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zaichiki

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Posts posted by zaichiki

  1. We rarely eat sugar cereal but I saw all three in Aldi's last week. Bought them all. Saving for Halloween morning. That is going to be one SUGARY day! Ha!

     

    (I haven't seen this cereal in decades, so I couldn't resist buying it when I saw it. Hee hee)

    • Like 1
  2. You said you may put him in school in the US for three months -- this year -- so that's Kindergarten, right? I wouldn't worry about math. He's probably already beyond what they normally teach in K in the states. If you do put him in school, you can "afterschool" math to retain those positives you like so much and still get a break during the day. Where you are headed -- is it full day K or half day K? Would that influence your decision?

     

    (I agree with the PP who said that there wouldn't be enough time for the test results to influence anything about his school experience. Even if you were there the full year... they often don't bother adapting K anyway.)

     

    Were you thinking about a grade skip, perhaps, and hoping test scores might mean first grade (and full day and challenge level math or a gifted pull out program)?  IME few public schools will consider grade skips, even with test scores they respect (they often want to do the tests themselves, no matter if testing has already been done). Additionally, this can take a very long time to actually happen (and many won't even consider until 3rd grade).

    • Like 1
  3. When my older dd was three, we were having pizza and lemonade with grandmother. I limited the kids to one large (NYC style) slice and one (adult-sized) glass of lemonade. Dd ate that and begged for more. I said no way -- she had had plenty! Five minutes later grandmother brings dd into the kitchen without my knowledge and slips her another slice and another full glass. Dd downed them and promptly threw it all up. There was just no room for all of that in that tiny little stomach, no matter what dd said she wanted!  Of course I was furious with grandmother. 

     

    Sometimes there are good reasons not to give out the food they think they need.

     

     

  4. I wouldn't consider the usual mass of people loading the boat, even when it's 99% tourists, to be a crush mob. But if you don't like crowds then you should definitely go during the middle of the day, between 9am and 2pm. (After that, you've got the school kids coming through.)

    Just FYI

    "huge crush mob" was my attempt at describing the fact that it was not a line (you had said there was no line -- and you were right! -- I had said "waiting in line" but it was really waiting in a mob). I was also describing the behavior of the people -- many, many people pushing from all sides, in the shape of a triangle (crushing down to a narrow opening at the front).

     

    I do sometimes describe the usual mass of people somewhere as a mob *if* the usual mass *is* a ton of people all pushing together.

     

    Anyway, as usual, YMMV, but I thought it prudent to give describing details so people know what they're getting into (especially if you have kids with you and you all want to stay together -- my youngers were separated from me by pushing people and it was annoying).  **Hey, I'd go again. It wasn't horrible. The ride over was nice.** Still, I always like to know, in advance, what the situation could be like.

  5. There is no line. It's a 30 minute boat ride. It will take ONE hour, start to finish, if you time it properly so you get to the boat as it departs. Most of the day, we're on a two boat schedule - the boats leave on the hour and on the half hour. During rush hour we're either on a three or four boat schedule. (Also, you don't always "take a left". It depends what slip the boat comes in on.)

     

    It wasn't a line, it was a HUGE CRUSH MOB with some crazies even pushing into other people -- on the Manhattan side (the SI side was much lighter).  But it WAS a Saturday, so that's probably the reason.  Recently. It took us nearly 2 hours including the 30 minute wait on the SI side. (We did get to the terminal on the Manhattan side about 10 minutes early.)

     

    So, OP, take it during the day (not rush hour) and *not* on a Saturday.

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  6. Ha, well, I want to go there only to use the public restroom, LOL. They have the automated Toto washouts with the heated seats and the wash/dry function. For years I've been saying if/when I get back to NYC I want to go there just to use their toilets. Our stop there will be very brief, and after our early morning train ride into the city, the timing will probably be just right to try out those fancy potties. :)

     

    LOL  Holy Cow -- I just found them on a youtube video and showed my teens and they ran from the room in horror!  LOL  Silly kids.

    • Like 1
  7. When you do the Staten Island ferry, as soon as you disembark get into the line to get back on or you're going to be sitting there for like 30 minutes. When you get off, you'll take a left, walk past the gift shop, and then take another left.

    IME, as soon as we disembarked, we got into the line going back on... and we all waited 30 minutes. Maybe because it was a Saturday? I think they run less often on the weekends and had to stick to the schedule. (The ferry also waited -- in the terminal.)

