Rosie
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Posts posted by Rosie
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I had this happen with my middle dd about 6 months ago. She has never been as "into" reading as her sister. She would rather daydream or create something than read. I'm pretty sure she'll always be like that and I'm trying to tell myself that that's really OK. It's who she is. But, I still do want her to ENJOY reading and read a lot, if possible, so here's what I did.
I talked to her about it. I told her how, when I was pregnant with her sister, I prayed that she would love reading and she does! And I said that I hadn't prayed that over her and asked if I could do that right then. She said yes so I prayed a simple little prayer. Then I talked about how much I love reading and learning from what I read and that I want her to enjoy it, too. A few days later she came up to me and said, "Mommy, now I love reading!" Now, I know that she was mostly trying to please me, but I'm OK with that. It just took that little bit of perspective change for her to change her attitude. It might not be as easy for you, but I thought I'd put this out there in case it is....
My best advice, though, for getting her to read more is to:
1. Have a basket/shelf of books in her room and a lamp by her bed. Let her stay up 30-60 minutes later to read in bed. (This is where most of my middle dd's reading happens! It seems like a privilege instead of a chore.)
2. Switch the books out every once in a while.
3. Get library books on topics she's interested in.
4. Let her read anything she wants to for her personal reading (within certain limits, of course). I try VERY hard to only keep good quality books in our house so their only choices are good choices. We do have some "twaddle" type books (Magic School House!) that have encouraged her to get into chapter books, but I see these as a temporary boost into reading. Everything else is what I'd consider quality books.
5. Let her read at any level she wants. Picture books are fine to read, even for older kids!
If your dd likes being read to and listening to audio books then you've won over half the battle. Most benefits of reading can be gotten from those two things. It sounds like it might be a readiness issue (or possibly the way she was taught - maybe she needs more phonics instruction? AAS should help that!), but when she's ready to move forward on her own she'll already have the vocabulary to go along with the more advanced books.
Oh, and about the book you got her for Christmas oping she'd read it on her own. The reason she said she hates reading may be because she was hoping for her dad to read to her and she didn't get that. It was probably a special thing to her. Maybe he could read her the whole thing and THEN she could take it to her room and keep it there for her night time reading. It's OK for kids to read something that's already been read to them. It's not cheating! That's actually another thing I do with my middle dd. The only harder books she'll read so far are the ones that have already been read to her.
Another idea: Partner reading. You sit with her and read every other sentence/paragraph/page. Another way to do it is for you to read the sentence/paragraph/page first then have her read the same thing. This makes it easier and takes away some stress, I think, for a struggling reader.
HTH!
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My girls will be almost 9, almost 7, and 4.5 at the beginning of next school year. This is the tentative plan (and it looks almost identical to this year's plan so you can tell I like what we're using!), but it is subject to change if I find something I just can't live without!
DD9 and DD7:
History/Geography/Bible/Read-Alouds - Sonlight Core C (Medieval to Modern History)
Science: Books from home and library, experiments with Dad, maybe RS4K or BFSU
LA: Bravewriter style (copywork, dictation, narration, tea and poetry, freewrites, revising ideas, games, etc.), some Sonlight LA 4th-5th, finish up MCT Island, Getty-Dubay Handwriting, Spelling City (for words I see them misspell)
Art: Artistic Pursuits and Drawing with Children
Music: Piano
Spanish: Rosetta Stone
Typing: Typing Instructor for Kids
Gym: Gym class at elementary school across the street
They'll have different maths…
DD9: Beast Academy 3, Singapore Challenging Word Problems 3, and Primary Challenge Math
DD7: Miquon Yellow and Purple, Singapore 2B, Challenging Word Problems 2, and Primary Challenge Math
That kind of looks like a lot (for Math and LA), but we don't do everything every day!
DD4.5:
Free play with games, toys, and manipulatives
Singapore Essentials Math (and possibly Miquon Orange)
Developing the Early Learner Books
Easy readers to develop fluency
LOTS of read-alouds from all other members of the family!
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I've only seen the online samples of BA and I have LOF Apples and Fractions, so take this for what it's worth...
