threeturn
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Posts posted by threeturn
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History is a definite cornerstone of this year-everything just shy of math is radiating off it.
If you want to make it a clean sweep, you might check out the Living Math lesson plans. :D
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We got the geography set and have not used them.
My thoughts... I wouldn't even think of doing them with a non-reader/non-speller. It would require a ton of my time to help them even pick the right books and such to look at, then I would have to read to them, help them do every last bit of writing (from summeries to labeling posters).:iagree:
Lots of work for mom with non-readers and writers.
And I think they are totally doable on your own -- if you want to spend the time. Sometimes my time is worth much more than the money I would spend on the cards. That said, I think Chava_Raizel did a fantastic job on her version. What makes these great is that they are so open-ended and flexible. You could even flip it over and jot down another task if there was something you wanted them to do that was not on there.
are we allowed to photocopy the card for our own personal use? Or would we have to buy two sets to use with two different students? Just asking, for just in case, lol.I don't think you would need an extra copy for more than one student. After glancing at the card and getting a task or two for the day the student should be able to pass it to the next person so they can share. Or you can stagger subjects so one is working on history while the other is working on science or something.
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We are just starting narration (more CM style, though I am not above throwing in a question or two to move things along). A couple of things that have helped my DD are reading only two sentences and then having her tell back and also making a list of key words on the white board, read a selection, then she can look at the keywords while narrating. The first time we did that she told me it really helped her.
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Do you find that The Wand is advanced for a 5-6 year old, as the website says? My 6 y.o. is not what I would consider advanced in reading, but it looks to me like Level 1 of the Wand targets the same things we are working on. However, it looks like there might be quite a jump to level 2. What is your experience with it?
I am struggling with this and really should email Julie to ask about the intent of the program -- just haven't got to it yet. I think it is advanced. We have slowed down the pace quite a bit, and I have been looking for additional activities to reinforce the lessons. There is a phonics rule and a list of related spelling words each week. If I were "testing" my daughter each week on the words with pencil and paper, she would not be passing the tests.
The Wand presents the "test" as something you do with post-it notes. You have a post it for each phonogram present in the five or six spelling words. Start with the easier words and move to the hardest. By the time you get to the hardest word then the only post-its left are the ones for that particular word. She does OK with this, but not as well as I would like. So far I have added Read, Build, and Write mats to do with the spelling words each week and tried to find some games to play to reinforce that week's phonics rules. This has slowed us down to doing one week of material over two weeks.
My daughter is also a reluctant writer (physical part) and despite my watching her, likes to form letters in odd ways. The slower pace allows us to stretch out the copy work too. I type it up in Startwrite and she traces it using the dots and arrows to focus on letter formation. Later in the time period she then does the copywork on paper over two days.
I am hoping over time we can pick up the pace. I will say my daughter's reading ability has exploded since August. Was that developmental or The Wand? I don't know. I do like the program and we love the reading selections.
HTH,
Pam
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Just want to point out that The Wand is mostly reading/spelling instruction and not what I would consider "writing" instruction. We do copy work each week. Before she does the copy work we mark up the selection and discuss punctuation and capitalization along with words we have studied that week. So there is your usage work, but no grammar. There is very little from a literary standpoint in the curriculum -- which I think the Arrow does include.
Mostly the focus is on reading and spelling instruction, so if you are already doing a reading and/or spelling program you are happy with, it would be overkill. We do like the program. (Ok, I say we. My daughter tolerates it as well as she would any reading/spelling program. She loves the selections for reading, though.)
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Thanks Jennifer. I picked that one up the other day after seeing it on your site. I think it will be great for practicing our spelling.
Your site has been fantastic for app recommendations. I have about 50 on my wish list right now! :D
I did get Sound Literacy during the $14 sale yesterday too. Can't wait for the kids to open the iPad next week. We may be schooling over Christmas.
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There will be a time in my life when I have a formal dining space, and perhaps then I'll formally dine. Until then, we just eat
:iagree:
I kept thinking we would use it, but now I wonder if we ever will. I wish I could just suck that space into the kitchen and have an area for a big table and a closet for homeschool supplies. That would be perfect.
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We've had an indoor tramp with handle for years and the kids still use it.
A friend had one of the bouncy houses. It is loud and the fan must be running for it to be inflated. If you have a place to leave it out and just turn it on when they want to jump then that might work fine. In my house they would likely turn it on, jump a bit, run off and leave it running for long periods of time (which would drive me nuts), but as soon as I turned it off come running back to repeat the cycle. On the other hand, my 4yo has a special affinity for bounce houses. He spreads out a blanket and gets out the vacuum cleaner to pretend. We really should get him one but we have no space for it.
