4KookieKids
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Posts posted by 4KookieKids
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57 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:
Oof. Tricky. Can you afford a tutor?
Not at this time, unfortunately. DH is in grad school and I'm the main bread-winner *and* homeschool teacher for the four kiddos. 😄
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5 hours ago, SilverMoon said:
I really liked Math in Focus when we used it. It's a little more gentle than SM. There are baby steps guiding you where SM would have assumed you could leap on your own.
Math U See's legacy version has the best workpages for a kid like this, videos, and super clear instruction. It's good at teaching the why behind math but it does not go as deep as traditional curriculum unfortunately. That may be something you can balance on days you can work with them more? 🙃
But maybe Thinkwell? There are videos and not all of the work is done online. Some is online and some is on paper. This one is solid.
I'd forgotten about thinkwell! I'll look into it again, I don't know as much about it.
5 hours ago, cintinative said:What level are we talking about? I got a little confused when you said you covered K-6 with Singapore.
She's just finishing up Primary Math 6B, but I'm thinking that we may take a step back and start with a 6th grade program with whatever we switch to. Placement tests don't work well for her because she often freezes and forgets something that she was doing just fine for the last two months, so it's always a bit of a gamble...
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I've been trying to find a unicorn of a math curriculum for my profoundly dyslexic 7th grader. She did Primary Mathematics (Singapore K-6) and she did alright, but I think she needs more review because she often "gets" things, but then forgets them again very quickly. We've done a lot of hands on stuff in the past, and it may be good for her, but she hates it. She just wants to "git 'er done" when it comes to math. I've been on the hunt for the "right fit" for a while now and I don't feel like I'm having a lot of success, so I just figured I'd ask here if anyone has done this, and perhaps just added in their own review (since Singapore just doesn't do much review). We finally got her math facts mostly memorized, but it took us 5 years!! lol
Reasons I am considering it:
1) Not too much text per page and not super tiny print. I've looked at a lot of other programs (Saxon, TGTB, BJU, TT, Horizons, LoF, etc and my oldest does AoPS) and there's just not enough white space on the page for my child.
2) Relatively solid. Again, I've looked at several other programs, and found them wanting (I write math curriculum and teach math for in-service middle and high school level teachers... I don't want something weak, though, and I'm sad that AoPS is not a good fit for this child.)
3) Not online (though I wouldn't be opposed to online videos, if I could find any that correlated). She does better with paper and pencil. We've tried Khan and ST math, and ST math helped her some, but Khan didn't help her retain anything.
4) I am not a fan of "memorize this procedure/formula and do a hundred problems." I want something that actually makes sense to her.
Reasons I am hesitant:
1) No video lessons. I'm a math teacher and don't mind teaching it myself, but my child would rather learn from a video of someone else and then just rely on my to clarify anything she's not sure of.
2) Lack of review
I don't have capacity to spend 1-on-1 with her during 20-30 minutes of math each day on top of all the other subjects we do orally/together, though I'd love to just make up my own content for her. I have 4 kids, all with varying extra needs, so I need something she can look at on her own, and then I can teach or review main ideas with her for a few minutes, and then have her work on while I am working with other kids, but still available to help, clarify, go a little deeper, expand a bit, etc.
If you've made it this far, and have recommendations for me, I'd love to hear them. I've looked at Nicole the Math Lady, Mr. D, and several other programs besides the ones listed above, and nothing seems to really fit. Despite her dyslexia and autism, she'd really like to go into a medical field, so needs some solid math skills. But reading a lot exhausts her and gives her a headache (yes, before anyone suggests it, we've already done VT :D). -
10 hours ago, Rosie_0801 said:
There are books like 'Our Island Story,' 'The Story of Canada,' 'Our Sunburnt Country,' 'The Millennium Tree' aimed at kids. Though, after SOTW, wasn't it recommended to make a timeline for much those reasons?
Yes - we just found the timelines overwhelming. Invariably, we'd be cramming too much into a small space.
More to the point - and something the timeline didn't help with - the issue for us ended up being less that we didn't know what else was going on in the world at that same time, but more that we lost the cohesion of moving through one culture/civilization. It felt like we lost the "story" aspect that is so appealing about SOTW and helps kids really remember the history. If today's chapter has a section on Japan, for instance, instead of seeing this as part of Japan's story, we had to look back at the time line for the last time we wrote/learned something about Japan to jog our memories about what was going on in Japan before this. And even then, it didn't really "stick" as a continuation of Japan's story.-
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I know, know, know that I saw these ideas many years ago, but the search function isn't playing nice with me this week, so feel free just to link old threads that are relevant!
We are finishing up SOTW 4 this year, and it's just not clicking for my kids. They aren't tracking all the jumping around that happens in the modern times book, although I completely understand that it's hard to talk about history in one area without talking about what's going on in the rest of the world as well.
