Spinoff :

[Once]

I was thinking for making this into a poll just for fun. People seem to like those. Maybe I'll figure it out maybe not.

 

Anyway, my question is for those who have been here a long time and have a wealth of info for people like me. You know who you are. :001_smile:

 

I want to be part of the community and I feel like I am but I also feel like I have little or nothing to contribute as far as acedemic knowledge. So when I post I feel like a nuisiance. (There I said it) But I know I need to be recognized so that when I do post people will know me, take my request seriously and have an adequate backround of my family. So my dilemma is...How does one stay on the board without being annoyingly simple and get placed on ignore lists or get passed over? (speaking nicely here).

 

Suggestions for me personally or in general are welcome. I also think that suggestions for how to do this in a way that maintains the Classical feel to the board are fitting. I say that because I am here to learn how to add the clasical work to our hs but I have no wisdom to share so I feel like I would just be asking the same simple questions over and over again.

 

OK now I am just dithoring on and on.....

[Kathleen in VA]

You could always post "thanks, that was very useful," or "I agree," or "How do I ....?" Sooner or later (probably sooner) you will have something useful to say because a topic will appear that will be right up your alley. You've lived long enough to know something about that something and when that something comes up you'll be ready to chime right in with your wealth of wisdom.

[Mom2legomaniacs]

I know what you mean. I think you have to put yourself out there whenever you feel you fit in. And some days (for me, anyway), it is easier than others. There are some topics I feel okay popping in on and others that I have no clue about. Actually, there are more that I have no clue about than those that I do!

 

You will go through phases where you are giving more info. and phases where you are taking in more info. as well. I am in a phase, curriculum-wise, that I feel like I am needing to take in more. I have one moving into 5th (yikes!). It is scary for me in some ways.

 

I look at some and get a tad intimidated. They are very experienced, good at planning, lots of things that I am not! But they were newer once too. Just remember that. :grouphug: I am glad you are here!

[PinkInTheBlue]

I know exactly what you mean. I've been here for years and years and have been homeschooling for about 8 years and I still feel I often don't have enough interesting enough to be worthy of a post. :) I've been here for years and know everyone who has been for a while and yet I have less posts than you, I believe! LOL In person I'm extremely talkative and contributing but here...I don't know. I feel like I don't often know what to say. ;) For some reason I keep plugging away!

 

edited to say: Oh wow, I have almost 250 posts. I'm quite impressed! LOL On my one and only other board I talk on I have over 2500 posts after 2 1/2 years there.

[*anj*]

I know what you mean. Sometimes I think that I am asking the most basic question in the world and that people are yawning when they read it. Even so, I realize that my fifth grade math teacher was right: There are no stupid questions. At this moment there are 326 people participating on this forum. Well, some of those are 'bots, so they're not really participating, but you know what I mean. Anyway, you never know how many of those people are wondering the same thing that you're wondering. And don't think that just because someone has been homeschooling for six years she automatically knows which writing curriculum will work best for her.

 

Oh, and please don't ever worry about being put on ignore because of your inexperience. "Ignore" is for people who are mean, nasty, and/or hypocritical! :lol:

 

Feel free to contribute to whatever extent you are comfortable. ;)

[Mom2legomaniacs]

I know what you mean. Sometimes I think that I am asking the most basic question in the world and that people are yawning when they read it. Even so, I realize that my fifth grade math teacher was right: There are no stupid questions. At this moment there are 326 people participating on this forum. Well, some of those are 'bots, so they're not really participating, but you know what I mean. Anyway, you never know how many of those people are wondering the same thing that you're wondering. And don't think that just because someone has been homeschooling for six years she automatically knows which writing curriculum will work best for her.

 

Oh, and please don't ever worry about being put on ignore because of your inexperience. "Ignore" is for people who are mean, nasty, and/or hypocritical! :lol:

 

Feel free to contribute to whatever extent you are comfortable. ;)

 

 

Okay miss 5 green squares, I don't think anyone is yawning at anything you say at all dearie!:D You are most loved around here you know.

[Rich with Kids]

I gotta say, I hardly ever post about something academic. I come here for socialization. And attention. And validation. And purpose. And beverage decisions.

[*anj*]

Okay miss 5 green squares, I don't think anyone is yawning at anything you say at all dearie!:D You are most loved around here you know.

 

Well, thanks for saying that, but I wonder anyway. That's my great sense of self esteem shining like a lump of molten lava gone cold. :glare:

[Brindee]

I know what you mean too! And I was going to say what Anj said about there being no stupid question. I always heard it, "There is no stupid question except the one not asked!" Meaning, if you don't understand something, need clarification, have no clue what's being talked about, etc., then ASK! Who am I, or anyone else, that we should consider you not worthy or your question a stupid one, or what you have to say not worth anything???! I think everyone has something to contibute.

