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Kerileanne99

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Posts posted by Kerileanne99

    Choosing level for ITBS

    in Accelerated Learner Board

    Posted

    I forgot how loooong standardized tests are. She's cracking me up because she *loves* the testing and keeps asking if we can continue on when I insist she take breaks. Weird kid, she's asking if she can take the DORA again when she finishes the ITBS.

    If she really enjoys the testing process ...

    I gave Alex the DORA a couple of years ago, and since she enjoyed it I gave her the math test by the same company (called ADAM). I found it incredibly useful as it breaks the math evaluations down into 44 sub categories ranging from K-7th grade levels and you get a full diagnostic report. It allowed me to see exactly where there were any gaps or weak areas...for example, she solved an algebra equation with a binomial, yet hadn't seen a larger VENN diagram, lol:) And whilst I personally am not concerned with Common Core standards, I do like the ability to compare the lists of topics as well:)

    I just made a huge social faux pas....ugh!!!

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    I hate when that happens. I have one I will NEVER forget. It was so awful:(

    I was a close friend and personal assistant to a very dear elderly man for a number of years. I was at his side when his wife died and two years later to the day when he died as well. One of his requests was that I personally call a few of his friends to tell them he had died.

    One of them was the very intimidating former head of his Academic department. I was grieving myself, had cried solidly for the last day and was exhausted from a week of being at his side constantly, but there just isn't any excuse...I phoned her to tell her. She had known him for 30 years, both as colleagues and socially. She was understandably upset. We spoke for a few moments, both crying. As I said goodbye I fumbled for something to say.

    And said, Okay, have a great day😧

    It still makes me cringe:(

    • Like 2

    DD having panic attacks over fear of death

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    That's actually how my OCD first manifested- obsessing and terrified about death and going to hell. If your religious culture is one that believes in the possibility of hell and she is dealing with the initial stages of a mental illness like OCD, bringing religion into the picture might only make things worse. It certainly did for me.

     

    My advice would be to have her meet with a psychiatrist who can evaluate her for OCD or an anxiety disorder and discuss possible medication and specific types of therapy.

    My dd6 has PANDAS/PANS, which brought in her OCD behavior...our first indication that something was really wrong was her full-blown panic attack regarding death and dying. There was no loss, no obvious warning. She is really, really captivated by Greek Mythology and immortality, and it did happen around Easter last year in an area where death/resurrection themes are ubiquitous...and very detailed/graphic. These are the only things that may be partly causal.

    I will never forget her standing on a chair, sobbing, screaming. It was heart-wrenching. She insisted there must be a vaccination, a cure, why couldn't she be put back into a 'computer-womb', why weren't Hera's apples of immortality real?! And so on. Dying just wasn't FAIR, and completely illogical as you never know when it is coming.

     

    OP:

    For her, logical and very real discussions were key (as was treatment for the underlying medical issues), and we specifically had to target a study of how the brain works: she could work on training her brain to refocus and 'ignore' those thoughts before a full-blown attack develops. We work on a few specific techniques. At night, she still has night terrors that often center on death. She has her phone and we have put in a few very light and cheerful audiobook favorites that she turns on. We have some meditation/mindfulness techniques that help, and for her, doing math calms and focuses her:) she will tell me she is going to work on some math to calm down. She memorizes things as well, large chunks of information...this was her idea as she says that when she gets upset she uses her memory to recite the Gettysburg Address, or sing the periodic table song and there 'is no room for the bad stuff.' The key was just to find things that empowered HER to help herself. Honestly, after the initial big discussion on death, and a few specific questions she asks over and over again just to make sure she is going to get the same answer, continuing to have long conversations and details just made things worse...in the middle of the anxiety attack was most definitely not the time to have those discussions as her brain shut down on the rational, logical parts and any further discussion just served as fodder for escalating the attack. Instead we reiterate the answers to those 4 main points we know are triggers and then focus on calming techniques, assuring her we can talk about anything she has concerns about later when her body/brain are more rational.

