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LaMere Academy

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    A change in the homeschool movement since I started 13 years ago

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    And that's one of the big changes.  It used to be that new homeschoolers expected to introduce themselves to the group and initiate conversations with the people in the group.  Now most younger homeschool moms seem to expect it the other way around.  Most stand there silently waiting for a welcome wagon.  You can think that's for the better or for the worse, but it's definitely different than it used to be. I never ever ever ever expect anyone to initiate a conversation with me in any social situation ever, but then, I'm old.

     

    A few weeks ago at the homeschool PE class I saw a woman with kid walk around sheepishly waiting for something to happen for her.   Everyone else was busy signing in, catching up with people they hadn't seen in a week, making sure the kids put their things nearby and had their water bottles, chased the preschoolers away from the pond, unloaded the curriculum and books they brought for someone else to browse through, etc.  There were probably 12-15 parents there.  I watched hover just outside the group her for about 5 minutes, and knowing she must be a new homeschooler, walked over and introduced myself, asked her if she was here for PE. I was most certainly not obligated to draw her in, I was going out of my way  to compensate for her.  It's not asking a lot of me.  Neither is expecting her to initiate and introduce herself on her own.   I hope she wasn't assuming we were all being cliquish. Everyone was just engaged in pleasantries with people they knew to different degrees.  About a quarter of them were new to the group but started a month earlier and none of them were being excluded.

     

    One of the other new moms, someone else I had to introduce myself to because she did the same thing, walking around making eye contact, getting a smile in return but remaining silent, had been to another PE class earlier in the week at another location.  I overheard her saying to her son, " I see Trevor is completely ignoring you and acting like you're not even here after he spent so much time with you at Tuesday's class." Not only is she failing to teach her child to walk up to the kids in the group and introduce himself and ask their names like she should be doing, she's creating bitterness and resentment where it's unnecessary.  So Trevor can't play his friends that he already knows at this group and hasn't seen for a week because she doesn't understand the social norms?

     

    Other new people knew to walk up, introduce themselves, ask questions and start conversations.

     

     

    I guess I think differently, I think the group should make a new mom feel welcome. 

     

    • Like 4

    Jessa Duggar & Ben Seewald are Married

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    We watch the show here and there and have been following the last season and current one.  I don't know...not my business but my daughters and I think Ben is pretty dorky and not too smart.  I don't understand how Jim Bob would think Ben can provide for his daughter when he moved this young guy onto their property and gave him a job (taking care of their property).  He just doesn't seem ready for marriage.  She does light up around him, but corrects him quite a bit too because what comes out of his mouth is just...not too bright.  They seem awkward and maybe that's just because it's hard to be on TV with your relationship.  I wish the best for them but I also think a year isn't long enough, especially when they've never been able to be alone.  Anyone can be on their best behavior around a group of people for that short of a time.  I don't think their version of courtship allows for really getting to know who a person is in all situations. 

    A change in the homeschool movement since I started 13 years ago

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    I agree, I've been hs'ing for 14 years and the original group I joined was a great group of families and our main thing was park meetings where everyone talked and the kids played.  We also had plenty of field trips.  A new leader took over and changed the group dramatically making it a non-profit organization with membership dues and a co-op.  I was upset but still enjoyed the group.  We later moved and the group we joined in our new state wasn't at all what we were used to and we have since left the group.  My oldest two are graduated though and my younger ones are older and didn't click with anyone in the group here anyway.

    I long for a group where it's just moms at the park again where ALL the moms talk to each other and there's not cliques where people show up and they're not even spoken to.  It used to be homeschoolers were very friendly and maybe it's just my experience here but I've heard from a few moms that came to something and no one talked to them so they didn't come back.

    • Like 1

    If your son has long hair..

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    He's 14, his hair is down to mid back.

     

    My 14 year old son also has long, thick, hair and it's curly.  Like in long ringlets.  We are all jealous and he loves having long hair.  It's down to his upper chest right now, longer when wet. 

