Ecclecticmum
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Posts posted by Ecclecticmum
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I had problems after birth of number 3, but they settled down within a few months.
The only times I have problems now is if my bladder is full or I don't drink enough water (weird, I know, but too much caffeine with too little water means I need to go to the toilet a lot, hence the problem being worse then).
Either its because the children way-lay me when I need to go (who would of though two rooms and a mini hall would seem like a never-ending walk with children buffeting me from all sides).
Or because I decide when I need to go, well, I'll finish reading this sentence, or typing out the final bit of this post, and am concentrating, when all of a sudden the dog lets out a gigantic bark, and scares me half to death, causing...yep. Dogs good at that, seems to know when I need to go.
:leaving:
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Thanks for the replies.
I need something that zips up, because the law of "if it can fall out, it will" applies here. And I can't stand the flippy-flaps on messengers, I usually end up having a fight with them at the mall, causing people to sidestep around my fight with the bag.
What I need doesn't exist, lol. Something like a bowler bag (or a bit more retangle shaped) mary poppins bag with lots of pockets. You know, small/medium, but I can magically pull out a jungle gym for the kids from it ;) rofl.
My ideal one would be the bowler/satchel type bag, zip top, no flaps, plenty of pockets/org features, and sectional inside with sections to put ipad/kindle dx/school stuff/file/diabetes pouches/etc in. I found the Sumo Laptop Bag, which is quite cool, but found a review stating because the handles are thin, it hurt a little lugging it round all the time. So add padded straps to that magical bag too.
If I had the money, I would just get a brown/teal earth leather Be Prepared, and a FIlofax Finchley Expandable Tote. And go looking around IRL for a bowler bag that I could use occasionally. lol. Dream bags.
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I need a bag that will carry everything. Preferably one that can be convertible (be a handbag/messenger, but can also go on my back for when arms are full)
It preferably needs to be able to carry all of this:
- A5 Filofax
- Ipad in thick cover
- Kindle DX
- Iphone in Thick Cover
- 1 or 2 schoolbooks in A4 size
- 2 thermal fat pouches with diabetes stuff
- Other stuff that somehow makes it into my bag (as happens)
- If it can somehow hold (either on the outside or inside) two teddy bears, and also 3 innotabs, then it would be the perfect bag (somehow I always end up holding those items when we go out rofl)
I like lots of organization features and pockets. I went and looked back at Ju Ju Be for a bag (I used to use them a couple of years ago when my littlest was a bub), and love the look of something like an Earth Leather Be Fab or Be Prepared, but the price gave my heart a few tickers (I don't tend to like there normal bags the faux satin gives e the heebie-jeebies, I don't mind their Earth Leather, but not for that price!). Obviously my priorities were different in those days, but if I forked out that much for a bag now, I'd be feeling the guilts for a while.
Does anybody have some options? We'll have to be going to the doctors and stuff more often now, and it would be easier to have a bag for me that carries it all (the only bag I have right now is my trolly dolly and an itsy bitsy version of a backpack (one of those mini ones that basially fits a purse)
Thanks!
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I outsource beginning letter names and sounds to a little talking frog. He is under $10 and repeats himself endlessly until they get it. There is a good reason it has over 1,000 reviews and still averages 5 stars!
Tried that. lol. I've been trying informally and formally since near the end of 2010 with her. She drives me bananas. In one of my more *agitated* (read- about to blow like a volcano mode) states, I pronounced it Leapfrog marathon and put on Leapfrog and made her watch it everyday at least twice, for a week. Nada. Still forgot letter sounds, missed them, etc. I've put it on a couple of times since then, I know all the words in that video, line for line.
A list of stuff I've tried:
100EZ
OPGTR
Leapfrog
Click N Read
ETC Primers
Fitzroy Alphabet Book
Starfall
Letterland Alphabet Book
Plus probably others I've forgotten. 100EZ the lessons were too long for her, OPGTR got her twitching instead of me, and she was so fidgety she tripped herself over, Click N Read she can't stand doing everyday, so since I paid out for it (its lifetime) I use it every now and again as review. ETC Primers we did after 100EZ. After a whole year (going according to the timetable in Sonlight) of doing it, she had forgotten most of the letters from the beginning. Letterland book we read about once a week, and the Fitzroy Alphabet, I started to see the same thing as with ETC. Starfall, again, no rentention.
