songsparrow
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Posts posted by songsparrow
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Thanks everyone! I see now that she was using the subtraction method, but she didn't explain it to me that way and interestingly she was not seeing the connection between what she did and the subtraction method as it was taught to her. I discussed it with her and I think she's made the connection now. I am working with her on trying to get her to show all of her work, but it's a challenge when she doesn't even seem to realize that she's doing steps in her head.
On a related note - she also likes to make equivalent equations and then use the substitution method with them. It wasn't taught that way in the book - making equivalent equations was only used with the addition or subtraction methods and not with the substitution method. I pointed out that changing the equation(s) into equivalent equation(s) is unnecessary with the substitution method, and that means she's adding an extra step where a mistake could occur. But she still has a tendency to do it quite often. Is there any reason to discourage the use of equivalent equations in the substitution method?
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Dd is currently working through solving simultaneous equations (Chapter 7 of Jacobs' Elementary Algebra). The chapter has taught four methods of solving such equations: Addition, Subtraction, Graphing and Substitution.
However, she often solves problems using other strategies or combinations of strategies.
A concrete example: Today's problem: A farmer has hens and rabbits. Between the two there are 30 heads and 86 feet. How many of each animal does the farmer have?
She turned that into the following simultaneous equations: (x= hens, y=rabbits)
x + y = 30
2x + 4y = 86
To solve it, she the changed the second equation into the equivalent equation: x + 2y = 43
Then she said that since x + y = 30 and x + 2y = 43, then y = 43 - 30 = 13.
She is correct about her reasoning - she has recognized legitimate relationships between the variables that she used to solve the equations. I am just not sure if I should allow this or if I should insist that she use one of the four standard methods.
Thoughts?
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Maybe move her crate to your bedroom and use some sort of white noise (e.g., fan) to drown out the sound of her snoring?
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When I had poison ivy and did some research on it, the web sites said that the rash could continue to develop for up to 2-3 weeks. (This was in the context of debunking the myth that the fluid that oozes from the blisters will spread the rash - people often think that is true because the rash continues to develop and spread over time.)
I would guess that he had the oil on his hands from the original contact and spread it over his body before the oil got washed off of his hands and the rash is continuing to develop from the original contact. You might want to try washing him with Tecnu to see if that gives him any relief. You said he showered after getting home from the park - it is possible to wash the oil off of your skin before it penetrates, but the best way to do that is with *cold* water (so that the skin pores are not opened) and dish detergent that cuts through the oil; a warm shower with regular soap may have actually opened his pores and allowed the oil to spread and get absorbed into his skin.
It's also possible that it's a secondary contamination from the oil remaining on something that he's in contact with (like his sheets), but if that were the case I would think that you or your husband would have also been likely to come in contact with it and have developed a rash as well. You could launder his sheets, towels, clothes, shoes, etc in hot water with dish detergent (to cut any oil that remains) and then in a regular cycle, and use a degreaser on hard surfaces.
Poor guy - I hope he recovers soon! I know how miserable it can be!
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Didn't have to go through blood draws, but when my dd hated vaccinations around that age what worked for us was letting her sit on my lap, facing away from the nurse and the supplies, and play games on the iPad . iPad games were a treat for her at the time and distracted her from what was going on around her.
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I haven't watched the TED Talk yet, but I will and also some of the other resources that people linked - thank you.
I'm not sure if I should start a separate thread for this question, but as part of our health curriculum this year I wanted to discuss dating and healthy and abusive relationships with my dd. Can anyone suggest any resources (books, videos, etc) that are good specifically for introducing this topic to teens?
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For my 8th grade daughter this year, I've been dividing her work for each class into "class time" work that we do together and "independent work" for her to do on her own. We meet for our class time in the morning, and then after lunch is her time to work independently. So when we're done with our class time, she has her independent work assignments written in her planner and she has her stack of books and notebooks that she'll need. I'm assigning what I'd estimate to be around 2-3 hours of independent work daily.
This is a significant change from how we handled this in past years. In the past, she had significantly less independent work and I tended to give her time to complete each subject before we moved on to the next subject, which kept her on track.
What I've noticed over the last few days is that it's taking her much longer to complete her independent work than I think it should be taking. I'm thinking that, although by the end of the year I'd like her to be able to take a stack of work and have her manage her own time, for right now it seems that I need to help her build the skills to be able to do that.
