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Country Girl

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Posts posted by Country Girl

    S/O from my other post on rule based spelling/ AAS

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I am currently using AAS with ds. I bought it because I thought I wanted a rules based program and I wanted to stick with the vertical phonics system that we used to learn to read (hoping to reinforce his phonics learning). As I mentioned in another post, I'm thinking of switching and I was asking for advice about a specific program (Megawords). However, I'm now starting to wonder if rule based programs are what I want. So far, he doesn't use rules at all to spell... he hasn't needed to with the words he is asked to spell in AAS 2. I've noticed he also spells the same way I do.... spell a word until it looks right. So now I'm wondering if maybe I need to drop the rule based spelling programs and go in a different direction but I'm not really sure what other directions there are. Any thoughts or suggestions?

    Megawords Questions

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Thank for the suggestions everyone. I have thought of just speeding through it, and we have a bit.... but I don't see him retaining any of the rules at this point since the words don't require him to. I guess I'm just feeling a bit like it has been a waste of money for us, since we really aren't getting anything from it long term. That is making me a little reluctant to spend the money on the next level even though I know it will get tougher. I have to admit, I'm also a little skeptical on rule based spelling programs and if that is really the best method for my ds. I'm an okay speller, and I definitely don't use spelling rules to spell. I just look at a word and see if it looks correct. If it looks funny to me, I just spell it a different way until it looks right. I have already seen my son doing this and so I'm wondering if a different method may be better (although I realize Megawords uses some rules, it seemed to use other modalities as well). This may be a topic for a whole different post though:D.

     

    Thanks for all of the replies!

    Megawords Questions

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I am looking at possibly starting Megawords with my son next year. We are currently doing AAS 2 but it really is a waste of time for us this year. We are working through it but my son never misspells any of the words but he also isn't using the rules being taught because the words are just too easy and he doesn't need to learn the rules and apply them in order to spell the words correctly. He is an advanced reader (not really sure what level but my guess is 8 grade-ish level) but I think in order to get him to continue to advance in his reading he needs exposure to more advanced vocabulary and more difficult words (multi-syllable etc.). I was thinking using Megawords might kill two birds with one stone.... spelling and increase his reading level. Not to mention I'd really like to start adding more independent (less mom-time) things to our day and it seems this would fit the bill. Anyone with experience have any thoughts on this?

     

    Thanks!

    Division with remainders

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Thanks everyone for the suggestions! We have used concrete items to show this and he definitely gets the concept of remainders.... he just gets confused with where he is at in the process. I think it is a neatness problem. Using graph paper/turning the paper sideways sounds like it would help so he will see better which place value he is working with.

     

    Thanks for the suggestions and for the encouragement that this is a necessary concept for him to master!

    Division with remainders

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    My son just started doing division with remainders this week. We have informally touched on division before but this is his first week of doing it "for school". The remainder stuff seems to be tripping him up a little because he is getting confused with when to stop dividing and call it a remainder. The thought crossed my mind to just skip the remainder stuff and start right into finishing out the division problem with decimals. Is this a bad idea? Is there any reason that he needs to know the concept of remainders? (We do test so maybe on standardized tests they will include remainders????).

     

    Thanks!

    Deconstructing Penguins -vs- Classics in the Classroom

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Thank you everyone for the replies. I actually already have Teaching the Classics and really like it, but feel like I need all the help I can get in this department. I think this is especially true as I'm trying to gear TtC down to my ds's level.

     

    From what I have read, it seems like Penguins is more for youngers but it doesn't really sound quite like what I was looking for and wanting. I think Classics in the Classroom sounds a bit more like what I want (I just love the quote you posted nmoira, MCT really has great stuff).

     

    WEM was mentioned too.... I haven't read this one but would it help with ideas for lit analysis for youngers? Or would it at least help me wrap my brain around lit analysis a bit more?

     

    Thanks!

    Questions about reading levels/upper grades

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Lori,

     

    Thank you for the long and short answer;). I really love to read but don't have much background in "literature". You have given me some good insight on how to advance my son in this area and make sure that he is getting the most out of the things he reads. I have Teaching the Classics, and really like it. I know I'm not using it to its full potential but I think that is partly because my ds is still pretty young. However, when I look at it and all that is included, I feel a little bit of pressure that I should be doing more. However, I have to remember where my son is at and use it for him, not the way I'd use it for an older child. Also, thanks for the link to literature questions from SWB. I don't know how I missed those before but they are great.

    Questions about reading levels/upper grades

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Webster's Speller!

     

    My daughter was reading at a 4th to 5th grade level before using it, is now reading at perhaps the 12th grade level, the only words that trip her up are really crazy things like chemical ingredients in junk food. She can sound out most 3, 4, and 5 syllable words now. My Mom was skeptical about the whole homeschooling thing but now likes to brag that her granddaughter can read "War and Peace." (She actually can't, she gets bored after 2 sentences. I can't blame her, I lasted a bit longer but not much! She can read out of the ESV or NIV for sustained periods, however. She can also read out of the KJV, but, like my husband, claims it is not in English and prefers a more modern translation.)

     

    M.K. Henry's Words is also good for upper level teaching, but the accent patterns in Webster are especially useful for a younger student or an ESL student to help them catch on to how to sound out long words they have not seen before.

