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Ecclecticmum

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Posts posted by Ecclecticmum

  1. There is "samples" (well limited pictures) on a ladies blog: http://training6hearts4him.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/homeschooling6-dayspelling-you-see.html

     

    Its what made me decide, tentatively, that its not for us. The chunking looked pretty much like PAL, which we have already looked through and re-sold. Searching for combinations and picking apart poetry isn't really for us :(

     

    I was expecting something much different, I guess, from the reality. So unless thats just an extra page or minimal amounts of that type of thing, I will probably go to AAS/Spellodrome instead.

  2. We've recently changed our routine. My husband used to do the morning routine (and night-time/dinner, reading, and injections), and the day would be more relaxed/not timed. However, since he changed positions/careers in his company, everything has been more higgledy-piggledy. After speaking with our care team over a number of weeks, I am being transferred to full-time carer for everyone, as the current/previous schedule is not working (its affecting the kids schedules/medical needs, and DH is now working unknown hours ontop of his ordinary hours)

     

    We've basically taken a sort of break (I'm using the time to do lots of reading with them, and fast forward Atlas through MUS, when she starts to slow down to her pace, I will start the other two on MUS (we've transferred all our school stuff to stuff that is more organized and can be done in less time). Reading Reflex wasn't open and go enough, WRTR requires too much from me before its open and go, and Reading Rescue has ideas for Fluency, but not much for us beyond that. I've order Funnix, as its a program where I have to be there (I prefer programs not independant right now, I like that TOG can be either teacher intensive or independant) but doesn't require my brain too much (which is filled with ratios/carbs/meal plans/animal care/household tasks/medical needs/speech plans and too much more) I'm also having to get up at a much earlier hour than I am used to and have a set bedtime that makes it hard to go to bed earlier to get more sleep. So right now I'm mainly working on getting the new get up/feed everybody plan, and soon will move to the get up earlier/exercise/dress nicely and feed everybody plan. I am NOT a morning person, never have been, also have insomnia and CFS, so all-in-all,my ideal "job" would be working nights/graveyard shift.

     

    But I have found when you HAVE to do stuff for your family, you just find a way to do it. No matter how disgruntled it may make you, you trudge on, and put a smile on your face :P Such is life.

     

    So the new pretty much non-negotiable plan that has been worked out looks like this: (and remember this is from a previously never-seen-a-timetable-family :P )

     

     

    6am: Put Wash On/Let Dog Out/Exercise

    6:30am: Exercise/ DH Wakes Up & Showers

    7am: Shower/Dress & Clean/Make Breakfast DH: Wakes Kids Up & Helps with Breakfast

    7:30am: Injections/Eat/Prep for School Kids: EatBreakfast DH:Eat Breakfast & Leave

    8am: Clean up Breakfast/Chores Kids: Chores & Dog Fed

    8:30am: Phonics with Eve (includes handwriting), Atlas plays/exercise with Dog, Chaos has freetime

    9am: Phonics with Chaos (also includes speech & motor), Girls play together

    9:30am Phonics with Atlas (includes handwriting, fluency, reading aloud,advanced phonograms) Eve & Chaos play together

    10am: Morning Tea
    10:30am: Math with Eve, Atlas & Chaos Play together

    11am: Math with Chaos, Girls exercise/play with Dog

    11:30am: Math with Atlas, Chaos & Eve have freeplay

    12pm: Computer Time/Desk stuff for me(and make lunch), Kids clean up their messes

    12:30pm:Lunch

    1pm: Cleaning (I re-go over areas they "Cleaned" and also do general tidying), Kids have freeplay

    1:30pm: TOG Literature

    2pm: TOG Activities

    2:30pm: COmputer/Desk TIme for Me, Freetime for Kids

    3pm: Afternoon Tea

    3:30pm: Afternoon Chores

    4pm:TOG (TOG also includes Science & Art)

