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quietchapel

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Posts posted by quietchapel

    Advice please

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted · Edited by quietchapel

    For writing, I would also recommend looking at IEW. The way they scaffold instruction works really well for my ASD kiddo (although he’s only 8 so a few years behind your DD). He has reading comprehension issues but using the IEW techniques, he is able to narrate back full paragraphs and write about them, too.

     

    I actually also use IEW for my neurotypical DD12 and her writing has improved tremendously. I have used both WWS and IEW with DD and found that IEW was much easier to follow. It also works more intentionally on building a paragraph than WWS did. I kinda felt like WWS would give a template for a type of writing so she’d knock out, say, a scientific discovery paragraph that was dull, dull, dull! Meanwhile IEW gives both the template for a decent paragraph and how to cull information from the sources plus how to vary sentence structure to make the writing more interesting. All told, her writing is much easier to read now and she has even noticed the change.

     

    We are not Christian homeschoolers either, and I have found IEW’s writing materials to be neutral in its materials. (I’m talking about their Student Writing Intensive courses; they have thematic writing courses that may not suit secular homeschoolers.)

     

    Good luck with the search! I’ll be looking for this type of info for my DS in a few years!

     

    Carol

     

    Thank you, Carol! That information is very helpful. IEW has always intimidated me, but I may need to get over that.

     

    I've been considering TRISMS for high school, which has IEW integrated throughout.

    Advice please

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    Do you think she's college bound at this point? CC? University? Challenging university?

     

    For writing, I would consider IEW or WWS. They have had the clearest instructions, and include checklists.

    For science, I would consider Apologia if she needed support in learning note-taking, or BJUP (probably paired with DIVE) if she needs challenging textbook style learning. (Apologia has a somewhat disorganized conversational tone.)

    I am using SWB's Ho_W + the student activity guide for history for one of mine. He really appreciates the student guide's clear questions. It's also a good chance for him to practice short answer and brief essay writing. I don't know that my next child in line will use the same materials. My next in line is currently using History Odyssey, and we may continue with that in the future, but I worry that the task checklists aren't specific enough for him. I've also considered using K12 privately.

    Thank you! Yes, I think she is college-bound. I've considered WWS. I was concerned about the same thing for her with History Odyssey.

     

    I should have specified that we are not Christian, though not opposed to using Christian materials. We tried apologia before, and it was just a bit much. I've looked at Novare, though, which may be an option.

     

    Years ago I truly believed I'd be able to use the same materials for each of my children!😂😂

    Advice please

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    I have a book tub every year (this started in elementary but continues through high school. We are currently doing 11th grade) where I put in a lot of books that are on grade level (usually classics but not necessarily) or relate to our history studies. My dd chooses a book from this tub and reads it for 30 minutes a day until she's done (if she hates the book, she can pick a different one). We don't do any further work on those books. She just reads. If she feels like talking about it in casual conversation, fine. If not, fine.

     

    She has read many wonderful books this way.

     

    That is not the only thing we do for literature, but I do consider it one of the most important things.

    Thank you. We do this! Her books are on a shelf, though.😊

    • Like 1

    Advice please

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    I would appreciate any suggestions for resources for my 2e, ASD daughter. She will start eighth grade in August, and I would like to have a general idea of appropriate materials for high school.

     

    I'm in need of ideas for materials for literature, writing, history, and science that are structured, have clear expectations, and will be challenging.

     

    Dd is a tough one. The way I often describe her is that ( as a ten year old) she independently read and understood Nietzsche, A Brief History of Time, and various works of Shakespeare, but for the life of her can't spell ' horse' or remember '3x4'. ( This has improved!)

     

    I have materials and plans to address her weaknesses, I'm just struggling with what to use to nurture her strengths.

     

    Thanks very much, in advance.

    Anybody have 3 kids in 3 years? What do you combine?

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted · Edited by quietchapel

    I have three in three seperate years. The first two are 17 months apart. The only things we combine are artist, poetry, composer, 'foundational' reading ( long story), read alouds, art, nature study, and crafts. I guess that is actually a lot! But, combining for anything else, particularly math, grammar, or writing, has never been effective for us.

    Math has become a battle

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I agree with the suggestion to use review workbooks during tax season. I can't imagine trying to do all of that.

     

    But, I want to share a word of caution based on my own experience. When mine were roughly those ages, we had a lot of life transitions going on, and I did not consistently teach math. I wanted something my dd could just do on her own. I really regret that; it caused many problems that we are still fixing.

     

    Math is one subject that needs to be taught. I am still working for twenty minutes each day with each child teaching their math lesson, and I don't anticipate that changing. I hope you find some short term solutions to alleviate stress.

    • Like 1

    8th Grade Planning Thread 2018-19 Updated 8-17-18

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I thought I had it all figured out, but no...

     

    So, here are my thoughts as of today:

     

    Dd has just started Ancient history. She's reading through Kingfisher ancient sections, using CEP task cards, and looking up the figures from ancient time line stickers and putting them in her timeline book. I have SOTW ancients, but I need something else.

     

    She reads and writes from various AO selections, currently The Elements and Poor Richard.

     

    Geography is drawing the 50 states in her notebook, and I'm not sure what will come next. The task cards have some mapping. I may get MP geography 1.