    She still has problems with anxiety regarding death and a few other key topics. And yes, they tend to occur more when she is over stimulated, tired, hungry or ill. I also confess to believing that the issue gets compounded when she realized that she gets lots of extra cuddles and attention when she starts to get upset. We have learned to ask if that is what is really upsetting her or if she just is anxious and would like some extra attention. With a 1 yo baby brother everyone dotes on, I think that is a contributing factor. It doesn't obviously start out from there, but is a component.

    I don't know if any of that will be useful to you, but this was our experience. Hugs and best wishes as you go through this with her. Anxiety it awful...and when it is over something where you cannot even provide a child with anything concrete to help rationalize I think it is even worse:(

    • Like 2

    Dry Erase Activity Book

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I know you are specifically looking for the write and wipe books, but at that age I started a three-ring binder with plastic page protectors. Then you can use any activity book that appeals to her. My daughter still loves hers although the pages tend to be more logic puzzles these days. We keep it in the car with a cloth and a dry erase marker.

    Hypothetical Question about spouse having an affair

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Geez. NO way. Not even if the woman was the worst, most cold-hearted wretch on the planet. And if blame was being assigned by hypothetical spouse I would have definite suspicions that the relationship between hubby and other started much earlier than the claim.

     

    Even when parties amicably decide to call it quits and agree they 'fell out of love' both have a duty not to fall out of love and trip into the genitalia of someone else until either both spouses agree that pursuing other relationships is acceptable or are no longer living together at the very least.

    Sounds as though someone knows they are in danger of losing out financially due to an affair.

    • Like 3

    NME Question

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    Sorry, I just saw this!

     

    When I called with questions about giving it to my Myth-loving Kindy kiddo they were ridiculously accommodating. They told me to mark her as a 3rd grader. I guess they assumed she wouldn't be reading it herself and told me ai could read it to her. Alex did read it herself, but the lovely lady told me they deal with all sorts of accommodations, which makes it the perfect first exam:)

    We did practice bubbling on a blank bubble sheet daddy brought home from work with an old Evan Moor book, but I was told if she had trouble to just let her choose her answer and help her bubble:)

     

    La Condessa- I hope your kiddo had fun and did well!

    Proud, anxious, and teary-eyed!

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    My dd just did that test too! It was so exciting to mail it off. Even dad helped get it all ready to send back. We were a little giddy too.

    Oh yay!

    I hope she had fun and does well:)

     

    Alex took the entire exam but the Native American myth portion for fun, but we were advised when I ordered to only submit the general myths portion and mark 3rd grade. I am thinking of grading the rest and making her a certificate of our own:)

    May is such a long time for her (and us parents!) to have to wait for results, lol....

    • Like 1

    When to Begin Living Math Books?

    in PreK and K

    Posted

    For YOUR child? He is well past when starting them is useful:)

    I will say, they are a different style and take some getting use to. For example, I wouldn't START them at bedtime...we did do them at bedtime after a time, but not until we were well -established. There are also some that lend themselves to bedtime whilst others will lead to pencil/paper and discussion. Most worked for us better at a different time.

    At bedtime we preferred bedtime math- a quick problem that left kiddo feeling satisfied and ready for bed. Have you signed up for BedTime Math email of the day? It comes to your inbox and reminds you to do it! It also often involves a kid-friendly recent newsworthy event:)

    am I misunderstanding?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted · Edited by Kerileanne99

    Ackward-

    Sounds like SIL misunderstood, and dil was trying to do the right thing-as to how I would have actually handled it? To allow for all feelings, I probably would have cheerfully said 'I got it-but you can leave the tip if you like!'

    Eta: because wow! Phone typos:(

    • Like 3

    Just had an odd experience

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Oh wow, how freaky!

     

    We had our baby push/tricycle thing go missing from our garage recently and this was freaky enough as it meant someone came right up to the house with us in it. I am not sure what I would have done if they they actually came INSIDE!

    A reminder to always lock the door, for sure!