     

    A 5th grader I taught recently improved 4 grade levels after working through my phonics lessons and about half of Webster's Speller, we also did a few pages out of Henry's Words. He was reading at the 4th grade level before testing, but needed a bit more phonics work. We did not have time to finish up Webster's Speller before the class was done, but we sent a copy home for him to work on with his Mom.

     

    Elizabeth,

     

    Thanks for these links. I've only had a chance to quickly scan through them but I am saving this thread so I can go back and spend some time really reading through them. My son really does read well (like your dd, he can read the NIV, KJV, college science books, etc.) so I'm thinking a lot of it is really just exposure to new words. I'm thinking the Webster list might be a good way to easily expose him to words he normally doesn't encounter. Do you just have your child read through the words?

     

    Thanks!

    Late insurance payment.... do they have a grace period?

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    Thank you all for making me feel better. I think I should be okay. I did dig a little more and was able to finally find a number that got me through to a real person. The woman I talked to said it should be fine that it was only a couple of days late. Unfortunately, since I went through the automated system my payment still isn't posted. I only wish I could have figured out how to reach someone real yesterday, so I could have made sure the payment was applied. Oh, how I hate automated systems!:glare:

     

    Thanks for easing my fears!

    The "extras" in a Language Arts program

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Are you mainly concerned with covering everything that will be tested or with properly covering "everything"?

     

    If the concern is for testing, the a test-prep book is probably the best solution. We test every other year starting in 3rd grade. My plan is do do a test prep-book before the test each time to make sure we have hit all of the high points.

     

    If the concern is making sure you cover "everything", you can't do a good job of everything and you can't cover everything every year. Find a good scope-and-sequence that you trust or a good overall plan and use it to plan out your years so that you can build a strong foundation in LA and relax knowing that you are teaching what is important and will cover the important material. And then use the test prep books to pick up and specific skills that aren't covered in the order that your test tests them.

     

    Btw - the logos school has good, detailed scope and sequences that list specific skills that should be covered in each year. Many other places have them too. It is just a matter of find one that you agree with and trust.

     

    Thanks for the suggestions. I'm mainly concerned with covering things for the test. I feel pretty good that we will cover the necessities in the long haul, but I'd like to try and make sure I keep up with the minimums in "grade levels" for testing purposes. A test prep book may be the best option. I'm also going to look for a good scope and sequence like you suggested to try and follow.

     

    Thanks!

    The "extras" in a Language Arts program

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Have you looked at the language arts workbooks available in most book stores like Barnes and Noble? I think the Spectrum workbooks attempt to cover "state standards". Have a look through them and just cover the material that isn't already included in your regular curriculum. Another option would be Evan Moor.

     

    Here's a link:http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw_4_18?url=flatten%3D1%26search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=spectrum+test+prep+grade+5&sprefix=spectrum+test+prep

     

    Stacy,

    Thanks for the suggestion. I don't know why I didn't think of one of these, complete book of language arts type workbooks. I'll take a look at them.

     

    Thanks!

    Late insurance payment.... do they have a grace period?

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    I totally spaced and realized that my auto and home insurance policy payments were due 2 days ago. I called and paid using the automated system today but it will take 24-48 hours for the payment to be posted. Since it is Sat. my personal agent's office is closed and so I can't talk to anyone in person. Since Monday is a holiday.... I'm thinking it may take until Tuesday for the payment to actually be posted. Has anyone ever had this happen? Do they have a grace period or will they cancel or lapse my coverage? I am sick to my stomach with worry that something will happen and we won't have coverage.

    Questions about reading levels/upper grades

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    In a recent post someone was asking about on-line reading assessments and it got me curious about my ds. I did a reading assessment with him a couple of years ago and he was reading well above grade level so I never thought much more about it. He really seems like he can read about anything but as quickly went through some of the assessments that were linked I see words that are in the upper levels (8 grade to college levels) that he probably would get tripped up on but then there are also many that he could read in these levels. My initial thought is that it seems to me this is more a case of not being familiar with the words rather than actually being able to read them. I'm not sure if I'm making sense..... but I guess I'm wondering if once a kid can read at a 6-8 grade level, is the only thing you do to advance the reading level is to keep reading and exposure to more advanced vocab? This was always my thought but I don't want to be dropping the ball on something so I thought I'd ask if there was something you do to get your kids from that middle school reading level to an adult/college level.

     

    Thanks!

    The "extras" in a Language Arts program

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    If you don't use an all-in-one LA program, what do you do to cover the "extras" that are often included in an all-in-one LA program? We use the MCT series for grammar, writing, and vocab and really enjoy it. However, we also test here so I'm always a little paranoid about not covering the "standard" breadth of material that is covered in a grade-level, all-in-one program. We get a bit of the literary terms by using Teaching the Classics but this is pretty loose, so I was wondering if lit guides would help fill in the holes as far as literary terms, genre, etc. But what about things like alphabetization, contractions, how to write a letter, dictionary skills etc.? We get some of this naturally as we go through the course of life (ie. don't know what a word is... then go look it up etc.). Is there something to fill in the "extras" so I feel confident for test time?

     

    Thanks!

    Arizona Science Center

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    Thanks! The classes do look like fun and I'm glad to hear they sound like they are worth it. Looking over the website for the museum looks like it is great, I know my kids will love it. I'm still undecided if I will sign up for a class or not. We are actually going to be in Phoenix for a month or more so that is why I was thinking of doing the class. I also plan to just explore the museum on our own and maybe that is enough.

     

    Thanks for your input!

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