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jrhodes

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Everything posted by jrhodes

  1. Wow, I move up from the preschool board - I'm not sure if I'm ready for this!!! He has low frustration tolerance and inconsistencies so we'll see where we end up... Reading/Spelling: AAR (we're at 1 now so 2 whenever that happens), AAS Math: Singapore (again 1 now, so 2 whenever), some logic (any ideas?) Writing: HWT, copwork, MAYBE WWE depending on how he does during OT (probably 2nd semester if we do it) Science: BFSU (hope it goes well!) History: Thinking we'll just do a homemade geography to learn the continents. Major anxiety and not sure if he's ready to hear troubling things from history yet (pretty sure mummies might terrify him at the moment!) Fine Arts: Art in Story, Teach Art to Children, SQUILT. ----We struggle with this. Boys hate art, I prefer art history and none of us really like learning about music.....? OT and Speech might continue, we'll see. Some type of physical thing (right now swimming, will it last?). I'll probably continue pulling from Blossom and Roots, and Torchlight for ideas and units. Continue work on his growth mindset.
  2. Few other options: Secular, eclectic, academic homeschoolers (SEA) is a great facebook community and loads of help. Literature based options (meaning learning occurs arounds books): Torchlight and Blossom and Roots - both have through 3rd grade released, but many combine their kids in one program and move expectations based on age/grade. Torchlight can be expensive if you plan on buying all the books, but if you have a decent library there really is no need to do that (I combine both programs and only use the library)
  3. I replied to the other one, but I'll join in on this new too 🙂 I've got nothing to really help since we're in the beginning stages, but lots of support and wine!
  4. Thanks for finding this! I never would've thought to look, but has lots of lovely gems. My 4 yr old was just diagnosed with DCD, SPD and probably mild ASD (waiting on that one). He's currently in OT, speech and social skills.
  5. No way! I only do 2 core subjects (math, handwriting, reading) and 1 extra for 4. While I'm not a big CM follower, I do agree with habit of attention, so I focus more working and expanding that then worry about the overall subjects. That's my goal for first grade! Next year will probably take longer (I will have a 4 and 6 yr old) since I'll be sometimes having my attention divided and doing 1-1 work.
  6. I will be using TL prek, and I know in the facebook group a bunch of people are using levels 1 and 2 for older kids so you can make it work. It does only go to level 2 so depends on what history you are looking at. TL uses modern books and works on a more socratic method. BYL uses more classic books. Both of those are secular, though TL uses Curiosity Chronicles instead of STOW to make it truly secular (though some who don't like CC are using STOW as a replacement). I don't know about Wayfarer.
  7. Anyone else planning for prek? I have a 4 yr old, just starting at home. He did preschool this past year and I know he knows a bunch of stuff, but he hates letting me on to it, so it's kind of guess work figuring out where he's at. AAR pre-reading Natural Math, Preschool Math, MEP reception, Singapore K-B (the whole need to figure out where he is!) BFSU with older brother Torchlight Pre-K Kumon handwriting tracing
  8. I really like All About Reading (AAR). We just started the 1st one (did pre-reading as well) with my eldest but we're enjoying it so far. I got it at a used curriculum sale otherwise I was planning on trying Ordinary Parents Guide to Reading (OPGTR) because I could get it at the library and decide if it was working. I loved the look of Logic of English (LOE) but it was to expensive. AAR is also kind of expensive so no idea if we'll continue or switch to OPGTR.
  9. My thoughts for K didn't go over this year, so we're doing a redo year. He's 6, and technically would only be going into K this year anyway with an August birthday. Reading: AAR, we just started 1 so hopefully we'll move into 2 (or switch to OPGTR if he gets bored with AAR) Handwriting: HWT K/1 Math: Singapore 1 along with Natural Math (as done in Torchlight) Science: BFSU and Torchlight Torchlight pre-k (K was our not enjoyed this year so doing pre-k with both boys since I think they'll enjoy it)
  10. Joining in the TL love, but not level 2! We're doing K as well, and enjoying it. We're doing TL K with Singapore K-B, starting BFSU probbaly in January, pre-AAR, HWT (though we only do about 2 'subjects' a day to work on attention). I really love the look as it ages up and how receptive she is to change/additions. I'm looking forward to pre-k coming out for my younger son (I'm sure my older will tag along as well as an inbetween K and 1). He's not big into audio books so I'm looking forward to her alternates for history spine as I don't think CC is going to go well for us.
