*** Homeschool List ***

[lexeka]

Hey Ladies,

I would not often post things of this nature, but feel this is something really worth your time. It's a newscast about another form of breast cancer that is not detected with a mammogram and many women have hardening of the breast tissue and play it off (there is no lump w/ this cancer) and others are treated for bug bites..... It is not long but it could save yours or a loved ones life.....)

Blessings,
I just received this from a friend. I'm glad she passed it on to me, as I was unfamiliar with this type of breast cancer. Please watch the video, it could save your life or the life of someone you know.


YouTube - Inflammatory Breast Cancer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s9_UrVtc6c

 

[lori1043]

Thanks, Lexeka, I have heard of that kind from a friend whose mom had BC-not that kind, but of course, she keeps informed.

On another note, I wanted to shar that we started co-op officially today. It was GREAT. This is our first time doing co-op and I am already hooked!
DD9 is taking art, Christian Latin and a paper class(I let her pick her own, ther paper class is about making beautiful homemade cards, etc-it is truly cool and different)
DD7 is taking colonial history and lit. about Aesop's fables, and an art class.

I already cannot wait until next session!!

I LOVE HS'ing!!!

 

[Scuttle]

I am so psyched to see this thread, a bit overwhelmed by all the information, but psyched none the less!!! We have just started our homeschooling efforts this month with our 3 1/2 year olds! They LOVE it and so do I!

We are also a part of a small early childhood co-op so they are socializing with other children.

My biggest question would be curriculum, and how on earth do you choose where to begin?! I know at this level it's not as crucial, but what about once they are older?

Looking forward to meeting everyone and learning from all of you!!

 

[DznyDreams]

I just stumbled across this thread by accident, and I am so thrilled!

I have homeschooled my DD(11) since she was 8 years old. The first year was dedicated to unschooling. Year 2 was wasted on AOP's Switched-On Schoolhouse (obviously, we absolutely hated it). Year 3, I ordered some Abeka materials, and I absolutely loved them. This year, we're doing the Abeka DVD program (grade 5). Technically, DD should be using the grade 6 materials, but I'm not concerned. She has a summer b-day (will not turn 12 until June), and with that year of unschooling, I'm just glad she is doing so well with the grade 5 materials.

She never knows what grade to say she is in when asked by other adults who don't know (or remember) we're homeschooling. The only reason I think this is such an issue for her is because she spent 3 years in the PS system. She is in Sunday School with some of those same kids she had classes with in PS, so she wants to "keep up" with them.

I live in an area where homeschooling is not popular, and finding a nearby co-op has proven to be quite a challenge. The closest co-op meets 40 miles from our house. I guess I just need to bite the bullet and make the drive. She is an only child and has just recently began making comments about wanting a "girl friend" to hang out with. Although we as VERY active in our church, the kids her age are mostly boys, and at this stage of the game, that's just not cutting it. She is VERY mature for her age (both emotionally and physically). I suppose this is the biggest issue I'm dealing with right now. I just discovered there is a homeschool mom who attends my local Weight Watchers meeting, and I will have a chance to speak more with her this Saturday. Keep your fingers crossed that she will have some good news to share about local co-ops that are starting in my area.

I think it would be so fun to have a DIS homeschool meet!! Wouldn't that be cool?!?

 

[antree]

I would just use it; as she said, your ink cost will go crazy. Oh, we LOVE Horizons. Let me know what you think!

I like Horizons, everything seems to be going OK. The Math is slow, so I think we are going to pick the pace up. My DS knows alot of the Math so I am going to double up on it to get ahead quicker. We are having a slow time with the Letters and their sounds, it takes us 40 mins to get to the workbook. I make sure he knows the day before letter before I intruduce the next letter. We sound out the letter, say the letter and do it many times, but when he has to do the workbook and pick out pictures that have the days letter and sound in it he is having a problem knowing if the picture has the sound or not. But, He is reading the Reader 1 to me, I am sure he is memorizing it after I read it to him. He is looking at each word as we are saying it, so who really knows right now. Maybe he is picking up on the words.
But if I tell him the sound D makes and then ask him if DAMP has that sound he just can't get it. I know we just started on Monday, so I am sure it will get easier for him as he learns. He has always has had trouble pronouncing letters everything has a T sound when he talks and he has a hard time with F and S so they have been the letters we always worked on, until now.
My DD 13 has noticed a big difference she said, in the last week he has been sounding out alot of his words as he talks.
So I guess if I think about it the work we are doing is working.

