CyndiLJ
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Posts posted by CyndiLJ
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We held back at a younger grade level but with a bit older child. We repeated 4th grade with our then 12 year old...he was older in the first place because of being adopted and needing to learn English. He is SO SO glad we did it, even though in his case he will graduate at 21. We don't care and neither does he. He will have a complete high school diploma that is valid and not rushed to get him through. It will be "real".
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I don't know how it was that posted about Orthaheel shoes for Plantar Fasciitis, but I will be forever grateful. TWO DAYS and the pain I've had for 2 years is completely gone!!! I am thrilled as I was growing quite depressed about constant pain and the inability to walk. I gained a lot of weight this past year or two due to the worsening pain. Now, in just two days, I feel like I might just get my life back.
I always learn a lot from these Boards, but I never thought Dr. Hive would make that much of a difference!
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I don't know how it was that posted about Orthaheel shoes for Plantar Fasciitis, but I will be forever grateful. TWO DAYS and the pain I've had for 2 years is completely gone!!! I am thrilled as I was growing quite depressed about constant pain and the inability to walk. I gained a lot of weight this past year or two due to the worsening pain. Now, in just two days, I feel like I might just get my life back.
I always learn a lot from these Boards, but I never thought Dr. Hive would make that much of a difference!
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I just saw this trailer for an incredible film that might be useful for special needs families. Talk about showing how to never give up!
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We are not using it for Pre-calc, but are using it for all other grades including Algebra 2 this year. We have found the program to be great, and we are former Saxon users. We switched not because we disliked Saxon (I did...my kids loved it...isn't that a surprise?) but because with five at five different levels I simply could not teach and find time to correct it all efficiently. If we were going to continue to homeschool, I needed help, so I talked the kids into considering it. A year and a half later, they would never go back...and I have 4 of my 5 being very "mathy". The visuals seem to teach it in a way that sinks in, they are all scoring "advanced" on their state testing, and I can't complain one whit at the saved time for me! We plan to use it all the way through, and despite the "poo poo-ing" I often hear by math purists on the boards and elsewhere, I know and have read about tons of kids who have scored tops in college math, and used Teaching Textbooks for all upper level math. It can't be all that bad!
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All I can say after reading this thread is...
I am SUCH a loser!
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I hated the discomfort of the actual act of writing when I was young. I gripped too tightly, my arms hurt after a while, and the pencil/pen never felt quite right in my hand. I had no diagnosis, and I did what was expected of me, but nothing more. Fast forward to late high school and using computers, and without taking a typing course I still managed to develop a fair amount of speed. Suddenly, writing was a JOY! I loved it! I write constantly these days, but I almost never write by hand and almost always type. I even hate writing something as simple as a check.
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Anthologies we have used include Mosdos Press (elementary and middle school) and Textword Press (high school), and we are adding Norton's Anthology (college level) this next year. Like you, I wanted more than mere classics, and a wider variety of reading selections. Mosdos for the younger set is a nice mix of authors, some a little more contemporary (post 1900) but not necessarily written in the past 20 years. Still, a nice change from Little Women and Swiss family Robinson! Hahaha! You can see every author represented for every level on their web page. Textword Press is by another publisher, but it is so similar to Mosdos in style and presentation that I thought it was the same publisher using a different name. We have really enjoyed it thus far. Norton's may have themes a bit mature for my 14 year old, but we need more contemporary and mature material blended in. I'm just going to pre-read and make sure it isn't too objectionable.
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We used this as part of my mom designed curriculum: http://www.amazon.com/Material-World-Global-Family-Portrait/dp/0871564300/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373353220&sr=8-1&keywords=material+world It is called, "Material World: A Global family Portrait" and it takes you around the world with short 4-6 page photo essays about different families. It shows their material posessions all spread out in front of their homes, and gives you some brief info about the average family in their country. Our kids LOVED this resource, it is one of the best to give a real sense of family life in other countries.
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The past three years I have Amazon'd it, bought used, and bought older editions when I could. Saves me a FORTUNE with five kids! Truly, many of the "like new" or even "good" textbooks are like brand new or with very little wrong with them. Have yet to be dissatisfied, and I am fairly picky about the books not being written in.
