mommysanders
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Posts posted by mommysanders
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This year we have used Steve Spangler Science. I love that a box shows up at our door each month and includes all the materials and tools we need to explore science. I may use it again next year, but I am wondering if there are any other similar options out there? Since we are expats, my husband's company will reimburse it, so money is not a factor. I want something open and go, and engaging for my very bright 6-year-old. Any ideas?
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Since we have used Math Mammoth as well as other things, thought I would share our mileage:
Math Mammoth is something I am now looking into again, after doing it for 5th grade and 2nd grade. My daughter benefited the most from the incremental nature of it, and the detailed explanations of the conceptual. My son, who was quicker to intuit arithmetic abstracts, found it tedious.
We have also used Khan Academy for years now, and my daughter went through several stages of love/hate with it...specifically, in order to learn long division, she really did need to do it at a chalkboard. Something about doing it large, with her whole arm, going in that triangle shape, cemented the algorithm for her in ways a computer screen could not. She also sometimes listens to Salman Khan's friendly digital blackboard-style lectures and goes glaze-eyed, if the concept isn't easy for her. His words turn to gobbledegook. My son actually prefers listening to Khan lecture, than to me explain, even when it's something I am itching to explain to him in far fewer words than Khan's video.
My daughter now, at 12, enjoys Khan Academy, but found out it wasn't enough, when she was over halfway through Khan's pre-algebra, but fell on her face trying to do the Bridge activities in Life of Fred: Fractions. She was appalled and embarrassed, but has embraced Life of Fred as a supplement to Khan. On Khan, all her progress is saved, and she can do Mastery Challenges. Life of Fred is helping her fill in conceptual holes she didn't know she had until she attempted Life of Fred. She was too used to just performing the calculations, and not enough used to flexing her mental muscle to use math as a tool when presented with outside-the-box challenges such as Life of Fred presents.
We have Life of Fred: Decimals on its way through interlibrary loan, and I am looking again into Math Mammoth for its very thorough 7th Grade/Prealgebra curriculum, because once a kid masters that, they are fully ready for high school algebra, no need to do an 8th grade intermediary step such as "basic algebra" or "8th grade prealgebra". I think we will always use Khan along with whatever else, but she needs more practice and review than Khan alone supplies.
Khan has improved dramatically since we started, and there is now the choice to view a grade level of math curriculum as a series of instructional/tutorial videos, with sets of practice exercises to follow, more like being in a virtual classroom or attending distance learning. That is helping my son, because it presents 3rd grade math with a sensible flow of topics made up of lectures, followed by "try it" exercises.
I don't think I ever found anything to beat Khan Academy for times when I needed to put homeschooling "on life support" while I was having a complicated pregnancy, or during the newborn phase, or during several weeks of round-and-round winter colds and flu.
Even if nothing else gets done and the laundry is piled up and dishes are in wash-in-order-to-eat mode, my older two (9 and 12) can get on Khan, fulfill my minimum requirement of any and all mastery challenges plus 3-5 new topics to practice (or else in the more classroom model, watch the instructional videos and practice the problems for 2 new things), and make positive forward progress that adds up, with reports available for Daddy to see, without my doing a thing.
To add to the benefit, Khan now has added a lot of history, science, and last I heard, also adding Grammar offerings in the forms of videos, and that progress is also listed in each kid's record, for us to see or show to Daddy.
So if I needed to, I could assign my older daughter to use Khan as fully automated educational life support, and she'd still come out better than her public-schooled counterparts. it's not the best I could do under good circumstances, but it is good enough, if it needs to be.
I have a child who just turned 6, and a toddler as well, and my mother is in seriously failiing health and we are trying to get the renovation done for a bed/bath for her to move into by the end of the month, so I am now just doing handwriting with DS9 and DS6, doing read-aloud/snuggle with DS2 and DS6, and setting my daughter her choice of LoF or Khan for math, and finishing out her LA textbook because she can open-and-go without my help, and overseeing DS9 on Khan for math, and the rest is Curiosity Stream documentaries on the sofa, and audiobooks.
Curiosity Stream has so much for science, history, the arts, and even math appreciation, that it has been a major benefit to us, and it's only $3 a month.
