If you can stand more homesat/bju dvd questions...

[PeterPan]

I'm tossing around the idea of getting the dvd's to make things easier with the new baby. We wouldn't be changing any of our curriculum choices, merely using the dvd's to improve instruction, enjoyment, and consistency in the BJU things we already are using or are planning to use. So we'd keep our spelling, writing, and history. We'd use the dvd's for science, math, reading, handwriting, and possibly Bible. All of those subjects are things we already are wanting to use BJU for, so it's no change that way. I guess what I don't know is how much will change between now (baby one month old) and January (baby 3 months old). Not much? Guess I'll start a new thread on that.

 

And that brings me to my real questions. How much time do those subjects I listed (science 5, math 5, reading 5, handwriting 4, bible 5) take beyond the dvd lesson time? I read in a past post that the general expectation was to double the lesson time. We I can't imagine the BJU Bible workbook needing 1/2 hour, haha, nor the handwriting. The math doesn't take us an hour even doing everything, everything, everything, so I can't imagine that is on either. We've done some of the science4, and it seems like each year ramps up, meaning I don't know how long the science5 will take. Any thoughts?

 

Those classes were the ones dd and I selected after viewing the video samples together. They also happen to be the ones we have already done some with in BJU and like. She's needing to start the new math and we're toward the beginning of the reading, so it's good timing if we're going to do it. I just don't know if I NEED to do it, or if come January I'll find my life all dandy, back to normal, and kicking myself for wasting that much money, kwim? But that's for my next thread.

[Melissa in CA]

How much time do those subjects I listed (science 5, math 5, reading 5, handwriting 4, bible 5) take beyond the dvd lesson time? I read in a past post that the general expectation was to double the lesson time. We I can't imagine the BJU Bible workbook needing 1/2 hour, haha, nor the handwriting. The math doesn't take us an hour even doing everything, everything, everything, so I can't imagine that is on either. We've done some of the science4, and it seems like each year ramps up, meaning I don't know how long the science5 will take. Any thoughts?

 

 

I would say that the math 5 & science 5 will take about 45-min to 1 hour..sometimes more depending on the science labs and math content. The reading will take longer. The reading video is 30 minutes long but the child is asked to pause the program many times to read sections, or whole stories (same with science). Then afterwards there is the workbook to complete and any crafts.

 

Bible can take 30 minutes depending on the worksheet assigned and how many scriptures there are to look up. I wouldn't expect it to take any longer than that though. Handwriting shouldn't take long at all...20 min maybe? Not really sure as I have not actually used the handwriting classes.

 

Let me add that my son LOVED Science 5! The Math 5 teacher, however, not so much. She's a fine teacher, just not real charasmatic and "fun." He did say that he learned more from her than the Math 4 teacher though, so there is that. :lol: In all honesty, the math 4 teacher was FINE!! He just didn't care for her delivery... I don't think any math teacher is going to be "fun" in his eyes, though he does seem to like his Math 6 teacher so far. ;)

[Pammy]

my kids spend about 3 hours independently watching the lessons for all of those and doing their workbook pages that go with the lessons.

 

We do History and Science together on alternating days for about 1.5 hours but it is not BJU (unit study with all my kids).

 

In the summer, we do BJU Science informally and it takes about 3 hrs a week. The spelling and handwriting lessons are about 20 minutes each.

 

I am a BJU Consultant b/c I loved how it saved my sanity and enabled me to keep homeschooling while working too!

Edited November 8, 2008 by Pammy

[Cindyg]

We'd use the dvd's for science, math, reading, handwriting, and possibly Bible...And that brings me to my real questions. How much time do those subjects I listed (science 5, math 5, reading 5, handwriting 4, bible 5) take beyond the dvd lesson time?

 

My son is in 5th grade now, and we use HomeSat, so let me try to shed some light on this.

 

First of all, you mentioned Bible. Bible is short and sweet -- 15 mins. I recommend you watch that one. There are occasional crafts (optional) and there is a daily worksheet (optional). So, yes, some days, if you do the craft and the worksheet, it might take an additional 15 mins to do. But your kids will get a lot out of simply watching the short, 15-minute lesson.