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I must shop at one of the few Sam's Clubs that give it a cursory glance, hold up the lines, and are clueless about what I actually purchased. Almost every time they never even look at my cart!! Glad to once that in most places, this role is actually a good one.
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What a terrific question, and one rarely asked or talked about! How I wish homeschool conventions would have seminars on how to teach rather than lifestyle choices or curricula!!
We are beginning year 5, and as I look back, I can see this is what I did:
1) I started the opposite of many, I went very eclectic the first couple of years, then felt I had the confidence to use more textbooky things to guide me...but only because I no longer felt I had to be "married" to the content. I use them as jumping off points, as "spines" if you will, and it works well for us. I know others use other books as their "spines" but because I have grown competent at going in different directions, I can use any good text as a spine, and textbooks usually survey things rather well, or at least give me a good starting point. My Eclectic Years were necessary as past of my own Deschooling Process.
2) Believe it or not, I learned how to teach...in part...from volunteering in public school!! There are some TERRIFIC teachers in public school, whose methods WORK, but whose environment chokes them. The years we had in public school (5 years) were very important for my own development as a home educator, because I watched and learned. I watched what didn't work, and saw what did work. Our early years in public ed were invaluable, as they also helped me realize the tremendous difference in group learning versus one on one learning.
3) I created a Mission Statement, if you will, that first few weeks. When I have moved off course, re-reading it reminds me of what our goals are, and it quiets the voice in me when I read other homeschooler's posts!! We had very specific reasons for homeschooling, very specific goals we wanted to reach. I have blown off course several times over the past 4 years, but thankfully, having that document served as a strong reminder and helps me every single time . In it I included what we felt were the most important things to teach our kids, both in subject content and character traits. That helps me teach and keep me on course. It may be the single best thing I have as a tool.
4) I read everything about home education. I mean, everything. I read about every method, learning styles, etc. If it said "homeschool" or "home education", I read it. I gained a sense of what felt right to me, and what didn't. I educated myself and continue to.
5) As we went along, and I stumbled upon curricula that really seemed to excite and engage my kids, I studied how it was presented, and then tried to take that style to other curricula as I used it. For example, my kids are completely turned on by Connect the Thoughts and the way material is presented in it. They love being asked their opinions about what they have read, and I found that they naturally loved Socratic style of teaching. Now, I didn't go become an expert at it, but I also discovered that was more my natural style of teaching anyway! It was a perfect marriage, and so I carry that knowledge forward when working with materials that aren't really laid out that way, but knowing that helps me tweak it.
6) My kids are my best instructors. Their responses tell me instantly if something I am doing works or not. I don't let them dictate things to me, but I do tailor things to them so that it is a good fit.
7) I don't ignore that it also has to be a good fit for my own style, and I recognized that if I hated it, or found i cumbersome or awkward to teach with, I would do a horrible job at it.
8) I don't obsess after reading things :laugh: I take it for what it is, use what works, and toss the rest out. It is so easy to get caught up in "Such and such book says..." or even "On the Hive, so and so says..." and take it all as gospel. Well, when they are teaching MY kids and can say those same things, then I might listen as if it were the Word of God, otherwise, I filter it through my own understanding of what works and what doesn't.
9) That being said, and regardless of what books I have read, I have often found my best advice right here on these forums.
Learning to teach with our without curricula means having confidence in what you are doing, and seeing any curriculum as a guide, not a contract to be held to!
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We have homeschooled four years and are starting our fifth with our first high school student this year. We have done grammar consistently, lots of writing instruction at basic levels, and he is an advanced reader. I have gone the eclectic route by mixing up a wide variety of reading materials, book study guides, and textbooks up until this year.
I found the Textword Press textbooks, and am sold on them.http://www.textword.com/ . They are designed with the Regent's Exam in NY in mind, and they are very well rounded. Without beating a dead horse, they have some grammar practice, literary analysis questions, essay questions, and comprehension questions. The teacher's guide makes it all super simple, there are just enough questions in each category to be helpful but not overkill, and the reading level is high. Because this covers all our bases, we will be using this for high school.