Sorry for rambling reply, but hope any of this helps.
Thanks! Not rambling. And very helpful! My son may find it tedious just like one of your DC did. You've given me more to think about. I'm leaning toward just sticking with what we have and making it work. Thanks!
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We haven't needed any extra practice. The curriculum does a great job on it's own.
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Thank you all! I will look into Math Mamoth, but I'm also considering all the opinions to just stick with what working. For those doing MM, do you supplement or is it good all by itself?
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My son will be finishing Right Start Math B this year. I love it, and I think the games and hands on activities are great for that age. However I have been debating weather or not to get Right Start C for next year. First, I have seen some poor reviews of level C (but maybe that was before the updated version?). And secondly, I'm pregnant with my fourth baby who is due right at the beginning of the next school year, and I will also start teaching Right Start A to my daughter. Since Right Start is very teacher intensive, I'm wondering if there are other options that I will love just as much? Or will any good math curriculum for this age be teacher intensive? I hesitate to change what has been working, but I'm worried it may not continue to work given the reasons listed.
Any advise? What is the favorite math program of moms with multiple children and/or a busy season? If it helps, my son is bright and seems to have picked math up quickly so far.
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My oldest will be in 1st! I haven't started planning yet, but some things will stay the same and others I may change. So here's the tentative plan.
Math: Right Start C (unless I find something else I fancy - I have heard mixed reviews of level C, but A and B have been wonderful)
History: Tapestry of Grace (we are doing Primer this year, and I'm excited to do the full deal next year)
Grammar/Writing: FLL2, WWE2, pen pal letters
Reading: I will let him read whatever his heart desires, he's advanced and I'm not sure if I need anything formal here
Science: Steve Spangler Science continued from this year (maybe? it is pretty awesome)
Spanish: I don't know! Need to figure this out
Art: Home Art Studio
Bible: Continue to read daily
Extras: Nature study with a friend, Coding in Scratch, swimming
Writing it out makes it seem like a lot, but all this gets done really quickly, and we have plenty of time to play still.
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My kids are young (almost 6, 4, 1) but since we are expats for a temporary time we are making the best of living abroad. They've always been excited, but we also have learned to travel well with them in mind. If I really want to go to an art museum, I tell them there's a chocolate museum to visit right afterward. Almost all of our trips have been due to our own (adult) interest in history and culture. But we have also done a Disneyland Paris trip and are hoping to go to Legoland Germany. We recently just spent the night in a castle, but that was fun for everyone :)
I think my kids don't know what it's like to NOT travel. We have been very blessed to be over here in Europe. When we move back to the states we hope to find creative ways to travel with our growing family. Maybe get an RV or camp along the way? Take advantage of the grandparents timeshare and use them to cover hotel costs? These are just some of our own ideas. But mostly we just don't want to stop traveling.
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Thank you! These are great options.
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I would love to find a book that's a timeline that my kids can add entries to as we move through our history studies. Something that's sturdy and attractive looking. I don't want to just have a long roll of paper hung on the wall. Anyone have recommendations?
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for that age - not documentaries, but - Magic School Bus? Liberty Kids? (those don't relate to Middle Ages but can buy you a day on the couch with hot tea)
I didn't know about Liberty Kids. Thanks! It's in my Amazon shopping cart.
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Is there a way to set up separate accounts on the app? I'm on an ipad and I can't figure out how to get more than one user with one language.
I'm pretty sure you can only have one account in the app. You would have to go in to setting and log out, then log back in as someone else.
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We have similar rules to everyone else. While the small ones nap, the others have "quiet time" for at least 1.5 hours right now.
1. The only things you can do are sleep or read or listen to an audio book
2. Do not come out of the room unless you finished a book and are getting a new book.
3. Mommy will come get you when it's time to get up, so don't ask how many minutes are left.
Occasionally my DS takes his watch and comes out right when the time is up.
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Could you elaborate here? Is it a protestant program or just Christian with sincerely almost no denominational ties (kind of like Memoria Press)?
Catholic family here :) But I do not have time to tweak.
