Games at Education Unboxed might be helpful, too. You'd just need some colored rods for most of them, otherwise free!

Games at Education Unboxed might be helpful, too. You'd just need some colored rods for most of them, otherwise free!

Just updating that our month break with Zaccaro has been great! We started the Magic of Multiplying chapter today, and things really clicked for her. The algorithm actually helped her visualize the distributive property she'd been struggling with, I think. I also realized that since she doesn't have her basic facts memorized yet, giving her the times table chart to use for these more complicated, higher order thinking problems is just more humane, lol. Working on facts with Xtramath, will take time... So I have a plan moving forward to mostly line up Zaccaro with chapters in Miquon and Beast 3A, with other supplements where needed. I'm hoping the word problem intro's of Zaccaro will keep her more engaged. We actually started today, went back and did the last half page of multiplication we needed to finish in Miquon, and she did great, felt confident instead of overwhelmed! Will finish the skip counting section in Beast before we move on to fractions and perimeter/area.

We like this, for getting wiggles out in 5 and 10 minute increments! http://www.amazon.com/Fit-Kids-Fitness-Workouts-Children/dp/B0014Z3OQW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1415410196&sr=8-3&keywords=Fit+kids

What word problem book do you use, Coco? I think that's what she's missing, the sense that knowing how to multiply 7x14 is useful...

Beast is great. Another option might be Zaccaro Challenge Math, a fun presentation of very real-world math problems. My daughter loves it, and there are a couple levels to work through...

I'm currently taking a little monthlong breather from Miquon and Beast 3a with my daughter, and feel like I've gotten a major clue as to what was starting to bother her about those programs, besides the challenge of getting deep into multiplication. Right now, during the breather, math includes: - xtramath timed addition review (not her favorite, but not miserable since we use the longer 6s version and it only takes 5-10m) - iReady math lessons (review, a free online program through our charter - she really likes it because of the cute graphics and story-telling/word problem contexts - also it's pretty easy) - Zaccaro Elementary Challenge Math - she loves this, again because of the story-telling/word problem context - what she keeps telling me is that she likes Zaccaro more because she's "not a fan of all that plus-y, plus-y math in Miquon." So I still love Miquon! How do I tweak it to give it more context? Find living math books to introduce each new topic? Are there enough games on Education Unboxed to get us through the series (we're on the 5th out of 6)? Other ideas?

Welcome, I'm near the beginning of homeschooling myself! I think something that has really helped me is recognizing the value of doing small things consistently over time. A little math done well, a little handwriting or reading practice done well (whatever "well" looks like for you and your child), a great book read regularly for 10-15 minutes a couple times a day, a weekly rhthym of extras (nature walks, cooking or art projects, experiments, library visits, etc. - again, the things that fit your family best)... It will all add up cumulatively over time. It's like exercise - you don't see results after one day, they come over time. I notice my child's progress from month to month and year to year. With that, I don't personally do a lot of intense scheduling - I have daily and weekly routines for the things we'll do (a few monthly), and then with each, we mainly just do the next thing. If we need more time on a particular thing, we take it. I started pretty simply, with a few 3Rs curricula, science/social studies connected to good books (Five in a Row), then added other things as I learned more about what would work for us and felt like my child was ready. I occasionally look at typical courses of study for a given grade, WTM suggestions, etc., to get a sense of where we're at relatively, but that's once or twice a year when I'm in full-out planning mode. With an active child, I would focus on lots of opportunities for hands-on activity and big movement, breaking up any short times of seated work. Lots of things traditionally done seated and still in the classroom don't actually need to be!

Could you put some of the academics on a looping schedule, so you can know you're making progress, but give yourself permission to slow down a bit? Decide bare minimums and go from there...

I wonder if the dynamics are slightly different at smaller libraries and when the librarians sort of know you? We've had to ask about books we returned that got lost in the shuffle before - the librarians found them and apologized. There's a form you fill out if they can't and you still want to dispute the fine. When I've thought a few books might be lost (found them later, whew), the librarian told me I could just buy an inexpensive version to replace it v. paying them to buy the expensive library version.

I love this thread :) We also go to the library weekly, same day of the week so it prompts me to check my account online, renew books, avoid fees.... It's rare for us to go home with less than 30 books, a few videos the kids pick for their screen time that week. The librarians know the kids by name, miss them if one stays home. The small kids area is filled with toys as well as books and comfy seats for the parents, so I can sit and do work or read (free wifi) while the 3yo plays and 7yo reads magazines we don't get at home. During the summer and occasionally throughout the year, they arrange cool programs like magic shows that the kids can come to for free, and and I feel no guilt about cool assemblies I remember from my schooled childhood that my kids are missing out on ;) (Seriously some of those assemblies were the only things I remember enjoying about school!) The weekly story time for tots isn't my favorite for a few reasons, so we don't go, but I love that they offer it anyway. And yeah, great ILL system, we request so many books for fun and learning...

