Jump to content

Menu

8filltheheart

Members
  • Posts

    19,524
  • Joined

  • Days Won

    13

Everything posted by 8filltheheart

  1. I find your posts very confusing. It is hard to reconcile this post with not sending your oldest to school bc of germs. In 2022 you described your ds as a 4th grader who had completed MB 6th grade math. From this side of the screen it seems like he did well in 4th with MB 5 and 6 but then you realized they were actually below grade level (not a big issue since he was only a 4th grader). But, since then, it seems like his progress has stagnated bc of numerous curriculum hops and his not engaging. How much actual math progress has he made in 5th and 6th grades? The older they get, the harder catching up becomes. IOW, catching up a 4th grader is way easier than a 6th grader simple bc there is less remediation required. Not having a good 7th grade yr will just complicate his progression more. There is also nothing saying it is only one option or the other. You can give school a try and see if it motivates him to engage since he isnt engaging at home. He may thrive in school. He may realize that he loves homeschooling and ask to come home. It might make him put in more effort at home if he is the motivator behind that option. It just seems like you need to find a better fit for everyone in your family than you currently have bc from your posts it doesn't come across as everyone thriving individually.
  2. I am a devout Catholic and I would run the other way. I previewed his materials back when he first started and I thought the assignments were wildly age inappropriate. If you want a solid option, I'd look at enrolling with Kolbe. Of all of the Catholic providers, I think Kolbe offers the best academic options. My 2nd choice would be Mother of Divine Grace.
  3. No way. Not only will they not be college ready academically, they won't be college ready for the actual college class workload. I have graduated 6 kids already, and our 7th is a 12th grader. High school is 7-9 hrs here. My 8th grader puts in 6 hrs plus 2+ hrs of violin practice daily. ETA: an hr is the equivalent of 1 single class in our home (or less than 1 class for some subjects. Math/science/ English (writing and literature) all tend to take 1 hr minimum each. Many days are closer to 90 mins.
  4. I have never controlled the order of science topics. I have let them study whatever they want. As long as it is science related, they pick and read. FWIW, amg my adult kids who graduated with this approach I have a chemE, physics (earned his master's and then got a job offer he couldn't turn down), and an atmospheric science major (graduating in May and going to grad school). All were top students. The elementary "science experiments" approach is absolutely unnecessary.
  5. It is also a mix of confusing choices. Germs arent isolated to schools. Sick kids (and adults) are out in public everywhere. Sports, activities, grocery stores, restaurants.....unless you never leave home, restricting school access while still engaging in other ECs doesnt eliminate risk. Exposure is always a possibility.
  6. I agree @Terabith. I personally love books like Pyramid bc they demonstrate how man has used what was observed to advance understanding, control, and create. Reading about how water was used as a level for building the pyramids is science. It is learning about how to think and process scientifically. For elementary age kids (this question is posted on the k8 forum), I personally prefer to approach science as being founded on observational skills and affirming that we don't know everything today just as they didn't know everything then. We read about science topics in terms of the world, not in terms of textbook summations and definitions. It is more about learning how to think than memorizing. I wait until they are ready for high school level science with the required math skills to use textbooks. It has been a good approach for my kids. They have never been "behind" or "unprepared" for upper level science bc high school texts are taught at an introductory level. Ironically, I think our approach has enabled my kids to be good researchers bc they don't equate science with exciting "labs." Kids who decide to pursue science bc they loved the hands on science labs that they did in school are going to find that science research is not that.
  7. Science in Ancient Rome Science in Ancient Egypt Pyramid Cathedral Castle
  8. FWIW, she read Les Mis and this French history book L'Histoire de France for her 12th grade French cr.
  9. When you say more formal learning, what is he looking for? My dd majored in Russian and French. She placed out of all grammar/conversational classes. Her remaining classes were focused on regional topics (iirc, she learned a lot about wine regions and food), history, literature, culture, and politics (all in French). I have no idea what level AP French is bc she never took a single "formal" class. She taught herself everything. Her placement in college was determined by the department (we met with them while she was applying and then again after she committed.)
  10. I don't have any suggestions for most of your post, but for French, he doesn't need a formal class. He can read French literature. He can read French history in French. He can watch the French news, TV shows, etc. He can write essays in French. You can find an online source to correct the writing or do conversation. (Check out iTalki. I have never used it but have read multiple posts on here about it.) FWIW, my dd self-taught herself French. (I don't know any.) She read Les Mis in high school. Before that she read lots of other things like Guy de Maupassant's short stories (and researched and wrote essays in French about them). She listened to their version of 10 min news (they speak very fast). You can find global radio stations online and listen to French radio for free. IOW, the options are endless. Continuing a language becomes a focus on broadening vocabulary and ease of just being in the language. One way I knew that she had really started mastering the language was when she would watch movies and build puzzles at the same time. When you can multitask and fully comprehend what is going on, that is a major hurdle in language processing.