It's Protestant but so far I haven't seen anything that would need "tweaked" by a catholic. As I said, it's more historical and not a devotional or anything. Apparently they have a group of Catholics who use the curriculum and are in a yahoo group.
http://www.tapestryofgrace.com/forum/showthread.php?3311-Catholic-considering-this-program
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:hurray: I've only read bad reviews and it made me sad. Did you have to buy spines or are you librarying everything?
Oh really? I don't think I know of any bad reviews. Not sure what could be bad. As for buying books vs the library, we currently live in Europe. So I have purchased all the Primer books, but I also know they are used in the regular TOG curriculum. I have been told it's doable to get most of the books via the library.
Another thought, but not necessarily what you were asking.. sometimes people think TOG is also a "bible curriculum". I disagree. While it does cover the bible as part of history, it does not take an approach of discipleship or even encouraging any type of personal relationship with God. It's simply historical. I have not let TOG replace our regular bible time.
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We are doing Primer right now and we absolutely love it. I have always wanted to do the full TOG curriculum, and the Primer is a sort of "on ramp" for both the parent and the child. Some people spread Primer over two years, but we are going at a pace that will complete it in one year and I think it's perfect. I actually think taking two years would be excruciatingly slow.
The things we like:
- the reading/literature selections are interesting to my child and they capture his attention.
- there are a variety of activities to choose from each week, which means I can pick the one that our family will like best.
- there is an outline of each week which is really helpful for the parent.
Things We don't like:
- Sometimes there are people we are meant to learn about but they aren't covered in the literature. Instead there will be a short blurb about them in the activity sheet. But since the purpose of Primer is a very high level coverage of all history, this really isn't a big deal, and it doesn't happen very often. I just use the short blurb and activity sheet as a way of covering that historical character.
I recommend getting the memory card game. I can't remember the name right now and I'm not at home. We got our cards laminated and we use them a lot. They're also helpful for Dad to come home and review. I also recommend the activity sheets because my kids love them.
Feel free to ask me more questions or message me!
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A shorter, starter one would be the Princess in Black series.
Oh I am so so excited to try the Princess in Black series! It sounds perfect. Girly princess, but she also is a hero dressed in black and loves action and adventure! Thank you!
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Thank you, thank you! I will be ordering many of these today. :)
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My DD is ready to listen to chapter books and keeps asking me to read them to her, but she's very picky and doesn't seem to enjoy most of the books we already own. I want to find something that will capture her attention and that she'll love. She likes princesses and fairy tales, adventure and excitement. She has listened to the entire Wizard of Oz (I was surprised!) in a version with lots of good illustrations. But most other chapter books I own she's not excited about. She's almost 4yo. Any ideas?
TIA
Sarah
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Very cool. Thanks for sharing!
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My kids get quizzed. But I think it's just a way of conversation. It starts with "so what are you learning right now?" Then they'll start quizzing whatever the child is learning. It's not threatening at all.
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We already have Steve Spangler Science for the year. We absolutely love it! Great for a range of ages. I got an email about the black Friday deal, so I am passing it on in case someone can use it.
Save 25%-64% off using the code "SNOW". Now through November 28th.
Enjoy!
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I have been researching different websites and apps that teach children to code. I think I have finally settled on using Scratch. It's free, and seems to have a lot of helpful resources online. I would like to find a book that has projects to create in Scratch. Does anyone have one they recommend? This would be for a 6 year old just starting out, although he is very bright, and would be able to read the book by himself and probably do the coding by himself.
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Try A to Z Mysteries. It's a set with a book for each letter of the alphabet. The main characters are three kids and one is a girl. They solve mysteries in each book and my son loves them. He's at the same reading level as your daughter.
Other books he likes are
Hank the Cowdog Series
Anything my Roald Dahl
Magic Treehouse series
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Two day Amazon shipping.
A stack of white boards.
ETA: And, hey you can order the latter from the former with Prime shipping...
What do you use a whole stack for? I'm curious. And yes. Amazon prime is awesome!
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Why do you do Standardized Testing?
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
I've seen several posts recently about testing DC, and it got me curious why people do it and how. So if you do any kind of testing, would you mind sharing your thoughts?
Why do you test your child?
How do you use the test results?
At what ages do you test your child?
What tests do you use and why?
Any other comments?
I'm very curious. Thanks in advance!