I was enamored with the idea of LOF when I first found out about it, but I'm definitely not as much any more. It was the first time I'd seen math put in a story format and I loved the idea, but it really doesn't seem complete to me. I was really hoping it would be (and I know many people say it is), but I just don't think it will create that deep and wide conceptual understanding that I'm looking for.
Plus, (and this is a big thing for me) the graphics are TERRIBLE. Really. I understand that the author does them himself and that's great for in a classroom on a chalkboard (like I think he started out doing) but, IMO, you need a designer for things like that in a book. I can hardly look at the LOF covers! LOL! This probably has a lot to do with the fact that my husband is a graphic design artist so I'm more clued in to those kinds of things. Maybe it doesn't bother other people...
BA looks wonderful in the design department! I love the color of the textbooks and the typography in the workbooks is SO much better than LOF. I wouldn't choose one over the other just for that single point, but it is a big deal to me.
The clincher for me, though, is that (like a pp said) BA looks much more thorough and systematic, while still being innovative and fun. I'd prefer something other than a "beast" theme, but at least they're cute little beasts! They remind me of the monsters in Monsters Inc.
I also like that it is made by AoPS which is where I'm hoping my kids will end up for high school level courses. Problem solving is hugely important to me. I know LOF has some of that, but it just seems like BA will have so much more.
Oh, and another thing (while I'm at it) is that I think BA will take longer than LOF. I don't want my kids to fly through math. I'd like to go slowly and thoroughly cover material within traditional standards and outside of the traditional mathematics teaching in school.
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Very exciting!!!
Is it terrible to hope my big girl doesn't progress in math so we can use these books?!?! :tongue_smilie: (I'm completely kidding!)
LOL! To be honest, I've been trying to hold my 8yo "back" a bit so she can comfortably move into this program! I bought the Primary Challenge Math book which we do one day per week, she is finishing the last Miquon book (2 days per week), and I'm having her do the Singapore 2B Intensive Practice Book (2 days per week) before going into 3A. Oh, and she is almost done with the CWP 2 book and we'll start in on 3 when she's done. I also throw in the Family Math book sometimes or we just play around with math (multiplying large numbers using C-rods and B10 blocks, playing with fraction manipulatives or measuring cups in the tub, making up problems with negative numbers or simple algebra problems, etc.)
So. If the BA book comes out in the spring, it will be perfect timing for us! I'm just trying to skirt around the main 3rd grade topics for a bit until then....
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I emailed the AoPS people some questions today about Beast Academy and got a response tonight. Here are my questions...
First, is the expected release date still sometime this coming summer or has it been moved up at all? My daughter is currently working at a beginning 3rd grade level and it would be wonderful if the Beast Academy books were ready a little earlier so she could start in on them!Second, will there be any more samples posted to the website at any time? We are anxious to see how arithmetic topics will be handled. And that leads me to...
Last, when will a scope and sequence be posted?
Here is the response I just received...
The first 3rd grade books will be released in the spring (this will include the first half of the curriculum for 3rd grade). We are targeting fall 2012 for the release of the second half of the third grade curriculum.The website is being updated and there will be a new website when the books are released. Samples of the completed volumes will be posted along with lots of other information about the books. This should include some information on scope and sequence for at least the 3rd and 4th grade books (possibly tentative sequence for the 5th and 2nd grade books).
Hope this helps. We are working hard to get these books ready for print.
Just thought I'd post for those who are as excited about these books as I am!
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I voted for 3 sets, but it really doesn't matter to me. I just want them to be out by summer (or sooner!) and it looks like they will be! Yea!!!!
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We use Miquon and Singapore, partly to slow her down and partly to give her an extremely well-rounded base of understanding. You might want to think about going through the Miquon books and just skipping the pages that are too easy. The first book starts in with multiplication. It is very different than any other program I've seen and builds solid "number sense." Miquon is more intuitive and out-of-the-box, and Singapore is more straightforward and traditional.
I don't think it's a problem to skip sections with a child who "gets it" - that's what we do when she gets frustrated because something is too easy or when I just know that she already has it down. Using two curricula with different focuses and teaching styles has been very helpful here. I feel like my children have an EXTREMELY solid math foundation.