I am considering asking her to work in 30 minute blocks, using a timer, and I'll discuss with her before the time starts what she wants to accomplish in those 30 minutes, and at the end of the 30 minutes I'll check in with her and see if she accomplished her goals, and if not what was the issue - did she get distracted? did she struggle with the work? did she stay focused but underestimated how long it would take? etc. Then repeat for the next 30 minutes, etc. Hopefully this way I'll also get an idea if I am assigning too much homework and underestimating how long it will take to complete.
Does anyone have any opinions/advice on whether that would be a good strategy, other suggestions, or tips on how to build the skills for her to work independently?
A secondary problem that we have is that once her sister gets home from school, she is a chatterbox. I try to remind her to be quiet and get her focused on her own homework, but she wants to tell me about her day and she often has questions about her homework, etc. All of this distracts her sister. Both usually do their homework at our dining room table or sometimes on the sofa (we have a large combined living room and dining room). We don't really have anywhere else to work except upstairs in their bedroom, and I don't like having them working up there - I think they're much more likely to get distracted in their room. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
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I learned through a local homeschool list about online forensics courses taught by Thom and Linda Jones. Their courses include Introduction to Forensic Science (for teens), Tween Forensic Science, and Unsolved Crimes. They look fascinating. The courses are $100-120 for 10-12 weeks + $15 for the forensic supplies kit.
One of the things I asked about was whether there is any hands-on or lab work in the Intro to Forensics Science class, since it's an online course. Thom said that after 8 weeks of classes they send out a kit of forensic supplies in order to do hands-on evidence collection and detection techniques. He also mentioned mock crime scenes - I'm not sure how that works, whether he sets them up and then the kids view them online or what.
I thought I'd share it because I thought some people here might be interested!
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My daughter is doing Jacobs' Geometry (2nd ed) this year. I purchased Patty Paper Geometry because it looked like a fun, hands-on type of supplement and I thought my daughter would like it because she likes origami and such. I thought I'd go through the TOC of each and see how they would best mesh together. However, I'm having difficulty with this - it seems like the two books do not mesh very well or at least it's not very obvious to me how to mesh them.
I was wondering if anyone has put together a list of how they used the two books together? Perhaps here on the boards or on a blog somewhere? Or could briefly explain how they use the two? I've been searching and haven't turned up anything, so I thought I'd ask. Thanks!
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I think OKfamily and wintermom gave some great advice. It could just be that his personality is relaxed and/or he's a late bloomer. But I'd keep an eye out for any signs of anxiety or perfectionism - is he not trying because he's afraid to fail and/or afraid to disappoint others? What is his self-talk like - does he tell himself that he can't do things?
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I thought this was basically correct - that blood looks red when it touches the air, but it is blueish in your veins.
I was taught that in my high school biology class, but learned in last year's human anatomy class that I did with my kids that it's not true. Oxygenated blood is bright red; un-oxygenated blood is not blue but a darker red. Arteries appear blue due to the absorption and reflection of light through your bodily tissues. There's a pretty good article here that discusses it in more detail.
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My grandmother believed that touching toads would give you warts. She'd get very upset when the kids would pick up toads.
And this isn't exactly an old wives-tale, but my mother was terrified that I would break my neck if I did a somersault. She frightened me so badly when I was a child that I was never able to comfortably do a somersault afterwards. I later learned that my aunt (by marriage but the same age) also believed this. She was concerned when my older daughter was doing somersaults when she was little. Did anyone else have people who believed this? Where did this idea come from?
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Why would you want to cover books you already own? Are you thinking in terms of resale value?
I was thinking of keeping them in good condition to either use in future years or for possible resale value. I was wondering if the daily use during the school year was enough to cause significant wear and tear on the books. It's true that we don't usually put them in backpacks, which is probably a lot of the wear and tear - we just go from the cupboard to the table or sofa. (Plus, I'm a sucker for any kind of fun, colorful office supplies! ;) )
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I was at Staples picking up some notebooks when I saw their display of book covers. It made me wonder if it would be worthwhile to cover the main textbooks that we use at home with book covers (either the stretchy ones you buy or homemade paper bag ones). Does anyone cover their books at home? Does covering books make a difference in keeping the books in good condition?
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Just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone! There were a number of things that were causing me to feel quite frazzled and stressed yesterday, and this issue was heaped on top. Things are going much better today, and we will take some time to consider and make the best decision for dd.
