Mom2TheTeam
-
Posts
876 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Blogs
Classifieds
Store
Posts posted by Mom2TheTeam
-
-
Thanks everyone!
Our state doesn't have a PE requirement. I just feel my kids need it. They aren't naturally picking up these gross motor skills, like jumping jacks. They play outside all the time, but they would prefer to dig up worms than play soccer. ;) So, I'm just seeing an area where they could use some work and thinking a PE program might help, especially since I'm a "teacher" who likes guidance. :)Also, requiring other kids is great for us because I have 6. Not a "class" really, but definitely a small class.
-
It looks like Horizon's has a program. It looks more geared toward classroom, but I do have 6 kids. LOL! I'm not having a lot of luck though. I'm not liking the look of Family Time Fitness.
-
I know this has been discussed, but I can't seem to search for this because PE is only 2 letters. LOL! Sorry.
Does anyone have any suggestions for a PE curriculum other than Family Time Fitness? Or if you have experience with Family Time, do you have a minute to review it?
I feel the one area we are really falling down is this. My kids, age 9 down to 2, barely know what a jumping jack is. LOL! They play outside and run around a ton. They get exercise. But they are lacking the basic PE type skills. I feel it is important because things like this do come up every once in a while. (Think Simon Says, "Do jumping Jacks.") I know I could try to come up with something on my own, but I'm not even positive what to teach. So, I'd like a guide of some sort to follow. But, I would prefer something in print, not computer based like Family Time. I would also prefer something a little more relaxed.
Any suggestions?? Thanks! -
I see the OP has posted recently. I hope she tells us how it went.
Me too. :)
OP, come out, come out, wherever you are......
-
I was going to say the same thing as above...needle nose pliers and twist to put a bend or "crimp" in the spiral. :D
I had to cut and re-crimp all my spiral bound books I had done at Staples this year. They left the coils super long. Annoying. LOL! -
I've never heard of Writing Tales. I'll have to look that up. My plan is to use WWS eventually also. But, since that is a few years away who knows where we will ultimately end up. I wasn't expecting to need a writing program (other than WWE) yet, but really feel we do. So, who knows the future holds. LOL.
Any thoughts on WWE along with this or dropping WWE? Honestly, I'm slightly tired of WWE, but he definitely needs more dictation and I know he will benefit from continuing to work on summarizing. -
I've read most of the thread and looked through the samples on the site. I really like the looks of this program. My son is in 3rd. I have a few of questions:
1. Right now, we are doing FLL 3 for grammar. I like it. If we used TC would we drop this program? Does TC teach grammar in depth like FLL? Is it a complete grammar program for 3rd grade?
2. What about WWE? We are using that as well and we enjoy it. My son is great at narrating back to me the whole story, but not so great yet at simplifying it into a summary of the main ideas. WWE is helping with that. Would we continue it also?
3. Lastly, were do you go after this program? I don't know how to teach writing. I feel I'm going to want something each year to help with that. But, if this approach is different than other approaches to writing, what will fit well after this?
Thanks!!! -
in my county they included this stipulation in the RE letter I received. I would have to look back to confirm, but I'm pretty sure that is the case. Don't get me started... :leaving:
Well, that stinks! I would call HSLDA to find out if that is a requirement you need to follow or if you can at least wait to see if they ask for it.
-
Very nice blog! I have a question that's off-topic and not directly related to this thread. It's about your reasons for filing for RE and only bowing to God. Please don't take this as an insulting or troublemaker-type question, I am just sincerely curious. Virginia is the only state that has a RE for homeschoolers. What do people do who feel this way and live in other states? I am thinking of a NY family that was hauled into court on truancy charges because they did not register and wound up having to register in order for their children not to be taken for educational neglect.
I'm not the poster you quoted, but I stated in one of my posts above that if I lived in another state, I would follow their laws. I would not try to fly under the radar. Following the law for HS'ing isn't going against my beliefs. Sending my children to PS is. So, by following the laws of the state, I can legally follow God's calling for my family. Therefore, I would follow the laws of that state, just as I'm following the laws of my state of VA. Since this is an option in VA, I'll take advantage of it. If it wasn't an option, I would file and test/eval each year as required.
That said, I also would not move to a highly regulated state unless I had no other option. In fact, we were looking at moving a few years ago and this was a consideration in the states we looked at. (We didn't move and we don't plan to now.)
And not an insulting or trouble-making question. :)
For the other question about enrolling your child in private school or moving, it is my understanding that you are supposed to notify the county of a move and I assume it would be the same for enrolling them in school. I suspect my county would send me a letter asking what was going on if I didn't file. They very obviously keep track. They send several letters a year reminding of us of requirements and acknowledging (and reminding some more) receipt of our NOI and eval letter.