 

Science 5 -- Science 5 is the first "real" science class. It has a fairly thick (but lovely and interesting) textbook. The video class is a half hour long. I find this teacher particularly pleasant (easy to listen to). Lots of cute skits and interesting experiments. The teacher assigns homework and quizzes, and there are frequent experiments. If you do all these, yes, some days it might take you another 30 minutes a day. It might even average out to that. We don't do all the extra things, and we don't even watch the entire video. Since you're in charge, you can make that call. But this is a great class to get the kids ready for the more rigorous assignments in high school.

 

Math 5 -- This class is particularly dull (YMMV!), and we don't watch it. However, if you do watch it, the teacher works through a TON of examples on the screen with the students. And she does all the review for you, including test preparation. In the younger grades, the teacher actually goes through the worksheets with them (so most of the worksheet time is included in the 30 minute video). But I'm not sure she does this in the 5th grade.

 

(Plenty of people require their kids to watch the videos, boring or not, so if you need to do this, don't feel bad. And not everyone finds the same teachers boring.)

 

Reading 5 is a wonderful class. Love the teacher, love the reader. The worksheet takes only moments to do, and the reading is done as you watch the video. (She has you pause the video to read.) There are crafts and puzzles, etc. Again, if you do EVERYthing EVERYday, you might find it takes an additional half hour. But I would allow about 40 minutes for this class on a typical day.

 

Handwriting 4 -- we didn't actually do this class, but we did Handwriting 1-3. In those classes, the kids did at least some of the worksheet with the teacher during the 15 minute video. So, you might allow an additional 5 minutes after the video to finish the worksheets some days. I'm not sure if this is true of HW4. In grades 1-3, this was a short, sweet class; but my son couldn't keep up with the handwriting pace; that's why we dropped it.

 

We like HomeSat a lot, but if you watch all the videos in their entirety, do all the worksheets, all the crafts, all the experiments, all the memory work, the tests, the quizzes, and all the reading, (etc.), the day can get ridiculously long. You'll want to consider what parts your family can do without.

 

Personally, I spend Sunday afternoon going through the next week's assignments and deciding what we will and won't do. It's a pain, and it's a result of them providing TOO MUCH; but the final result at our house, is a really smooth school week. And, like I said, we've been really pleased w/HomeSat for 5 years now.

 

Good luck to you.

Edited November 9, 2008 by Cindyg

[TraceyS/FL]

Handwriting can take a bit - we are doing 6th grade because of the calligraphy in it - and those lessons, well, she'd spend ALL DAY on them if she could get away with it! LOL!! Overall i'd say the 5-10 minutes max after watching the class.

 

But i threw that in for her as a fun class - and it's only 3 days a week technically. And oddly, she isn't complaining about doing the non-callig lessons either!

 

For 7th we are doing the "double the class" time, 30 minutes video - 30 minute at least of work time. BUT, she is still adjusting to the classes (this is our first year and she has been very unchallenged for a few years).

 

I can so relate to the baby thing. our first year we moved and i was preggo - it took me awhile to get in my groove. I wanted to do Homesat then, but with the move it didn't work. The renting of the videos was strange back then and that didn't work for me either.

 

In hindsight, i wished i had done it after we moved though.....

[PeterPan]

Tracey, that's interesting to hear she's liking the calligraphy in the 6th gr handwriting so much. That's what I was thinking I would do with dd for next year! Thanks for all the times ladies. I think I had misunderstood what you meant by doubling. I thought it meant double that IN ADDITION to the class time, ouch! But you meant double it to get the full time for the course, which makes sense.

 

Now I'm just talking through with my dh whether this is a good move for us, when to do it if we do it, etc. Ds is only a month old, so things really could change in the next few months. But things are changing so much anyway.

 

Well I better hit the hay while the baby is asleep. Sleep is good.

[Heather in VA]

 

The absolute hardest schooling time was when she was 10 - 20 months. I have no idea how I survived (my house was a pit) or got anything done. I am amazed my oldest learned anything. Now she is a solid 2 yo and life is better. She can color and eat snacks while we work, Mr. Rogers is our friend and she will occasionally play on her own a bit. She loves books and "reads" her her baby dolls. Life is good :001_smile:

 

Elizabeth...

I just got your email. Listen to this woman. This is not the bad time - you are heading toward the bad time. If you are lucky, he'll walk late, but until he's about 2 (older for some kids because of attention span - boys are usually later) things will be crazy - you will NOT be sitting around bored.

