Homeschool Chat

[DawnM]

We are not doing the MNSSHP. It simply isn't in the budget. I have never even told my kids about it. Isn't it $30 or so per person?

You can't miss me if you are down there at that time......We have 3 boys, the 5 year old is adopted from China.....so if you see a family with 3 boys (including an adorable Chinese 5 year old!) come up and say Hi.

Dawn

 

[happy2bjustmommy]

Just wanted to say HI!

I am Melissa, Homeschooling mom to 3 girls, ages 5, 7 and 8, and a little boy who is 4 months! I have been homeschooling for 3 years and i LOVE IT!

One of the best parts is we get to vacation when all the other kids are sitting in class rooms. We are getting ready for our first Disneyland trip. We are going in about 2 weeks and i am so excited. This will be the first trip for my DH who is 37!! I cannot imagine. I got to experience the magic many times as a child, and i am so excited to see the joy on my kids faces.
The only thing i wish was, i could go into the park first, and have the camera ready for when the see the inside for the first time. LOL

Anyway, that is who i am. Look forward to "meeting" all of you!

 

[LittleBlue22]

Just wanted to say HI!

I am Melissa, Homeschooling mom to 3 girls, ages 5, 7 and 8, and a little boy who is 4 months! I have been homeschooling for 3 years and i LOVE IT!

One of the best parts is we get to vacation when all the other kids are sitting in class rooms. We are getting ready for our first Disneyland trip. We are going in about 2 weeks and i am so excited. This will be the first trip for my DH who is 37!! I cannot imagine. I got to experience the magic many times as a child, and i am so excited to see the joy on my kids faces.
The only thing i wish was, i could go into the park first, and have the camera ready for when the see the inside for the first time. LOL

Anyway, that is who i am. Look forward to "meeting" all of you!

and have a great time planning your trip!

How awesome to read that some of you are going to see the mouse in the near future. Maybe at some point you'll run into each other and not know it.

Colder weather means slower kids in my house. However, they are doing well this week so far and I can't wait for the weekend already.

I want to pass on to you all this important recall. Tylenol has a pretty big recall. Check out this article to read all medications that are affected. http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/24/news/companies/tylenol_recall/?postversion=2009092415

Have a great day all!

P.S. LegoMom, I had no idea you were moving. Did you move far?

 

[npmommie]

Oooh! That's neat to know! We moved recently and now have a large B&N not too far away. What do you have to do to get one?

.

The first time I got my B&N card, they did not ask for anything, they just gave it to me after I told them we homeschool.
I need to renew it and this time they want the letter we receive from the school district that approves our homeschool plan for the year.

If you have any paperwork from the school that shows you are a homeschooler bring that along.
its a great discount, and you can use it for almost everything in the store, not magazines though, there are a couple other restrictions,but its worth getting.

 

[npmommie]

What program do you all use for science? what grade are you kids?

 

[SCHBR'smom]

Oooh! That's neat to know! We moved recently and now have a large B&N not too far away. What do you have to do to get one?

.

Hi, LegoMom! I'm also in Texas and I didn't have to do much to receive the card. I filled out an educator form with my name, address, etc. At the bottom, I checked homeschool. On the back, they asked me to put the names and grades of the children being homeschooled. There was no place to put it, they just asked me to put it on the back of the blank paper.

 

[SCHBR'smom]

What program do you all use for science? what grade are you kids?

I use Apologia for my 5th, 1st, and pre-k children. Right now we are doing Zoology 1, Flying Animals of the Fifth day. I don't know that they always enjoy it, but they are definitely learning a lot. They point out birds and different bird features all the time. They want to move onto Zoology 2, but I want to finish this book first.

 

[disneymom3]

The first time I got my B&N card, they did not ask for anything, they just gave it to me after I told them we homeschool.
I need to renew it and this time they want the letter we receive from the school district that approves our homeschool plan for the year.

If you have any paperwork from the school that shows you are a homeschooler bring that along.
its a great discount, and you can use it for almost everything in the store, not magazines though, there are a couple other restrictions,but its worth getting.

Oooh, this is one of my favorite topics. A few years ago, I had this really snooty asst mgr in our B&N who told me I could not get a card without the form from the district. Now, my district doesn't send out a form. Not to mention that the mandatory reporting ages for MN are not until age seven. (The fall AFTER the child turns 7.) So, for first and K you really have nothing since you don't have to fill out paperwork or anything. He kept telling me I would have something from the school district and I kept telling him I didn't. I left ticked off. I sent a letter to B&N district mgmt. Got a nice reply saying that all you had to do was bring in a letter from yourself stating that you homeschool and ages of your children. I took a copy of that in with me, specifically asked to speak to that same guy and gave him the copy of my letter. Score one for the home team!! I never would have felt so triumphant if he had not been so MEAN about it.

