kdownie
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Everything posted by kdownie
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We school in the dining room, but ALL books/supplies/everything are kept in either my laundry room on shelves or in dd's room on shelves. If you came to my house during non-school hours, you wouldn't know we homeschool. I love being able for it to be all out of sight the rest of the day and evening.
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How many Cuisenaire rods is too many?
kdownie replied to kdownie's topic in General Education Discussion Board
I hear that a lot about 10-rods. We haven't used c-rods for math much yet, so I don't know why 10-rods are so important. -
How many Cuisenaire rods is too many?
kdownie replied to kdownie's topic in General Education Discussion Board
Yay! I was wanting to get them but didn't know if that would be overboard! -
I have a box of 155 wooden ones that dc use daily. We are about to start Miquon math also. My younger dc play with them frequently, simply being creative. Someone I know is selling a ton of wooden ones, like (800), for about 1/3 the price of buying them new. Is that a deal worth snatching up? If I could, I'd get just like 200-300, but it is an all or nothing deal.
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Fwiw, AAR resells very well. You'd be out the cost initially, but when you are finished with it, someone else will want it!
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Based on your post, I'd say MFW K would be a better fit, since you specifically mentioned blending. I have never seen MFW K, but I own AAR Pre, and there is no blending. That begins at the start of AAR 1. While Pre is great at a lot of things, and we love it, if you are looking for blending work, then Pre isn't that.
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For now, for my rising 2nd grader, dd7 Math: Math Mammoth 2B Reading: chapter books from library. She's flying through Boxcar Children and taking a bit longer with American Girl Writing: WWE2 Grammar: FLL3 Spelling: AAS 2 and 3 Science: R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey (finish Life and start Earth/Space) History: SOTW Art: Discovering Great Artists Co-op: SOTW, Art Club, Fun with Food Club Probably some stuff I'm forgetting too
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I look around on eBay, Amazon, homeschoolclassifieds.com, etc and see how others are pricing. If I want to sell it fast, I do it a little lower than everyone else. If I'm not in a hurry, I list it around what others are listing. I buy used almost every time, and if I find something in great shape for half of retail, I often will try to snatch it up!
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Reign, a number of days after finishing a step (sometimes a couple weeks later), I dictate random green cards to her. If she can't spell a word fairly automatically, we review the rule and save the green card(s) for a later review date. Eagle, we are hoping to get an ipad with our tax refund, so I will keep your idea in mind!
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My dd (first grade) is about 2/3 of the way through AAS2. She is also doing WWE (copywork) and HWT (learning cursive). She doesn't like to write very much, and she is quite slow (mostly dawdling) when she has to write. I haven't been having her write the phrases or sentences very often at the end of each AAS step. She spells, usually orally, the words that go with whatever rule we have just learned, or she spells them with tiles. Sometimes, she writes them on the white board. However, that is just with the spelling word. We rarely do the phrases or sentences. Am I messing her up by not making her do those?
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For those who use *very* scripted curricula...
kdownie replied to Ecclecticmum's topic in General Education Discussion Board
I have many scripted curricula (AAS, AAR, FLL, WWE, OPGTR), though I don't always use the script. As a newer homeschool mom, it makes me feel "safe" that I'm not messing up my dc's education by explaining things "wrong." The longer I homeschool, I imagine the less I will feel the need to follow a script (still using same curricula but not tied to script). -
I did two books of HWT print (K and first half of 1st grade). Now we are doing HWT 3 (cursive) for the second half of first grade and will continue for second grade. I monitor her print copywork.
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Does your dd know her upper and lower case letters, know their sounds, and know how to clap syllables and rhyme? If so, go with AAR 1. No doubt. You cam buy Pre for your other child in the future when it fits your budget. I bought Pre, but dd flew through it so easily. Thankfully for me, I do have youngers that will use it, so not a waste.
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How much are you spending on curriculum?
kdownie replied to MommaOfalotta's topic in K-8 Curriculum Board
Wow. I can't imagine having the budget to spend $700-$1000 a kid. My oldest will be going into 2nd, and here is the breakdown for her. I buy used anytime I can. Math: $26 (Math Mammoth and trying out 1 LOF book) Reading: free from library. She is finished with phonics. Science: $35 REAL Science Odyssey History: $100 SOTW in our weekly co-op (along with art and science clubs) Grammar: $20 FLL 3 Spelling : $25 AAS 3 Writing: $17 WWE 3 Art: $50? Discovering Great Artists, supplies, and art club at our large co-op Total: about $270. This includes a year of a large, weekly co-op covering SOTW, Human Body and Forensic science, art club, science club, and two additional clubs. We may spend a little more if LOF works for her. I have three youngers, so most of this will be reused several times. I will spend $100 each on my.preschoolers for co-op. My 3 year old will be using AAR ($50) and random, mostly free, fun math stuff. I'm sure this will be increasing every year for a long time! :-) -
I'm so sorry. Is there a chance you can bring them back home in fall, if you want?
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I did Pre with my 3 year old, and she flew through it because she already knew 95% of her letters and sounds. However, like PPs said, there are other important things in pre. If you child can rhyme easily and clap out syllables, then you could probably start with Level 1. If not, go with Pre and use it at the speed your child needs. You can resell it easily!
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:iagree: I pictured it all so much more organically than it feels 90% of the time. Field trips feel organic, but that is about it. I'm hoping it gets better as the kids get older, as I'm officially homeschooling 1, doing preschool with another, and still have a 2 year old and infant that need lots of attention. I've handled it by realizing that even though it isn't what I pictured, I'm still very thankful to have oldest dd at home, learning the way we do.
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:iagree: I pictured it all so much more organically than it feels 90% of the time. Field trips feel organic, but that is about it. I'm hoping it gets better as the kids get older, as I'm officially homeschooling 1, doing preschool with another, and still have a 2 year old and infant that need lots of attention. I've handled it by realizing that even though it isn't what I pictured, I'm still very thankful to have oldest dd at home, learning the way we do.
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Checking my Views on this with the Hive...Test related
kdownie replied to PachiSusan's topic in K-8 Curriculum Board
:iagree: -
Too hard for second grade?
kdownie replied to Wheres Toto's topic in General Education Discussion Board
I will have to get my first grader to try it tomorrow. I think she could get it just fine. -
I have used/am using AAR Pre and 1. I do love them and will continue to use them with my other children. They are fun, and dd ask for the lessons frequently. However, my first dd learned using OPGTR and a couple other little things, and she is a fabulous reader now. If the cost is prohibitive, then by all means know that there are lots of other, less expensive options. The fluency pages are too much for my dd right now, but she enjoys the rest of the pages in the activity book. We just do a line or two per fluency page. We also have just started reading the first couple of books in the set of Bob books. Also, keep an eye out for a used set. I did that and paid about half of the new price. If it doesn't work for you, you can resell it and pretty much be out almost no money. Or buy it new from the AAR website and have the option to return it if it doesn't work.
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Need info on SL grade 1 leveled readers (I can read it!)
kdownie replied to avazquez24's topic in K-8 Curriculum Board
I agree with the other posters about them being not-so-great. Bob books are cute, and your library may have them. The Book Wizard on Scholastic.com is a wonderful resource! -
What to charge for in home daycare for a friend's 3 year old
kdownie replied to kdownie's topic in The Chat Board
Just got off the phone with her, and she was SO understanding about it all. Turns out she and her husband were talking just last night about it and realizing that another option may be best, for the same reasons I was. I'm going to help her find some choices, and now I have no worries that this will hinder our friendship. I feel 1000x better! -
You could check on the 20% to tide you over til the next Buyer's co-op sale. Get a couple blue books maybe...