-
I am not sure who you are talking about here? and If it is me exactly what you are saying?
Several people mentioned not filing. My question was not directed at anyone specific. I have never heard of not filing. So, I was honestly asking.
I said it isn't for me because it seems like it could be risky and I'm a chicken. Ha, ha, ha!! But, on top of that, I have already filed an NOI for 3 years now and if I suddenly stopped, I have no doubt my county would check up on me. Hence the "it's not for us and it's too late" comment.
Sorry if my question came across wrong. I wasn't saying or implying anything. I was asking an honest question. :)
-
Hedgehogs4 - Thanks! I'm near NoVA. In fact, many people consider this to still be NoVA, but I grew up in Fairfax County. This isn't NoVA. Ha, ha, ha!! Your thoughts are exactly in line with mine. I have overcome the "is it a sin" and "am I willing to take PS completely off the table." I wrestled with both of those too. Now, I have to overcome my fear of being called to testify. Eeeekkkk.....
Why do you think your 14 year old will need to write a letter? I haven't ever heard of a specific age when the child is asked to confirm. And seriously, let me just say, that it totally bugs me that they want the kids to confirm at all. My county's form (which I know I don't have to use) asks for a letter from the child. *I* am the parent and *I* am raising the child till they are 18. Their education is my decision. :glare: (But my oldest is only 8.... :lol: ) -
OK Family, Thanks!! So, your 3rd grader did well with it? I'm sort of on the fence with using it this year. I can't decide if I want to go ahead with it or wait a year. I don't really want to jump into a theme unit first. I really have no expeience teaching writing. So, I feel we need the SWI first.
-
Maybe we should wait year to start so we can start with the Intensive.
-
Dee, thanks! That is exactly what I needed, especially the explanation of what it teaches.
So, this teaches through high school and would replace WWS? I really like the look of it and when I watched a few sample videos I liked them. I think we want to go this route.
Have you watched or do most people watch the Teaching Writing DVD's? I am concerned about getting the theme units first simply because I don't have any clue how to teach writing. (Though, the components are coming back to me as I think on this topic.) I always did fine in writing, but I wouldn't say I put a ton of effort into it or that I excelled. I want my children to excel in writing because I feel it is one of the most important skills for college, especially if they want to get more than a bachelor's degree. -
Thank you!! Very helpful. I'll look at these later.
-
Okay, I found some. Don't know if they are what I'm looking for, but I found some Webinars. :D
-
Would you mind linking me? I've been all over the site and all I've seen in the short videos which are 3-5 minutes long. I can't seem to get a good feel for how the program works. I guess I'm missing something on the site....
-
I'm trying to find the right path for teaching writing. My oldest is in 3rd grade. I'm looking at Institute for Excellence in Writing. I like the look of it, but I don't understand a few things...
1. It looks like we would start with Student Writing Intensive. Is 3rd grade an appropriate time to start this?2. I assume it does, but does it teach them to write paragraphs and essays and reports and such? I've had a hard time finding a scope and sequence on the site. I'm looking for him to start learning some structure or at least moving forward in his writing. I'm not sure when paragraphs and more formal writing instruction is appropriate.
3. After we do the Student Writing Intensive, the student would do either the second level or the themed units. When do they learn start to learn more advanced skills? It sort of seems like most of the teaching is done in the Writing Intensive and then after that it's practice. But, when does the student learn more advanced writing skills? And were is the program that would teach it?
4. I just don't understand how this program works long term. I'm not exactly sure when/how they learn advanced writing skills.5. Would we use the Writing Intensive and then one of the themed programs and then move on to another program in 5th grade....say Writing with Skill, which I'm planning to use when appropriate.
For background, my 3rd grader has been doing WWE. He is on WWE2. Last year, in 2nd, he did letter writing each week and some notebooking in history. I want to keep moving him forward and I'm not sure where to go from here. I would like something to help guide me in teaching him because I'm lost on how to teach this and what to teach when.
Thanks for any input! -
Truancy is exactly the law I thought it would fall under. I'm not out to get anyone or report anyone. I just wondered if I was missing something by thinking it was illegal.
I don't pretend to know a lot about family law, but as I understand it truency, especially when it is a direct result of the parent, can be a very big deal if the judge wants it to be. Personally, I would never put my family at risk in that way on purpose. What others do with their family is their business. I just wondered if there was a loop hole I was unaware of. :) -
There are lots of ways you can do speech therapy at home. Start googling. ;) Most insurance companies won't pay for speech therapy unless there is a medical problem causing it....at least that is what we were told and what was the case for both of our children. But, you can affectively do it at home in many cases.