So this year we've ramped it up, and she'll be getting constant review, flashcards, drilling, kinesthetic, and reading games, plus phonics/reading books. I'm sure this will get through, but oh, I hope my other two teach themselves to read rofl. If not, I'm going to stay with the program I'll use for A. I'm just finishing writing up the goals and reminders for her, so I remember what she'll be doing with all the little parts.
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If you stalk amazon patiently the 1st edition hardback can be had for $20-ish dollars.
Not possible here. A $20 third party book on amazon usually costs me about >$40 postage. So over $60. I don't use that option unless I really badly need a book.
I don't *need* 1st edition, I just *want* it :tongue_smilie:
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LOL. I already have the 3rd edition in ebook format.
What I *need* is the 1st edition in either digital or paperback.
The only 1st edition I found, I nearly fell off my chair at the price.
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Hi,
I was going to come in and mention Konos, but Ellie beat me to it :D
I can help you out with samples though:
Here is a PDF Link (I came across it, I'm not sure how to access it through the site, so it's direct):
http://www.konos.com/KONOS%20Sample%20Lessons.pdf
Heres where it shows the main topics (but the topic within the chacaracter trait an include other things, like Eyes/Ears and that se tion can include things like Helen Keller, Louis Braille etc):
http://www.konos.com...lementary.html#
And Here's the link where Jessica walks you through a unit:
http://www3.homescho...ideo/index.html
Now if you go to the main website (konos) on the right hand side, it mentions stuff about Explanation Videos on the drop down menu, you can access other videos from there.
Konos Original Volumes are much better (IMO) the boxes or Bags are probably missing activities and are more expensive, but have everything super laid out. Homeschool mentor.com is another site of Jessica's where its like an online co-op, and she guides you through everything, I think you still have to purchase either the in-a-box or in-a-bag units to go along with that, and you work at the online co-ops pace (so this doesn't allow for rabbit trails, or starting on the unit you want to start on) and its $30 a month.
So there are different options. I prefer the original volumes (so does Ellie), some people prefer to get one unit thats a box/bag, before delving into the original volumes, to help them get their feet wet, if you do that, you just skip that trait or topi in your volume.
Jessica also has videos that can help you with Konos like Creating the Balance (everything from Teaching konos to laundry), to how to create simple no sew costumes. Another idea is to go on Homeschoolmentor.com and look at the free videos where she has laid everything out for a week, this can give you an idea of the sorts of things you do in the Volumes, and how you could plan it if you purchased the original (I got some good ideas from those vids)
Last of all, excuse my horrible errors everywhere, this keyboard is on its last legs (and unfortunately attached to the netbook I am typing from lol)
xxx
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Letter sounds and beginning blending for my eldest. Once shes starting to truly blend, I'd take her back. schmeh. May as well say take all 3 kids and teach them letter sounds and beginning blending. After dealing with my eldest and her learning difficulties regarding sounds & blending, I'm not really in the mood to start that process all over again in a year with the next child.
I'm fine with anything else. Can't say I like politics, civics, economics or any of that stuff, but I will teach it, even if I have to learn alongside them.
Beginning phonics, however, my eldest has caused burnout for me on that.
"What sound does this *holds up a B* make?"
"Ummmm.....ssss?"
*and thats about when my eye starts twitching*
My 2 younger ones have caught on to a number of letter sounds and *remember* them, my eldest however, starts glazing over and guessing. We've now had to change to a sandpaper, flashcard & book set. If she doesn't get anything from that, I'll have to take her for testing, and I may also end up "having a cow" and losing the plot totally (I don't think she needs to be tested, I just think its the one area where she doesn't apply herself, I think she has fears we'll stop reading to her (which I have told her is untrue). I've (as a last ditch effort) gone through a period of reverse psychology, so now she's starting to beg me to want to do her phonics...only time will tell.
