ExcitedMama
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Posts posted by ExcitedMama
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My 6th grader has been doing MIF since first grade and we have considered Beast Academy a supplement. He’s been doing VP Self-Paced for a few years now and he really likes it and wants more independent work like that. He just started AOPS Pre-Algebra online and really likes it so far. We had tried starting the book ourselves at the beginning of the school year but never had time to keep up with it along with MIF and ended up dropping it. I’m nervous about the idea of dropping our official math program and also with handing off this important subject but at the same time math is not my subject and my son often gets frustrated with math which causes huge problems teaching him so we both really like the idea of doing it this way. So is AOPS online enough?
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1 hour ago, kirstenhill said:
One thing I'll mention, in case you didn't know about it, is that for the Pre-Algebra book there are videos to go along with every lesson: https://artofproblemsolving.com/videos
DS14 started the Pre-Alg book part way through 5th grade, and it took him about a calendar year to go through it, partly because we had a major move in there that meant we ended up taking almost 4 months off of school, and partly because I made him work every "example" problem in his notebook. He used the above linked videos occasionally.
DS12 went through Pre-A much faster. He started in the fall of this past year (6th grade), and was done at the end of February of this year. I didn't make him work in his notebook the example problems (he just read them, thought through it), and at least for him this strategy seemed to work pretty well. We got into a really good habit of me correcting his work every day, then he would correct the errors before continuing on. He never used the videos - just reading the text was a great explanation. He "gave up" on maybe a handful of the hardest problems in the book, and I let him read the answer key on those. He probably has a bit lower frustration tolerance than his older brother and I didn't want to force him to work longer than he was comfortable with on really hard problems if he at least gave them a fair try first.
All that being said, even if you aren't "mathy" the AoPs book is written to stand alone and teach the material, so you may be rarely required to give explanations? I found myself giving explanations a lot more often in Beast Academy with my kids, actually. I guess my kids could be unusual in their ability to learn math from reading a textbook, but I think the style is well done and more suitable for this purpose than say, a public school textbook.
Thank you for the link! I did not realize it had videos for every lesson! Would you recommend watching videos before starting the lesson? Now I’m intrigued if that could be enough for him without the pricy classes or self paced.
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14 hours ago, Not_a_Number said:
I'd start if he seems ready 🙂 . I think the live classes are more fun, personally, but they do go faster. (By the way, you know that "live" is still text-based, right?)
I did not! Could you explain? I saw the demo of self-paced with the text and questions but I assumed live was more like a teacher talking on video.
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My DS is 11 and finishing up 5th grade with MIF 5 and BA Online. I’m confused about what to do for math next year. A lot of posts talk about jumping from Singapore to something else. My DS is smart but easily frustrated and will always prefer to do the least amount of work possible. Is there any reason not to just continue on with MIF for 6th or maybe even all of middle school? Are most posts about doing something else for serious mathy kids? I am not at all mathy so I’m very confused about what to do next. I wrote a separate post asking about AOPS but then I started second guessing that and wondering if we should just keep going with MIF. I could really use advice. Thank you!
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My DS is 11 and finishing up 5th grade with MIF 5 and BA online. He is very smart but easily frustrated. Unfortunately I’m not mathy and at times have struggled with his questions. He’s really enjoyed doing VP self-paced the last two years which had me thinking about adding in AOPS Pre-Algebra self-paced but I’m having sticker shock at the price. Plus I’m confused that it seems about the same cost as the live classes. He’s not happy about doing anything new for math and is strongly objecting to live and would rather do self-paced but he tends to feel that way about trying anything new. I’m also not sure if we did live if we should do it through AOPS or WTM Academy. I would love to ensure a full understanding of math for him that I believe something like this could help with. He’s definitely not the kind of kid whose excited about math which I’ve seen posts saying is good for AOPS. Is there an age where AOPS Pre-Algebra is recommended? I’m not sure if he should start now or maybe I should wait and do it after another year of 6th grade math. I would appreciate any advice and if you have experience with it through AOPS or WTM. Thank you!
