craftyerin
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Posts posted by craftyerin
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Kind of boring ;) .
here, too. :cool:
My oldest was adopted through the foster care system. He's black, the rest of us are white (my twins are bio). We have had absolutely NO problems. He has been fully embraced from day one as a member of our family and besides some friendly questions and commentary, we've had no trouble in public. I expect to have some deeper work to do as he gets older, answering his questions (which don't have pretty answers) and helping him make peace with his past. He was placed as an infant, though, has fantastic attachments, and is super happy.
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My DS is still bitty and its our first summer but for what it worth we plan on keeping up with read alouds, math, and reading practice. In September we will add all the content work back in. I agree that a lot of skills can get lost if allowed to lay dormant for three months. But we (I!) also need a break.
This is what we're doing as well. All of mine are young (heading into 1st and K), so we stopped FIAR for the summer, but are continuing with reading aloud, and reading instruction (daily) and alternating handwriting and math. I don't expect to make much progress in math and handwriting only doing them 2-3 days a week, but I hoping to keep skills fresh. All of mine are in that pivotal place where reading is *just* starting and I certainly don't want to quit that. WE can do reading+one other subject in about an hour, though, so it doesn't effect our ability to have a bunch of summer fun with our friends.
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I think long curriculum lists can look really intimidating, but that usually you have to know what you're reading. People list some things that are supplements they do once a week or even less for just a short time, like logic workbooks. Or they list a program for something that others don't, such as a specific reading list when many people are simply reading books.
Of course, some people have driven kids, gifted kids or fast workers. And some people are really doing too much and you should try to ignore them. ;)
:iagree: it's all in how you list your subjects/curriculum. I choose to list what we did in Kinder this past year as FIAR and the 3Rs. That's all I write when I respond on those threads.
If I chose to elaborate, I could list out all the different books we studied in FIAR. I could list the various materials I'm using with my kids for phonics (at least 4 different sources, because different things work for different ones of my kids). I could add on things like the Lollipop Logic workbooks that we dabble in occasionally or the sporadic picture study or composer study that we do. I don't include We Choose Virtues or bible reading, although we do those. I could add on our extra curricular activities like homeschool PE, our music class, or our swim school, but I don't. I don't list out all of that because those are add-ons to me, and not something we do every day or even every week. I feel like it misrepresents my homeschool to list out all of those tiny little components. It would make us look a LOT more ambitious than we really are. :lol: You'll see lots of people who do list all of that, though, so beware.
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We have Ikea Junior Chairs and LOVE them. We got them when my kids were 3 and 2 and wanted to move out of their booster chair that was strapped to the adult chair. I have Agam chairs, which are no longer available unfortunately. But there are others, and they're the same concept. They have fit my kids well from 2-3, to now (turning 5 and 6 next week). http://www.ikea.com/us/en/search/?query=junior+chairs
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I am not starting SOTW until my kids are older. I used both volumes 1 and 2 in the classroom (private classical school) and don't think my kids are ready for them yet. I don't fell the need to go through the 4-year cycle 3 full times, either, so I'm good with going a trip through SOTW in 2-5th grades. Until then, we are using FIAR.
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Bonus points for that! :)
I get very excited when someone asks me "What makes you think you can teach everything someone needs to know through a high school level?" I answer, "Actually, I majored in exactly that."
I knew, too! :thumbup1: I went to UT as well, and had a couple of friends who were Plan II majors.
To the OP, I have a BA in history and government, and am certified to teach 6-12th grades in those subjects. But never have.
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I wonder if she'll be past AAR 1 if she's ready for ETC 3-5?
Otherwise, looks good!
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Question - do you guys pick books in random, are you following some list or following your child's interests? Also, how many times are you reading the same book?
My son can pick a book and request it for story time every.single.day for weeks!!! I don't like saying "no", but sometimes I wonder if our range of books is too narrow.
We do read A LOT of non-fiction - about animals and solar system and oceands and rock collecting, etc etc. But I am just worried that I am not exposing him to a more fiction.
