*** Homeschool List ***

[Kerlynne]

http://www.ciconline.org/resources/default.htm

Hope this is found useful to someone.

I finally put in our order for my ds curriculum, but I think it said they mail out only once a week, and I just missed it, so it make take a little longer to come in. But it's fine, since we won't start school, till after Labor Day. This is just the beginning of our home schooling journey, and already faith is in play. And that is because after looking at the price tag...OUCH. I'm praying, Lord, you have directed us to do this, and we will need you to work out the little details, like the finances. Which we know he can and will do.


"So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life--whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not.
Matthew 6:25-27 (New Living Translation)

 

[toystoryduo]

Good morning!

I just found this thread and I am so excited! I am homeschooling my DD4 in kindergarten this year. We are using My Father's World and I am really looking forward to it! Before becoming a SAHM, I was a fifth grade teacher so while teaching isn't new to me, teaching kindergarten is!

Can anyone tell me where I can find the legal requirements for homeschooling? We live in Ohio if that helps.Thanks!

 

[disneymom3]

Lisa--do you think you could teach the Scaredy Cat system with just the student book or do you need the whole package? I am really intrigued by this system. I have heard Joyce Herzog speak and was totally impressed with all she said. I just worry that $50 is a bit to spend when who knows if my 5 yo will just pick it up on his own like his sister did. However, he is definitely not ready to do the writing that so many programs require at beginnning reading so that is another thing that draws me to this.

Feedback, feedback.....

 

[disneymom3]

Good morning!

I just found this thread and I am so excited! I am homeschooling my DD4 in kindergarten this year. We are using My Father's World and I am really looking forward to it! Before becoming a SAHM, I was a fifth grade teacher so while teaching isn't new to me, teaching kindergarten is!

Can anyone tell me where I can find the legal requirements for homeschooling? We live in Ohio if that helps.Thanks!

Hi there, I am using MFW K with my 5 yo and 4 yo boys this year too. Love it! Check out the Homeschool Legal Defense assoc website and they should at the very least have a link to your state. www.hslda.org

Welcome!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Lisa--do you think you could teach the Scaredy Cat system with just the student book or do you need the whole package? I am really intrigued by this system. I have heard Joyce Herzog speak and was totally impressed with all she said. I just worry that $50 is a bit to spend when who knows if my 5 yo will just pick it up on his own like his sister did. However, he is definitely not ready to do the writing that so many programs require at beginnning reading so that is another thing that draws me to this.

Feedback, feedback.....

I do recommend the package. The CD has the songs and lessons--and the flash cards are great. As well as games. It is all rather pedestrian in quality--and one could make them at home...but for me to tell you how would be a breach of her copyright and that is what you are paying for with her. The teacher manual also lists an approach to teaching it to get the stuff in their minds. (which is what I needed). The package includes: Teacher manual and student workbook (plastic spiral-bounded), flashcards (words for each vowel, rebel words, upper and lower case alphabet--must cut yourself though ), On letter-size card stock: games for each vowel, upper case alphabet, lower case alphabet, vowels in different fonts, and on a double laminate sheet a game which I think encompasses all the words learned in the set. Additionally---a little dime set of game pawns and a pair of dice.

It has no writing as a requirement--but it is an option--as DD5 is mastering words--instead of just having her spell them out loud--I am having her write them to practice penmanship. If they are writing they can write--if not, they don't have to. Part of it is learning to spell the words--but they can speak that instead of writing it. The program was initially geared towards LD students that Ms. Herzog taught--and her priority is on teaching kids how to read...even those deemed unteachable. ETA: She later made it available to homeschoolers---and I didn't mean to convey that our kids are teachable--just that this is a user friendly program to teach phonics/reading.

Glancing at the workbook--you could use alone--but I need all the other materials to make it easier for me to convey the material. If workbooks is all you need--you can get workbooks anywhere. Joyce's stuff---to me it is the songs that sell it for me. Not that I enjoy her singing voice (about as bad as mine )--but the songs are catchy and that is what my daughter is picking up. She has songs for ALL the phonics rules pertinent. I do have the CD from level 1 which is just the songs. Level 2--the CD is sectioned into lessons and songs are within the lesson, no way to call up just the songs.