I agree that he will have no idea of cost. If you go for the bounce house then get him another small Santa present.
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I was coming up on an expressway toll booth once and had no cash. I was able to dig out just enough change to make the toll and them promptly dropped one of the quarters under the seat of my car. :glare: It was my turn at the booth with a line of cars behind. I knew I was going to have to pull over and dig out that quarter. I sheepishly asked the guy if he would take my debit card. He said no, but that the person ahead of me had already paid my toll and waved me on through.
I was so thankful you better believe I got some cash and paid a toll for someone else on the way home.
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I am really struggling with this too. We have a 450 SF "family room" upstairs. Part is DH's hobby stuff, there is a TV, Wii and computer for family use, and then all of our school stuff is displayed and stored up there. We have a table to work at and there is a bathroom.
BUT, I feel so cut off up there and it is hard with the toddler. He can go up and down the stairs now, but I think he feels disconnected from his toys and the ability to roam, so he gets extra fussy and destructive. We can't really snack up there so have to stop and interrupt flow to get a snack - which the 4yo seems to want to do every 15 minutes. Not that he is schooling much, but it is still an interruption. So mostly we have been doing school in the breakfast nook.
BUT since the 2yo is joining us more and more now the table is too small and I am constantly carrying baskets of books and art supplies up and down the stairs (or more likely making a big stack at the bottom :glare:) or a huge pile ends up on the bar.
I am thinking of giving the upstairs one more good try. If it doesn't seem to work with a few well-thought-out changes (addressing toddler activities and snacks) then I think I am going to move things to the dining table we never use and try to adapt that area which is right next to the kitchen. I may move a bookcase in there for most used items, co-op the drawers from the china cabinet, and get one of those big desk organizers from Staples that can be moved if company is coming.
But really I would love to make the upstairs work. I feel your pain. :D
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I have not heard of Olivita Oink. It does seem pricey. We love Salsa, though. Can't beat the price either. ;)
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Excellent blog post Amber. Thanks!
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Eloquacious - You might be interested in the Digicubes conversation going on in this thread:
http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330267
The app designer has joined the discussion.
Thanks for the tip on Preschool University -- will check it out.
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I'll be the dissenter. :001_smile: For some reason we hit a groove the week after Thanksgiving and are rolling right along better than we have all year long. I am thinking about carrying it up to a few days before Christmas and then picking up again the Monday after.
My kids are young and need the routine. Showers for mom are always hard to come by here. If my husband needs food above and beyond he knows to go to Publix. We do Advent so no bouncing yet -- we're low key and just living the occasional feast days like we do all year. No parties for us since everyone is in bed by 7:00.
Part of me wants to take off, but the bigger part of me doesn't want to mess up a good thing.
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but it is not a vehement hatred or anything. What I did not like about our last open plan was a sense of wasted space around the dining and entryway and between the living room and kitchen. They were paths so you couldn't really put anything there. Didn't like the way kitchen mess was exposed. Really didn't like the noise level -- if I was in the kitchen cooking or doing dishes my hard of hearing DH had a tough time watching TV in the living room, so up it would go.
Now we can see from the kitchen into the living room and also into the dining room, but there is also a swinging glass door there we can close to block noise.
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2) I have very mixed feelings about not being truly hands on with actual objects rather than virtual objects. But truth told I probally would have been too temped not to try it were it not for Point 1 above.
I was struggling with that one too. We do have this app of Montessori early math works. You can build the red rods and trace the sandpaper numbers and a few other works. Even on our iPod this app is beautiful - the look of the materials, the blonde wood grained backgrounds, and the sounds used make it a rich and yummy app. :D It is a universal app, so I really can't wait to see it on the iPad. My 4yo loves it, but sometimes struggles with the size of everything on the iPod.
If I could have a C-Rod app made with that kind of care and detail, without the "magic" and the scored lines I would definitely use it some.
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If you are interested in this and the cost is putting you off, the App Shopper app says it has been on sale as low as $14.99 in the last six months. If you get App Shopper and put the app on your wish list, it will keep you posted on any sales that come up.
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Let's see if I can come up with something that might actually be doable:
I want a big white farmhouse with a wrap around porch.
Downstairs
Entryway - nothing fancy, but not just a part of another room
Huge country eat-in kitchen/keeping room area. - Needs kitchen portion with bar space for casual eating (large enough for all 5 of us to eat) open to table area with large (seats 10) wood table which proceeds over to seating area in front of fireplace. Some bookcases in seating area. Smaller than a family room, though. Off the table area there should be a large walk-in closet for school item storage. Opposite or beside that would be a large walk-in butler's pantry for food and kitchen storage.
