shburks
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Posts posted by shburks
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I don't have experience with Essentials but we have used and loved Excellence in Literature. I always pair the first level with Windows to the World for analysis. They actually work nicely together because even some of the short stories overlap (if I remember correctly).
I did look at Windows to the World yesterday, too. You used them both together?
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We will be finishing up Lightning Literature 8th grade this year (technically 7th grade), and I'm not ready to move into Lightning Lit's high school courses yet and am looking for something different for next year.
While I am certainly open to suggestions, I keep looking at Excellence in Literature and Essentials in Literature. Essentials feels light to me. Only one novel for the year? My son reads voraciously and sure, I could supplement, but why buy a literature package if you're going to supplement.
Excellence has better literature, I think--certainly more novels--but I can't get a feel of the assignments. It looks like a couple of writing assignments and that's it.
Can anyone compare these two or give me personal experiences? OR if you have another suggestion I'm overlooking, I'm all ears! Thanks!
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Seriously?
I'm still recovering from last year's nightmare.
We made the choice to go with The Potter's School over Landry, and after what happened, I was glad I did! I'm just curious if anyone feels comfortable enough to try Greg's courses again!
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Thanks for the thoughts here. I think we're going to press forward with the traditional biology first more because that's what his current teacher is recommending for him next. DS is doing quite a few high school classes before high school AND we're a military family, so I think his transcript will just look wonky no matter what order in which we do science!
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Has anyone taken or inquired about the new science courses Greg Landry is offering through his new website? https://www.collegeprepscience.com/
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I know high schools traditionally do Biology and then chemistry, and The Potter's School still recommends that sequence, too. We've done science through TPS the last two years and will likely continue with them next year.
I read that there's a "new" push to change the sequence to chemistry before biology. Can anyone speak about this? Pros or cons? Did I just make this up?
DS is completing Algebra 2 this year, so his math is fine for either course. He will be an 8th grader next year but has already completed Earth Science and Honors Physical Science through Potter's School.
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Thank you all so much! He loves literature and will read and discuss themes and plot. He even has discovered that he likes poetry, but he has no inclination to sit down and create a short story!
I will do more focus on other types of writing because, as you all said, being able to express yourself well is important regardless of what type of writing you are doing.
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I have a middle school kiddo with average writing/composition skills. I'm looking at Write at Home to focus on certain areas. He does not enjoy creative writing although he is happy to write a research or persuasive type paragraph.
For a kid who is most likely heading into a STEM career, is creative writing really a skill I should focus on?
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My ds13 is doing writing with home2teach. It has a once a week group lesson and then assignments that are independently sent in and graded by the instructor. The classes are six weeks long. I like it because it is a short commitment.
I looked at these earlier today. What level is your son doing?
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I have a 7th grade boy who doesn't enjoy writing. His grammar is solid, but his sentence structures tend to be simplistic. He doesn't enjoy adding details or descriptive writing! We haven't even delved into research writing yet. We've tried a couple of writing programs including Write Shop but I don't feel like I can appropriately evaluate his writing and I don't think he responds well to my evaluations. He also doesn't enjoy writing a paragraph on something random and does much better with an assignment that goes with his literature or his history studies.
I need an online class. I looked at Bravewriter. I think it's a good option. I don't really like the Writer's Jungle (I don't want to do the class!) but some of the others look good.
Athena's Academy also has a new 8 week writing program that looks interesting.
Ideally I'm looking for a shorter session--not a full semester class.
Any thoughts on either of those classes or other suggestions?
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It was not a good fit for my son. We switched to Jacobs for Algebra and Geometry and it was much better. Using Lials for Algebra 2
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I wouldn't get the flashcards. We use Quizlet!
(In fact, DD just made a review set for the final exam in First Form.)
What a great idea! Thanks!
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Thanks everyone. I don't really use the TM at all this year for First Form Latin. DS has done well with just the CDs and the student books. I use the Workbook/Test Answer Key but I really haven't used the TM much at all!
I was trying to decide if I purchase the bundle or just pick out what I think we need. I guess buying the TM isn't that expensive! I don't think we need flashcards though--DS doesn't like them! I made him make flashcards for Latina Christiana but he never used them!
Hmm... Looks like everyone has something different that works for them! I appreciate the feedback!
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Just completed First Form Latin. I think for Second Form Latin, we're going to utilize the DVDs though.
Do I need the CDs AND the DVDs?
Is the teacher book really needed if I'm not "teaching" it? I'll get the answer key and quiz/test key!
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Crash Course is a youtube channel done by Hank Green and John Green, with a few other people in there too.