We "wasted" our money on level 1--but I am glad to have the CD. I say wasted...b/c we got it and started it--finished maybe 10 letters. Took a break in May--then when we started school....for a kick, I gave her the letter sounds test--and she practically aced it (missed 1 b/c of confusion--not lack of knowing the sound). So between getting it and really getting down to using it--she figured out all the sounds. So I had to quickly buy level 2 and that is what we are using now.

If your child already knows sounds--skip level 1 and go to level 2. If you can get the songs CD--I would get that as well.

Also--please note--these aren't going to be the fancy workbooks like explode the code (binded--profesional printing)--it is obvious (to me) that they are...in lieu of a better word...homemade/printed professionally. They are well-made...but I can tell it is a homemade effort. The material is good though and daughter enjoys it. I did buy one supplement item, but did not like it. I am going to stick to the meat of her stuff--and not get the extra stuff (her booklets and such).

Hope this helps--ultimately, you have to get what you will think worked for you. DD was getting so bored with Explode the Code and we weren't really getting anywhere. She wanted to learn to read--and I couldn't keep her interested in learning what she needed to in Get, Ready, Set--she wanted to jump right in--and the material was too hard for her. She enjoys the scaredy cat (though today--she didn't like her 3 new words..my mistake on the ones I picked ).

ETA: Just put the wkbk away and took another peak--there are pages that say "instructions in teacher's manual". Also I recall reading in her instructions that the workbook isn't meant to be used alone (hence the reference for instructions). Just an additional FYI for you.

 

[Good Ol Gal]

Good morning!

I just found this thread and I am so excited! I am homeschooling my DD4 in kindergarten this year. We are using My Father's World and I am really looking forward to it! Before becoming a SAHM, I was a fifth grade teacher so while teaching isn't new to me, teaching kindergarten is!

Can anyone tell me where I can find the legal requirements for homeschooling? We live in Ohio if that helps.Thanks!

Hi there!! I live in OH also. This is a good site that explains Ohio's requirements. Let me know if you need anymore info
http://www.geocities.com/ffigtree_98_99/Notificationhints.html

 

[JMSMommy]

That Scaredy Cat Phonics sounds interesting! DS6 has a "music sensitivity" and can't stand anyone singing who isn't perfectly on key (and even then he screams for me to turn music off some). We have finally gotten him to participate in music classes (but he doesn't sing and luckily he no longer puts his hands on his ears). Quite rough actually on us, I play piano and French horn (even now in church orchestra). Dh sings solos in our church (it has 2000+ members). FIL composes music (mostly hymns). SIL is singing in NYC (not on Broadway yet, but still trying). SIL has even sung for some Disney movies. If I can get DS6 past this "sensory" issue, then I'll look in that phonics program for DS2.

On the other side of things, we're using Sonlight Core 1 (spread out through 2 years), and I just bought the materials for this years Math, handwriting, advanced phonics lessons (as Core 1 still has him sounding out 3 & 4 letter words and he's reading chapter books), and spelling. OUCH! Hit the budget HARD. I was going to purchase all the advanced readers for Core 1 (he's done with the regular readers), but I think at this point we'll visit the library.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

That Scaredy Cat Phonics sounds interesting! DS6 has a "music sensitivity" and can't stand anyone singing who isn't perfectly on key

While Ms. Herzog does her best and wrote the songs herself--I'm afraid your son would be . However--if someone who was perfect pitch could sing those songs for him.....

I don't mean to knock the lady--but I was when I heard it and I am not the best musician. Hubby was like "honey, you know this lady can't sing, don't you". -- but for kids with no sensitivites..it works. So we are stuck with it in our heads.