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Have you looked into Memoria Press? It sort of reminds me of a cross between Oak Meadow & WTM. It has calendar time each morning (from the look of things) has read alouds, uses new american cursive, and has craft books. Just a thought :)
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Thanks for the person who suggested the sandpaper letters. I found the tiles were going to cost a fortune to get here.
I purchased some cheap sandpaper letter flashcards off Amazon and they are perfect. They'll give that bit of input the kids need.
Today, hopefully, I can cut up the cards and begin I decided to just start with Atlas for now. Chaos will be doing his speech therapy @ home this year, so can start the phonics program next year. And I can easily get another book for Eve if she decides she wants to do it.
Wish us luck (here's hoping this program works, or I might have to take her in for testing) I'm hoping it was just a case of she wasn't ready, and hopefully with the flashcards and input, she'll get enough review and finally remember her letter sounds and start to *truly* blend.
xxx
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I would, but internationally, even at the 40% off, it wouldn't be worth it to us.
If I decide to get it, I'll probably just order it from RR once my tax comes back later on in the year (I can't believe I'm thinking of re-purchasing it, lol).
I hope it gets to the discount for you guys though!
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Ugh - I hate when my OLD posts come up! :) I was the OP to that thread, so I just wanted to comment. That was when I first tried HOD and yes, to this day, I stand by my original thoughts that I don't care for the activities in LHTH. I have also skipped a few in LHFHG. I have, however, almost completed both Beyond and Bigger, and I do think that HOD is a wonderful curriculum. So, if you read that thread of mine, please don't think that is a representation of the curriculum, as a whole. :)
It's always nice to hear about the other side of the story. :D
Ellie - I don't know where I read that. I assume on here, but I tend to gallivant all over the internet when researching a curricula. It was really weird.....I remember something about kids singing about dead people rofl....but not any more information. For some reason that bit has stuck in my head.
Its a pity it cannot be used secularly though, otherwise I may have looked into it further. But someone said if you take all the faith & biblically weaved parts out, you would be left with about one page, rofl. Our family contains too many different faiths like the following:
Me: UU/Open-Minded/Constantly Reading from different viewpoints/Ex-Wiccan
DH: Non-practicising Christian/Faith-Crisis
DH's Mum: Strict Christian
DH's Dad: Christian tad different from DH's mum
My Mum: Atheist
My Bio Dad: Church of England
My Stepfather: Catholic
Its just wayyy too many faiths to try to find a middle ground, so I have to have completely secular (or able to be secularized) programs I found out, or it doesn't work within our family. Faith is best kept to a family discussion, and family times together than through a curricula.
I hope I didn't come across as slating bad things for HOD. I was just giving my personal viewpoint/opinion. (Where I read that post is going to bother me till I find it, rofl)
xxx
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Can I ask a couple of questions for those of you on either end of the spectrum(aka. thread)?
I, myself, just count myself as having an open mind, and that Religion is a life-long process of reading, researching & dedication. (Rabbi's I read about do a similar thing, counting it as a lifelong process, and what I read about said they study/pour over the Torah their entire lives, and discuss/debate various parts)
So, what I am trying to say, is this is coming from a *good* place inside me, I am not asking to antagonize or anything.
1. If you believe in Young Earth (dinos being at the same time as man) why isn't there any human remains found at Dino levels?
2. A bit of the chicken and the egg. But if a God (either Him, or Greek Gods, or any particular god around the world) created us, who created that God? I understand the answer is usually "He just is" but how? "He's always been there" But what about before??? Before he was there....it had to begin somewhere?
3. I also do the same thing to DH about the Big Bang Theory. Asking him how it happened, he explains, then wanting to say, well what about before that? "It was blank, dark, matter (or something, my brains froze) But what about before the matter? What happened before the bang? How did the matter start? What happened before the matter?
4. I believe the chicken came first. :p Slowly going forward till they became chicken-like, then eventually one popped out an egg and was like "What is that???!!??" lol.
And if I gave you a headache, sorry about that. I tend to give myself a headache when thinking about it. :leaving:
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I love the look of MP's catalog, and Sonlights, Winter Promise's and all of the other pretty catalogs (my pretties....), and they enormously appeal to my OCD, all these pretty packages and bundles to unwrap, organize and line up on my shelf....