The videos are fast moving and have a stack of info in them. They also are humourous, which is a big plus for us.
Thank you!
Have you considered doing alternative history? As in Indiginous People's History of the United States, Founding Mothers, Lies My Teacher Told Me, People's History of the United States (by Zinn), Skeptics Guide to U.S. History. Essentially non-white, non-male, or non winner history?
I do not know if you want to get into the sensativities here. It is very hard to explain once your kid starts to understand how depressing some of it is. It is also difficult to explain why history is taught in the "traditional" way if the student enjoys the other narratives.
This is not something I had considered at all, but one or two of those books does sound familiar. I'll check them out--thanks for an out of the box thought!
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So many great ideas! Thank you all!
As a supplement this year, we've been reading books focused on a single food and its historical, social, political, environmental, nutritional impact. It's exceeded my expectations. We've done bananas, sugar, chocolate, with plans to do corn, potatoes, and several others. I purposely chose several with connections to Columbian Exchange for tie-in with our history this year. There are books like this about so many foods but the quality is mixed. We love social history so this has been a great experience, and we have loved culinary history great course too.
Agree too about Great Courses--love them! Crash Courses would be fun too but much less detail.Can you tell me about Crash Courses? I got several different hits when I Googled it, and I'm not sure what I'm looking for! Thanks!
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DS loves history and has participated (and won) National History Bee competitions and local academic bowl competitions. He just soaks it up! We've been using Notgrass for three years and have gone through world history, US history and going through their civics book now--all books designed for middle school. He COULD do something considerably harder without issue--he reads heavy history books for fun, so his reading and comprehension level is high.
I just don't know where to go for next year! I'm concerned about pushing him through high school level history courses because I wasn't sure what we would do when he reached high school level--or do I just do that and worry about high school later?
Should I consider something totally different? Economics or some other "social studies" that doesn't normally get covered? Look at doing an in-depth study of something in particular? (Semester on WWII, for example)?
Any thoughts? Age wise, he'll be 7th grade next year but working well above grade level for all subjects except writing.
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Piggybacking on Ruth, I think one reason why DD's bio explorations have been so successful is because I'm not the expert. I am right there learning with her, attending the conferences and talks, involved in the discussions. I am, essentially, her lab partner/research colleague. Now, we have a lot of experts we call on, but a lot of the discussion is the two of us, learning and exploring together. It works. Well enough that one of the things that makes me hesitant to make the move to her being taught by experts completely because I suspect she would lose the depth we've been able to make it to on the field work and research side.
I love this actually! What I love is that you ARE learning it with her but not trying to solely teach her. This makes sense to me.
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But, look, if they did not learn it in school, being taught, where/why/how did they learn it? This is the point. They learned however it was necessary to learn, because they wanted or needed to learn. Not because their many teachers taught them.
You are seeing pushback from this query because, in the first place, you started a whole thread to question several someone's ability to homeschool. Oh no wait....because you think several someones aren't being aware of her limitations.... But also, mostly, because so many of us have whole-heartedly lived our lives as parent educators with the mantra that "education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire" front and center.
We don't pour knowledge into our receptacle-children. Therefore it's not a prerequisite for us to be standing over their buckets, with out own full buckets poised to be tipped into them, or otherwise find someone with a bucket full o' facts to dump into that kid.
It is extremely obvious that sometimes kids and other human beans will learn sundry things from folks that are not their parents. But it does not follow from that, that everything must be TAUGHT at all, much less by experienced experts.
Perhaps... but my point is that these people likely have a lot of experience at this point. Not that they learned how to program yesterday and are now trying to teach my child today. I totally realize that some people/children have the ability to learn on their own or learn through other resources. The person with the science degree now piloting military aircraft didn't teach himself how to do that--he spent over a year with experts learning how to safely fly and land the plane.
I don't think I'm seeing pushback honestly. I think this has been an overall good discussion.
I didn't question anyone's ability to homeschool; I questioned whether or not someone learning Algebra I (or similar type subject) can effectively teach it to a child by staying one day ahead. Perhaps this child is very self-motivated; perhaps they learn simply by reading the book...or perhaps this child is struggling to understand Algebra I and mom doesn't have all the tools to give because she doesn't have a deep understanding of Algebra I either.
I questioned whether or not a parent is doing a child a disservice by not seeking out others (whether that's a live class, DIVE videos, Kahn Academy) to teach or help teach a subject that you do not have a deep understanding or subject expertise especially as the child moves toward high school courses and preparing for college.
I certainly did not say nor did I mean to imply that everything must be taught; children pick up concepts in many ways--hands on, videos, reading a book, working through problems on their own.
