SorrelZG
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Posts posted by SorrelZG
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I don't recall how I learned math but this debate has confused me to death since I first encountered it. I just couldn't conceive of basic arithmetic without comprehension of what was going on. I eventually encountered a living example of someone with no conceptual comprehension of math and I do get now that I could never recommend this person use a math curriculum that doesn't explicitly teach concepts thoroughly. One may be much more comfortable with a "traditional" method but their comfort doesn't *necessarily* translate to the teaching or learning of math.
Actually, though I have no recollection of how I was taught, I think it was "traditional" because I recall describing my advanced math class in my senior years as actually explaining what on earth the things we learned in regular math class were actually about (where they came from, why they were the way they were, etc. but well beyond arithmetic).
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I think there is also I kind of child that, in spite of "traditional" math, intuitively *gets* what is going on and really does not need anyone to draw bar diagrams for them or break every possible conceptual way of approaching a problem into baby steps. Perhaps those were the ones building skyscrapers and pyramids. (or not, but maybe :D)
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I have only worked with WWE1&2 and CW Aesop (text). WWE has been short and effective at building up the skills it is working on. Aesop we've used sporadically and I love the flexibility of it. One thing I knew would be an issue for me as I previewed CAP is the prepared lesson format (although I DO love the workbooks for WWE - go figure). Aesop only works here because I can tailor it according to skill level each time we use it. I have had Aesop in my possession for quite some time and become very familiar with it but at first it WAS intimidating .. Not at all since I got well acquainted with it, though. I'll take next year to get familiar with Homer and decide if I want to continue with it.
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I definitely considered W&R but finally settled on sticking with WWE. I prefer the price for starters. Additionally, it is brief. More importantly, I see DS improving in his summary skills but he needs to continue working on them. WWE is helping me do that with him consistently and painlessly and I don't want to upset that by trying something new. It leaves me time and energy to engage with DS over his own writing. I may incorporate some Brave Writer inspired writing activities or some CW Aesop type rewrites (already own Aesop and Homer, I know Aesop inside out but haven't read Homer yet - will do so next year). So, yeah, I don't want to upset what is working so well already, or invest in something new and unfamiliar to me when I already have stuff that is familiar to me.
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And while yes, it requires technically (in theory) almost no parental interaction, it does require a certain very strange and boring lifestyle. Like one involving that you ingest nothing to stimulate you and that you just read all day and never leave the house. And you happen to be very hermit like by nature. And I could get on board with that except the awful material suggestions.
I'm with Wendy. She's funny. :P
Actually, reading Frankenstein confirmed my conviction not to leave my son alone to himself in his education. Imagine how much tragedy could have been avoided if his father had simply discussed with him WHY he believed he shouldn't invest his time in studying that ancient science text and also recommended other resources.
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Hunter, I've been reading The Story-Killers and portions of the introduction (in the free sample) regarding "college and career readiness in a twenty-first century global competitive economy" (how many buzz words can one put into a single phrase? lol) reminded me so much of what you have been saying on the other thread. Even without caring about common core or agreeing with the author's opinions of everything, I enjoyed the sample and returned my Kindle copy of Quintilian to buy this book and loaded the Quintilian PDF onto my Kindle instead since I preferred that translation anyway. Two birds, one $6.99+tax charge. :P I can put up with no active table of contents at this point and I've been writing down quotes instead of highlighting anyway.
I'm chewing over Quintilian's ideas on educating the young. I do agree, at least in certain cases, that not doing so is more about sparing the teacher than the child. I don't think I agree with it as a rule, though. And although he is very reasonable about what educating the under 7s should look like, I don't care for his methods of reward (perhaps my Montessori past cropping up - work/learning should be its own reward) and I'm not totally sure how I feel about using envy of another child's learning and rewards to encourage an unwilling child to participate. I'm trying to look at all this early portion of the book as simply an education in how it was done, or the debates on how it should be done, at the time. The fact that we are having the same debates a couple of millennia later is amusing in itself.
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This is awesome news! I'm hoping the immigration process is as much more reasonable in Australia compared to the U.S. as education is. As I understand, there is still an approval process even for immediate relatives just as there is in the U.S.
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jenr, do you recall the character portion of your application for permanent residency? If you do, do you mind if I PM you some questions?
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Yes, thanks to Australia changing its relevant law back in '02 and the U.S. not requiring the necessary steps to officially renounce prior citizenship.
I'm pretty sure I recall at least one U.S. born Aussie on here but I can't recall who. I should probably also search for forums specifically on the topic, also. I assume they must exist.
I suppose I will also need to eventually be asking about how to homeschool outside the country if the intent is to attend uni there ... Preparation, curriculum, etc.
Baby steps...
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Thank-you, everyone. I didn't really contribute anything (besides calling DH, I guess) but DH is one of those people that just seem to be helpful in all situations.
Two fields of work I never had any desire to work in were education and health. So, the jokes been on me re: education since before I had children because the only jobs I could find at the times I needed them were related to education. Now, since being here and seeing how even a little medical knowledge can make a big difference, I have every desire to get trained in health/medicine to some degree so that I can be of more use to others and even, just to top the irony off, contribute to health and first aid education.
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Good point. Are you Australian born, naturalized citizen, or permanent resident? ... I'm excited about this news but my one concern is that it will be difficult for my DH to get permanent residency there. I guess I'll eventually start another thread about it but since I'm here I'm curious if you have any personal experience with the process.
