Desert Strawberry
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Posts posted by Desert Strawberry
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What parts to the program are necessary? I am looking at the website and there is so much! Do you do the stamp and see board? Ds has an etch a sketch- would that work instead of buying theirs?, roll-a-dough letters? Wood pieces and magnetic pieces? The blue mat for wood pieces? Capital letter cards? Gray block paper? How much of that do you recommend? This could get really expensive!
I have used HWT for my SPD 8yo and now am using it with my typical 4yo. I only wish that I'd started at the beginning with my 8yo instead of skipping the PRE K book. It really is important to start from the beginning.
The Stamp and See takes the place of the letter blocks. IMO, one or the other is necessary. I tried using a regular magnadoodle, but you do need the shape pieces to build the letters. So far, I've found that the O and Q don't fit on the stamp and see, but that's not really a huge deal. My 4yo understands what a circle is.
I bought a regular little chalkboard. It's fine, but if you get the Stamp and See, you don't need it. The Stamp and See has a nifty little pen-shaped like an angled piece of chalk-that takes the place of the chalkboard.
I use index cards and a thick marker to make roll-a-dough cards. Regular playdough is fine.
We use the workbooks, and, if necessary, I buy regular 3 lined tablets. My 8yo didn't really understand the 2 lines. He struggles with all of his letters being the same height now.
So really, all you need is workbooks, a Stamp and See ($17 at Rainbow) and some creativity. :)
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Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just had copies made from SOTW AG, and the copy girl offered to cut the spine off. Um. NOOOOO!! Thank you. I was stunned that she even said it. It didn't occur to me to have the pages rebound. But even then, No!
Maybe with my last kids, if it really is easier. But I have to use this book at least 4 times. No way would punched holes and spiral binding last that long. The copies aren't fabulous, but they are fully usable.
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Walmart, Target and thrift stores. My favorite dress is from Banana Republic. I got it for $4 with the tags still on. :)
IME skirts tend to be longer in more ethnic areas.
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I especially like reading the articles by Nancy's daughters because they seem so optimistic and cheerful about the normal routines of parenting and managing a home. I love reading about their kid-raising, garden-planting, healthy-eating, family-loving lifestyle. It's a refreshing perspective from most of the reading available.
Lisa
I have to say, I MUCH prefer AR to the other fluffy parenting magazines that seem to be one big advertisement for the coolest, new, expensive gadgets and every product under the sun that prevents you from ever having to actually interact with your child. And the articles are all about helping your child navigate precarious social situations and earn better grades in school. I have much more use for the back-to-nature type articles in AR, in my little country cottage with no phone and oil lamps.
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Perhaps there is a regional difference?
We belong to a large, inclusive group. Our children are uniformly well-behaved. I commonly have people ask me if my children are homeschooled because they are so well-behaved and listen to me so attentively. And I interact with them as well. I can only think of one family who's children behaved poorly. We don't see them anymore. I'm not sure if they are still homeschooled or not.
My husband is always appalled when he goes somewhere and there is a field trip of schooled kids. Honestly, so am I. It seems that no one is making any attempt to contain them or instruct them. They come into the zoo/museum/whatever, run all over the place, and then line up neatly and leave. I'm not sure what they are supposed to be learning that way.
I will admit that our children often have little or no experience with common conventions like single file lines, raising hands, etc. We don't have co-op. The classes my children have taken have been very small groups or individual instruction. I do think that makes them look a bit "unsocialized" and out-of-place at times, but they are not unruly, even in those situations.
ETA: Of course children occasionally misbehave, but it not often, usually only a single child, and is ALWAYS handled immediately by the parent.
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We don't use top sheets. I turn them into curtains.
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Well, I'd be careful with that line of thinking. It is quite possible to live decently and contentedly on a pretty small income.
I completely agree. It's not easy, but it is possible to live well on very little $$. The best things in life are free.
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I enjoy it. I'm a Buddhist, so I skip most of the bibical stuff. But I am of the quiverful, natural parenting, living-with-less persuasion. I find the articles about large families and tight budgets very encouraging.
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They get asked if they get homework and stare blankly.
I later told them what homework was, neither of them had heard the word! My daughter then requested some, so I made her a short homework assignment. I don't think she actually did her homework, though, I think we both forgot about it. Who knows where it is. (And no, we do not have a dog to blame it on, we move too often to have a dog.)
My oldest was horrified when we explained that school kids have homework. All day at school, and then work at home, too? That's ridiculous!
We completely agree.
We use the word homework and schoolwork interchangably, because, really, either one is accurate.
And mine...
...When your child tries to read a book set in a school and doesn't understand any of it.
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Phonics: ETC
Math: Singapore
Handwriting: HWT
History: SOTW (just listening to the stories)
Science: Usborne (considering Mr Q)
Religion: Buddhist Tales
Literature: Selections from my private collection and the library
For fun: Dr Suess Kindergarten CD-ROM and learning games
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We did this too. I just reused the workbook for the next child. Maybe my youngest will get to write in the workbook pages. Maybe. :tongue_smilie:
The notebook works well. They enjoy looking back to see how much they have written that year.
Angela
I got him a first grade handwriting tablet. His handwriting can definitely use the extra work. I'm looking for the Mead 3rd Grade Composition books (with the 3 lined lines) for him that I saw linked in another thread, but I have not found them locally yet. I may have to order one. The tablet we have now is too big, but I do like the 3 lines for him, as he doesn't understand tall and short letters yet.
