Homeschool Chat Part III

[erisgirl44]

I have started using time4learnig with my oldest. He loves it but I'm not sure if it's science or social studies is enough. We are using handwriting without tears fro handwriting. How are you finding it so far?

 

[MommyBell08]

We are using Sonlight, we are doing Math-U-See and HWT.. Loving!

 

[mks18412]

This will be our second year using Time4Learning. I do supplement the math and english..... If it works for dd (4th grade), it works for me.

 

[lucigo]

I have started using time4learnig with my oldest. He loves it but I'm not sure if it's science or social studies is enough. We are using handwriting without tears fro handwriting. How are you finding it so far?

For my son with autism the language arts is engaging and fun, but the science and social studies don't interest him at all. The math is kind of in the middle somewhere.

My husband is a middle school math/science teacher and ESE certified, so he will be supplementing those areas and I just found out he already has a ton of manipulatives. He just started a new job in Virginia so we have a busy year ahead of us (we are still in Florida).

My 17-yo has been homeschooling for 2 years now, some classes through Florida Virtual and then we supplement with some fun stuff like cooking and art (mostly painting).

 

[ktate82]

I am considering homeschooling my two, DD7 (2nd grade) and DS6 (1st grade) and whew is it overwhelming! How do you decide which curriculum? I have looked at Time4Learning (it seems to be mentioned a lot) and suplement with some others...any ideas? Does T4L have spelling? Is it a program that kids get on and watch then do worksheets or do they do everything online? Any one on here homeschool in IL? How receptive are the local schools to this? Sorry about all the questions, but I'm just not quite sure where to start.

 

[DisneyMom5]

Hello to all!
I haven't been on a homeschooling thread on Disboards in a long time.

We have 8 kids, just graduated our oldest (sniff), and then have one each in grades 11, 8, 5, 4, 3, and 1, and a 2 year old.

We use Sonlight, will be doing Core 300 with 11th grader, and then a mix of D+E (old 3/4), with some 100 thrown in, for the rest.

For science I do a hodge podge of books until high school when I use Apolgia.
For math I currently have kids using Teaching Textbooks, Singapore, Horizons, and oldest (the graduate) is still finishing up some Alpha Omega Consumers Math (neither of us have been very impressed with it.)

We also use Queen Homeschool Language Lessons which I LOVE.

Nice to meet other homeschooling WDW fans!

 

[chris31997]

I am considering homeschooling my two, DD7 (2nd grade) and DS6 (1st grade) and whew is it overwhelming! How do you decide which curriculum? I have looked at Time4Learning (it seems to be mentioned a lot) and suplement with some others...any ideas? Does T4L have spelling? Is it a program that kids get on and watch then do worksheets or do they do everything online? Any one on here homeschool in IL? How receptive are the local schools to this? Sorry about all the questions, but I'm just not quite sure where to start.

Picking curriculum can be trail and error or you can find one the first try what works for you and your kids. Sometimes after a couple of years, you want to change it up a bit.

Seeing how you are new to homeschooling, I highly encourage you to find a group. It is great for you to be able to ask questions, see stuff and get that all important adult time But it is also good for the kids because than they can do activities with other kids like field trips or co-ops. You can google HSLDA(homeschool legal defense association) and see what their write up is about the laws in IL are. You can also get a jumping off point as to what groups might be in your area. Some people like HSLDA(I do), and others do not. Some have found their law write up not very good, but I did.

I would also encourage you to give yourself some slack. This year may go great and very smoothly or it may not. You may find the curruculum works or it may not. May work for one and not the other.

Feel free to come here and ask all the questions you want or need

 

[jdcthree]

I am considering homeschooling my two, DD7 (2nd grade) and DS6 (1st grade) and whew is it overwhelming! How do you decide which curriculum? I have looked at Time4Learning (it seems to be mentioned a lot) and suplement with some others...any ideas? Does T4L have spelling? Is it a program that kids get on and watch then do worksheets or do they do everything online? Any one on here homeschool in IL? How receptive are the local schools to this? Sorry about all the questions, but I'm just not quite sure where to start.

