:iagree: I was just reading somewhere (can't for the life of me remember where) that rather than dragging out elementary math for so many years then expecting kids to speed thru algebra, why not speed them through elementary math and then really wallow in algebra for a few years and enjoy it? I too, don't get the reluctance to hold kids back from algebra. Heck, if they get there by 9 or so who's to say they can't just "hang out" there for a little while, even filling in gaps as needed? I don't have a copy of the Singapore 1-6 series, but I noted as I looked through the Math Mammoth sequence from 1-6 that it's an exceedingly slow/incremental pace for bright students. I can see why a kid would want to pull their hair out doing nothing but arithmetic for so many years straight. ;)

:iagree: Love this one.

We do the IP/CWP on a delayed schedule, especially the IP. I found that once the concepts were cemented it was much easier to tackle the challenge. When you are first learning something and then hit with a huge challenge it can be discouraging. So we've just started the CWP 1 as we're finishing up first grade.

We had a neat moment today and since I'll look funny sharing it on facebook, I'll just share here ;) I was talking about place value with DS 5 and how we can understand numbers like 512 in terms of tens and ones instead of hundreds, tens, and ones. So it would be 51 tens and 2 ones. Later on, we were doing a little expanded notation, so I showed him how: 512 = 500 + 10 + 2. He then excitedly exclaimed, "Yeah, but we can also say... 512 = (50 X 10) + 10 + 2 Or-- 512 = (51 X 10) + 2." I felt like doing a happy dance to see all this "click" in his head, and when I told my husband, he half jokingly claimed that I was making all this up. :tongue_smilie: This is so exciting for me because I feel like I am relearning math all over, except this time with some real love and excitement for it. :D

Touchy child and not touchy mom--That's a catastrophic combination as I experience every day! :lol: DS 5 can be very needy for sensory stimulation--to the point that I have to go change out of a short sleeved shirt because he'll start rubbing his face against my arm. I know its innocent but it honestly gets to the point of seeming positively creepy. I don't have much help with this one except that sometimes I have to lay down the law pretty firmly and explain that I can only handle a certain amount of touching. We've had to do the same thing with bedtimes--just make it a non negotiable that he has to stay in his bed once its bedtime. He talks about how his mind is too active or his stuffy nose, or whatever, but he has to stay put. My husband does like to once in a while cuddle him to sleep, so that helps to fulfill some of his cravings I guess. :D Our next project is establishing a mandatory quiet time in the afternoon, so we'll see how that goes. I'm hoping that it will help me recharge and get a break, especially once we start full time homeschooling.

Dawn Huebner's books linked in the last post are great; they use common cognitive-behavioral therapy tools but it's broken down into kid-friendly language. I've found that standard disciplinary techniques simply don't work with my intense child. And no, I'm not being an "easy mom" or whatever, these techniques seem to backfire terribly. Then I came across this book which seemed to explain why: Transforming the Difficult Child: the Nurtured Heart Approach It has to do with the fact that when we come down with strict consequences with these kids, we invest a lot of emotional energy in them at the very moment when they are acting out--and that's what they want. They want our emotional energy most of all, and we just give it to them when they act inappropriately, driving them to act even worse to get more emotional attention from us. They get into a lot of detail about how to drive more emotional energy to their positive behaviors first, etc. They do include some consequences but it's part of this whole package/plan that stresses focusing on the positive. Hope this helps, I certainly feel some of your pain. Mine is smaller and the issues less intense but it is hard when you feel like you can't really use any disciplinary tools.

I guess I'm just shocked that there could be any objection to a discussion against supernatural beliefs in a secular science book. Stripe's point about him being religious indicates that he's not anti God or anti religion, so take his wording based on that background. I'm pretty religious myself, but I like my science texts to stay, well, scientific. ;) Once you start making allowances for religious/spiritual thinking, the question comes: "whose religious/spiritual thinking do you accept?" and then it becomes a whole messy can of worms. That's why I too, don't touch the creationist/religious based texts with a ten foot pole either. My religious belief is not founded upon scientific thinking, and my scientific thinking is not founded upon belief. Each has its own place.

Actually, my DS reads pretty much anything--we don't really look for "boy books" per se. He likes the Harriet Bean series, for example. So no big deal; we'll consider anything!

Sorry, this is what happens when I type the OP in a rush. :tongue_smilie: The reason I want longer books is to pack less, not that DS necessarily likes longer books. He gets through them so fast that I don't want to be packing a whole lot. As for audio books, we have a whole lot on the ipod so we're set on that for now. Thanks for all the replies! BTW Farrar I really enjoy your book reviews and book lists from your blog--it's helped me find some great titles for my son.

I'm looking for a few long chapter books to buy to keep DS busy on a long drive Memorial Day weekend. The catch is I'm looking for books that have themes appropriate for a 5 year old. Some examples would be Roald Dahl, Alexander McCall Smith, AA Milne. We have a few books but am looking to buy some new titles to hopefully keep him busy long enough to get through the road trip. That's why I'd prefer longer books :tongue_smilie: Any suggestions? Thanks in advance :001_smile:

I forgot, here are some online activities-- http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Geography.htm And Stack the States is an ipad app.