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I don't think a homeschooling parent has to know everything their kids want to learn but I do think they should be aware of their own limitations (and possibly their kids limitations regarding self-learning) so they know when to outsource.
Yes, I think this is what I was saying--perhaps poorly posted! In the example I gave, this mom was learning Algebra I alongside her child. I have seen this posted multiple times in regards to various subjects, and I just wonder if they are doing their child a disservice by not recognizing their limitations as a parent.
I have always distinguished between teaching and facilitating.
To teach, I need subject expertise of a sufficient level to be able to clear up misconceptions, recognize mistakes, present a concept in different ways than the textbook, design and evaluate assignments that test precisely the concept I intend them to cover. This means that I am limited in my ability to teach to the subjects where I have this expertise at a sufficiently high level.
I can teach math, physics, German language, maybe introductory chemistry.
This does not mean I cannot facilitate my student's learning of other subjects! To facilitate, I need to be able to select appropriate resources and implement them. It means seeking out ways the student can find help if I cannot answer a question.
I facilitate history studies by bringing great college professors into our home via Great Courses lectures. I facilitate French learning by working side by side with DD through a textbook, do grammar exercises and write compositions. I cannot teach French, because I am not fluent and cannot identify and correct her mistakes - but I can recognize where we need the help of a tutor to progress, and where we need to outsource to courses with a fluent teacher.
Homeschooling, especially in the higher grades, requires the parent to be a facilitator - not to be a teacher of each individual subject.
But I consider the distinction between the two a very important one.
This is what I'm doing but I had never put it in these words before! I completely agree with the need to be more of a facilitator in the higher grades.
It entirely depends on the educational goals of the parent. I believe that an academically rigorous education needs subject matter expertise on the part of the teacher.
Me, too. That was my question I suppose--was I the only one who felt this way!
I don't think the discussion is that you need an education degree, but whether you need an education in the subject that you're trying to teach.
Yes, ClemsonDana. That is absolutely what I meant! I didn't mean to insinuate that only licensed educators or those with education degrees should be teaching/homeschooling! I was giving my personal background which just happens to be in education; I also had almost enough credits for a minor in music education! Certainly we all know people who have college degrees but life has taken them down a different pathway and they now have a vast amount of information in another subject! Perhaps that could be a sociology major who is now a computer game designer or science major who is now a pilot. These people are certainly more qualified to teach computer programming/game design and aerodynamics.
I think this was a good discussion overall; thank you for sharing your thoughts!
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This comes from posts I frequently see on other homeschooling board:
Today I am learning algebra WITH my 8th-grader. No reason whatsoever to assume you can't understand something your child can, and no reason to assume that you need to know something in order to teach it.
Not necessarily math but often this is posted that you can teach a subject you don't know. This makes zero sense to me and actually seems like an argument against homeschooling rather than FOR it!
I have a Middle School Education degree with an emphasis in language arts and social studies. Guess which subjects I feel comfortable teaching my 7th grader? I took three different foreign languages between high school and college; I feel somewhat qualified to teach one of those. I did not enjoy math or science and while I did well in my classes, I didn't pursue any further classes than the minimum I needed and certainly don't know enough Algebra II or Geometry to teach it. I outsource these classes to people who have degrees in mathematics or sciences or, at the very least, have secondary education degrees and have more science and math background that I!
Am I wrong? Do others routinely teach subjects we don't know? I'm not referring to introductory Latin for elementary school but more along the lines of upper middle and high school.
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My son went from JA to Jacob's Algebra with no issues. He completed JA in half a year; we took a little break (JA didn't fit him well and he was not liking math) and finished Jacob's in a little over a year.
I looked extensively at AoPS but just didn't think it fit ds learning style. He really disliked the wordiness of JA and I didn't see it getting better with AoPS!
Maybe that helps?
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For geometry, particularly if it is not your strong suit, a major benefit of the class is that DO grades the work. Grading proofs is not the same as looking to see if the student got a correct answer. Many times there are a number of ways a student could write a proof and have it still be correct. DO also gives partial credit, which a parent just looking for a correct answer cannot do--and IMO, giving partial credit at the geometry level (Algebra I on) is a more accurate way to grade--meaning that it gives grades that are more in line with a student's actual achievement.
Since I have never gone the parent-grading route with DO, I can't answer your other questions.
Those are excellent points! I thinking I'll stick with my original plan to have DO grade! I wasn't even thinking about proofs and that sort of thing! Thank you so much. :)
Excellence in Literature vs Essentials in Literature
in High School and Self-Education Board
Posted
We are a reading family, too, and the amount of reading isn't an issue! Thanks for your thoughts.