Iskra
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Posts posted by Iskra
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:D I just have to say that in *my* good old days, we would put the book on the stand beside the *typewriter* and didn't look at the paper that was slowly rolling out of it. :D (and, I learned on an electric typewriter - I'm sure people here who are older than I am will say they learned on the manual typewriters, and will tell me about the correction fluid or tabs they had to use; whereas I had a correction key on my typewriter, that would "white-out" my mistakes. )
This made me giggle. Things have really changed fast.
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My dad gave me an old typing book (for typewriter use). I'd be happy to send it to you FFS.
Are you using Linux? There are some instructors on there, though I haven't tried any of them.
That's very sweet of you to offer, but I want a book that was intended for a computer keyboard, not a typewriter.
And yes, we use linux. I should start a linux tribe thread, since I often feel very dissapointed when people brag about this or that cool educational software and of course it is never for linux. The biggest thorn in my eye is Rosetta Stone. I think I might start to hate them with a passion :mad:. I better :chillpill: before I work myself up about this.
Anyway, back on topic, why do you think 6 year olds are not ready for typing? They sure don't have any problem using the keyboard to browse the web and play computer games? My son makes me type for him e-mails to people all the time and frankly I'm really looking forward to him doing it himself. He has the motor skills, I really think it is just a matter of finding a good lesson book.
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I know nowadays most programs that teach typing are software. I am looking for a book, not software. Since most fun/cool typing software runs only on windows or mac, and we don't use either, I would like to find an awesome book that does the job. In the good old days, you would put this kind of a book in front of your computer (it stood by itselt desk-calendar-style, so that you can easily see it while typing), you would cover the computer screen so that you don't see what you are typing and you just go, lesson by lesson and then you lift off the cover off the computer screen to see what mistakes you've made. Does such a thing even exist nowadays? What's your favorite book that teaches kids to type?
And we know about the dance mat typing online and ds 6 did it, but he still doesn't know how to type after completing all the levels.
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I just wanted to resurrect this old thread in case there are people that haven't seen it. Thank you so much Angela. I wish someone on here can make a "greek without a curriculum" thread similar to this one.
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We've messed around with kTurtle (because it is free) and that's about it. Please share with me your favorite resources for young kids that are just starting out in Robotics, that don't require the purchase of an expensive lego robot.
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Wow that was quick!
That's the one, thank you!
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It had kids' workbooks for each state in the US covering history and geography, and you could choose which state you want a book for and buy it.
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My cousin, Brandyn (his name is in a few of the news stories), is part of the UTD internship team that was there when it happened.
That is super awesome!!
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This video explains it in a way that a 2nd grader would understand:
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I can't believe no one mentioned Rat-a-tat-cat. Hands down best kids card game ever!!!!!! Even preschoolers can play it even if they don't understand numbers well yet (just avoid the rats and collect the cats). It is challenging for adults because our memory is not as good as kids' memories, so it is truly fun for everyone!
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I searched and searched this forum and am convinced that this program has never been discussed on here. Has anyone used it?
It looked interesting, but the fact that no one on here has even discussed it is a red flag for me.
So, please speak up if you've used it and share your experience.
I'm considering it for my almost 5 year old boy how is reading very simple level 1 readers slowly with some help.
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A new particle was discovered at CERN. Anyone following the news?
The results are preliminary but the 5 sigma signal at around 125 GeV we’re seeing is dramatic. This is indeed a new particle. We know it must be a boson and it’s the heaviest boson ever found.http://press.web.cern.ch/press/PressReleases/Releases2012/PR17.12E.html
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I've been researching MCT and IEW as well... I haven't used either yet, but I get the feeling from what I've been reading on threads here that MCTs writing is weak and needs supplementation and IEW might be the perfect complement to it....
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Yeah, I went through SOTW 1 with my kids and enjoyed it okay, but there was something missing that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Then we did SOTW 2, which covers history with which I'm much more familiar, and I realized exactly what was missing. Where was the feudal system? The peasant revolts? The emergence of towns? The beginning of the middle class? And I realized I was kinda done using it as our spine. I mean, if there's anything I wanted my kids to take away from studying the middle ages, it was that there was a system in place with the nobles having obligations to the peasants and the peasants having obligations to the nobles and the church reinforcing that this system was somehow ordained by God. And that's not really in there. So... Still a good resource for us, but no longer the main one.
So what do you use as a spine for early elementary instead of SOTW? And what book list do you use for the living books? I'm intrigued by this anthropological approach.
