Rosie
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Posts posted by Rosie
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Anyone had experience with this? I'm looking for suggestions for free online resources that aren't too "young" for an 18 year old who is struggling with the basics (from multiplication and fractions on up). Any other thoughts/ideas are welcome, too! Her mom would like her to be ready to take the ACT at the end of the school year.
I own Math Mammoth Blue series 4th-6th, Beast Academy Guides, Singapore 4, CWP 2&3, Primary Grade Challenge Math, and Miquon. I'll pull from all of those, I'm sure. I also have Lial's Prealgebra and Foerster Algebra 1 on the shelf but haven't ever used them with anyone yet. Their family owns Math-U-See blocks, so I'll use those to teach what I can.
I know about Khan Academy. My kids like Prodigy for practice but that's going to be too "young" for her. Alcumus will be too difficult. I'm trying to figure out what to give her for homework each week. Suggestions welcome.
If you've done something like this before, I'm very interested in hearing about your experience! Thank you!
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Anyone had experience with this? I'm looking for suggestions for free online resources that aren't too "young" for an 18 year old who is struggling with the basics (from multiplication and fractions on up). Any other thoughts/ideas are welcome, too! Her mom would like her to be ready to take the ACT at the end of the school year.
I own Math Mammoth Blue series 4th-6th, Beast Academy Guides, Singapore 4, CWP 2&3, Primary Grade Challenge Math, and Miquon. I'll pull from all of those, I'm sure. I also have Lial's Prealgebra and Foerster Algebra 1 on the shelf but haven't ever used them with anyone yet. Their family owns Math-U-See blocks, so I'll use those to teach what I can.
I know about Khan Academy. My kids like Prodigy for practice but that's going to be too "young" for her. Alcumus will be too difficult. I'm trying to figure out what to give her for homework each week. Suggestions welcome.
If you've done something like this before, I'm very interested in hearing about your experience! Thank you!
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I heard Andrew Pudewa (IEW) talk at a homeschool conference this year. One of the things that he said that really stuck with me was this:
If you want to be more patient, kinder, and overall a better teacher? Teach SOMEBODY ELSE'S KIDS alongside your own!
Seriously, imagine...you'd have to hold yourself together pretty well. You wouldn't want someone else's kid telling their parents how Mrs. xyz lost it during math. Right? :-)
Well, I would like to be more patient, kinder, and a better teacher! But you're right that I need to think about the stress level it might cause. I don't tend to "lose it" outwardly too often, but I do get anxiety inwardly pretty easily, so I need to weigh that into this decision....
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I have done a ton of Skype teaching, both one-on-one and small groups.
It can be difficult to do with more than a one-on-one meeting, though I have seen it work successfully for small groups under certain parameters.
--There needs to be accountability for homework and reading somehow. Kids who come to Skype discussions under-prepared make it virtually impossible to get any energy in the discussion. I have learned the hard way that I cannot trust others to make sure their kids prepared responsibly for our Skype meeting. There must be some sort of trigger to show that everyone has done the work. In my classes students submit homework the day before by email, so that makes it obvious. I don't plan on giving any homework except to work on memorizing terms with the TinyCards app, so I don't foresee this as being a problem.
--Make sure all involved are actually comfortable talking through an electronic portal like that. Some people really stall and clam up. Good point. How do I know whether or not they'll be comfortable? Wouldn't they loosen up after the first couple times?
--I think four times a week is a lot. This ties you to a specific "class time" and ties you to your house. It impacts your whole day, four days a week. True, but we run by a pretty tight schedule here and don't really leave the house spontaneously very often. And for the four days per week person, I'd let the mom know to have one or two other pick-up-and-go options (copywork?) to do for LA with her son on days when unforseen circumstances cause us to not be able to do a Skype date. ...Then again, maybe it would feel stifling, and maybe I could figure out how to do it less days per week....
--It only works well if chit-chat (especially between moms) is kept to a minimum or is non-existent. The extended socializing ends up lengthening your time and taking over more of your day than desired. Good point. Thanks.
--Meeting times must be set. You will go absolutely crazy constantly rescheduling for various activities. Folks tend to think Skype meetings are easier to reschedule because you are in your own home. It's not easier; it creates chaos. Hold a firm line on meeting times. Definitely.
--Sometimes a concerned parent will try to give their child cues or prompts off-screen. This will absolutely kill the child's ability to talk and your ability to create group rapport. These parents are trying to help, but it works best when the child can focus exclusively on the screen and forget their physical surroundings. Interesting. I'll keep that in mind.
--One thing that really, really helps is also having a Skype chat box open so folks can type. Sometimes you will use that to demonstrate what you mean by typing a word or phrase or whatever. Sometimes someone might like to type a question or comment if there are several people in the discussion. What a great idea!
--I prefer Skype over other options.
Thank you! This is excellent information!