You can also make yourself a little business card that says the name of your homeschool if you have one or a membership form to show that you are a memeber of a homeschooling group. Have a play group? Name it and make up a form on your computer at home.

 

[disneymom3]

OH, we also use Apologia for science. Though this year my boys are doing Sonlight which I also love. DD is in 8th grade and takes a science class from a retired science teacher in our district using the Physical Science book from Apologia. that helps to keep her more on track and she gets to do the labs with other kids which is more fun.

 

[npmommie]

Oooh, this is one of my favorite topics. A few years ago, I had this really snooty asst mgr in our B&N who told me I could not get a card without the form from the district. Now, my district doesn't send out a form. Not to mention that the mandatory reporting ages for MN are not until age seven. (The fall AFTER the child turns 7.) So, for first and K you really have nothing since you don't have to fill out paperwork or anything. He kept telling me I would have something from the school district and I kept telling him I didn't. I left ticked off. I sent a letter to B&N district mgmt. Got a nice reply saying that all you had to do was bring in a letter from yourself stating that you homeschool and ages of your children. I took a copy of that in with me, specifically asked to speak to that same guy and gave him the copy of my letter. Score one for the home team!! I never would have felt so triumphant if he had not been so MEAN about it.

You can also make yourself a little business card that says the name of your homeschool if you have one or a membership form to show that you are a memeber of a homeschooling group. Have a play group? Name it and make up a form on your computer at home.

Thats a great idea, i belong to a state hs group and they send out membershop cards, when I go to renew my B & N card I am going to use that and see if it works.
I feel like the approval letter has a lot of personal info on it that I really don't want to hand over to the b & n clerk

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

Thats a great idea, i belong to a state hs group and they send out membershop cards, when I go to renew my B & N card I am going to use that and see if it works.
I feel like the approval letter has a lot of personal info on it that I really don't want to hand over to the b & n clerk

Our umbrella group does not make a member card and our district does not send out letters so...I made a member id cards on my computer, one for our umbrella and one for our homeschool. These work fine for me when someone ask for "proof" that we homeschool. I even made student ids for my kids using the extra passport photos. We just chose the name D.R.A.M.A. Learning for our homeschool for people who want the name of your school. Some of our friends use their last name (i.e. Smith Home School). So even if you are not in a group you can create an id card for your family school.

I have a laminator so I even laminate ours.

 

[Zookeeperof4]

We're going mid september - the 16th - 25th. Woo hoo Free Dining! And that brings me to this question:
Is there a place where I can find a list of all the animals in AK? My kids don't know we're going, but I'm making this a learning experience as always! I was planning on having a checklist with us to play the "who can spot the most animals" game. ( a regular occurance when we hit zoos or aquariums - it's a favorite of ours). I also want to be able to do a teaching lesson about these animals and the habitats they live in and have them do a research project about the animal of their choice. All while unknowingly preparing them for a trip to Disney!
And also, I've never been to AK before. How distinct are the countries/areas? Is it like Epcot, where it's obvious when you've traveled from MExico to Canada? We're doing a study unit on the countries found in Epcot, and I'm wondering if I can include AK countries as well? And any other ideas for incorperating learning with our trip ( I have a 5 year old who's very advanced, and a normal 2year old....well....I don't know how "normal she is but..... )

I am sorry and I know this is way to late for you but I actually do have the list of animals you may see during Disney travels...as I sent a email to the Customer Service people telling them we are homeschoolers and wanted to be ready to see animals and there was a very kind person who listed them ALL....so here goes....
This is long so be ready but it is a good list and I was happy they took the time to help.
Dear Tina,

Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort.

