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tinaj

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Everything posted by tinaj

  1. Time Left: 11 days and 8 hours

    • FOR SALE
    • USED

    Decimals and Percents, Fractions, Beginning Algebra Good condition, minor shelf wear

    $45

    , Illinois - US

  2. Time Left: 11 days and 8 hours

    • FOR SALE
    • USED

    Volume 1: Prehistory Through the Middle Ages Volume 2: Our Modern World Both good condition. Creases on cover of Vol. 1. Binding slightly loose on Vol. 2. Shipping included.

    $25

    , Illinois

  3. Time Left: 11 days and 8 hours

    • FOR SALE
    • USED

    Apples, Butterflies, Cats, Dogs, Edgewood, Farming. Shipping included.

    $65

    Montgomery, Illinois - US

  4. Oh, I loved, loved, LOVED that scene. That was my favorite book. I loved Jim. I married a redhead! And honestly, I cannot imagine harm from reading Nancy Drew. I read them over and over and over...and most of the other books on that literature list someone mentioned, as well - the whole Anne of Green Gables series was my favorite, I read all the Bobbsey Twins, all the Hardy Boys, as well as Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High (those were MUCH worse)! I liked Cherry Ames but never came across more than a few. Was the writing fantastic? No...but it wasn't terrible. I'm convinced my voracious reading has a lot to do with why I'm a writer today. Honestly the formulaic stories were sort of a comforting escape, you always knew it was going to turn out alright in the end. That's not such a bad thing for a kid, sometimes. Certainly, prereading is the best thing to do to determine if it is the best thing for your family! But you know, I still love to read the occasional fluffy book. It is relaxing and fun. Not everything I read needs to expand my mind.
  5. We have leveled spelling in 1st grade, so there is hope :).
  6. I think you you really have to give it a month, however, sending the teacher a note asking her to guide your daughter towards more challenging books might not be a bad idea. In 1st grade my daughter ALWAYS picked easy "baby" books to read even though she could read at a 4th/5th grade level.
  7. Thanks! My big thing against public school is that I think it is destroying my kids' natural passion for learning. So my goal is to make learning fun while spending time together.
  8. I'm relatively new here, was researching when we were thinking about homeschooling this year, but we decided against it. However, I of course discovered so many recommendations to various curricula that I decided I needed to implement some more structured learning into some of our home-time. My DS9 is a challenge, he is incredibly bright and mathy and curious but highly temperamental. I purchased the first four Life of Fred books, actually for my DD7, and he has read them all in 3 days! So, he loves them and is asking for the next ones so I am counting that as success. (Unfortunately my budget is maxed so he's going to have to wait...) He's working on fractions in school right now and is finding them discouraging; I am hopeful once he gets to the LoF books that are closer to his level it will help him renew his math love. I'm trying to figure out a way to support his math curriculum at school without drowning him. Tonight I managed to get my daughter work on Miquon with me and one chapter of Life of Fred Apples without any complaint - and she HATES math. I am really trying to emphasize the rods, she loves to play with them and as long as they are involved she seems to think it isn't "real" math. I'm also mixing it up with drawing pictures of things we talk about such as shapes, since she loves to be arty. I feel PS is killing any chance she might have of liking math by drilling her daily on math facts, which she is very slow at. It makes her feel dumb, when she actually grasps concepts very quickly. My son was the same way, it took him a long time to be able to pass the Minute Math quizzes yet he is off the charts on the conceptual stuff. I also managed to read some pages from History Odyssey that are related to our SOTW topic this week. They were busy playing Legos while I read but hopped up any time there was a picture to look at and answered questions quickly so they were definitely listening. I am excited that I managed to get through everything I wanted to without a single fuss! Now I need to figure out how to implement Bravewriter without mass rebellion...
  9. I use an over-the-door shoe holder made out of clear plastic that I got at Walmart for about $6 for practically all my art supplies. I actually have 3 or 4 in my house - I use them not only for art supplies but also for small games and manipulatives, they are by far my favorite organizational tool. I also have one in my pantry. It is great, I can put child-friendly items lower so they are easily accessible and the "not" child friendly items out of reach.