 

Heather

[PeterPan]

Heather, you know I really honed in on that comment and have been thinking about it. I've FORGOTTEN what dd was like at that age. It's been a long time remember, lol! I know EVERYBODY has said the toddler stage would be worse, but I'm not sure exactly why or what happens. Walk late? I doubt it. Dd was mobile, as in crawling in her own fashion, moving across the floor, at 4 months! I assume ds will be even sooner because he's so big, strong, and active. We tried to weigh him last night, just informally, using the differences in weights on a scale, and he appears to be around 14 pounds now. Wowsers! At one month! And he's not fat (pudgy), just sturdy, large, with a big head to boot. He's pretty physical and needs time where I put him down to stretch. He likes to fly his arms. He's just plain physical, something I knew from the womb, haha.

 

So he's a good boy. But whatever it is toddlers do at that stage, he's really gonna do it, lol. I don't think he'll be ADD or anything, but he's going to be "all boy" as a teacher I worked for put it! And my thinking is that if we do the dvd's this year, while things are easy, it gets her in the swing of doing them for next year, when things get more complicated. Dh is actually the one that is not sure. He thinks I'll be bored if I turn over subjects to the dvd's. I have gotten bored in the past, which is why I started doing the co-op classes, etc. But like you're saying, I now have this bundle of joy to play with and look at and whatnot, and I LIKE that. When dd was at that toddler stage, I used to read nursery rhymes to her for long periods of time while I would nurse her down. There are things like that that I don't want to miss just because I have an older dc, kwim? It doesn't seem right to neglect him to take care of her, any more than it would be right to neglect her to care for him. There has to be some balance. I think the dvd's could give me that balance, or at least that's my theory.

 

Well he has the hiccups and has exhausted his time with dd.

 

PS. I'm giong to start a thread about toddlers on the general board, just to see what I'm in for. :)

[Melissa in CA]

It sounds like you are only planning to use some of the DVDs for school. That will leave other subjects for you to teach...like history! For me, history is the funnest and I would loath to give that up to another teacher. :glare::D

 

Your dd's DVD classes will give you time to focus on your lil fella, and then you can have some quality time with her when teaching the other subjects. Seems like a win-win to me. :) Also, you can be involved in the DVD classes as much as you choose too...they DO include you and give you things to do in the 'moms minute' section of the DVD where the teacher is talking directly to you...the mom. :D You'll also be in charge of getting science labs together, and perhaps helping with those. Your dd doesn't HAVE to do the labs herself as they do show them on the video, but she may want to do some or all of them.

 

So, you see, you'll still be involved! You just won't have the burden of actually teaching the material. You may find that you love watching the classes with your dd. They can be very interesting, especially the science. I often find myself saying, "Boy, I wish I had had teachers like this when I was in school!" :D

 

Blessings,

[PeterPan]

Yes Melissa, you've expressed exactly what I'm thinking! I can sit with her, watch the dvd's with her, and attend to the baby. And it would be for half the subjects, not all. (science, math, bible, handwriting, reading) We'd continue our current spelling, grammar, writing, history, latin, memory work, etc. I think it would take off the teaching of some of the things I'm not as into and leave me energy and time to focus on the things I'm better at or like teaching.

 

I tried doing a lesson out of the BJU4 math today, doing it as written. It took us over an hour!!! And then she STILL had the workpages of homework to do!!! That's just insane. And you know what's even more crazy? She LIKED it! I'm telling you, BJU just has her number. Blows my mind. The lesson fit her to a "t", right down to the holes in her understanding on the topic, methods she would enjoy (ropes to show parallel and intersecting lines), etc. I can't live with teaching from those tm's, not like that, not with that kind of involvement, and it's exactly what she craves. I've been giving her the spartan, pared down lessons (my own way) that fit me, but it wasn't fitting her so well. She was learning the stuff but not enjoying it so much, kwim? And that fluff to me is like brain fodder, joy fuel, to her.

 

I was convinced of this idea pretty much as soon as it came to me. It's only the ouchy price that is making me gulp. Well anyways, I just thought that was stunning how even after 4 1/2 years of homeschooling, and really trying to become sensitive to learning styles, how she learns best, etc., I STILL don't get it and still mess up.

