*** Homeschool List ***

[TammyNC]

Thanks! Will be checking out the ideas real soon. We are going to be in Disney from Nov. 24th - Dec. 6th and I want to plan some lessons around our trip.

 

[Denine]

Denine--where did you get the play foam? DS wants floam but it is so expensive for what you get.

Oh, and another thing--I thought you would be interested to know that I ordered American Story 1 from WinterPromise. It should be here in about a week. I cannot wait!!!

I got the play foam at Play Matters. The store is only in Ohio, but you can order on-line, or do a search to see who else sells it.

You will have to give me full details on WP!

 

[wewantmore]

FYI - I recieved this from a Homeschool Group.

Disney is doing it again. This is their 2nd Annual Homeschool Days being held at EPCOT. This is sure to be the most educational and fun-filled fieldtrip of the school year!

Three dates are available...

Monday, Sept. 18th, Tuesday, Sept. 19th, and Wednesday, Sept. 20th
9am to park closing

There are two possible fieldtrips available: Passport Around the World or Science, Disney Style (brand new).

My family participated in the Homeschool Days last year with the Passport Around the World, and my children loved it. They really enjoyed filling in the educational information on each country in the passport booklet handed out and getting their passport stamped at each country's kid-cot. It was also really fun hearing the castmembers from different countries speak to my children about what life was like for them growing up.

For those choosing the Science fieldtrip named Science, Disney Style, a booklet will be handed out to each student with fun filled educational activities. They'll learn about Scientific Methods of Discovery, Innoventions, Manatees, Sea Turtles, Botany, Geography, Human Anatomy, Solar Energy, Space Exploration, and much more.

Both fieldtrips will be taking place simultaneously at EPCOT.

As you may know, from watching the news, the daily price of a one-day ticket to Disney is now $67. The Homeschool Days ticket is $42.00 (before tax) if you have a group of at least ten students attending. This is a $25 discount off each ticket. If you have season passes, then the booklets are just $9 per student.

If interested and have questions, please call Disney directly and speak to Megan. The number is 1-800-833-9806, ext. 6509.

 

[nuzmom]

FYI - I recieved this from a Homeschool Group.

We are heading back home on Sept. 15th.

 

[mello]

FYI - I recieved this from a Homeschool Group.

We may have to try to time a trip for that next year!

 

[Mommy2Lots]

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[Denine]

That sounds interesting, but we usually go in October.

Our classroom is really coming together. We put the bookshelves together last night and I put a bunch of books on them.

I found a great table and chairs, but they were $400. A great price for new, but we can't spend that much right now.

 

[momof2disneybabies]

I would be interested, I will be homeschooling my children once they are old enough!

ETA: Oops, I only read the first post, I didn't realize there were 75 pages of more posts, lol!

 

[ncmomof2]

I will be homeschooling once my kids are old enogh. They are 4, 3 and 6 weeks. I guess I have already started though since I taught my 4 year old to read already. We have decided to HS for many reasons. My first reason was that I did not think a 5 year old needed to be in kindergarden all day. They can nap and have snacks with me instead of at school!! Since then I have done research and have many more reasons! Studies have shown that public schools are failing our boys and my two oldest are boys. Also there are many political things snuck into curriculums that I do not want to be taught to my kids. I would love to hear everyones ideas that are already teaching!

 

[Mommy2Lots]

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[noodleknitter]

yes, ncmomof2, there many, many reasons for homeschooling. We could all go on and on I'm sure. Glad to see I'm not the only one who starts reading early. My 2 oldest each learned at 4 and I'm teaching my 3 year old right now. The 2 year old is learning to recognize the alphabet. Studies have shown that children who read early have a better chance at succeeding at everything else. Best of luck and keep up the work. I look forward to being one of those to give you advice in the future.

I'd like to know the source of your study, because all the information I have read says the opposite. Babies eyes aren't made for reading, and that regardless of when kids learn to de-code that third grade is the average time for all children to grasp comprehension. Childrens brains are wired as preschoolers to study the world, not words.

I have raised early readers and late readers, and in my household of 7 kids, this proves true. They have all been excellent students.

 

[Mommy2Lots]

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[Mommy2Lots]

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[hsmamato2]

You can quote studies from both sides of the fence on early vs. late reading, I think there's some truth in both, but I think the most important thing is that by the time people are ADULTS, there is no discernable difference, which is fine for homeschoolers- but if a child isn't made to read early on in a school setting, it can lead to lots of problems in school, thus setting the child up for all kinds of later issues....hurray for homeschooling!
In my experience, I see no huge benefits from early reading, I've noticed that by the time most kids are in the 8-9 year old range, they are grasping reading just fine. For those who like their kids to read earlier, I really think it's just a choice, as with those who prefer to let their kids go along at their own pace. For the record, I read at 3-4 years old, my 4-5 year old sister taught me, but this was on our own, no adult intervention at all.
So I let my kids go at their own pace, they've had no problems, and when something comes up that interests them, they read it!
But we're pretty relaxed around here,anyway!

 

[disneymom3]

On another thread on this board, I sited a study but now I cannot remember where it was, but Finland where instruction in reading as well as any other formal schooling does not begin until children are 7 years old ranks highest in the world in literacy. Illiteracy in Finland is virtually unheard of. They also rank in the top 5 countries in every topic that scores etc are compared internationally.

What I think is the most important thing to remember is that kids are all different and they learn different things at different rates. The way you use to teach one, may not necessarily work with another. For instance, DD learned our phone number while she was three. Basically, she asked what it was and I told her and she remembered from that moment on. Then we have DS. I have been trying for 2 years to teach him our phone number with no success. I have sung songs, I have done it as a flannel board, we have made pictures with our house with the phone number written on it, we have drilled it. You name it, we tried it. Then sitting at the table last week I was hit with a brainstorm. I handed him a paper with our phone number written on it and asked him to read it back to me. He did and then handed it back and I cut it up into individual numbers and gave the pieces to him asking him to put them back in the order they should go in. Now he knows our phone number. Was it that I finally found the key, or that he was finally ready to learn? I don't know.