This is the answer I gave someone else asking about curriculum:

I highly recommend the book 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum. It's by Cathy Duffy and it was really helpful to me! Much of the book is about how to choose curriculum (or not), learning styles, discovering your philosophy on education, etc. She even has a chart/quiz so you can figure out what "style" may work best for you.

I can't answer your other questions since I've never tried Time4Learning and I'm not in IL, but have fun on your new homeschooling journey!

 

[Mouseketeer67]

Hello to all!
I haven't been on a homeschooling thread on Disboards in a long time.

We have 8 kids, just graduated our oldest (sniff), and then have one each in grades 11, 8, 5, 4, 3, and 1, and a 2 year old.

We use Sonlight, will be doing Core 300 with 11th grader, and then a mix of D+E (old 3/4), with some 100 thrown in, for the rest.

For science I do a hodge podge of books until high school when I use Apolgia.
For math I currently have kids using Teaching Textbooks, Singapore, Horizons, and oldest (the graduate) is still finishing up some Alpha Omega Consumers Math (neither of us have been very impressed with it.)

We also use Queen Homeschool Language Lessons which I LOVE.

Nice to meet other homeschooling WDW fans!

Welcome back!

 

[carsmama]

I am happy to find a homeschooling thread on here. My oldest (7) is using Math-u-see, Story of the World, and Explode the code. He loves reading, legos, and snap circuits jr.

 

[Cynestra]

For those that use My Father's World, do you supplement math? I am really leaning towards trying My Father's World (1st grade) this first year, and I have read some great reviews on it. However, I have seen several people say they supplement the math. If so, I'm leaning towards Horizons.

Does anyone have any pros/cons to MFW before we bite the bullet and purchase it?

We used MFW last year and loved it! I bought the K and Adventures for my 5 and 8 year old, and yes I did have to supplement math. I started with Right Start Mathematics, but switched over to Singapore 1A for the 5 year old and 2A for the 8 year old. Also had to drop K, because cute as it was, it wasn't the correct level for him. We will be starting ECC next month and can't wait! We also added handwriting (Handwriting without Tears) and phonics (Explode the Code) for each of them.

 

[jacksmomma]

For those that use My Father's World, do you supplement math? I am really leaning towards trying My Father's World (1st grade) this first year, and I have read some great reviews on it. However, I have seen several people say they supplement the math. If so, I'm leaning towards Horizons.

Does anyone have any pros/cons to MFW before we bite the bullet and purchase it?

We used MFW last year for KG and liked it, but we did need to supplement math. We used Math U See to supplement and it worked well. DS loved how active MUS is.

 

[jenlov]

Not sure how I didn't see this before, but it's nice to see a h/s thread on here!

I'm Jen, mom to 7 kids ages 15, 13, 11, 9, 6, 4, & 9ms in grades 10, 8 (doing 9th, with some combined classes w/ our 10th grader), 6, 4, 1, K4 (and the almost 9 month old). We use all Abeka b/c it is what they have had since K4 and works well for us. We've used some Saxon math w/ our oldest, but moving back to Abeka this year for math.

And we are going to WDW in December...when most kids are in school! the kids are excited! lol.

 

[EeyoreEma]

Does anyone else ever get homeschool burnout? I am feeling so torn as to whether or not homeschooling is really the right thing for us right now. I love it, I really do. However, we are about to move to a town with a great school district, and part of me is tempted to send them off to school. I think I'm just tired, and stressed with the move, but I thought maybe some of y'all would have a good way to stave off the burnout. DH really thinks we should just continue on with homeschooling, and supplement with other activities once we move, which I know will be a big help since we've not really had anything to supplement with down here. Thanks.