    4:30pm: TOG

    5pm Dinner Prep/Chores for Me, Kids play outside

    5:30: Dinner Prep/Chores for Me, Kids Play outside

    6pm Dinner (DH usually back home)

    6:30pm: Dinner Cleanup (everybody helps)

    7pm: Bath/Shower (if needed, we are rural and have bath/shower nights scheduled in) otherwise freetime. DH has freetime/quiet time

    7:30pm: Supper/Family Time/Read Alouds

    8pm: Clean Up/Night Routine for Everyone, Cats Fed

    8:30pm: Kids Bedtime, DH has freetime/Quiet time

    9pm: I do medical paperwork, DH has free time

    9:30pm: DH & I spend some time together (I get to talk to an adult, yey! LOL)

    10pm: Bedtime.

     

    But I don't fall asleep till 12-3. So I'm currently working on my sleep patterns. So school is prettyintermingled in our day. But we are a one-car family, my son has SN, so I can't go out all the time, he simply cannot handle it (I also have views on children outside the home before age 9) so we don't have outside commitments, live rurally and are taking advantage/realizing certain cons of the summer sun here downunder, so the kids go outside later, in winter this timetable will obviously be adjusted a little, it will also slowly slightly adjust to our lives more. The mealtimes are non-negotiable since there has to be 2 hours between end to beginning due to the diabetes, so everything else is worked in between that. We also work on CM ideals of short lessons, so maximum lesson for my eldests 'phonics" is 20 mins, we do in half-hour blocks to be able to catch up or stophas running around like crazy chickens. My youngest, her longest is 10-15 minute phonics/math lessons, they may also do something else (like handwriting, exercises, meditation etc) during their alloted timeslots. TOG activities can basically include TOG, Science, Art, Living Math (History Cycle Lessons), and can range from Literature to building models/crafts, movies etc, so for a 2 hour timeslot they aren't basically sitting reading for 2 hours (although if one child is in the middle of reading or making something, I try not to interrupt them unless I have to, I don't interrupt them whilst they are happily working on something unless I need to check their levels, or they need to eat etc) so I still try to keep it as flexible as possible.

     

    Im still working/tweaking the timetable, but more with adding details and changing around maybe certain afternoon TOG stuff and Evening outside time. Nothing else can really be moved.

     

    Also on Saturday we have a family day out,we leave after breakfast and come back about dinner-time. Where we go depends on what we are doing in school and whats going on in real life. It can be as simple as spending the day at the park, togoing to a museum or fair/fete. I just take easy food with us

     

    Sunday we have a more relaxed day, I don't exercise on the weekend, and we just  stick to the meals time table,the morning/evening chores, and the night-time routine. The rest is blank/free.

     

    I decided the best thing for me is not a phone that annoys me with its jingles and going on standbyso I cantsee the time, and being too big to carry around, but a wristwatch I can keep glancing at, so hopefully am going to get one this weekend. :D

     

    A screen wristwatch with a constantly moving moth type schedule on it would be ideal, but you know, beggars cant be choosers :p ROFL.I probably wouldbe squinting at the screen of something like that anyway. So memorising my schedule and asimply wristwatch is a more practical solution to portability and timekeeping/management

     

  3. Tapestry of Grace is coming out with Primer - A one year overview of History for about K-1st.

     

    What about just reading all 4 SOTW books? or listening to the audio CDs in the car and using the activity guides?

     

    Or you could use All through the Ages book/guide to easily and simply create your own chronological literature based study.

     

    Crash Course in History on Youtube could be another base,

     

    Guest Hollows Chronological Timeline/History COurse; http://www.guesthollow.com/homeschool/history/awesomehistory/awesome_history.html

     

    You could use a Kingfisher or Usborne World History Encyclopedia, and take weekly trips to the library for materials on the subject.

     

    And I don't know of the grades forit, but Notgrass does an Exploring World History curriculum (although I think this may not be elementary).

