Jump to content

Menu

lgliser

Members
  • Posts

    765
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by lgliser

  1. I get what you're saying, guys. I should clarify though - DH doesn't have time to actually teach them, but he would have plenty of time to answer any questions they may have and have conversations with them, like in the evenings. He wouldn't be sitting with them during a Video Text lesson, pausing, and discussion, but he would be there later if they have questions. So I do feel like I could be fairly hands off. On the other hand, there have been lots of things that I have truly enjoyed "relearning" as I teach them. Maybe algebra would be one of those things! What kind of free/inexpensive options? And also, what are you thinking of that is so much more that DO? I can't imagine... lol
  2. That is an awesome idea! PeterPan, that is a good assessment - thanks!
  3. I feel like I've seen a mix of positive and negative reviews. We are in Chreia and we've really enjoyed all of the books so far. I was curious who else was liking it and planning on continuing with it all the way through. Also curious if you don't like it, why?
  4. I started researching algebra options a while back and for some reason ended up settling on thinking we'd either use video text or chalk dust. I was mostly researching things that could be done without my help for the most part. After watching the dvd that Video Text sent us, it looks like they expect parent interaction. Is that right? I just don't feel that I would be good at that. DH would, but he just doesn't always have time. Right now I have three 11 year olds. One is working on CLE 6th grade math, the others are doing CLE 5th grade math. The girls, doing 5th grade, will do 6th grade next year, so I'm thinking more for my son right now. First trying to decide if I should have him continue with CLE next year (I'd condense 700/800 for him, as he is good at math and catches on quickly). Or deciding if I should just jump into another algebra program for him next year. It's less overwhelming to just think that maybe I'll just continue on with CLE through algebra. Pros of this would be that people seem to like their algebra and we like CLE. It's also not that expensive. The cons of this would be that we'd still need to find another math program for algebra 2, geometry, etc. And the ones that would be hands off for me are pricey, so another year or two of lower prices is tempting. So, I was really convinced that I needed something either video or online based so that I didn't have to be involved. I'm just not good at math. But they're so pricey! I'm wondering if we could just use something like Kahn to help when the kids come across problems? Ok and I'm not sure why I settled on VT or CD. People seem to like Derek Owens a lot too. What else is there? And what are the good programs that aren't video or online based? Hellllllllp!
  5. My 11 year olds are involved in a lot of things... sports, music, Awana, co ops, etc. We have something every night. But like when we have a short school day and hours before any evening activity, sometimes they get bored. And even sometimes when they have a friend over, it's like they don't really know what to do! They don't play with toys, it's been really cold out so they haven't been able to play outside much, and I prefer they don't play video games or watch TV Mon-Th, though I have been a little lenient on that lately since it's been so cold, and I do let them have screen time when friends are over if they want to play Wii or something. So anyway, I'm just curious what a typical tween does to entertain themselves :)
  6. Thank you for sharing your story - you are obviously a WONDERFUL mom. Your family is in my prayers - I am so very sorry for the loss of your sweet girl.
  7. I don't know... I'll have to research dyscalculia. I just asked her for the numbers that make 10 and she was able to do that just fine. She can subitize, yes. Yes - I definitely think you're right. I think she is just more embarrassed and frustrated. She likes to do well! Place value, subtracting mixed fractions, word problems of all sorts. I remember having such a hard time with word problems myself! Love this - thank you SO much! Totally. I was just like her as a kid. And I'm not even upset about her frustration - I completely understand how she feels! Good to know. I feel like I would just follow someone's lead, so it's good to hear that I need to really pay attention and make sure they are doing what SHE needs. Ya, again, not at all! I am hoping to figure out whatever we need to do for her. I think backing up is a great idea.
  8. One of my 11 year olds is doing 5th grade CLE math. She's "ok" at it, but is often in tears. She really takes a while to grasp concepts sometimes. I think she's a lot like I was - she doesn't have a true understanding, she just goes through the motions to get it done. I think Prodigy math has her at a 3rd grade level, which I only just noticed and it really shocked and saddened me! I am still not great at math myself so I am not good at helping her, so DH has taken over. He does better than me but she gets stubborn and is hard to teach... like she really doesn't want to learn, she just wants to be done with the assignment. I feel like she either needs a different curriculum (which is a bummer because I really like CLE) or a tutor. I think I've heard that mathnasium is really thorough and would probably truly help her, but I know it's very pricey. And I'm not sure how to even find a tutor. I mean, maybe there's a teen of a friend or something but I'm not sure if a teen could get in depth enough for her, ya know? Any suggestions?
  9. My kids have never done anything like that. Except I think in their co op computer class, they did learn Google Slides and I'm pretty sure they did have to create some sort of presentation. But nothing like that here at home. Sometimes we get done with our school work so quickly and I was thinking maybe this would be something fun but still educational that they could do. I'm just not really sure how to give them direction. I'm very much a "by the book" kind of person. I love scripted curriculum that holds my hand. So for me to want to do something without that is hard. I'm also not really familiar with how kids are doing research these days. Obviously we can go to the library and get books, but I'd like them to know how to find reliable information on the internet. I'm not sure if kids still have to write out a report on a piece of paper or if everyone types now. Or do they do a Power Point or Google Slideshow? Again, obviously I know I can decide if I want them to use paper, draw a poster, or do a Power Point... but I'm curious what you all do. (My kids are 11). My son goes to the gifted program once a week and we had parent teacher conferences last week. His teacher asked me what technologies we used for education and I was like, "um, computers and ipads..." But she meant more things like iMovie, Keynote, Pages..... So I guess that's what got me thinking about this!
