Homeschool Chat

[jacksmomma]

Oh Wow...homeschoolers on the DIS! I am starting home school preschool with DS who is 3 in a week and a half. Now I have found a place where people like home schooling and the mouse?! I will definitely be back to read through the thread later tonight.

Just wanted to peek my head in and say hello!

 

[chicagoshannon]

Hey ChicagoShannon!

I'm a Northern IL homeschooler. Just wanted to mention that I've once read that about 1 hour per grade level is a good estimate for amount of schooling time, particularly in the elementary grades. I have a 3rd grader and a preK. Our preK, so far, takes only about 30 minutes, but I do plan on having her join in for any activities that she's interested in that big sister is doing. I think the more you homeschool, the more you are on the look-out for how to build an educational environment, so that learning can happen all through-out the day.

That's helpful thanks!

Our curriculum has only 1 hour of school (maybe 1h15m tops) for K and 1.

2nd was mabye 1h 30 minutes...3rd about 2 hours...4th is pushing 3 hours.


45 minutes is PLENTY!!!!! (in fact--JHMO--it may be a bit much for "formal" schooling.)

Now I will say we are adjusting to our new year. 1st grader is finishing within her allotted hour. 4th grader is taking a bit longer. Finding that she is a bit of a procrastinator. (We are still shaking out some ADHD tendancies).

So our school day for her is running ALLLLL day. Though I'm not sure what the formal time is since we have activities that break it up.


With the stated times--my 4th grader has done quite well on standardized tests since she was in Kindergarten--so clearly our "short" "formal" school time is not a disadvantage to her.

My 1st grader was not tested last year as it wasn't offered by our group for K and 1 this past year. But she does very well though.

What curriculum are you using?

What are you using for Pre-K? We're using Calvert and started today too. We were done in about 40 minutes. My dd seemed to enjoy it.

We're doing Horizons now. I'm starting to think we should have done something like Sonlight instead since DD LOVES reading. Oh well, maybe next year.

Oh Wow...homeschoolers on the DIS! I am starting home school preschool with DS who is 3 in a week and a half. Now I have found a place where people like home schooling and the mouse?! I will definitely be back to read through the thread later tonight.

Just wanted to peek my head in and say hello!

Welcome. My daughter is almost 2 and a 1/2. Nice to see someone starting as young as us. What curriculum are you using?


Today school took almost 90 minutes. I think that was too long for sure! We did a lot of coloring today though and for reading time she wanted me to read 4 books so that took some time.

My issue is with what she is "learning". This week we're "learning" the number 1, letter Aa, triangle, and the colors blue, red, and green. Madeline knows all of this already. She's having fun with the work sheets and the stories and rhymes we're learning. I'm just not sure if we should skip ahead or try something else. I'll probably keep going with it for at least a couple more weeks to give it a genuine try. Maybe I just need to cut things out.

 

[SCHBR'smom]

We've started our homeschool. I have journals for all the kids (well all, except the baby, of course, she'd try to eat it. LOL). DS is in 1st this year. For the past 3 days, he's been very excited to write in his journal. He's started writing and illustrating stories for me. Each one is about 5 pages long with 1-3 sentences on each page. Pretty good for a 6 yr old, I think. The first one was about a crab with 16 eyes. Then a hippo who escaped from the zoo and ate someone's playing cards before returning to the zoo. And, today he wrote about a penguin with a jet pack (because how else would a penguin fly). I'm amazed already. This is going to be a fun year!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

We've started our homeschool. I have journals for all the kids (well all, except the baby, of course, she'd try to eat it. LOL). DS is in 1st this year. For the past 3 days, he's been very excited to write in his journal. He's started writing and illustrating stories for me. Each one is about 5 pages long with 1-3 sentences on each page. Pretty good for a 6 yr old, I think. The first one was about a crab with 16 eyes. Then a hippo who escaped from the zoo and ate someone's playing cards before returning to the zoo. And, today he wrote about a penguin with a jet pack (because how else would a penguin fly). I'm amazed already. This is going to be a fun year!

Sounds great. We're starting up on Monday, can't wait to finally get going. Great job with the writing, my dd8 loves to write but my dd10, oh boy, she's a tough one!!!!!!!!

