shawthorne44
-
Posts
5,728 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Blogs
Classifieds
Store
Posts posted by shawthorne44
-
-
duplicate. Don't know what I did.
-
I think it depends on the state. Some states are just more ... worth studying then others. Not that their history is less interesting, just that people don't really identify with their state. For example, where I live now, asking the question "Which is more important to you, your status as a Texan or as an American?" Is not a silly question. Where I spent my early years, it would be. Although, I guess even in that case, a short course based on local history be interesting.
I wouldn't do Texas History the way I was taught in the B&M school. Three months on the Spanish explorers, 3 weeks on the Alamo (including the movie), and 3 days on the Civil War.
But, there is no choice between World History or State History. World History wins.
-
The program would be too old to be useful now, but in the dark-ages I used a computer speed-reading program. I assume there are improved versions out there. Everything but the words you should be reading were grayed out. It helped to train the eye.
My lazy speed is around 700 and my pushing-it speed is about double that. Approaching 2000, I start to lose comprehension. I think I spent less than 10 hours on the program.
-
Look into "Tools of the Mind". It is all about Executive Function. Amazon has a couple of books on it. Your library probably has "Nurture Shock" which has a chapter on it.
Basic idea is focused, imaginative play. Extended play is better than short play. Planned-ahead play is better for executive function than spontaneous. Workbooks won't do anything. Screen time develops "reactive focus", which is opposite of "deliberate focus", which is what you want.
-
Seems to me like this is a step in the direction of home visits for all homeschoolers.
-
In my case, I think it boils down to "Am I doing a good job as a parent/teacher?"
I remember being almost hysterical with worry that I was failing my daughter when she was about 1.5 years-old. We were at the baby Rhyme Time at the library. I was talking with some of the other mothers, and based on what I said it was obvious that we only went to one of those a week. All the other mothers nearby looked at me like I had 3 heads and said they went to at least three a week. My husband had to talk me down. I was really worried our daughter would struggle because she didn't get exposed to enough patty-cake.
Then I remember that girl I read about in Psych101, that was never able to learn grammar because she hadn't heard language before she was rescued from abuse/neglect. So, I worry what small things my daughter might struggle with because I missed some magic development window.
So, I read the books. Which are really no help at all.
So, I look around at other kids her age. Not really a help. Well, it does assure me.
Then I got the idea to have my mom look at my baby book to see when I did things. That was amusing, but nothing else.
I really do try to chill though.
-
I personally think this is based on the person, like learning styles. Me, I always learned best in big chunks.
-
I think I saw that Gutenburg had some audio books.
My favorite from Audible was the Ender's Game series. The voices changed just often enough.
-
Even as a student, I always liked my schoolbooks. We lived 3 miles away from a major university. I was a latchkey kid and during the summer I would frequently walk to the University bookstore and look at the books. (This is so geeky I normally wouldn't tell this to my Mensa friends.) As a kid, I was going to have a roller skating birthday party. For some good reason, my parents had to cancel it. They asked if there was something they could get me to make it up to me. I requested the freshman Physics book. It was meant for 3 consecutive classes and was lots more expensive than the party would have been. I still love that book.
-
Do we have to promise to stop? I feel like I just showed up to an AA meeting with a bottle of wine.
-
It seemed like one month contained a LOT of stuff. I was thinking of getting it and letting it run for a few months.
-
That sounds like my little one. At about that age, She knew her alphabet, counted to 20, and learned left/right the first time we read "The Foot Book." We still work with her on not counting the same thing twice or not at all.
About the time she turned 2, she requested computer time, so I tried Starfall which I'd heard about. She sat in my lap in front of the desktop. The free part with the letters were entrancing, but most of the rest of it seemed to leap forward in skills. Maybe it would be great for a 5-year-old learning her letters.
So, I asked here, and ended up switching to ABCMouse.com. It seems to be a better fit for a toddler. I love that the matching games, being on the computer, don't allow her to "cheat" by having more than two cards upright. She has her own mouse, but most of the time she points and I do the mouse. I like her to be in my lap for computer time. We played the hamster maze a gazillion times. About a third of the letter videos have songs good enough to burrow into your brain.