  4. Here's also the list Merry suggests for changes for British/Australian customers (which isn't as detailed as the above one, but does show later levels) there is a pdf of this somewhere (I know because I downloaded it the other day on my other computer)but I can't find the link.

     

    All About Spelling Level 1

    Change the “A†phonogram card and sound card to reflect the 5 sounds of A instead of 3:

    short a (bat)
    long a (baby)
    ah (bath)
    aw (water)
    o (swan)

    Step 8 – Change “mom†to “mum†and move to Step 9 (word card 23 and on dictations throughout the series).
    Step 12 – Change “math†to “maths,†(word card 68 and on dictations throughout the series) and point out the S at the end, or wait until plurals are introduced.



    All About Spelling Level 2

    Step 6 – Reinforcement – omit “programâ€
    Step 14 – Reinforcement – pronunciation varies for “compost†and “coltâ€
    Step 15 – Reinforcement – omit “clerk†or teach the pronunciation
    Step 16 – Create new key card: Key card 5-1/2, step 16, level 2:
    If the sound of /ah/ is followed by an "s", "f" or "th", you don't need an "r".
    Step 16 – New Teaching – spell words with sound of /ar/, the paragraph starts with:
    “Today we will spell words that have the sound of /ar/.â€
    Insert the following, then continue the lesson as planned: “In Australian English, we use much the same /ah/ sound for words such as glass, after, bath, start, car and cart. Sometimes we use an "r" in the spelling, and sometimes not. There is a rule that tells us when to use the "r": If the sound of /ah/ is followed by an "s", "f", or "th", you do not need to use an "r" in the spelling." Read "key card 5-1/2.

    Note: There are a few exceptions to this rule, but not many: banana, tomato and scarf.

    Step 19 – omit “centerâ€
    Step 20 – Concept review – change “center†to “sisterâ€
    Step 22 – change to “Teach the third, fourth and fifth sounds of Aâ€. Review key card 5-1/2. Change “third sound†to “fourth sound†for an A followed by L, and for A after W.



    All About Spelling Level 3

    Step 14 – Three Rule Breakers – No need to teach "what" as a rule-breaker
    Step 17 – “from†– Change the sound from /u/ to /o/, delete explanation


    All About Spelling Level 4

    Step 6 – No need to teach “pretty†as a rule-breaker
    Step 8 – Teach Mr and Mrs (Note, change word cards 48 and 49 to eliminate the full stop.)
    Step 17 – change “neighbor†to “neigh†or teach the “our†ending for this word.



    All About Spelling Level 5

    Step 8 – Remove American Holidays and substitute national holidays for your country.
    Step 9 – change flavor, color, and odor to have the our ending. Teach neighbour if you didn’t cover this in Level 4. Have the student note the differences visually as there isn’t a rule to distinguish them.

  5. WInter Promise would be hands on (Animals and their Worlds)

     

    Searching on Pinterest for Biology experiments (DIY digestive system, life size skeleton, CD case seeds, bringing up wild insects etc)

     

    Science in the Beginning is very hands on, but not whatyou want.

     

    Science Acitivities in a Bag (available from currclick)has experiments for that hands on factor.

     

    Elemental Science does WTM inspired science and is quite activity based, whilst still having the notebook factor and not being too over the top, so I reckon your best bet would be to switch to that if you wanted hands-on without having to organize it yourself and keepingwith WTM.

  6. I found a blog where the lady shows the front of the Binder-Builder Lapbook for Science in the Beginning and directs you to a Journey through Learning, but the only mention I can find of this lapbook on the business site is a quick blog spot mention last year at some point of the owner saying she was making it, no sign of the actual lapbook anywhere.

     

    http://thehomeschoolmarm.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/virtual-curriculum-fair-2014-exploring.html

     

  7. DH always forgets valentines, my birthday etc, and I have to remind him. This year, I don't feel like going through that rigmarole, so he won't remember and it will be an uneventful day/s. Its already Valentines here, and DH trotted off to work without a clue. :p

  8. We can agree to disagree, and thats wonderful!

     

    FWIW I am not fond of the "because God" or "Because the Bible" either. Its seen in a lot of non-secuar science programs, "this happens in the blood because God made it so" so if I came off that way I am hugely embarrassed and apologize.