 

[SeeDisney]

HI there.....


I've just started homeschooling my 5 year old son a few weeks ago.


What's the difference between unschooling and homeschooling????

Thanks.

 

[Lora]

She never knows what grade to say she is in when asked by other adults who don't know (or remember) we're homeschooling. The only reason I think this is such an issue for her is because she spent 3 years in the PS system. She is in Sunday School with some of those same kids she had classes with in PS, so she wants to "keep up" with them.

We have always just gone by what grade they would be in if they were in PS. I never felt a need to clarify by saying they were doing "X grade math" and "X grade English", etc. That's one of the great things about homeschooling - you can work with your child where they are and not worry about "keeping up".

 

[lexeka]

I like Horizons, everything seems to be going OK. The Math is slow, so I think we are going to pick the pace up. My DS knows alot of the Math so I am going to double up on it to get ahead quicker. We are having a slow time with the Letters and their sounds, it takes us 40 mins to get to the workbook. I make sure he knows the day before letter before I intruduce the next letter. We sound out the letter, say the letter and do it many times, but when he has to do the workbook and pick out pictures that have the days letter and sound in it he is having a problem knowing if the picture has the sound or not. But, He is reading the Reader 1 to me, I am sure he is memorizing it after I read it to him. He is looking at each word as we are saying it, so who really knows right now. Maybe he is picking up on the words.
But if I tell him the sound D makes and then ask him if DAMP has that sound he just can't get it. I know we just started on Monday, so I am sure it will get easier for him as he learns. He has always has had trouble pronouncing letters everything has a T sound when he talks and he has a hard time with F and S so they have been the letters we always worked on, until now.
My DD 13 has noticed a big difference she said, in the last week he has been sounding out alot of his words as he talks.
So I guess if I think about it the work we are doing is working.

It is the beginning.... let me know how it goes. I have heard that Saxon Math is outstanding.... if your son is really gifted with math, you might try it. I know a lot of schools that are going to it now.

We used "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (Paperback)
by Siegfried Engelmann (Author), Phyllis Haddox (Author), Elaine Bruner (Author" to teach our daughter when she was 5 how to read. It was awesome for her and to this day she reads two years ahead of where she is.... It really helped my niece, too.

Keep me posted on how it all goes....
Have a great week!

 

[lori1043]

DD9 just started Saxon 5/4 after 2 years of Abeka math. We use the DIVE cd-rom(which I love, all I feel I have to do is answer any questions she has and check her work, grade tests). She says it is a lot more work than Abeka (in number of problems and challenge, but not so much difficulty), which it IS, b/c it takes her an hour to an hour and half for math. I don't mind that so much due to math being her weaker subject and it IS challenging. The equations are VERY algebraic(I was surprised) and introduces geometry in small doses. As math is also my weak subject, I am enjoying it due to her learning without my frustration!! So maybe she may never be inclined to like math, at least she will appreciate it more than I did. She is learning a lot and doing well in it.

I have not used it, but have friends that rave about "Teach your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons".

SeeDisney...I am not sure about the specific differences b/t unschooling and HS'ing, but I think it sounds kind of engaging for younger kids. I just find that I would stress out more by unschooling worrying about what they should be learning by grade level!! I guess that will never be out of me!! Someone else could tell you more.Good luck on your search.

Lori

P.S. We finished our first 9 weeks today!!!! I am thrilled that 25% is behind us!!

 

[lexeka]

THe way I understand 'unschooling' is that if your child finds interst in a topic of lets say pyramids..... you would find books and activities, video, etc that revolve around that subject. You keep track of what subjects you've covered in a book, etc. Some love it and it's very laid back. No sitting at a desk, traditional school type stuff.

The only thing I do not understand is how math and language arts is taught.

I, personally, cannot unschool.... at least not at this time. I agree with Lori.... I would be a mess trying to figure out what they were learning and such. I also have always wanted an ease into the school system should that need ever arise.

 

[Mommy2Lots]

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[DznyDreams]

We have always just gone by what grade they would be in if they were in PS. I never felt a need to clarify by saying they were doing "X grade math" and "X grade English", etc. That's one of the great things about homeschooling - you can work with your child where they are and not worry about "keeping up".

ITA! Thank you for sharing this.

