Debbie in OR
-
Posts
1,518 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Blogs
Classifieds
Store
Posts posted by Debbie in OR
-
-
From an early age everyone (not just us) was telling her how she was so fortunate to have it all: brains, looks, and a pleasant demeanor. Somewhere around 6th grade, she just shut down academically because school got harder and she would not ask for help. She is still terrified of looking "stupid." She is bright but not gifted
This sounds so much like my ds. I think that's why your post grabbed me. It's relieving to me, too, to focus on effort in skills rather than thinking he should be able to do things because he's smart (but not gifted by any stretch).
I'm not sure where I got ahold of the article on Raising Smart Kids but my dh and I read it several weeks ago and that left us both concerned that we had passed the point of being able to redeem our mistakes. My dh, who is a child and family therapist, said after reading it that he was going to change how he does therapy...I mean, really, it changes everything.
I appreciate your honesty about how hard it is to implement...it makes me feel like we have a chance! :tongue_smilie:
-
Thank you all, but I would be remiss in not confessing that I find it easier to write the words than to put the concepts into practice. New curriculum, extensive research, and elaborate planning are to me what shiny baubles are to many women. " Oh look!" "I must have it." "It costs how much?" Later, "Too bad it doesn't go with my children." :tongue_smilie:
The "what" is "glamorous; the "how" is hard work. Teaching skills to hormonal half-wits requires more consistency, patience, and self-discipline than I sometimes possess.
Oh my goodness...it just gets better! :lol:
-
(Oops...just realized it's "swimmermom3"..sorry about that)
You posted this in the thread about what's the best age to homeschool:
I don't know if other posters would agree but I do know if I could do it over for my middle child that was home for two years, I would use that precious time to focus primarily on skills and not worry nearly so much about content. I would make sure he could take notes, create outlines, write essays, research and process information, construct lab reports, answer questions, ask questions, seek out help when needed, keep track of his work, meet deadlines, memorize facts, work hard, and follow rabbit trails while balancing the must-do work. Content is much easier to acquire if the basic skills are there. Yes, they will hopefully cover those skills more in-depth in high school, but don't count on it. I let this son spend more time acquiring information and less time writing. That is a mistake I hope not to repeat with his younger brother.
...and I printed it off and have been re-thinking our approach to things. I had my dh read it last night and we both agreed it makes so much sense.
Anyhow, I just wanted to thank you for posting that and for saying it so succintly!
-
We buy a game every Christmas as well and this year, I was way ahead of myself and bought the Lord of the Rings version of Monopoly (we have exhausted two other versions :tongue_smilie:). But I bought it in October, hid it, and my dc accidentally found it looking for something else. :glare: So, I have been in search of another one...this looks perfect, especially since we are studying Middle Ages/Europe right now.
Plus, my dd gets bored with Settlers of Catan because it takes too long...
Thanks!:001_smile:
-
The problem I had with BJU and ABeka and textbooks like that was that by year 2, the teacher materials were all written in French. Not sure if there are more options now?
Julie
Interesting! I only looked at year 1 materials. They must assume you are fluent by the time you get to year 2? Or year 1 is grammar/vocab and year 2 is immersion? I'll have to check it out when we get closer to starting. :001_smile:
-
Now that ds is 13yo and an avid reader with discernment and a solid foundation of his personal faith, I let him read them all this year. Before that, b/c he was impressionable, no way. So, I'd say there isn't a magic age, but a level of maturity.
This is how we are going to approach them. We've told the kids they can read them when they are at a point, maturity-wise, that they have enough discernment to maneuver them.
DS is close...probably in the next year or two. DD still has a ways to go.
-
Readers Theatre for American History by Anthony D. Fredericks
*includes staging and extension ideas
*usually about 2-3 pages each theatre; easily done with a couple/few people
*probably best for logic stage
Simply Shakespeare edited by Jennifer Kroll
*includes props, summary, staging
*although it is scripted, each theatre has about 14 pages of dialogue
*logic stage or older
12 Fabulously Funny Fairy Tale Plays by Scholastic (grades 2-4)
*these are just a few pages each
*silly stories like Spiderella, The Cheetah and the Sloth, Goldilocks and the Three Bullfrogs, etc..