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Those classes are too short really and people don't get together afterwards to do things. Try 4H or scouts, parents with G kids tend to use these old established groups for enrichment and they all have enough time and appropriate activities built in to the year long, once per week program that the kids can get to know each other and form relationships. Also swim club...many kids have a lot of energy and the parents like to burn it off with swimming on weeknights in the winter - if your child is comfortable talking to another child she'll strike up friendships.
I like the swim idea. My oldest definitely has extra energy!
Noncompetitive math clubs are around, but it really depends on where you live. When our school based math club dissolved, I found that there was no interest in doing a community club -- most of the interest in the school club came from parents who were looking for resume enhancements and had been pushing their children in to math club. Most of these children are also in a sport, music group, take private instrument lessons, participate in church youth group and scouting/4H, so the availability to get together for a non-school based math club is nonexistant as the transport time is too much.
Can homeschoolers join a school math club? I think I'll call our school district and ask. Oh, but aren't they for 4th grade and up? My kids aren't that old yet.
The other thought I'll leave is that 'bosom friends' have their advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantage that is the biggest is that the joining up prevents the friends from forming new friendships (since they haven't practiced that skill since they met & their time is consumed with the existing friendship) and exploring interests that aren't mutually agreeable.Yep, I see your point here. I'll watch out for that.
Thank you!
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Music lessons, mine meet some like minded kids during group music lessons.
What about a pen-pal?
What kind of group music lessons?
You know, I had thought of a pen pal. I don't know if they'd keep it up, but I guess it couldn't hurt to try!
Thank you!
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This was my not very well made point. You need to find kids who share their interests, and those kids may or may not be gifted. You may still find what you are looking for within their current set of friends. Have a group over and ask them all to bring a poem or story that they have written to share. I have done this with groups as young as 6 and they love it. When you have kids over to play, get out the clay and the art supplies. Are your dc taking piano lessons or do you you know other kids who are taking lessons? Get them together and have a mini concert with refreshments or ask the piano teacher if she would consider doing a group class every so often.
These are great ideas. I think I will try something like this! It will be much more affordable than some other options!
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It's helpful to try the area youth activities. Our boys found gifted friends in their activities..not everyone is gifted in the group, but the ones that were gravitated to each other. Just follow your dc's interests whether that be step dancing, marching band, game club, scouts, swim club, etc. The only place where everyone was gifted was math club through school.
Hmmmm... Well, they've done gymnastics, ballet, nature center classes, and pottery class. No friends have come out of those, though. I do want to keep finding new activities for them, so maybe one day they will find a "bosom friend." I've never heard of a game club. I'll have to look into that!
Are there math clubs that DON'T compete? That would be really fun for them!
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Maybe they are a little on the young side for this, but I often see announcements for book clubs/discussion groups for girls (or young people, or boys, or some other configuration).
Do you have a homeschool message board for your area where you could ask? Sometimes people here just advertise that their child likes XYZ, and if there are any other children out there who enjoy that who would like to get together.
Yes, I think they may be too young for a book club yet, plus I am very picky about what my kids read at these young ages so I don't know if I'd like the selections. This may be an option for the future, though...
OK, I just checked on our library's website and there is a mother/daughter book club at a library about 30 minutes from us! Yea!
There is a Christian homeschool group in our area. No message board, though. Maybe I should go to the meetings. I've been avoiding it because, though we are Christians, we homeschool mostly for academic reasons and I just don't feel like I fit in when I talk to homeschoolers around here. Maybe I'm stereotyping and should give it a chance....
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What I've found is this-if I really "click" with and like the mom, chances are high that DD with "click" with the child and they'll end up finding common ground. I think that's because gifted parents tend to have gifted kids, and if I can relax with someone and not feel the strain of trying to meet them at their level, often DD has a similar experience.
I can see how this would work well... IF I were gifted. I really don't think I am. Above average, maybe. Not gifted. I don't think I have any gifted friends. I often have to explain the meanings of words I use when talking with people. I think my kids got their intelligence from my husband. I often say that he's smarter than me, but I know more than him (because I read all the time and he doesn't read at all).