 

 

BTW, Melissa, if you're still reading, do you have any tips on getting started? IF dh ok's this (can't say that for sure), I was debating whether I would start now and ramp up slowly, or whether I would plunge in in January. If I'm going to wait till January to start, then I might as well wait on buying till December. But if I want to ramp up, then I should buy now. I don't know, was just tossing that around. Dh suggested that my feelings could change between now and January, don't know.

Edited November 10, 2008 by OhElizabeth

[Melissa in CA]

I tried doing a lesson out of the BJU4 math today, doing it as written. It took us over an hour!!! And then she STILL had the workpages of homework to do!!! That's just insane.

 

Yes, I agree! Which is why I have mentioned from time to time in other BJU threads that I probably wouldn't want to use BJU math if I had to teach it myself. It's a great program, but your child really gets the most from it if you teach it from the TM...which is what the BJU DVD teachers do. ;) I know myself waaaaaaay too well, and know that I would start strong teaching it from the manual, and then get VERY lax, very quickly. I don't like math myself, so I surely don't like to teach it! blech! LOL

 

BTW, Melissa, if you're still reading, do you have any tips on getting started? IF dh ok's this (can't say that for sure), I was debating whether I would start now and ramp up slowly, or whether I would plunge in in January. If I'm going to wait till January to start, then I might as well wait on buying till December. But if I want to ramp up, then I should buy now. I don't know, was just tossing that around. Dh suggested that my feelings could change between now and January, don't know.

 

Still reading! :D (you're so funny!) OK, I can't really answer this for you because I don't use the DVD option. I do know that with the DVDs at that grade you have to lease the entire years worth, which is $999, which includes ALL the subjects, even those you don't plan to use, and ALL the books and TE's you'll need. I don't know how you can get just the DVDs you want...at least that is not an option yet. Everyone is HOPING that with the ending of the satellite in May 2009 that BJU will open up individual classes for lease in the elementary years. So far, to my knowledge, that is not an option.

 

So, having said that...what were you thinking to do? Were you planning to get the entire grade 5 DVD kit and just not use some of the subjects? I know people who have done that. They sell the unused-unopened books to recoup some of their money from the kit, which for you, would be Heritage Studies, English, and Spelling; approx $180 worth of books. You could also go with the Harddrive option which is cheaper and provides the same materials. You dd would have to watch her classes from a desktop or laptop computer though.

 

Also, from what I understand, you get to keep the DVDs for 13 months. So be sure to plan that into the equation of when you plan to stop and start. As for now, or January....girl, that's totally up to you! :D It is VERY possible that the prices will go up in January, with the economy being what it is and all...that is when their new catty usually comes out. It is also possible, that they MIGHT offer individual classes then too. But if they are going to charge as much for them as they do the Jr.high/high school individual subjects....you'd be better off getting the year kit. Subject kits are $399!! Outrageous.

 

It is really hard to say what the future may hold. It seems that many curriculum companies are having hard financial times. If you wait, you might get a better deal...or you might end up paying a higher price for the same deal. It is a hard one to call. :001_huh:

[PeterPan]

They don't include the tm's, do they? It's just the student texts, workbooks, and the mom's notes, right? Yes, my thought was to do the grade 5 but with the gr 4 handwriting (more age-appropriate). Hadn't thought about prices going up in January, interesting point. At this point dh wants to wait and see how things go for the next month or two. So I guess I'll be deciding in January. I know I planned to take it easy these couple months after the birth, but it's still throwing me for a loop, being in the baby and big girl stage all at once. And it's been so long (and of course every baby is different) that I have no clue what it will be like come January. I just know that's my limit for how long our looseness goes on. Then we have to get serious!

[Melissa in CA]

They don't include the tm's, do they? It's just the student texts, workbooks, and the mom's notes, right? Yes, my thought was to do the grade 5 but with the gr 4 handwriting (more age-appropriate).

 

No, TM's are included as well. Many of them now have CD-ROMs in them with extra pages you'll need, and or supplemental stuff.