     

    It's all one length and he doesn't want to get it cut.  There are times when I have to tell him to go brush it and times when I require it to be in a ponytail or mun.  I love the mun, he looks great with his hair pulled back.  He hates it.

     

    I do worry that sometimes people are juding him based on his hair, but my oldest son also has long hair and my son-in-law has long hair as well.  Anytime it gets brought up he gets compliments though.

    • Like 2

    Anyone watching 19 Kids and Counting now?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    I'm sorry, but what could they possibly have cut out that would explain JB doggy-style humping his wife in public in front of their daughter and her boyfriend? Under what condition would that be understandable and okay?

     

     

    I haven't been watching the past season or two, but caught up a bit lately and am watching the new season.  I missed that episode, since I'm just getting in to the groove of watching again, I had forgotten it was coming on.  Anyway, I can't wait to see it.  My daughter saw the commercial and said he was humping her from behind and she was shocked and disgusted.  I'll have to see the context.  I'm surprised they didn't cut that part out.  I have mixed feelings about their family.  There's a lot I don't like, but some stuff I do like and they're interesting to watch.

    I wonder if the boys who are courting their daughters have to be the Gothard followers as well, does anyone know?  I didn't read this entire thread...

    LLATL, do you need the teacher's guide?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    We actually really like it. We were also doing EG & DG but I have dropped both of those. I purchased LLATL in December and added it after I noticed she wasn't really retaining anything with EG. I have already purchased the green book for next year. The green book does have a lot of sentence diagramming so I'm not sure how I will implement that-not a fan of diagramming.

    I have researched the tan, green, and grey book. I feel that they really build on each other. I am hoping this will be a better fit for her. If I feel she needs a little more grammar, I just pull out a worksheet from EG or find something online to supplement.

     

    Thank you, that makes me feel better about buying this.  I hope it's a good fit for my son. 

    LLATL, do you need the teacher's guide?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    We are using the tan book right now and have both the teacher's and student edition. I don't think the teacher's book is something that is absolutely necessary. It does have the answers in it but if you are good at grammar you should be fine without it.

    I prefer to have my own book or a teacher's edition-just kind of anal that way. I picked up the TE used on Amazon for $4 with shipping. Well worth it my mind. HTH

     

    Good idea, I'll check Amazon.  How are you and your child liking the tan book? 

    LLATL, do you need the teacher's guide?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Please excuse me for going off topic, how did you find LLATL Orange? We used yellow last year and loved it, felt like it covered all I wanted it to. However, DD is not enjoying Orange, it feels like it doesn't flow or something (can't quite put my finger on it) I think she finds the book studies go on for too long. I was expecting a spelling list each lesson like Yellow had. It just seems really difficult to slog away with.

     

    We actually didn't finish and I didn't care for it.  I may be making a mistake trying it again, but it's with a different student and he needs grammar and spelling review.  I don't remember any details about the orange book other than it just didn't work for us and it seemed boring.

    How do you casually read?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    So, DH has been laughing at how I spend my casual reading time. I think I'm normal but I've had several friends say otherwise. I currently have 4 books going at one time. I sit in my spot with my tablet and kindle. I will read a chapter or two, then put down my kindle, browse this forum, fb or pinterest and then hop back to reading. I do this rotation frequently every evening. I will often change to another book as well during these rotations.. I typically read atleast two different stories at once every day. I typically read atleast a few chaptesr in all current books I have going.

    Am I the only one here that bounces multiple stories plus social media at the same time? Surely not!

     

    I'm similar.  I usually try to keep it to two fiction books (my books, not what i'm reading the kids) and maybe a non-fiction book (homeschooling or parenting).  When I read I'm almost always in my bed.  It's the most comfortable and it's quiet.  I read a chapter or two and then check my phone.  After an hour of reading I'll pull out my laptop and check homeschool boards.  Then I may switch books. 

     

    Sometimes I have to fight myself to not check my phone after each chapter. 

    Sonlight books you (and/or dc) hated?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    We didn't get through The House of Sixty Fathers. It was too depressing and intense. It sits there with no one wanting to even finish it.