But, they wouldn't get used. lol. Every now and again I re-look back at something (usually when I get a catalog from that company) and get all excited till I again find the reason why we don't want that curricula.
I need to write a list up of curricula's I look at and why I am not interested....because I always forget....like now....when I want to start looking at MP again (I think it was because it relied on narration, copywork and that sort of thing?) I suppose I will remember again in a minute...once I finish looking....
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lol. I think I'm going to be giggling for a bit about Celia's post.
It would be cool to do some sort of scrapbook/notebooking, including pictures as they grow, measuring their size, comparisons (see if the kids can tell them apart and how), lifecycle of an egg (difference between them being eaten, to when they actually start to grow baby chicks), about the fur/feathers changing, and noting when it happens and why. Taste testing (and before Celia mentions it, not tasting the chicks, lol, but seeing which foods they prefer :p)
If it were me, I would use what I said above (and any other ideas I can note down on paper) plus have a search through currclick, and maybe google if I were after certain things (or google "chick/chicken/baby chicken" and "unit study" even then there may be too much on google......I can tend to get sucked into researching if i google too much...lol).
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I would recommend MFW or Sonlight.
We are secular users, but if we weren't, MFW looks fun. I like Sonlight P4/5, we also had the Handle on the Arts supplement for it, which was lots of fun :) Unfortunately we only got about halfway through it :( My son cannot stand books being read all the time as school, so about halfway through the 2011 year, he was old enough to create havoc when I was trying to do it. Perhaps if I found Audiobooks of all the books in question, I would do it again (ignoring most of the lesson plans with the way they split up the book, it was annoying to open a book, read a verse, close it, grab the next book, and so on)
The Handle on the Arts supplements for SLP4/5 made it really fun! I'm not sure whether they are selling them anymore though :( When I went on there a couple of weeks ago (HOtA) nothing came up when I clicked the category in their shop. Its a pity.
I don't like HOD. I couldn't use it because of us being secular (I found you would basically have nothing left) but when I looked into it I saw some weird bits, and heard someone talking about the fact the child sings about Dead People and Weird things rofl. (Sorry don't exactly remember what it was, or where I read that).
Not exactly what I saw, but here is a thread talking about violence in HOD: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/57647-another-heart-of-dakotalhth-question/
Sorry I couldn't help more
xxx
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I am so glad I read this. I was going to buy it. But I am pretty sure it will not be a good fit. What are some alternatives for K and 1st grade science?
Lentil Science/TOPs
Real Science 4 Kids
Janice Van Cleaves books
Animals and their Worlds - Winter Promise
Just getting experiment books (Sean Connelly, Mary Ann Kohl, Van Cleave, Steve Spangler)
WTM Layout in the WTM Book
Elemental Science (WTM-Inspired)
Charlotte Mason/Queen Homeschool
Apologia/BJU/Other Christian/Catholic/Religion-based Text (sorry, don't know much about this area)
Real Science Odyssey
McRuffys Science
Nancy Larson Science
NOEO Science
Living Books Curriculum
Moving Beyond the Page
Science Fusion
Discovery Channel Science
Interactive Science by Pearson
Galore Park?
Konos
Weaver?
Critical Thinking through Science (Critical thinking Co.)
Unit Studies (choose a topic: Gardening, Nature Walks etc)
Christopherus Science
Live-Ed Science (you would have to purchase the whole grade)
Curr-click Browsing (lol, Currclick is fun...till hubby sees I have 122 items on my wishlist :p)
Home Learning Sourcebook (well, its more of a "catalog", but you can pick and choose ideas)
Speaking of Catalogs-Rainbow Resource
Sonlight Science
Unschool Science: Either delight-directed, discussion-directed etc
Let's Read and find Out Science books
Backyard Scientist (OOP series of books)
Class Creatures: Just go through the seasons collecting some sort of critter and learning about it)
Field Trip Science: Weekend jaunts to the park, museum, science exploration centres
Experiment Kits
Lapbooking
Home Science Tools Catalog
hmm.....and that was literally just of the top of my head....so I'm probably missing quite a few. There's lots of choices out there (McGraw Hill I think does science also,...see things just keep popping into my head!) so it really depends how you want to approach science and in what "style" and how thorough you want it to be.
