74Heaven
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Posts posted by 74Heaven
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Thanks for clarifying, regentrude. We did Geometry in 2009-10. I guess my memory is bad :0). My fascination with AoPS will have to wait!
Lisa J
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Thanks for the info. I guess I forgot that Geometry required some algebra. I remember it being such a totally different kind of math than Algebra with my older daughters.
Also, thanks for the tips on the difficulty level of AoPS. I think you are both right - my son may be ready after some algebra, but not yet. And for my daughter, BJU sounds like a better solution.
Thanks, Lisa J
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I am considering the above Geom. programs for my average math student 10th gr dd next year. We have done BJU Geom. DVDs before with two older daughters and we really liked it. However, I am intrigued by the AoPS videos we have used for algebra and prealg. viewing when we occasionally get "stuck".
My going-into-8th grade son is finishing pre-algebra and ready to start Alg. 1 in 8th grade. Normally, as I have done with his older sisters, I would put him in 2year Videotext Alg. I & II for next 2 years.
However, I could save some money and time - and make my life easier - if I put them both in Geometry next year.
My first inclination is to stay with my orig. plan and they'd each do math separately. However, they are doing physical science, writing, lit and Spanish together. My younger son is hard-working and particularly skilled at math. I don't have any big math/science level concerns for my younger son as we are detouring a year into geology so the plan will be that he takes chemistry in 3 years?
Thanks for your ideas.
Lisaj
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I missed the $99 sale. Grr I wanted to buy Geometry & U.S. History for 2 kids. Does anyone remember is BJUP (has in the past) also did this $99deal for a summer semester? We have done both Geom & US History DVDs with olders and those were our favorite subjects by far with Mrs. Vick and Dr. Conn, (I think that was his name). But I thought the sale ended 12/31 and so when I went online to tie up my loose ends after Christmas, I found out I'd missed it!!
Just for my 2cents worth, we did 4.5 classes one year on DVD and it was NOT a good fit. Both my children found the DVDs tedious (except the two above) and they both learned too doodle for the first time.... What I found out that year (9th & 11th gr daughters) was that less DVD classes is better than a whole slew of them. We also did chemistry and that went pretty well. Because chemistry is such a tough subject at our house, it made a good match for the students.
I think next time, I'd do some kind of online - interactive if that is offered thru BJUP or another place.
Lisaj
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Thank you, Susan. I've been hsing 15 years and have 2 high school graduates and I am hsing 3 more; the youngest is 10yo. I appreciate your wisdom and thank you for addressing this question.
I linked this on my fb page and suggested all my friends listen to it, both moms of hsers and traditional schoolers.
Lisa J, (tired) mom of 5
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My question is about teaching boys as they begin puberty. My bright 13yo son can't concentrate and is resistant to instruction - all of the sudden. Do you have thoughts/advice on those growth/hormone periods where - seemingly instantly - a child's learning style, aptitude or interest changes?
Lisa j - thanks for all the great resources and thoughts over the years
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And any and all "mom's choice" involves a restaurant. Then see if he still thinks its easy have him start on the other meal times.
yes!
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In a public school, there are supposed standards, hence an assumption of certain content. I've experienced this firsthand.
Those supposed standards are a figment of someone's imagination.
Lisaj
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Perhaps colleges use class rank because this circumvents the problem of grade inflation? Just a thought - I can see many problems with using class rank as well...
Nan
Good point, Nan. So many good points in this discussion are helping me to go from shocked to recognizing the unreasonable homeschooling demands are just part of a flawed system.
The one point I haven't seen mentioned is that public/private school grades are very bit as "suspect" as the homeschool grades. It boils down to the teacher's decision. Some teachers are lenient, some (it seems, the minority) strict, some careless, some meticulous. Two teachers using the same exact text and lesson plans give different grades for similar work. Some content areas are light, attendance- or discussion based, some grades are test-based, homework-based, project-based, etc. Not to mention the difference between different texts used in different classes.
I could give specific examples as my two college students took the same classes as co ops, private school (brick and mortar), home, private school homeschool program, cc, AP, video vs. w/o video, etc.
The grades from traditional schools are just as arbitrary as hs grades.
I would posit that there is no missing information piece for hsers.
Rather, colleges accept and then try to balance and decipher information for students from traditional settings and then suspect the same exact information from homeschool settings. While it is true that homeschool settings are difficult to "measure", they are really no more difficult from comparing students from hundreds of schools in dozens of districts, not to mention various states.