My kids do "click" with the kids they play with (another reason I'm not sure they're actually gifted - they aren't "misfits") but they aren't challenged, stretched mentally, etc. I'd love to see them able to talk about the things they're learning without their friends giving them a blank look or a polite nod and then moving on to other things.
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But if your girls are okay with competition, I would look at Odyssey of the Mind or Destination Imagination.
I haven't heard of these. I'll check into them. Thank you!
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There are lots and lots of gifted kids who say they hate school and who obsess about American Girl dolls. Seeking out gifted friends for them is not necessarily going to equate lots of stimulating interaction. So unless you have say, a history buff and are trying to find another history buff, then a generic gifted child is not necessarily going to be a better friend than the kids they already interact with.
I don't care about the label. Like I said, I don't know if my kids are even gifted at all or just bright. So it doesn't matter if it's a group specifically intended for gifted kids or not. I was just inspired by what MCT said about getting gifted kids in a room together and realized that my kids don't have that kind of atmosphere except with each other at home.
My kids don't seem to be really obsessed with one thing. The have really broad interests and it usually follows what we are studying in school (one reason I'm not sure they're gifted - they don't fixate on subjects that they discover on their own and neglect everything else.) We're studying Ancient Egypt right now so they've been reading library books about that subject over and over. We just started learning grammar and they are super excited to find the parts of speech in the language they hear or read. They absolutely love math. They want me to give them math problems or spelling words while we eat. They LOVE poetry, beg for read-alouds, play piano constantly throughout the day, create things out of clay, love painting and drawing, etc. They just like learning. Where can I find kids who are just as excited as mine are about those things?
One problem I run into sometimes is that my 6 yo often says things that my 8 yo's friends don't understand - usually when she's talking about math concepts that she finds so cool. They just kind of stare at her. And I don't like how adults gush over how smart my kids are when they hear them read or talk about various subjects. I know I just went way over to a different topic.... Sorry!
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The boys attended a chess club which had some pretty studious people attending. They also belonged to a home educators' book group.
Laura
My girls don't know anything about chess yet. I actually got some books and videos from the library on it recently but we didn't get around to reading/watching them - most likely because I find it boring. Maybe I'll try again. I don't know if I really want them in a competition, though.
The book group might be a good idea....
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I'm wondering if anyone can give me ideas of where I can find other children who love to learn for my girls to be around sometimes. I was reading something by Michael Clay Thompson where he said something about the way gifted children interact when you get them in a room together, and it made me realize that my kids don't have those types of interactions but would LOVE them.
I don't know if they are gifted. If they are it would just be level 1, maybe level 2. I don't want to spend money to get them tested just so they can be around other kids who are actually curious and love learning. There must be other things they could be a part of where you don't need an IQ test in order to join.
I don't really want them to join a competition of any sort, but I guess I'm open to hearing about them if someone has really enjoyed that experience.
They have plenty of friends and are doing fine socially. It's just that it seems like they get the "I hate school" vibe from everyone their age. Or if the kids don't hate school, they just have no interest in discussing or participating in learning new things.
So, where can I find kids who love math, love history, love reading, love creating, love learning? I want my kids to have some friends who will talk about more than American Girl dolls and Disney shows they like. It's not that those things are bad, but I'd just like something more for them sometimes….
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I think that overall, starting the 8yo in MCT now, and having the 6yo only listen in will be easier to teach vs. teaching them together.
If you start with just the 8yo now, you can go at her pace. You will spend less time trying to adapt the lessons to fit both kids. It will also free up more time later, as you won't have to cover as much material later.
Letting the 6yo listen on but not not requiring any output from her will save time because if she doesn't get it, you can still move on. You won't have to adapt for her skill level. By listening in, she will pick up on some concepts, which will save time later when you do formal grammar with her.
As of right now (as in this exact second) this is what I'm leaning toward. I bought the Island level an hour ago so it should be here within a week. I guess I'll decide once I see it what exactly we'll do with it. I keep changing my mind pretty much hourly!:willy_nilly:
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:iagree:
You can go ahead and start MCTwith the 8yo, without the 6yo. Let the 6yo listen in on the stories, but don't require her to participate.
