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Paula Miles

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Posts posted by Paula Miles

    If you could go back to do 1st grade...

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    :iagree:

    I get to do 1st grade again next year, and again the year after that...

     

     

    Streamline lessons - Keep it short and intensive...and consistent.

     

    Multi-sensory - See it. Hear it. Feel it. Say it. Do it.

     

    Do what works (see above) - take the curriculum author's words with a large grain of salt.;)

     

    Don't continue doing things that a 1st grader has a strong resistance towards...1st graders are generally parent pleasers and as long as lessons are short and sweet(you're not asking a 6yo to sit for an hour at his copywork;)), a strong resistance indicates a teaching problem or a learning problem (not a mere discipline problem).

     

    Only let the 3R's gain the prestige of the title of "School work" in 1st grade. Let history and science be fun things you do when you are done with "school."

     

    Get a year pass to the Zoo, the Children's Museum, and become friends with the Children's Librarian.

     

    Severely limit screen time...Starfall and typing programs are a HUGE treat.

     

    http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/images/smilies/iagree.gif I whole heartedly agree with this!

    If you could go back to do 1st grade...

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    :iagree:

    I get to do 1st grade again next year, and again the year after that...

     

     

    Streamline lessons - Keep it short and intensive...and consistent.

     

    Multi-sensory - See it. Hear it. Feel it. Say it. Do it.

     

    Do what works (see above) - take the curriculum author's words with a large grain of salt.;)

     

    Don't continue doing things that a 1st grader has a strong resistance towards...1st graders are generally parent pleasers and as long as lessons are short and sweet(you're not asking a 6yo to sit for an hour at his copywork;)), a strong resistance indicates a teaching problem or a learning problem (not a mere discipline problem).

     

    Only let the 3R's gain the prestige of the title of "School work" in 1st grade. Let history and science be fun things you do when you are done with "school."

     

    Get a year pass to the Zoo, the Children's Museum, and become friends with the Children's Librarian.

     

    Severely limit screen time...Starfall and typing programs are a HUGE treat.

    Is there a list of all or almost all K curricula anywhere?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Either you are nuts or your about to be!! There is no way you can evaluate all the available curriculum available to you! One portion may be a complete fit while another will leave everyone frustrated.

     

    My advise is step back...take a look at what your state requirements are...then make a list of what your personal family ideals are and go from there. Those questions will help narrow the field considerably!

    Getting a good educations?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    We used SOS last year with our then 5th grader. We pulled him out of PS mid year and I really needed a complete curriculum.

     

    I absolutely LOVED the program. However, DS did not like that it was completely computer based. I ended up spending a lot of time and money printing out all the lessons.

     

    But I am very impressed with the program. It just was not a good fit for us. And this year for both kids we have taken more of an electric approach. Playing to their strengths while helping their weaknesses.

    Need elective ideas for 11yo that hates school!

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    This worked for us too! :iagree:

    I started homeschoolling my ds in middle school, and he had no activities or interests. Make a firm rule of no tv or electronics during school time or you will never make headway on this.

     

    I tortured my son by taking him to the library every week and making him checkout at least 3 books. It was a painful process, but eventually he decided he wanted to "draw better." We used Mark Kistler's Draw Squad. After that, he became interested in drawing Manga which I was not at all a fan of. Manga led to an interest in Japanese which is one of his majors along with International Relations - in Japan.

    I am a terrible writing teacher!

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    Wow. Relax!

     

    It seems that some kids have a natural ability for writing while with others you will be lucky to get them to write a book report.

     

    Case in point, my DD age 7 loves to write. Anything, anywhere, anytime. One of her favorite things to do is use up all the printer paper writing "books".

     

    And then there is my DS age 12. I have long ago accepted that he will not be winning any Pulitzer Prizes in journalism. And that is OK! This year he is working through the Jump In curriculum so at least he is exposed to different writing styles and has some experience with them. But in all honesty I am happy that he can address an envelope and write a simple thank you!

    Just Write or Jump In for a 1st time HSing 6th grader

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    Personally I love Jump In. This was our first year of full time HS with our 6th grader too.

     

    He hated, hated, hated the thought of writing ANYTHING when he came out of the public school system. He bulked at the idea of this workbook too until he took a look at it. Now he has really developed an appreciation of different writing styles. Since each type of paper is broken down into skills he can relax and see the different the parts instead of being overwhelmed with the idea of "I've got to write this".

     

     

    http://www.apologia.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=34

    Magazine suggestions?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    What are your favorite magazine subscriptions for your kids?

     

    We have Highlights, ZooBooks and Boys Life.

    I personally loved National Geographic as a kid.

    I just heard about OWL.

     

    So what others are out there?

     

    If it helps DS is 12 and DD is 7.

    What Grammar?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    We are using "Growing with Grammar" with our first grader. LOVE IT! I have her read the instructions to me, we discuss it and then she is off to work. It isn't unusual for her to get caught up and work through 2-3 lessons a day.

     

    With my sixth grader, since this was his first full year of HSing I found him a great book called "The Adventures of Grammar Girl and Genius Boy". It is set up like a comic book with questions at the end of chapters. I wasn't sure where to start with him so this was a fun easy way to review concepts and introduce others so I can judge what type of program he will benefit from next year.

     

    http://www.growingwithgrammar.com/

     

    http://www.grammarnation.com/index.html

    Singapore 1a/1b-- need help!

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    My DD is using Singapore 1a and 1b too.

    She was flying through the books and concepts. I was a little worried about her hitting the multiplication so early too. So what I did was get the Singapore Intensive Practice books. They have additional problems, more like a review, of the things she has learned in the other books. She will still end up finishing all the 1 books before the end of the "year" but we will not start the 2s until the Fall.

     

    HTH! Paula

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