We also recently started on All About Reading Pre.
We be getting the preschool bundle from Critical Thinking Company. She is ready for one of the books, but not the others, and money is tight so we are holding off.
-
Online courses can be good or bad, just like live classes can. I took a couple of video/online courses that I thought were just as good as my live ones. Although, the ones I took were the video option for a live class. They just recorded the live class.
-
In 8th grade, I took an elective science class at my b&m school. The teacher looooovvved biology, and it was basically a biology class. I hated it! I swore I would never take a biology class. I never did, and it did not cause one single problem. I have a Physic B.S. and an Engineering Masters.
There is a bit of divide in the Sciences between the Physical and Life Sciences. Someone that will thrive in the Physical will be probably miserable in the Life, and vice versa.
-
As someone that thanked my mother several times for not forcing me into piano lessons like my cousin, I am completely unconcerned with music lessons. In priority, they are just beneath flying lessons. DD is turning out to be artsy and musically-oriented (sigh). So, she will probably end up requesting and getting them.
Note, there isn't anything wrong with being artsy and musically-oriented. But, between my husband and I, we have two Physics and one Engineering degree. We could teach the STEM stuff without a textbook. Music and art are confusing.
-
My dd7 has a kindle paperwhite. She puts the font at its largest setting just because she likes it that way.
I do too. Well maybe not the largest. But about 70-80% of max. When I was nursing I switched to large print books because I could have my glasses off and have the book be a wide-range of distance from my face. Then I discovered that Large Print is just easier on the eyes.
I think the only thing that could improve my e-reader is a remote page turner clicker. I read in bed often.
-
Plano, TX is very nice. Enough that there are multiple groups, so you can find one that fits your philosophy. Plus, being in the DFW area there are choices for 4-year college dual enrollment in addition to the community colleges. Maybe because I work for a company of smart people (I am a Mensan and I am of average IQ to my workers), but 3 of the 30 employees have home-schooled kids. Weather is nice (just stay indoors for two months). Housing is cheap. Library is amazing! The competition between Dallas and Fort Worth means that a LOT of money and effort has been spent on cultural mega-projects in both cities, e.g. Fort Worth built Bass Hall, so Dallas built an Opera House.
-
Since eye-strain might be a problem. Limit your choices to the e-ink technology. Otherwise, it is basically a computer screen. I love my Nook Touch, but if I were buying today, particularly for someone like your daughter I would get the ... I think it is called Paperwhite version of the Nook or Kindle.
Since she is a 9-year-old reading at a high-level, the Gutenburg project should keep her in free books for a long long long time.
-
I see showing your work as part of the work. If I were a math teacher, a correct answer with no work shown would get 50%.
I think part of it is that you have to learn how to show your work. You need to have learned that before the math becomes a struggle.
-
...Given that the holiday just passed, I'm curious if folks who teach their children about how Jesus died also feel the need to explain who killed MLK and why at the same young age. Or do you save those concepts for later?
MLK hasn't come up, but I would. For a general murder the explanation would be short. Maybe something like "Some people are mean and evil and they are willing to harm or kill other people if it benefits them."
Just as I wanted her to know that parking lots and streets are dangerous from when she started walking. I want her to know that some other people are dangerous.
-
Sonlight core either P3/4 or P4/5
All About Reading - Pre
Critical Thinking Preschool Bundle
I forget the name but that CD that lets you created writing practice worksheets.
Color printer cartridges to print some of ConfessionsOfAHomeschooler
-
I remember when I took the GRE, my study guide said that the math was easier than on the SAT. The assumption being that you forgot more than you learned. With a Physics/Math degree, I found the math so easy it was confusing.
-
Laundry bags, good idea. I've put freecycled toys through the dishwasher, but I never thought of laundry bags.
-
For me it is summed up in what I learned reading "Lies my teacher taught me". After figuring the lies that are in your standard American History textbook. The author wrote a textbook. It was rejected for the silliest reasons by committees that granted that it was a more accurate and better book.
-
1
-
Why is it always MY kid who has to adapt and just deal?
in Accelerated Learner Board
Posted
I get a little teery at the thought of your daughter tearing her visuals