  11. I think that this is a myopic view bc natural talent combined with "grit, effort, and resilience" also exists. They are not diametrically opposed, existing in separate vacuums. There are those with natural talent/gifts who work hard and can achieve levels that those without those same gifts working hard cannot achieve. (My avg kids, no matter how much effort they put in, would never be able to see the world mathematically the way their brother does. His brain has an ability to perceive things that he in turn used to master math and physics at a very high level. Nope....definitely not translatable to others putting in just hard work attempting to achieve the same level.) It reminds me of the current trend to deny giftedness. We celebrate disabilities and special needs, yet as a society we belittle the truth of giftedness.
  12. Busymom5 expanded on many of my thoughts. I wanted to share that in no way would I try to slow your younger dd down or be less vocally affirming of her achievements. First, it won't help your middle dd. She'll be aware regardless. Second, your younger dd's needs also have their own place. Teaching them to respect each other and themselves vs worrying about individual perceptions will serve your entire family more than trying to hide or minimize inequalities that blatantly exist. Embrace them for what they are and focus on each child's uniqueness. My kids are almost all adults now. I have a son who when he was 6 would be sitting on the floor playing and would blurt out answers that his 8 yr old sister was struggling to answer. He passed her academically early on. He was also extremely dyslexic. He had his own struggles. Even so, he graduated from high school having basically completed minors in both math and physics. There was no way in the world that his older sister was not going to be aware. 5 yrs younger than her, older dd also had to face a sister who was extremely gifted with language (she didnt pass her older sister, but Latin and French were easy for her where older dd had really struggled.) Our 7th child is very much like her oldest sister....very avg and really has to work hard to memorize things. She is very aware of the successes of her older siblings. She also has a sister who is 4 yrs younger than her who breezes through everything. Even more chaffing to her at times is that 7th child dd works very hard on her voice lessons and has really improved her singing...meanwhile our youngest is also gifted musically and with minimal effort her voice is truly amazing. As a parent, I cant hide or "fix" those inequalities. They are who they are. It is far more important to help each one figure out how to be the best them they can be. So, I have a ds who is extremely successful who pursued math and physics and had all sorts of academic honors. But, I also have a dd who pursued a 2 yr occupational therapy assistant degree who loves her job and the flexibility it gives her to be the great mom that she is. They are in very different places but both are very happy "in their skin." Our 7th is graduating from high school this yr. She is DEing full time this semester bc for the longest time she hasn't wanted to go to college but has wanted to start her own business. She has the drive, vision, and personality to make it work. We convinced her that having a background in business and accounting would be beneficial for her plan, so she is pursuing a 2 yr accounting and office management degree while working on her vision and creating a client base already. Helping them find them is the greatest gift you can give your kids. My kids are all so different from each other that I have had to constantly reevaluate homeschooling courses/plans to fit their needs. I hate chemistry but one ds is a chemE. I know nothing about physics but one loves it. I know no French or Russian but a dd graduated from high school fluent in French and at a high level in Russian. Creating a business plan? Nope, no knowledge. Our youngest is an 8th grader who thinks she wants to pursue violin performance... definitely 100% out of my league on that one. I have spent the past 8 months reading everything I can in attempt to educate myself so we can guide her as she makes decisions. That is my main goal....to be able to offer some basic guidance in helping them achieve their goals. Eyes are on them individually. They are affirmed in who they are with unique skills and interests. No hiding. Just celebrating each one's individuality. They know. We know. It is way easier if we live honestly vs acting like we need protect them from reality.
  13. Nichola, yes, I have very avg kids who are sandwiched between gifted siblings. There us only so much you can do. Really help them understand their unique gifts and that self-worth is not based on intelligence or academics. Everyone has their own struggles.
  14. Alas, they and many other homeschoolers (school-in-a-box or the online equivalent) miss that it doesn't have to be an either/or choice. It can be both.....a lifestyle where it bears little resemblance to a classroom yet still highly academic in focus.
  15. Carol, are you sure it's not online? MP has an an online school.
  16. Many of my close friends enroll their kids in online homeschool "schools." No one in my close friend group uses something Miacademy or Power, but those are definitely fan favorites on FB. CC and full enrollment co-ops are also extremely popular. (Someone recently told me that they think there are 26 CC groups in our area.) Outsourcing everything piecemeal, like your bolded comment, is another popular approach. In my close group, I know 2 families where mom is the primary teacher. Mom as primary teacher is definitely the least popular approach.
  17. Mia Academy is one of the new fads. Give it a search. I suspect you just arent around enough of the new, younger moms. What I find so incredibly disheartening is that these parents celebrate plopping their little kids in front of a screen and that the teaching doesnt involve them. I think it goes to the constant marketing mantra of let us be your kids' teacher. We can do it better. When you try to break through that mindset and share, no, you as the parent who knows the child can do better, you are simply dismissed as wrong bc the loud voices say otherwise.
