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oliveview

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Posts posted by oliveview

    lego curriculum

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    We bought this program last week for our middle ds. It was his birthday present and he turned 7. I thought the Mindstorms was just too much too fast and this was geared for up to 11 year olds. Even though I might have to turn around and buy Mindstorms in a couple of years, I thought it was better than getting too advanced and frustrating him. As I said, we haven't gotten into it yet but having taken it apart it looks pretty good.

     

    http://www.legoeducation.com/store/detail.aspx?pl=6&ID=1736&c=0&t=0&l=0

    Chess please

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I agree that Chessmaster is the best software for chess. My boys wake up early to play. Chess tournaments are a great thing also! We play LOTS of chess here and I view it as part of school. All three kiddos have to play every day, but often they play first thing before I ask them.

    Great new discipline approach

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    Along with running, I also mix it up a bit with push-ups, jumping jacks, and squats (my favorite). Most of the time my boys problem with focus is that they have some extra energy to burn. I've tried to not approach it as "punishment" but more of "ants on the pants" sort of thing. They often now will realize that they are having wiggle and focus issues and will hop up and start doing one of the above mentioned exercises.

    Canning Meat

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    I've canned meat before but as a general rule, I don't like the taste. IF I was going to can meat anymore, I would do it within a soup. Yes, you MUST follow the guidelines and you MUST have a pressure canner. I can a lot and would be happy to help you with any specific questions.

     

    There is a great yahoo group called canning2. The wealth of knowledge on that group is amazing! However, you still need a pressure canner and the USDA guidelines.

    Spy Car- (or anyone who knows) can you plz compare MEP and Singapore math for me?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I was so excited about all of this that we finished up early yesterday and drove down to the homeschool store in Jacksonville. They had the "Lab Book" but not the "first year diary" and the other one. I will order those from Rainbow Resource.

     

    My oldest is VERY logical. Logical to the point that we joke about him being Mr. Spock! Miquon is going to drive him insane!! I can't wait!! :lol::lol: His little brain is going to have to stretch and I see that as a good thing. I don't mean making him into something that he isn't but that whole process of growing and making new pathways in his brain is going to be a challenge for him. It will be interesting to see how he takes to the challenge.

     

    The Noble Knights of Knowledge made my heart skip! My bys saw it on the computer and wanted it RIGHT NOW!!:lol: What fun!! That looks fantastic! That could be a fun thing to do over the summer. I will look at it closer. Thank you.

    Spy Car- (or anyone who knows) can you plz compare MEP and Singapore math for me?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Wonderful Sherri!

     

    Your children are so close it age it will be fun to be able to set them up with a "Math Lab" and let them all work together.

     

    You won't need to read all of "Lab Annotations" (not even close). "Lab Annotations" is the main "teachers" text that related directly to the worksheets and clarifies their use. It's an important book to have, so you aren't confronted with this "strange" looking stuff, and think: Huh???

     

    But unfortunately, I believe many people only get the "Lab Annotations" and skip "First Year Diary" and "Notes to Teacher". These books give more insight into the Miquon style of teaching and learning. These are good to read, at least in part. Then you can adopt what of their style what you will.

     

    Do be open to improvising. And don't worry about trudging "straight through". If one of the children confronts something you don't feel they are ready for "skip it". The nice thing in your case is they can potential learn together. Just know (that at least in my estimation) Miquon can be used in a "non-linear" fashion. And you can make up (and are encouraged to do so) your own "lab sheets". Even the 8 year-old could "lab sheets".

     

    "Math lab". Isn't that a fun name?

     

    Before you jump in to doing "lab sheets" I would get the Cuisenaire Rods and let them get started building "trains" (stacks of block combinations that are equivalent to the "botton" blocks value). And other discovery play you'll find in the "First Year Diary".

     

    On a personal level, I'm elated! I guess I believe that if we each do small things to make the world better, the sum of all those acts can help heal the world. It's a small thing in some ways--choosing how to teach math--but these sorts of decisions (I believe) can really can change a person's future. I'm feeling both honored and humbled that you have been so receptive to the ideas I've offered up. I'm convinced of the soundness of these types of approaches, and sure your children will benefit from your being so open to new ideas.

     

    Your children are fortunate to have you for a Mom! :001_smile:

     

    Bill

     

    Bill,

     

    I don't know what to say. That is one of the nicest posts I've ever read.

     

    Thank you,

    Sherri

    The "professionals" critique the math programs: link

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Hurray!

     

    Liping Ma's book seems to be doing for you the same thing it did for me. That is, opening my eyes to what I don't know, and how I could have easily passed on "procedurally correct" but never-the-less very limited math skills to my child.

     

    This work has really motivated me to "teach" math differently. I'm so happy that I discovered this book. And I'm very pleased you are having the same experience. I said it before, but I wish every teacher/parent would read this work, because it would change math education in a highly positive way.

     

    The Miquon/Cuisenaire Rod work we've done with my son has really brought home the "re-grouping" part of math. For him it now seems second nature. It's these types of insights that make home education so exciting.