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hmm.....my conversation would be something like this:
Me: "Well its about......Are you playing with your phone?"
DH: "No, I'm listening, go ahead.."
Me: *bounces* "Well, its this great....ARE you paying attention, or listening to something on your phone?"
DH: "I'm listening"
Me: "Give the phone to me, please" *takes phone*
Me: "So, the book I was re.."
DH: "Whose a cute dog!" *pats one of our dogs*
Me: "DH! Pay attention!"
DH: "I'm listening..." *starts jiggling his leg, vastly distracting for me to think*
Me: "So it has this great philo...."
DH: "I need to go to the toilet" *walks away*
Me: *decides not to give up, and follows DH, determined to make him hear "This book..."
DH: "Look, honey, I'm sure its fabulous...whatever you think"
*End conversation*
Seriously, and my son is the exact same way. I have two 5yos. And no husband. :svengo:
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hmmm.....
I would suggest Konos (but thats just me). It encompasses different learning styles, everyone can be taught together. But it is at the opposite end of the spectrum from BJU/Abeka. Completely opposite.
Perhaps looking into something like Weaver or Tapestry of Grace? That would be most stuff sorted. Then you would just have to choose the subjects left over. I would be weaving in Language Arts with whatever you are working on in those two, so getting something like Katherine Stouts Guides, or generalized guides for LA and weaving it into the subject. Then having them work seperately at math.
Elsewise, I would be picking up too many subjects independantly and having failures all over the place (sort of like juggling with too many balls) what particular "brand" in a subject might work for one child, may not work for another, so in the end, you may have different curriculas you have to keep an eye on for the same subject.
But if you were going for different subjects, I would still keep them together for as many as you can. Getting Story of the World pack (book, activity guide, audio) you can have the audio going, whilst you run laundry or do some housekeeping. The book for some of the kids to read along if they want (and also so you can have a quick scan and know whats going on). Get older kids to pair up with young ones to complete projects. Assign the elders indepedant reading & writing projects, the younger ones can dress up & dramatize the chapter or do lapbooks (Chronicles of the earth blog)
Science, again, have them all working on the same subject. Perhaps looking into Supercharged science, as it can be hands off, the children can do their own projects from it based off of their age, independantly (re-creating the experiment, writing about the experiment, creating a diorama or doing vocabulary/copywork based on the subject).
Geography: Just do the maps with SOTW for now.
Maths: Their are lots of different options out there. AOPS, Beast Academy, Audio Memory, Kitchen Table Math, Math on the Level, Saxon, Rightstart. Since you have many different kids, perhaps getting some sort of workbook approach thats visual, plus audio memory for drilling/remembering facts, plus getting the Math Games from Rightstart. Elder kids can help younger ones with their workbook, plus do their own independantly, the Songs from Audio Memory can just be put on during afternoon quiet time for the children who need them, and they can all play the Card Games together.
Language Arts: I find is a very personal area, there are so many choices, its really about what works best for you.
Hope that helps in some way :)
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Interesting.
I purchased NEE & BFSU. I plan to read slowly through NEE, let it digest, then move onto reading BFSU.
We already have something coming that has science in it, so I'm not sure that we would use BFSU. In the end I got it more for Teacher Training, but we may end up using it on a more casual basis. We're big on discussions in this house, so I presumed from what I read on here, that BFSU was more of a discussion based curricula (obviously with explanations/experiments) so I thought we would be able to use it quite easily. But I mainly purchased it as a background for me. I'm lax with science. My kids love it, and I would love to properly understand it (school failed me with science), so I'm trying to bring it into my kids lives in a way that excites them. Probably due to my own past, I see how important science is in nearly every aspect of our lives, so I want my kids to have a thorough grounding in it.
So whether or not we use it, hopefully it will still be good enough to help me along.
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Focus just on phonics & math. Its easy to get swept away with all the different choices. Most programs recommended on here and popular classical ones really expect the child to be reading by the time 1st grade hits, So I would concentrate on getting the child reading.