DISNEY'S ANIMAL KINGDOM Theme Park - Animal List

MAMMALS

African Pygmy Goat
African Pygmy Hedgehog
African Pygmy Mouse
Agouti
Anteater, Giant
Babirusa
Banteng
Blackbuck
Bongo
Possum, Brushtail
Capybara
Cheetah
Chinchilla
Deer, Axis
Deer, Eld's
Dexter Cow
Donkey, Sicilian Miniature
Dwarf African Dormice
Eland, Patterson's
Elephant (African)
European Polecat
Four-striped Rat (Four-striped Grass Mouse)
Fox, Fennec
Gerenuk
Giraffe, Reticulated
Goat, Nigerian Dwarf
Goat, San Clemente
Gorilla, Western Lowland
Greater Kudu
Hippopotamus, Nile
Hog, Guinea
Impala
Kangaroo, Eastern Grey
Kangaroo, Red
Kinkajou
Lemur, Collared
Lemur, Ring-tailed
Lion
Malayan Flying Fox
Malayan Tapir
Mandrill
Meerkat, Slender-tailed
Monkey, Black and White Colobus
Naked Mole-rat
Okapi
Opossum, Virginia
Otter, Asian Small-clawed
Patagonian Cavy
Porcupine, Indian-crested
Porcupine, North American
Prairie Dog
Rabbit, Chinchilla
Raccoon
Reeve's Muntjac
Rhinoceros, Black
Rhinoceros, White
Rodrigues Fruit Bat
Sable Antelope
Scimitar-horned Oryx
Sheep, Gulf Coast Native
Siamang
Skunk, Striped
Sloth, Two-toed
Small Madagascar Hedgehog Tenrec
Spiny Mouse
Tamandua
Tamarin, Cotton-top
Tamarin, Golden-lion
Thomson's Gazelle
Tiger
Tunis Sheep
Wallaby, Parma
Wart Hog
White-Cheeked Gibbon
White-bearded Wildebeest
Yellow-backed Duiker
Zebra, Grant's
-----------------------------

BIRDS

Abdim's Stork
Abyssinian Goose
Abyssinian Ground Hornbill
African Grey Parrot
African Jacana
African Pygmy Goose
African Spoonbill
African Yellow-billed Duck
Amethyst Starling
Argus Pheasant
Bahama Pintail
Bali/Rothschild's Mynah
Bar-headed Goose
Barn Owl
Bartlett's Bleeding Heart Dove
Black Crake
Black-cheeked Lovebird
Black-headed Greenfinch
Black-Necked Swan
Blue/Stanley Crane
Blue-breasted Kingfisher
Blue and Yellow Macaw
Blue-Bellied Roller
Blue-throated Barbet
Brimstone Canary
Bronze-winged Duck
Brown-Necked Parrot
Bufflehead Duck
Burrowing Owl
Cape Teal
Cape Thick Knee
Carmine Bee-Eater
Chestnut Teal
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha
Chiloe Wigeon
Cinnamon Teal
Comb Duck
Common Bulbul
Common Hoopoe
Common Shelduck
Crested Wood Partridge
Dominique Chicken
East African Crowned Crane
Eclectus Parrot
Egyptian Goose
Erckel's Francolin
Eyton's Whistling Duck
Fairy Bluebird
Finch-billed Bulbul
Galah Cockatoo
Golden Pheasant
Golden-backed Woodpecker
Golden-Breasted Starling
Golden-crested Mynah
Greater Flamingo
Green Jungle Fowl
Green Peafowl
Green-winged Macaw
Green-winged Dove
Hadada Ibis
Hammerkop
Harris' Hawk
Helmeted Guineafowl
Hooded Merganser
Hooded Pitta
Hottentot Teal
Hyacinth Macaw
Indian Blue Roller
Indian Spotbill
Indian Pygmy Goose
Iris Lorikeet
Jambu Fruit Dove
Javan Tree Duck/Lesser Whistling Duck
Kenya Crested Guinea Fowl
King Parrot
Kori Bustard
Lady Amherst's Pheasant
Lappet Faced Vulture
Lesser Flamingo
Lesser Green Broadbill
Long-Tailed Broadbill
Luzon Bleeding-heart Dove
Madagascar Green Pigeon
Magpie Shrike
Mandarin Duck
Marabou Stork
Marbled Teal
Mariana Fruit Dove
Masked Plover
Meyer's Parrot
Military Macaw
Moluccan Cockatoo
Nicobar Pigeon
Olive Pigeon
Orange-bellied Leafbird
Oriental White Eye
Ostrich
Painted Stork
Panama Yellow-Crowned Amazon
Pheasant Pigeon
Phoenix Fowl
Pink-backed Pelican
Pink-necked Pigeon
Plum-headed Parakeet
Plumed/Eyton's Tree Duck
Puna/Silver Teal
Racquet-tailed Roller
Radjah Shelduck
Red and Yellow Barbet
Red-Backed Hawk
Red Billed Hornbill
Red Crested Turaco
Red Shoveler
Red-billed Pintail
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Red-legged Seriema
Red-throated Parrot Finch
Ringed Teal
Roseate Spoonbill
Rosybill Pochard
Ruddy Duck
Saddle-billed Stork
Salmon Crested Cockatoo
Sarus Crane
Scarlet Ibis
Scarlet Macaw
Sharp Wing Teal
Silver Teal
Silver-eared Mesia
Snowy-headed Robin Chat
Sooty-headed Bulbul
Southern Bald Ibis
Spectacled Owl
Spice Finch
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Superb Starling
Taveta Golden Weaver
Tawny Frogmouth
Tawny Owl
Temminck's Fruit Dove
Timor Sparrow
Vasa Parrot
Verditer Flycatcher
Victoria Crowned Pigeon
Wattled Starling
West African Crowned Crane
White Stork
White-Bellied Go-Away Bird
White-collared Kingfisher
White-faced Whistling Duck
White Headed Duck
White-Headed Munia
White-rumped Shama Thrush
Wompoo Fruit Dove
Woolly-necked Stork
Yellow-billed Duck
Yellow-Rumped Flycatcher
Yellow-billed Stork
Yellow-Throated Laughing Thrush
Yellow-vented Bulbul
-----------------------------