My kids would lean toward the same. I choose to address it with routine. Our read aloud routine is--
During school time: our FIAR book. Obviously we read that one more than once, plus any go-along books that I want to include in our FIAR unit
Before rest time/after lunch: one of two things, depending on whether we're in the middle of a chapter book or not (we've just started enjoying some chapter books). If we're reading a chapter book, then I read a chapter of that, plus a poem or fable (I keep a couple of poetry and fable books out on the coffee table), plus the "helper of the day" (we have a chart) gets to choose one story book to read. If we're not in the middle of a chapter book, then I choose a story book, and so do each of my kids, plus we read a poem or fable. I usually choose one of the nonfiction books we have out of the library on subjects that have been of interest. They usually choose their favorite story titles that we've heard 100 times.
Before bed: bible stories with Daddy
Plus they'll bring me stuff to read whenever, and I try to say yes as often as I can.
The routine forces some variety. They're not the only ones choosing, we read different types of books at different parts of the day, yet they do have the chance to hear their favorites over and over, which i think is normal for small children. And valuable.
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AAR pre-reading (finished that one already, would use it in the future without hesitation)
FIAR
SM Essentials K
As you can see, we are juuuuust getting started. :D
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I downloaded the sample. The activities seem very vague - not much direction for the parent, at least on the sample. Is it the same for the entire volume, or just the sample (a unit for Ping)?
I personally felt the Ping row was not representative of the richness of the curriculum.
I quite agree. I am disappointed that they chose Ping as the sample row. We enjoyed our row of Ping, but I don't think it's representative of the depth that I find using FIAR.
The "vagueness" is part of what I love about FIAR. I don't like scripted, scheduled curriculum. I like an outline, a list of ideas, and the freedom to do them however we like. We've found more "meat" in some rows than others, of course, and everyone's rows will look different because of the choice that FIAR gives us in planning. I think FIAR is a hard curriculum to "get" until you dive in and try it. The samples never gave me a realistic look at how it would actually be to implement FIAR as our core curriculum. I decided to jump in, try it, and we have never regretted it.
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What do you plan to do after FIAR, since it is geared toward 5-8 year olds? Is there another unit studies curriculum that goes through upper elementary or beyond? Will you just put together your own unit studies after that, or switch to more traditional curricula? I like the idea of doing unit studies all the way through, but I don't know if I'm creative enough to put it all together on my own.
I am planning to use FIAR through the year that my kids will be in 2nd and 1st grades (so, 2 more full school years). After that, I plan to abandon unit studies and pursue a more WTM classical format. We'll start the 4 year history cycle, do science as suggested in the WTM, etc. I am loving FIAR, but I think I'll be ready for more structured classical ed when we finish our years in FIAR.
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Absolutely. I have two writing-phobic boys (almost 5 and almost 6) who have **LOVED** FIAR this past year. Much of what you see when you look at mamas blogging about FIAR are lapbookers. We are not lapbookers. That is all add-on to what is included in the manual. I don't think it's a bad way to do FIAR, if it suits your and your children, but my kids would riot if I suggested lapbooking our way through FIAR. Creating that sort of paper trail just doesn't appeal to us at all. We "row" conversationally, with fun projects here and there, field trips, hands-on stuff, etc. I blogged about how I plan and implement FIAR here, and elsewhere on my blog you can see what some of our rows have looked like. It is a simply delightful curriculum, IMO.
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I bought a b&w laser and haven't regretted it. I think I've asked DH to print a handful of color things at the office for me in the last year. Certainly not enough to have justified the color laser printer.
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Well, I didn't budget ahead of time, but this is what I spent, roughly:
Singapore Essential A&B (x3 kids) $60
FIAR vol. 1-3 (also used in PK and will use in 1st) $105
Zaner bloser handwriting (x3 kids) $33
ETC 1 (x3 kids) $21
ETC 1.5 (x1 kid) $7
ETC 2 (x2 kids) $14
just under $250 for three kids in K(ish). Not too shabby!
I also spent plenty on other randomness, but that's our main core stuff. We bought some books for FIAR, we check some out of the library. I'm sure we've added to our math manipulatives this year, and educational games, etc. But I don't really count that stuff. I'd buy books, games, etc if I was homeschooling or not. Same with school supplies and art/craft supplies--Id' buy them anyway. We pay for a homeschool group that we do PE and some field trips, etc with. We also take an insanely expensive (but worth every penny) music class, and we do swim school year round.
