Homeschool Chat

[littlepeppers]

Hello again. Haven't had much time to post lately, but I should be back now.

We were just in Virginia for 4 days visiting friends and took a side trip to Williamsburg. We didn't have any tickets cause it wasn't a planned trip to the historical area.

We are so ready for school to be over for the summer. DD has lost all concentration.

Secular curriculum: We use Calvert and really like it. This is our 3rd year. We have used pre-k, k and 1st. I am going to use it for 2nd as well.

We are going w/ Calvert this year. Do you use the ATS?

I still need to find a good Catholic 2nd gd religion book to supp. CCD classes (no one ever listens at them). I want my DS to understand the sacraments that he will recieve.

 

[littlepeppers]

I wouldn't be overly concerned about his reading issues, esp. if you are going to be hs him this fall. The issues may have nothing to do with his being a premie, esp if he hasn't had any issues up till now Maybe he's just a late reader. I was at a homeschool conference last weekend, and in one of the workshops, the speaker told us that 2 of his kids actually didn't read until they were 10 Sounds shocking, but he said they didn't worry about it, and the kids learned to read on their own time. He said those 2 are now the best readers in the family, and that once they started, they took off. One of those kids is only 11 or 12 now, but can read a 300 page book in only a day or two There IS hope! Don't give up! And tell him not to give up, either...one day it just may "click." Good luck!

Maybe it will be like potty training. One day is just "clicks". Where is the Elmo book for this one.

 

[Corinne Johnson]

DisneyMom3,

My kids are really into the Vacation Education series. They look forward to 'Disney School' every day. We plan on going through the series twice, once pre-trip and then again a few weeks after we get back. This should help to reinforce some of the things they observed on their own and hopefully encourage then to delve a bit deeper into a subject. Especially my 5th grader.

Nini

Hi Nini,
Glad to hear that you guys are having fun with the Vacation Education Books. We used the Epcot book every year for four years, approaching the countries from a different angle each year.
We also school all year.
This summer we are working on organizing a high school plan for our daughter. She is entering 8th grade, so we are trying to prepare for this next year to be a year of 'transition' from "little girl" school to "big girl" school. Now, we have to think about colleges, and scholarships and the FUTURE! It's all new and exciting.
Corinne Johnson, author, vacationeducationbooks

 

[heatherplus3]

My son is having trouble reading. He has decoding issues.

He is finishing 1st grade at a private school on Friday. (Our public schools are a joke.) He missed somthing w/ the reading this year. There are many tears being shed right now.

We are trying a program called Fast Forward this summer to try to get him reading before we start HS. Has anyone tried it?

Have you checked out lindamood-bell kits at ganderpublishing.com? My DS also has decoding issues and we are doing the Seeing Stars kit. It was expensive but it really has been worth it. The decoding problems can be a real booger! My poor son was so frustrated, I felt so bad for him. PM me if you have more questions!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Wow, I've been hearing so much about the vacation education books and I just went to the website to check them out, and they look like a ton of FUN!!! We just got back from our first Walt Disney World trip and are going back again in September 2010. That leaves enough time to go through these books!!!

So for the ones who use them during "school" do you have enough time to put them in along with everything else you have to get done every day. I would like to buy them all. Although I couldn't put the AK one in my cart, it wouldn't select, is that one out to buy yet?

I would like to buy them and start using them when we start school in August/September. I kids will absolutely look forward to them all of the time, I will too!

So can you give me your experience with these books. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks so much!!

 

[emh1129]

I have homeschooled my 12 yr old for the past 3 years. He is either HFA/or AS depending on who is doing the testing. I finally pulled him out after 3 years of fighting with the district over giving him services and getting nothing... all the while ds would come home from school crying every day because he just couldn't deal with normal school. That was enough for me. I can honestly say that we have our good days and bad days, but we have found what works for us.
AND we can have awesome experiences like going to WDW homeschool days. I can honestly say that I had no idea that WDW did a homeschool day. We got our reservations 2 months ago (w/ non-refundable airline tickets) and just found out yesterday that we WILL be there on the same day as homeschool days!! How cool is that? We are going to try to do the history YES class on the 22nd. Has anyone done this one? I thought it was cool that you get to go into the MK park before it opens to the public and get to go onstage at the Hall of Presidents. I am the history teacher for our homeschool group, so this totally seems like something we would LOVE!!
Anyway, you can email me personally if you have questions about homeschooling with Asp/HFA.

Thanks for your response! I just pulled my son out of school one week ago tomorrow. So it hasn't been very long. We were planning to do it at the end of the school year, but he was so miserable and begging to homeschool, so DH and I talked about it and decided that the ultimate purpose was to have a happy child- and we knew that his needs weren't being met there, anyway.
So- we are happily homeschooling now. I worry about the battle of wills, so to speak, that come up fairly frequently. I know I'm going to have to keep it fresh and exciting for him & keep our sessions short before his attention fades.
And we might be going in January, anyway, so I'll have to find out more info about those homeschooling days!