REPTILES / AMPHIBIANS

SNAKES
African House Snake
Ball Python
Blood Python
Burmese Python
Corn Snake
Everglades Rat Snake
Green Tree Python
Kenya Sand Boa
Madagascar Tree Boa
Northern Pine Snake
Puerto Rican Boa
Red-tailed Boa

LIZARDS
Bearded Dragon
Black Roughnecked Monitor
Blue-Tongued Skink
Dwarf Shield-Tailed Agama
Fire Skink
Komodo Dragon
Mali Uromastyx
Nile Monitor
Prehensile-tailed Skink
Rhinoceros Iguana
Veiled Chameleon
Water Monitor

TURTLES & TORTOISES
African Helmeted Turtle
Asian Brown Tortoise
East African Mud Turtle
Eastern Box Turtle
Egyptian Tortoise
Florida Chicken Turtle
Florida Cooter Turtle
Florida Red-Bellied Turtle
Galapagos Tortoise
Gopher Tortoise
Pancake Tortoise
Peninsula Cooter
Yellow-Bellied Slider

FROGS & TOADS
African Bullfrog
African Clawed Frog
Blue Poison Dart Frog
Dyeing Poison Dart Frog
Red-footed Walking Toad
Splash-backed Poison Dart Frog
Waxy Monkey Tree Frog
White-lipped Tree Frog

ALLIGATORS & CROCODILES
American Alligator
American Crocodile
Nile Crocodile

-----------------------------

FISH

Cichlids
Hybrid Striped Bass
Lungfish
Mosquito Fish
Pacu
Paroon Shark
Plecostomus

-----------------------------

INVERTEBRATES

Asian Giant Centipede
Brazilian Black Tarantula
Costa Rican Zebra Tarantula
Emperor Scorpion
False Death's Head Cockroach
Florida Keys Centipede
Florida Millipede
Giant African Millipede
Huntsman Spider
Kenyan Blue-banded Centipede
Madagascar Hissing Cockroach
Mexican Red Knee Tarantula
Slender Brown Scorpion
Southeastern Lubber Grasshopper
Southern House Spider
Spiny Devil Walkingstick
Starburst Baboon Spider
Thorny Hopper Phasmid/Jungle Nymph

-----------------------------
At Disney's Animal Kingdom park, Rafiki's Planet Watch can provide
printed and interactive information about animals, and protecting
endangered species. The Kilimanjaro Safari offers the chance to view and
learn about the animals in their natural habitat.

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

WOW! That is a lot of animals! Sounds like you would need at least one field trip a semester for three years to learn about all those animals.

Maybe I will sumbit that proposal to the financial director of our home school.

(He did say if we won the lottery we could stay a few extra days our next trip and look for a vacation home. I think it is time to buy a ticket)

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq3rOMnLGBk

"It was almost 7pm in Mexico City, October 1968. One hour earlier the winners of the 26 mile Olympic marathon had crossed the finish line. It had been a grueling hot day as the high altitude affected all the athletes. The sky was beginning to darken and most of the stadium was empty. As the last few spectators were preparing to leave, police sirens and flashing lights caught their attention. A lone runner, wearing the colours of Tanzania had just emerged through the stadium gate. Limping, with his leg bandaged he found the last of his endurance to step up his pace and finish the race. His name was John Stephen Akhwari." Give everything, and then find a little more to finish the race. Abundance Teachers

What ever challenge you are facing...YOU CAN DO IT!

