Homeschool Chat

[3princesses+aprince]

Thanks crisgw, I'll have to go check it out, it sounds pretty neat!!!

 

[graygables]

Also, seeing how alot of you are nearing the end of your school year, what do you do during the day, do you still have them doing a lot of reading? I'm afraid of ending the school year and having the kids just run around the house like madwomen!!!!! What does everyone do?

Since we are not agrarian and don't need the kids to work in the fields we actually school year round, 6 days a week. We pace ourselves so it works out. I also figure that I work year round without long breaks in the summer, so it teaches the kids a similar work ethic. Our time of concentrated curriculum use is probably shorter than most; DDs work on that 2-2.5 hours per day. The rest of their day is spent in unschooling activities. They do have breaks when I have breaks, for instance, I was off yesterday to go to my WDW College Program graduation, so they went with me and we spent the day celebrating in the parks. Here next week when we head home, they'll have about 3 weeks off to visit friends/family and prepare to come back to WDW for my management internship. I had them ask me only once why they didn't get a summer break "like the rest of the kids" and I told them because they get to go to WDW (or New England or Atlanta/American Girl or wherever) when the "rest of the kids" are in school for 8+ hours per day. They seemed to like that answer.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I have had my kids ask me stuff like that--I think it was field trips or something, I gave them pretty much the same answer you gave yours!! And...Disney is the Ulitmate Field Trip!! Ha!!

Those books that are about Disney--the Education Vacation or whatever the title is, do ya'll buy them from books stores, or do you have to order them from their website. I can't remember, but I am interested in checking into it, or getting opinions from you that have the books. thanks

 

[NiniMorris]

Hi all... I haven't checked in her in a while...life has been busy!

We finish up our school year on May 30 and start our new school year on June 1. We were thinking about sending our 9 year old back to public school. Partly to give me more time to spend with my spec ed 7 year old, and partly because she has decided not to do as she is told. (long story)

We have a Disney trip planned for September. Since our school year starts a month prior to the public school year, I thought one week out of school was no big deal. WRONG!!! They just informed me not only would it be unexcused, but they may consider criminal prosecution.... I can't believe this! We are only required to have 180 days of school per year, and we end up with over 200. We do year round school, because my youngest has severe retention problems.

So, now it looks like IF we decide to put my oldest back in public school it will be after our trip to Disney. I don't see how they can say anything about that! ARGH!!!!

(sorry, just needed to vent.)

I saw someone had asked something about Handwriting without Tears. I can tell you nothing but great things about it! It was designed by an occupational therapist for use with children that have fine motor problems. My son is doing so well with this even his OT can't believe it! When we started this 2 years ago, he couldn't even hold the pencil in his hand. Now he has mastered all the capitals and 90% of the lower case letters. This is a real big deal with him. Public school had given up on him being able to ever write. (he was left handed prior to an accident that paralyzed his left side)

Guess I have rambled on long enough... got to check on some more DISigns for our trip in September(...just what I needed another obsession!)

Nini

 

[3princesses+aprince]

I too, think that when this school year ends and we start homeschooling it will be more of a year round thing as well!!!
My 7 yr old with dev. delays would not do well with long summer breaks either, she needs to keep going.

 

[KARAJ]

We are also one that homeschool's year round. I find it gives us a LOT more flexibility to merge with daddy's schedule which is erratic (Army), and to go visit Grandma for a couple days etc.. Also we are lucky that we live in a very homeschool friendly state, TX, so I am able to be more liberal on our dates.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

We are also one that homeschool's year round. I find it gives us a LOT more flexibility to merge with daddy's schedule which is erratic (Army), and to go visit Grandma for a couple days etc.. Also we are lucky that we live in a very homeschool friendly state, TX, so I am able to be more liberal on our dates.

Texas is awesome! I love our liberalness!! Ha!!! Is that even a word? It's great because I know how many days our local schools go, and I am pretty close to their allotted time, but I can shift it around as I need too.

I thought about hisng over the summer, but we really love our pool from now to the end of July. By July's end, if we aren't finished with our pool time by about 10:30, it's too blooming hot! So, that signals the start of school for us!! Besides, I like to have a long break to study up which books we are going to use next semester----I need that time off!!!

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

Hi, I am new to this thread. Just discovered a couple weeks ago.

We are in Maryland, DD 10 and DS 6. We have been homeschooling for 5 years.

We homeschool year round also. It gives us more flexibility. We do less hours in the Summer. Still plenty of time at the pool.

Here are some benefits of year round- eliminate review time at beginning of school year, maintain some sort of routine (even though our routine is crazy, it is ours), allows opportunity for more activities (karate, ice skating, lacrosse, basketball, swimming, choir, piano, rock climbing, hiking, etc) and more field trips (endless choices living in Baltimore/D.C. area)

Not to mention able to take off or reduce hours when family visits or take vacations at cheaper/less crowded times.

Thanks to those who were talking about Apologia Science. We just received Botany and Astronomy. Looks great.

And I also learned about Teaching Textbooks here. DD has tried a couple of sample lessons. I think they are going to be great for DD. DD's strength is Language Arts and DS's strength is Math and you can guess their challenge areas- yes- DD-Math, DS-Language Arts.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Gerberdaisy1234~ Welcome!!! We are glad you found us!!!! My best friend just moved to Maryland --got in their house the week of Christmas!! They are over in Pasadena-not sure how close that is to you---I am not really familiar with that area, but I think she's really liking it! They want us to stay with them and we can take a 'field trip' to DC. I am looking forward to that. I would love to be on the east coast! Ya'll are blessed with many opportunities to visit such a plethora of Historical places!!!!!! You will have to give me some pointers of what to do and when!