    Proud, anxious, and teary-eyed!

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    So today we sent off Alex's very first bubble-sheet competitive exam! It was the National Classical League's National Mythology Exam, so a perfect first start for her. She has been digesting mythology for as long as I can remember, and specifically listening to D'Aulaire's on her IPod since she was two!

    In fact, as per instructions when I spoke with them, her biggest complaint was that she could take the whole exam but should only submit the beginning exam as if she were a 3rd grader. She took exception to this as she felt she 'knew the rest'.

    Still. She took the exam (after practicing random bubble sheets daddy brought home from work) in her Aphrodite dress and circlet:) we took pictures and daddy took the exam off to the post office:)

    We have promised a dinner trip when the results arrive-regardless of how she did because we are emphasizing the hard work she put in rather than than the results:) I think I may be just as excited!

    • Like 18

    Solve my math issue, please!

    in Accelerated Learner Board

    Posted

    So Alex has always been a bit...different when it comes to math. But I will say that Beast definitely has the power to reduce her to unnecessary tears. She has years to develop the type of perseverance to problem solving that Beast focuses on. Whilst I want her to learn perseverance when it comes to problem solving, I would not desire this at the sacrifice of her love, her joy, her wonder, of math.

    We run Beast WELL behind her computational progress in math. In addition, we do not stick to a linear progression nor any one program. When I find she is approaching frustration, walls, or boredom in any one area I switch gears and focus on a side area for a bit.

     

    One thing I would highly recommend:

    I installed a giant white board in our living room. We actually have two, but one is JUST for challenge problems. I put challenge problems from Zaccaro or Beast on there and leave them. They are not required. In fact, I highly recommend suggesting they might be a bit too difficult and walking away. Alex knows that If she solves them she gets a Fair Trade version of a chocolate kiss. She is allowed to ask questions or discuss ideas, but must do the work herself. We act ambivalent about her completion, but praise hard work--and celebrate any completion regardless of correct answer (although reward doubles for that!).

    Just leave it there. Make them fun. A recent one for Alex was an area problem of a castle with multiple shapes (and thus formulas) including a semicircle, trapezoid, ellipse, and more...she was exceptionally proud when she finished it:)

    But again, we just...left it up:)

    • Like 2

    Shakespeare resources for 6 yr old

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I have a dd6 who loves Shakespeare--it seems we have done much of the same path with the same resources!

     

    We also have this set of 20 books which do a lovely job of introducing each play:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/178226020X/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

     

    She is going to be playing the part of Cleopatra in April in a kid's production of Julius Caesar. If I have to hear "Come thou mortal wretch with thy sharp teeth..." And watch her attack herself with a stuffed snake One more time I might keep over myself:)

    • Like 2

    texting age

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    My dd6 frequently texts family, and she has 2-3 friends she texts as well. It is wonderful practice. I do require her to use my phone for it at the moment, and to ask if she wants to use my phone. She has an iPhone for music and apps (a hand-me-down), but I will not put texting capabilities on it until she is older. I am of the opinion that it is scaffolding. I am teaching her proper etiquette and usage, Internet and phone safety now, but can oversee everything she writes, or sends pictures of...

    • Like 2

    Apple Cider Vinegar Cures Celiac!

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    I started telling people what it felt like to throw up crackers. I asked if they wanted my rankings of foods to vomit.

    Definitely! I have a whole host of foods I just cannot tolerate after that much vomiting based upon the smell and what it felt like to vomit them. Certain crackers and violently, SubwY sandwiches. Even the smell of the bread! *retch*

    Square root day! 4/4/16

    in Accelerated Learner Board

    Posted

    For art, we did that project where you use a compass to draw overlapping circles and then paint or color in the parts. Kind of like really complicated Venn diagrams. We did circles with the same diameter and calculated the area, but it might be fun to do the same type of project with perfect squares.

    Just use graph paper or measure them in art paper, and draw random overlapping perfect squares, then color in the overlapping areas:)

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