 

[jacksmomma]

What curriculum are you using?



We're doing Horizons now. I'm starting to think we should have done something like Sonlight instead since DD LOVES reading. Oh well, maybe next year.



Welcome. My daughter is almost 2 and a 1/2. Nice to see someone starting as young as us. What curriculum are you using?

Right now we are using unit studies that I am planning on my own. When I was getting my elem. ed. degree unit studies seemed to be a natural way that kids would learn and a great way to make it fun. It was something that I really wanted to use in my classroom. Then I got into the real schools and realized that the tests dictated everything we did. Finally I can do what I really want to!

After the preschool years I am leaning toward following The Well-Trained Mind...but who knows, we may like units and stick with them for a while.

Our first unit is butterflies. We received our caterpillars the other day in the mail and they are already building their chrysalids. DS is thrilled. Family is giving me flack about home schooling, or I should say was. Last night when he started talking about metamorphisis, they all became very quiet!

 

[jacksmomma]

We've started our homeschool. I have journals for all the kids (well all, except the baby, of course, she'd try to eat it. LOL). DS is in 1st this year. For the past 3 days, he's been very excited to write in his journal. He's started writing and illustrating stories for me. Each one is about 5 pages long with 1-3 sentences on each page. Pretty good for a 6 yr old, I think. The first one was about a crab with 16 eyes. Then a hippo who escaped from the zoo and ate someone's playing cards before returning to the zoo. And, today he wrote about a penguin with a jet pack (because how else would a penguin fly). I'm amazed already. This is going to be a fun year!

It sounds like you have a very creative young man on your hands. That sounds great! Have fun!

 

[LegoMom3]

Right now we are using unit studies that I am planning on my own. When I was getting my elem. ed. degree unit studies seemed to be a natural way that kids would learn and a great way to make it fun. It was something that I really wanted to use in my classroom. Then I got into the real schools and realized that the tests dictated everything we did. Finally I can do what I really want to!

After the preschool years I am leaning toward following The Well-Trained Mind...but who knows, we may like units and stick with them for a while.

Our first unit is butterflies. We received our caterpillars the other day in the mail and they are already building their chrysalids. DS is thrilled. Family is giving me flack about home schooling, or I should say was. Last night when he started talking about metamorphisis, they all became very quiet!

Don't you love that?!!

We primarily do unit studies here. I love the freedom of picking a topic of interest and seeing how much the kids get into it!

.

 

[chicagoshannon]

Has anyone used Hands on Homeschooling? I'm really thinking of ditching the Horizons, at least for now.

Those of you doing unit studies, how do you incorporate writing into it? I'm not talking about writing stories, I mean learning to write letters and things. Do you have a practice book or something?

 

[jacksmomma]

Those of you doing unit studies, how do you incorporate writing into it? I'm not talking about writing stories, I mean learning to write letters and things. Do you have a practice book or something?

DS is a pre-writer but it is not too hard to add in. We have a letter of the week that is the first letter of topic we are learning about. I can see as he gets older having some copy work pertaining to the topic. For his practice I print off lined paper and put it inside a page protector. He uses a dry erase marker on it and we can just keep reusing. It saves me money and is earth friendly!

 

[anabelle]

Anyone going Homeschool days signing their kids up for YES classes?

 

[littlepeppers]

Ran into a HS hater today.

As a teacher herself, I'm suprised that she didn't like my decision to pull DS out of school since he wasn't learning. She of course talked out of both sides saying that she isn't a fan of HS & is worried that they don't get socialized all while saying how her kid is only worried about socializing at school & is in constant trouble for it.

DS is never in trouble for socializing now b/c it has a place. School is for learning & the two different sports that he is in & the neighborhood kids are for socializing.

 

[anabelle]

That's funny because my kids are more social now than when they were in school. They are on homeschool sports teams so they constantly see other kids. They also have started hanging around the neighborhood kids. They never seem to be able to before because we were getting home so late from after school care. We would race to get homework done and get dinner in before bed. That was not fun.

My family is full of educators, so I thought I would get flack from my parents. But after my mom saw how we handle it and what they get to experience, she didn't worry anymore.