     

    That was a slow book, so was Daughter of the Mountains, Walk the World's Rim and a few others.  Usually books I thought were boring though, my kids still enjoyed them. 

     

    I agree with Eagle of the Ninth too, it may be a great book to read to yourself, but as a read-aloud we didn't get through the first few chapters.  I was reading it to both my kids, so I'm not sure if it was scheduled to be an RA or a reader.

     

    All this is making me miss my Sonlight days, we used K-6.  I think my favorites were Cores 1 - 4.  Back when they were called that.

    Help putting together an 8th grade year for student who is behind

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Is he dyslexic?

     

    They've never been tested, and I know there is not only one way to test for it...but I do believe he and my oldest daughter do have dyslexia or something that causes them to have a hard time reading.  I've read about it online and the things you can do to help.  I read aloud to them so things are easier for them.  Brett isn't motivated though either, he doesn't like listening to me, he just doesn't want to do school at all.  My daugher was the same way.  My other two kids, while they don't care for school, can do it easily and had/have better attitudes about getting it done.

    Sonlight books you (and/or dc) hated?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    It was one of my favorite books from childhood. I was so excited that ds got to read it. LOL

    Everyone is different.

    I didn't like the Red Sand, Blue Sky book either. We also didn't finish Swift Rivers. I didn't like Strawberry Girl at all. The Lewis and Clark one mentioned above was a bit dense for a second grader.

    We loved most of the books, though. I definitely would add the entire Little House on the Prairie series. And, when they are older---Anne of Green Gables.

     

    I love Strawberry Girl, we read it every year.  Isn't it funny how tastes are so different?  I was excited to read TWG, I thought it was going to be so good.  It may have been my mood at the time too.

    Help putting together an 8th grade year for student who is behind

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    My son has always disliked school. 

     

    The past few  years we have been using My Father's World, Explorer's to 1850 and now 1850 to Modern.  We do it together along with Apologia Elem. books with notebooks.  He reads on level and reads every day. 

     

    I guess his issues would be with spelling, comprehension and writing.  Spelling and writing go hand in hand.  He isn't a good writer because his spelling is so bad.  He hates spelling tests so this year I've had him using Spelling Workout still but I have him write sentences for the end of each lesson instead of taking the quiz. 

     

    He was a very late reader and is reading Harry Potter and the Percy Jackson series lately.  If I gave him difficult classics he wouldn't get through them.  A literature based curriculum is probably not a good idea because he is so picky with what he will read.

     

    I'm looking for materials that will be fairly easy for him to use on his own that will bulid up his spelling skills.

    I need a history, we have used Story of the World so far.  He is interested in the Greeks and Romans so I may pull something together.

    I'm open for science, I may have him do 2 more of the Apologias though, we already own them.

    He's on target with math, we use Teaching Textbooks.

     

    I appreciate any ideas.  One thing I really want this year is to move him away from me doing everything with him, to him being more independent. 

     

    Book a Week in 2013 - week fifty

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    I didn't do a book a week, I'm on my 121st book of the year right now and it's The Expats by Chris Pavone.  Not  my usual type of choice, but it was on the B&N Buy 2 Get One Free table and I needed a third book.  Not sure what I think of it yet. 

     

    So far the only Christmas book I have lined up is Christmas is Murder by C. S. Challinor

    Anybody try My Father's World for 6-8th grades?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    We just finished Explorer's to 1850 and started 1850-Modern today.  My kids are in 7th and 8th grade.  It's not rigorous by any means, but I love it.  You definitely can add in some things to beef it up if you choose.  I will give my 8th grader an extra book to read on our history topic and have her write me a paragraph about one thing she learned or thought was interesting from the book.  Botany is used in the Explorer's - 1850 2nd semester for science and my children kept a nature journal the whole time in addition to the curriculum.  Nature walks every Friday.  Those are just a few examples of things you could add in. 

    Even though it may be more relaxed than what your child is used to, I think he will learn a lot and enjoy it.

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