And I think you guys have convinced me to drop American History for now and wait till it comes up in the 4 year history cycle.
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So what would be examples of anthropological evidence aside from archeological evidence?
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:bigear:
I want to do a year long American History study along side our main focus which is Ancient Times using SOTW. If you do come up with a living book list on American History to be used in this fashion (in addition to a main curriculum of world history), would you please share it with us?
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boscopup, from your siggy I see that your oldest 2 are the same age as mine are going to be in the fall, so if you're using core D right now with a 7 year old, do you still think it would be too much for a 2nd grader (who will be 7 when we do this)?
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I was an exchange student to the US in my junior year of highschool. I think your dd will come around, but what I'm more concerned with is the fact that you want to switch your student to a new family when you move. That would be very hard on the student. Being an exchange student is not just about having fun and seeing the US, it is also (and I would say most of all) about building a life-long relationship with the host family. I am almost 30 and still call my host mom "mom" and talk with her all the time and visit and have her visit. My host dad passed away a couple of years ago, but this family is my family, just as much as my biological family is my family. I turn to them for advice and to share life's joys and sufferings just as much as I turn to my biological family.
If you have the frame of mind "it would be cool to learn more about France this year and maybe speak some french" and then when we're done, we're done, you are IMO not a good choice for a host family.
Being a good host family is a life long investment. You may have the student with you for only a year, but the relationship does not end there. If it is truly a successful year, you would bond with your student and consider them one of your own children for the rest of your life IMO.
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It's been over a year since we started "The House on Pooh Corner". Many books have gotten done since, but we're still in chapter 4 on that one. I really don't understand why it is so famous. It is sooo boring!
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So, I'm toying with the idea of teaching American History next year, in addition to SOTW year 1 with my 2nd grader (frankly, I just can't wait 3 years to get to American History, and I'm anxious to learn more about it since I'm not from the US and haven't ever studies US history in details.)
I had been looking at different American History curricula and had trouble deciding, but then I run into a bunch of threads on this forum talking about some history curricula being untruthful, or providential etc, and now I'm even more confused and concerned and have even more trouble deciding.
The very best resources for understanding history are original sources. Read original documents and autobiographies. Educate yourself on history using these original sources to find truth and meaning yourself, then share what you’ve learned with your kids.
So first, can someone please explain to me exactly what does the term "providential history" mean and then how it applies to history books.
Providential history is the study of history from the perspective and belief that God moves in the events of men and nations—all men and all nations. Providential history looks at events from our past with Christian worldview.
Secondly, from the little bit of information here and there that I've gleaned on threads discussing this, it sounds to me like it is not so much that modern history books are being written in this way, but mostly that old ones (which are superior to modern ones in other ways: quality of narrative, ability to capture and retain the attention of young audiences etc) have this problem, and not so much as intentional deception, but rather more as a reflection on the prevalent opinions/views on history at the time that those books were written. In other words who is to say that a 100 years from now people that read history books written today will not find them equally objectionable for completely different reasons that we are now oblivious to because it is just how we view and understand the world and history at this point in time?
I think that old books do sometimes word things in an objectionable way. For example, words like “colored”, “savages”, etc. were used decades ago. A few publishers have found the value of the narrative and content of old history texts and have taken the time to update/revise the text. For example, Nothing New Press has updated HA Greuber’s history books. Many of our modern history writers attempt to remove religion from the stories from our past in an attempt to make the books more widely acceptable. But the undisputable fact is this: Many of our America’s founders and key people from U.S. history did believe in God and had strong religious beliefs. Original texts reveal this for sure!
Please forgive my ignorance if I am misrepresenting the issue, because again I'm not even 100% what providential history means, but I'm hoping someone responding to this thread will help me understand.
So please suggest to me American History programs for a 2nd grader with lots of wonderful literature both fiction and non-fiction to go with it, lots of pictures etc. As far as the spine is concerned, I think I will like 2 of them. One from a secular perspective and one from the providential perspective so that they'll balance each other out and both perspectives will be presented (btw, are there other perspectives besides these two?)
An excellent U.S. history text for YOU to read for your own education is: “A Patriot’s History of the United States”. Two very good U.S. history programs for young kids are Sonlight and My Father’s World. Both are filled will living books, both fiction and non-fiction. Both are Christian programs. You might really appreciate the commentary in Sonlight. I have used and very much like the Veritas Press history cards, mostly because they provide nice “history pegs” for us to learn about. We use a kids encyclopedia and living books to flesh out the details that each card outlines. Some people don’t like VP materials, but we have found that the history cards are flexible, easy to use, and almost always enjoy their literature recommendations found in their catalog. Some of the US history cards include:
Jamestown is founded in America, The Mayflower Lands at Plymouth, Pilgrims build Plymouth Colony, America Declares its Independence, George Washington our First President, etc. Note: these cards do include key individuals who were instrumental to the Reformation movement.
