Homeschool Chat Part III

[Princess_Nikki]

Has anyone here done the Disney Youth Programs? (Preferably at WDW, but either resort)
http://www.disneyyouth.com/

We are homeschooling for the first time this year
I saw the website yesterday and was very excited about what I saw. Since the price of the Individual classes is basically the cost of a park ticket, I was wondering how long the actual class part of it takes?

We are Annual Passholders, so I'm not so worried about the park hours, etc.

It's looks to be a very cool program.

P.S. I used the forums search engine to find other threads, but couldn't find one Youth Program specific.

 

[Aliceacc]

Has anyone here done the Disney Youth Programs? (Preferably at WDW, but either resort)
http://www.disneyyouth.com/

We are homeschooling for the first time this year
I saw the website yesterday and was very excited about what I saw. Since the price of the Individual classes is basically the cost of a park ticket, I was wondering how long the actual class part of it takes?

We are Annual Passholders, so I'm not so worried about the park hours, etc.

It's looks to be a very cool program.

P.S. I used the forums search engine to find other threads, but couldn't find one Youth Program specific.

We did the YES program in 2012.

I took my older 2 to do Making Waves w/ Marine Carreers. My husband took our youngest, at the same time, to do Synergy in Science.

We LOVED our class. (My husband thought the other class was just ehhh.)

As I recall, the class was from about 9 or 9:30 until about noon-- almost to the minute whatever the website had promised. We learned a lot, and had a great time.

I was careful to take a class that included some indoor time. We're both teachers, so we can only go during the summer. I didn't want something at AK that would have us out in the heat and sunshine for hours on end on a hot day.

 

[MissNurse]

Are there no other larger towns or cities nearby? I know you probably wouldn't want to drive 30 mins to an hour every day, but maybe you could find a group you could meet up with once a week or just for special field trips and stuff. Where I live, lots of people come from all the smaller neighboring towns to join groups in the larger city, and most cities offer a lot more programs. For instance, many zoos, museums, and parks have homeschool programs. Also, check local gyms, the library, YMCA, and bookstores. I know all of those offer homeschool programs where I live.

Also, do you have a regional group for your state? You can usually get in contact with that group online, and see all the meets ups and special events for your region. Again, you might need to drive to attend some of the events, especially field trips, but it could be a good way to meet people who might be just a town over, you didn't even realize where there.

There is a larger group in a town about an hour from here. They meet weekly, and I've considered going.

 

[Ellester]

We did the YES program in 2012. I took my older 2 to do Making Waves w/ Marine Carreers. My husband took our youngest, at the same time, to do Synergy in Science. We LOVED our class. (My husband thought the other class was just ehhh.) As I recall, the class was from about 9 or 9:30 until about noon-- almost to the minute whatever the website had promised. We learned a lot, and had a great time. I was careful to take a class that included some indoor time. We're both teachers, so we can only go during the summer. I didn't want something at AK that would have us out in the heat and sunshine for hours on end on a hot day.

My husband also took my oldest (she was 14 at the time) to the Marine Careers class in 2012 (October). They both said it was OK, not amazing but worth it for the ticket savings. Of course, with an AP that wouldn't apply to you. It started before park opening, like 8? and went till 11:15 or so.

 

[Happiest mommy]

Hello All!!! just wanted to come by and say Thank you!!! we HS for the first time this year and I loved it!!! yes it was scary in the begining but with your guidance and groups I found we did it!!!!! Thank you DISers it was a great 1st year!!!!!

 

[cruisecrasher]

Hey y'all,
Any word on when Jan/Feb 2015 homeschool/YES will be announced?
I'm trying to decide if I should book room only on best guess dates and move it if necessary or wait and possibly miss the ADR window.
Does anyone have insight/suggestions?

 

[vleeth]

Hello All!!! just wanted to come by and say Thank you!!! we HS for the first time this year and I loved it!!! yes it was scary in the begining but with your guidance and groups I found we did it!!!!! Thank you DISers it was a great 1st year!!!!!

It was our first year as well. And I agree, it was a great first year!

Now I'm off to do some and some science.

 

[MommyBell08]

Hello everyone! Im looking at an online curriculum next years for my DS who is six. He is advanced and a avid self learner. Im considering online learning with subbing his science if its not advanced enough for him or doesn't keep his interest. Any ideas? Im considering time4learning but IDK.