  8. So this is kind of what I'm tentatively thinking with the help of Uber/Lyft and public transport. The kids don't know it yet (I'm keeping it a secret so they'll be surprised) but my brother-in-law's sister works at Buzzfeed and my pop-culture loving kids have been invited to visit her at the Buzzfeed offices for a tour. :) 

     

    https://www.google.com/maps/dir/The+Grand+Central+Terminal,+5th+Avenue,+New+York,+NY/Japan+Society,+East+47th+Street,+New+York,+NY/Buzzfeed+Product+Labs,+West+22nd+Street,+New+York,+NY/The+High+Line,+New+York,+NY/Battery+Park+City,+New+York,+NY/World+Trade+Center,+New+York,+NY/Staten+Island+Ferry,+Whitehall+Street,+New+York,+NY/Brooklyn+Bridge,+New+York,+NY/@40.7269664,-74.0272333,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m50!4m49!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c259a9d9de10a3:0xc667c21ed5e83727!2m2!1d-73.9832754!2d40.7483593!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c2591d782bd44f:0xedfb17103403911d!2m2!1d-73.968287!2d40.75251!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c259bb48e74455:0x46a3ddc504eaaebc!2m2!1d-73.9953483!2d40.7430974!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c259c7840fb4e5:0x583f615c850a3c91!2m2!1d-74.0047649!2d40.7479925!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c25a1aee6620bb:0x624d5c815c1b2c2e!2m2!1d-74.0158441!2d40.7115786!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c25a19881b83fb:0x979b0a4fe0492ce6!2m2!1d-74.0131196!2d40.7118011!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c25a137caafabf:0x8d78325cd63cf060!2m2!1d-74.0131458!2d40.7009512!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c25a2343ce7b2b:0x2526ddba7abd465c!2m2!1d-73.9968643!2d40.7060855!3e0

    I don't think you can do all those things in one day: Japan Society, High Line, World Trade Center, BuzzFeed, Battery Park, Staten Island Ferry, and Brooklyn Bridge.  If you tried, you might quite literally be racing around.

     

    The Staten Island Ferry will take you about two hours total, I think, including waiting in line time and riding both ways.

     

    Can you tell me more about the Japan Society? I always like to see something new.

  9. We've done those things you've done -- my kids LOVE the Museum of Natural History and Central Park. We have pretty much visited these places several times a year...well... since *I* was a kid. Heh.

     

    We recently took the Staten Island Ferry to SI and back... passing Lady Liberty of course... big hit. 

     

    Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge would be fun.

     

    Don't forget to get NYC pizza. That's almost required. If you're meat-eaters, a hot dog or some street cart food is always fun.  Skip the pretzels: they're usually dry and often burned. The bagged nuts are really TOO sweet. I know of no one who can actually finish a bag. There are some DELICIOUS popcorn trucks near Lincoln Center. And if you are in that area on a Thursday or Saturday, the farmer's market is awesome! My kids like to grab a freshly picked apple, this time of year, to eat as we walk. https://www.grownyc.org/greenmarket/manhattan/tuckerthursday

     

    We haven't yet been to a Broadway play. (I cannot believe it.)  We plan to do this at least once this year using an app recommended to me by a friend that gets you cheaper tickets... Does anyone know what it's called? (I will ask her again at some point.) And teen dd will go to see the NYC Ballet dance The Nutcracker with a friend of hers -- they're looking forward to it.

     

    If you are into history and music, take the public walking tour of Carnegie Hall (get tickets online ahead of time at their website).  I just did this and it was way more interesting than I thought it would be -- might depend on the guide you get, of course. Also, if you like music, you can get cheap rush tickets to the NY Philharmonic at Geffen Hall and some events at Carnegie Hall. Many Saturday concerts at The Juilliard School are free and open to the public.

     

    Another cool thing to do is to take the Roosevelt Island Tram. It's a hanging "car" that takes you from Manhattan over to Roosevelt Island. NYC Public transportation.  Gotta love it. 

     

    If you like to walk, the High Line Park goes from 14th to 34th over on the west side. It's elevated with lots of benches, gardens, and sculpture artwork.  This is the perfect place to sit or walk and look UP at the buildings (lots of modern creations going up right in that area -- some are very interesting!). You can't really walk around NYC looking up (marks you as a target, I mean tourist) with all the crowds and such, so this is a good alternative. It used to be an elevated train track. I was recently there for the first time and I liked it so much I'm going to go again and bring my two younger kids.  I think they'll get a kick out of it.  If you don't mind a little more walking, you can walk from here to Central Park (or Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall) pretty easily and pass lots of little ethic restaurants on the way in case you get hungry. I would suggest this as a morning activity, as it gets more crowded in the afternoons.

     

    From your list, if *I* had only one day with kids that age, I think I wouldn't be able to miss the 9/11 Memorial. My kids also LOVE the Cloisters... well... Fort Tryon Park, actually. The view of the river and the NJ Pallisades is amazing, the gardens are so pretty, and there's a decent playground across the street (outside of the park) at the top if you need a short break.