  10. Who do they compete against? Is it tougher than Hands on Equations?
  11. My son is 11 and goes to the gifted program through our local school district once a week. He just started this year so everything there is still sort of new to us. They do Hands on Equations for math. His teacher asked him last week if he wanted to do Math Olympiad instead and he said no. He is very resistant to change so I'm not surprised. I was curious though, if anyone knows the main difference in these programs. And I wonder if she thought that Math Olympiad would be better for him, why she gave him a choice instead of just switching him.
  12. We are using Getting Started with Latin and we're at the part about 2nd declension words. It starts off with vir, meaning man. So the chart looks like this: Singular Plural vir viri viri virorum viro viris virum viros viro viris We really enjoy this guy's song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLwcxlIYcSw ... but it's confusing because his 2nd declension chart is: -us -i -i -orum -o -is -um -os -o -is So it's the same except for vir. Why isn't vir "virus?"
  13. We just finished "Discovering the World of Geography" and it we liked it alright. I'm thinking about doing the next book now but also wondering if there's something else maybe. They haven't memorized state capitals yet, but we do sing them with the Geography Songs cd once in a while. They used to do Legends and Leagues so they have sung the countries in Africa and Asia. I really want them to have the capitals memorized, and I'd like them to at least be able to hear the name of a country, know that it's a country, and what continent it's on, if not also know the capital. So I'm not sure if we should spend this semester just singing (and ideally with some sort of workbook or something....) I don't know, I feel like they are just lacking in a general familiarity with the world.
  14. Thanks so much for taking the time to make a list! The only ones on there that she's read are All of a Kind Family (she did like that one) and we listened to Echo. She wasn't crazy about it but my other kids liked it. We will check the others out right away and she'll be thrilled when I tell her she can stop reading Secret Garden LOL!!
  15. I am SO GLAD I posted this! Thank you all so much! My kids will be thrilled too :lol: She just said she doesn't like the oldness and the language is hard. She said that she liked that Wonder talked about things she new about, like Mine Craft! I can't think of anything I don't want her reading. She loves Diary of a Wimpy Kid. She did not love A Wrinkle in Time. She enjoyed The Giver. Harry Potter. She kind of likes scary books.
  16. I love the advice to read aloud books like this. The kids do still like to snuggle so I think that will be really nice! I am looking at things like The Secret Garden as "assigned" reading, like I had to do in school! I do let them all pick out their own books to read for fun. Am I worrying too much about what school looked like for me? I just remember being assigned certain books to read. Then we'd talk about it, do worksheets, write book reports, etc.... Is it important that a kid actually has to read certain books? Or, at least at this age, is it totally fine if we just do read alouds for classics and then they just read whatever for fun? That's what I think I'm hearing, right? Oh, and yes, she loved Harry Potter! I'd love any recommendations for quality "modern" books like that!
  17. One of my girls (11 years old) really dislikes "old timey" stories. I'm having her read The Secret Garden right now and she's muddling through, but doesn't enjoy it. She has specifically told me she likes more modern stories. She loved Wonder and she also liked Super Spy Girl (or something like that). I was wondering if it was more important to expose them to classics or foster a love of reading. What do you think?
  18. I get that families have similar rules... but it still seems random as to which ones are 1st, 2nd... etc. Like why are things like navigo, amo, aro, servo, laboro, narro... all 1st conjugations. I know they all follow the same rules but why? Those words don't really seem related or anything. I guess I just wondered how to explain it to the kids other than, "that's just how Latin is!"
  19. I'm just confused about conjugations. There are 4. Is it just random or is there a reason that a verb is 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th? Kind of like genders in nouns... some of them make sense but others just seem random, right?
  20. Here's what we have done so far. In 3rd grade we did Prima Latina. In 4th we started Latina Christiana but we just weren't loving it. It moved too fast so we started Getting Started with Latin. Now we are in 5th grade and finishing GSWL. We're taking it slowly and loving it. I wish we would have just started with it! We will finish it this year and we could maybe go back to Latina Christiana. Or I'm wondering if we should even stick with it. I'd like to start Spanish and I don't know about doing two languages. What I have loved about Latin is that it's helped solidify grammar quite a bit. I love seeing my kids realize what some bigger words mean because they know the Latin vocab. I also like seeing them figure out the translations - it's almost like a logic puzzle sometimes. I don't know that I'm concerned with them really knowing every bit of Latin. Every declension and conjugation. But I would really like them to keep learning vocab. I feel like if we just stopped it now, then by the time they're ready to take the SATs, their vocab will have been forgotten. So I guess my questions are, should we stick with it? Even if we start Spanish? And is there something else or just something "light" that we could do to keep up with vocab?