Also, for anything controversial in any book I want a warning and also if possible an explanation of what is controversial about it and a suggestion as to how to discuss it with the student, but I definitely do not want to censor out racist and other types of inappropriate content as long as it was considered appropriate at the time when the book was written. I just simply want the help to be able to discuss it with my kid and explain to him why it is wrong, but why it wasn't considered wrong back than.
I think you will probably be able to discern right/wrong, just/unjust, etc. as you read about and think about things from America’s past and compare the events to your moral compass. Unfortunately, many will find that any history text that contains Christian content controversial – even if the Christian content is based on original documents/sources.
You are brave to ask about Providential History on this board. Many will shout that it is some horrible practice. As you know we can all find fringe people just about anywhere. Most Christians who use providential resources (such as Beautiful Feet Books or Tapestry of Grace) simply want to bring historical events to their children with a Biblical worldview.
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This was very helpful too, so thank you! I have not looked at MFW, but I will take a look. So, it sounds to me like just because a resource is labeling itself as providential it doesn't necessarily mean that they espouse the unbiblical "Americans are chosen by God and are better than everybody else" view. For some of these curricula "providential" really means God's hand is in it and that's it. So, how can you know, before purchasing, just by looking at their websites, without having read the books whether they hold the biblical "providential" view or the unbiblical, racist one? Can someone give me a list of good history programs who hold to the biblical view?
Also, as far as secular programs go, I definitely want them to discuss religion as it is an integral part of history, so I still need suggestions for secular American history appropriate for a 2nd grader.
:001_huh:People who disagree with providential history are now "fringe"?
:001_huh:
I think what she meant was that people who think that Americans are superior to other people are fringe, but I don't think I agree completely. I encounter it all the time, just in reading the news.
So everyone, if you've done US History with a lower elementary student and liked the program, please chime in with suggestions. I don't want to piece my own program together. Like I said, I'm not from the US and don't know enough about US history to do that. I want to buy a complete program. One additional criterium is that I want it to be doable along side SOTW 1, as our main focus will still be studying ancient times and obviously math and LA and other things will need to get done as well: so nothing too time consuming or overwhelming.
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Thank you everyone for this discussion. I'm learning a lot!
this line from All Ye Lands:"The Judaeo-Christian tradition sees historical events as governed by Divine Providence, while at the same time warning believers against thinking that they are able to read the meaning of that Providence."
Is this perhaps the issue -- that some curricula talk about God's ways as if there were some simple formula for us to learn (and maybe even manipulate), rather than ultimately as a mystery?
I think this may be a very important point. There's a big difference between "God directs history" and "God directs history, therefore US is the best country in the world". I don't have a problem with the former, but I sure do have a problem with the latter.
This approach assumes two things that I think are incorrect.First, that the two views of history are equal. They are not. Providential history is deeply flawed and even racist. I think there are different views of history that are potentially of equal importance to understand - SWB's history books take a "great man" approach that holds up the primary source documents as the most important resource while someone like Howard Zinn holds up social history as being of the most value and relies on archaeological and other evidence as being equal to primary source texts. These are two approaches that are different but both completely legitimate. Even if you believe that one is correct, the other would be something to which one ought to expose one's children. Providential history is not like that.
Second, this assumes that such an approach would be valuable to a second grader. I disagree. Even if they were somehow perspectives of equal merit, second grade, in the grammar stage, is not the time to introduce this type of analysis, in my opinion. I often think that WTM methods underestimate the need for critical thinking and analysis in the grammar stage, and I do believe in carefully exposing young children to a discussion of controversial topics. However, I don't think a second grader could really evaluate this without just absorbing it. Don't teach providential history to your child (beyond saying, if you encounter it briefly, "Some people mistakenly thought this at one point.") unless you want them to believe it as well.
Thank you Farrar. This was very helpful. I'm a confused a bit about the difference between SWB and Howard Zinn. Story of the world starts out with the importance of archeology in its introduction and explains to us how we learn history through archeology. What other sources does Zinn consider to have equal merit with original sources? And what is social history?