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I haven't personally noticed people with the opinion that young children *can't* be independent so much as the opinion that leaving them to be independent isn't optimal for learning. As an example, I *could* expect my 8yo to complete his own math work daily since it's written to him and he has no trouble reading but he learns better and more when I am there to interact with over the subject, to bounce ideas off of, or to share my own ideas. In history he pursues his own studies but I remain involved enough for him to talk to me about it and to ask him questions that get him thinking about things in a different way or from a different perspective, to bring up implications or connections and the whole endeavor goes so much deeper and sometimes wider than if I was not involved.
Maybe it's a personality thing .. maybe we all teach best or "do school" best in different ways .. But here education is a continual conversation. There are independent elements that we bring to the conversation but there is no conversation without involvement that goes beyond checking for correct answers and basic comprehension of the immediate details.
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Do you happen to know if there are any Western Australians on the forum? It's refreshing to hear the east coast seems as sane as when I left which gives hope. Any idea if it's similar over on the west?
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Bumping .. Is it the history of philosophy that I should be asking about and searching for? Is that what I am talking about?
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I noticed that it appears primary and secondary school have been restructuring and a national curriculum implemented since I left - is university the same? Has it changed much in the last 15 years?
I was educated in Queensland. We applied to universities and were accepted based on the subjects we studied in years 11 and 12, grades in those subjects and OP score. I can't recall if there was some test we took senior year .. Probably was .. and then degrees were all three years for a BA, 4 years for a double major and you jumped right into your first year studying subjects related directly to your degree. Is it still like this?
I recently realized my children could all apply for citizenship by decent and I like the idea of tertiary education in Australia more so than the U.S. but only as I remember it which may not count for much now, let alone in 9 years.
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"And even those [parents] who have not had the fortune to receive a good education should not for that reason devote less care to their [child's] education; but on the contrary should show all the greater diligence in other matters where they can be of service to their children."
That was somewhat encouraging. I mean, just that he didn't say, "And those parents who have not had the fortune to receive a good education should not delude themselves that they are able to benefit their own children and contribute to their improvement."
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Just to follow up, her leg was indeed broken.
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From the Butler translation: "Above all see that the child's nurse speaks correctly. The ideal [..] would be that she should be a philosopher." The other translation says, "woman of knowledge."I am now wondering if philosopher just means "of knowledge" in the way I assume to know what it means to be "of knowledge" or if "of knowledge" carries more meaning than I assume.
Is anyone reading in the Latin? hehe :)
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I haven't noticed weirdness in the kindle version yet but I already prefer the translation in the archive links. The kindle version is, however, a lot more convenient.
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I appreciate all the prayers for her. The doc at the hospital said her head is fine (DH was concerned because they had a lot of trouble keeping her awake on the ride there). They had X-rayed her leg but no word on that yet. Apparently she is 10 or 12 and was actually the driver of the other moto (normal here outside the city, along with the lack of helmets :().
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Wow, where are you? I think we often take a lot of the good medical care we have in some parts of the world for granted. I am so glad that you and your dh were able to help the little girl.
We're in Cambodia. Sort of/not really rural. Basic first aid is not common knowledge, no one knows what the "doctor" is giving them when/if they go, and I know of hospitals turning dying patients (children) away because their family had no money to pay. Although there are foreign professionals volunteering and doing great things for people here, this is normal.
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A little girl, one of our neighbors, was badly injured in a moto accident this evening (a moto is like a scooter, I guess, or something between a scooter and a motorcycle). I was actually posting to the forum when I heard a horrible crunching and then silence which was then followed by a lot of wailing :( By the time I got outside all I could see through the crowd was one moto and a man motionless on the road. I learned later that there were two motos involved and the little girl had been rushed to a doctor (I assume she had been on the other moto with a relative). I called DH who was at a restaurant nearby and he came and helped (I can't speak the language) and eventually the man was able to get up and family arrived to take him away (presumably to a doctor). DH said he had hit his head badly but he also appeared highly intoxicated. Afterwards, not too long after, the little girl was apparently sent home with just a bunch of medication. DH checked her out and she appeared to have also hit her head very badly and her leg was possibly broken (there was a visible bump somewhere below the knee and she screamed at light touch). DH took her in our van to the hospital in the city (about an hour and a half away). I just heard from him that they arrived and she was taken in and will be staying there overnight and DH is on his way home. No news on her yet, though.
Prayers for her appreciated. :(
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"Having at length, after twenty years dedicated to the training of the young, obtained leisure for study .."
(From the first sentence of the first book I started reading in, not sure which one off hand)
And here I am trying to read Quintilian in the midst ... *sigh*
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I'm not educated enough to even know how to ask for what I want. Forgive me as I make a few stabs.
Is there a book that will give me a decent chronological history of .. thought? or do I mean world view? I'm thinking the Enlightenment, Romanticism, etc. (I don't know what came before or after and I realize it's not so simple as a clear line but I'm trying to explain as best I can). I'm wondering about influences and reactions and responses and causes and effects, not just in a single country either.
Is it too much to hope it's all in one book available on Kindle? If so, can you suggest a starting point and a progression?
S/O competitive... Multiple Maths/Science
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
Now that abba mentions it, the Oz sequence seems strange compared to all I hear about for US high school college prep. hehe
My senior years (years 11 and 12) I took English (compulsory), Math B (compulsory as one not placed in Math A), and my electives: Information Processing & Technology, Math C, Physics, Chemistry.
Before those years it was just "Math" and "Science", both compulsory.