natjen05
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Posts posted by natjen05
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Which Sansa do you like? We have an iPod Classic, but I wouldn't mind something less expensive for dc to keep in their rooms.
Do you happen to know if you can xfer easily from a Mac (iTunes) to a non- Mac device?
I have been able to change from the itunes to just regular mp3 with my stuff. From a site that I found. If you google or search with whatever engine "Convert Itunes to mp3" you should find a way to do it. I don't know what format the books need to be for the Sansa (haven't heard of it). But if you look that up (search "what format does Sansa use") then you can find a converter that will help you out.
And that way you can still use stuff that you had previously and not have to buy it again :)
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I never realized that the AKC was so picky about names. Why does it have to start with Fireflyz?
It has something to do with his parents I think. Its been a while since I did this!
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I would suggest just using letter tiles. Writing is too important till later on like others were saying. Letter tiles will show that he recognizes. Don't push it because it may turn him off of learning. :)
Boys are made to be active more than girls. So they tend to like active learning. So instead of sitting, maybe he will "booty write". Its where you write the letter with your bottom. My kids loved it when I taught Kindergarten in the ps. So there is another idea to try but I wouldn't worry about actually writing and stuff at this point. :)
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I also started praying with my child that God would help me teach correctly and in the way that she can understand it. I also pray for patience and understanding. Then we pray for the child that she listens carefully, learns her material and that we both would have a great attitude about the whole experience.
One day I was so frustrated I asked her if she wanted to get up every morning and go back to ps. She got this funny expression on her face and she said '"No way." Things are much better now. I still lose cool, but I tell ya God has helped me work through most of our problems. With a little help from God things have worked out great since. She actually will tell me "Mom, we haven't prayed this morning..." haha
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My vote is for Sansa. You can't go wrong. Much easier to use and figure out than an iPod. I have both and much prefer the Sansa. With Sansa you don't have to go through iTunes or iLibrary.....I hate both.
I listen to library audio books. There are some books that are not available in mp3 format and I have to use the iPod. There might be a way to convert it to mp3 but that's beyond my understanding.
You can find that type of stuff on the internet. Just search for convert ____ to mp3. Depending on what the other formatting is put where the blank is. There are tons of ways :)
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I think giving turns at being first just makes it worse. Makes it more desirable.
Whoever isn't fighting gets first pick. And if they continue to fight whatever you're doing is just canceled. Doesn't take them long to figure it out.
I'd have some talks about putting others before yourself.
I agree. Of course my children are smaller but I just take it away. If they want that certain area, just say "ok no one can have it now that you fought about it."
That way no one "wins" in the end. They all lose it. I have found it to work with older kids too since I used to watch some older kids. Seemed to work well with them. Learned to not fight and take turns.
I think that reminding them about putting others before yourself is an excellent thing too. I will be working on that more. Thanks for the reminder!
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I agree with StartingOver. Just ask comprehension questions more often. Make it more personal. Such as stories or things that they have experienced to go along with whatever you are reading about. If they make connections with their own life sometimes that helps too. :)
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Lots of great advice here, but don't forget to declutter the rest of your life also, not just the physical stuff.
Sit down with your calendar and determine what activities and obligations you could skip the next time around. Imagine you were stuck home with a flat tire and couldn't go. Could they hold the event without you? Could you survive without going? I have found that one of the reasons my dd didn't get her chores done was that we were always going somewhere and she didn't have the time to do her cleaning.
Is it time to give up some of the children's activities that they have outgrown or no longer really enjoy. Often times these things just become habit and we focus so much on just getting there that we forget to ask ourselves why we go. Talk with your kids about this. My dh hated T-ball with a gut-wrenching passion but never told his parents because they seemed so happy and proud of his participation. They later revealed that they hated it too, but drummed up as much enthusiasm as they could because they wanted to be supportive of him.
Consider your dietary habits, do they also need simplified? Can you ditch some unhealthy things and replace them with healthier options? Are you cooking extra meals to accommodate those who don't like the "main" meal? Can you incorporate more one-pot meals, like soups or stews, especially for those evenings when everyone isn't eating at the same time? Would once-a-month cooking simplify your life?
Now onto the thinnest ice, what about education? Are you majoring in the minors and minoring in the majors? Are you leaving some things for your dc to discover on their own as mature teens or adults? (It took me a while to realize that I didn't have to cover every.single.thing I considered important in life!) Do you cling to books and reference materials that you never use anymore, that could be off blessing some other home where they would be used and cherished? Are you getting so bogged down in curriculum that you don't have enough time or flexibility for actual learning and exploration?