 

[Mommy2Lots]

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[1luvleelaydee]

Hi All,

I am sorry I have been away for a while but we just returned from the Mouse House after being in Orlando 3 weeks and at Disney for 2. Of all the money we have given to WD I could not bare to pay for the Internet service we had received free at other less established hotels and even at some restaurant including Dairy Queen. $10 a day is pricey for Internet.

We had a wonderful time although I am happy to be back in my own bed. My DD (4 yrs) met and took pictures with the Doodlebops (one of her favorite shows) back stage and that was not the highlight of the trip. She dressed as Minnie and the characters were playing up to that so much that she actually thought she fooled them. We had a wonderful time. The Cast Members were wonderful as well. I cannot say enough great things about this trip. The one complaint I have is that last night on our last night there we were going to the Mickey Not So Scary Halloween Party but it rained so hard that that we could not trick or treat, no dancing with the characters, and there was no parade. To make it worse we had to buy rain ponchos and there were no refunds. What can you do?

The trip to Disney was much more educational than I thought it would be. My DD learned how to add numbers on her fingers and I am so proud because this is not taught in PS until about first grade. She actually has the concept. My DS learned so much at Epcot. I believe that was his favorite park. I joked to my husband about Epcot being the park for geeks (I fit that category at times). There was so much to learn there and he had fun while learning. We saw the way Disney and Nestle are trying new ways to grow vegetables without being in the soil. Who would have thought about growing vegetables without dirt. They serve these very vegetables in the food court. It was also neat to see the pumpkins Disney are able to grow with mouse ears. What can't they turn into a mouse.

By the way, my son LOVES homeschool. We ran into a few fellow homeschoolers while in Disney and saw a few stories on the news about homeschooling while on vacation so he is a lot more at ease about it. He is also excited about the activities he can now participate in. While we were at the Lion King musical (Animal Kingdom) there was a woman and her daughter sitting in front of us doing homework. I asked the mother if that was in fact what was going on. She replied yes and that the little girl had 47 pages of it. My heart went out to the little girl. How much fun is it to have 47 pages of homework on your Disney vacation? Her mother was not happy about it.

Like my last post, I could type for hours about how great everything was but I need to leave space for you guys. Thanks for the support.

 

[Nanu57v]

We used "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (Paperback)
by Siegfried Engelmann (Author), Phyllis Haddox (Author), Elaine Bruner (Author" to teach our daughter when she was 5 how to read. It was awesome for her and to this day she reads two years ahead of where she is.... It really helped my niece, too.

I have that book from when I was a daycare director...and DH said I should pull it out and use it with DD2. I looked over it and realized it was WAY over her level, but just for kicks I tried the first lesson. It has the "m" sound and the "s" sound and DD kept arguing with me that the 'S' goes mmmmm and the M goes sssss. Yeah, not quite ready.

 

[belle22]

I don't homeschool. I have a DD5 and DD2. I am always looking for workbooks and webstites to teach my children. One site I like is theletteroftheweek.com. Though I didn't have time to do everything off it I did what I could.

MY DD5 is in Kindergarten and before school started could read 100+ sight words. I just found out that they only learn 26 the entire year of kindergarten. I am having problems finding books that are similiar to Dick and Jane but not too hard that will discourage her... Any ideas? I am trying to find SRA's at local libraries .. no luck.

I would love to hear about other things I could try at home.. I just use flash cards. She can add 0 and 1's. The five senses and 5 vowells and we have worked on time... What should I try?

Thanks! I can't wait to hear your ideas!!

 

[Nanu57v]

Do you have the site correct? I couldn't get it.

 

[belle22]

sorry -

www.letteroftheweek.com

 

[Laren]

Just waving hi to all the homeschooling familes here on DIS! We homeschool (one DD, age 11) she has never been to PS.

I was homeschooled myself from fourth grade thru graduation and I always planned to homeschool my own child someday.

We go through a private school to keep her records and all but we set our own study program- tried the K-12 program last year and found it really cumbersome.

This year I'm looking forward to tailoring her schooling to fit her needs- including a 'class' I'm calling "Self Esteem and Empowerment!" I have the books picked out for that already and cannot wait to get started.

We're a little delayed beginning our school 'year' this year because of our WDW trip this past week and now she is at her Dad's (shared custody) but when she gets home, we get down to it! First assignment; a report about our trip and about her EPCOT passport!

Laren

 

[SeeDisney]

You can try starfall.com. My 5 year old enjoys that one.


I'm checking out your referral letter of the week. and so far I like it. Thanks for the info.