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kareng

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Posts posted by kareng

    Help, overwhelmed and frustrated

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    I very much agree with a lot of what homeagain has said. From my experience, it can be hard when you are in the trenches to realize that some things are more about behavior than homeschooling because they are so tightly intertwined. In fact, one thing I often tell people when they are just starting out and want advice on homeschooling is that it is really important to get the behavior, listening, attitude, etc. in order first. Or at least make it a priority. I know not everyone agrees but sometimes, "Suck it up" is a good life lesson. I know that I can allow my olders MUCH more latitude now because of the expectations set when they were young.

     

    In our home, that looks like the following...

     

    -They do not get to back talk. They can do a respectful appeal to my instructions, if they take that route the first time. If they decide to be a pita when I tell them to do something, respectful appeal opportunity goes out the window.

     

    -Whining is never going to get them the response they are seeking. When they were young, they knew that if they decide to use whining as a method of communication, the situation will very likely end in them getting the *opposite* of whatever they wanted. Or I just don't hear them. Same thing goes for tantrums.

     

    -Siblings of different ages do different things. That is life. Olders get to do more than youngers, but also have more responsibility.

     

    -At that age, I was much more matter of fact than I am now. I just told them what is expected without getting emotional. Feeding the drama beast usually doesn't let you relax into your goal of homeschooling. Now, I explain more. Their thinking is more developed. Sometimes. Other times, I wonder if their brains have actually fallen out. I tailor my explanations to wherever they are on that continuum, lol.

     

    -School is school and is non-negotiable. They don't have to like it, but their days will be much more fun if they have a good attitude. I worked in lots of physical activity and broke work up at the age yours is, but school just gets done. If it doesn't or they decided to drag their heels too much, they lose other things like sports, etc. That only had to happen a few times before they took it seriously. (There is no 7yo level sport team that is going to die if the child misses a practice or a game. I feel that being reliable to a team is an important lesson, but this other stuff trumps that lesson in priority. My goal as a parent is to get these types of behavior redirected into solid, healthy interaction. That trumps any outside activity. Besides, the coaches usually prefer well-behaved, possibly missing a practice or a game to holy terror, but there every week. :lol: )

     

    -If they can't get ready in the morning in a timely fashion, I have them get completely ready before they have breakfast. Or I give them a time limit with a financial or privilege consequence. Different things have worked better for each of the boys at different ages.

     

    None of this is traumatic or super hard core. I have always found that doing the hard work of being consistent on the behavior stuff early on yields really big dividends. Even with my super spirited one who required so much consistency I wanted to jump off of a bridge ;-)

     

    Of course, they will have some times that are easier than other. Hormones can be nutty, but they are also aware that hormones are not a license to treat other people like carp. We just adjust and work through, always with the goal of showing them how self-control ultimately works in their favor and gives them freedom in the teen years.

     

    What this also looks like in our home...

     

    -We have always had great fun with our kids.

     

    -We joke and laugh like crazy people often.

     

    -We hang out together because we *want* to. I really enjoy the people they are becoming.

     

    -They like to do school... Most days. Not always. Not every day is sunshine and rainbows. But the good days far outweigh the bad. Which is a win in my book.

     

    -They know they can talk to us about anything. They also know they have the freedom to renegotiate things where appropriate because their attitude/follow through/whatever earns my trust. It shows me they are using cheerfulness, courtesy, civility and honor for others. It also helps them because I, and other adults, tend to take what they have to say more seriously.

     

    -I can give them more freedom now because of habits they developed when they were younger. Of course, I didn't explain everything in lecture form or even expect them to make those connections at the elementary age. They are starting to notice it now.

     

    I guess when all is said and done, the kid drama does not get to hijack the atmosphere of our home. We work together to create a home of peace and love and productivity. I reinforce that often. It isn't a perfect system, but it is something that I have found necessary for our homeschool to function well.

     

    I didn't really intend to write a book here, but I can feel for the position you are in. It is rotten to have that much stress associated with something you love (homeschooling). I need to throw the disclaimer up that this is what has worked for *my* family. Take what works for you and discard the rest. You can do this :hurray:

     

    UPDATE: I enrolled my kids in public school and now I'm conflicted

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    My inclination would be to commit until Christmas, then plan to re-evaluate if necessary. It's only maybe six or seven weeks? No need to stress over a few weeks. Once you all have your feet wet you'll have a better feel for whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for your family.