     

    In regards to this:

     

    "Respectfully, I disagree. We respect a scientific community that adheres to certain protocol with regard to promoting hypotheses and offering support. Creationism is a faith-based hypothesis, and any support offered miss these expectations. They cannot, and would not be accepted based on the sincere belief of the person offering it, but on the merit of the evidence. If there is no evidence, it's not accepted. That's not a matter of moving with the herd, ridiculing, exploiting, or not taking people seriously." ~Aberta

     

    I was actually talking about two separate points (which I made not of made clear, my son is in one of his comfort modes and things are a bit hectic here) The doubts I was thinking Ham was taking about (and perhaps he wasn't) was from Atheist (maybe they weren't?) Scientists who had noticed "chinks" in the evidence of, I presume, evolution, and that they were afraid to speak out on this, which has nothing to do with Creationism.

     

    Creationism and Science do not intertwine in my mind, unless proof of Creationism comes to light. God could of created the Big Bang, Evolution, or made the Rock in front of you seem 10 million years old.

     

    The point to be made was that Creationism from its most base standpoint is aways viable, therefore its a trick question and was used to perhaps garner attention for this debate. Its a trick question because there is no way to disprove creationism.

     

    Another reason why this garnered so much attention was because debates like this do not happen, and unfortunatey people would of expected Ken Ham to say what he did say, but the way Nye said certain things (and you could even see points at which he was thinking of saying a certain word, and floundered to find a "PC" aternative) is probaby going to see some backlash, I think there aready was a bit over what he was saying regarding the teaching of science & creationism a while back (couple of months ago? I didn't realy read it, could of been a couple of years).

     

    I was aso taking tolerance in general. Tolerance for neighbours, for those you don't understand, for those that have different morals than you, different faiths and tolerance for those who just plain don't fit into groups.

     

    Anyway, its one of those times when everyone thinks differently. And differences should be applauded. A debate is always going to be a debate. As they said on the pre-show, I woud actually prefer to see Nye & Ham (or perhaps another creationist) sit down and just talk to each other for an hour and a half, Rather than these timed pre-written speeches. And maybe propery listen to the other side.

     

    I agree with both of them and disagree with both of them. I agree with Alberta & disagree with Alberta. God (or in an atheists case man/genes/evolution) made me into an individual with my own ideas, I just think people shoud be able to come together and really listen to one another. :)

     

    ETA: P.S. As for the Land Bridge, maybe there was none. maybe God decided he wanted to create Kangaroos afterwards. The earlier Kangaroo Ancestors were HUGE, maybe it didn't take them long to bounce across (sort of like a hummer or monster truck lol) Maybe kangaroos came from horses who came from primordial soup, maybe the Aboriginals ancestor brought some here. I don't know. Perhaps people should ask Ken Ham till he gives an answer, or email the biologist.

     

    I used to love Kangaroos, then one day DH pointed out there claws. Its scared me ever since. Still love wallabies though. I think I only live on this earth once (that I know of anyway), so I'm going to go play with my kids :D And the rest shall follow naturally..

     

    Found a picture "Procoptodon":

     

    http://sa.apana.org.au/~paulc/NaraCaves03.JPG

  9. I did get a little buzzy over the fact both of them tended to skirt questions and come out wither rather long drawn talks that didn't answer the Q&A's. Like asking Ham if it was proved beyond a doubt the world is older than 10,000 years would he still have faith in God? (I may have twisted the question a little here, but I think I'm getting across the main thought) and he turned his answer into a "how it couldn't be wrong, because, the Bible."  I would of taken the question at face value and said

     