Laundry room large enough for folding table/wrapping station.
No formal dining room
Living room with fireplace near kitchen but not totally open to kitchen.
Master bedroom, not too large, but enough room to move with small alcove with it's own storage closet. Alcove would be my office/craft area/retreat -- maybe french doors to close this off. Standard master bath with shower and tub but not too much wasted space. Love my current bath set up with master closet in through the bathroom.
Powder room
Upstairs
Three more bedrooms of decent size -- not tiny like we currently have. These would be used for kid bedrooms. One might be a playroom now while boys share. Later boys might not share or one would become a guestroom. Just options.
Bathroom for kids - maybe two separate sink rooms with connecting tub/potty area.
Over garage
Man cave and an additional storage area.
Half bath
Out back
Large screened back porch with room for dining and seating. With a fireplace would be nice. :D
Ok done dreaming. It was fun.
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The blocks changing colors on the iPad screen is too much like magic for me. When you have real blocks, they don't change colors or lengths at a touch. They have a permenance about them. With the blocks you have to think what other blocks make an equal train, and then test it out. With the app, you just drag the blocks apart and the answer magically appears, even if you haven't thought about it first.I agree!
When the child puts together the 4-rod and the 3-rod, he must pull out the 7-rod to compare. On the app, the 7-rod disappears into the two component numbers. The physical rods not only have permanence, they show the relationship. The child can compare the length of 4+3 to the 7-rod and see the fact that 4+3=7. That element is lost when the 7-rod goes away.
Exactly what I needed to hear. You are right! Thanks for your feedback.
Still wish there was an app that worked more like the rods for on-the-go.
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What do you think of the
iPad app?I am very new to Miquon. We have only been using it two weeks (thanks to you guys) and loving it. Would these be a fun, sometimes substitute for the rods or would the divided sections be a deal breaker for using them with the program?
Thanks,
Pam
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Well, I think
-- and it is free! -
Amber - Can't wait to hear more about how it works. I do not know about the backwards e.
I agree that the price is probably my only hangup over the program based on what I have seen. I did find a couple more similar options, but nothing nearly as good for what we are trying to do.
There is Simplex Spelling which has a phonics and sight word version (these you spell phonetically - the words are just from the Dolch list). This one is self checking and while you add the letters individually, if you click on HINT it gives you the possible phonogram combinations. At only $.99 for the universal app it is still a good way to practice words using the rules you have been learning.
I also found Word Wizard which is a moveable alphabet. It does not have the phonograms, but the developer seems to be open to feedback and possibly adding them (I emailed). It does have the vocal aspect with letter names and phonetic sounds and you can add your own spelling lists.
Since I am tight on budget due to the holidays we are going to work with these two for now and possibly get the other later. I sure wish I could find out if it ever goes on sale. :tongue_smilie:
Now I wonder if there is a cuisenaire rod app? I really need to learn how to develop these things (in my spare time of course ;)).
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I agree with what has been posted here. Last year I had a 5, 3, and under 1. I would suggest structuring time and not necessarily stressing over content.
Last fall when they were all that young we would school during baby's two naps. In the morning we did the 3r's and in the afternoon we did literature based unit studies (FIAR, Homeschoolshare.com). We timed ourselves for lessons -- about 15-20 minutes for math and reading and 5 for writing practice. And most of it was not workbook based, but activities and games. When the timer went off we stopped even if we didn't finish the lesson. We just picked it up the next day.
The expectation that we would sit and work together and the routine of doing it made more of a difference in our day than the academic rigor of what we were doing. In fact, in my house the rigor would have backfired. :001_smile:
This year we are adding on a bit of expectations and the transition is going well.
HTH,
Pam
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bump for the evening crowd :)
Sometimes I think I should let them do math and read all day.
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
I think that sounds fabulous. Here are my guidelines for this kind of education
Add that to a little math and language arts instruction and it makes for a great education in the early years and possibly even beyond.
It is what we are going to do in the new year. I love planning unit studies and my kids love doing about 50% of what I plan. Problem is, I never know which 50% they are going to love and which will flop. Tired of the feelings it was bringing up and the conflict. Also tired of the fact that they can hardly ever tell you about something they learned in "school" today, but can rattle off all kinds of information from the ocean book Dad read to them (their choice) at bedtime or from The Magic School Bus or Cyberchase. :glare: I know when to cut my losses.