Is there a number you wouldn't recommend going over? I'm thinking no more than 5 or 6.
Any suggestions on getting kids to open up for discussion? I haven't had experience with more than my own kids.
Thank you for helping me think through this! I don't want to get in over my head!
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Has anyone done this? I'm tossing around the idea of teaching a friend's kids along with my own for two subjects that would benefit from having more people to discuss with. There would be no extra prep work for me. No grading of assignments. There would be writing involved in both these classes (Writing and Rhetoric, Art of Argument), but they'd just talk about what they wrote and read it aloud to each other. One class would only be twice per week for one hour. The other four times per week (possibly less often) for a half hour.
Is there any reason this would be difficult besides possibly taking up more mental energy?
I really think it would benefit my kids to have others to toss ideas around with. It would also benefit me to not have their attitudes flaring up during those times!
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I really like using the TM with CAP W & R— if nothing else, it steps "in the gap" on those days I am feeling "less than motivated" so to speak.
Have you tried finding TMs used on homeschoolclassifieds.com, Ebay, Amazon, these forums and bookfinder.com?
I'm not familiar enough with the other programs you have mentioned to comment on them.
I did try finding it used, but right now now one is selling it for a lower price.
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How difficult would it be to do this without a TM? Money is pretty tight right now, but I really think this would work well for my upcoming 6th grader. I was planning on jumping in at levels 5 and 6. Is there anything essential in the TM in those levels that I'd miss? (I've used PLL and ILL in the past, so I'm used to not having a TM.)
Also, is there anything similar out there? I was originally planning on using Writing in English since we used School Composition last year and I thought it helped her a lot, but she hated the vintage style (the typewriter font, the victorian writing, and some uninteresting reading selections). Then I was looking at Lingua Mater 7 or 8 since we've used PLL/ILL, but I feel like we might end up skipping half of it. So far W&R seems to be closest to what I want.
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I struggle to know how to help my children revise their writing. They are natural writers, so I'm not talking about grammar and spelling. I need help with the more abstract part of it - how to make suggestions to take their writing from good to great. Is there a website where I can see examples of student papers with revision suggestions by competent teachers? I don't want a checklist or rubric. I want to actually SEE it done by someone who knows what they're doing. Kind of an immersion for me, the teacher, to experience the nitty gritty. The parts, not the whole. (We've got plenty of writing resources already that give the big picture.)
Thank you!
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Thank you for posting this because it made me realize that I have an opportunity to talk to some university math professors this weekend and I could take her along to ask her questions. :)
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My 11yo has been intrigued for years by the concept of infinity. She says she thinks about it all the time. Her latest question was, "Is 1/∞ equal to zero?" Then, "If it's equal to zero and you multiply it by ∞ would you get 1 or 0?" I think the questions she comes up with are interesting, but I don't know how much help I am to her in thinking through them.
So I'm looking for some book recommendations for her - something that wouldn't be too far above her cognitive reach. She is currently doing Beast Academy 5C, so that's where she's at mathematically. She catches onto math concepts quickly. She'd be able to handle some basic algebra and geometry, but not much past that yet. She's very visual-spatial, so would be able to understand books with visual explanations easily. She can read well, though she doesn't usually read books above middle school/early high school level.
I'd love some recommendations! Thank you!
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Here are some more suggestions. They aren't books, but maybe you'll still find them useful....
Tim Keller "The Reason for God"
Os Guiness "The Journey: A Thinking Person's Quest for Meaning"
Bishop Barron "Scientism and God's Existence"
Bruxy Cavey "The God Debate" (Don't skip the Drive Home segments)
I agree with Merry that it will help for you to not convey fear about questions and doubts. What has helped me the most over the years was to know that there are very smart people who have thought about the same questions that I have and remained (or became) Christians. The people listed above are a few. Others that have been influential for me are N.T. Wright, C.S. Lewis, John Walton, Richard Foster. To read/hear other people's reasoning helped me to stop thinking that Christianity was only for the masses who were willing to be blind followers and didn't want to struggle through the difficult questions. Maybe the most helpful thing was to have a real person in my life (my counselor) who wasn't afraid of my thoughts and encouraged me to read other perspectives and was willing to go back and forth with me over the issues I was struggling with. No condemnation and no fear.
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Letters from a Skeptic by Greg Boyd is excellent. Also, Benefit of the Doubt by the same author.
http://www.reasonablefaith.org
(I'm walking out the door. I'll try to post a few more resources later.)
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Updated...