That would be me, for one. Anything I can help you with, I'll be happy to do (or at least try!). I've homeschooled my DD11 for one whole school year, and about 11 weeks last year. While it can definitely be challenging, to say the least, it also has its rewards My DD is SO much happier now than when she was in school

Great- I'm sure that I will have lots of questions for you!
Ds seems.. relieved, I think, to not have the pressure of school hanging over him anymore.
He looked at me yesterday- after we had read about seven books together (and he is starting to read on his OWN now, which is so exciting, we've spent so much time together working on it) and he says "Thanks for teaching me how to read, Mom." It brought tears to my eyes!

My 11 year old has Asperger's.

Dawn

Thanks, Dawn! It's nice to know there are others who are successfully homeschooling

 

[NHWX]

We don't have kids just yet, but we're thinking we'll end up home schooling our kids. DH and I were both in the gifted program from K thru 12, and when we were in mainstream classes, we were both stupidly bored. I know there's no way to be sure that our kids will be the same way, but I have an odd feeling they'll be bored in mainstream schools. The thing I love about the idea of home schooling is that we can do things at our pace. If they finish a subject before the school year is over, that's awesome. DH is military, so we'll be moving a lot, another bonus to home schooling there . What I'm wondering are what secular HS programs are the best, since neither of us are religious.

Been there, done that but without the moving as a result of a military job. We've used an eclectic mix of curriculum. Currently we're using

- K12.com (www.k12.com)
- a Johns Hopkins' CTY course (www.cty.jhu.edu)
- German Online (http://germanonline.okstate.edu/)
- Brigham Young University's online high school (http://ce.byu.edu/is/site/)
- texts from Art of Problem Solving (http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/)

If either you or your DH (or both!) are math/CS people, I'd love to chat with you about math/cs/engineering courses for my two boys, especially the math. It's one of the good and bad points about homeschooling - you have the freedom to choose coursework but the corresponding responsibility to choose well. Anyone else want to chat about when to fit statistics into a math program? Or is it relevant? How about taking a year off from calculus? Anyone have thoughts about discrete math or cryptoanalysis?

NHWX

 

[GoofyG]

Newbie over here in the homeschooling department. My oldest is 5 and going to Kindergarten in Aug. She's been going to a private pre school, and I already pd for her next yr at a private school. But I'm starting to look at homeschooling when she starts 1st grade, I'm also trying to find things for her to do during the summer. She is already wanting to do math, so we have been working on addition, she also can read some. Her pre-school did Abeka. I'm also looking for something to start working with my 3yr old. I'm a total newbie and feel overwhelmed by all of the stuff out there. I don't know where to start, what books are best. I'm also concerned if I do homeschool, I have ADHD and a Learning Disability (Math) Will this become a problem with my kids, I'm not concerned with the ADHD as th LD.

Any info would be great, I kow I'm not going to get the moral support from my family. But I know I can't afford private school, and I'm not really into the public school. Though my 3yr old will be doing speech through them when school starts in Aug.

 

[Denine]

We are going w/ Calvert this year. Do you use the ATS?

I still need to find a good Catholic 2nd gd religion book to supp. CCD classes (no one ever listens at them). I want my DS to understand the sacraments that he will recieve.

I have not used ATS yet, but may in the future.

DD starts PSR in the fall. Try Catholic Heritage Curriculum.

 

[littlepeppers]

I have not used ATS yet, but may in the future.

DD starts PSR in the fall. Try Catholic Heritage Curriculum.

I don't want a catholic curriculum. I don't want a slanted version of science & history. I'm looking for a seperate religion book.

My DS is going to use the 2nd gd Calvert series. I would feel more comfortable w/ the ATS, but I'm a certified teacher & can't justify the extra cost when I'm trained to keep a rollbook & grade papers.

Have you ordered your Calvert set yet? We are ordering it next month. My DS still has to get through the Fast Forward program this summer. I'm going to school 12mos so we can slow down & master topics. My DS is a wholistic learner.

 

[graygables]

I have 2007 SOS in 4th and 6th I'm selling if anyone is interested, PM me!

 

[Denine]

I don't want a catholic curriculum. I don't want a slanted version of science & history. I'm looking for a seperate religion book.

My DS is going to use the 2nd gd Calvert series. I would feel more comfortable w/ the ATS, but I'm a certified teacher & can't justify the extra cost when I'm trained to keep a rollbook & grade papers.

Have you ordered your Calvert set yet? We are ordering it next month. My DS still has to get through the Fast Forward program this summer. I'm going to school 12mos so we can slow down & master topics. My DS is a wholistic learner.

You don't have to use the curriculum. They have a bunch of stuff in the catalog that you can buy separately.

I have not yet ordered 2nd grade. I will sometime this summer.
We use Horizons for math.

 

[Corinne Johnson]

Wow, I've been hearing so much about the vacation education books and I just went to the website to check them out, and they look like a ton of FUN!!! We just got back from our first Walt Disney World trip and are going back again in September 2010. That leaves enough time to go through these books!!!

