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wendyroo

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Everything posted by wendyroo

  1. I wish I could, but he absolutely will not write for me. He is a strong academic writer, but hates it with a passion. Last semester, at home, I dragged him through Lantern English Persuasive Essays (scoring 95-100% on every essay). He can draft a persuasive thesis, find relevant and reliable sources, and write a strong, well-supported and cited 3 page essay. The problem is, it involves tears and lying and every procrastination tactic in the book. I think to him it truly feels like torture - and that I am forcing him through it for no reason if he does not earn an actual credit on an actual transcript from an outside authority. I'm not sure how much more he is willing to learn - or really how much he actually needs to learn to make it through his college humanities classes. I'm hoping that ASU's Composition 1 will be a downward or perhaps lateral step from Lantern. And then Composition 2 will hopefully be just a tiny step up from that. So then we just have to figure out something for senior year that appears to be one more tiny step up. The university where he would dual enroll offers "English 214, Workplace Writing: A course designed to further the student’s ability to write the types of expository prose appropriate to business, business administration, and technical fields." I think that might be as good as it's going to get.
  2. Our adult primary care has online scheduling or a nurse line. Really, the online scheduling is normally fine - I might have to wait 2-3 days if I want to get in to see my doctor, but I can usually see one of the doctors or NPs within a couple hours. Our pediatrician's office does well-visit scheduling through the front office (and that we have to schedule months in advance), but all sick/urgent scheduling is done through the nurse line. The longest we have ever had to wait for an appointment is about 3 hours, but if we want to wait for our doctor, it might be most of the day or even into the next day. We also have a local urgent care that takes online "reservations". So we can just walk in, but we might have to sit in the waiting room for an hour or more. Instead, we can make a reservation in a couple hours, and they can typically take us right back.
  3. He wants to know if he did dual enrollment for the next three years how many “history” classes he would have to take. He has Econ, Gov, US History and World History. If he took History of Mathematics in 10th could he be done with social sciences? I could probably sell him on something like Ethics in 11th if necessary.
  4. Peter, my oldest, is currently in ninth grade. He is autistic and is passionate about math (theoretical and astronomical, not engineering), Dungeons and Dragons, and conversational Spanish. He was homeschooled from K through 7, and then did a hybrid public school program in 8th - he hated the online core classes, and loved the electives, connected with the teachers, and made some good friends. It also allowed him to crank through many high school classes that are now on his official transcript. He started this year (9th) at home. He aced MIT OCW Calculus, and he loved, and got a high A, in a dual enrollment astronomy class at the community college. The rest of his classes he put very little effort into, and we were in constant conflict. At the semester break, 6 weeks ago, we put him in the local high school. Thankfully they were willing to give him a great schedule. AP Calculus (they only offer AB which he doesn’t like because he doesn’t think it is adequately preparing him), Advanced English 9, Spanish 3/4, World History, Forensic Science and Game Design. For next year they are proposing: AP Statistics (we like this plan) AP Seminar (he HATES this plan) AP Biology (this is not an area of interest) AP Spanish (this is fine, but not inspiring) AP Psychology (he has no interest in this) Art (he likes art, but more digital than this) Pros of school: It’s been fine so far. He eats alone and says it is loud and overwhelming all day, but he is not reporting anything negative. That schedule is fine. Definitely college prep, though perhaps pretty dry and not playing to his strengths and interests. Having him at school has taken a load off of me. He does a lot of walking across the building, which is pretty much his only exercise. Cons of school: The work is very, very easy for him, so he is spending a couple HOURS a day at school free playing on his Chromebook. He is showing lots of signs of disregulation and depression. He is snapping at family members, talking back, “play fighting” with siblings when they have asked him over and over to stop, losing interest in puzzle magazines and other favorite hobbies. In 11th the school will run out of math and Spanish for him, so he will be forced into dual enrollment. At the end of 9th grade his transcript will look like: * = Public school; ** = DE at community college Math: Honors Algebra 1, Honors Geometry, Intro to Counting & Probability (.5), Honors Algebra 2, Pre-Calculus*, AP Calc AB* Science: Physics*, Advanced Chemistry*, Forensic Science (.5)*, Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology** English: English 9* World Languages: Spanish 3*, Spanish 4, Spanish 5 Social Studies: Econ (.5)*, Government (.5)*, Advanced US History*, World History* Electives: Health (.5)*, PE (.5)*, Formal Logic, Game Design (.5)*, Robotics (.5)*, World Cultures (.5)*, Art* Next year he could also have the option of reenrolling in the hybrid school and taking all his core classes through dual enrollment and his electives through the hybrid. He could take anything he wants, but after looking at a local university, I tentatively came up with this possible schedule: Fall Calc based Physics 1 + lab Statistics History of Mathematics Whatever literature he wants to read Whatever electives at home, in the community, and at the hybrid he wants (there have always been great options) Spring The Spanish Speaking World (a theme-based, condensed Spanish 201 + 202) Bridge to Higher Mathematics (proof writing) ASU Universal Learner English Composition 1 (self paced, pay for credits when he completes the course) Whatever literature he wants to read Whatever electives at home, in the community, and at the hybrid he wants (there have always been great options) Pros of dual enrollment More flexibility - both of time and classes More time with two, good, established homeschool friend groups Plenty of math classes for him to explore Challenge his mind without bogging him down with APs he doesn’t really care about Cons to dual High stakes Driving and meals back as my responsibilities More I'm sure I'm not thinking of One thing I don't want to debate is the suitability of a 10th grader taking college classes. Socially and academically he is prepared to be on campus. I have already decided that the decision is up to him, but I want to make sure I am considering all the pros and cons to help him think about the decision. What would you be rooting for?
  5. Spencer's 6th grade year will be a hybrid of virtual public school (so they pay for extra curriculars) and homeschooling (so he actually learns something). ELA and History: Bookshark American History, plus Lantern English and All About Spelling Science: Bookshark Science, plus a full summer of hands on science camps Math: Wondrium's Geometry: An Interactive Journey to Mastery plus Edmentum Geometry required by the hybrid Spanish: Spanish 2 in immersion classes Memorization: Anki, so many Anki cards!! Music, weekly: 2 piano lessons, 1 violin lesson, 1 composition lesson, 1 orchestra practice, plus two hours of daily practice at home Extras: Ninja classes plus on-campus electives at the virtual school, he is hoping for ceramics, cardio drumming, escape room and orienteering
  6. Sure, Math Mammoth and many other programs call that the area model. I introduce it as covering the top of a banquet table with 1x1 sticky notes...and wanting to know how many I will need to cover the whole thing. I draw a rectangle to represent the table, and label the sides with the two numbers we are multiplying. We all agree we would need length * width post it notes to cover it...if only we knew how to multiply those big numbers. So then I suggest dividing it into pieces that we know how to multiply. If my banquet table is 12 lights years by 34 light years big (the more ridiculous the visual, the more my kids like it and remember), then my area model looks like the 12 split into pieces of 10 and 2, and the 34 split into pieces of 30 and 4: 10 | 2 ------------------- 30 | 300 | 60 | ------------------- 4 | 40 | 8 | ------------------- We can clearly see how many post its we will need in each section, and add them for a total of 408 post it notes each 1 light year by 1 light year big. I like it because we revisit it in algebra to keep ourselves organized when multiplying polynomials like (x+4)(x^2+5x+3) x^2 5x 3 x x^3 5x^2 3x 4 4x^2 20x 12 We can fill in each multiplication, combine like terms along the diagonals, and find an answer: x^3 + 9x^2 + 23x + 12
  7. Off topic, but is there a reason you would opt to use BJU in high school if you think it won’t be enjoyable? Personally, with a STEM kid, I would want curricula that would feed their passion and interest. And with a non-STEM kid I would want curricula that made the subject as interesting and approachable as possible. I can’t come up with a reason I would choose a curriculum that I thought would be unpleasant and may turn the student off from the subject.
  8. Everything I read about Singapore Dimensions (directly on the Singapore website) sends mixed messages about the scope and sequence and coverage. On one hand it says (bolding mine): "Pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, data analysis, probability, and some advanced math topics are included in this rigorous series." But on the same page it says (bolding mine): "SEQUENCED FOR SUCCESS Dimensions Math 7 and 8 together cover Pre-algebra and Algebra 1 topics, with some geometry. Dimensions Math 6 is aligned with Common Core Standards, and so while it does include some Pre-algebra topics, it is not a Pre-algebra text in the traditional sense. It is a Grade 6 text. Dimensions Math 7 assumes students are new to Pre-algebra topics, such as integers and simple algebraic equations, but goes farther into Algebra topics than would a traditional Pre-algebra text. Therefore, Dimensions Math 8 has greater expectations for what students have covered previously (particularly with regard to linear equations) than a traditional Algebra 1 text. The two grades, 6 and 7, are meant to be done as a set. After grade 8, students may move onto Geometry and Algebra 2 programs." Suddenly it feels a little less "integrated" and more "heavy pre-algebra year edging into algebra, which leaves room in the algebra year to dip into a little bit of geometry and other interesting topics". Which might be exactly what people are looking for...but isn't exactly what they advertise.
  9. When I was in elementary (late 80s and early 90s) and when Elliot was in elementary (2 years ago), weekly "music" classes never involved sheet music. Every year we learned the instruments of the orchestra and listened to clips of each playing. By upper elementary we were taught about instrument families. We got to "play" tambourines and maracas, and Elliot's class had Boomwhackers - but not in a "learn to play" way, just in a cacophonous "experiment with creating sounds" kind of way. We played some jumping games - me with bamboo rods that stung your ankles when you jumped at the wrong time, and Elliot with elastic bands stretched between kids' legs. By fifth grade we were taught whole, half and quarter notes, but not on a staff, just as clapping patterns. There was not a piano in either my elementary music classroom back in the day or Elliot's now. Elliot's middle school music classroom does have three pianos, and the kids are taught to read and play very simplistic sheet music.
  10. In middle and high school I am really not opposed to on average 30ish minutes of homework most evenings. My experience with public school (Elliot is in a self-contained gifted middle school program and Peter is a 9th grader taking mostly upper class courses) is that there is SO MUCH class time wasted. The teachers truly seem to assume that students will simply refuse to do anything that isn't gamified and fun. And there is zero chance they will review for a test or finish a writing assignment at home, so everything has to be done in class. In both 7th and 9th grade Advanced English classes, the students spend at least one class period a week playing Blooket to review vocabulary words. That is one fifth of their class time playing a video game trying to motivate them to learn random, unconnected vocabulary words. On one hand, I really, really wish they would spend that time reading books which I think would be more beneficial for their vocabulary, but OTOH, if they truly think Blooket games and vocab tests are necessary, then assign the Blookets to be played at home. They argue that lots of kids wouldn't play the games at home and then they wouldn't learn the words...which is probably true, but how is that attitude preparing kids for college where they will absolutely have to do reading and studying on their own outside of class? Peter was given an entire week of class time, so 5 hours in class, to write a 1.5 page personal memoir. I asked if they were given a lot of instruction on how to write a memoir - no. I asked if the teacher was walking around during that time conferencing with students and helping them strengthen their writing - no. Peter said that most of the kids cranked it out on day 1, and then spend the rest of the week playing video games on their school issued Chromebooks. In those circumstances, I would much rather the writing be assigned as homework so the class time could be used more productively.
  11. The extremes we are struggling with are between gen ed classes and APs. Those are the only ELA choices offered by our public high school, and they are at wildly opposite ends of the spectrum. The principal strongly steered my mathy, English-averse son away from the gen ed ELA classes because "they don't read any books at all and just work on learning to write a paragraph". That is not going to prepare him with the skills he needs. But he wants to take high level math, science, computers, and Spanish...he does not want to be forced to take on the load of AP English classes. I wish there an ELA sequence for STEM students - light introductions to poetry and Shakespeare and literary analysis, but a strong focus on academic writing, logical argumentation, nonfiction reading, and finding fiction genres that the kids actually enjoy in order to cultivate lifelong readers. And if they passed a writing test after three years, I would not insist on a fourth year of English if an additional STEM course would better support their career goals.
  12. My very mathy 9th grader argues that Shakespeare and poetry and literary devices are completely pointless and unnecessary for his goal of being a mathematician...and he's not exactly wrong. When he was at home I did focus his ELA primarily on writing emails, academic essays and mathematical proofs and reading Sherlock Holmes, The Andromeda Strain, and anything else I thought he might actually enjoy. But now he is at the public school, and to graduate he will have to endure all the parts of ELA, even the ones he personally won't "need".
  13. I agree. I love teaching and over the years have proven to be very successful at it across a variety of students, settings and subjects. But by the time I graduated high school, I knew 100% that I would not be studying education. I had spent 13 years bored and poorly served by the school system. The whole bureaucracy seemed SO, SO stupidly run (to my naive, idealistic 18 year old self) that there was no way I was signing up to be a cog in it. OTOH, I personally know three girls/women who graduated with me who went to college to study journalism, physical therapy and political science and changed to elementary ed after the first year because they couldn't handle the requirements.
  14. My husband once spent 20 minutes describing the game Yahtzee to my kids, which they had never seen or heard of. Not once did he use the word “dice”. He kept referencing “numbers”, as in you want these numbers, or you are trying to get these numbers. They were so confused, and he was so confused why they weren’t understanding. 🤪
  15. He turned 10 over the summer. ETA: Thanks for the reminder - I fixed all the ages in my signature now.
  16. Spencer has now written many, many musical compositions, but today, for the first time, he got the opportunity to perform one of them in public for an audience. A world premier! Here he is playing his piece, Funeral March (one movement from one of his piano sonatas): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NiXv4CXEK92wjxHjtih2hd4IHPFABpY5/view?usp=sharing
  17. Most of my kids have found math to be pretty easy (even as I accelerated them according to their abilities), so I added in Problem Solving as a subject so they got daily practice working on problems that took effort and perseverance. At that age we used Balance Benders, Logic Safari, and Tin Man Press Enrichment Packets.
  18. My big boys should have five full days of school this week - hallelujah!! The weather is even supposed to warm up; 35 degrees is going to feel mighty good after a couple weeks of single and low double digits. The fire clean up company will probably be starting work on Tuesday or Wednesday, and will be working for 3 or 4 days. Most of that work should be while the big boys are at school. Hopefully by next weekend Spencer will be moved back into his room.
  19. The way you are describing homeschooling is so radically different than we do it, that, for us, your question wouldn't even make much sense. We rarely use curricula that are divided into designated "weeks", so we don't move faster or deeper than any arbitrary standard. We study material that is appropriately challenging for the student, for lengths of time that are developmentally appropriate for them, until they master the content and are ready to move on. Yes, at our house this looks like fifth graders studying algebra, but only for a typical fifth grade amount of math time. When my kids are ready to study history more deeply, we add in primary sources and opposing viewpoints and more of the whys and hows of history, but none of that means we have to study any particular book or event I don't think they are ready for. It means we study the things I want us to cover and the things they are interested in and the things that come up in daily life, and that we don't worry one iota about whether a curriculum says they are the right things to be learning about in any given week.
  20. I think our homeowners insurance will be dealing with some of this. They are taking the blanket, the burned mattress, and all the other burned bedding.
  21. So, two weeks before Christmas I finally faced the fact that I had to send Peter to public school for the second semester. The first semester (of 9th grade) he was a calculus superstar, and totally aced a dual enrollment astronomy class (at the community college that required absolutely no reading or writing of any kind), but other than that he accomplished very little. He wasn't doing school or chores or hygiene - something had to change, but I hate it with every fiber of my being. In the two weeks between then and Christmas: - I spoke daily to the school trying to get Peter's registration sorted out before winter break started - Our furnace unexpectedly died leaving us without heat for several days and dealing with a new furnace installation - The furnace installation went astray and they had to come back three times to fix the plumbing and humidifier that they broke - My new car got a flat tire - And my good friend got sick, went into hospice, and died. After winter break: - A blizzard hit causing lots of snow days right when we all should have been getting back into our normal routine - The disrupted routine caused Elliot to go off the rails leading to lots of violence and destruction - Elliot hurt DH to the point he now is in physical therapy for his shoulder - Spencer's new electric blanket from Christmas caught fire in the middle of the night and burned through his mattress - And we are now dealing with home owners insurance and the disaster clean up company being here most of next week trying to clean and salvage things. I need off this roller coaster. I don't have any more reserves to draw on.
  22. I'll respond primarily about the 9th grader - you won't know what the school can offer until you actually meet with them. My 9th grader just started public school at the start of the second semester. They are not accepting homeschool credits, but are placing him in appropriate classes and having him test out of the first semesters so that he will earn the full credits. I am pleasantly surprised by his schedule: Advanced English 9, AP Calculus, World History, Spanish 3, Forensic Science and Game Design. When we sat down with the school, they talked us through the options and gave DS lots of choices.
  23. 1. I would count a chunk of the Miller-Levine toward the high school credit. Cell organelles haven't changed in the last two years. 2. Any chance he could crank through a couple experiments over the summer? My son took a one week BioTech camp at our local science center over the summer, and I'm counting those hours toward his bio labs because it was all hands-on. I also had him play around with some virtual dissections (he does not want to do any real dissections). Then during the school year we just aimed for one moderately in-depth lab where he produced a lab report...and we paused all other bio activities for two weeks while he was doing that lab and writing it up. 3. Are there any particular aspects of biology that you think your son would enjoy? My son is anti-biology, so I filled in most of his bio time with Great Courses (now Wondrium) lectures on bio topics that he found interesting...or at least as interesting as possible. Since your son went through a survey course just a couple years ago, I would be fine letting the rest of his bio be interest-led. There are some great lecture courses that delve deeper into various aspects of biology: Biology and Human Behavior, Major Transitions in Evolution, An Introduction to Infectious Diseases, Earth at the Crossroads: Understanding the Ecology of a Changing Planet, etc. And almost all of them include a Guidebook with discussion questions for each lecture.
  24. My husband will probably be retiring shortly after our youngest graduates from college. Our dream is to sell our house, buy a fifth wheel, and travel the country. Our favorite kind of vacations, both before and after kids, are semi-rustic camping on the outskirts of a large city. We like to stay for 2-3 weeks at least so we can see and do a lot of things in the city without it feeling like a sprint or a marathon. We typically park and ride at the outermost transit stop and take the train into the city. One day we might spend most of an afternoon at a museum, the next take advantage of nice weather to bike or hike near where we are camping, and the next go back into the city to see a show. We also hope to be more available to our kids as they live their adult lives. My parents typically came to stay with me for 4 or 5 days after I had a baby or had surgery, but I would prefer to be able to stay near my kids to help out for weeks or months without being an imposition. I imagine being able to spend a couple hours at their house as often as they wanted, supporting them however is helpful, and then getting out of their hair. I could see taking older children on outings or bringing them for a sleepover with us to give their parents a break.
  25. Early '90s, rural midwest. Breakfast - Cereal, mostly Frosted Miniwheats or Honey Nut Cheerios. Always 2% milk. Lunch - Either packed or at school. Packed would be PBJ on white bread, chips, apple sauce and a few cookies. School lunch always seemed to be pizza - taco pizza, tortilla pizza, breakfast pizza, regular pizza, etc. - they might have served fruits and vegetables, but I didn't eat them. Snack - Cookies Dinner - Chicken nuggets, tater tots, and the ubiquitous frozen vegetable mix: peas, corn, carrots and lima beans...plus always a glass of milk. Bedtime snack - ice cream
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