Random thoughts and ideas-- I have a 5 year old boy too. The typical input/output difficulties for gifted kids applies with geography curriculums, I've found (after shelling out $ for books, LOL). So I bought an Evan Moor book that was highly recommended here for K-2 but it was too simplistic conceptually. Then of course if you bump the grade up the output becomes an issue. Also I find that some of these programs are more busy-work whereas I personally prefer more meaningful activities. Just my $.02 though. Definitely hang up a map at eye-level, you'd be surprised how much geography they pick up that way. We also do some geography FIAR style (not necessarily using FIAR though). So whatever book DS is reading, we'll find that country, print and color maps, learn about culture/language/etc. It's nice contextual way to learn about the geography and also meet their input needs well. I find that curriculums constrain us but YMMV. If you are doing SOTW, there is a program called Map Trek that looks really neat. Here's the one for Ancients: http://www.KnowledgeQuestMaps.com/MapTrek1.html Also, there's the plan for mapping the world by heart outlined in The Core.

Those who use SMSG, what components do you single out for use?

What's the bolded one? SMSG? I agree with your post. I am really glad to hear the suggestions from everyone because my education did not proceed in this way. I've probably griped about this on these boards before, but I've been in GT/STEM magnet schools until 8th grade, finished up to Calculus with straight As, but am terrible at math. I have so little understanding, so little number sense, and no problem solving skills. :( I really want to do better for my kids, and re-learn for myself as I go along.

We had an accelerated Kindy thread a while back, so I thought I'd post a follow up to see how everyone's year went! We're planning to officially start "1st grade" and regular homeschooling come June. DS was in a private school for half days, but I've switched him to full day until school gets out so I get a nice long break before he's with me for good. :tongue_smilie: I'm getting to know DS's learning style a little better--he picks up things in fits and starts. It will seem like he's not moving too fast for a little while, then suddenly he'll just jump in level. I'm excited about his reading progress. He started the year at about the Frog and Toad/Early reader stage, and now he's devouring Roald Dahl & E.B. White. Due to the half-days of school, I ended up doing not doing a full homeschool curriculum--mainly religious studies and math, with interest led science reading and some nature study thrown in here and there. I'm looking forward to start WWE and spelling this coming school year. So how are all your kindergarteners doing? And does anyone else feel like throwing their hands in the air at trying to find the right "grade level" for their asynchronous child? :confused:

you too, huh? I've got a son the same age so I feel your pain. He tried some cursive recently and his handwriting was much better so I'm toying with the idea of trying that out along with the HWT print font.

:iagree: Thanks Beth and all you other experienced parents!

Hmm, okay that's something to think about. Considering the fact that I am not very mathy, would the HIG give me useful info? I benefited even from the grade 1 HIGs because I never learned the specific techniques for composing tens and doing mental math. In the upcoming grades (2 and 3) do the HIGs give similar tips for making patterns with the multiplication tables? This is the type of info I need, because I learned things by just memorizing them, not by seeing the patterns and composing/decomposing tens.

My DS (insert head-smacking smiley here) thinks that visuals are "cheating." So often I try to get him to look at the abacus, look at the rods, because I want those images to get into his mind so he can later on learn to conjure up the right image when he's doing another problem. But he just likes to jump ahead to abstractly computing on his own without the help of a visual/manipulative. So in that respect, no I don't think he'd need the textbook for that reason. I suppose that I could also draw up examples from the HIG if occasions come up where we need a strong visual.

This is helpful to know re: HTTS as a follow up to LOE. I just have to wrap my head around the HTTS manual. It makes me feel really stupid every time I look at it. I have almost resigned myself to just using the workbooks only. I think my problem is that I am a "natural speller" and a very whole-parts learner, so the "whole" of spelling just intuitively makes sense to me. When it is broken down into its "parts" a la Spalding & other programs that go through the phonograms and rules, my head starts to spin. And yet I still want my kids to have that opportunity to learn it parts-whole because they may not be as intuitive in spelling as I was. For some reason LOE is the only one so far that I can just look at and "get". I also have a grammar question about the LOE curriculum: is it insanely repetitive like FLL, or does it teach the concepts and move on? I'm looking for the second :) And does anyone know what level of FLL it would correspond with upon completion? Thanks!

... then will the SM textbook give me anything the HIG will not? I am planning to only order the HIG just so that I'm following the scope and sequence, picking up any tips on how to introduce material, and getting the mental math lists from the back. I'll also order the Intensive Practice and Challenging Word Problems. Is there any compelling reason that I should also order the textbook and/or workbook?

... oops, I meant to put this in the K-8 forum. Off to cross post...

... then will the textbook give me anything the HIG will not? I am planning to only order the HIG just so that I'm following the scope and sequence, picking up any tips on how to introduce material, and getting the mental math lists from the back. I'll also order the Intensive Practice and Challenging Word Problems. Is there any compelling reason that I should also order the textbook and/or workbook?

What things did you start in 2nd and KG?

Those who are familiar with LOE in some depth-- would it be overkill for a child who is a natural speller and who can pick up the spelling rules easily? I have How to Teach Spelling and the corresponding workbooks, "How to Spell", which gives a pretty solid base in rule-based spelling. However, I'll be honest that I am tempted by LOE. I like the extended list of words based on each spelling word, and having the grammar right there in the lesson makes me think I'll get it done more efficiently. But still, it's at a much steeper price than going through the "How to Spell" workbooks.