 

Scarily enough, I have only been here about 3 months, and I already have this many posts!:eek: (I blame it on genie!:tongue_smilie:) At first it was a bit hard cuz it moves fast, and I didn't know where to begin. Plus there are some "inside jokes or sayings" that I know nothing about, AND I wasn't on the old boards.

 

So my advice is, just join in! I have found that the people here are very open and sharing and helpful! In my 3 months here I have learned sooo much! I really enjoy it, and now I'm not sure what on earth I have been doing without it???!!!:001_huh: Also, from things I've learned on here, I've helped others now that have the same questions I had. The more you involve yourself the more you know and the more you will have to say!:001_smile:

[Karenciavo]

When I started homeschooling, well actually before I even started homeschooling, I began posting here. There seemed to be so many people here so much smarter and wittier than I am and I was intimidated. I can't even tell you how I felt when I discovered Abbeyej was like 14 years younger than me with toddlers no less. :glare: But I soon found most of the people here are very gracious and willing to help so I asked a lot of questions. I'm a little obtuse sometimes so if I annoyed anyone I never knew, but I doubt it. Don't ever be afraid to post a question about education; religion, politics, and child-rearing may get you in trouble, but education? Nah. Well, unless it's about math programs or whether to use classical or ecclesiastical pronunciation. ;)

[Colleen]

I gotta say, I hardly ever post about something academic. I come here for socialization. And attention. And validation. And purpose. And beverage decisions.

 

You are too funny, my dear.:D

[Colleen]

I want to be part of the community and I feel like I am but I also feel like I have little or nothing to contribute as far as acedemic knowledge. So when I post I feel like a nuisiance.

 

Okay, let's think about this. There are close to 10,000 replies now to a thread stephanie started asking how anyone gets 2000 posts. I think we can safely assume that "discussion" isn't rife with a great deal of academic wisdom.:D I like to have weightier discussions here, but a good deal of what I and everyone else posts on the General Board is fairly fluffy. So if you're talking in terms of *this* forum (General), rest assured nothing is too simple for us.:lol:

 

The high school board can intimidate me simply because I haven't been there, done that yet. I read way more than I talk over there. When I do have something to ask, while it may seem "basic" to me, I'm aware that there are many others like me reading the board, people who may very likely have the same question. And it's not like anyone is going to laugh at me for just asking a question; people are more than willing to engage in the give and take of the board ~ if they weren't, they wouldn't be posting here.:)

 

All of which is to say, I don't think anyone is in danger of being considered "annoyingly simple". It is easy, though, to get passed over when the board moves so fast. One thing you can do to avoid that is use the search feature first to check and see if your question has been addressed before. That way, even if you choose to post, you do have some idea as to how much conversation, and what kind of conversation, has taken place about such-and-such reading program or whatever.

 

Another suggestion is to be as specific as possible when asking your questions and writing a title for your posts. Sometimes people will ask such a general question, it's difficult to answer or would require a great deal of time to answer. Specificity in curriculum questions is always helpful.

 

Finally, I personally find it much, much easier to "connect" with people whose name I know. I've found over the years that I get to "know" posters more quickly when I can think of them in terms of their name, or locale, or just something more specific than a random word. Does that make sense? So if I know that you're "Susan", rather than just "Once", I feel more connected to you. Just a suggestion.:)

 

Nice to have you on board!

[Kelli in TN]

I was mostly silent my first year here. I mean we had MFS, and Miz Booshay and all of these folks who had it going on. I was scared to death of looking stupid in front of those ladies!!

 

 

I got over it. Now I don't care who I look stupid in front of!!!!:001_huh:

 

Just post. Don't worry about it. I seriously doubt anyone would put you on ignore for being chatty.

[Once]

I am really surprise at all of you that said "I know how you feel". Even those silent ones on my rep. (I see you too:001_smile: I'm gald your here) I would not have imagined others feel the same way. Thank-you for your reassurances. I will try to keep it up and not agonize about looking stupid.

 

I know what you all mean. The chatiness is a fun part of it all. It is one of those things that you just need to throw yourself into and see where it goes. You'd think I was use to that by now with hs-ing. :tongue_smilie:

 

 

Colleen - Thanks for the tip. I origianally posted with a simple annomous sig for security reasons but I have added my name to become more real. I cannot change my post name now due to the admin rule about multiple names per house. I think you are right. It is easier to get to know someone with a uniqueness about them. (I'm afraid mine might be a lack of spelling and grammar skills.):tongue_smilie:

 

Thank to you all for the ideas. I'm still listening if there are more. I know others are too!

[JFSinIL]

Also - think humor, puns - folks like a laugh, here! ;)