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I’m thinking about what to do for my DS who will be in 6th grade in the fall. We’ve been doing MIF since he was in 1st. It’s mostly going well but occasionally we encounter problems that seem much harder than the lesson we are in. I am not at all mathy so these problems where they seem to skip steps in explaining are really frustrating for us. He’s also doing Beast Academy Online which has been really helpful with geometry stuff that MIF does not seem to spend much time on. Any recommendations for math for 6th grade? I’m not sure if I should stick to MIF and go with Course 1 or switch or supplement. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!
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My DD7 takes a lot of dance classes during the week and is really missing all of her dancing. I’ve seen a lot of posts on social media about classes for advanced students but I cannot find anything for younger dance students. Anyone had any luck or know of anything? Thanks!
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I bought during the sale around this time last year and DS is really loving it. Remind me, do they have another sale in the fall too? Or do I need to buy now? Thanks!
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Yep he started it. I emailed about it and apparently we started earlier than I’d planned to last year. Thanks for your help though!
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Thank you! Unfortunately I can’t find any date on the website. I bought last spring during their sale after they told me I could buy but delay the start date. Unfortunately I only have the email receipt but nothing about the delayed start date I chose at registration. Has anyone else had this problem? When I called they cannot see anything but my purchase date even though I know I chose a later start date as I bought the program to start in the fall with the new school year.
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I cannot figure out where to find the courses expiration date. I think I requested a later start date when I ordered them during a sale but now I can’t figure out what that was. Any idea where to look? Thanks!
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Does it move more quickly than previous years? I just noticed that 4 has about 5 less chapters than 3 and a lot less pages in all of the books. Obviously it’s a harder book than 3 so does it move faster or does it take longer with harder material? Trying to figure out how to plan out the year and wondering what to expect. Thanks!
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My son is having a lot of trouble understanding geometry basics like angles, line segments and larger shapes. He can’t keep track of a hexagon vs. pentagon and so on. Same issue with understanding polygons and quadrilaterals. I’ve tried going slow and going over the material again and showing him videos but it is not sticking. We do MiF and he’s ahead in all areas of math on his testing with the state and our charter but Geometry is the only one that shows him as a rising 4th grader so it’s definitely a problem area for him. Any books that might help me explain it to him so it clicks?
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Math in Focus. It is easy for me to teach as a very math averse person. It teaches really well and should keep him above grade level and proficient in the topics taught in schools if going back is a possibility.
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My DS was very tired of WWE by WWE3 so after we finished it we switched to W&R and he really likes it and I think it’s really well done. His not whining and dreading WWE has been a great change!
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I call my 9 year old son my Eyeore so I get where you’re coming from! What about trying new things that have a first class free option to try it out? My son did not like team sports but he enjoys our homeschool PE class once a week and being around kids. He’s on a swim team and some weeks are better than others depending on his attitude about sticking with it. He loves his Hip Hop and Acrobatics classes. This year he started Musical Theater and really loved it. My approach has been to have them try different things to see what might interest them. Some things they hated so we never went back after the initial free class and then others they loved right away. For now I’ve told him I want him doing a sport so that pretty much leaves swimming as non-negotiable since there’s nothing else left that he liked more. Maybe he could try swim with your daughter? See if that’s more enjoyable than ice skating and if not maybe he could do more of the Ninja or gymnastics instead? Or see if there’s any more things out there to try. At the very least you could then approach deciding on an activity together that is at least the one he hates least if he does not actually want to do any of them. Maybe knowing you are going to make him do something will help him be more open to choosing something and being more agreeable to it? Good luck!
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I thought charters were location based so I think it does matter where you live. Our charter, Ocean Grove, is part of a larger umbrella school but they have like three different schools for different locations throughout the state. I would start by finding out what is available for your county and go from there. Then you can start comparing schools. Do your kids have any activities they like or that they want to start? You could check to see if the vendor is part of the charter school’s approved list and how hard it would be to get the vendor you want enrolled. Where I live there are only two schools that parents seem to use so finding out your options might make it easier. If you know anyone using them it can help you get a feel for the differences.
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The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. My husband really enjoyed this one on a road trip. Funny and great narration.
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I pay way more in property taxes than I’m getting back by using our charter school funds. I’m saving the state even more money than I’m getting by not sending my kids to our local public school. I’m surprised by how many people here are against us using these funds. Just because other states do not have this system is not a reason to vilify it. We have so far only used our funds on curriculum and lessons but if I can use them for an educational day field trip to an amusement park we happily will. It’s crazy to vilify what we do as a field trip but say it’s ok when a public school spends a lot more public funds to arrange the same trip with buses and teachers.