 

[desparatelydisney]

Hey guys,

We start week 13 tomorrow and I'm just trying to analyze how things are going - I over analyze everything

I am considering going from less of a "we are doing school now" to working with each child individually for an hour or so at a time at different times during the day. It seems like I get stressed and ill constantly going back and forth between the 2 and saying- just a minute- a hundred times a morning.

When I told DH, he said "so it will be even less like school?" To which I had to answer...yeah. Question is, should I care if it is "less like school" if it works better?

Just wanted to see what you guys do. I also wondered if anybody devotes a single day (an hour or more) to each subject (except for math & reading) instead of spending 20 minutes a day or every other day on each subject.

TIA!

 

[ZanyToes]

Hi everyone! I love that there is a homeschool thread on DIS! This is our "2nd" year of homeschooling. I say "2nd" because we didn't do much for kindergarten.. took it VERY easy. We are almost halfway through 1st grade now with my oldest. I love planning vacations during school time.

 

[LegoMom3]

Hey guys,

We start week 13 tomorrow and I'm just trying to analyze how things are going - I over analyze everything

I am considering going from less of a "we are doing school now" to working with each child individually for an hour or so at a time at different times during the day. It seems like I get stressed and ill constantly going back and forth between the 2 and saying- just a minute- a hundred times a morning.

When I told DH, he said "so it will be even less like school?" To which I had to answer...yeah. Question is, should I care if it is "less like school" if it works better?

Just wanted to see what you guys do. I also wondered if anybody devotes a single day (an hour or more) to each subject (except for math & reading) instead of spending 20 minutes a day or every other day on each subject.

TIA!

We do VERY "relaxed" home schooling in our house. It "looks" very little like we're "doing school!" And with that approach, we rarely do every subject every day. Even when I followed a more traditional curriculum, we didn't do every subject every day. The stress you describe is a perfect indicator that something needs to change! If your DH is worried about maintaining the appearance of "school", just keep doing all the subjects but not all in one day. But it doesn't have to "look like school" to work!!

Are you using a traditional workbook/textbook type curriculum? That can be difficult with younger kids who are different grades, because you end up, like you said, bouncing back and forth between each one as they need help. My kids are at different stages and also learn differently. My oldest, who is 13, is able to do most of his work independently. My other two, who are 10 and almost-8, are doing unit studies with me. They basically study the same thing, but math and language arts are adjusted for age and ability. I don't like to go by traditional "grade level" because my kids are all over the map, so to speak, with various abilities in different subjects!

Anyway, I'm rambling but I think you are on the right track that you need a change....and I wouldn't worry about spreading out your subjects over different days.

.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

DesperatleyDisney~ HI!!! Just wanted to say that we do school a little differently also....No set times (clockwise), and no certain order of subjects..just as long as it gets done. I think if working one-on-one for a part of each day works better for you, then do it! I do that sometimes too-I am teaching 3, and I know the "hold on just a minute" drives me crazy too!! Whatever works for you--I like to mix it up and keep it fun!

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

In regards to mixing things up a bit...

"School" looks different not only from home to home but also school to school. A lot of schools lean toward longer time on a subject per day with less days of the subject. It makes sense. It works. Some days you just need or want to spend longer on one subject. Give it day to soak in or to apply the learning. Some subjects even are rotated by semester- (science, social studies, geography) or integrated (my favorite) together.

What I have found that helps me (because I could spend the whole week on certain things) is to have a checklist of what I want to accomplish for the week. Check it off as you finish. Near end of the week you will see where you need to focus. That may also help your DH see that you are still covering everything.

 

[desparatelydisney]

Thanks, guys.

Things are going very well and both kids like it. I am very, very happy with all of our curriculums. My oldest actually begs to do science and history first as those are his favorites. And he does math and reading/creative writing on the computer from John Hopkins so it is fairly self-directed. I make a lesson plan each week for each day and we get most of it done. My oldest likes knowing what comes next so that way he can see what is left to do each day.

I just feel so fragmented jumping constantly between them and each one wanting to know "what do I do now, I'm finished". I think it would be better to work with the 8 yr old in the morning and let the two little ones play and then work with my daughter after lunch and let the boys play (my youngest is still in pre-school so we only do school with him when he asks so as not to push).

Thanks again
MMM