Lisaj, mom to 5
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We are enjoying Runkle's Wonderful World of Geography this year. It is supposed to be gr 7-12 or gr. 7-8, but I have found it exactly what we needed for my 9th grader and advanced 7th grader. It is physical (not cultural) geography and that is what I was looking for. It is a bit light in terms of depth, but it is a good overview.
There are 12 chapters, which are divided into 42ish lessons in someone's (the author's??) free online pdf guide. We are doing about 2-3 lessons a week, which is 3-4 hours a week. We are trying to do all the extras and "think-it-throughs" and all of that. There is also geography memorization which is a separate "student workbook" which we are also doing. The world geog memorization is not really tied to the chapter content and that's a little disappointing.
I like Runkle because it is easy to use alone by the student, a good world overview and not too deep or analytical as to content. It is not time intensive and really not difficult for my two. Its an easy introduction as we were a bit deficient on our geography having never found/used a bridge between SOTW and high school history/geog.
I think it is very doable in a semester. We are just working at a slower pace - over a full year. I plan to give a semester (1/2) credit. We bought the newest edition. I have never seen the older ed. - not sure of changes.
Lisa j, mom to 5
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It is not too many, but be sure and weed out where you can - or turn a class into extracurricular if you get too many.
Lisa J, mom to 5 (2 grads, 9th, 7th, 4th)
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Great response, Lisa. I feel your pain - I am actually fearfully waiting for such a (non)event to occur with my 20yodd.
Sending Dark chocolate because it sure makes me feel better :0).
Lisaj
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Hi - I was a writer/editor of newsletters and advertising before I became a mom. I can write well, but I am a perfectionist so it takes several drafts to distill my message. Teaching it to my children has been difficult!
I am teaching daughter #3 to write and all my children (even at the college level - with 2 years of AP Lit as well) seem to struggle to support their thesis in an essay. They seem to slip back into narrative writing. (Their grammar and mechanics and sentence variation are excellent. But their papers lack focus and support. They also lack organization.
Current students (15yod and 13yob) can not seem to understand that all the sentences in a paragraph have "a job to do". First of course, they struggle mightily with forming a strong opinion for their thesis. Then, they can't seem to back it up. Lastly, they are weak in organizing. (Plus, they tire of the paper when it is only about 1/3 of the way done - i.e. after first rough draft.)
In addition, they seem to end up "telling" (almost like a book report) about their subject (providing description/facts) rather than supporting their opinion about their subject.
These past few weeks, they have each written 2 essays about Watership Down, the first a character sketch (2-3 pages double spaced) and then a compare/contrast on major characters.
I know this is a tough skill, but what are some time-tested and effective ways to teach them the skills for supporting their opinion/thesis?
TIA!
Lisaj, mom to 5
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We had ours for years - it is pit set. Which means you walk on/off it at ground level. Makes it safer. Not injury proof, but better. We just had a backhoe dig a pit and put all the legs in evenly.
Lisaj
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I made it a contest for the kids. As long as they are polite, they can say anything/rant at the recording about the candidate/political process. They are taking turns answering the phone so they get a chance. Prize awarded day after elections.... 15yo dd is winning with a rendition of (mimic of me) "How many times do I have to tell you I'm too young to vote...." & more politi-speak at hte recording..."
lisaj, at least half the calls are robo-calling politicians
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I loved the book and Francis Chan's message. To not "settle" for what the world tells us is "acceptable".
He encourages that our Walk matches our Talk & The Word also. I did not find the works-orientation at all. I am reading Radical by David Platt now - and also, I don't sense a works-based theology. But rather, a gut-check about who exactly God is. OTOH, there is talk in both about a lost world with millions of needy people - so yes, we need to be aware that the world is bigger than our limited views and needs and wants. (Something I need to hear.) So far, I prefer Chan's book. Chan's Crazy Love was studied/read on a mission trip by my then 16yo daughter and it really impacted her life and faith in a "wow" kind of way. She begged me to read it and we all did.
My favorite author is currently Chip Ingram and the book is "God - As He Longs for You to See Him". Talk about a tell-all book about God's Amazing Love - this is it. He has several books and I have enjoyed 3 or 4 books and Bible studies. This book is about the most life-changing book I have read in quite a few years - been a Christian for over 25 years.