My kids are without a doubt getting a better education at home, even though it never had any inducement to do so because of funding. CA voters in my opinion should be a lot more concerned about the substandard education kids are getting in actual physical public schools than by the fact that we can use funds to homeschool. The very strong teacher’s union is continuing to try to end the option of choice by putting severe limitations on the ability of charters to exist. There’s a new law in place that requires I use $500 of each child’s funds on educational curriculum which just goes to show those in charge have no understanding of homeschooling. I reuse my oldest’s childs materials with my youngest and I can get used material from my charter school but now CA is requiring I buy materials. That’s a law that needs to be addressed as wasteful not funding for field trips or lessons. Again as I said in my post that was quoted earlier I thought the idea of amusement park passes sounded unlikely to be valid. Whatever went on with the school under indictment is not going on with all the other charter schools. Just as improper budget accounting at a brick and mortar school is not proof that all schools are reckless. I’m not going to accuse all CA Catholic schools to be reckless because of the recent scandal involving one school whose nuns stole their money.
Homeschooling is good for families and the state. Again we are saving them money by not enrolling our kids. Those schools get the benefit of smaller class sizes. Even our funds our used to help the economy in CA if we pay for lessons and field trips. My legitimate charter requires constant monitoring and testing so it’s hardly like these families are not adequately schooling their kids. Lazy parents would be far more likely to drop their kids at the local school than keep them at home in hopes of finagling a field trip out of it. About a year ago 10% of CA students were being homeschooled, a number that is growing, and the teacher’s unions are nervous about it and continuing their efforts to shut it down. With online options and schools continuing to offer substandard education I am sure this model of homeschooling will only increase and hopefully be more accepted across the country.
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I have a hard time not doing the recommend reading. I think the VP recommended readings can be used again in the future and Famous Men can be found at a reasonable price (I think I found it cheaper on Amazon than Rainbow) so you can always do it. You might find your child likes it. The pages are pretty short so it doesn’t take long. I’m continuing to do it with DS and looking at it as something that might help stick a little for when he comes back to it.
I really love the Pages of History books too and so does DS. I actually added them into SOTW before starting VP and I’m very impressed with it. SOTW would be great to add in. With the activity book and chapter book you have a lot of information even if you can’t always add in the exrtra recommended books.
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We love AAS but I do think it needs follow up. When DS misspells a word during his other schoolwork I add it to a list on my phone. Throughout the week I ask him to spell various words on his running list. Some are easily learned and crossed off his list. Others he needs more time to work with and internalize. I like AAS for the rules so I try to point those out and remind him when they apply. Some of his words are homophone pairs. I think all the there/their/they’re words were on his list for a really long time before they finally clicked for him. I think it helps that I stayed on top of it with his other LA and SOTW writing.
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19 hours ago, SeaConquest said:
Basically, you can make anything educational as long as you have a work sample to demonstrate its educational value. So, third party vendors put together field trip "kits" for you, which include the work samples that you turn into the charter. Then, the charter pays the third party for the cost of the field trip. People spend their own money to upgrade from a day pass to a yearly pass.
This is one example of a charter vendor and their field trip kits. It's a big business in CA.
I looked them up and they’re an OG vendor. Thanks! Has anyone tried to use them with OG? What do you get in your kit?
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I’m doing Famous Men of Middle Ages now with DS 9/3rd Grade and it’s pretty dense and dry so I’m not sure how much he’s actually getting from it. I doubt it would hold the interest of a younger child. I am reading this to DS and DD 6:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/1845500822/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It really holds their attention, even DD, so I think it’s a great choice the chapters can be long so sometimes I break up the reading over two sittings. It was recommended in DS VP self-paced Studies.
I second the You Wouldn’t Want Be series. DS has loved them since I first read them to him and he still enjoys them. They do a great job balancing being informative with being fun and interesting to hold his attention
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Is AOPS Online enough?
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
Self-Paced online. Is there a difference in completeness or quality between the self-paced and classes? I have never heard of Alcumus.