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jjcmehl

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Posts posted by jjcmehl

    Singapore Math, does it or doesn't it prepare for higher math?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted · Edited by jjcmehl

    A fellow home educating mom had this to share with me:

     

    "I didn't like Singapore when I looked through it, but was also influenced by my fil, a professor. He says he (and other professors at the university he worked at) could pick out the kids taught with Singapore. He said they had trouble transitioning to college maths. He was dean, so it's not anecdotal. He had to go over grades with professors and students, so had facts to back it up. Singapore is the only program he specifically mentioned; he didn't seem to mind other ones as much."

     

    We have used Singapore Math for 5 years. I see the beauty in the program, but I can see how transitioning to higher math programs could be a challenge. There is not enough explaination or drill/review in SM, in my opinion. I have my kids learn the SM approach and traditional approach, especially getting into the higher levels. I was wondering what others have experienced, specifically those of you who have used the SM for 4 plus years?

    Circle time

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted · Edited by jjcmehl

    We chose to call this time "Morning Basket," instead of Circle Time.

     

    We use a lot of the ideas from previous posts on here.

     

    Here is what we do daily:

    Pledge

    Bible/devotion

    Singing (Biblical or folk song, historic, etc…)

    Calendar

    Weather/Seasonal

    Poetry

    Memory work

    Picture/Composer Study (alternate weekly)

     

    Here is what we do on a weekly basis:

    Week's Alphabet, Number, Theme intro. (for 3 yr. old) (Mon.)

    Menu planning (each child picks one meal a week) (Mon.)

    Chore review/shared thoughts (Mon.)

    Exercise yoga (Tues.)

    Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding by Bernard Nebel, Ph.D. (BFSU) (Wed.)

    Journal (Thurs.)

     

    This takes us about 1 hour. (Of coarse, when the 3 yr. old wants to be done, he is done.) Storytime takes place at a different time.

    Times Tales DVD

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    We bought the DVD. It is similar to how a board book is put to DVD. Pictures with minimal animation. It IS A BIT CHEESY, but we liked it. MOST IMPORTANTLY, the children have their facts down now! Even my 5 yr. old has some of the facts memorized.

    What are you going to use now that ALL will not be ready

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    I wonder if it's too late to get the ALL pdfs.....

     

    I posted that very question to SWB. She just replied back that all we need to do is e-mail and ask them for the 15 week ALL sample. Here is her assistant's e-mail address: executiveassistant@welltrainedmind.com

     

    We were just about to start ALL, and we still plan to! After the 15 week sample is complete, we plan to use Part 2 of Intermediate Language Lessons by Emma Serl. (We can't go wrong with classical methods and free on Google books.)

    Answering questions about Advanced Language Lessons

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    We used RS 4 last year, but we definitely preferred the 3 years prior with FLL. I was going to start ALL in a few weeks with my DD. All I have is the 5 week sample. I never asked for the 15 week sample, since I thought I would purchase it in Jan. (I understand the need to change the original plan. I am also grateful for the samples of WWS and ALL.)

     

    Having said that, is it still possible to receive the 15 week sample? (My DD was getting excited to start it. The other recommended grammar programs just don't seem to "speak" to us. Of coarse, this would leave us with further confusion on the grammar path after this year.;))

     

    I appreciate all you do for parents and children!

    What are you going to use now that ALL will not be ready

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    I'm not sure what we will do now.

     

    We used RS 4 last year, but we definitely preferred the 3 years prior with FLL. I was going to start ALL in a few weeks with my DD. All I have is the 5 week sample. I never asked for the 15 week sample, because I thought it would be out in Jan.

     

    I wonder if I can still receive the 15 week sample? (I will post the question on SWB's ALL sticky.)

     

    I have looked at all the recommended grammar programs. They are either not appealing (RS) or too expensive (VIE, Abeka). (I actually was going to purchase VIE, until I saw the price.):sad:

     

    I want something strong, but unique. I thought maybe MCT Grammar would do, but it seems to not cover what I consider the essentials and appeared too expensive, as well.

     

    Oh, what to do? :confused:

    I love hands on equations

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    The Verbal Problems Introductory Workbook has 27 graduated lessons, 3 problems per lesson, each with its own work template.

     

    Essentially, it is more child-friendly and is an "introduction to verbal problems". It will help a child get accustomed to word problems, if said child needs that type of reinforcement prior to using the big verbal problems book.

     

    I skipped purchasing the Verbal Problems Introductory Workbook, since my children are quite comfortable with verbal problems.

    wws is ok doing togetheR?

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    We are in week 5, and have started to notice the wordiness in some of the lessons. My DD is only in 5th, she does it independently, but I find myself explaining the lesson after she has spent 15 min. with it herself, at times. I was thinking, just yesterday, that I may have to do some of them with her. (This is especially true with the topio exercises.) Lessons take 30 min. - 1 hour long for us. I think some of this is due to trying to decipher what exactly we need to do in the lesson. We are still loving it, though.

    Really liking some of our new curricula!!

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    Our new hits:

     

    WWE/WWS (Love how much dd is learning in WWS.)

     

    FLL4 (I don't know why we did R&S last year..it is nice to be back with FLL. Can't wait to start ALL in a couple months.)

     

    Mindbenders logic puzzles (DD loves these...she breezed through them in 2 weeks)

     

    HOD Preparing (History, Storytime, Bible, Poetry, DITHOR)

     

    BFSU

     

    Hands on Equations (A Huge Hit! My kids love math again!)

     

    Times Tales DVD (So different from the book...and it is a good thing. Probably our biggest hit.)

     

    The Reading Lesson (love the simplicity of each page and DS 5 is already starting to read.)

     

    Just okay:

     

    HOD Preparing (Science) (a bit weak for our taste, which is why we added BFSU)

     

    TLP workbook for The Wheel on the School (Seems to me it is a lot of busy work, the closest to a miss.)

     

    Rosetta Stone French (at least it is getting done and the children can do it independently.

     

     

    No misses!

    help learning X tables?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    We just solved our multiplication problem for the oldest two in a matter of an hour...the best $30 I have ever spent. Times Tales DVD...I am loaning it out to all my friends and family...and then will donate for the homeschool group library.

     

    I had the book of a similar title, but this is way beyond that!

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