     

    Assuming you decide to stick it out after Christmas, commit till the end of the school year and then re-evaluate again over the summer. Just a few months, not a big permanently life altering decision...

     

    We've all had our moments of thinking, "I cannot take this anymore!" The lines of mommy and teacher and everything else in between are so blurred that I just need some time to regroup. Some of us have put our child(ren) in p.s. while others have just thought about it.  I like the above poster's responses.  Give it a few weeks (for adjustment for all of you) and see how things go.  If things get crazy or not good at P.S. you can obviously pull them out at any time. But if you give it a few weeks, then they can see how things play themselves out and , knowing that you can re-evaluate and change your plan at any time.

     

    It's OK. Take some deep breaths. Enjoy the quiet while they are gone and give yourself a chance to regroup.  You'll figure out what works best for you and them. :grouphug:

    • Like 3

    Gentle Encouragment or a Kick in the Butt??

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Great suggestions!!!!!!  I have just one child but even so have, at times, needed time off. I feel like the beauty of home schooling is that you can do just that.  Take time off just because.  Sometimes it's just half a day; sometimes it's a day; sometimes it's a week or two.  I feel like schooling needs to fit in with life, not the other way around.

     

    Look at those baby photos, go to the zoo/bookstore/run around the track at the high school/whatever sounds like fun and regain your perspective.  In the end, it all gets done. Whether it's all of what you think should get done or it's what needed to get done (I'm speaking about academics).  I am a certified teacher and have always taken myself WAY too seriously and what I do WAY too seriously.  A little fun/laughing/goofing off may be just what's needed. It's good to step away from it a bit so you can see what's working and what needs to be tweaked.

     

    Maybe you could ask your sons what they would like to change or how they think things could go more smoothly. You might be surprised at their answers.

     

    I like the timed activities, by the way. You'd be amazed at what motivates.

     

    Hang in there.  You can do it!!!

    • Like 2

    Facebook friend request ?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    You have a weird feeling for a reason.  He's in your past, not your present,  for a reason.  I would leave him there. 

     

    Exactly my thought as well. I had a boyfriend from a LONG time ago contact me when I was on FB.  At first, I thought, "Oh, it's so-and-so! How nice."  But when I stopped and thought about it, and said, OK, -- We are both married and have been for quite some time.  We haven't been in contact with each other since we broke up. (over 20 years)   What would we "talk" about? Our marriages and families (not of his business or mine)?  Our history together (not helping our current lives)?  I blocked that friend request (he had asked).  

     

    I totally agree with laundry crisis - He's in your past, not your present...  Leave him there." :iagree: :iagree: :iagree:

    Barton/LiPS - anyone here a tutor, or used one?

    in The Learning Challenges Board

    Posted

    I can only answer for LiPS tutoring.  My dd is dyslexic and we found a great lady in our area who did LiPS tutoring. So, my dd was tutored (with me reinforcing the tutoring at home) for about a year, back when she was 11.  I felt like it was rather late for her to be tested and then tutored but I was amazed at the progress she made.  DD went from a 2.9 reading level to a grade 6 reading level.  She has always loved books but reading, writing and spelling were challenging.  After her tutoring, much of the chore of decoding and encoding became easier and she took off, in terms of reading, and writing and spelling. I think their method is extremely worthwhile and greatly helped my dd.

     

    Fun typing program for older child with dyslexia

    in The Learning Challenges Board

    Posted

    Hello folks. I don't know if this topic has been addressed elsewhere but I am looking for a fun typing program for an older dyslexic student.  I really haven't tried many typing programs -  I have looked at some software but much is for the young child.  My dd is 17 and has finally agreed to try typing (again - she tried Nessy Fingers years ago a couple of times and decided "it didn't work for her").  She can print, doesn't like cursive (took much time involved for her to form the letters) so I was hoping that typing would be the ticket.so that she could write more easily without all the labor.

     

    I'm looking for something that isn't boring (like most programs I've seen) but has a little "fun" in it.

     

    Any ideas?  What am I looking for? A little fun with a lot of repetition that isn't too juvenile.