Math: Beast Academy 5D, AoPS Prealgebra
Writing:
FLVS M/J Language Arts 2 Adv, Literary analysis and essays along with her older sister, UnjournalingWriting and Rhetoric 5-7 with older sister, Reports for presentation at co-opGrammar: Finish Easy Grammar,
Glencoe diagramming bookFinish last half of Practice Town and Sentence Composing for Elementary SchoolsVocabulary: Roots of English and Build a Better Vocabulary lectures
Literature: Misc. books
(have to make a list)A Christmas Carol, Little Men, The Wednesday Wars, The Hiding Place, The Blue SwordSocial Studies: Middle East and Asia study
Science: Big History Project (+ some philosophy and theology videos/lectures), Science Experiments at co-op
Logic: The Art of Argument
Spanish: Rosetta Stone Spanish 3Art: Easy Peasy Drawing ProfessionallyMusic: FLVS Guitar, Piano
Life Skills class at co-op
Morning Time loop: Philosophy for Kids, Fairytales, Shakespeare, World of Poetry, Classics for Kids podcast, Easy Peasy Art – Cultures, Khan Academy art videos, TedEd videos, Enjoying Music at Home, The Thinking Toolbox, Language A to Z lectures
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Thank you, everyone. So helpful! I think we'll probably do the Challenge problems in the Algebra book until the point where she gets frustrated. And, since she struggles with visual-spatial manipulation, we'll likely skip most or all of the challenge problems in Geometry. It's really helpful to know that, even with skipping the hardest problems, she'll still be getting a great education.
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My 7th grade dd just started the AoPS Algebra book. We skipped most of the Challenge problems in the Prealgebra book because I didn't feel like they were absolutely necessary and wanted her to get to Algebra a bit quicker. That seems to have worked out well. She's got a solid enough grasp of everything covered, and I'll have her continue reviewing PreA on Alcumus until everything is green.
So, I'm wondering if we will be alright continuing with just doing the Review Problems and Alcumus or if there's some reason that the book is incomplete without all the Challenge problems.
The reason I'm asking is because she really wants to do AoPS Geometry instead of Jacobs 2nd edition (which we own and she thinks looks boring - read: unfamiliar). AoPS would take longer than Jacobs, so I'd like to start it before the beginning of 9th grade.
Maybe she should do the challenge problems in the Algebra book but not in the Geometry book? Would that be a better option?
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Tentative plan....
Bible
Prayer
Loop:
Easy Peasy Art – Cultures
Classics for Kids podcast
MCT World of Poetry
Philosophy for Kids
Grimm’s or Andersen’s fairytales
Shakespeare
Khan Academy Art Videos
TedEd videos
Considering:
Copywork
Virtue Study
Memory Work
Diagramming a Sentence
This year we’ve done:
Bible
Prayer
1-2 of the following:
The Fallacy Detective
The Thinking Toolbox
Philosophy for Kids
Shakespeare picture book by Colville or Garfield’s Shakespeare
MCT Music of the Hemispheres
Fairytale
Virtue Study
Usborne Children’s Book of Art
Jotham’s Journey (during Advent)
All the Small Poems and Fourteen More
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Current Plan…
Morning Time (whole family): Bible/Prayer, Virtue Training, MT Loop: Easy Peasy Art – Cultures; Classics for Kids Podcast; World of Poetry; Philosophy for Kids; Fairytales; Shakespeare
Math: AoPS Algebra, Math Club at local middle school
English: Write at Home semester class, Roots of English, Glencoe diagramming book, essays/research papers, notetaking
Literature: homemade booklist (working on it!) and lit analysis notebook, 7 sisters homeschool guides, Worldview Detective questions, book club
History/Geography: Sonlight Core H books, Middle East + Asia study (sort of Core F)
Science: Big History Project with added videos/lectures on philosophy and theology to counter the materialistic worldview, “living†books
Spanish: Rosetta Stone 3 or FLVS Spanish 1, Spanish Club at local middle school
Logic: The Art of Argument
Piano: Yousician, playing by ear
Possible Extras: Cooking Club, How to Become a SuperStar Student, FLVS Digital Information Technology, SAT/ACT prep,
This seems like a lot. Probably seven-ish hours daily. Does that seem about right for 8th grade or too much?
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We liked this response.
And we shared our confusion and our progress in any faith. Our children were not only very receptive but had great input and enjoyed sharing how the rectified the different aspects. They made requests to have science taught from an evolutionary standpoint yet to continue their involvement in Bible Club/Church. We decided we are happy to honor this request - thank you ladies (all of you!) for giving us some encouragement and simple guidance. Too often we feel the weight of fear on our shoulders that we will make the wrong choice when we really need to embrace the simplicity of just talking to our kids. THANK YOU.
It sounds like you made a great decision for your family! I've struggled with this whole issue for years. There are a few resources that have helped me more than others, and I think you and your husband may find them helpful....
Phil Vischer Podcast Episode #9 (Episodes 80, 89, 94, 136, 146, 160, and 167 also deal with this topic)
The Lost World of Adam and Eve
The Meeting House - Debating Darwin
The Meeting House - Debating Darwin, Drive Home
The Meeting House Roundtable - Phone Interview with Denis Lamoureaux
Also, an EXCELLENT book for those curious about God or doubting God is Letters From a Skeptic. Seriously, one of the best books I've ever read.