And finally, religious obligations. Are you so busy working in the nursery, volunteering to bring the snack, preparing for your Bible study, attending committee meetings, staging the Christmas play, etc. that you don't have time to actually pray, worship, or spend meditative time with God?
If you are truly seeking to simplify your life, don't forget to address areas other than just the physical. I "decluttered" Christmas about 5 years ago and it has been so much nicer ever since that decision. Every group/club/social organization we frequent has a party. I decided that if it was just a party for the sake of a party, we would skip it. The only ones we now attend are those that focus on the religious significance of the holiday or those focused on serving others at the event (making up food baskets, blankets for the homeless shelter, etc.) Wow! Just that made a huge difference. HTH
Thank you for this! I love how you are signifying God in your life as important. Many just think that by believing and not doing is okay. I really appreciate this post. I still have to work on it, so it is uplifting that those "things" don't have to be done. Jesus should be our focus on Christmas, but in most cases it isn't.
Sometimes we fall back into old routines of watching too much tv, or like you said going out that our family does not have the time to do chores or things that need to be done. (me included!) So I continually work on this.
Thank you again! Very good advise!!!
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That's okay.... Sometimes we learn more about homeschooling and what works with our own children as we gain experience while homeschooling (12th year here) than as classroom-certified teachers. It's just not the same. :rolleyes: I'm not sure how many different math curriculums you've had experience with in the classroom, but MOST math curriculums don't schedule manipulatives beyond 3rd grade. However, the teaching methods of R&S in particular are clear enough that they often aren't needed for the older student, so the OP should be fine. ;)
A good teacher will use manipulatives no matter what level you are working with. I have used a few different math programs. I do like the R&S but I use SM as my core and R&S to back it up. When you have a child that has a hard time with math, it doesn't matter if it shows it clearly or not. It is also about being able to change the program to how your child needs to be taught. I am a homeschooling mom, and I think it is so much better for kids than a public school. Teaching is much more different and much more rewarding! I was wanting to explain why I said the things I did by being a cert. teacher not that I know more than anyone. I just didn't know if she would understand my wording. I'm sorry it came across that I thought I would know more about being a cert. teacher. My apologies.
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I'm not sure I undertand this. R&S does use manipulatives and has plenty of pictures.
I am a certified teacher, too, and spent many years teaching math across many grade levels, to all levels of students, from special education up to honors, so I think I have a pretty good background from which to evaluate R&S and from which to analyze concrete-pictorial-abstract learning. (I hope that didn't sound snarky ... I don't mean it to be. :-)
To reinforce what I said above and previously, I skimmed the grade 1 book and here are just a few examples of "hands on" learning:
forming numbers: children form the numbers in the air
number order: students might do dot-to-dot pages to practice number order
counting: the students are asked to count the number of various items in the classroom (chairs, clocks, doors, etc.)
adding: children move ducks from grass to a pond (in grade 2, sailboats are used as manipulatives in the same way)
subtracting: children remove ducks from a pond
ordering numbers: each child gets a number card and the students line up in order of their numbers
telling time: children move the hands on a clock
money: children use actual money to count (and in later grades to count back change)
fractions: teacher cuts an apple or a cookie in half or fourths
ordinal numbers: children count actual items
measurement: teacher and/or students use real objects to teach (canning jar, measuring cup, ruler, etc.)
temperature: students use a real thermometer and discuss real life situations such as what clothing one would wear when it is a certain temperature
I don't have time right now to go through the other books, but I think the above examples illustrate why I believe R&S is concrete, rather than abstract. (Of course, as one gets farther up in the levels, the math does get more abstract, but I think that's true for most programs, Singapore included, since children at that level are able to think more abstractly.)
I'm sorry I was talking more about the upper grade levels. Not the younger. I should have made that more clear. The older grade levels deal more with the abstract. Not as much hands on. Sorry I wasn't so clear on that.
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Well, the 1st-3rd grade R&S books DO include manipulatives (pictures, the bee poster, etc.), but honestly, I don't know of any math curriculum that has manipulatives *scheduled for you* after the 3rd or 4th grade, except for MUS which the OP has already tried. Do you?
It's because of the mastery method, the sheer amount of review and practice in R&S, and the clear teaching that enables a struggling math student to really learn.
That would be pictorial. Manipulatives are things that you can manipulate. Such as blocks, counters that type of thing. I use beads a lot of times for a manipulative. I do like the R&S for their review. Every lesson builds on the previous which is great. If you do the R&S which is very cost effective, just incorporate counters and things like that. If he learns through doing, this will help out a lot.