See, you know what he needs. Honestly, I have not met anyone who has loved or thrived in the kind of setup you're describing. It's ok to just be done with it, just figure out any legalities and be done :) Even if you decide on the other charter, would independent, relaxed learning at home until January be a problem? Taking some time to recover from all this stress...

That sounds like more of a curriculum/fit issue than anything else. Does he do ok if he's allowed to solve the problems in a different way? If not, without the pressure of someone else's timeline to follow, you can just backup a little, play some games, work with manipulatives and number lines, see if it clicks then.

Actually engaged in schoolwork is what people usually mean when they're counting hours :). For us, for instance, the routine is something like: Toddler-mom time while 7yo practices keyboard, does Xtra Math Circle time with both (toddler playing right next to us) - devotion, a little Spanish, history or science reading 7yo- Mom time (math, spelling) while toddler has a little TV time Snack with read aloud, a little outside time A few more things on 7yo's seat work list while toddler plays nearby We're usually done with seat work before lunch, afternoons for reading, projects (cooking, science, art, etc.) and play or outside classes like karate. If we need afternoon time though, we'll use it.

What are his math difficulties, if you don't mind sharing? More specifics might help people with recommendations :)

It's not you, it's the charter's style. You get to find the style that fits you and your child now, and it will be a totally different experience. You got this!

Welcome! I have friends who use a hybrid charter option and love it. Only you know what will work for your family, and maybe there are good reasons for him to be on campus a few days a week. But if you really in your heart of hearts want him at home, homeschooling with toddlers is totally possible. People often say about an hour per day per grade (not necessarily including read alouds, etc.), and you can work that into a very do-able routine, with breaks as needed. There's a book by Linda Dobson about the first year of homeschooling that is a very encouraging, light read with some useful explanations of different styles of homeschooling that might help you get started thinking about what might be a good fit for you and for your child. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001U5VJLI?btkr=1 A free resource for math with lots of videos, games, explanations you could use for review and locking in some basics: Education Unboxed. http://www.educationunboxed.com. The rods you need are not at all expensive. If you decide to leave your current program, perhaps you could just deschool until after Christmas with library visits, field trips, math games, and a little everyday writing (journals, lists, letters, etc.). Start some read-alouds, and have fun! Good luck!

You're welcome! The few lessons I did before switching to the author's textbook for adults were excellent.

Oops, website... http://www.kidsgreek.com

I believe this one year online Biblical Greek for Kids course is still free... I worked through a few lessons to ease into my own Greek study :)

I'm with a charter where I trade a pretty minimal amount of paperwork and oversight (a chart of what she's learned, a few samples of work, a 1hr. meeting with a very personable and encouraging partner teacher every 20 school days) for a pretty hefty chunk of funds to spend on classes or non-sectarian instructional materials, as well as some other free resources provided to all enrolled students. (We like to focus funds on classes and consumables since non-consumables have to be returned, but... Beast Academy! Microscope! The partner teacher loans out returned non-consumables, too.) How and what she learns is still my choice, as long as she's learning. The pro's for us: making it easier to afford some things; a little accountability, esp. in subjects or times where I might be tempted to slack a little; some rhythm = taking the time to appreciate and catalogue all she's learned each month, then starting the next month with renewed energy The con's for us: keeping up with little changes in what the state/charter require; not letting those requirements change how I homeschool too much, if I don't really think it's better instructionally (i.e., pictures of her whiteboard work can no longer be submitted as samples - we'll still do a lot of work on whiteboards, copy out one by hand for a sample when we need to); we do have to participate in some testing, not much, and while I won't let that stress her out, it can stress me out a little :). Last one I wonder about: legally it would be very easy to leave the charter if the con's started to outweigh the pro's, but how hard would it be financially to give up or compensate for the little extras?

- reduced the school-y, mama-led load, made more time for projects, free art, free reading - reduced the writing load, added in more partner writing, dictation - planned for some out of the house things most days - she's very social She still doesn't jump up and down about xtramath or spelling, but she knows it has a purpose, she's improving and it's just one part of the day :)

Fun Fridays with poems, a free write, game math, a library visit, other activities from art to field trips... Weekly library visits mean very rare fines, too. Reading over morning snack time and before bed. Starting the day with the 3yo's books and activities and seeing how often the 7yo can still get into them, too! Slowly developing a good morning basket time, more geared to the 7yo with trickle down for the 3yo... Not 100% of the time but often, we go for a Sunday family swim in the Y's heated pool - such a great reset for the week to come!

Poetry Atlas of the U.S., along with a Melissa and Doug Puzzle. We've been working on memorizing location, capital, and postal abbreviation for each, doing around 6 states or one region a week.

I think there's a picture book called Grass Sandals about the most famous Japanese haiku poet, could be a great intro, even for older kids.