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You might want to check out the "Unbelievable?" podcast. It's a debate/discussion podcast between athiests and theists (or theists and other theists) moderated by a guy in the UK.
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For those who used it as a stand alone program, did you have to supplement the multi-digit multiplication and division sections? My older ds completed through 4A and then did both Math Mammoth Multiplication 2 & Division 2. Younger ds is now working through BA but I would love it if he didn't have to do so much additional work.
Every once in a while I print out some problems for my girls to do as review, to make sure they still remember how. Long division has seemed to need more review than multiplication for them. Looking back, to make it more systematic, I probably would/should have given them one problem per week of division as review. Hopefully I'll remember to do that with my third!
Every child is different, though, so I can't say what would work best for your particular child....
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Do not start preA with number theory chapter. We are almost done with preA and chapter 3 was the toughest chapter we encountered in the book. My son didn't blink once in chapter 2, but 3 was not so easy.
What would you say made that chapter so difficult? When I glanced through it, it seemed to be pretty similar to what she's already learned in BA. Plus I didn't see any negatives. I thought it would be an easier transition than starting at Chapter 1. I'll have to go through and have a closer look....
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I spent the morning going through the first two chapters of the AoPS Prealgebra book as well as looking through our Math Mammoth Blue books and Beast Academy books. BA has already far exceeded anything I see in Math Mammoth in preparing my dd for those first two chapters (which include negatives and exponents and are supposed to be the hardest of the book). I wish BA had prepared her even more, but I'm assuming that's coming in the 5th grade books. So, I'm even more sure now that our best bet is to jump into Prealgebra in the summer or fall and take BA breaks as they become available.
So what I did today was to write notes to her (and myself) in the first chapter of the Prealgebra book to help make the transition easier. It's not such a huge jump in math as much as it is a jump in logic and reasoning needed. And the wording is so much more formal than BA. And the discovery method seems just WAY too overwhelming to be thrown into like that. And the idea of proofs is a brand new thing. And formula after formula after formula that you're not supposed to memorize....Oy!
So I made notes in some sections to skip the discovery problems and go straight to reading their solutions so it would be more like direct instruction and so that she could begin to get an idea of what they are even expecting from her. And in some sections I wrote for her to watch the corresponding videos BEFORE attempting to figure out the discovery problems. (For the rest of the book I'll have her watch them AFTER she's gone through the teaching section in the book.) And in some sections I told her to attempt figuring out the problems for 5 minutes each before moving on to look at the solutions. (BTW, all of those notes were in regard to the teaching sections, not the practice exercises at the end of each section.) I will also have her skip the Challenge problems and use them as review throughout the course.
I'm thinking that from the second chapter on, if I'm walking closely alongside her on the first chapter, she should be able to do it as written.... though still with me right there with her.
(FYI, I wrote all that out in case anyone else is going to attempt what we're doing and wanted ideas on how to make the transition easier! If you'd like to know specifically what I wrote where in the book, PM me.)
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I am seriously considering having my 5th grader finish Beast Academy 4D and then starting AoPS Prealgebra either in the summer or after finishing 5A at the beginning of 6th grade. I asked this on the BA Facebook page:
I have a 5th grader who has been doing the BA books as they come out. I’d like to start her in the AoPS Prealgebra book next year for 6th. I was thinking of waiting until after she does BA 5A and then starting to work slowly through the Prealgebra book (plus Alcumus and videos) while we wait for succeeding BA books to be released. Do you foresee any problems with this approach?
Also, I own the Prealgebra book and have been glancing through it. I was thinking of doing the Number Theory chapter and maybe the Problem Solving chapter with her first (since they seem doable with what she’s learned so far in BA) and then starting at the beginning of the book. Thoughts?
To clarify - we would pause from the Prealgebra book any time a new BA book comes out, and then we would return to Prealgebra once she completes the BA book and is waiting for production of the next one.
Here is the response I got:
The rigor of the first chapter or 2 of Prealgebra can be a bit daunting to some students. I suspect that you know your child's strengths and weaknesses best and have probably made a wise choice to begin elsewhere in the Prealgebra book.
I suspect that the leap from 4D/5A to Prealgebra is not terribly difficult from a mathematical standpoint, but that the presentation and maturity of the approach in PreAlg may be a tougher bridge to cross. Unfortunately, there is not much out there that successfully bridges 5A to Prealgebra. (A 'bridge' book is among the many things on our to-do list after the series is complete.)
Hope it goes well, let us know!So, just wondering if anyone else out there is planning this….
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Tutoring 18 year old in Arithmetic/PreAlgebra...
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
Is that very different from Lial's PreAlgebra?