My almost 9 year still struggles with L's especially. I wish I had worried about it sooner and worked on it with him. He did get an eval, but at the time was just barely in the normal range and she said he wouldn't qualify with the insurance even if he was below. She gave me exercises to do with him at home and I slacked and didn't. I really wish we had because now, even though I understand him fine, he can be hard to understand for other people. Now, we are going to start working on it because it bothers him. So, my advice...if you know there is a speech issue that could be worked on, I would go ahead. I often correct my younger children and show them the proper way to form letters with their tongues and lips and have them repeat. In my mind, it isn't really worth waiting. If you see an issue, work on it now rather than later. :)I wanted to add, I agree it isn't a problem yet. I would just work on it in a relaxed way so it doesn't become a problem like my son's did. ;)
-
Okay, but isn't that illegal? Am I missing something?
Personally, that isn't the route we would take and it's way too late for that anyway. ;) -
Always homemade, sometimes a side and sometimes a main dish. Typically, if I make it for the kids for lunch or dinner it's a main dish. If I make it as part of a holiday meal, it's a side dish....for the kids...And, we claim it is for the kids, but it is really good and we love it too.
Too bad I'm lactose intolerant now and really can't have it. It makes me SO sad. I really love baked mac and cheese. :( -
RE in VA here and dd had no trouble w/ AP testing, in a different county than we live in (not everyone gives the music theory AP exam!). I'm grateful we had no troubles.
Thanks Angie! I feel like I've heard you talk on this topic before....I really think I may have posted about it before, though not this specific question. Anyway, you've taken the RE? Did you do it early on in your homeschooling journey? Have you come across any reasons not to do it? I really can't seem to find a good reason why we shouldn't do it. I just want to make sure to fully understand the ramifications. I think I do, but I'd love to hear from more families who have been under it for a while.
I think this year would be a good year to go ahead and get it done because I have 3 who will need evals/testing this year instead of my 1 from the past 2 years and if I wait till spring, I can put 5 of my 6 all on the exemption (2 more to do NOI on fall of 2015) and not have to update or add the last for 3 years after that.
Thanks!!
-
This is just to satisfy my own curiosity, but I have always wondered about this aspect of tha VA religious exemption; how does a government official determine if someone's religious objection is "good enough"? Wouldn't this necessarily require an agent of the state to make a judgement regarding the quality or sincerity of an individual's religios conviction? It seems to me that this would open an area that would be fraught with possible pitfalls.
They do sort of have to judge, but basically have to take you at your word. There is a process. You have to write a letter stating your beliefs and why you are religously opposed. It isn't directly stated in the law, but to prove you have this belief most includ 2 other letters from individuals who know them and can confirm this belief. Most include a letter from a pastor. Some people include a letter from their child as well, if they are old enough. It isn't required by law, but my county specifically asks for it.
They school board can (but rarely does) call you in front of the board to testify about your beliefs. But the bottom line is they can't tell you your religious objection isn't "good enough." All you have to prove is that you truely believe what you say you believe. So, they are judging whether your belief is "bona fide" or sincere not whether it is good enough and they do that through your letters.
Of course, people lie. I know of at least one family from when I was growing up who lied about it. But, that is really between them and God. People also lie about being religiously opposed to vaccines because it is the only way out of them in our state. (That I know of.) You can slip under the radar if you homeschool, but technically homeschooling does not exempt you from having your children vaccinated.
This has been allowed in the state of Virginia for many years now and there have been no major issues to come from it. If we lived in another state, I would do whatever that state required (though there are many states I would not move to unless I had no other viable option because of the HS'ing laws). This is something offered here. So, I'm considering taking the exemption because I do scincerly fall into it and it makes my life a lot easier.
Hope that helps explain it some. I'm sure others who have been doing it longer could explain it better. ;)
Sorry, I can't spell and my spell check doesn't work on this site. I have no doubt there are many spelling errors in this post. :p
Mostly independent grammar for 3rd grader
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
We are currently doing FLL3. We aren't that far along. :tongue_smilie: We like it, but I don't have the time for how teacher intensive it is. It isn't getting done. I'd like to find something he can do mostly independently. I've looked briefly at both R&S and CLE, which come well recommended. However, both programs also include writing and CLE includes spelling it looks like. We do other things for both of those. (WWE and letter writing and R&S spelling). I don't want to replace all the LA we are using, just the grammar. Suggestions?
Thanks! :)