Lisaj, mom to 5
Lisa J
Lisaj
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I very much appreciate SWB. Funny thing, about 6-7 years ago when I first found and read TWTM, I was so excited. I immed. handed it off to a few hsing friends, telling them how I devoured all 700+ (not really sure how many pages) pages of it. They smiled at me and handed it back a few days later, leafed-through or basically, unread. And I realized - "oh my, I am a bit odd" in my thoughts and homeschooling beliefs.
When I first read it, I could not believe that someone had written a book that explained my hope, my thoughts and my desire for homeschooling. I was ecstatic to find a resource that explained and gave a roadmap for what I wanted, desired but couldn't articulate or flesh out.
However, I thought the article focused a little more on the divisiveness of hsing "factions" rather than the amazing opportunities and family- or interest-centric lifestyle it allows. (not a certain "kind of family" just a "together all day" kind of life). I would have appreciated an article that talked more about SWB's amazing contributions and her leadership.
It seemed SWB's comment about her new farm/tourism ideas as being more "mid-career switch" was downplayed a little so the article could highlight "disunity among homeschooling factions" (paraphrase). Having homeschooled since 1996, I am very tired. I am close to burn out. I find this common around maybe 80%+ of my hsing friends who have been at it this long. So, I wonder how much of SWB's fatigue is part of the "natural life" of a longtime homeschooler?
Just some thoughts. I am possibly very different in lifestyle/theology than SWB, but I am completely a thankful fan of her work and leadership of classical homeschooling!
Lisaj, mom to 5
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email me if you are int. in an Apologia Sked I bought from Sonlight. $basically I'll sell it for $5 which incl about $3 postage I think??? ljdeerparkATaolDOTcom
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Heather - I can't answer - hopefully someone can. But, my reaction was the same as yours - yikes, I just didn't have the energy, time, commitment to read it, digest it, study it and ask my child to do the same.
I still do want to read it. Some day.
Lisa j, mom to 5
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I think we took a month to read it in our high school book club. It has been 4 yrs ago so my memory isn't the greatest. We met every 2 weeks so I am pretty sure it was about a month. That was a reasonable pace for students will full academic loads & other lit selections for other classes. Our book club was an extracurricular club.
Awesome book!
lisa
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Profanity, sexualized reading material (obviously acc to the reader/author opinions of same), and vulgar speech are character weaknesses imho - and against the teaching of God in the Bible.. (Every person obviously needs to independently determine what the standard is for good literature - I'm not speaking for anyone else.) Garbage in-garbage out.
However, I would never have the time nor inclination to preread and cross-out objectionable material. Plus, I believe the first three types of reading selections I mentioned are inappropriate for me, let alone the student.
I have forgone many current movies and books because I believe their overall value is nixed by the other content. OTOH, there are so many incredible books that don't cross lines into what i consider objectionable. The selection is so vast, I would suggest other reading options.
There are so many Scriptures about being wary of evil, fleeing temptation and the standing apart from the world controlled by satan, that I want to be careful "little eyes what you see; little ears what you hear."
Lisaj,
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HollyDay, the 180 Days sounds really good. However, I bought something (Trail Guide?) a few years ago and I hated it because we didn't have the "exact" sources the author got the info from. (i.e. they would ask how many lentils the nation produces annually (I thought at least 20% of questions were obscure) - and then we would spend 30min (stress-filled) finding a different answer than the Answ Key gave).
Are there recommended sources you use (which I would want to buy due to TG experience).
Do you use the internet a lot? That doesn't work for us very well due to slow kids' computer processor.
The research part sounds great! Such an important skill!
Lisa J
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Thanks, HollyDay, Amanda. I'll check those out.
I should have added that $50 each is not my "limit"; but rather my wish.
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I would like to hear from those of you who taught/used a high school world geography curric that was fun or above average interesting, easy to use, not exclusively computer based, and extremely worthwhile.
Criteria:
1) Easy to use
2) Above average interesting
3) High School level
4) Price (like to keep it $50ish per student; I have 2 students)
I am most interested in physical geography emphasis but some cultural geography as well.
My children and I actually like maps and are good memorizers, so that part won't be the drudgery that some people find it to be.
Thanks for sharing curriculum info, etc.
Lisa J
need some geography ideas for a 13 year old
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
We enjoyed Runkle Geography, which is physical geography. Mapwork, terrain, landforms, waterways, physical science tie-ins, etc etc. Not cultural. It was good for us because I mostly wanted the children to become aware of countries, borders, etc.
Lisaj, mom to 5 (incl 2 grads)