    "Well, whilst I believe all evidence points to a young-earth model of creation, should it somehow turn out that that is somehow untrue or has been mis-translated in the passage of time, it would not change my faith in God, nor my understanding or faith in the Bible. It would actually cause my faith to be that much stronger and let me look in a new light at the wonder that is in the Bible and how that relates to our current understanding of our glorious world. The changing face & thought of mainstream science would not change my own personal beliefs and faiths, but may help me make new conenctions with the Bible & God. But in my mind and evidence I have viewed, the world is 6,000 years old, as it reads in the Bible"

     

    The above would of pretty much answered the question, given his view (actually its more of a his/mine meshed view, as I was writing it as an example, not for quoting) and all the thoughts across. instead his answer left me confused and didn't answer the question in my mind.

     

    Then again, I have a really open mind, so I see things that pretty much doesn't/cannot happen in the everyday. Even I'm afraid to question/talk/debate on the thoughts inside my head to others, I think this is the first time I have done anywhere near it.

     

    I think the one thing I got from either man (and that I agree with was):

     

    Bill: "We need scientists" Yes, that is true. We need lots of scientists who observe unbiasedly. It is our job as parents to encourage that. Ken Ham tends to inject his opinion as a kind of fact, which is wrong. Facts are facts, opinions are opinions, It is okay to express your opinion, as long as it is listed as so. At the same time we are human, and therefore we are prone to errors, which is fine, nobody is perfect. We need children who understand the scientific method and preferably a world in which most children understand at least basic science & associated principles. The best way (I believe) to encourage children towards science is 3rd grade and under keeping it fun, science kits, experiment, hands on, observable science. Nature Study, making their own playdough, baking, cooking, observing, more observing, even from a young age children can "draw" their results or give them an old tape recorder and they can record their experiments to be dictated/written down by you later (you could even do it in Startwrite, so it would cover handwriting also.)

     

    Ken: "Scientists who are afraid to say anything about their doubts" Yes, we live in a world where not moving with the herd will get you ridiculed, exploited or not taken seriously again. If these scientists speak out, they could end up with demotions or their papers not taken seriously. So everyone remains quiet on the fact of any doubts. As I said above "I am afraid to talk to others about my beliefs (or questions thereof). I was originally Anglican, but when I started questioning the status quo and asking questions about everything, I was made to feel uncomfortable and awkward till eventually as an early teen, I lieft the Church. I have hopped from place to place since then, eventually in the time when I met DH and was more of a "I believe in a Higher power" and that I loved Nature. My sister-in-law (who is Christian) called me Satan and refused to come to my wedding convinced somehow that I would be jumping over fire or some such nonsense. I am now UU, and read through various things from all a manner of faiths but mostly focusing on Christian & Catholic faiths, I "chose" UU simply because I wanted something that was always there, something that if I questioned something or changed a certain point in my beliefs, would not exile, excommunicate, exit or any other "e's" me. People should not be afraid to question, to think, to share, to listen and learn from others.

     

    We live in a world where there claims to be tolerance but is not really. A world that claims to want world peace. Well if the world really wanted world peace, there would be world peace, if the leaders of each country wanted world peace there would be world peace.

     

    As for the origins of Man, I believe that God was the origins of man and all other animals and life. How, when or where he did so, only he really knows.

     

    I don't claim to be a scientist and am far from it. If I was brought up to speed on an understanding of the evidence and had everything in front of me, I could be my own personal judge and work out the end result and adapt my beliefs, which would still include faith in God. God is God. He could of made it in one day of his time, or sped up time or some such thing, or many other options I could mention but won't. So I believe Creation will always be a viable model of origins.

     

    I think they both did a good job, and it has made me more intrigued with both of them (its made me re-look into the possibility of letting the kids watch Nye's videos, and look into Ham's books (I initially crossed out any of his books from TOG, but with another book (or maybe a Nye video) from the opposite site, I think it could be a balanced look at certain things like the dinosaurs (as I don't know what to believe, I don't have the evidence in front of me) My children know I don't have all the answers, and some things are just on faith, but they see Mom looking at various things and keeping an open mind, but also that she loves God. They know that she struggles with tolerance of others sometimes, but prevails. That I am way too forgiving, and cannot hold a grudge for more than a minute (when I am mad at DH, he just pretty much walks out of the room, does a loop of the house, and by the time he comes back, I'm all excited and happy and wanting to tell him about something, completely forgetting I was mad) I could this as a weakness, DH counts it as a strength.