     

    How is Mavis? That's the only one I know of.

    Tiner Books

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    Pondering using them with the 101 videos.  or are those a little over the head of a middle schooler?

     

    We have used the Chemistry 101 with Tiner's Chemistry (Exploring the World of Chemistry) this year. Although my dd is a junior, she has dyslexia and her reading level is a couple of grades below.   She read the Tiner book by herself and we have watched the 101 video together. I think it would be fine for middle school. We LOVE both the 101 series and Tiner's books. I love both of their styles. Some of the information overlaps but John Hudson Tiner and Wes Olson take different angles and cover some different material so they worked so well together. I highly recommend them! :hurray:

    • Like 3

    Is 7th grade a bad year to go back to school?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    I also taught in middle school, 7th grade Math to be exact.  I loved the kids because they were such fun but I saw so many struggle, emotionally and socially. And even though they were all coming from lots of elementary schools, it was hard to find one's place. And, I remember my 7th grade very vividly.  The year my world fell apart, socially and emotionally.   It was so hard.  I would echo what so many have said before, that unless you have to put your child in seventh grade, avoid it like the plague.

     

    I also agree with Farrar, that people feel very overwhelmed when they hit high school  - especially this part,

     

    "  A lot of homeschoolers hit middle school and feel overwhelmed by the kid growing up and the subjects getting more complex and off to school they go. My own kids aren't quite there yet (fifth grade this year!) but having taught middle school for a long time, I feel like that's a mistake. If you can stick it out and make it work... "

     

     

     

    • Like 2

    I think I want to try Sonlight next year. Any tips?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I did SL from Kindergarten through 7th grade with my dd.  We used their Science one or two years.  To begin with I must say that I LOVE their reading selections, both the ones the kids read by themselves as well as the read-alouds. I think it's their strength and with the Cores above K, I believe the readers are linked to the history. (It wasn't that way with the Core we used for K.  The books were why I did Sonlight for so long.)

     

    With that said, I found their entire curriculum - history, science, LA, totally overwhelming. I felt I had to do it all. It took me years to realize that I was in charge, that their instructions were there to guide me, to be used as it worked for me and my family.  They provide so much material which you can use as is, modify for what works for you, or not do.

     

    The one or two years of Sonlight Science was OK. It was adequate, not exciting but it covered what needed to be covered.

     

    With all that said, I would agree with the posters above who said that you should do one year instead of two together.  You don't want to miss any of the wealth of information or miss reading any of the books.  :-)

     

     

    • Like 2

    Literature for dyslexia & possibly dysgraphia student

    in Special Needs Board

    Posted

    Does she do audio books?  Immersion Reading through a Kindle?

     

    Also, have you looked at the AGS Literature studies?

    http://www.wiesereducational.com/products/f_reading-literature/32-f_literature-textbooks/

     

    We LOVE audiobooks.  That's how we were able to "read" some of the very difficult classics.

     

    Could you tell me about Immersion Reading through a Kindle?  We don't have a Kindle nor a Nook so I'm not sure if that's something you can do any other way -- like sometimes you can download a pdf or some other form and be able to view it on a computer instead of on a Kindle or the like.

    Literature for dyslexia & possibly dysgraphia student

    in Special Needs Board

    Posted

    1879 McGuffey readers, PDF version is free. The 4th or 5th reader would likely be a good level to start with. Many libraries also have them if you like them and want to use the real book for a bit once you figure out the right level. They have the difficult words diacritically marked and defined and have comprehension questions starting with the 4th reader. There are a variety of literature types.

     

    The Journeys Through Bookland with the guide might also be good, I will find and link the thread later.

     

    You could try having her work through my online phonics lessons and Webster's Speller to improve her reading grade level. the 1908 Webster has reading selections that increase in difficulty, and the syllables are helpful with learning to read difficult multi syllable words. My lessons teach syllables, which would make the transition to Webster easier for you.

     

     

    ElizabethB, could you tell me how to find the link or page for the free McGuffey readers in pdf form?  I looked but somehow couldn't find them.

     

    Also, are the Journeys Through Bookland something you have to download, as in you need a Kindle or Nook? I ask because we don't have one.