     

    Bring scooters for your kids if you plan a lot of walking -- the small type you can fold -- it will make a difference. The "city kids" here ride them everywhere.

     

    What time of year will you be visiting?

  10.  

    If it is raining, I heartily recommend the Museum of Math on 26th St.

     

    OMG Thank you!!!

     

    I have a math-lover and we are in the city regularly... but I *gasp* have never even HEARD of this museum.  Just went to their website and he is intrigued.  They have a tween book club! Very cool.

    Again, thank you!

  11.  

    We may be putting him in ps in the states for about three months this year when we are visiting for a total of four months as international moves exhaust me, would it be helpful for that? But if I knew he was I probably wouldn't put him in as accelerations are difficult in the district.

     

     

    Is the testing worth it?  It was for us.  It helped break through our denial (oldest) and offered the baseline testing to show dd was struggling with dyslexia (second child).  I haven't tested the third and fourth child. I know the third one is gifted (possibly 2e) and I don't care to know whether or not the fourth is gifted 'cause I think I've got it down now...

     

    This bit you said above, though, is the main point I think? No? 

    If you knew he was gifted you wouldn't put him in school.  May I ask why? 

    What I mean is... if he's learning a certain way right now that either is or is not a good fit for the particular school independent of what any test might tell you. If he'll only be there for a few months and it would be helpful for you, it might be a good experience either way. However, if an IQ result alone is enough for you to keep him out... well... I wonder if there might be other reasons you would be willing to keep him out anyway. YKWIM?

    • Like 1
  12. ed more practice on each section than the tb provides to learn the next section), and then assign the whole IP chapter for practice.

     

     

    When using the IP and not the workbook, I often work with kiddo in the textbook for a few pages and then assign only those pages from the IP chapter that correspond with the textbook section already practiced. As the PP noted, the IP problems are not divided and labeled into exercises like the workbook is, so I have to look at the problems to decide which to align.

  13. Can you tell me how the IP is very different from the other stuff? We tried CWP way back (2nd level while he was in the 3rd level of TB/WB), and he could understand and do the problems just fine, but struggled with trying to write out his response in sentences (as was suggested to us prior - "word problems should have word solutions").

     

    The workbook has a lot of easy, repetitive problems and strikes me as very drill-like. I used it with my older two kids until I realized it was just busy work once we had done the practice problems in the textbook.

     

    The intensive practice has some easier problems, too, in the beginning of each section, but they quickly become more complicated and not as obvious as the "drill" problems. The intensive practice also has some word problems, many of which we have found are more challenging than those in the CWP books. Finally, the Intensive Practice books have the "Take the Challenge" questions for each section, which we have found are the problems that really work problem solving skills. Some of these, I've found, need the two of us to work together (me asking him questions that act as "hints" for him to solve the problem).

     

    If I had to choose only two books to use from the Singapore Primary Math series, it would be the textbook and the IP.  The textbook teaches the specific method of solving the problems (yes, they can be solved other ways, but I have found the textbook teaches the kids to think about the math in a certain way that is later built upon... this is the "why" behind the "how"). I often add base-10 blocks in the earlier books, though my "math thinker" was already thinking the way the base-10 blocks are set up and quickly abandoned them.

     

    I have never required "word" solutions to word problems, though I do require my kids to show their work (whether with bar diagrams or number sentences, on a white board or in the book itself). If a written explanation is necessary, I accept a spoken explanation.

    • Like 1
  14. We used textbook + IP & CWP 1 semester behind with Singapore Primary Math. I would skip the SM workbook before I skipped the textbook since the teaching is all in the textbook.

     

    My "mathy" kid did the BA books that were out in addition to the above.

     

    Same here. No workbook. 

    Singapore Primary Math textbook for the specific teaching method and Intensive Practice for the practice

    Challenging Word Problems for the bar diagram approach and more word problem practice

    and Beast Academy books

  15.  

    If it didn't pay much more to go into a field that required a lot of education (and subsequently debt), would people go into that field at all?

     

    Yes, I think they would. Why? Think about the reason they went into the field in the first place. Did they pursue the education and accrue the debt in order to make a certain amount of money *more than others* OR in order to make a certain amount of money or because of interest/passion?

     

    If the field still makes a fair wage based on what the workers put into it, then the fact that other groups of people make more than they did before doesn't change what your dh, for example, is making. He is not making less. He is still being fairly compensated.

     

    I don't think most of us choose our profession based on how much we make in comparison to others. We may choose it based on how much we make, but whether or not others make a fair wage usually doesn't factor into our decision. IMO of course.

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