IsabelC Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I have only just found out that there are more educational things on YouTube than I knew about. We have used it for music appreciation and watching movies and documentaries for quite a while. Then I found that there are heaps of music, science, etc lessons on there. But I have recently discovered the delights of poetry readings (because ds wanted to hear the poems featured in the Incorrigible Children series); you can find almost any famous poem read really well. I can't believe I have never taken advantage if this before. So, is this just me? Or do other people suddenly discover (or rediscover) helpful educational tips or resources? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 All the time. Youtube is fantastic. Some other sites I have found useful (can't seem to link right now): Teachers Pay Teachers Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers High Hill Homeschoolers Educents Plus I am always mining this thread for more math ideas: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/499692-looking-to-do-some-relaxed-math-here-want-to-share-ideas/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 The value of water. Yeah. If I make dd drink half a glass of water before she starts her reader and have a few sips at the end of each page, she doesn't tell me "take" is pronounced as "trunk" or "thanks." Eating soup for breakfast fifteen minutes previously isn't hydration enough when faced with the monumental task of reading a book with no tricky words in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlessedMom Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Not school related, but SmartMouth mouthwash works to correct bad breath. I knew someone for 22 years with horrible bad breath the whole time. Horrible. They started using SmartMouth and within a few days, the bad breath was gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy Grommy Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I just discovered loop scheduling! I'm excited to try it out this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kinspired Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 We use YouTube for some documentaries and music appreciation, as well. Would you mind sharing some of your favorite channels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenslp Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 My most helpful recent discoveries have been Connect the Thoughts courses...bought tons of them because the first few I tried were so amazing; my 20% off Barnes and Noble discount card; the woman who works in the children's section of a small bookstore near us who is great at helping my son pick books he will love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 We use YouTube for some documentaries and music appreciation, as well. Would you mind sharing some of your favorite channels? Maybe others have favorite channels, but I usually just search for whatever topic we're interested in. (Except beavers. For those who have kids obsessed about all things Narnia, do not search for beavers until you have your safe search feature activated ;) ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Occasionally Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 I visited freerice.com this evening, and found that it has Latin, French, German and Italian vocab, English vocab and grammar, multiplication tables, chemical symbols, and other things I'm forgetting. My bigger two really liked watching the rice grains pile up with each correct answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentlemommy Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 YouTube is fantastic. We've used it for everything from times tables to replacing brakes in an RV. My best friend, also a homeschooler, just used it to take apart their tv and replace the capacitors with a soldering gun. (I am so impressed by her!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 I just went on a vacation where I didn't work out for 8 days and then maybe 6 days due to jet lag. When I got back on schedule I realized this busted me through a major plateau. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckens Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Our new favorite website to watch during lunch. The Kid Should See This Disclaimer: Two videos we have come across refer to evolution. We're pro-evolution, but I know that some families are sensitive to references like that; so the parent should monitor the videos if there is concern. My favorite so far:The Physics of Dominoes. You're welcome. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3 Only Children Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Pinterest! Lots of home schoolers with boards on there. I have found so many free sites including many you-tube links. I have one board per subject so it is easier to find these links when I need them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songsparrow Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 I enjoy Richard Wiseman's blog. He offers a Puzzle of the Week every Friday, and sometimes has other posts about optical illusions, psychology and other quirky things. Our new favorite website to watch during lunch. The Kid Should See This Disclaimer: Two videos we have come across refer to evolution. We're pro-evolution, but I know that some families are sensitive to references like that; so the parent should monitor the videos if there is concern. My favorite so far:The Physics of Dominoes. You're welcome. :) Cool! :thumbup1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nature girl Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Our new favorite website to watch during lunch. The Kid Should See This Disclaimer: Two videos we have come across refer to evolution. We're pro-evolution, but I know that some families are sensitive to references like that; so the parent should monitor the videos if there is concern. My favorite so far: The Physics of Dominoes. You're welcome. :) Oooh, these are great! Now I'm worried DD and I are going to get lost traveling through these for hours... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckens Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 We sure do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckens Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Bubble Test GeneratorI use it with Spectrum Test Practice. We use practice bubble tests to prep my girls for eventually taking ITBS. If the standardized tests were held in French, we'd be conjugating French verbs. They are held as bubble tests, so we practice that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 I just went on a vacation where I didn't work out for 8 days and then maybe 6 days due to jet lag. When I got back on schedule I realized this busted me through a major plateau. Are you talking about a weight loss plateau or a fitness plateau? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 I have discovered the value of visiting my used bookstore often, and the value of chatting (quietly) with the librarians. I was all bent out of shape over a book that my library got rid of, and left in a state of sadness and with one sad child. Three days later they called, having replaced the book AND put it on hold for me without my asking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reader411 Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Ok, someone please help me out. I usually steer clear of youtube because of all of the inappropriate junk out there that comes up as suggested links/videos that I do not want my DC to see. How do I set some controls/parameters to fix this for the kiddos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Are you talking about a weight loss plateau or a fitness plateau? Weight loss. :coolgleamA: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songsparrow Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Ok, someone please help me out. I usually steer clear of youtube because of all of the inappropriate junk out there that comes up as suggested links/videos that I do not want my DC to see. How do I set some controls/parameters to fix this for the kiddos? YouTube offers a Safety Mode that you can enable. I find it quite effective. It's fairly simple to disable, though, if you're concerned about your kids doing that. I also have had several discussions with my kids about how some people post inappropriate material and that if they see something that looks odd to avoid it and if they see something that is upsetting or inappropriate, to just click away (and talk to me about it). They mostly look at cute animal videos, Minecraft videos, Buzzfeed and a few other teen/tween channels, and we haven't really run into any major problems with inappropriate content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmith Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 YouTube has been great for various repairs. Dh recently repaired our dishwasher and our washing machine by watching YouTube videos. Instead of paying at least $250 for someone to come out and fix them, we paid about $40 in parts. I haven't been using it as much as I should for educational purposes, so hopefully I will get some good ideas on this thread. I have discovered that the steak cooking chart from Omaha Steaks is a real lifesaver for me. I somehow ended up being the grill person, and I never could get steaks right until I did a search and found their chart. Now everyone thinks I'm the steak grilling master, lol. A very useful discovery for any self taught readers who have pronunciation difficulties, like I do: www.howjsay.com I taught myself to read when I was four, and even having phonics instruction in K through 4th grade I still have some wacky pronunciations. If I'm unsure I check on this site, or use the app. It is also great for help with pronouncing various Greek names we come across in history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemom Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 YouTube offers a Safety Mode that you can enable. I find it quite effective. It's fairly simple to disable, though, if you're concerned about your kids doing that. I also have had several discussions with my kids about how some people post inappropriate material and that if they see something that looks odd to avoid it and if they see something that is upsetting or inappropriate, to just click away (and talk to me about it). They mostly look at cute animal videos, Minecraft videos, Buzzfeed and a few other teen/tween channels, and we haven't really run into any major problems with inappropriate content. I had no idea we could do this. Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 My Dh uses You Tube for how to fix things all the time. Saves us $ and he feels good because he learned to do something new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songsparrow Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 But I have recently discovered the delights of poetry readings (because ds wanted to hear the poems featured in the Incorrigible Children series); you can find almost any famous poem read really well. I just learned of the website The Poetry Archive, which is "a collection of streaming audio recordings of poets reading their own poems, and in some cases commenting on them." (I learned about it from the blog Teen Literacy Tips, which I stumbled across when looking for poetry recommendations for 8th grade.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 What a brilliant thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 YouTube is fantastic. We've used it for everything from times tables to replacing brakes in an RV. My best friend, also a homeschooler, just used it to take apart their tv and replace the capacitors with a soldering gun. (I am so impressed by her!!!) I learned how to put a needle in a cow's milk vein and give her calcium to keep her from dying of milk fever. Then I did it. It worked amazingly! I also learned how to draw blood from a cow's tail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 I've recently re -discovered FlyLady. If I just do what she tells me to do in her "Flight Plan" emails and call it good I feel like I've succeeded in keeping my house clean for the day. And i don't stress anything else because I did that---check-- house work done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punks in Ontario Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 I learned how to put a needle in a cow's milk vein and give her calcium to keep her from dying of milk fever. Then I did it. It worked amazingly! I also learned how to draw blood from a cow's tail. Aw, the things you learn. My ds18 and ds16 work in dairy, but I can't picture them doing that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckens Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I've decided that having my preschooler paint with mod podge (decopodge stuff) is easier when she needs to affix something to a preschool craft than using any sort of glue. We're working our way through the alphabet and we just added jewels to letter J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyndiLJ Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 My most helpful recent discoveries have been Connect the Thoughts courses...bought tons of them because the first few I tried were so amazing; We love Connect the Thoughts! We are not using it for high school history other than in a limited way, but used it for the early years and it was incredible what our kids got out of it. Terrific for developing critical thinking skills which our kids sorely lack. We are currently using the Current Events series, and will likely use all of those courses over the next couple of years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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