 

[JMSMommy]

Yeah, I was going to check it out for DS2, but when I read that I was thinking...do I really want to torture DS6. Thanks though for the HONEST opinion on it. It really helped me to decide to wait and see how this year goes with music sensitivity. Yes, I could get Aunt Beth or Papa to sing the songs (DS6 doesn't like Dh to sing either...and he tells me to be quiet when in church).

Have you ever heard of Sing Spell Read and Write? That was one that was highly recommended for DS6 when I was doing Kindergarten. That first word of it made me say no (he was still in the hands over the ears and groaning stage). Others I know absolutely love it though.

DS2 *adores* music. Luckily, but it's been tough exposing him to as much as I would like.

 

[stamper]

Welcome to the thread stamper! We use Spelling Power too and I just love it, as does DD9. We just started using it last year and she is thrilled that she only has to study the words she doesn't know. I also got the Activity Cards for more choices and I feel they are a good choice. I love that I will never have to buy another spelling program in my educational life and that all three of my kids can use it at the same time at different levels.

Thanks for the welcome! These are the reasons I like the Spelling Power book! DD15 is not a great speller and she has decided that even though she is continueing at her school, we will do some spelling work at home....YAY!!

We will be starting soon

 

[disneymom3]

While Ms. Herzog does her best and wrote the songs herself--I'm afraid your son would be . However--if someone who was perfect pitch could sing those songs for him.....

I don't mean to knock the lady--but I was when I heard it and I am not the best musician. Hubby was like "honey, you know this lady can't sing, don't you". -- but for kids with no sensitivites..it works. So we are stuck with it in our heads.

Well, this could be a problem for us too. Hmmm, I will have to keep thinking about it. The whole homemade feel of it is what made me decide last year not to get it--I had fogotten that. In our family, if you can just carry a tune or just play one instrument, you may as well just say you don't have any talent. (DD and DH have perfect pitch and can pretty much figure out any song on several instruments by ear. Really drives me nuts!) Anway, sounds like this CD would put both of them over the edge!

 

[disneymom3]

Hey, guys, I need some feedback. I am in a weekly co-op. Overall things are fine, but we are gettting some new members in (we have been pretty small--a total of 20 kids) and the dynamics of DD9s class are changing. As it stands, this next year, she will be in a class with 5 boys. That is it. They are 9 and 10 and I know three of them well and they are nice little boys. However, there are NO other girls. The other parents are acting like this is no big deal and I think it is a concern.

What do you think? How would your 9 or 10 year olds like to be in a class of all students of the opposite sex?

 

[Good Ol Gal]

does anyone here use online charter schools? My ds10 is very interested in using connections academy this year. Does anyone have any insight or advice on it?

 

[Mrsduck101]

does anyone here use online charter schools? My ds10 is very interested in using connections academy this year. Does anyone have any insight or advice on it?

We are using OHDELA this year. My kids have attended regular public school until now. I know some homeschoolers don't like the online charter schools to say they homeschool, so I always tell people we are using a virtual charter school. I am so excited to have my kids at home and away from PS and they are thrilled to be able to work at their own pace and not be held back.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I feel terrible--I checked with our parochial school to see if they had an opening....and they dooooo!!!

I do not know what to do. Hubby and I are in agreement that if she doesn't try it out--she will always know..and kindergarten is a good place to try it out.

I think I'm seeing the lifeboat, the helicopter, and the airplane---where God is saying....go for it!

Such a quandry!

 

[Eeyore's Girl]

Hey, guys, I need some feedback. I am in a weekly co-op. Overall things are fine, but we are gettting some new members in (we have been pretty small--a total of 20 kids) and the dynamics of DD9s class are changing. As it stands, this next year, she will be in a class with 5 boys. That is it. They are 9 and 10 and I know three of them well and they are nice little boys. However, there are NO other girls. The other parents are acting like this is no big deal and I think it is a concern.

What do you think? How would your 9 or 10 year olds like to be in a class of all students of the opposite sex?

My DD12 would definitely have an issue with this situation!

 

[TNKBELL]

I feel terrible--I checked with our parochial school to see if they had an opening....and they dooooo!!!

