Manamana Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I was talking with another homeschool mom the other day about how, as our kids get older, we can't teach it all. I like teaching math, history, grammar and science (can you tell which side of my brain dominates LOL) to dd11 but I appreciate or would appreciate being able to delegate art, literature, writing and languages. Fortunately my husband has taken over writing this year and will probably take over literature if we continue homeschooling. If you could, what would you most like to delegate to someone else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Penmanship/copywork/anything requiring the physical act of writing. It's like pulling teeth and the results are so dismal. Neither of my two older children qualify for OT coverage through our insurance and we cannot afford to pay out-of-pocket for it. But if we had the budget for it, I'd have them both working on penmanship with an OT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 If you could, what would you most like to delegate to someone else? WRITING!!! Oh, how we ALL wish and long here that I had outsourced that topic all throughout high school... Alas, I did not, and now it's too late. (Fortunately, both DSs have each had at least one semester with a good Writing teacher in college.) I am, however, so very glad we did outsource foreign language in high school via dual enrollment; SO much less painful! And, one DS as a result has decided to continue with the ASL and become an Interpreter for the Deaf! :) On the other hand, Literature was my very favorite subject to do with DSs throughout our years of homeschooling, and one they enjoyed immensely as well. What fabulous memories of those conversations on The Great Books all through middle school and high school! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PachiSusan Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Math. I swear my new grey hairs are over math frustration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arboreal TJ Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 My kids are only K'ers but I'd pay a premium to outsource handwriting. Without sweet bribes my boys would never put pen to paper unless they were writing instructions for some Lego creation they want to remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Foreign languages! Definitely! There is no way you can get anywhere near fluency without a teacher who really knows the language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Next year I'll be outsourcing English (lit and writing) for the very first time :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorningGlory Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Next year I'll be outsourcing English (lit and writing) for the very first time :D Me, too. We are outsourcing English for both boys next year...a 7th grader and a 10th grader. I am SO relieved. I can teach chemistry, and I can teach precalculus, but try as I may, I cannot teach my boys to make proper transitions between paragraphs...or to find the symbol in a poem...or to appropriately use a comma in a certain situation. I realize my limitations and am thrilled that dh has agreed to let us outsource! :) We also outsource high school level foreign language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 My kids are only K'ers but I'd pay a premium to outsource handwriting. Without sweet bribes my boys would never put pen to paper unless they were writing instructions for some Lego creation they want to remember. I've sometimes had fleeting thoughts of sending the kids to school for K-1, just so they'd learn how to write well quickly. :leaving: For other reasons, I don't do so, but man... I hate teaching handwriting. At church, I see these kids of the family in front of us taking actual notes from the sermon in 2nd grade, and the K'er is writing quite a bit also (not taking notes yet, but the 2nd grader's notes still floor me - they're what I'd expect from a middle schooler, not a 2nd grader). The two kids are adopted and are not related, so the common thread is their family life and their school, and both are good at writing. While my oldest didn't do great in writing in school, my middle and youngest would probably flourish in that department. For high school... science labs and literature/composition would be great to outsource. I always hated science labs. Like chemistry... I don't like using anything involving an open flame, and I don't like mixing potentially dangerous chemicals together. Just not my cuppa. I did great in the math and basic understanding of chemistry, but the labs... ugh. I hated them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Music. And I do outsource it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Math (we "outsourced" with MUS) and writing. I actually liked teaching math, but my oldest has ruined it for me. :blush: Her hatred of math is actually contagious in our house. :001_rolleyes: I absolutely refuse to do any teaching of upper math (trig or calc)...We will invest in a nice video program or send them to public school for that class if they get that far! I get geometry and algebra and use them on a daily basis...I can't think of the last time I needed to use trig or calculus. I also can't remember anything I learned from those classes (and I took AP calc)! Maybe by then I will have an urge to re-learn it. Writing I think I *could* teach, but it's the "grading" and evaluating that gets me. I still have no idea why I got some of the grades I did on my English papers in HS and college. I've also discovered how little I know about grammar (by using Grammar Land), but I'm hoping to learn this alongside my oldest. I could probably teach them basic piano, but I think it's best to have a teacher as it keeps me consistent. We have deadlines to have their songs learned or we are just wasting money...that's a pretty good motivator for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeganW Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I outsourced reading. There is NOTHING more excruciating than hearing a kid sound out CCCCAAAAATTTT for the 4 millionth time. Paying a tutor to deal with that was the best money I ever spent!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 high school ;) But I would love to have someone else teach my kids to read. Listening to 4 kids sound out words makes me want to scream. I jokingly tell people this is why we stopped at 4 kids! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Upper level maths and sciences. I am good with language arts and writing through the end of high school, but I need help with STEM classes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Foreign Languages. That's my nemesis. My brain just does not lean that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ariston Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Writing--I do not feel qualified to teach writing. Also Art. I would love for an artist to work with my artist daughter. I am no help to her except to give her lots of free time and paper, which probably isn't bad, but i definitely can't help develop her talent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Writing, without a doubt. I can "just tell" good writing from bad but really struggle to give useful feedback, have age appropriate expectations, know when to move on to the next level. I can't think of any other area of teaching that is so subjective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Math and foreign language... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Math. My oldest and I cannot communicate about math since our brains work in completely different ways and it causes a lot of tears with miscommunications. Reading. Teaching dyslexics to read is exhausting and lasts forever! I so wish I could find anyone qualified to tutor it but so far for everyone I've interviewed that has not been the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manamana Posted May 2, 2013 Author Share Posted May 2, 2013 I see some trends here. Writing is high on many outsourcing lists as well as handwriting and math. Now I'm curious where people find the most value for their outsourcing dollars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristi26 Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Science and handwriting!! I do not enjoy either of those things. I like History, but maybe that's because I love the old stories and doing activities and watching videos with the History, plus the added historical fiction is a lot of fun. :) I also love literature!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Right now, PE, foreign language and music. We are outsourcing PE and music. We just aren't doing foreign language. :( In the future... Probably higher science and math in high school. I think I'll struggle to take us past algebra 1 or possibly geometry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dahliarw Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Math! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Cursive! Although it is going better lately, it is a struggle to teach well, which is strange since they are both good artists, you would think that would make it easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Science. I can't stand it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeganW Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Reading. Teaching dyslexics to read is exhausting and lasts forever! I so wish I could find anyone qualified to tutor it but so far for everyone I've interviewed that has not been the case. . We used someone trained by Academic Associates - wonderful program! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I'm curious where people find the most value for their outsourcing dollars. I never needed or desired to outsource anything below high school, so I can't help you there. But for us, foreign language outsourced at the Community College (CC) as dual enrollment was fabulous. DSs earned both high school and college credit, had great instructors, learned a lot, and got to "dip a toe in the water" and try out a little college in their senior year. HOWEVER, it was very expensive -- right about $700 for the equivalent of 2 years high school credit of foreign language. ($530 for 2 semesters tuition, plus $175 for books and online access "key code"). Also, NOT all CCs have a good rep., or the credits transfer, or have good teachers... AND, it's only an option for high school students. Several moms in our homeschool group have degrees in English, Math or Science and I would have been very willing to pay them to outsource overseeing those topics if I'd needed it. I also would have outsourced doing our high school science labs to our homeschool co-op if they had been doing it those years. I know some families here have been very pleased paying for writing with Brave Writer -- I believe that is for middle school students and up. I know some families have been pleased outsourcing math to ALEKS. Hopefully others will chime in with the elementary/middle school helps -- I'm more familiar with all the high school outsourcing options, as that is a regular topic over there. ;) Warmest regards, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecclecticmum Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Letter sounds and beginning blending for my eldest. Once shes starting to truly blend, I'd take her back. schmeh. May as well say take all 3 kids and teach them letter sounds and beginning blending. After dealing with my eldest and her learning difficulties regarding sounds & blending, I'm not really in the mood to start that process all over again in a year with the next child. I'm fine with anything else. Can't say I like politics, civics, economics or any of that stuff, but I will teach it, even if I have to learn alongside them. Beginning phonics, however, my eldest has caused burnout for me on that. "What sound does this *holds up a B* make?" "Ummmm.....ssss?" *and thats about when my eye starts twitching* My 2 younger ones have caught on to a number of letter sounds and *remember* them, my eldest however, starts glazing over and guessing. We've now had to change to a sandpaper, flashcard & book set. If she doesn't get anything from that, I'll have to take her for testing, and I may also end up "having a cow" and losing the plot totally (I don't think she needs to be tested, I just think its the one area where she doesn't apply herself, I think she has fears we'll stop reading to her (which I have told her is untrue). I've (as a last ditch effort) gone through a period of reverse psychology, so now she's starting to beg me to want to do her phonics...only time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Beginning phonics, however, my eldest has caused burnout for me on that. "What sound does this *holds up a B* make?" "Ummmm.....ssss?" *and thats about when my eye starts twitching* :lol: I am teaching phonics to my youngest. I hear you on the twitching eye thing only our conversations goes something like this..."H-O-T, hot! Just like when you tell me not to touch the stove because it's hot. I don't always want to listen sometimes. When is it going to be hot again? In two sleeps? I