  11. Torchlight (new curriculum) would probably be good. It does lots of picture books and the chapter books it does use for lit are mostly fairly short and still with a decent amount of pictures (I need that for my nearly 5 yr old). We're going to be starting it in the fall. Build Your Library could be good too (very similar to TL), but I think they use more chapter books overall - I know I saw a comparison somewhere were BYL does longer books and TL uses shorter ones so they don't take as long. Bookshark might do around the world for K too, not sure though.
  12. I'm doing light pre-k with my youngest. He'll be 3, but has a speech delay and acts so much younger so I don't 'expect' as much of it. Our pre-k is pretty light anyway. Pinterest math and science fun sensory/art activities Nursery rhyme curriculum: http://curry.virginia.edu/go/wil/rimes_and_rhymes.htm . I used to with my oldest to work on rhyming skills for reading, but I'll still do the fun stuff with my youngest and hope it works more on his speech.
  13. Mine are little's so we haven't gotten to where this might be a problem, but we will have this. Do you have to do testing? Maybe go by where she is learning - so 3rd grade unless it's a major problem to make it not as frustrating? My oldest is possibly gifted (4), but he is also a summer birthday (Aug). So while I work at his level and will go with him entering K this coming year for homeschooling purposes, for every other possibility (we won't do testing so that won't matter) he would be preschool level. So he actually might do preschool this year for his anxiety - since for public school I wouldn't consider putting him in K this coming year. So for camps or other age divisions I plan on keeping him on the preschool start mentality meaning he'll technically be learning a grade ahead of what he is in, because maturity wise I consider him on the lower level. Younger son (2) has an early summer birthday (May) and I probably would've keep on him similar grade-age level by birthday, but he also has a speech delay.I'm not sure how that is going to affect things going forward and how to work with it so he might be in a younger level because of speech or he might do what my older kiddo is (grade above, but age grade for camps) I'll have to see how this plays out and how he progresses.
  14. Oldest will be 5 in Aug so we'll start sometime after labor day. Math: Singapore (or MEP? depends on how singapore goes) Reading: AAR - 2/3 of done with pre, so depends on where we get this year Handwriting: HWOT Science: Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding History: Adventures in America along with American Story Also possible preschool if he gets an IEP for his anxiety (due to his late bday I wouldn't put him in K until he was 6 for public school).
  15. We are currently using AAR pre-reading with my oldest son, so I have no background for how important rhyming is to reading. I do know it took him a few lessons to get the rhyming, but working on rhyming was my goal of his preschool at age 3 (nothing else associated with reading). So I did some lessons, but mostly followed this: http://curry.virginia.edu/go/wil/rimes_and_rhymes.htm It's a lot of fun and we enjoyed it so if you want to work on rhyming (to just work on it or as it relates to reading) I highly recommend it. Plus nursery rhymes are just fun and I tried to find books to go along with the theme and we found some great books that way (the Gregory Griggs/wig rhyme had tons of fun hair books!)
  16. I'm just starting some longer read alouds with DS4, because he's still wiggly, we're going with longer first readers so: Little Bear, Mercy Watson (just started this and he likes it), Mouse and Mole. I do have a long list of picture books for him that are longer and more involved so that might be a good place too then just longer books. Besides various curriculum mentioned (also don't forget Moving Beyond the Page, Bookshark, Build Your Library) I'm also going through the Mensa book list, Read Aloud Handbook, and there's something like 1000 Books to Read as well. We're also doing geography this year so part of our book list is based off geography and Wee Folk Art seasonal materials.
  17. I came across this in one of my facebook groups: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/educators/early-childhood/ It's a 10 month long (or several units if you're just taking some of the units) preschool curriculum (3-5) for free! It looks fun and interesting, also included a pre-history unit for your dino lovers (or pre STOW if you are doing that first). I think I just found our science curriculum for prek-4!!
  18. I'm not scared to admit it!! I believe in slow and steady and pretty much think it's unfair to have them go from doing nothing to asking them to sit still for 30-60 min for K. So at 3 yrs we've done 6 activities a week, mostly play based that lasted as long as he cared. Going to 4 and pre-k I'll require 10-15 min of sitting 'school' time where he has to do it (he's the first so there is no older sibs that make him excited about it!). What we'll be doing: Reading: some kind of pre-AAR (or 1), OPGTR, games from LOE mix (doing pre-AAR now with rhyming focus and he's learning letters, but not really ready or interested in their sounds so not sure where we'll be and what we'll be focusing on/backing off on. He hates Letter Factory so that's not an option!) Math: MEP R Handwriting: fairly phobic so just coloring, doing mazes (which he does enjoy) and strengthening the hand Science: if he'll sit for Magic Schoolbus some of that (right now he hates it, says he needs to be older), Diego for animals to go with geography unit is mostly what I figure, plus some nature classes and random pinterest activities Geography unit (mostly books, intro to globe and activities with the continents) Wee Folk Art and FIAR 1 selections with random activities for some selections
  19. Taking this with a grain of salt because we haven't gotten here yet (oldest is only 3), for K we were planning on doing Adventures in America from Elemental (https://elementalscience.com/collections/adventures-in-america) . Teacher guide (what I have) has a small story/narrative to read with review questions and copywork selections. It also lists books to go along with the chapter, some kind of activity/craft and a state study. Gentle enough for K and can add what you might need for 2nd.