 

[jacksmomma]

Does anyone else ever get homeschool burnout? I am feeling so torn as to whether or not homeschooling is really the right thing for us right now. I love it, I really do. However, we are about to move to a town with a great school district, and part of me is tempted to send them off to school. I think I'm just tired, and stressed with the move, but I thought maybe some of y'all would have a good way to stave off the burnout. DH really thinks we should just continue on with homeschooling, and supplement with other activities once we move, which I know will be a big help since we've not really had anything to supplement with down here. Thanks.

I totally know the feeling, I was right there at the end of the school year last year. However, we went to a big homeschool conference which re-energized me. Then I did an inventory of my son's learning style and chose curriculum that most supports it. We have not formally started school yet this year, first day is Aug. 6th, but overall I am feeling good and ready to begin again. One thing that really helps me when I feel down is to walk away and have a little me time. Plus, remember if you send them to school you are going to spend almost as much time as you do now on homework. Keep it up, once your move is over you will be ready to begin again.

 

[Nanu57v]

Does anyone else ever get homeschool burnout? I am feeling so torn as to whether or not homeschooling is really the right thing for us right now. I love it, I really do. However, we are about to move to a town with a great school district, and part of me is tempted to send them off to school. I think I'm just tired, and stressed with the move, but I thought maybe some of y'all would have a good way to stave off the burnout. DH really thinks we should just continue on with homeschooling, and supplement with other activities once we move, which I know will be a big help since we've not really had anything to supplement with down here. Thanks.

I'd think about why you are homeschooling. I have a friend that homeschool her children for 5 years. Then they moved into a super school district and they are all going to PS next year. Her motives to homeschool was for a quality education: something she now sees will happen in her new ps. But everyone has different motives.

 

[Nicolepa]

Plus, remember if you send them to school you are going to spend almost as much time as you do now on homework. Keep it up, once your move is over you will be ready to begin again.

What are your reasons behind sending him vs keeping him home. I have one in school and 2 home. Every time my duh tells me we should send my middle one to school I ask him why. His response is always, "so you can have a break". I remind him that while I'd have my time free from 9-3. I'd still sen at least 3 hours a day on homework. Not only that, but I'd have them when we are all tired. No thank you.

I don't know what ages you are working with, but if they are 3rd grade or older think about how you can make them more independent, to free yourself up. Last year my 4th grader ( who is not self motivated or independent) did Math, Science, Grammar all by himself. If he needed help I was there, but he was responsible for his book work. Together we did Bible, literature, memory work, spelling and history. That usually took about 1.5 hours.

 

[chris31997]

Does anyone else ever get homeschool burnout? I am feeling so torn as to whether or not homeschooling is really the right thing for us right now. I love it, I really do. However, we are about to move to a town with a great school district, and part of me is tempted to send them off to school. I think I'm just tired, and stressed with the move, but I thought maybe some of y'all would have a good way to stave off the burnout. DH really thinks we should just continue on with homeschooling, and supplement with other activities once we move, which I know will be a big help since we've not really had anything to supplement with down here. Thanks.

I think we all do feel burnout. It is hard. When you feel that burnout, time to take a step back and evaluate. See what you are doing, what works, what doesn't work, why did you start, what are you struggling with, what can you change up.

 

[EeyoreEma]

Thanks for all the advice. This is the 1st time we've taken a super extended break from homeschooling, and that may be part of why I'm going crazy. TOO much time on our hands! Usually, we just take breaks as needed but this year, I decided with the move coming it might be easier to just let them have some extended time off. I'm hoping that once we move and get settled back in, I will feel better about things. I really do love homeschooling, and I do feel like they've had an awesome education at home. I think I"m just tired/stressed with the upcoming move. Thanks again!

 

[Nicolepa]

My son has completed all the HWOT books, but he still needs lots of work on his cursive. This year I'd like to use his memory work for handwriting. Does anyone know of a font that is similar to HWOT? I'd like to be able to type it up and past it in a spiral notebook for him to copy.