like it when it's hot outside because then I can ride my scooter. When is my birthday coming up? When can I ride my scooter again? When the snow is gone?" I'm sitting there with my head in my hands wondering if this child will ever learn to read when a five minute phonics lesson takes 1/2 hour. I can feel my blood pressure rising and eventually, we get to the next word which prompts another random flow of thoughts. I just have to ride the word stream. I can't get her back on track until she finishes her thought stream. There are two things I don't like teaching - how to go to the potty and phonics. I never have delegated either of them to someone else though. I am delegating junior high courses - history which requires more discussion with a group and English so that someone else can grade my son's work. I wish I could delegate science also, but there's only so much money. Maybe when Miss Random Thought can finally read, I won't feel so burnt out and can take back history also. I actually like history. Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Assuming kids would be willing to work with someone else... English (writing, grammar) and French. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Music, art, French, sports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItoLina Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 P.E. and music. I would just rather have them in sports classes/teams, and I know nothing about music. When they get older i will rely a lot on dh the scientist for higher level math and science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Phonics/Reading because oh how I despise teaching reading. I too taught a dyslexic to read, and frankly I think my younger kids should just have been born knowing how to read with as much work as I put into my first kid. Writing. Yeah, same deal as above. Teaching my dyslexic to write might be even harder than reading. Music as in music history and such. They take piano but I want someone to teach about the history, techniques, etc. Art...see above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Letter sounds and beginning blending for my eldest. Once shes starting to truly blend, I'd take her back. schmeh. May as well say take all 3 kids and teach them letter sounds and beginning blending. After dealing with my eldest and her learning difficulties regarding sounds & blending, I'm not really in the mood to start that process all over again in a year with the next child. I outsource beginning letter names and sounds to a little talking frog. He is under $10 and repeats himself endlessly until they get it. There is a good reason it has over 1,000 reviews and still averages 5 stars! There are two things I don't like teaching - how to go to the potty and phonics. Now, I would have paid a lot of $ for outsourcing potty training!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 I think it also depends on the student. Teaching reading to Eldest was easy. Teaching reading to Youngest, well.... it's more like banging your head on the wall and pretending to be happy about it the whole time. But at least he is willing and other than being two steps forward, two steps backwards it is a good time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanna1949 Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 That would be science. And foreign language would be nice as well. But I'd want someone to come here. No way are we driving anywhere else during the week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Science Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 I outsourced reading. There is NOTHING more excruciating than hearing a kid sound out CCCCAAAAATTTT for the 4 millionth time. Paying a tutor to deal with that was the best money I ever spent!!! I always struggle to stay away during those times. My dd5 is just beginning to read, but so far she keeps me awake and laughing. She HATES Bob Books with a passion because the pictures are poorly drawn, and I guess that really offends her or something. I find the Bob Books' story line and pictures humorous. Her being disgusted with them cracks me up even more. I'm actually really enjoying reading time this go-around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Foreign language. I have found this the hardest subject to homeschool. It is simply not possible to achieve actual fluency without a teacher who is fluent in the language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecclecticmum Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 I outsource beginning letter names and sounds to a little talking frog. He is under $10 and repeats himself endlessly until they get it. There is a good reason it has over 1,000 reviews and still averages 5 stars! Tried that. lol. I've been trying informally and formally since near the end of 2010 with her. She drives me bananas. In one of my more *agitated* (read- about to blow like a volcano mode) states, I pronounced it Leapfrog marathon and put on Leapfrog and made her watch it everyday at least twice, for a week. Nada. Still forgot letter sounds, missed them, etc. I've put it on a couple of times since then, I know all the words in that video, line for line. A list of stuff I've tried: 100EZ OPGTR Leapfrog Click N Read ETC Primers Fitzroy Alphabet Book Starfall Letterland Alphabet Book Plus probably others I've forgotten. 100EZ the lessons were too long for her, OPGTR got her twitching instead of me, and she was so fidgety she tripped herself over, Click N Read she can't stand doing everyday, so since I paid out for it (its lifetime) I use it every now and again as review. ETC Primers we did after 100EZ. After a whole year (going according to the timetable in Sonlight) of doing it, she had forgotten most of the letters from the beginning. Letterland book we read about once a week, and the Fitzroy Alphabet, I started to see the same thing as with ETC. Starfall, again, no rentention. So this year we've ramped it up, and she'll be getting constant review, flashcards, drilling, kinesthetic, and reading games, plus phonics/reading books. I'm sure this will get through, but oh, I hope my other two teach themselves to read rofl. If not, I'm going to stay with the program I'll use for A. I'm just finishing writing up the goals and reminders for her, so I remember what she'll be doing with all the little parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NASDAQ Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 I have tutored in both writing and math, so those are both happy areas for me. I would like someone to take my four-year-olds, and return them when they can identify