  20. I would red shirt my older son in a heartbeat (mid August birthday and quite possibly the first day of school around here). He is 3 now and seems about average overall, but I would say not emotionally mature, so for that reason I would hold him back. I won't red shirt him for homeschool though because I can work on his level. For public I would be worried mostly about emotional maturity, sitting skill (very active kid), and then the fact here - K is really 1st in work which I don't agree with (one reason we are homeschooling). I can work at his level though and with his needs so I see no reason to 'hold' him back when he's home. Maybe he's doing some prek work, maybe some kindergarten - but I call him kindergarten if someone asks. We don't have to report grade level to the state so it doesn't matter in the long run and for activities it's usually based on birthday over grade level (except for camp stuff) and I usually ask if he can go with the slightly older kids because he is so physically active and gifted there. Only exception being he is in gymnastics with the slightly younger kids now because he still doesn't want to do activity by himself and isn't potty trained yet (grr!) For my younger son with a May birthday it's unknown, but he's still so little. At only nearly 2 who knows, since I won't automatically do it like I knew I would with my older son. He does have speech issues so I might if those continue, but if he catches up - unlikely since May is pretty normal and gives them more maturity time then an August/September birthday.
  21. If baths are still enjoyed also do things in the bath, add color tablets to the water or use the bath numbers and then add that amount of items so you can count them (then have an enjoyable bath so the 'activity' takes like 2 minutes!). Window markers might be great for colors as well. I taught my older son his colors, shapes and most counting and number recognition through books and play honestly. Oh and balloons make EVERYTHING fun! I hang balloons from the ceiling with letters on them (what we're currently working on, so put a number or just call out a color) and have my son try and hit it. I was worried about the play to school transition, so it's why at 3 I instituted 'activity' time. I do 1 forced activity a day (usually mostly play/game based though) that is 5-20 min depending on interest. We do 3 literacy activities a week, 1 science, 1 math, 1 other (sensory/art - not his forte or mine really so I need to make sure it gets done to work on fine motor type things). Next year at 4 I'll require a sit down of 10 min with a timer, because my thought has always been instead of going from nothing to something, I'd rather slowly work towards our goal with small increments. Of course with delays everything will depend on what is happening and how it affects them. My younger son is already in such a different direction since instead of counting/colors in play like I did with my older son, my younger has a speech delay so I'm purely focusing on minimal words and strong emphasis just to try and get him the language he needs over added extras.
  22. I don't homeschool yet (son is only 1) so I can't comment as to how this will work, but I have "Art in Story" by Marianne Saccardi that I was planning in using with SOTW. It's meant for elementary, I would say earlier years, so you would probably have to beef it up. It covers ancient world art, art of the East and Africa, middle and renaissance era, various time periods in America. Each chapter offers a basic background info, a story, small activity, curriculum connections to make, and additional adult and children references to pull from. As an additional reference for myself I have the "The Story of Art" by E.H. Gombrich which seems a little dry and meant as more of a college type text, but could be a source to help you pull things together.
  23. I'm in Cleveland too. Not homeschooling yet since my son is only 1, but I've tried looking around for preschool type groups for when the times and it's hard. There's a Lake County homeschool group on Facebook and a NEO Homeschool group, but most of that group seems to be around Akron. I know of 2 libraries that do homeschool programs, but I think they are either elementary or middle school so that won't help.
  24. Being a children's librarian, I second talking to your children's and/or young adult librarian because they probably have good ideas for what is on their shelves. Try this website: http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews
  25. I haven't seen it mentioned on the boards before (I did a search because I was wondering what anyone thought of it) but "Art in Story" (http://www.amazon.com/Art-Story-Teaching-Elementary-Children/dp/1591583594/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345306075&sr=8-1&keywords=art+in+story). It's art history that I think would go along nicely with Story of the World. I looked at it from my library and it seemed nice and good for the elementary set. Jen
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