With reading specifically, DD learned to read on her own by the time she was probably 4 1/2. DS at 6 1/2 is still struggling with blending letters sounds together to make words. I could have that child sitting at a table for hours a day and all that would happen is he would begin to hate reading.

To me, that is the beauty of homeschooling. Old or young, early or late. It doesn't matter. What matters is that each child's needs are being met and they are able to learn in a supportive environment that helps them grow how and when they are ready.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Another thing--some children that learn to read "very" early..learn to site read..not phonics. I find phonics very important and should be taught as it could have consequences later on. (I had a friend who site read and was very very smart. But mis-wrote a high school paper b/c she misread a word she thought she knew rather than pronounced it. She was allowed to do it over...but not all kids would).

I'm more a fan of teaching them when they are ready and making sure they can understand phonics.

My rising 1st grader can read for the most part very well--but she is clearly site reading. We are about half-way through 100 easy lessons and though tedious to review things she knows..it will reinforce the sounds the individual letters make.

 

[ncmomof2]

I feel like I have to defend myself! My son knew his letters and letter sounds by two and a half. Right before he turned four I asked him if he wanted to learn to read and he said yes. I asked teacher friends what to do, they had no idea. So I went to homeschooling moms and they directed me to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons and Explode the Code. My son was blending works within the week and was reading level one books by a month and a half. He is not site reading, he is using phonics. We got to about lesson 80 when we stopped. I have a baby and he was bored. He is reading level 3 books six months later(now). I have never made him do anything. I would ask him if he wanted to do reading lessons and he usually did. If he didn't, we didn't do it. He loves to read and I am amazed at what he can read. Will my 3 year old learn to read at 4? I doubt it. They are very different but he has already shown an interest and he knows all his letters and their sounds.

I did not push my son and I do not think I have done him harm. In fact, I have opened his world up to so much since he can read everything now. (which is fun now that he can tell that we have changed things in some books like in one that says broccoli is bad and should ever be eaten!)

 

[disneymom3]

ncmomof2--I just wanted to clarify that I certainly was not meaning that with an early reader anyone is doing something wrong. Simply that that will not work for all kids. Also wanted to tell you that all day kindergarten is exactly the reason I looked into homeschooling to begin with. They switched to that midway through DDs K year and she was watching Arthur and Between the Lions in the afternoons. Hmmm, we can watch TV at home!

 

[noodleknitter]

I feel like I have to defend myself! My son knew his letters and letter sounds by two and a half. Right before he turned four I asked him if he wanted to learn to read and he said yes. I asked teacher friends what to do, they had no idea. So I went to homeschooling moms and they directed me to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons and Explode the Code. My son was blending works within the week and was reading level one books by a month and a half. He is not site reading, he is using phonics. We got to about lesson 80 when we stopped. I have a baby and he was bored. He is reading level 3 books six months later(now). I have never made him do anything. I would ask him if he wanted to do reading lessons and he usually did. If he didn't, we didn't do it. He loves to read and I am amazed at what he can read. Will my 3 year old learn to read at 4? I doubt it. They are very different but he has already shown an interest and he knows all his letters and their sounds.

I did not push my son and I do not think I have done him harm. In fact, I have opened his world up to so much since he can read everything now. (which is fun now that he can tell that we have changed things in some books like in one that says broccoli is bad and should ever be eaten!)

Hoping you didn't take offense to my post. EAch kid is different. One of mine taught himself to read at 4. Some kids are just like that. My point was simply that a kid isn't better/smarter/brighter or higher potential by reading in preschool, than a kid that starts reading at 7. Comprehension is a developmnetal issue. You can't make it happen with out causing potential stress for a child. As for the eye issue, well, it goes for screen time, small print, etc. If your little guy is reading older kid books keep an eye out for larger print size. My 8 year old just read the LOTR books, but I borrowed the large print books from the library.

Trying to raise super-kids and earn bragging rights goes on all of the time. None of it benefits the child. It is an ego trip for the parent. You can teach babies to sight read. It is like teaching a dog to roll-over. And when the majority of the information stating that early reading = longterm improvement is paid for by Head Start or Public Television, it is suspect. Their funding is based on their numbers, and I know that those numbers are oftentimes fudged. This theory also covers business trying to sell a product that "helps early reading." Marketing is marketing. All number are potentially skewed when a man's livlihood rests on them!

 

[disnutt]

Here are some links I found this morning.

http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/reading/
http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/html/parent_guides/birth_to_pre.html (national institute for literacy)
http://www.readingcircle.net/early-readers.html
http://www.literacyfree.com/ (scroll down a bit)
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/startearly/ch_1.html
http://www.earlyreaders.com.au/
http://www.theaustinproject.org/what_we_do/early_literacy.php
http://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/american_educator/issues/fall04/reading.htm
http://www.readfaster.com/articles/article003.asp
http://itc.gsu.edu/academymodules/a304/support/xpages/a304b0_20300.html
http://www.teachyourchildtoread.com/
http://youcanteachyourchildtoread.com/?p=3
http://anchorsandsails.tripod.com/howtoteachyourchildtoread/
QUOTE]

A quick read through of these doesn't necessarily promote teaching reading early but promotes general vocabulary building through conversations with and reading to children. This is what seems to help children become good readers when they do start learning. Also, some of these sites are selling something (I've received their e-mails many times over) and while the 'research' they describe may be legitimate I believe they are taking parts of it out of context for their own benefit.