  10. This has been so helpful, just to see that other people have been successful. I have thought of just starting with the basics, myself, until I figure out what in the world I'm doing. The advice to start with the basics and do child-led science ring true to me. They both love science so I don't think that would be hard. Although I was never particularly strong at science so part of me wants some direction. I've also considered Math Mammoth, I think I will give it another review. I am trying to balance pennies but my sanity is also valuable! :001_smile: Thank you!
  11. OK. I really appreciate the feedback. I am glad to hear specifics of how someone else does this. I am accustomed to being regularly interrupted at work and my kids also know when they can bug me and when they can't because I have worked from home for several years. My son, like I said, grasps most concepts very quickly and they do play very well together, I actually think he could help her with a lot of things and that would probably be good for him, too. They would both have various activities, as well, to maintain physical fitness and to get them out of the house :). I also was planning to try to get some early morning work in. Honestly, sometimes just 2 hours of morning quiet is better than 8 hours during the full day. Saying that, mornings are not my best. The two-kid thing is what is scaring me a bit, because they are pretty far apart academically. But I have to keep in mind that 2nd grade should be easier and she'll be fortunate to be tagging along for some things without having to do all the extra work!
  12. That is a good point, I do worry that I would be expecting too much from her. I think I will definitely reevaluate her workboxes and maybe only give her "fun" things during our afternoon workbox session.
  13. I have a 9 yo and a 7 yo, entering 5th and 2nd grades. I also work full-time, although I do work from home. The 9 yo has ADHD and is being assessed for ASD, however, he is highly gifted and learns the things that come to him naturally easily. DD7 also learns the things she likes relatively easily, but can be stubborn about areas that frustrate her (math). They both read well above their grade levels. I am thinking I can do this if I can combine their lessons in a number of areas and use workboxes in order to keep myself and the children on task. What I really need to know is whether or not teaching them together on most of the below is doable as long as I adjust their supplementary readings/assignments accordingly - I've tried to select curriculum that will allow that. I don't want to hold anyone back or push too hard, but I don't think I can find the time if I can't do most of their instruction together. And I don't mind using videos and computers for some things but don't really want that to be their main source of instruction. So here's my tentative plan (if I can find the $$ for it :001_smile:) Language Arts - LoE/MCT/Writer's Workshop - I was thinking I could start them both on LoE moving relatively slowly, as my daughter does quite well in language arts and it is harder for my son. I like LoE because it includes cursive instruction. I would alternate days with MCT. I also like to encourage some creative writing, so would like to do a weekly writer's workshop. I also would like to introduce some narrative and dictation skills, I don't feel they have that at all. Math - MEP / LoF - I know I can't combine them in math, my son is very advanced, but thought we would start LoF at the beginning and go through it together. I'm on the fence on math, MEP is free but also very teacher intensive. I really don't know what would be best, and I've researched them all - MM, Miquon, SM, etc. They have done Everyday Math in school and I'm not a huge fan. I think we would pretty quickly move towards AoPs for my son. This is probably my area of greatest stress. History - SoTW - 3 times per week, with supplementary readings from HO for DS9 and just have DD7 read some related books at her level. Science - BFSU 1-2 times per week. We would supplement with videos and activities on the weekend. Spanish - Learnables 4 x week The following are some things I would like to do even though the budget is tight, but I think they would love them: Geography - Mapping the World by Heart for DS9, probably just some map work for DD7 Logic - Mindbenders Art - DD7 LOVES art, so I am considering Atelier since there is a deal at the coop coming up... Computer - Typing for both I am hoping to be able to provide 2.5 hours of direct instruction and have them do about 2-2.5 hours of independent work (I would be available for questions and plan to break up that time with active play and lunch) each day. Does this seem reasonable for two children who learn relatively quickly and are reading completely independently?