24 Tandem Bible Hero Storyscripts by Steven James
*15 Old Testament scripts, 9 New Testament scripts
*pretty short (3-4 pages each)
*grammar or logic stage
Unless you have a drama background or are ok doing a lot of prep work, I would make sure you have RT that is already scripted for you. I bought a couple of books early on before I knew what I was doing and didn't bother to (or even know I should be) make sure it wasn't just the big global idea that I had to turn into a theatre. Those were either sold or returned :tongue_smilie:
I am much more comfortable with it now and have on occasion, turned a Bible story into RT and other sections of our reading.
-
We do RT all the time at our house. What are you considering? I have books for Bible RT, Shakespeare, funny Fairy Tales, and history. I would be happy to link the books we use. They are all completely scripted...I tried the RT books that are outlines and guidelines and that was way too much work. I have no drama background and it was a total flop. These books I have now are fabulous!
-
One of the things that caught my attention in that article was the statement that because Latin doesn't have all the exceptions that English has (which is true) that it makes it easier to understand. To me, however, that just produces gaps that makes it insufficient for the way we talk. If we don't learn English exceptions, it makes using our English language incomplete.
Again, I think using both will produce grammar excellence.
-
I think to do this well, the teacher must have a firm grasp of both English grammar and Latin (or other foreign language). I figured this out after I tried dropping English grammar one year and it didn't go so well :001_huh:.
For us, I've found it worth the time to study both. I've found that it transfers so easily (English to Latin, Latin to Greek, Greek to English) that studying English grammar alongside our foreign languages is well worth the time spent. I wouldn't view it as having the sprinklers on while it's raining (where the extra "water" is wasted and drains off); instead I've found it's a symbiotic circle, providing depth of understanding (and now that we're starting to write more, the circle is expanding).
This is exactly where I landed on this. I was all set to drop English grammar after reading LCC but have come to the conclusion that, because we speak English daily rather than Latin, it is important to study both.
-
That makes my mommy heart break for her. :grouphug:
-
Have you looked into BJU French? When we were looking a while back, this was recommended to us. I don't know anything about BJU but this looked very thorough and perfect for someone without any French background. There is even a dvd.
-
History for today...thanks for posting.
-
I don't know if other posters would agree but I do know if I could do it over for my middle child that was home for two years, I would use that precious time to focus primarily on skills and not worry nearly so much about content. I would make sure he could take notes, create outlines, write essays, research and process information, construct lab reports, answer questions, ask questions, seek out help when needed, keep track of his work, meet deadlines, memorize facts, work hard, and follow rabbit trails while balancing the must-do work. Content is much easier to acquire if the basic skills are there. Yes, they will hopefully cover those skills more in-depth in high school, but don't count on it. I let this son spend more time acquiring information and less time writing. That is a mistake I hope not to repeat with his younger brother.
I am printing and posting this somewhere. :001_smile:
-
I have been pondering this question, and other similar ones, quite a lot in the past two weeks. I think if I had to choose only one season to hs, I would pick the elementary years so that I could lay a foundation for what was to come.
But I also think so much depends on the child and the school options. Many of the kids who were hsed in our community attend the middle and high school when they reach that age. We are currently dealing with several hs friends who started PS this year.
What I didn't anticipate was that these kids would be thriving in PS. Every kid we know of who has left hs-ing and Christian school and attended the middle or high school is not only loving it but being a positive influence there.
But the thing is, by all accounts, we have an excellent PS system here in our little town. People move here regularly simply because they want their kids to go to our schools. We have a reputation in the NW. I don't think you could do this with every PS system. Nor do I think you could do it with every kid. I feel pretty confident my ds would be fine character-wise in PS (I would be more concerned with academics). My dd needs more time to lay that foundation.
Anyhow, I guess I will re-state my original thought and that is I think it truly depends on the child and the school.
-
Name: Debbie ;)
Age of dc: ds 12 in a couple of days; dd 9.5
How long homeschooling?: from the beginning so 6 years, 7 if you count what (little) we did in K
Have you taught these ages/grades before?: no; first time through
Do you follow a particular style of education? WTM got me organized; LCC made it manageable; now I do a combo of those and what works for my kiddoes
Do you plan to homeschool high school?: This is an interesting question for us right now. Many of our friends want the kids to be in school with them. One of my ds's best friends started PS this year and that was tough. The problem is we have a great Christian school here and all things considered, a great PS. We have always taken it a year at a time and so far, haven't felt released to put them in school. However, several things have happened recently that have caused us to start praying and weighing if this is the right time to consider it. I'm very torn. (But that's a whole 'nother story :001_smile:)
Any favorite quotes or wisdom that get you through the day?: My sig is really my favorite quote right now because I feel like this gets me through every day...aiming for the beyond-here-and-now with all it's ups and downs and struggles and head-butting and tiredness and feeling like I can not do this yet another day. Keeping that bigger picture in mind helps me get through each day. (That and a beer :tongue_smilie:) Kidding........
sorta
-
I grew up VERY legalistic. Sundays were the most boring day in the world for me. No TV, no shopping, no games of any kind (even roller skating or playing with the neighbor kids), no work, no major travel.....although I finally was able to bake and read, but overall, B-O-R-I-N-G!