But won't that add a significant amount of teaching time to my schedule once they are both doing MCT? That's what I'm trying to avoid.
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I have a 10 yro, almost-9 yro, 6 yro and 4 yro. I don't think you will ever be able to combine LA for your kids (who are 2 years apart). By the time the 6 yro catches up to where the 8 yro is now...the oldest kid will be ready for logic stage writing.
That's a good point,... though I was planning on doing Sonlight's LA for grade 3 readers with both of them pretty soon and just doing more/different dictation for my oldest. Also, I'd expect less from my youngest as far as level of writing.
I guess maybe another question I should be asking is, "What are the areas of LA that can be done with a wide age range and which parts need to be done separately?"
So, the areas of LA that I can think of are...
Phonics
Spelling
Handwriting
Vocabulary
Grammar/Punctuation
Composition
(And under composition there are a whole lot of sub-categories, I think.)
My girls don't need phonics or spelling and they each have their own handwriting book, so I don't have to worry about those. Vocabulary seems like it could be done together. Grammar, I'm not sure about since I've only just decided that we might actually need it. Composition is where they will definitely be at different levels for quite a while.
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Gosh, I am so conflicted on this! The reason I want to start now is because my oldest needs something more for LA and I think this would be perfect. And, since it is a teacher-intensive program, I want to combine my girls if at all possible.
Maybe the question I should be asking, though, is, "Would it hurt my oldest to wait a year to start MCT? Will she be fine doing less LA this year?" I think the answer is probably yes.
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Honestly, I would wait until 3rd grade. I know some people use it sooner. We have MCT stuff all over our school room...I'm getting ready to order his literature studies...I mean, we love his stuff.
Reading Grammar Island to the kids is one thing, but when they have to do the 4-level analysis in Practice Island...that's when it gets difficult. Even I have to look at the answers sometimes. :tongue_smilie: I think a younger child might not have the same kind of retention that an older kid would have. Even my 4th grader keeps forgetting the difference between subject complement and direct object.
Edited to say: do you have the Grammar Island series? You might buy it, take one look at it and :eek:. There's no way my 6 yro would sit thru that.
Thank you for sharing this. I like to see alternate opinions. No, I don't have the Grammar Island series yet. I probably should just buy it and see what I think, but I was kind of hoping I could find it used or, if I decided to wait to start it, then I'd not have to buy it yet.
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Would you all mind taking a look at the following thread?
http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=327293
It's a slightly different take on the question I asked in this thread. Thank you!!!
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I've been advised that my 6yo should be fine beginning Island level with my 8yo as long as I am willing to do the writing exercises orally and slow down if need be. I am.
What I'm wondering, though, is if there is a certain amount of mental maturity needed before beginning MCT. I haven't seen this specifically talked about in the past threads on MCT that I've been reading through.
Can anyone comment on this?
How much time for these LA subjects per day?
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
My 8yo reads throughout the day on her own, but I require her to read for one hour before bed. It's not always that long, but that's our goal.
For Writing, she does handwriting most days, copywork or dictation about once per week, and some type of paper" every week or two which involves freewriting with me scribing for her, revising on several different days, and copying the finished work in her own writing. I also have her write letters to Grandma every now and then. So there is no set time, but I'd estimate about 20 minutes per day.
Spelling is on an as needed basis. I enter words I see her misspell into Spelling City and once I have 10-15 I let her play on there for a while. That is only once or twice per month, so it's not really worth adding to the total amount spent on LA.
Grammar we didn't do at all until recently when I bought MCT Island level LA. And we do that when we feel like it. (I know I'm probably not helping much, am I?!) Maybe 30-60 minutes per week.
I also count our read aloud time as LA (vocabulary, narration, etc.) and we do that for about an hour per day.
We are pretty free-flow here as far as what we do daily. I plan our week out on Sundays, but we don't do the same things each day or even each week. I basically try to include 2 LA things per day plus our read aloud time. HTH!