BUT...because I can't let go of eclectic just a little :lol: we are throwing in a Norton's Anthology for a few selected readings here and there.
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The receipt "checkers" at the door at Sam's Clubs and Costco's. Seriously, they almost never, ever really check the receipt against what is in the cart, instead they just run their pen over the receipt and call it good, never having looked up. Whatever they get paid is too much for that job.
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This is so interesting to read! I do hope no one is insulted by the thread, because I really and truly have no "bone to pick" with anyone more conservative than I. I just wondered if there was anyone else out there who found their more liberal theology to be at odds sometimes, in general, with the homeschooling environment.
Interesting to see the Libertarian identification among some here as well!
Another connection I see, which I thought was weird for me, is that more liberal folks would have used the Mennonite or Amish materials. I think others who are more conservative would find that peculiar, but I have found myself identifying strongly with some Mennonite values and teachings. Not all, but definitely there is something there that feels authentic and rich for me.
On the other hand, I am absolutely not secular in my thinking, and we often speak of God's presence as we work through our material each day. I teach from a distinctly Christian perspective, it just may not match the Christian perspective of others.
Do any of you have issues with your kids saying things in front of more conservative friends that sparks something nasty?
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So...I am wondering, what would this mean to you?
Do you ever feel you have absolutely no place to fit in?
Sometimes I feel as if it is all conservative Christianity or nothing at all, and I wonder if I'll ever be able to find my "peeps"! When we homeschool, we homeschool secularly because we are in a Charter school program, and truthfully, I often find much of the Christian homeschooling materials to be of the sort that would require so much modifying or discussion to explain that it is inappropriate for us to use. We are theologically more liberal/not literal.
Is there any curricula out there that you have used that is labeled "Christian" that actually fits you a little? I am totally curious. Do you find yourself keeping quiet at homeschool gatherings for fear of offending someone or revealing you think differently?
I'd love to hear the thoughts of others in this situation!
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As I read more and more depressing news about college loans, the economy, etc. I am finding more stories creeping up about multi-generational living situations. We already will have at least some of our children with us longer than most, as three will not graduate high school until they are 20 or 21 years old. We have one son who may struggle to be fully independent, but he will be close to it if he can't quite achieve it. I am intrigued by the stories in the media about housing that accommodates multiple generations, or families that actually choose to live together well into adulthood. It probably intrigues me more because it is highly likely we will be in that situation at least to some degree.
I wondered if there were those on the list who are doing this or thinking about it, and what your thoughts were. It is not about not wanting to let my babies leave the nest, it is more about practicalities affording higher ed, and our own unique situation that has me (well, all of us have talked a little about it from time to time) thinking about it with great interest.
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Thanks for recommending the book "Scattered", I just checked it out on Amazon and got the Kindle version! Looks so helpful for our son.
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We homeschool year round, with summer part-timish. It means I already changed science but luckily found a strong replacement. Though we haven't started history yet I can already see we are going to cut that back some. Adding in more for current events, tweaking reading a bit more, but otherwise I think we are OK...so far...well... :huh:
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Great thread! Our high special needs son is 14, still barely reading at a 5th grade level, and in recent testing for language disorders tested at 9 years old in every area but two. Of the two,one was at 7 years old but the other was vocabulary and it was at 21 years old! He has a HUGE vocabulary in spite of word retrieval issues and multiple other developmental challenges. He also is terrific at mental math and higher level math. Though he is cleft lip and palate and he struggles with speech, he could sell refrigerators to Eskimos and they'd return to buy a second one! He is a happy, happy kid who is quite creative and imaginative.
My dysgraphic son can't write beyond what often looks like a third grade level, though he can dictate and have written for him with adaptive software writing that is college level as tested. Put a pencil in his hand and forget it, give him a keyboard and software and he is off and running! He also is incredibly talented with spatial reasoning and 3 dimensional thinking, totally blew away the evaluator for 504 assessment. He is going to take CAD this year and hopes to be able to work with 3D printers soon.
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IEW. I purchased it, tried it twice, LOVE the videos myself and the type of scope and sequence he uses to teach writing. But somehow, it just never, ever worked beyond a few lessons and I don't even know why. Twice was enough, but I think I'll always wish it had worked better.