 

[cruisecrasher]

Do any of you have a child who just doesn't care if school takes all day?
It drives me up a tree when one kid takes sooooo much longer and I really try to be patient.

 

[jahber]

Do any of you have a child who just doesn't care if school takes all day? It drives me up a tree when one kid takes sooooo much longer and I really try to be patient.

I used to. But my time is valuable, so I remind the kids throughout the day when school is "over." After that time, anything they still have to do is "homework," and it has to be completed without me. They aren't allowed to have any electronics/tv/go to friends' houses/toys until school is done. It has worked well for us. And one of mine is extremely stubborn and reluctant to work. For that kiddo, a stop watch works wonders. He competes against himself to see how fast he can complete a task. As time has gone on, my expectations for handwriting and accuracy have increased. But at first it was just a race to complete the task at all. Seriously, 1st grade was taking 4 hours. That's about twice as long as sit-down, direct instruction should have taken for that particular kid.

Good luck!

 

[seven dwarfs]

Hello everyone! Im looking at an online curriculum next years for my DS who is six. He is advanced and a avid self learner. Im considering online learning with subbing his science if its not advanced enough for him or doesn't keep his interest. Any ideas? Im considering time4learning but IDK.

Look into Bob Jones University. This is a bible base curriculum though, so not sure if that matters. They have a system with the DVD where you can change a subject up a grade which may help you. Their school is already advanced for the grade in my opinion. I have used it since K with my kids and love it. It is $$ but I don't want to limit my kids education based on saving money. I feel I can cut corners in other areas which is more worth it.

 

[cruisecrasher]

I used to. But my time is valuable, so I remind the kids throughout the day when school is "over." After that time, anything they still have to do is "homework," and it has to be completed without me. They aren't allowed to have any electronics/tv/go to friends' houses/toys until school is done. It has worked well for us. And one of mine is extremely stubborn and reluctant to work. For that kiddo, a stop watch works wonders. He competes against himself to see how fast he can complete a task. As time has gone on, my expectations for handwriting and accuracy have increased. But at first it was just a race to complete the task at all. Seriously, 1st grade was taking 4 hours. That's about twice as long as sit-down, direct instruction should have taken for that particular kid. Good luck!

Thank you.
I sat down and explained time to him as money. (You get one penny each hour to spend as you want, you can spend as many pennies on school as you would like, but school goes first and free time goes later. Etc.)
School is going much faster now!

 

[jahber]

Thank you. I sat down and explained time to him as money. (You get one penny each hour to spend as you want, you can spend as many pennies on school as you would like, but school goes first and free time goes later. Etc.) School is going much faster now!

I'm so glad. What a great idea to help him understand!

 

[beffiegirl]

Hoping someone can help push me in the right direction. My DS13 wants to be homeschooled. I have tried doing research but it sounds confusing. He's going into 8th grade. He gets A's and B's. Has no learning problems. He's has been picked on since 6th grade. He has a growth hormone deficiency. So he is shorter than all the kids even the girls by a foot. He is on hormones so he is growing slowly. He just can't stand kids and their stupidity. I'm fine with homeschooling but I don't think I could do it. I'm not book smart. I barely finished high school. My husband is book smart and went to college, but he works long hours. My son wants to go to a good college for computers. I want him to do something online. I saw K12, but there is no free public online school in my state(NJ) only private$$$. I don't mind paying but one school was $6000 for a year! There was another Keystone for $2000, but I saw some bad reviews. What are my other choices?? It can't be only those two. We are not religious. And my son does not want to join a group with other teens. He wants to be alone. He has been going to therapy to help with the social anxiety. How do I find the right online school that will give him the best education? I also have two other kids DD9(ADHD) who likes school because of her friends. And DS5 going to kindergarten.TIA!