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We made these shirts last year for Daddy and the grandpas. They were HUGE hits and have been worn over and over again.
http://lookwhaterinmade.blogspot.com/2012/06/fathers-day-2012.html
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I went through AAR pre with mine, but one of mine still needs phonemic awareness work. I saw this site mentioned at some point on here, and their phonological awareness activities are almost identical to what's in AAR pre. Sure, it's not all packaged up with worksheets and stickers, but get a puppet (they even recommend that), print some letter coloring pages, get some good alphabet "A is for this, B isfor that" type library books to read through, and you really have almost the same thing.
http://http//www.freereading.net/index.php?title=Phonological_Awareness_Activities
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I usually google the book title and "fiar" and a bunch of blogs pop up. I just look through the first page and find a few ideas to include.
I do the same. I'd say that 75% or more of our FIAR is done conversationally, straight from the manual. I have found some great ideas on a quick blog search, though. We don't do any lapbooking at all, so homeschoolshare is not helpful for me.
I do blog about our rows, if you wanted to read link is in my signature.
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I will have a 1st grader and 2 Kers next year and we use Five in a Row in addition to the 3Rs. We love it. Hits history, science, geography, plus some other stuff. When we feel we're ready to move on from FIAR, I'll start the WTM 4 year history cycle, etc. Until then, I love the gentle approach to those subjects that FIAR gives us.
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I absolutely agree on longer passages when they're ready. We're "stretching our muscles" with our ABC verses, but then we'll be moving to passages. I taught 3rd grade at a Christian school and we memorized the entire first chapter of Genesis, Exodus 20: 1-17 (Ten Commandments), a good chunk of Romans 12, and all of Ephesians 3. We spent ~a quarter on each. It was customary at that school for each grade 1-6 to memorize their accompanying chapter of Ephesians and then at the last chapel of end of the year the grades stood up in turn and recited the entire book. It was amazing. I plan to get my kids there, but I'm in no rush. They're just 4 and 5.
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We are currently working through some ABC bible verses, similar to this http://www.icanteachmychild.com/2011/10/abc-printable-scripture-cards/ We just tape them up on the pantry door when we start a new one and review the old ones and say the newest every day, usually during lunch. My kids know the ones we've done so far really well. When we finish Z, I plan to start having them memorize short passages instead of individual verses. Hebrews 12:1-3, Philippians 4:8-9, Psalm 23, etc. We add a new verse about every other week. That pace is easy for us. I could speed them up and do a verse a week, but I'm not inclined to do so.
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My twins are using a combo of Phonics Pathways, ETC, and Bob or I See Sam books. They read easily and add skills effortlessly. I'm pretty sure they would have learned to read with any program I picked up. My singleton is struggling. ETC is good for him. Otherwise? I'm not quite sure...
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My almost 5yo daughter still floods a pull-up every night. Her older brother has been dry at night since he was 3 or so. Her twin brother has been dry at night since he turned 4. I'm not remotely concerned. Both my DH and I were late to night train, frequently bedwetting into lower elementary school. I figure she can wear a pull up for several more years before I start to try to work on it with her.
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That is funny, because I have always felt that the science was the weakest part (next to the math). My dh is a physics and chemistry teacher, so I guess we expected too much.
This why I love FIAR so much (in spite of the fact that it bombed with my youngest). It is so versatile. Yet it is so easy and open-and-go if you want it to be.
FIAR is definitely the type of program where every family can have a totally different experience! :thumbup1:
My DH is a chemical engineer, so quite math/science-y himself, and we both feel the science in FIAR is ample but the math stinks (I added Singapore Essential math this year). We are using it with PK and Kers, though, so I will admit that our expectations for science at that level are pretty light.
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If he already knows his letter sounds, then Get Ready, Get Set, and Go for the Code will be well below him, too. That is all they focus on. If he's ready for AAR 1, he's ready for ETC 1, both of which start with blending CVC words.
Assigning Grade Levels?
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
We had this same issue in our home this past year. My 5yo who was kindergarten age was barely ready and able to do kindergarten work. My twin 4yos who were pre-k age were doing full kindergarten work, and are in many ways more advanced than their older brother academically.
As far as anyone outside our home knows, last year my oldest was in kinder and my twins were in PK, just like they would have been if they went away to school. They do whatever level work at home they are able to do , regardless of their "grade". Their grade is irrelevant in my curriculum and materials choices. They do what they're ready for.