Progeny Press Guides - love 'em but they are sooooooo long. We still do them but only partially, but I do wish we had time to dig into a book that deeply,though I think my kids would shoot me if we did every.single.question.
Sonlight - Never tried it, but I LONG to have been able to do so!! No way it would work well for us, but how I wish it would!!
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My rising 5th grader is my youngest! It may look as if he is advanced because he is doing things with his older sibs. However, there are some speical needs among them, as well as ELL learners, so it is probably far lower level than most high schoolers on the Boards would usually be, at least in terms of language level. However, he also is my anomaly in that he has tested gifted as well, so we sort of split the difference and are teaching more towards upper middle school. Here is what he is doing this year:
Current Events - Connect the Thoughts (Current Wars, Third World Countries), and sharing of news stories every morning
History - High School Globe Fearon American History (this is an ELL lower language, high school content text book), to late 1800's
Science - Globe Fearon Life Science (Middle School), Quality Science Labs kit for Life Science
Math - Teaching Textbooks 7 & being Teaching textbooks 8 (we school year round, he is about 40 lessons in)
Language Arts - Mosdos Press 6th grade, Probably 3-4 Progeny Press Novel Guides, Write Shop, Growing with Grammar 7, Soaring with Spelling 7
Typing
4H Curriculum for learning computer components and taking apart a computer to repair
TaeKwonDo - Working on black belt test
Shooting Club - Beginning
Team Volleyball - First Year
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I used those specific ones with our family and it was our FAVORITE curricula of all! Independent? I know it says it is, but we didn't use it that way and I wouldn't because we used it for conversation starters and mini-debate. We used almost all of the Elementary History, and now we are using the Current Events curricula after a year off and finding the high school program they have wouldn't fit our needs for a variety of reasons (we have special needs all over the place! Hahaha!). But we missed our great, thought provoking questionsand conversations, so the kids asked if we could do something else, so I dug around and found the current events. We started it just last week (Current Wars), and they were so happy...and what should have been a 15 minute lesson turned into an hour long conversation.
I think this curricula works best when:
You have kids who are very verbal
You, as teacher, enjoy this sort of back and forth engagement
You really "get" how the curricula works (it's easy, but there are reasons it is written the way it is written)
Socratic style is more comfortable to you and you tend to stop often and ask your kids questions or their thoughts when using other curricula
Your kids like meaty things to think about
I think it might not work as well when:
You have quieter, less verbal kids
You have an only (this would still work great if they are talkers and analyzers!)
You are not someone who can use something and then bring in your own thoughts about it
You prefer a textbook
What we found was:
The curricula has very short writing assignments with it...25 words or so, or drawings. Our kids ended up writing SO much more without thinking of it as writing practice. Why? Because they wanted to share their opinions and the answers are opinion based...What did you think about..." What if this happened today...? Because it wasn't asking for simple facts to be regurgitated, and because EVERYONE loves sharing their opinion, they wrote and wrote and wrote! After not using it for a year, and coming back to it this week, I saw the same effect once again. A 25 word requested answer turned into a full page for 3 of my 5! Terrific for sneaking writing practice in without them thiinking of it as that!!
Our kids quickly learned how to view things critically and not simply accept what they are told as gospel.
It teaches how to view things from both sides of an issue, and that carries into real life.
Overall, it is on my Top 5 list of my most favorite curricula we have used in our four years, and it has led to some of our most delightful family moments shared in homeschooling.
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Seriously, no button up tops. Checked EVERYWHERE and thought I was going crazy as that ought to be easy. Layering could work, but we are already at 98 degrees this week...just too darned hot. Also, the tank tops we found were all very low cut.
Part of our problem, I think, is fit. Both of our daughters are very broad shouldered, making it difficult if we do stumble upon something halfway decent. To fit their shoulders, things end up being far too large in the tummy.
Ugh...just ugh. I hate shopping for clothes in the first place, this is way harder than it should be!
Thank you for post about Orthaheel!
in The Chat Board
Posted
Seriously...I have tried 5 different pairs of shoes with no pain relief. These are working wonders and even I can't believe it. One day, that's all it took.