  18. It's absolutely the case where I live. Almost everyone either uses online programs like Mia Academy/Power Homeschool/Classical Conversations/co-op/or correspondence (or online version) of school in a box. And, yes, if you talk about homeschooling not having to be simply moving from one classroom into another and instead you can control what your kids learn/what they use for school/be their primary teacher, most are offended that you even suggest that all things aren't completely 100% equal. Sure.....your 1.5 hrs of high school work is right on par with what my kids are doing....🤮
  19. I agree with Scout. I would not use a literature guide with younger kids. You could easily accomplish what you posted here by with having her write a couple of sentences about the story or selective copywork assignments. (I use copywork to teach grammar and writing skills. ) I personally don't have 3rd graders writing about lit at all. We just discuss. (If they can't remember what the storyline is, in general, I would question comprehension.) My kids don't write about lit until 6th-8th, depending on the student. We don't do formal lit analysis, ever, all the way through high school graduation. We discuss lit bc great lit has so much to talk about. We discuss forshadowing bc it makes us want to know what is going to happen. We talk about character development bc sometimes we wish flat characters had developed more or how we have watched a round character develop. My kids love searching for "hidden" depth in writing by recognizing allusions that provide insight. But, we never sit down and over-analyze a work. (My current 8th grader is writing an essay comparing The Most Dangerous Game to Hunger Games and is having a lot of fun writing it. Having a kid who wants to work on their essay=homeschooling bliss!)
  20. I am just going to toss some questions to consider bc I personally would not have a 9th grader DEing. 1-Is your student very strong academically? (DE grades follow forever in terms of having to be reported.....so when they apply to UG and grad school, those transcripts have to be included.) 2-What is the population of students like at your CC? (We have never lived anywhere where the CC is populated by strong students. It is my last choice option for my kids who are strong academically and plan on pursuing any sort of academic 4 yr degree.) 3-How old are the other students? (Many CCs restrict enrollment by age. Some don't. 14 yr olds are not often found in most academic-oriented CC classrooms, though.) 4-How will your student do mastering content in a 1/4? (Learning college level sciences and languages in a 1/4 can be rough for college age kids. Even adjusting to learning in a regular semester vs a school yr can be an adjustment for a lot of students.)
  21. Congratulations on the acceptances. I recommend asking on the music forum on College Confidential. They have been discussing the various camps and can give you informed opinions based on instrument, too. I have been trying to educate myself bc my dd is getting very serious about music performance. She is only an 8th grader, so I have no idea if things will stay this way, but I want to be informed in case she does. She is only going to two 1 weeks camps this yr bc we aren't ready for her to be gone on her for for a long period of time. I'm working my way up to expecting it in the not too distant future, though.
  22. Welcome to the wonderful adventure of homeschooling. I love homeschooling!! It has been such a blessing for our family. BUT, the blessing of homeschooling comes from allowing our homeschool to reflect the needs of our family and our children. I highly encourage you to not get caught up in definitions of "classical" homeschooling bc not a single classical homeschool marketed curriculum is really classical. Just decide what you want for your kids and family and prioritize those goals. I have been homeschooling for a very long time (I started when my oldest was in K back in 1994. My youngest will be an 9th grader next yr. I have been homeschooling non-stop since there are 6 in between those 2.) I have witnessed numerous trends come and go. We have just plugged along matching materials to the needs of our kids vs. conforming our kids to materials. It has enabled our kids to progress at their own rate focused on their strengths/weaknesses/interests. One of our kids loved math and physics and essentially completed minors in both before he graduated from high school. Another loved languages and had 15 foreign language crs on her transcript. Our youngest loves music. I hope that illustrates that not one sibling's education reflects another's. Every course has been tailored to meet their needs. I would recommend starting with 2 simple goals: finding a math curriculum that matches your oldest's level and learning style and creating a stack of books for him to read through. I would wait until you have some sort of rhythm with those before adding in more. Sometimes less is more when you are adjusting to homeschooling. FWIW, science and history can both be reading focused in 8th grade. (Actually, history remains that way in our homeschool through to graduation. I don't use textbooks for most subjects-- math, high school science, and foreign language grammar being the exceptions.) I have my 8th+ graders take Cornell Notes from their reading. I create writing assignments across curriculum from their reading.
  23. We have always met with the depts. But, my kids wanted specific info. They also asked to sit in on a class. They also asked about research opportunities, etc. I have never found a general campus tour or dept tour helpful other than to see the inside of a dorm.
  24. Hands On Equations Verbal Problems Book is an excellent supplement.
  25. It's hard for me to process, but my baby will be a 9th grader next yr. I am not "planning" in any form at this pt. I do have different ideas that I am contemplating. My dd currently believes she wants to pursue violin performance. Music is a totally new realm for me, so I have spent the past few months researching. That seems more important at this pt than formally thinking about next yr. (But, I am very relaxed about it in general bc she will be my 8th 9th grader and we do most things at home so there is zero stress in trying to get into outsourced classes that fill up quickly.) In general, she will be taking Foerster's alg 2, Western civ, probably physics, continuing with Russian, lit, and some type of music theory/classical music. Those are the generalities. Specifics will be considered more seriously this summer.
×
×
  • Create New...