    • Like 1

    Literature for dyslexia & possibly dysgraphia student

    in Special Needs Board

    Posted

    I am looking for some ideas for my dd who has dyslexia and possibly has dysgraphia.  She reads at about 3 grades (2-4 depending on what it is) below the 11th grade she is in.

     

    She loves to read but not so much to write other than creative writing at which she is very good.  We have used Abeka Of Places and Of People.  I like them because they offer shortened passages of a wide variety of literature.  She is OK with them, likes some of the stories but not having to answer the questions.  We are about to finish Of People, which I think is considered by Abeka to be 8th grade. The next choice in the series is Themes in Literature (which we own), which I think is for 9th grade.  We've toyed a little bit with LLATL (Tan book).  I have mixed feelings about LLATL.  I like some things about it but it's really too light, fluff really but I think the older grades of LLATL would be too much and I'm not sure I want to use any of those anyway.

     

    My goal is to have her continue to be exposed to literature, read critically and analyze as she is able to (I have no problem writing things for her or having her type them -- i.e. accomodate for her to make this happen).  The major limitation we currently have is whatever we use has to be free.  I have thought about book studies but there's no way I could develop one on my own.  It would have to be something I could download and print.

     

    Do you folks have any suggestions?

    Well, we finally did it!

    in Special Needs Board

    Posted

    We brought our son home. The battles with his school were just too much to take any longer. He hated going, so badly that he would cry and try to vomit in the morning to stay home. :(

     

    Tomorrow will make a week since we decided not to send him back, and I have to say that I haven't seen him this happy in a long, long time. We're still trying to fit him into our daily school routines, but I have faith that we'll find our groove soon. It's incredibly freeing; this is the first time since my youngest began ps 4K in 2008 that we have been completely free of the school's calendar. Our days seem so long and relaxed without the rush to and from school!

     

    Yea!  This is such excellent news.  Good for you!  It's so wonderful that you are seeing how happy your son is and that he is easily fitting into your daily schedule. I am sure also that you will find your groove soon.

     

    :hurray: :iagree: :hurray: :grouphug: hugs to you all for your courage to do what needed to be done.  It can be scary but you did it!

    cursive writing and reading

    in The Learning Challenges Board

    Posted

    She has had Vision Therapy for the past 3 years which has helped tremendously with her reading and focusing issues.  As to being evaluated by an OT, I never thought of that.    She has always had her own unique way of writing -- the way she forms the ball figures (is that the right term? as in making an "a", who she makes the circle part) in printing.  She makes them backwards and the steps she uses are often different than how "they" show you to make the letters.

     

    Thanks for the advice.

    • Like 1

    sciences and math needed for homeschool graduation

    in The Learning Challenges Board

    Posted

    As my dd has just one year and a few months left in our home school, I have begun to think about what she will need for next year. and math have been the hardest for her. So much vocabulary to use and apply.  As a result, I've had to introduce some topics and then revisit them at a later date. Try some methods and then come up with others that have worked.  Because of that, we haven't covered as much as I would have liked but I feel like what we've covered, she understands, and isn't that our goal?

     

    As she is very artistic (most likely a career in art), I don't see her attending college in the near future, unless she determines in her own mind why she wants to go.  But, I do want to give her the best education she can have that will allow her to do whatever she wants to in the future.

     

    As far as sciences go: she has completed Exploring Creation Series (Apologia) -- Zoology 1 & 2, Astronomy; Bio101 (Olson - DVD) and this year we're doing Power Basics Biology.

     

    As far as Math goes: she has completed Teaching Textbooks 7 & Pre-Algrebra.  She started TT Algebra and is was clear she didn't know what was going on. She completed Danica McKellar's Middle School Math book and now we're using Math Mammoth to cover some topics we've missed: parts of a whole, geometry and graphing.  I'd like to finish the year with Danica McKellar's book Kiss My Math, which is pre-algebra.

     

    Before she graduates, I'd love for her to have some chemistry, physics and anatomy and physiology under her belt. In math, I'd love to get through algebra and either geometry or algebra 2.

     

    Realistically, we're running out of time.  If you were to maximize the time left, what would you consider essential for the special needs student to have been exposed to: in science and math (that she already hasn't seen)?

     

    Thanks!

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