  21. Sam is in 5th grade (just turned 11) and is doing CLE math, level 600. We're about halfway through and it is just so easy for him. In contrast, his triplet sisters are in level 500 and seem more "normal" to me. At least normal in the way I felt about math when I was that age! I hated it and was not great at it. They're "fine" but they struggle sometimes. So I can't decide in my head if he's just good at math and I should be happy with that and keep letting him skate through, or try to challenge him more. Like, are the girls' struggles just making it look unnaturally easy for him, when really, math usually does just click with a mathy kid? After level 600, I wonder if a different curriculum might be better? But like what? I have considered AOPS but after supplementing with Beast Academy, I don't know that it's for him. Or just stick with CLE until he's ready for algebra?
  22. No, some of those things are just one kid. Monday - Sam karate Julia dance and soccer Sophie dance Girls strings during the day All kids piano during the day Tuesday - Sam karate or baseball if in season Both girls theater Sophie volleyball when theater isn't going Wednesday - All kids Awana in evening Julia soccer before Awana Adventure Scouts during the day Girls strings during the day Thursday - Sam karate or baseball if in season Girls nothing in evening One co op class during the day Friday - volleyball games when volleyball is happening Girl Scouts is just twice a month Often just a free night :) Their co op actually would be more likely to repeat school things! We have a science curriculum here at home, and they do (unrelated) science at co op. They do do PE there, but it's more like PE games with a smattering of introducing them to certain sports. Not competitive at all and my kids have each picked a sport that they truly want to excel at. Same with music there. It's things like preparing for a music concert, not learning how to play piano or violin. I do like the subjects they cover at co op, but I also LOVE the social aspect for them! I do agree about duplicating things though - like scouts. I'd actually like to drop adventure scouts. The bummer would be that that is a good place to make homeschool friends. Girl Scouts is public school kids. I like them having all kinds of friends. But again, this is something I should totally consider dropping. Yes, me too! My kids went to kindergarten in public school and with them being gone for 7 hours a day and then having their sports/piano/whatever, they had no time to just be kids and play! That was a huge reason I decided to homeschool. And they do still have that time. Once they get done with school, and before any evening activities, there is free time to just play, be creative, relax... And last year I decided to not allow screen time Mon-Th so they have to actually play together... lol . So ya, I know it really is a lot of activity, but they do still have some free time! I think that is a great thing to consider. I guess the only thing I could argue is that even though my son will not likely become a major league baseball player, he LOVES it right now. So what does baseball lead to? I mean... nothing I guess. He just loves it right now. He gets exercise and learns to be part of a team. I could probably justify everything we do! I think also we have a lot of things knowing that something is going to have to become the priority when they get older. The sad things about sports these days is that if you don't start when you are pretty young, you don't have a great shot at being on a competitive team when you're older. You can't just turn 12 and decide to join a baseball team. (On a competitive level, if that is what you desire). So like with the girls, they both dance and both do a sport. I do expect that soon they will have to pick which they want to pursue. Maybe it's just me, but I would think learning verses with friends in a fun environment, with games and songs, would be more fun! Perhaps not as efficient as at home, but way more fun. It would be like comparing math flashcards to playing a math computer game! Nice to hear we aren't alone on this! Maybe my kids will gain some maturity toward their school work this year too! They could memorize verses for school, yes. They'd just be missing out on a social opportunity. And I also love them having opportunities to learn from teachers who are not me. As to why so many sports... Each kid does one sport at a time and they also each have a sport (dance/karate) that goes year round (except for no dance in the summer). So... I dunno, I hope I don't sound like I'm arguing when I express my reasons for doing each things we do! I TRULY appreciate the conversation and I definitely have some great things to consider and lead us in our decision. Honestly I'd love to drop adventure scouts. Even though I like the homeschool friends... and they are really our main group of people so I like how it strengthens those friendships, that's really all my kids like about it. They aren't learning a ton. So I should just have a play date with those kids, right?? I actually love that idea. Also the 2nd co op that we only do one class with on Thursdays. Same group of people, and the kids can pick any fun class they'd like to do... but that would be something very easy to drop. Sam is a black belt in karate and very well might teach one day. I can see that being his first real job actually. And the girls' dance classes are maybe not a lifetime sport per say, but something that could keep them active through high school, especially if soccer/volleyball get too competitive. So I'd like to keep karate and dance. I think after this year, the girls will have a good idea if they'd like to continue strings vs piano and I'll have them pick one. They enjoy theater, and it's only a 9 week session, so that will be over soon and they can decide if they want to do another session. Anyway, just rambling at this point. Thanks again - awesome advice and discussion!
  23. Same! On the very rare occasion where we don't have something one evening, it feels so weird and I think we're all a little antsy and things do seem chaotic and lazy all at the same time. We do have times where we get to be more free. We take a full summer break from school, and we also take a break from many of our extracurriculars. I also agree about one instrument... they've done piano for years now and they're trying out strings this year. Yes, we could take a break from piano... I guess I just thought if they end up not liking strings, then they wouldn't regress with piano. Probably silly though... I should give this more thought!
×
×
  • Create New...