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Thank you for the replies so far! Yes, it's really all about math. This child is very vocal about her complaints and there is nothing else at issue.
Dd says there is no textbook (I heard this from some parents at the elementary school, too; that with the adoption of common core they abandoned their old textbooks but have not purchased new yet - everything is just worksheets). I will ask her math teacher for a syllabus, and depending on what is on it I may also ask them if there is any way she could be re-considered for algebra. But since she took their placement test last spring, I think it would be a very hard sell.
Re afterschooling, I considered that as a possibility. But my daughter was concerned that it would be double the work (I doubt the teacher would let her out of the homework because completing it is a part of their grade). And I am concerned that then we'll get into the situation (if she continues in the district) where they'll want her to take the school's algebra class anyway and I will have to fight that, etc.
ETA: As to why I'm struggling with the decision of what to do, I guess it's because although I would not have been surprised to find that she was back home homeschooling after winter break, I was surprised that she is asking so soon. I was also surprised with how distraught she was today after what seemed to be a great start to the school year. To me, sitting through a boring class is an annoyance but survivable; to her, it's akin to torture. I guess I'm debating the value in making her stick out this commitment for a while longer, versus any harm that might cause (anxiety, etc.) and the value in bringing her home and getting in a full year of homeschooling instead of an interrupted year (assuming she doesn't complete the year at the school). I definitely won't pull her at least until I've spoken with the math teacher a bit.
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Kindly don't quote, as I may delete parts later (I don't usually post this much detailed information.)
My 10 yo dd wanted to attend B&M school this year because it was her first year of middle school and she wanted to see what middle school was like. Today was her 3rd day of school and she came out of school upset and saying she wants to return to homeschool because of her frustrations with her math class. Any advice and suggestions helping me to think this through would be very much appreciated.
Here are the details - sorry it's so long:
DD10 has homeschooled for the past year and a half (half of 4th grade and all of 5th grade). She attended B&M school for K-3rd and the first few months of 4th grade. 2/3 of the way through 1st grade she skipped to second grade (and did well both academically and socially). In 4th grade she began to complain that she felt like she did in 1st grade before she skipped, and asked to skip another grade; that's when I decided to pull her to homeschool. We agreed to let her go back to B&M school for middle school. There was no compelling reason for the change except that she really wanted to see what middle school was like. Her father and I agreed because we feel that, to effectively homeschool, the child has to be at least on board with the decision (and this particular child can be a challenge to teach even in the best of circumstances).
School started 3 days ago. All had been going well until today (she was excited to see old friends, has made new friends, has enjoyed most of her classes and has only had a few minor complaints). Today dd came out of school upset and declaring she wants to return to homeschool.
The problem is math (and I knew this was going to be an issue). In elementary school, the school district used a spiraling math curriculum, where concepts were introduced and returned to in subsequent years. Dd found this very frustrating. When they would get to a topic again in subsequent years, she would be upset - she seemed personally insulted, and would say "they don't think I learned it last year!" or she'd say "we already learned this in ___ grade, it's for little kids!" Although I tried to explain that part of it is review and then each time they go a little deeper into the concepts, it didn't change her opinion (or outrage). By last year, she was really resistant to doing any elementary math and kept pushing to start algebra (some days she outright refused, other days she would stall, she didn't want me to actually teach her anything, etc.). I managed it by insisting that she do a small amount of Singapore Math (so I could look for gaps) and then I would let her do what she called "college math" (Jacobs' Mathematics: A Human Endeavor) which she enjoyed. We did start some pre algebra for a couple of months in the spring, and she did well with it. My plan was to work on algebra with her to keep her engaged and challenged, and also periodically work on some challenge problems to review and practice elementary math concepts.
Last spring she took an algebra readiness test at the school district in preparation for middle school. Her scores were not high enough for her to place into algebra in 6th grade (only 1-2% of 6th graders place into it). I did not get to see the test or her answers, so I don't know what the problems were or what she got right or wrong. I don't know whether she scored high or low, I only know she didn't score high enough.
Today she had her first full math class (since they've gotten through the start-of-the year introductory stuff). The topic was factors and multiples (prime & composite numbers, etc.). She came out extremely frustrated - she said she already knows this stuff and she does not want to sit through a year of review; she wants to return to homeschooling and do algebra. She said that although she knew she wouldn't be doing algebra, she didn't think that math would be this easy. She said she's willing to give up all of her other classes to come home and do algebra.