So I am looking for something more like history by civilization or region to start next year, where maybe we just study South American History for 6-8 months, from ancient times all the way through modern, then the history of Oceana for 6-8 months, etc. I feel like we have a big picture of many things, and that something more focused or like long unit studies will help us fill in gaps and deepen our understanding. I've found these books that seem like something we could use as a spine, but I don't know if they're suitable for children and there's not a wide variety of them at this point:
https://www.workman.com/series/shortest-history-series
I don't need all the extras like activities, games, map work, but I'm certainly not opposed to it either. My kids love doing history together and they will be 3rd-8th grade. I don't mind supplementing with extra books and videos, but I'm not feeling up to the challenge of making up my own units for each civilization or continent by jumping through something like Kingfisher, and I'd just really like something that's already "made" for me and geared towards children.-
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On 1/13/2023 at 8:27 AM, Pete Schopf said:
I have several dozen books, at least, written in German a lot of them probably written in the 50s 60s many earlier
I don’t want anything for them my mother would like to see them go to a good home, she brought many of them with her from Germany when we moved here in 1968
I would love to connect, if these are still available! I will message you. :)
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On 7/27/2022 at 9:08 PM, pmeilaen said:
If you are looking for free audiobooks, try Vorleser.net.
How fun! Thank you!!
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I am looking for recommendations for a good elementary/Grundschule reading/writing app for children who already understand and speak the language. (Think: not native fluency, but minority language with a parent who's not been 100% consistent speaking the language.) We already do the Volk und Wissen elementary reading/writing/science books (just 2-3 years behind grade level), we do lots of German read alouds, audiobooks, movies, etc., and we recently started a Deutsche Sprachschule where my kids are a mix of Mittlestufe and Muttersprachler levels. I'm feeling maxed out on the German that *I* can provide my children and would just like some kind of app that could be used to supplement what we're already doing.
I've looked at few different options in the app store, but most don't have many reviews, so I just thought I'd check in here and see if anyone has any faves! -
20 hours ago, WTM said:
Concordia Language Camps?
I'll look into them. Thanks!
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Actual conversation today:
12 yo: Heilige Kuh! Ich war —-
Me: ???
12 yo: Heilige Kuh!!
Me: ???
12 yo: Come on, mom, it’s German for "holy cow!"
Me: I actually knew that (thinking: I’m the one who taught you German…)…. But do you remember how we talked about idioms not translating verbatim very well??
12 yo: (blank stare)
10 yo: I think you meant, “Donnerwetter!” Auf Deutsch sagt mann Donnerwetter.I almost died laughing at the idea of an actually holy cow.
FWIW: "Donnerwetter" translates to "Thunder weather." And yes, as ridiculous as it sounds in English to say something like, "Thunder weather!" when you're amazed at something (not weather related) is about how ridiculous it sounds to translate "holy cow" into German unless you're actually talking about sacred bovines.
Anyone else have any funny translations to share?-
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I'm at a point where I''m needing a bit more "push" to keep our German relevant. I'm at a place where kids outnumber me with their English and are older (one entering the teen years!) and much more difficult to "insulate" in German just by keeping home and speaking German all the time with me. So I'm looking to shake things up a little with something more drastic, and am wondering if anyone is familiar with any language immersion programs for the whole family (assuming a foundational level of language competency already)? Any "exchange" sorts of programs where your whole family can live with a host family in another country for a month (or more)? I understand that the schools in another country wouldn't allow you to enroll kids for just a month or two as a visitor, but am thinking about a summer opportunity where I can enroll them in some summer camps/programs perhaps?
All general info welcome, but we're looking for German immersion, specifically. -
We've found that few common board games are really great for getting my asd kiddos (and hubby! lol) practicing some thinking skills that don't come naturally to them. Some of our top faves for that are:
Hedbanz - really works on seeing the forest and not just the trees (e.g., asking one question re: if you're an animal before asking five questions re: if you're a giraffe, duck, elephant, horse, etc.) More than any other game we have, I've noticed that my asd kids and husband really struggle with this one, all for this exact same reason.
What do you meme? (family edition) - gives us a lot of practice talking about facial expressions and body language and emotions, as well as social norms, humor and appropriateness
Apples to Apples Jr. - Again, more focus on what someone else is thinking and might find funny
We have games from social thinking, of course, but these games are way more "fun" than those (per my children.) I'm looking for other game suggestions that we could use to practice skills that my asd kiddos are weaker in.-
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9 hours ago, PeterPan said:
https://www.amazon.com/Talk-Step-Step-Conversation-Conversational/dp/1942197322/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2W2BD8I2IH9R1&dchild=1&keywords=talk+with+me+mataya&qid=1633147402&sprefix=talk+with+me%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-3 Your lists look better than mine, lol. I've got this, but it's a framework. Have you thought about hiring an SLP to work via tele on conversation? Might be blind leading the blind for dad to be doing this. I will say this Mataya book connected dots for me on how narrative language and conversation connect.