I do not know what to do. Hubby and I are in agreement that if she doesn't try it out--she will always know..and kindergarten is a good place to try it out.

I think I'm seeing the lifeboat, the helicopter, and the airplane---where God is saying....go for it!

Such a quandry!

Lisa, just wanted to send some encouragement your way!
I was very unsure of my own ability to hs my Dks, so I had them on the waiting list at our Catholic school. I was soooo nervous and was worried about them being behind and me (no teaching degree)not being able to teach them. This is my 4th year and I can honestly say it gets easier each passing year. Last year the school called and asked if I still wanted to be on the list, and I told them No, I will continue hs.They are really flourishing!! There are many reasons I hs, some I can't list on a public forum(fear of flames), but there are always ups and downs but the sacrifice and rewards are soooo worth it! I hope you hang in there and give it a chance, I've been there too! This (unsure feelings) too shall pass! God Bless! Debi

 

[Eeyore's Girl]

Although my DD12 is a homeschooler, my DD5 (she turned 5 just yesterday) has started K5 this year. My reason for sending her to school is really not much more than the fact that she wants to be with other children ALL OF THE TIME. My thinking was - when she says she's ready to homeschool, then that's when we'll start with her.

In one sense, the situation couldn't be better - most of the teachers/staff at the school know her because they've watched her grow up from an infant because DD12 went to this school as well. Her teacher attends the same church where our family goes, and she knows several of the other children at the school. Problem is - she cries at school every day, and sometimes she cries at home, too. Her complaint is that the day is too long (which it is - 8am till 2:45). As I mentioned, she just turned 5 yesterday.

I don't want to wimp out and withdraw her because she cries - that sounds silly. My thought is to try to hang in there for a while to see if she'll adjust. I don't feel a need to keep her there academically, I just wanted her to have a chance to be with friends every day. On the other hand, I consider us a homeschool family and am not interested in her being miserable when I don't consider it necessary.

Ideally, there would be a half-day K5 program for her, but the only ones available are at private schools and we can't afford that right now. I've thought about the idea of sending her back to her preschool on a 5 day program (she went 3 days per week last year). Is this a reasonable option? Am I being too much of a mother-hen? She's only been at school for 7 days now, so how long should I expect for her to make the adjustments?

Thanks for any input - I need it!!

 

[Brier Rose]

does anyone here use online charter schools? My ds10 is very interested in using connections academy this year. Does anyone have any insight or advice on it?

This looks similar to what my DD is doing this year, The Morning Star Academy.

We cannot log on to her homeroom until Sept. 7, but we received all of her paperwork and enrichment materials yesterday , and so far we're really impressed.

This is the most excited DD has been to start school yet!

A lot of people think it requires spending large amounts of time sitting in front of the computer, but it doesn't. It's usually about 2-3 hrs. per day, and the rest is done offline. This can be done all at once, or broken up into segments during the day.

When you get ready to work offline, you just open a study hall window before you get started, and then log back in when you get through so that you get credit for all the time you worked offline.

There is no set schedule or time to have to adhere to, but to be able to contact a teacher online for questions, it has to be during normal school hours. Or you can send an email and they'll get back to you the next day.

MorningStar Academy has this feature called "Raise Your Hand".
This was my favorite feature, as it provided me with the confidence I was lacking at being able to teach something I may even have questions about.
If DD is reading her ebook, or doing her lesson online and has a question, she clicks on the raise your hand icon, and is immediatly able to talk to a teacher.

I believe this will be especially handy this year, as I'm starting with my DS and won't be able to give her my full attention all the time.

I hope I answered some of your questions. I'm sure you can tell by my long post I'm excited and love to talk about it! If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

Good Luck!

 

[sm4987]

Thanks for the warm welcome and I am looking into some of the programs tha tyou al are using. Plus we have some great christian bookstores around here and I'll hit them up really soon. I'm so glad that there is a place to share all of this without feeling out of place, stupid, or someone always telling you that you are wrong for the choices you are making.