Overall, I hated Sundays.
This was me too, although I would say we were moderate legalists :tongue_smilie: But, I did dread many Sundays because of this. I remember watching neighbor friends walking to the swimming pool on Sunday afternoons and longing to go with them but we couldn't.
However, my dad would take me and my brothers on hikes in the forest or other outdoor adventure things whenever the weather was good...I loved those excursions and have great memories of those Sundays.
It was because of that dread, though, that we have adopted the "if we aren't rested at the end of the day, we didn't observe the Sabbath" because I don't want my kids dreading Sundays. I want it to be the grace of God that attracts them to Him.
There are times I will run a load of laundry, but I try to get it done on Saturdays. There are times I will go to the store but I try not to. There are times we will pay to do something fun on Sundays but we try to find alternatives.
I just won't be rigid about it because, well, sometimes getting my laundry done before Monday starts makes me feel VERY rested :001_smile:.
-
We are Protestant and have come to the place in our lives regarding the Sabbath that if we aren't rested at the end of the Sabbath day, we have not observed the Sabbath. That's it for us...
It removed a lot of the mystery and legalism for me...you know, don't shop or do anything that supports other people having to work, etc..
-
First of all, hugs to you. :)
I totally agree that sending her to public school when she already has difficulty handling peer situations is not going to help her. I get how tired you are..really, really I do. (School runs through my mind several times a month :glare: )
Are there no other options besides PS? Is there a Classical Conversations group going where you are? That would at least give her some social outlet while you are there to supervise and also give you somewhat of a break.
-
These have fractions, percentages, and decimals on them.
We LOVE the MUS Fraction overlays but these look great....love the decimals and percentages being included.
-
Dd had read LotR about five times through and seen the movies a number of times before we got hold of Literary Lessons, and it made it really fun and easy for her to pick up all the references to symbols and images that wove throughout all the books. Re-reading and thinking about how parts interrelate is crucial to literary analysis, and the more you have read and know the text really well before you begin to approach it critically, the better -- especially for kids just beginning to learn about analysis.
Excellent! Finally, I got something in the right order! :tongue_smilie:
-
Camera
Pillow Pet
bean bag
sewing machine
Fashion designer DS game
-
We are pathetic...our dc are both great sleepers and there have been several Christmases that dh and I are up WAITING for the kids to get up! :glare:
-
Tate
Flynn
Piper
Scout (this is what I wanted to name our dd but dh said "You do know she will eventually be 65 years old with that name...")
Honor
(ETA: I have no idea how the winky face got into my title line...I didn't click on it...weird.)
Swimmermom....I just wanted to thank you!
in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges
Posted
Reading through all these posts reminded me of something I read in one of the books by Zaccaro...I think it was The Ten Things All Future Mathematicians and Scientists Must Know (But are Rarely Taught) .
Anyhow, he had a chapter on frustration and mistakes and why they are so important. I went and dug out the excerpt, which was about a study done on 500 mid-level executives at Illinois Bell Telephone by Salvatore Maddi on the changes that occurred in the lives of some executives after their jobs were deregulated.
What they found was that "close to 2/3 of the executives had a difficult time dealing with the changes that the deregulation brought....The remaining executives not only adapted well to the changes, but many thrived under the same adverse conditions that caused the other 2/3 to fall apart".
When he probed into this, he found that "those executives who thrived during the stressful times had life experiences that were similar. All experienced challenge and frustration as children due to sickness, constant moving, death of someone close to them, or other tough conditions. Those executives who didn't fare well, typpically had childhoods that were fairly stress-free....they had no built-in coping mechanisms to help them respond in positive ways".
I know that the stresses in our math lessons are not the same as the death of someone close, but I can see that spending an hour translating 6 sentences in Latin or tolerating frustration in a math lesson, rather than rescuing them, can be seen as purposeful and beneficial.