As for what I'd do, I'd begin with Dancing Bears. Once we were a little through that, I would start math. Once we had a rhythm that showed improvement, I would think about adding something else. Theres a lot to be said for all the wise veterans who say start off with one subject and slowly add in others. Its a pity people in their excitement (including me in the beginning) tend to overlook words of wisdom like that because we are focused on all the shiny things and making it the "best" year ever.
Now, whenever I end up straying down that path, I remember whats happened over the past couple of years and go find Hunters signature for all those nuggets of reality.
:leaving:
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Depending on what you're planning to do there, here's a random list:
-Fabric Shopping Bags (smoosh a couple of those at the bottom of your tote/backpack)
- Notepad/paper/pens/higlighters/ruler
- Dayplanner/Diary/Business Card Holder
- Camera (or phone with camera)
- 2 Bottles of Water (just in case you need to re-fill one but are currently thirsty :p I'm a water freak though)
- Trail Mixes to munch on (if you're in a seminar, eating a sandwich is not easy, and is usually frowned upon, so bars/trail mixes are best for one-handedness)
- Painkillers (simple iburofen or panadol. If you feel a headache coming on from all the lights/noise, you have water, plus them to take care of it before you have to end up going home early)
- Bandaids (Well....I just always have some....paper cuts are probably a pain at conventions...lol)
- If you can, pre-lookup your conventions and the holders, print out stall map and tick off ones interested in and why
- Note down products/subjects/books/ebooks you already have, so you don't go buying something else for the same subject
- Note down subject you need to address.
- Note down any seminars you plan to attend & time
- Which reminds me, a wrist watch (its much easier to glance at your watch than pull your phone out)
- Sometimes seminars require you bring certain things, so check on that
- Comfortable Shoes
- Various Ziplock bags from mini to large (not neccessary, but when I have them, I always find a use for them, from separating bits of paper, to holding bits & pieces etc, to one time using a large one to hold a wet shirt when I got something split on me (I had a change of shirt too, lol. Whenever I'm at a large gathering, someone always finds a way of spilling something...lol)
HTH xxx
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I have the 2nd Edition of Preschool, Kindergarten & 1st Grade, and the 1st Edition of 2nd & 3rd Grade.
I have problems figuring out how to use them :confused1: I understand if you were using it as your "base" to build from, it would be easier to do this.
For those who use it *other* than a building base, why do you use it, and most importantly HOW?
(I'm trying to figure out whether to keep them or not)
Thanks!!
:hurray:
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Art: Still haven't found an Art Curricula I like (I'm really picky with art) so we're sticking with Mary Ann Kohls books.
Critical Thinking/Logic: Lollipop Logic
Creative Thinking: Draw & Write (Not draw write now), Tin Man Press, Anti-Coloring Books, any other stuff I come across.
Handwriting: Form Drawing
Health: Through Life & Ocassionally from First Aid Book
Life Skills: Parables Home Economics + Maybe Little Keepers at Home
Literature: Story of Australia, Classic Chapter Books, Picture Books, all on rotation from our home library + stuff from local library.
Mathematics: Rightstart.
Social Studies: Succeeding in Social Studies 1 (Aus. book. Using because of the spiral method that goes upto current Aus)
Phonics: Bearing Away + Fitzroy
Unit Study/Complete: Konos
And thats apart from Project, Games and the rest of it. Daily is Math, Phonics & Konos. The rest is in a box that the kids pick from and decide what they want to do when we have time. So really our "curriculum" consists of Bearing Away, Rightstart & Konos.
We'll see where we're at in another 3 months though..
What do you term "middle school"?
in The Chat Board
Posted
In my mind there is no "middle school" probably because I'm in Australia? So it's primary/elementary is K-6 and high school is 7-12.
Thinking about it from a logical standard, when seeing middle school, I always think primary 1-4, middle 5-8 (transition years) and high school being 9-12th. So whenever someone mentions middle school or middle grades, I'm thinking the 5th-8th region.
Is that not right? :confused1: I thought that was the standard, but perhaps its just my-own-mind-standard :laugh: