Jump to content

Menu

Ohdanigirl

Members
  • Posts

    2,168
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Ohdanigirl

  1. On 10/21/2019 at 1:02 PM, Lori D. said:

    So very sorry for your DS and the family of his friend. 

    Perhaps a grief support group? Here are some in the Phoenix Valley area that are listed through Hospice of the Valley.

    Thank you.  I appreciate the response.  The University has reached out as well and it appears they will be forming a support group to help.  I passed the info above to my father as well, since he is in the same city as my son and will be looking out for him during this time.   My son has had a few professors reach out as well, and that has been helpful.  Thanks again.

     

     

  2. Hi everyone.  I know this is a little off topic, but I really don't know where to turn.  My son is away at his first year of college and he called me on Saturday because a classmate of his passed away suddenly.  The classmate was a fellow engineering student and also played soccer with my son....they were friends.  My son seems to be taking it as well as can be expected, but I can already sense some survivor's guilt.  

    On my end I have been in constant contact with him and am trying to be supportive, but I am also a wreck.  I don't know why it has hit me so hard and I am concerned for my son's well being.  He went to grief counseling but said they were of little help and seemed unsure of what to say. Does any one where know where he can go to talk to some one?  A hotline maybe?

     

     

  3. 6 hours ago, Gil said:

     

    I've seen those online. They looked pretty good but eBooks just don't work for us too well and I'd rather find something in hardcopy if its possible. However, we've decided to delay formalized writing/grammar instruction until at least Jan 2020, but possibly summer 2020.

    I am in Mexico right now and may be able to find some.  They give them out for free.  What grade levels do you need?

    • Like 1
  4. Hi, how are you? 

    I would also try audio books, both for yourself and your children.  For you I would try to.listen to a book while also following the text.  I deus that when I was trying to improve my Spanish.  I also watched one novel a, beginning to end.  Each time I would puck one from different countries (Colombia, Mexico, Peru) to help understand the accents.  I did have some back ground, as my mother is Mexican, but my Spanish was limited.  I am now fluent and can read and write Spanish as well.

    Good luck to you.  Have fun.

  5. If your goals is just having conversational Spanish, I would have the tutor do focus teaching of words and practice using them in conversation, eventually having each of you start using what you learn out in public (ordering food in Spanish, grocery shopping in Spanish, etc). 

    I highly suggest you watch TV in Spanish as well.  If you can pick a series a d put Spanish subtitles on, it will be of the most benefit.  Ypur ears need to become accustomed to hearing the language and various accents.  If you put Spanish subtitles, it will help you to recognize the word being said and you will slowly pick up conjugation and reading.  If you leave the subtitles in English, your brain will slowly correct and ignore the Spanish in the background.

    If you plan on learning Spanish at a more academic level (reading, writing, speaking, etc), add in a curriculum of your choice.  It can only help to solidify things and give your tutor a road map.

    Good luck.

  6. Can I get some background? What are your goal, current level, etc. 

    I would usually suggest that a tutor be used for speaking.  I would also recommend you keep in mind that your children will likely pass you by fairly quickly.  If you can, try to get a native speaker or someone who has spent time both studying the language and being immersed abroad, that is best.  Don’t assume that a heritage speaker will always have a strong grasp on the language.  I myself have lived off and on in Mexico for a total of 16 years spent in the country (not including childhood summers), and still conjugate my verbs incorrectly.  I was able to help prepare my son for AP and IB Spanish as well as the tests, but it took some studying on my part as well.

  7. There are often marriage retreats or counseling hosted by the local Catholic Parish. If she is open to that, they should ask at her DH's church.

     

    They are often geared towards couples getting married, but I remember there were sone for married couples and cohabiting, seeking to marry couples. They also had a mentor/counseling type program at out church, which introduced couples to an older married couple who would counsel younger couples.

     

    I am sure there are many other options available, as well.

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

    • Like 1
  8. Probably more than I would like to admit. I am usually very thrifty, but I can't do low quality shoes....maybe flip flops, but that is it. My kids usually just go for some Vans, so we go to the buy one get on 1/2 off sale at least twice a year. That means $75 for two pair of shoes. (We have four boys, though). In addition, three play competitive soccer, and I have learned not yo go with the cheap shoes sold in the soccer bundles when your child plays serious soccer. For my $15 year old that means about $70 for a pair of cleats that will last about five months, if he doesn't grow out of them. His indoor shoes can be found for about $50. I always buy during some type of BOGO sale (usually the same as Vans store). The younger's shoes run $39-70 for my 6y/o (entire season) and $50-70 for my 11y/o (entire season), so $100-130 for two cleats. Add to that the fact that I jog about 20-25 miles a week and need shoes about every 500 miles and hubby needs work boots, which run about $100-150. [emoji33] honestly, I don't even want to keep going. Yikes. (Hiking boots, wrestling shoes) Looking at it, it sounds so expensive, but after discussing I t with some of the other soccer moms, I realized I spend way less than most because I have learned the sale rotations and use coupons on top of sales when allowed.

     

    The above is likely why I rarely ever go out and buy myself a pair of cute shoes just because I liked them. My everday flip flops were $2 at Old Navy.

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  9. Oh boy, I was just reading the story you are likely referring to.

     

    I agree with the poster who said you can be trained to act impartial.

     

    With that said we are human and our experiences and background do in fact affect how we view and interpret things. Since ethnicity was mentioned...I am half white/half Mexican. I have had discussions about certain (recent) current events and, if I analyze honestly, this comes into play. I have had these discussions with my white friends and family, and there are things they just cant fathom or comprehend and I am unsure how to explain. The same happens in the conversations I have had with Mexican can and Mexican-American friends and family. Some things are just culturally engrained, and we don't always realize it.

     

    I do not think a judge should recuse themselves based on race, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, etc. judges use their legal training and precedent to make decisions.

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

    • Like 1
  10. Well, I would be interested. We are doing an intensive geography year. I am in the USA now, but have plenty of items (except maybe not toys LOL since most there are imported from here or China) from our last couple trips that I could do boxes from Lebanon and Egypt. Would things like coins, foods/snacks, pics, maps, etc be what you are thinking??? Then I guess if I ran out I could do California boxes.... :laugh: for those overseas.

    Yes this is exactly what I was thinking. Sending eachother items that represent the country and culture and including a note/email explaining the significance of the items, background info about one or two holidays, language, food, or animals unique to that country. Each of us would create sonething a little different, obviously.

     

    For example, I have gathered some mexican flags, a traditional wooden toy, a traditional card game and some miniature replicas of traditional clay kitchen pottery. I think I could include a recipe or two and a candy. I would also email some info about the significance of certain flowers in our culture, traditional holidays, and one or two myths.

     

    Danielle

  11. Hello everyone. I was wondering if any of our international boardies would be interested in doing a cultural exchange with me. Basically, I would put together a package of items representative of my country (Mexico, U.S or both), including things like flags, traditional toy, pictures of land marks, and other small items with a letter explaining their significance to the countries culture and you would do the same for me.

     

     

    I am interested in doing this over the next few months with people from various countries. I am especially interested in getting anybody living in any Country on the continents of Asia and Africa.

     

    Please let me know if you would be open to this.

     

    Thanks.

    • Like 1
  12. I couldn't vote because I couldn't choose just one. In the primary years, I always incorporated Geography into our History studies. We used SOTW with the AG and also had wall maps in out home. We would do the blackline map activities and also look over the modern wall map.

     

    We also pkayed a fame where we would shout out the name of a country and whoevers turn it was had to find it on the map. The kid ds got very good at finding and remebering sone pretty much obscure countries. If anyone got some stuck, we would give hints like in Africa or bordering the Atlantic. ocean, etc.

     

    We never did a year and of geography only.

     

    HTH

  13. Seeing your update, I don't believe my answer will be of much help. I have used Singapore Primary all of my children. In addition to this, I have all my of the original Challenging Word problem books, when ch we used on Fridays. I don't sed RSA1 for kinder ith my third, and currently with my youngest. I felt the two complimented each other well, but RS said is time intensive. Life of Fred Fractions, and Decimals books are used for summer reviews after 4th and 5th. The kids live these books, but I would not consider them to be stand alone.

     

    As far as hig's and what not, I read things the day before work was to be done. If necessary, I presented the topics to my dc. One ds was able to practically teach her mself, but the other needed the one on one. In hind sight, I'd say that this time last s not wasted. It is very important that student grasp the method, otherwise they can hit a wall in year 4, and possibly 5.

     

    HTH

     

    Please excuse spelling. My auto correct has been having some real fun with me lately.

  14. Thanks for all the links. I will get onto the youtube episodes right away! I am going to investigate the Spanish play options on all the kids DVDs that we own (we do have quite a bit of Magic School Bus and Dora and Diego).

     

    Renai, I look forward to your suggestions (no hurry, please take your time).

    Renai,

     

    Have you used the R&S Spanish? What do you think about them? We are going a new route next year, with all my dc attending B&M schools, the youngrst at a Mandarin immersion school (k). I would like to after school in Spanish to make sure he and my ten year old do not lose fluency and improve their grammar.

     

    Danielle

  15. Definitely not! I was told to just put a comma where ever I would take a natural breadth. Well, I used to talk a mile a minute and rarely came up for air. Any ideas how that worked out? To this day I am a comma abuser. It has gotten better since doing R&S with my dc, but I still find myself doubting and running over to check the text book at times.

     

    I really think most peopke need to i ternalize comma rules.

×
×
  • Create New...