     

    R&S math

     

    R&S English

     

    Megawords spelling, but may go back to R&S

     

    Science: botany in 8, First Studies in Plant Life, various books about Native American herbal medicines, herb garden over the summer.

     

    I need to work on writing with her, but I have no idea what I'll use.

    • Like 2

    What's everyone reading at the moment?

    in Accelerated Learner Board

    Posted · Edited by quietchapel

    I rarely post on the forum, but this is too much fun!

     

    Dd 13 is reading Gilgamesh, Universe Next Door, and Total Truth. Total Truth is a book that explains a worldview that is different from ours, so it provides for great discussion.

     

    Ds 12 is reading Unwanteds and William Wilberforce

     

    Ds 9 is reading.... everything... I can't seem to keep track. I think right now it's Hatchet by Gary Paulson.

     

    Me- The Map that Changed the World by Simon Winchester( this is so good! I want to read all of his books!)

    Tortured Master, a biography of R. Nachman

    Everything Belongs by Richard Rohr

    • Like 2

    I think my dd needs help. Where do I start?

    in The Learning Challenges Board

    Posted

    You should read the book "Aspergirls" by Rudy Simone. It's spot on. I have two children with autism, they're high functioning-ish, but my older son still needs a 1:1 aide most of the time, and I still manage to convince myself that he's doing way better than he actually is (then I put him in a situation that he can't handle and get a reality check.)

    I am reading this right now.

    Since the beginning of this school year, we have been realizing that something is going on with our dd12. Realizing isn't the right word, though, because This has been a life- long thing. It truly didn't occur to me that it was ASD. I thought I was a lousy parent, horrible homeschooler, she was rude/awkward/absent minded..,,

     

    Looking at her in terms of ASD is a whole different perspective. However, we've not had her evaluated. The irony is that my husband sees no need- and he's a crisis mental health therapist. Part of that is that he is aware of what resources are in our area ( not much). We do have a meeting next week with the Autism Specialist who works with my husband. I don't even care about a 'label' , I just need resources for helping her when/if I can't figure it out.

     

    OP- when I read your post I felt like I was reading about my dd, with some variations. I don't know anyone IRL who is dealing with a high-functioning girl. At least we can come here for support!

    Best thoughts as you move forward with your dd.

    • Like 2

    Accountability Thread: 11/27-12/3

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    I think it was three weeks ago when I posted that I needed to do the accountability thread. Then we had illness, getting our house ready for new renters, fleas (ahhh!!!!), Thanksgiving, stomach flu, problem with the well at the other house- and now it's Monday!

     

    We took almost a full week off for Thansgiving. Re-entry is always tough, so much so that I sometimes question taking time off.

     

    We've been slowly wrapping our minds around dd 12's possible ASD and trying to see her struggles differently in light of that. She was so tired today that she didn't get much done. She did math, vocabulary, handwriting, spelling, and drawing. We did the teaching portion of her English, and she essentially mangled her Latin.

     

    My ds11 finished English, vocabulary, spelling, handwriting, phonics, and his reader.

     

    Poor ds8 only did math, Spelling, and phonics. He did manage to successfully complete a total of 32 minutes in time out, though.

     

    We did recitation, poetry, faith, and history together. I thought they were going to kill each other with their timeline books. Maybe we've had too much family time.

     

    I think my goals for the week from here on out are just to make sure everyone does math, English, spelling, and reads something. Surely that will be enough for now... I hope.

     

    I also hope everyone else has a great week! There seems to be much sickness going around.

    • Like 5

    Accountability Thread:10/16-10/22

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    I know I need to participate in this weekly thread- I just may need to schedule 'Accountability Thread' in my planner to keep me accountable for posting.😉

    I really enjoy reading about everyone's week. I feel like I am still waiting for that one, solid week of school. That has evaded me thus far. I was sick this week so, while we did recitation each day, I only accomplished math and English with my older two. I read aloud to my ds8, he read to me, and we did spelling. Oh- wait- I did spelling with the other two and Latin with my oldest.

     

    Also, I need to re-evaluate science and history. We are using textbooks, which I love (as a box-checker). However, when we do these subjects my kids look like I felt all through my education.

    • Like 4

    Ways that Charlotte Mason is misinterpreted/misunderstood today

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    Great thoughts. Can we trust every child to learn this way? I think yes, but not if we sacrifice her principles for the methods of implementation she advised. I am thinking of my ASD- type child here. I would not be honoring my dd if I insisted that it was more important for her to learn to spell via copywork and dictation than for her to learn to spell. Copywork and dictation is helpful, yes, but what helps my daughter is oral spelling drill.

     

    . I think people misinterpret CM when they refuse to acknowledge that some children need adaptations on her methods in order to implement her principles. I appreciate the work of the AO advisory,m. However, my heart hurts when I read posts there about how someone's dc 'still can't read, spell, write a complete sentence' etc, and the parent is told that they are not doing some part of the method well enough, they just need to trust more, and that whatever modification the parent is asking about 'is not CM'. This has always struck me as a very fundamentalist/ literal approach to Mason's philosophy, which ultimately can fail at being 'CM' at all.

    • Like 4
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