I'll look into these. Thanks!
9 hours ago, PeterPan said:Have you looked at the book lists at the Social Thinking site? I admire your enthusiasm. 🙂
We have a bunch of the social thinking materials at home, but I'm not sure what book lists you're referring to?
9 hours ago, PeterPan said:Jokes are harder, because they involve social thinking, language, etc.
Yes, I know jokes are hard. And I feel like they're really becoming a problem, because he's trying to be funny so much more often, and things often fall flat. Or worse, they're just hurtful/offensive, and we have to correct and explain what went wrong. And he just gets really down/discouraged, feeling that no one gets him or his jokes, and then withdraws. It's a bit heart-wrenching, because we know he's trying so hard.
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I've gone through this book twice with my older two autistics and they really enjoyed it and communicated that they learned a lot. But with my oldest entering his teen years and being the only boy, dh wants to be more intentional about teaching what will help ds be more successful socially and relationally. But dh needs it all spelled out for him, because dh is ALSO autistic (and ADD with some significant EF struggles) -- so he's hoping to navigate some of this WITH ds, but he needs a roadmap (i.e., some good books) to guide him. He can't just wing it, because he's still learning all this stuff himself (he scoffed at the part of the book that talked about nonverbal communication and body language, convinced that no one could EVER tell someone else's mood "just" by their body language.... and then looked at me flabbergasted when I disagreed with him!! lol) It needs to be something he can just start and do - not a lot of training or prep involved. We have a lot of social thinking stuff (books, games, etc.), but dh would prefer something more like the "Secret Book" - lists of rules and explanations of each.
It's been a long time since I read Grandin's Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships, so I don't know if that would be a good fit or not. But I feel like we need a 10 volume set of stuff like the Secret book of Social rules, but in even more detail (an entire book on hygience, an entire book joking with people and sportsmanship, etc.) Does anyone have suggestions that would be good / open-and-go for an older autistic looking to mentor/work with a younger (teen) autistic, but needing some guidance?
ETA: After scouring other threads, I also have these on my goodreads list for them:
Social Rules for kids: The top 100 social rules kids need to succeed
The social skills picture book: for high school and beyond
Been there, done that, try this!
The Fine Art of Small Talk: How to start a conversation, keep it going.... -
1 hour ago, calbear said:
I was thinking that maybe Crewton Ramone's House of Math which used the Mortenson method like MUS. Just ignore his politics...
However it does mean watching instructional videos...do you have blue light glasses for your kiddo? This helps a lot with headaches from screens. However the rest of it is not screens.I will look into it! We did buy blue light glasses, but she says wearing them gives her even more headaches. I’m open to the amount of screen involved with watching an instructional video, certainly; just did not want to stick with something like ST math that is 100% on a screen.
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4 minutes ago, HomeAgain said:
It also means we have to make a decision about algebra rather quickly and decide if it's just better to go through and rewrite the MUS lessons/not use the video or work with something different again. On the upside, this is his last year at home, I think, so my goal is just to keep him enjoying math as a subject.
Yeah, I'm not up for rewriting the MUS lessons. I just don't know what kind of program would be good for this kiddos (dyslexic, autistic, very bright, super high processing, poor working memory, gets headaches watching screens) combined with my own capacity limits (four 2e kids means not as much time as I'd like to do all things 1-on-1.)
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11 minutes ago, HomeAgain said:
DS11 started with MUS algebra this year. It was fine, he didn't particularly like the explanations because there were gaps. For example, lesson 1 or 2 covered PEMDAS in that order, but neglected to talk about how the M & D, or the A & S are whichever you come to first, not necessarily addition before subtraction, kwim?
I actually stopped it and gave him the last few topics from Math Mammoth to play with for a bit. We may restart in December, but my main reason for the MUS this year was so he could be more independent, not so I could continue to be the primary teacher. And that's how it ended up being as I kept adding the information he needed to remember, not the partial explanations he was getting.
Ah, that's good to know. My dd10 is very 2e and math is really hit or miss for her and I spend a lot of time trying to figure out what would actually help her. (Someone on here gave me a "slot machine" analogy that really rings true for this child, lol) I don't think partial explanations would work for her at all, so this is a bummer to hear!