So for the ones who use them during "school" do you have enough time to put them in along with everything else you have to get done every day. I would like to buy them all. Although I couldn't put the AK one in my cart, it wouldn't select, is that one out to buy yet?

I would like to buy them and start using them when we start school in August/September. I kids will absolutely look forward to them all of the time, I will too!

So can you give me your experience with these books. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks so much!!

So sorry that you had trouble with the AK add to cart button. I'll look into it. Thanks for checking out our site. Corinne Johnson, author, Vacation Education Books

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Hey Corinne~ I pmed you last week, then talked to my friend and said, No Way---that's not her. I don't think she's even hsing anymore!! So, sorry about that!!! I was sure you were her!!!
Anyway, I love the look of your books---I think I am gonna go ahead and order them and we can look over them thru the summer----especially the Epcot countries. They won't even think of that as school----Disney can't be school, right. Can't wait to try this out!!!!!

 

[lori1043]

Hey gals!
I thought about getting those books too,but I wound up making
My own for EPCOT WS. I also enjoy the architecture guides
To each park from the bookstore. For younger kids,we also
Enjoyed an old set of mickey books about different countries
When I get home I will give the exact names. Even my older
One thought they were cute and read them. I bought them off
eBay.

Lori

 

[NiniMorris]

Wow, I've been hearing so much about the vacation education books and I just went to the website to check them out, and they look like a ton of FUN!!! We just got back from our first Walt Disney World trip and are going back again in September 2010. That leaves enough time to go through these books!!!

So for the ones who use them during "school" do you have enough time to put them in along with everything else you have to get done every day. I would like to buy them all. Although I couldn't put the AK one in my cart, it wouldn't select, is that one out to buy yet?

I would like to buy them and start using them when we start school in August/September. I kids will absolutely look forward to them all of the time, I will too!

So can you give me your experience with these books. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks so much!!

We love it! I have been using it as a 'reward' for getting everything done. It is helping my 5th grader see the need for my struggling Kinder to get his work done. We spend anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours each day on the 'Disney School'. Just really depends on how interested they are in whatever the 'subject' is. My kinder mainly justs listens as we talk and read through it (although he enjoys coloring pictures of various animals); while I let my 5th grader determine how in depth we go into a subject. We started with Animal Kingdom, and so far we are doing some really indepth stuff on the various animals.

My daughter has even marked a few things she wants to go back to once we get back home. My plans are to go through all 3 books before we go in September.

By the way...Corrine, is there going to be one for Hollywood Studios? I know you have included some things about the movies of Disney through out, but was wondering if there was going to be one for that park alone...although it would probably be mainly just film history....

Nini

 

[npmommie]

Newbie over here in the homeschooling department. My oldest is 5 and going to Kindergarten in Aug. She's been going to a private pre school, and I already pd for her next yr at a private school. But I'm starting to look at homeschooling when she starts 1st grade, I'm also trying to find things for her to do during the summer. She is already wanting to do math, so we have been working on addition, she also can read some. Her pre-school did Abeka. I'm also looking for something to start working with my 3yr old. I'm a total newbie and feel overwhelmed by all of the stuff out there. I don't know where to start, what books are best. I'm also concerned if I do homeschool, I have ADHD and a Learning Disability (Math) Will this become a problem with my kids, I'm not concerned with the ADHD as th LD.

Any info would be great, I kow I'm not going to get the moral support from my family. But I know I can't afford private school, and I'm not really into the public school. Though my 3yr old will be doing speech through them when school starts in Aug.

First I would say slow down, don't worry about getting books etc for the 3 yo...........not necessary, just using imagination and play they learn thru living life! here is a great article
http://www.besthomeschooling.org/articles/lillian_jones_ps_kdgtn.html

when you say you have a learning disability in math, what do you mean?
you hate math, can't learn it, can't do it, had lots of trouble understanding?

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Thanks Corinne, maybe it's just something I did wrong with the AK book!!! I'm looking forward to ordering them, I can't wait to start those. Being that we just came back from Disney and now that is all my kids talk about, they will be THRILLED to do some Disney work everyday in anticipation for our next trip!

Thanks for sharing your experience Ninimorris, they sound like so much fun


And speaking of ordering books, I just received my Science book from Apologia, my dd9 picked the Zoology, Land Animals, It looks awesome, we were breezing through it. Well, I was, she won't put it down!

 

[Tink561]

I just joined the DisBoards, and feel very blessed to have found a space just for homeschoolers. After our first trip to Disney (about 6 years ago) we started to design unit studies based on each of the exhibits in the park. After four years, we developed a whole series of them. It was more fun than any other curriculum I've ever tried. Does anyone else do anything like this?

I was checking your site and tried to see the sample page for the MK book and I got an error. Is there a way to check it out? What are the target ages for your units?

 

[NiniMorris]

Quick question for anyone going to Disney for the Homeschooling Days in Sept...I got an email telling me to register for the fun...but the link sent me to a page to order tickets...I already have my park tickets. Is there something else I need to do?

We want to try and get in some of the fun...but don't need to order tickets. We are getting ours through the military salute...


Nini