Someone with deeper understanding of the issue may need to correct me, but someone earlier asked for possible history programs who are now providential. I would say that Biblioplan would probably fit that bill. I don't doubt that some of the books on their list might be providential but the core books (their companion and SOTW etc) are not and there are many choices so you don't have to use a resource you don't like. It also schedules Mystery of History as an option and I couldn't find anything on the Mystery of History website that indicated they are providential which seems to be front and center on the websites of providential programs.Up until this year I would have said Sonlight as well but I heard they added some books that are very controversial because of this issue. You'd have to ask someone else for details. I stayed out of it. Winter Promise might be not be providential. I don't know. I don't recommend them for other reasons.
It's strange. I'm a Christian. I know lots of Christians. I went to a Christian college. But I don't know anyone who believes these providential ideas. But in the homeschooling world it sure seems like most Christians are providential - or at least those who publish curriculum.
Heather
Thank you for the suggestion of Biblioplan. I have not checked it out before. I will take a look at it. As for sonlight, I read the controversial thread and that's how I learned to ask about providential history. I honestly think that the fact that they discuss and warn you about the controversies in their notes for the book in question is good enough for me. I usually really enjoy their choice of books. So that's still not off the table for me, although I'm leaning against it for other reasons.
However, I would really appreciate an explanation of why you don't recommend Winter Promise, because I'm still seriously considering their American Story 1 program, but I've never dealt with that company before and I don't know much about them. So, please share your thoughts as to why you wouldn't use them.
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Crimson Wife, that is very helpful....
So then if modern publishers hold this view, I would like to steer clear from them I think, but I still want to go through an old book from this perspective (one published when this is was the majority opinion), just so I can understand better the roots of all this modern US nationalism. This is really fascinating to me.
However can you recommend a good non-providential American History program? I was looking at Winter Promise American Story 1. Is that providential? Is it any good? Does anyone know?
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Thanks for responding!...yes, I got that much from some of the threads on here, but that's just still too vague for me to wrap my mind around how it would influence say narratives about the civil war or revolutionary war etc...
Either way, any suggestion for a American history program from either (or both) of the perspectives (secular and providential) for a second grader?
x-posted ( I was responding to laundrycrisis)
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So, I'm toying with the idea of teaching American History next year, in addition to SOTW year 1 with my 2nd grader (frankly, I just can't wait 3 years to get to American History, and I'm anxious to learn more about it since I'm not from the US and haven't ever studies US history in details.)
I had been looking at different American History curricula and had trouble deciding, but then I run into a bunch of threads on this forum talking about some history curricula being untruthful, or providential etc, and now I'm even more confused and concerned and have even more trouble deciding.
So first, can someone please explain to me exactly what does the term "providential history" mean and then how it applies to history books.
Secondly, from the little bit of information here and there that I've gleaned on threads discussing this, it sounds to me like it is not so much that modern history books are being written in this way, but mostly that old ones (which are superior to modern ones in other ways: quality of narrative, ability to capture and retain the attention of young audiences etc) have this problem, and not so much as intentional deception, but rather more as a reflection on the prevalent opinions/views on history at the time that those books were written. In other words who is to say that a 100 years from now people that read history books written today will not find them equally objectionable for completely different reasons that we are now oblivious to because it is just how we view and understand the world and history at this point in time?
Please forgive my ignorance if I am misrepresenting the issue, because again I'm not even 100% what providential history means, but I'm hoping someone responding to this thread will help me understand.
So please suggest to me American History programs for a 2nd grader with lots of wonderful literature both fiction and non-fiction to go with it, lots of pictures etc. As far as the spine is concerned, I think I will like 2 of them. One from a secular perspective and one from the providential perspective so that they'll balance each other out and both perspectives will be presented (btw, are there other perspectives besides these two?) Also, for anything controversial in any book I want a warning and also if possible an explanation of what is controversial about it and a suggestion as to how to discuss it with the student, but I definitely do not want to censor out racist and other types of inappropriate content as long as it was considered appropriate at the time when the book was written. I just simply want the help to be able to discuss it with my kid and explain to him why it is wrong, but why it wasn't considered wrong back than.
Last but not least, I definitely want a warning if I'm going to be dealing with "Americans are better than everyone else" in a book, and not just what book it is in, but what chapter or page, because I don't read everything with my kids. There is quite a bit that they read on their own without me and I don't want issues like that to go unaddressed and unexplained.
do they still make typing books?
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
Thank for all these awesome resources!!!!!!! I love it when ask a question and someone who has done the research chimes in. This forum is awesome like that.