     

    I'm happy :001_smile:

     

    Bill

     

    Yes, this is an excellent way to state what I am experiencing. I really do have somemore decisions to make from here but I am excited about where we are going. I lack confidence in teaching math. I have never felt like I "understood" math even though I have taken math up to PhD level statistics. I think I always had this idea that I would just get the basics in the kids and then somewhere in the middle, or so, my dh would take over. Ugghhh! What was I thinking? Now I really have my eyes opened to jsut how important the basics are and it's more than procedural!

     

    Thank you so much for this push! I needed it. It's a great book and I highly recommend it to anyone teaching their children or anyone else's children!

    Spy Car- (or anyone who knows) can you plz compare MEP and Singapore math for me?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I know this post is about MEP and Singapore but could we also talk about Miquon for a moment. I am trying to see if this would be the right thing to add to our mix. If we did start, does everyone start at the Orange book? It seems like I read that somewhere. What else do i need to get started? How much time is involved for the lessons and the planning?

     

    Sorry for the hijack, but Bill has me down this rabbit-hole and all of this "math stuff" is mixing around in my head! :lol::lol:

    The "professionals" critique the math programs: link

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    (Some background about our math journey. We are using Saxon as our spine. Both sons (8 and almost 7) are working in Saxon 3. I have used Singapore as a "sometimes" supplement. Saxon has been a struggle as of late and I'm not really sure why. The last couple of weeks I have gone back to Singapore and the boys have been moving quickly through their books. Ds 8 is finishing 1B and ds 7 is finishing 1A. These are below the level of Saxon but I had thought this was a better place to start when I got these books about 9 months ago. I had also bought the RS math games box about 6 months ago. We just started using them in the past few weeks.)

     

    Well, I got my copy of Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics, and what I am struck most by is how little I know and how much I need to learn.:lol:

     

    I have read the section on Subtraction and regrouping twice now and I think I will read it again before going any further.

     

    We have been very inconsistent with Singapore until the last few weeks. While working with Singapore I was frustrated with how it was presented to the student. I couldn't understand why they wanted to teach all of the subtraction that required regrouping without memorizing math facts first. It seemed to me like it was forcing them to count on their fingers to get the answer and I didn't like that.

     

    Now I get it!! What they are teaching is the decomposition of the number and multiple ways of regrouping. If they knew the math facts too well before teaching this concept then they would know the answer and not be forced to look at the different methods of regrouping. I see that my level of knowledge in elementary math is more on the line with the pseudo-conceptual understanding and at times is almost just procedural. My "knowledge package" needs to increase. I loved the discussion about giving the children the manipulatives and how the teacher just "discussed" with them the different methods they could use to come to the same result. I am a well educated person by most normal standards and I had no idea there was so much to regrouping! :lol: I was also intrigued by the idea that you are decomposing not borrowing. It seems trivial but it makes all the sense in the world now that I think about it.

     

    What I have learned is that my knowledge of elementary math is very low and can have a huge impact on the kiddos. I now plan to go back and go through Elementary Math for Teachers by Singapore.

     

    We are going to take a break from Saxon, and I don't know when or if we will go back. I am going to use Singapore as our spine from here on out. This week they will go up to 2A and 1B. I already have them doing the IP and CWP books. I wanted them to "think" about math in different ways and have a rich foundation in math. That was the reason I had them in both Saxon and Singapore. I guess I just had no idea how little I knew, and how much my background and abilities would impact them.

     

    I still want to find anothe program to help is develop a righ background in math. I see now the value in going slower and thinking deeper. I want to check out MEP and Miquon. Oh how I wish there were more hours in the day!!

     

    Thank you for the suggestion on the book. It has turned my thinking upside down and there is much more to read!:D

    Someone to talk to me about teaching cursive

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Here are a couple of US companies that sell the Lamy ABC. I have no experience with any of these companies, but I an thinking of ordering from one of them! You guys have talked me into fountain pens for me and my kids!!

     

    http://www.redfingerprint.com/Lamy/Lamy_ABC

     

    http://www.artsuppliesonline.com/catalog.cfm?cata_id=12498

     

    http://www.fahrneyspens.com/Item--i-20058S

     

    Now if I could just decide on what style of cursive to teach them! :lol: :lol: :lol:

    Someone to talk to me about teaching cursive

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Yes Bill, I do think the boys would delight in using a fountain pen. I am going to head out to Staples in a bit and see what I can find. As far as going ot, not to worry, I have learned so much today about cursive styles and pens. I need to hop over to the math thread from about 2 weeks ago so I can tell you all that I am learning from the Liping Ma book that you've got me reading! :lol:

    Phonics - the bane of my existence

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Do you recommend using several different materials at the same time? For example, working through 100 EZ Lessons with them all while at the same time having them use All About Spelling for spelling while at the same time doing your online lessons? That sort of thing? Or do you recommend moving from one to the next? 100 EZ Lessons THEN your online lessons THEN Webster's Speller, etc.?

     

    This is the question I was just about to ask!:D

    Someone to talk to me about teaching cursive

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Yes, by all means, hijack away!!

     

    Bill-Would you use the SmithHand to teach the cursive writing? It looks like they are very specific about the choice of pen they would like for you to use. Not that I have a problem going against the "rules"! :D

     

    Elizabeth-Today, I spent an extended period of time on your website and I think you may have MANY ansers that I have been looking for. I am spending the weekend wrapping my brain around how I am going to do remedial work with my sons using your website and Webster's. Thank you so much!

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