     

    I have been an atheist, christian and all a manner of in between things, and have always thought Creation is a viable model of origins.

  10. I'm watching the debate and the pre & post talks (I'm currently watching whilst listening). But then again, I don't get to see any debates like this, or heard of any. Considering I constantly debate myself on similar subject (and my debates/talks with myself are long drawn out affairs) it would be nice to hear it from outside my head LOL.

     

    All I have seen before this is generalized pages or news articles from either side, but no-one talking together from opposite sides.

     

    Right now I believe in micro, but not macro evolution, and I believe somewhere near the beginning (whether that is old or young earth) God created us. The only thing that has not changed throughout my various forays, research and changing of mind is my faith in God. I believe in God. The rest is always up for discussion in my noisy mind. Funnily enough the few times I have wavered, my 8yo brought me back, she's a beautiful soul who has a child's innocence & love for God. It's amazing to see.

     

    So I'm looking forward to the debate and perhaps it shall straighten out a few things on my own head, or make it more noisy, nevertheless, it shall prove interesting.

     

     

  11. Science. (Both WInterpromise programs), thoroughly researched, purchased all needed books, divided everything up and it all ended up flopping. I was trying to stay positive, thinking it was just a hump. But it wasn't. None of the kids got engaged with either program. They frankly weren't interested in AW (even if I liked the books I was reading aloud, they wanted nothing to do with them, didn't understand the characters etc), and really, for reasons I don't understand at all, it flopped. Equine Science seemed okay (I looked at lots of samples, researched each book) but we realized quickly that it was wayyyy over DD's head.  We could of soldiered on, but 95% of the worksheets and info would of gone over her head. So its all been packed away for now.

     

    I pretty much entirely gave up and went with Supercharged Science. Something I had been eying for a long, long time. I  decided I couldn't afford it and ignored it, but after this latest flop, I decided it didn't need me to buy a whole lot of books, and wait a month for them to arrive, I can cancel anytime, its hands-on, and its instantly here. So even if it doesn't work out, its a lot less time & money invested than all the other programs.

     

    Actually I pretty much gave up on everything and went with more streamlined programs, so its pretty much everything is a big OOPS here. Its times like these I would really love to sit and chuck my own little tanty on the floor, instead I have to get back up and make 3 children and myself presentable for the doctors, and venture out into the heat of the australian sun, and water the kids sweet potato & bulb flower experiments. No time for tantys unfortuantely. :( lol

  12. Cyberchase, Leapfrog Math, Rock N Learn Math, Donald in Mathemagic Land

     

    Other options: MUS Primer, Cusinaire Primer Download, Miquon without Worksheets, Mathseeds (Reading eggs for Math), Memoria Press Number Book, Annos Counting Book, M&M COunting Book, Cheerios COunting Book, Marshmallow Math Book

     

    If you are wanting something catchy Choo-Choo Soul's Numbers is very catchy. I still sing it 2 years after the fact. Frequently. DH catches me doing so

     

  13. So far I pretty much gave up trying to find a commercial thing for what I want. I came across a few interesting chemistry kits, but being in Australia limits me from getting them. :P

     

    I ended up going around pinterest and various places and printing out experiments (exploding sandwich bag, various goops & polymers, ivory soap explosion etc)

     

    I also came across KidScience app I plan to purchase. You can choose experiments via what's "in your pantry", it has videos and good instructions, done by the Kitchen Pantry Scientist.

  14. Um.....

     

     

    - A tomato plant that died when my youngest tried to turn the spalings environment to soup.