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Would you tell me more about switching your daughter to math-u-see? I've been contemplating this switch for a while with my dd10. It's clear that BA is a horrible fit for her, so no way would I do AoPS next. She's currently doing Singapore PM 5, but I'm not convinced it's what's best for her. We've tried ST math, and I think she's learning from it, but she says that looking at a screen so much gives her headaches. I think the main reason I haven't switched is just because of my own capacity - I feel like I don't have it in me to learn another program (been feeling stretched pretty thin lately). I'd just be interested in hearing why and how it's a good fit for your dd10, if you don't mind sharing!
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10 minutes ago, Dmmetler said:
The big thing to consider is any classes/coursework that requires practicals. Far more "direct to work" AS and BS programs have such, and those often have age limits. It is generally going to be easier to do a path that includes graduate school early than one that ends in professional licensure early. Vocational classes are often even more limited.
Great thoughts to consider. Thank you!
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5 minutes ago, Lecka said:
What I would say is -- how old is the child?
My oldest son was very interested in carpentry.
Basically -- he got older. He worked more (vs doing what he wanted as more of a hobby). He worked outdoors and felt hot.
He learned more about wages and more about jobs -- running a small business type of things.
Anyway -- he plans to go to college now and wants to have woodworking as a hobby.
This is a better fit for him as he has gotten older.
I know this is not what happens with everyone, but I am sharing, because my son was very interested and wasn't interested in academics as much -- that changed as he got older and more interested in academics.
Child is a young teen - so still lots of time to change his mind. To be clear, I'm not hoping to quit academics altogether; I'm just wondering about letting said child do academics at their own pace and desired depth, e.g., quitting the AoPS math track that he's on and letting him do "normal" college math courses (for credit) to satisfy degree requirements with an intended BA or BS in mind.
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Disclaimer: I think I understand all the reasons for going deep and wide with an AL, rather than further accelerating a kid who is capable. I love school and would happily go down every rabbit hole that we find and get all my kids involved with research projects that lead to grad school eventually, because it was just about the best time of my life. 🙂 So no need to convince me that these things have merit!
But I'm wondering: has anyone here had an AL who just wasn't into academics and was more interested in something blue collar? I'm trying to weigh out our options for continuing going deep/wide/down rabbit holes vs more of a HS4CC sort of track where we just aim to get a college degree "done" via dual credit and other homeschooling options so they can pursue other interest at 18.
My thinking is:
1) I'd like my kiddos to have at least a bachelors -- if they go for a career change or further education down the road, I know often having an accredited degree (in any field) can get your foot in the door in many places.
2) Some of the more hands-on blue collar jobs that one of my kiddos has been talking about have minimum ages of 18 (welding, massage school, etc.), anyway, so we can't really start those early to get experience (outside of finding an apprenticeship).
FWIW - most of my kids are 2E (dyslexic, autistic, adhd, dysgraphic). They just prefer to work with their hands over academic pursuits and I'd like to set them up for future success and not try to fit them into a box that they are ABLE to do, but won't necessarily help them thrive. (I know they're still kids and can change their minds, of course, because they're fickle... lol. But they've been pretty consistent for several years.) -
On 7/20/2021 at 2:27 PM, Carlisle said:
Would you be interested in romance novels in German? I'm a US author with translated books. I would love to find them a good home.
Ha ha, I don't think so, unfortunately. My kids are all 11 and under, and while I'm shopping ahead, I'm not sure when/if they'll be interested in romance novels! 🙂. Thank you so much, though!
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On 7/6/2021 at 11:26 AM, PeterPan said:
Thought of @4KookieKids when I came across this. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0770/1861/files/handouts_for_blog.pdf?v=1611261352 Past president of ASHLA talking about causes of reading comprehension problems in adolescents with autism.
On p32 she shows how to integrate vocabulary instruction (which she says to do with synonyms/thesaurus vs. dictionary) with story grammar and prediction to improve comprehension. So the beginning of the powerpoint is pretty general, but it gets better as you progress.
Fwiw, the heteronym and contrastive stress stuff she discusses is covered extensively in APD materials like https://www.therapro.com/Differential-Processing-Training-Program-Acoustic-Tasks.html (3 part series)
Thank you so much!
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2 hours ago, Lecka said:
For seeing what pronouns refer to — there is a “Hyperlexia Kit.” I tend to doubt that would be helpful for someone reading at a 6th grade level, but I don’t know.
I will look into all of these resources. Thank you! I may have been unclear earlier: when his reading ability was last tested (over a year ago, right after he finished Barton) he was reading at a 12th grade level. It’s just that when he takes multiple choice reading comprehension quizzes, they put him at a 6th grade level.
2 hours ago, Rosie_0801 said:Have you done sentence diagramming?
No haven’t tried that yet!
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Math in Focus for profoundly dyslexic (autistic) middle schooler?
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
I will check them out! Thank you very much!