 

[nono]

saying that she isn't a fan of HS & is worried that they don't get socialized

Hi folks -- I never posted on this thread before but just had to respond to this. When I occasionally get this comment headed my way, I just can't help but answer that "It's not like I lock them in the closet when I'm not teaching them...." with a smile and usually, usually, the person making the comment has their moment.

My D is 5 and is following my eclectic mix of subjects for the year. S is 2 1/2 and unschooled for now.

Thanks for letting me pop in!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

I guess they think just because we homeschool we are always HOME. I guess it's that word HOME that gets everyone a little confused. Until we started looking into this about a year ago, I admit, I didn't have a clue about it either. I guess when you don't know about something you kind of just take a guess and that's your perspective on it.

 

[*Toadstool*]

Has anyone here used a curriculum for preschool? I am getting from most people that they don't, but personally I would like to. I'd love some recommendations.

 

[chicagoshannon]

Has anyone here used a curriculum for preschool? I am getting from most people that they don't, but personally I would like to. I'd love some recommendations.

We are. We started using Horizons last week. It's a good curriculum but the crafts aren't really hands on. So far they are all coloring, cutting, and pasting.

I"m 99% sure we're going to order Hands on Homeschooling this week (she fills all her orders on Wednesdays so I have til then to decide)

Others on here have said before five in a row is good but there isn't really a description or sample of it online so I'm hesitant to order it.

 

[chicagoshannon]

DS is a pre-writer but it is not too hard to add in. We have a letter of the week that is the first letter of topic we are learning about. I can see as he gets older having some copy work pertaining to the topic. For his practice I print off lined paper and put it inside a page protector. He uses a dry erase marker on it and we can just keep reusing. It saves me money and is earth friendly!

Thanks for that idea! We have a tracing book that is wipe off but it's just lines/circles. I'll have to pick up some page protectors.

 

[desparatelydisney]

Hey guys!

I just wanted to say that we have gotten thru our first three weeks and everything is starting to fall into place. The first week was rough, the second was better. Tomorrow starts week 4 and my confidence and knowledge of what to expect is growing daily.

So far, PreK/K is taking about 1.5 hours a day; 3rd grade is taking anywhere from 2.5 to 3.5 hours a day. I will be glad when PreK starts back up three mornings a week for my little guy in another week or so because his short little attention span gets everybody else fidgeting.

I don't post on here often, but I read it alot and you guys have given me sooo much inspiration and support. It hleps so much to know that I am not the only one that struggles with or thinks things

I have finally settled on a modified Charlotte Mason/Classical approach - it only took me 500 hours of research and 3 weeks of teaching to figure that out Thought I'd share what we have finally settled on and are enjoying:

Pre-K & K
Five in a Row
Steck-Vaughn Kindergarten Math with a lot of counting practice and the like
Handwriting without Tears
Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading
Explode the Code Online

3rd Grade
John Hopkins Accelerated Math Grade 3
John Hopkins Early Reader Series - Dogs
Beyond Five in a Row (while we are waiting for John Hopkins to start)
First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind
Spelling Wisdom
Daily 6-Traiting Writing Practice
Story of the World - Ancients
Noeo Science - Biology I


Thanks again for all the support and good luck to everybody else!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

toadstool~ We have used ABeka and five in a row...both are really good...you can pick and choose what you want from ABeka,then add in FIAR for your literature. The ABeka is Christian..which is what we wanted.. not sure if you want that...but, the older your kids get with ABeka, the more work that they have. But, the PreK and K are great!! Wonderful phonics program also!! Great craft books.
FIAR is wonderful for lit.and story time. they really learn lots from those little books!!!!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

I have 3 daughters, they will be in K, 2nd, and 4th grade. We are officially starting tomorrow, but today we were getting everything in order and ended up taking out some books and doing a few things.

My head was spinning... if one wasn't talking the other one was..... if one didn't need my help, the other one did.... I'm getting a little, ok very nervous. I hope I can give them all of the attention they need and I hope they can all concentrate on their own work when someone else is asking a question. It seemed like every time dd5 spoke, dd8 or dd10 would stop what they were doing to listen, now I know that's not going to work.
How do you do it, how does it all work out. Maybe i'm thinking too much into this and we'll all be just fine once we get the hang of it ????

Maybe for certain subjects, they need to be separated so they can work in peace.???