all of the letters of the alphabet and the numbers. Because I suck at teaching those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NASDAQ Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 So this year we've ramped it up, and she'll be getting constant review, flashcards, drilling, kinesthetic, and reading games, plus phonics/reading books. I'm sure this will get through, but oh, I hope my other two teach themselves to read rofl. If not, I'm going to stay with the program I'll use for A. I'm just finishing writing up the goals and reminders for her, so I remember what she'll be doing with all the little parts. I know I'm off-topic, but if this is the seven-year-old, it sounds like you're right to think about testing. Does she have any letters? Some? Most? Can she blend the letters she _does_ know? Funnix will do all of the drill for you if you like, but if she can't pick up _any_ letters, something else is going on. My oldest lso had a rough start reading. We used Saxon Phonics. The entire thing left me with a deep desire that I eventually get one of those kids that just picks up the alphabet at three. So far, no luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 A list of stuff I've tried: :grouphug: That is a lot. My son forgets a lot and is on his 3rd go round of 1st grade level phonics, but he gets a little better each month and is not quite that bad. You might want to try these charts, then you don't have to say the sound when they forget, you just point to the chart and they find the sound, look at the picture and say it: https://www.phonovisual.com/products.php?c=1 The small charts come in a pack of 10, so you can have one in the bathroom, 1 in the car... You could also try Read, Write, Type. It has a free demo you could test out before buying. http://www.talkingfingers.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arboreal TJ Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 :lol: I am teaching phonics to my youngest. I hear you on the twitching eye thing only our conversations goes something like this..."H-O-T, hot! Just like when you tell me not to touch the stove because it's hot. I don't always want to listen sometimes. When is it going to be hot again? In two sleeps? I like it when it's hot outside because then I can ride my scooter. When is my birthday coming up? When can I ride my scooter again? When the snow is gone?" I'm sitting there with my head in my hands wondering if this child will ever learn to read when a five minute phonics lesson takes 1/2 hour. I can feel my blood pressure rising and eventually, we get to the next word which prompts another random flow of thoughts. I just have to ride the word stream. I can't get her back on track until she finishes her thought stream. Beth One of my boys does the EXACT same thing For. Every. Word! He goes off on so many tangents all learning value is lost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 For teens, I outsource history, literature, and foreign languages. I enjoy all of those subjects, but know that I can't facilitate the level of discussion I'd like for the first two. And we've come to the conclusion that outsourcing for languages in high school is a must. Even being multi-lingual and somewhat proficient in Latin, I've thrown in the towel for high school. It is more effective and efficient for me to pay for classes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 :lol: I am teaching phonics to my youngest. I hear you on the twitching eye thing only our conversations goes something like this..."H-O-T, hot! Just like when you tell me not to touch the stove because it's hot. I don't always want to listen sometimes. When is it going to be hot again? In two sleeps? I like it when it's hot outside because then I can ride my scooter. When is my birthday coming up? When can I ride my scooter again? When the snow is gone?" I'm sitting there with my head in my hands wondering if this child will ever learn to read when a five minute phonics lesson takes 1/2 hour. I can feel my blood pressure rising and eventually, we get to the next word which prompts another random flow of thoughts. I just have to ride the word stream. I can't get her back on track until she finishes her thought stream. My middle son is like that! I had to limit him. If there was a list of 4 words going across the page, I would say, "Wait until you get to the end of the line, THEN you can go on your tangent." :lol: He does a lot better now, but earlier in the year... whew! And he's the child that has to work at reading, so it's already not fun at all, and I thought he would sound out every letter f-o-r-e-v-e-r. Thankfully, we're finally moving on a bit, or at least he can sound it out in his head a little quicker before saying the word. :) My youngest now does what you describe above, so we usually end up reading a total of 4 words and calling it good. :D He's talkative in general anyway. Never stops talking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellread Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 1. Cleaning and organizing (do it for me and teach my kids to do it ;-). Really. I spend waste more time doing this than everything else put together (I'm that bad at it). My house looks like a tornado ripped through a strip mall containing a book store, office supply store, laundromat, Goodwill and toystore. 2. Any foreign language I want the kids to be fluent speaking and comprehending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Job384 Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Lots of people saying handwriting. I sort of did that. We do Italic handwriting, and my son learned to do it by watching Penny Gardner's letter formation videos on YouTube. He writes extremely well. (I don't know how to do italic handwriting.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Writing (essay) would be the number one thing I'll outsource if I know of a good tutor. Hubby can't teach writing either and kids behave better for tutors What I already outsource: German - Saturday class PE - summer camp Art - sunday drop-in class, summer class What I intend to outsource in the future: Music - AP music theory prep class Science - the labs part unless we mange to get a bigger home Literature - just because my boys do better in a class Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinivanMom Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Foreign language. I do my best, but there is simply no substitute for a native speaker. I see a French tutor in our future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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