We are taking a break from HWT for him right now. WWE seems sufficient to me, and we will be reviewing using his brother's PRE K and K level books as needed.
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I just finished setting up our work folders this morning :)
Office Depot has colored hanging file boxes for $9.99 right now. I bought a box of 25 colored hanging files for $12.99. I labelled each hanging file with a subject and child's name, if applicable. Our SOTW activity book is still out being copied. I will add 3 pocket folders when the copies are ready. One for each child and one for the other worksheets to be used later.
All of our school stuff-including pencils, scissors, glue, etc- is now neatly organized in one toddler-resistant box. I have a 3rd grader and and a preK right now. I think we will be needing a second box once 4yo starts K or when the third child enters the mix. The box is pretty full. I would eventually like to have one box per child and one for group activities.
This was a very affordable and easy system to set up. I used my Star Teacher Card, as well, and saved a bit of $$. i think the grand total for the box, folders and a snazzy new pencil sharpener was under $30. And I still have plenty of file folders left over.
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I love ETC. I tried a few other methods with my now 8yo, and he just didn't get it. We started with the ABC books (K level) when he was 6. He is now halfway through book 7 (4th grade level). We did use the first set of BOB books, and now he is reading 3rd grade leveled readers from the library.
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I haven't seen the TG for ETC. they are self explanatory, imo.
But I haven't used a TG for anything yet, and haven't felt any need for one.
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SOTW reads like a story book. The activity book has scripted lessons, coloring pages, mapwork, additional reading lists, craft activities, etc.
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it's a developmental stage. The acts of spelling and reading are separate processes. Often spelling comes before reading. She'll get it in time.
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I haven't noticed it as much with my 8yo's oral narrations, but in his written work, YES!
I have him give me 2 narrations. One (excessively lengthy) oral one, and then a much, much, much shorter written one. I cross out all of the ands. I have him rewrite with proper spelling, punctuation and penmanship. I have noticed a great improvement in just 2 or 3 lessons.
I would suggest that you either write for him, or, if he is capable, have him write something, even if it is only one line, which you can then edit togehter.
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We are a non-Christian family.
I find SOTW-esp the first volume-to not be terribly secular. It's not so Christian-based that we can't work around it, and it is a very good program. Overall, I do like it, and we use it happily.
Someone once described it to me as being written from a Christian perspective. I find that description to be accurate.
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My 8yo 3rd grader had some learning difficulties, but is now at grade level. We are starting FLL and WWE this week. They are easy for him, obviously aimed at a younger child, but he is enjoying them immensely and there are things he doesn't know.
Any tips for working with an older child?
Also, is there anything else we should look into?
We have Explode the Code, Handwriting Without Tears, Singapore math, SOTW, and Sequential Spelling.
We are doing Usborne Science, and I have literature and religion covered.
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I have 2 brothers. i've had no contact with them for many years.
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Genetics. i don't put much on my face, just moisturizer and a scrub when i need it. My mama had the same good skin. We spent a lot of time in the sun, have fair skin and freckles, and still have smooth, clear skin.
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I used to go to a local coffee house. Even when the baby was sleeping, I would find myself thinking about the laundry and dishes and tomorrow's dinner when i was at home. At the coffee house, full of students with textbooks and laptops, it was fairly quiet. I could settle in with a tall coffee and a HUGE cookie and before i knew it, it was midnight and my work was done.
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Box curricula never appealed to me. Too inflexible. I know what i want to teach my kids. I know how they learn best. I want to work at thier own pace.
We use:
Handwriting without tears
Explode the Code
Singapore math
A writing journal
Reading books from the library
Usborne Science books
Story of the World
Sequential spelling
literature from my own collection
This year we are adding:
First Language lessons
Writing With Ease
I'm still looking for good religious instruction. I've been introducing the Buddha's basic teachings from various online resources, and instructing them in meditation practices on my own. I would like to have more in this area.
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We have 2.
First is "Living, Loving and Learning Together" (as in my siggie). but that is kind of generic.
Our school is Strawberry School. The second, more creative motto is "Where learning is fresh and delicious."
Where to get a specific dog
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
Another vote for breed specific rescue or petfinder.
We were given a beautiful, poorly treated, badly behaved golden retriever a few years ago. She was far too much for me to handle, so I gave her to our region's Golden retriever rescue group. They put a lot of medical care and work into her (that we could not afford and wouldn't have known how to do) and found her a perfect new home. They emailed me updates at every stage and kept her name the same. My then 6yo had named her and it was so important to him. I was so glad to know that she fared so well.
We just, last month got a puppy off Petfinders. She was in foster care in a neighboring parish (county). We would not have found her otherwise. You can search by breed, size, age, special needs, etc. The group we worked with was absolutely amazing. We were the 4th family to inquire after this dog. They turned down the other families because they didn't seem the right fit. During our first convo, the foster mom assured me that this dog belongs with us. They even bent the rules to get her into our home faster. Savannah is an absolutely amazing dog. We are all completely in love with her. I don't know how she knew, but foster mom was right. She is perfect for us.
Our experiences with both groups were 100% positive. I can't recommend either enough. Truly wonderful organizations mathcing dogs in need with their perfect families.