 

[chris31997]

Hoping someone can help push me in the right direction. My DS13 wants to be homeschooled. I have tried doing research but it sounds confusing. He's going into 8th grade. He gets A's and B's. Has no learning problems. He's has been picked on since 6th grade. He has a growth hormone deficiency. So he is shorter than all the kids even the girls by a foot. He is on hormones so he is growing slowly. He just can't stand kids and their stupidity. I'm fine with homeschooling but I don't think I could do it. I'm not book smart. I barely finished high school. My husband is book smart and went to college, but he works long hours. My son wants to go to a good college for computers. I want him to do something online. I saw K12, but there is no free public online school in my state(NJ) only private$$$. I don't mind paying but one school was $6000 for a year! There was another Keystone for $2000, but I saw some bad reviews. What are my other choices?? It can't be only those two. We are not religious. And my son does not want to join a group with other teens. He wants to be alone. He has been going to therapy to help with the social anxiety. How do I find the right online school that will give him the best education? I also have two other kids DD9(ADHD) who likes school because of her friends. And DS5 going to kindergarten.TIA!

There are curriculum out there. You do not have to be book smart to teach him. The great thing is you can learn right along with him and he does not have to know it By asking why XYZ is the answer or works that way, he "teaches" you, hehehe. The other thing to make great use of are the teacher manuals and answer books to aid you in explaining things.

I am very familiar with religious curriculum so I'm not going to recommend any.

But there are programs out there that will help your son learn programing and computers. He can start now. We had friends whose son did. I wish I could remember what he used. But he learned/learning programing.

I also want to encourage you that this is something that you can do. It is possible to provide an environment for your son to learn and thrive.

I also want to encourage you to keep your son in therapy. I'm a little concerned that he wants to be alone. That is not good for anyone. You would need to make an effort to get him out of the house and socialize with people. I know he has anxiety and it is an issue. But he does not need to shut down.

I would also recommend finding a group and joining it. Homeschoolers can be more accepting, most of the time. We are a weird bunch.

Collages are becoming more accepting of homeschoolers. If you homeschool in high school you will need to track hours and other things. But that is for another day.

Come back with any and all questions we can help

 

[sarahtar]

Hey!
1) I'm new to this thread, but not to homeschooling. We'll start up the school year next week, with a 5th grader, a Kindergartener, and a Preschooler. We call ourselves Eclectic Classical schoolers, lol.

2) for beffiegirl: Does your local school (or any nearby school to which you could open enroll) have a homeschool assistance program? Sometimes schools will let homeschoolers use the same textbooks they are using in the school, for free. That's just one option.

 

[smscrapbooks]

We are going to Disney in October and this will be our first time trying the Disney Youth Education Program. My kids do a hybrid of school and homeschool. They go to school 3 days a week from 8:25-12:30 and then two days a week I homeschool them following the teacher's lesson plans. The entire school follows this pattern. Anyway, our school requires each student to get in 12 educational hours during fall break; then they must complete a project board and do an oral report on the topic they chose. This year my 5 and 7 year old are using Mission:Space as their springboard for their topic. We've been studying astronaut training, moon landings, the space shuttle components, etc. We've learned alot and it will culminate with our Mission:Space visit. We're also taking a 2 1/2 hour class at the MK on "how things move". We can count this towards our educational hours. I was wondering if anyone knows of a compiled list of topics for study based off of the Disney parks. I would love to keep doing this each year.

 

[cruisecrasher]

We are going to Disney in October and this will be our first time trying the Disney Youth Education Program. My kids do a hybrid of school and homeschool. They go to school 3 days a week from 8:25-12:30 and then two days a week I homeschool them following the teacher's lesson plans. The entire school follows this pattern. Anyway, our school requires each student to get in 12 educational hours during fall break; then they must complete a project board and do an oral report on the topic they chose. This year my 5 and 7 year old are using Mission:Space as their springboard for their topic. We've been studying astronaut training, moon landings, the space shuttle components, etc. We've learned alot and it will culminate with our Mission:Space visit. We're also taking a 2 1/2 hour class at the MK on "how things move". We can count this towards our educational hours. I was wondering if anyone knows of a compiled list of topics for study based off of the Disney parks. I would love to keep doing this each year.

Have you seen magical mouse schoolhouse? Jodi puts a ton of educational Disney parks ideas up.

http://www.magicalmouseschoolhouse.com

 

[wasnotafan]

First full day of the new school year for DS 7th grade and DD 5th grade. We have home-schooled before so it isn't all new to us but are still finding what works best. Best wishes to all the new and returning home-schoolers.

 

[beffiegirl]

So I'm trying to decide between private online school or myself teaching him? He's in 8th grade. I'm so worried. The online school looks like him teaching himself, so I'm wondering should I do it myself. Need a lot of info. Where do you buy the books( with answer key). And what books do you recommend? TIA