You are gonna really enjoy that science and the math!!! Great choices! Well, don't be a stranger!!

 

[bellebud]

just popping in to say how much we LOVE our new hschooling adventure (we just started in march).

we're doing a few weekly co-op classes and weekly playtime w/ other families, the kids have made good friends, we're doing homeschool 4H, monthly hschool book discussion club at the library, just did an archeological camp (had to miss the last 2 days though for medical reasons - but the kids loved the time we were there), we're heading to disney tomorrow (we're surprising the kids! they'll figure it out when we get to the airport), we have a few group field trips on the calendar, our hschool group is planning a williamsburg trip in sept when it's hschool days there... the funny thing is WE'RE NEVER HOME!!

I'm deschooling right now - just doing our classes (history, science, art), the library group and 4H group, and having them play w/ their educational DS games I bought (math tutor, word/spelling games, spanish tutor), oh, and horseback riding lessons we just started... I know it sounds like a lot, but i'm not doing a 'real' schedule yet. but boy are the kids learning... ds7 has totally learned the concept of multiplication by us playing yahtzee a few times - that was easy! and spelling has continued by us playing boggle, bananagram (love that game!), scrabble, even that webkinz word game.

we're definitely going to 'school' year-round too... all this learning in non-conventional ways is actually fun, and I wouldn't want it to stop. For our bookclub, I'm reading the book to the kids (dd9 and ds7) - they could read it themselves, but they're loving storytime and so am I. and this way I know they can discuss the story at book club.

just wanted to let anyone thinking of hschooling how wonderful it can be!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Hi Bellebud~ Glad you decided to join us!!

sounds like ya'll are having a blast! Good to hear. Have a wonderful trip--let us know how it goes!!!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Hi bellebud, we're just getting into homeschooling too! That's great that you are having so much fun... And we're leaving for Disney on Tuesday!!! Have a blast, I can't wait!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

I was thinking about making an Epcot Passport, for getting them stamped at all of the different countries. I found a design on the Disign thread and was wondering if anyone here ever made them and what they came out looking like? Thanks

Or if anyone has a picture of one that you buy in Epcot, would you mind posting it.

I've just been so creative with this trip, I figured i'd try to make them. I made personalized autograph books and t shirts with the designs that were made from disers here!!!

Thanks

 

[mickeyjen]

I was thinking about making an Epcot Passport, for getting them stamped at all of the different countries. I found a design on the Disign thread and was wondering if anyone here ever made them and what they came out looking like? Thanks

Or if anyone has a picture of one that you buy in Epcot, would you mind posting it.

I've just been so creative with this trip, I figured i'd try to make them. I made personalized autograph books and t shirts with the designs that were made from disers here!!!

Thanks

We didn't do the passports - the kids were just as excited about the kidcot masks! They stamp them at each world, and because we were there at Christmas time, we got each representative to write out "Merry Christmas" and our kids' name in their language. It was SO neat and got the kids talking to the representatives and asking them other questions about their countries as well (especially the ones that don't generally celebrate Christmas! ). If you DO decide on the passports (which might be easier to keep once their home) be sure to ask them to write in their language!

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

I was thinking about making an Epcot Passport, for getting them stamped at all of the different countries. I found a design on the Disign thread and was wondering if anyone here ever made them and what they came out looking like? Thanks

Or if anyone has a picture of one that you buy in Epcot, would you mind posting it.

I've just been so creative with this trip, I figured i'd try to make them. I made personalized autograph books and t shirts with the designs that were made from disers here!!!

Thanks

http://s143.photobucket.com/albums/r132/donatalie/Passports/Passport 2/

This is a link from one of the people here. She has amazing designs. I think you will love her passport pages.

 

[3princesses+aprince]

We didn't do the passports - the kids were just as excited about the kidcot masks! They stamp them at each world, and because we were there at Christmas time, we got each representative to write out "Merry Christmas" and our kids' name in their language. It was SO neat and got the kids talking to the representatives and asking them other questions about their countries as well (especially the ones that don't generally celebrate Christmas! ). If you DO decide on the passports (which might be easier to keep once their home) be sure to ask them to write in their language!

Oh, I forgot about the masks too!! Thanks

http://s143.photobucket.com/albums/r132/donatalie/Passports/Passport 2/

This is a link from one of the people here. She has amazing designs. I think you will love her passport pages.

Thanks a lot, i'm going to go check it out!

I don't know why I just though about this yesterday!! I don't have much time left!!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

I was just reading a pre trip report, and she was asking about homeschool days in September at Epcot. She has a daughter in 1st grade and a son in K. She was wondering if this was too young? Does anyone know?

Thanks, I can let her know. I did direct her too, i'm not sure if she has found this homeschool chat yet or not?

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!! To all my hsing mom friends!!!! hope your day is spectacular and full of blessings!

 

[Tink&PirateMama]

I was just reading a pre trip report, and she was asking about homeschool days in September at Epcot. She has a daughter in 1st grade and a son in K. She was wondering if this was too young? Does anyone know?

Thanks, I can let her know. I did direct her too, i'm not sure if she has found this homeschool chat yet or not?

Hi- thanks! That's me!!

Yes, I have two kids and will be there during homeschool days- I was wondering if the first day would be appropriate for that age range? And what others have thought of the programs in the past? It really looks fantastic!!

Thank you!

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

Just wanted to say Happy Mother's Day

I received my favortie flowers- Gerber Daisies

But one was extra special- 2 blooms 1 stem

You are special! You are unique! Happy Mother's Day to all of you extra special moms.