 

I'm not sure if you can get all 5th grade DVD's and then the 4th grade handwriting DVD though. Perhaps someone else has info to help with that. A great way to keep up on what is going on with BJU is to join the HomeSat yahoo group. It is a group of the HomeSat satellite users as well as DVD and Harddrive users. I usually hear anything of import regarding BJU changes there before elsewhere. HomeSat-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

 

Well, at least if you wait until the new catty in Jan you may possibly have other options to choose from besides DVD or Harddrive. ;)

[Melissa in CA]

I found this in BJU's FAQ for their DVD's. I thought it might be helpful! I surely didn't know about it. :D

 

Do you offer a choice of subjects for each grade level package?

 

"Yes, we allow you to make up to two horizontal changes per grade package. For example, you may select 4th grade Math rather than 5th grade Math, or you may select 10th grade Biology rather than 9th grade Physical Science. Elementary and secondary substitutions must be made within their own division, respectively. Other restrictions apply."

[PeterPan]

Yup, that's the only reason it works for us, because they'll tweak. I've heard some people use it to combine kids. For me, it means I was able to let my dd watch all the samples for the 4th and 5th gr and see which ones fit her best. She's a 4th grader, and on the young end at that, meaning she needs age-on handwriting, but she really needs the other things bumped up a notch to be interesting. I think now we're just waiting till December to see if anything changes in my desire to do this. Dh was kind of shocked that I came to this point so quickly, so he's waiting for it to change. It was one of those lightbulbs that came on, so I don't expect it to. I met him and was engaged in two weeks, so I can be pretty decisive when I know what I want. :)

 

BTW, I joined that yahoo group a while back, but as I've tried to read through past messages the past few days, it seems cluttered with people asking for copies of homesat broadcasts they missed. It made my searches by keyword/topics futile too, which was pretty frustrating. I had hoped I could get some good feedback there, however it's so busy I don't really want to flood my inbox with all the other stuff just to get replies on my pathetic thoughts. That's why I posted here and am grateful for your nuggets. :)

[TraceyS/FL]

Dh was kind of shocked that I came to this point so quickly, so he's waiting for it to change. It was one of those lightbulbs that came on, so I don't expect it to. I met him and was engaged in two weeks, so I can be pretty decisive when I know what I want. :)

I can relate to this remark! That about sums up my feelings - the lightbulb went on, and I knew i needed to do it to fully give my kids what i wanted for them. I sat there today, with all 3 doing their thing - happily in the same room - and it was bliss. The youngest stops and starts her K4 when she wants to (she's probably more than ready for K5 - but i need to put some distance between her and the middle child, but building self-esteem is hard work), i was working with the middle one on Phonics 1 (i truly LOVE that class.... and it's the perfect mix of what she needs), the oldest was happily doing Lit.

 

BTW, I joined that yahoo group a while back, but as I've tried to read through past messages the past few days, it seems cluttered with people asking for copies of homesat broadcasts they missed. It made my searches by keyword/topics futile too, which was pretty frustrating. I had hoped I could get some good feedback there, however it's so busy I don't really want to flood my inbox with all the other stuff just to get replies on my pathetic thoughts. That's why I posted here and am grateful for your nuggets. :)

 

It can be chaotic. Goes in spurts of people asking for disks - but don't be afraid to ask!

[Melissa in CA]

It can be chaotic. Goes in spurts of people asking for disks - but don't be afraid to ask!

 

Yes, it can get very VERY chaotic! And probably more so right now with everyone scrambling to get all their future classes recorded before the satellite ends in May. I think many love to answer regular questions though. It's like they are waiting with baited breath for a legitimate question to come along. We all get a bit tired of reading class requests...though most of us have needed to request them from time to time ;) There are also BJU consultants on there who can get you special discounts when available and free shipping.

 

Just jump on in there and tell them your a newbie with questions. If you still have questions that is...:D

[Ferdie]

My dd does the full BJU 4th grade DVD package, and usually finishes before lunch. She does not listen to the handwriting or math DVDs. I would say that most subjects have about 15 minutes of seatwork, except reading and math which are 30 minutes.

 

I also give her everything she needs for the week on Monday, including a detailed checklist with lesson numbers and a DVD case with that week's DVDs. That way she doesn't have many interuptions to her day. Her fun reading, family history time, science experiements and Bible/reading crafts are separate from the above time and are usually done after lunch.

 

I have a special needs 3rd grader so I am so thankful for the BJU DVD program that allow my dd to work independently. I can not believe how well she is doing this year. Yeah!

[PeterPan]

Ferdie, What time does your dd start in the morning?