    - A sweet potato currently growing roots and leaves in the windowsill. I can imagine people going by just thinking "wow, maybe I should tell that person she forgot about a sweet potato in her window" no, its meant to be there. Soon I'll remove the cuts and let them grow roots, then plant them.

    - In reality, I don't try to grow anything. The kids bring in cuts and put them in vases, and if real plants are brought in, my cats eat, gnaw, rub against, sit on and generally destroy the thing.

    - I think the last thing before the above stuff we grew was the nile grass in the baking dish (ala SOTW activity book), and after it grew to a lovely height, my cat found the hiding place, and sat his fat bum on it. Grass Destroyed (nile did overflow and wet him, which did amuse me greatly in return).

     

     

    I finally caved into the "lifestyle" of plants in our house and went Martha Stewart-y for a few minutes, in which I went round the yard grabbing some branches, stuffed them "artistically" into a white metal pail, poured "nice" dirt in (i.e. the empty dirt from the tomato disaster), and its now the centrepiece on our table. The kids also hang barbie clothes and keys from it, so decorative and fuctional.

    :blushing:

  15. We don't limit TV. Then again, we don't have live TV available to them. Live TV I did not want to limit, I just wanted it gone. There was morbid news ads coming on, the shows we teaching them to disrespect their parents (and this is coming from a very open-minded mum), and I just had enough. I removed the TV from the antenna, and gave it to my DH for his PS3 (so it went into his den).

     

    The children now watch DVDs and D/L YT videos etc, that I choose and put on their computer (which has no access to the internet). I saw a vast improvement in their behaviour once the live TV was removed from the equation. It also allows me to see what movies affect my son in a negative way, and those are promptly removed. They also have free access to their piano/Keyboard program on their computer as well.

     

    So yes, if we are talking Live TV, I would limit it severely. You cannot control the ads that pop up, and although "legal" to have on at those times, are teaching the children to become numb persons.

     

    I usually try to put stuff on there that correlates with what we are learning. I got them stocking stuffers on Dangerous Animals of Australia & Wildest Asia, A coonecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. We discuss what they watch. I keep an eye out for dvds that go with our books. e.g. We are doing Animals & Their Worlds (WP), when I was purchasing Lost in the Woods, I found a DVD of the same name, so got it. When I was looking for a movie to watch (for me) I came across the movie adaption of Elsa's Story "Born Free" so I'm planning to get that. That way we read the book, narrate, watch the movie & discuss. Sometimes they'll do a craft project (self-started or part of the curriculum). So the movie is just another way to reach out with the story. I make sure I don't see the movie before I read the book, but thats a whole different story (once I see the movie, I cannot bring myself to read the book for some reason)..

     

    I also limit games and "other screens" time (Igadgets, consoles computer games etc. No games are on their computer, it contains educational stuff only, since they have access to it 24/7, games and other doo-dads are on my desktop computer or the other rooms consoles (which are not available to them 24/7).

     

    Thats just the way it works here due to our parenting beliefs & the way my husband & I both go about our lives, obviously it would vary greatly in other households.

  16. I like the idea of it.

     

    Slowly changing a phrase from english to the other language. That way the child learns one phrase, and one noun, but can use that phrase interchangeably with other nouns, plus it usually incorporate some form or movement (taking, opening/closing the book) so it sticks on your brain.

     

    I would give more of a review, but I have not as yet used it!

     

    I was thinking of getting teaching foreign languages one, but found they are coming out with the french one (more useful to us) soon, so I am waiting on that. Till then we are going to use Lil Pim Videos, and Bonjour, Les Amis

     

    Hope you find more information (I was a little peeved too that I couldn't find samples).

  17. I am not as knowledgeable about everything as most on this board are, but would like to offer a few suggestions:

     

    Montessori uses a wonderful way to introduce the decimal system. Keys of the Universe has both Primary (don't pass on the primary, the primary goes quite advanced and does cover decimal etc) & Elementary Albums (so math upto pretty much pre-algebra (it says upto age 12, but Montessorians do things differently, it would be the last formally taught math before algebra, and their is now a NAMTA Algebra (I believe) Math album available. A lot of people wish they were taught math that way, as it would be more understandable.