What I am wondering now is, how should I respond?
My first inclination is to have her stay at least a semester so that she truly gets a feel for what middle school is going to be like and whether the positives outweigh the negatives, and so that I have time to plan her curriculum.
I am wondering if I should talk to her math teacher, and if so what I should say or request. Since it is only her 3rd day with brand new teachers, I don't have any type of rapport developed with her teacher. I was considering asking if she could pretest to see if she could test out of chapters of the book, and do some alternative, more challenging work during that time. Dd is not thrilled with that idea as she just wants to do algebra.
At the same time, I know this child. She is intense. Once she has got her mind set on something there is little to nothing that I (or anyone) can do to change it. She is going to rant and carry on about this class as long as she is attending the school. Consequences for such behavior will have little to no effect. She is going to not do her best work on the homework and I would not be surprised if she soon refuses to do it at all. She's already stormed away from this first assignment at least four times and I have had to make her come back. She is saying that she won't go back to this class, which means that getting her up and to school might become a nightmare. The idea of trying to keep her in the school for another few months is draining and daunting, to say the least.
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Try spraying with white vinegar. I've never tried it on hockey gear, but it's amazing at getting out smells (kills the bacteria - once the vinegar evaporates, no vinegar smell is left behind). Spray the washables before washing (might want to let it penetrate for a bit before washing), and lightly spray the unwashables and let it evaporate.
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I talked with hubby about her driving last night and he doesn't know how she is IRL with that either, but he did mention she hasn't even hit anything around their house and there's nothing wrong with her hearing or eyesight, so she might still be ok other than the getting lost bit. FIL is keeping track of that (supposedly) and is not helping her find her keys. He's also staying home a LOT more than he used to so she doesn't have to drive if she wants to go somewhere.
Just a thought . . . perhaps FIL can be convinced to make sure the keys become permanently "lost." If MIL doesn't get upset when she thinks she has misplaced her keys, perhaps that's a non-confrontational way to stop her from driving.
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My daughter's competition suit for swim team was a Speedo Mighty Python - it was made from "Xtra Life Lycra® Fiber" and the description says it "is engineered to have 5-10 times more durability than ordinary spandex fabrics. . . . provides resistance to suntan lotions and skin oils and chlorine better than conventional fabrics. . . . helps resist sagging and bagging, keeping swimwear fitting like new longer." I can attest that it has held up beautifully - she wore it for both practices (3-4x/wk at 1-2 hours swimming per practice) and competitions; after several months of wear (when she outgrew it) it still looked like new. The fabric is *much* thicker and less stretchy than other swimsuit materials.
The good-quality competition suits can be expensive - this particular swimsuit is normally around $80 but it has been discontinued so remaining sizes can be found at deep discounts.
So, I'd recommend that you go to a local swim shop and look at the suits used by swim teams (or there are several shops online - I linked to one). If you can find a suit in the Speedo Xtra Life Lycra fabric, I would highly recommend it.
Also, I only wash her swimsuit occasionally. After every practice I rinse it in cold water and hang it to dry.
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I had never heard of National Portfolio Day - thank you! I looked at the list and I would probably take my daughter into NYC (most likely next year, not this year) as the most geographically convenient, but I noticed that the NYC event is hosted by the Fashion Institute of Technology. Would that mean that event is best for those interested in fashion-related design, and I should look for another location if that is not her focus?
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According to the DKos article, the books were published 3 years ago - before he was hired by the school district. "Patrick McLaw is 23 years old. He's a middle school teacher. He wrote these books in college and published them in his sophomore year in college."
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When searching for used curriculum materials, I use DealOz - the site searches a whole bunch of sites (Amazon, B&N, Alibris, textbook resellers, Half.com, etc.) so you can compare prices.
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Can I just pitch in the thought that it would be great if y'all would comment your weekly reports in with the bloggers' thread?
Where can I find this thread?
Labeling Shoes
in The Chat Board
Posted
What about stick-on shoe labels? That link is just for an example - it's the first thing that came up in a google search for "shoe labels" and I've never used that brand. But perhaps you could get blank labels and use a sharpie on them, or possibly even get labels printed with numbers as you need. (I remember I used some brand to label the girls' shoes when they were preschoolers and they adhered and lasted very well.)