  14. The pen doesn't have any specific purpose although I have occasionally added a task that I didn't have a magnet for. Mostly, the kids use it to decorate their boards when the mood strikes them :). I found these magnetic dry-erase boards at Wal-Mart, I think. They were only about $5 each. I like them because they are really thin and lightweight, but I have seen similar ones at Michael's. I was able to just use those sticky removable picture hangers to hang them on their doors. For the magnets I found little wood pieces at Michaels that were 5 cents each on clearance, but honestly if I were to do it over I would probably just print out cardstock and maybe laminate it. We are out of the habit now for summer, but they made the last part of the school year MUCH easier last year. Basically, after breakfast, I would tell them it was time to go "do their boards" and they would do them independently. The evening was a little different. I would usually remind them after dinner to go up and check their boards. Chores often still required some reminding from me. And yes, I would put piano or swimming in the activity section when we had a lesson that day (my son does better with prep) and when piano is in the "to do" it means practice. We also have tried deducting money from their allowance when they don't complete a task, it works when I remember to do it - I must be more consistent! I have not really gone all out for the consequence factor, I'm more about trying to help them establish good habits and just cutting out the nagging on my part. FYI, I also have a "master" dry erase board where I store all the extra magnets.
  15. My goal for this entire year has been to declutter and get organized, and I am getting there. I have purged and purged and I have organized and organized. First of all, I had to tell myself that it was a process. Clutter begets clutter, and everything needs a place. My DS8 is ADHD and maybe Aspie, too, and in order to help him succeed I have realized that I MUST change my ways. So, one thing that helped me out with the kids is this, which I made with the kids' help - they got to pick out their "pictures" for the magnets: I was inspired by the ones on Etsy here: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fshop%2Fcucumberlime%3Fref%3Dseller_info&h=XAQHdyjJwAQFst1HcPIlEuNpNDvlcES65adPfen_J0KpGeQ I like it because I can add magnets as needed and I have added magnets that are more chore-based such as putting away laundry, wiping the bathroom sinks, and picking up toys in their room as time has passed. Regarding laundry, I am still not doing GREAT but things have improved, and one thing that has helped has been labeling the kid's dresser drawers. Then I fold, and they know where to put away. It may not look pretty but at least it goes in the right drawer. And I keep hangers in the laundry room and hang anything up that goes in a closet right away, and the kids have to put that away, too. I realized I was folding THEN hanging, which was essentially double work. What used to work, and I need to get back to, is scheduling laundry day consistently rather than trying to do it whenever. Oh, and hanging a sweater organizer in their bedroom closets and putting out 7 outfits for the week has been invaluable for daily sanity. If only I could figure out how to keep all the socks sorted. :)
  16. Thank you very much for the help. I'm checking out MEP and MUS. I definitely think we will end up with AoPS but I really do worry about the foundation he has received with Everyday Math, so want to make sure he's ready. Thanks again! I am a working mom, so this is going to be quite an adventure if I take the plunge and will need all the help I can get!
  17. Thanks for the replies! I am looking for a secular program. I am very interested in Life of Fred, as I think it would be so different for him that it really might challenge him in a fun way, but it does seem more supplementary. Because it is such a strength for him I am so concerned that I might let him down, especially since I really was just an average math student. I just don't want to hold him back. I will have to check out MUS, I had looked at Math Mammoth and Singapore (which intimidates me), but haven't reviewed that one. I think I'm going to need to combine to meet all his needs since it is his "thing". I keep telling myself that if I do this I just have to take it one step at a time :).
  18. I have a very bright 8yo who I am considering homeschooling (along with my 7yo daughter) for the first time this year. He has ADHD and social skills issues but shines at math. In public school he is going into 5th grade (he skipped a year) but is another year ahead in math, so would be taking 6th grade this year. His curriculum has been Everyday Math, which he generally breezes through. I don't hate Everyday Math but sometimes I'm not convinced they really master skills, either. Suggestions?
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