     

    Math-U-See, because it is mastery, and you can work on the areas you need to, you both can sit in front of the video, and it has manipulatives, could be an option also.

     

    TouchMath is meant for back to basics help, I'm not sure how far up it goes.

     

    Now onto my last recommendation. We are currently using Kitchen Table Math (I am not recommending this to you!) which, so far I love, my son has a different way of looking at things and is really clever with puzzles etc, but somehow its not clicking with math items (and we tried MUS (he refused to look at it) so if KTM fails, I have decided to get a math book I came across that is actually sub-titled survival math.

     

    It's called: " Teaching Math to People with Down Syndrome and Other Hands-On Learners" there is also a CD-Rom, and a secondary level

     

    TBH, I haven't tried it, or researched insanely into it, but I scanned through both items, and it was what I was looking for. Its very hands-on concrete, and teaches the skills the child needs to survive in the world, minus all the chaff they teach at school (which when just trying to get the most important bits of math learned, it is chaff, my child does not need to be burdened with trying to figure out weird word problems or math he wouldn't use in real life, but he does need to learn how to count change etc.

     

    Anyway, its our back-up plan.

     

    Hopefully I have helped in some way :grouphug:

  18. Yep, its true. I had a hard time believing it too. I saw people mentioning that the stockmar blocks don't break, and my face was in pretty much disbelief.

     

    But I have had them for a while and my son has been really hard on them too, and they are all still in one piece!

     

    There is also a DVD/Download/Video/Seminar called Coloring with Block Crayons that can help you learn to use them properly.

  19. I actually want to participate in this. I'm a minecraft geek. :p Unfortunately, I have neither the money to spend on myself for it, nor the time to do it. I would of loved doing it, and my kids would probably love the end results.

     

    Means I could possibly also make mods for them for Minecraft later on down the road, for their "School".

     

    Anyway, I have nothing really to offer, but remember there is always the official Minecraft forums: www.minecraftforums.net which have board subsection on Mods & Modding and everything else, so if you will allow him on there, thats a great place to connect. I have met many awesome people over there, and mostly everyone is really kind and helpful.

     

    So I don't know what age your son is (I think there are children as young as 12 on there, so its a very varied age range) but thats always an option :)

     

    It actually (I haven't been on there properly for 1-2 years, so take my review with a grain of salt and check the place out yourself) felt more like a community, and we used to help each other out. Its one of my favourite things about Minecraft - the community. :)

     

    Now I'll tuck my geekiness away and go make some sandwiches for the kids :p

  20. On the MOTL yahoo group, is a message from someone (and the idea is possibly in the files section too) basically the woman was very busy, so she got a subscription to a worksheets place, made a binder of worksheets, that way it was pre-printed problems, and either she or her child would choose the 5 rpoblems to do.

     

    Basically my suggestion if you were thinking of getting MOTL (unless you have the money right now) is to do a trial version for $20.

     

    Get KTM Book 1 (you can get all three books, and transfer to MOTL further down the road, the 3 books don't really go in order, more go together for elementary students). Get either a sub to a worksheet place (http://themathworksheetsite.com/), or a drill program of some sort (there are lots of fun ones out there). Basically some sort of review plan.
     

    Then use this:

    for recording/planning the program.

     

    I find KTM holds your hand more for the younger students, where as MOTL more has a "get past these, then we'll talk" feel for the beginning stuff.

     

    This way you can see whether the whole idea/set-up is down your alley, and if so, gives you plenty of time to save up for it, rather than feeling rushed. Anyway, I see you have introduced yourself over at the group, so hopefully more people can help you out.

     

    I hope to eventually, go back to using MOTL, but I won't be looking at it again till he's way past the basics.

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