problem, does he want to bring his grades up? As annoying as it is for their parents, many 14yos don't care about schoolwork. They're okay getting low but passing grades. If he's content with his (barely passing) grades, then it'd be a lot harder to have a productive talk with him.
  23. Thanks! It's off! My book really looks like brand new!! :)
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