One thing that helped my daughter also is get out a deck of cards. Take out the JQK's and jokers and remind them that the A is one or even write a one on it. Do memory games such as two numbers that make 5 can be kept. I also have my daughter tell me the answer between two numbers no matter what and she is learning through that also. You can have manipulatives to count out so if you pick up 3 and 4 have counters to count out those and see if it makes 5. Little games like that work great. Go fish is another one you could do that way.
Number bonds (SM) help show the correlation between the numbers. I will have to tell you that there is no "right" program out there. You have to incorporate different ones to really get a balanced understanding.
Someone said before that there aren't worksheets that you can write in for the R&S but there is a student workbook that you can buy.
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I think R&S would be an excellent choice for him. We've used grades 1-5, so I'm very familiar with it. I don't see it being abstract at all. I think the explanations are extremely clear and the review is fantastic. Some complain of the repetition and "mindless drill," but I don't see it that way at all. The drill in the early grades is what is extremely successful in helping children learn their facts. Then, once they have a good foundation, more advanced math is very easy. R&S builds slowly, giving students plenty of time to master material, and the continual review ensures they don't forget it. R&S also gently introduces new topics, giving the students the time they need to understand, before moving on to new material.
The reason that I say it is abstract is because you are not using manipulatives to learn. When you work just with numbers that is an abstract way of learning. If you use pictures or things to count with, it is hands on. Sorry I'm a certified teacher so if there is something you don't understand let me know. SM is hard to teach because it does not spell everything out for you. I have taken a couple of classes on it so I have an easier time with it probably. I do have some things I could email you if you would like.
My brother had a hard time with math because it didn't make sense to him either. Memorization is probably your best bet. R&S does a lot of that. If you started SM at the level 5 it probably won't make sense because you have to have the previous understanding from the years before. I would suggest a lot of games working with numbers and teach counting on. Use a number line or use a place value mat. That is from SM but you can incorporate a lot of things from SM into any math curriculum. Let me know and I can send you the mat and stuff.
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R&S will be abstract because it is a lot of memorization. I'm surprised SM didn't work. It starts out very hands on. You can also adapt the strategies to be hands on. Take all the time you need with each strategy. Use manipulatives every time you do a problem. What grade?
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I am using Rod and Staff and really like the program. I wanted something that was bible based and my daughter loves it. She learns a lot but it isn't overwhelming. Although it was made in the 80's it really gets kids to read and want to learn. Plus as a bonus it is really easy to use. I am a certified teacher and am happy with it!
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The best thing I learned from a friend of mine was to go through and clean the kids' rooms either with or without them. Put everything where it should go and then every single night tell the kids that it is clean up time and they have 15 minutes or whatever to get everything picked up. Whatever is left on the floor will be thrown away (or put into a garbage bag to give away or whatever you want to do). You only have to do that a couple of times and they get the clue that you are serious. My 3 year old is great at getting her room picked up now because of this. It has made things so much easier. You could even do this a couple of times during the day. Set a specific time when it is "clean-up" and they have to get it done especially for the younger kids. That way they don't get overwhelmed by the amount of toys out.
Hopefully you find what works for your family!
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I've been doing that for 25+/- years. There comes a time when you have to do something different by choice.
When you pray you have to also make some changes in your life. God will not do it all for you. That is why you ask for His help. :) It comes down to whether you just pray to pray or whether you completely and utterly believe God will help the addiction.
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A lot of prayer. Trust that God will help take that away. :)
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We go from approximately 8 am to 11:30. I start lunch at 11:30 and she can play Educational games on computer till lunch is ready. Works out really well for us.
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I have been looking into them. We already have a foodsaver and am not as impressed as I thought I would be. I am seriously looking into the chamber sealers because you can do more with liquids. I am actually looking into the Vacmaster VP112. It is around $600 but everything that I have looked at they last for a long time, unlike the foodsaver. We have a lot of venison that we grind and freeze so I am looking for something that will in the long run be more worth our money. Have you found anything yet?
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If you do go with SM, I can sell you all my stuff. :lol::lol::lol:
I would love to know what you have. I am starting HS with my 1st grader. If no one else wants it let me know! I am very interested!
a good idea or very silly given the ages of my kids??
in The Chat Board
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Good sportsmanship needs taught. I still think the best bet would be just to take whatever away. LONG before you want to pull your hair out. Makes everyone better in the long run and the kids realize that if they start arguing the end result is neither of them gets it. Kids learn better with fast results than letting it go one every time.
Kind of like the cat scratches you if you hurt it. The kid learns right away not to pull its tail! hahaha