*** Homeschool List ***

[TNKBELL]

I have to agree with Julie on the test thing! It's overrated, the beauty of hs is watching your Dks blossom and my heart swells everytime they "get it". Living books are just classic literature,which sounds like you are all ready doing, and then discussion following and activities pertaining to that book. Just don't forget to schedule in time for just being a kid, I think in our culture today we are in such a hurry for kids to grow up. Even 12 yr olds need time to unwind and play and just be a kid. I admit I still need this myself!!! Disney is handy for this outlet!!
Another thing I just recently read, is don't worry about trying to teach everything, but teach a few things well and in great detail. Let's face it, we can't possibly teach it all, it's impossible.

 

[hsmamato2]

I don't believe in tests. The reason for testing is to see if the child has learned the topic and what knowlegde has been retained. When I am sitting there at the table with my kids, I know if they are getting it or not. When we talk about the Celts in the car, I know what they have retained. So, I don't do tests.
QUOTE]

I am so with you on this! In our state we don't have to test, so I agree with you there- I know what my kids know just by talking to them! Why do they need to turn in a book report, when insetad they can just tell me about th book, what they thought of it, if they liked or dislike, and why!
Oh, I think it's cool -you already know your daughter has a passion, let her go with it! Classes even in adult ed may be fun for her also...different cuisines...

 

[estherhead]

Her goal is to own a bakery one day. My first step in this direction is to have her take cake decorating classes at Michael's. She loves to help in the kitchen.

Just had to pipe in that I am a baker: I bake wedding cakes mainly right out of my home. It is a truly wonderful job, I'm my own boss, it satisfies my creative itch, lots of free time, etc. etc. www.estherscakes.com

Tell her if she truly loves it, go for it, but it does take passion. But make sure she does ALL her math lessons. Never used math so much in my life. Geometry (for stacking & cutting tiered cakes) Algebra, fractions, percentages. Wow. You have to figure out how many people this cake will serve. It just goes on and on. We creative types aren't always strong in math so I wish I had paid just a bit more attention.

Esther

 

[Eeyore's Girl]

Thanks all for the suggestions/guidance!! You are much appreciated.

Esther - your work is beautiful!!

 

[disneymom3]

Tnkbell--love that idea of teaching some things well and not feeling we have to teach everything. Really, how much do I remember from elementary school, or even all the way up through college? I will tell you what I remember--I remember in 4th grade the teacher had us all get in a circle and we pretended we were in a hot air balloon and flying over different parts of the world, we would go through pretending to land, planning out all of our provisions, talking about what we saw "down there" and talking to the people who lived in those countries. Then in college, I had a history teacher who was soooo passionate about the Civil War. I remember a lot of her lectures because she was so interesting!

Ester--love your story. DD wants to be a food scientist so I will point out that math thing to her too.

hsmamato2--we do actually have to test annually in our state, but we use the Peabody so it feels less like a test and since I don't know what is on it year to year, I can't possibly teach to it and the results are pretty general. I have fun getting those results and seeing how far we have progressed each year.

Now a question for myself: Has anyone done Colonial Times for history? I want to start this in January and am looking for some good coverage of the geography, the basic, how did it happen, the customs etc, and some good hands on stuff. I have a 9 yo DD, 5 (by then almost 6yo)DS and a 4yo DS. Whatever the youngest gets out of it is a bonus. He still remembers mining for gold in choc chip cookies when we studied hte gold rush and he was like 2 at the time.

 

[jojowentbyby]

Is this a homeschooling board for people going to Disney or a homeschooling board in general? Sorry I am just confused. Should I post about disney relating to homeschooling or about general homeschooling?

 

[kimbac3]

Is this a homeschooling board for people going to Disney or a homeschooling board in general? Sorry I am just confused. Should I post about disney relating to homeschooling or about general homeschooling?

I think either would be fine. We homeschoolers are very easy going! If it has to do somehow in someway with homeschooling..post away!! And if it has to do with Disney AND homeschooling that's all the better!!
Kimba aw:

 

[TammyNC]

IAnd if it has to do with Disney AND homeschooling that's all the better!!

I agree

 

[disneymom3]

Is this a homeschooling board for people going to Disney or a homeschooling board in general? Sorry I am just confused. Should I post about disney relating to homeschooling or about general homeschooling?

Hey there, jojowentbyby, I saw you mention on some other thread that you homeschooled and I meant to send you a PM about this thread. Homeschooling ideas and even the mention can get very heated over on the community board, but here on the family board everyone is quite nice to us. A lot of us are just sharing ideas and asking questions to get advice on basic homeschooling. Homeschooling and Disney combined is a can't lose. Two of our favorite things put together!

Originally Tnkbell started this thread to see if there would be enough people for a homeschooling board of our own. So far though all we have is this thread. Any word back from the WMs, Tnkbell?

 

[Blueeyes101817]

Hi everyone--I posted a thread over on the community board and someone suggested to ask it hear as well..thanks for any help you can give!!

As some as you guys know, im in college to become a teacher--hopefully kindergarten or first grade...
Im trying to get started on my end of the semester project, and i was hoping to get some ideas here..
Our assignment is to make a binder of activities that i would be able to do with children (were doing preschool for this project--4 year olds specifically.) The part of it that makes it more difficult is they give us standards and we have to make sure each activity relates to each standard ...like some of the standards are 1)Children can demonstrate self confidence through this activity or 2)Children identify and express feelings..

Anyone have any good websites that i could find some ideas on? The teacher that i work with has given me a ew ideas and they are great, and i have found some websites but i have a ton of activities to find..thanks in advance!!

 

[karisbell]

Hi! I am a very happy homeschooling mom! My oldest is only four, but so far we are having a blast! The (first) best feeling I have in the mornings is to hear that school bus go by our house at 7:15AM and know that we are all still snuggled in our warm beds! I have a similar feeling when that same school bus finally returns 8 1/2 hours later and I reflect on the day we've had together!

Anyway, DS (4) is learning to read. He knows all of his letter sounds and can read short vowel, three letter words, but he has a hard time distinguishing between the lowercase "b" and "d". He knows the sounds of each when I tell him what it is, but he mixes them up when he sees them. Does anyone have a creative solution to help us sort this out? We are not using any particular curriculum, just workbooks from Sam's and bits and pieces of an old "Hooked on Phonics" someone gave us. Thanks for any suggestions!

We are also trying to learn to count to 20 (he knows up to 11) -any suggestions there are also welcome!

Have a great day!

 

[TNKBELL]

Time. In time he will remember, but sometimes my Ds8 mixes these up when he's writing. Sounds like your Ds4 is off to an early start. It's soooo funny, I was thinking the same this morning when I heard the school bus outside my window too!!

 

[TNKBELL]

Julie, I have contacted the moderators and the webmaster and have a received a few emails stating that "they'll see what they can do" but nothing concrete. Feel free to contact the webmaster, the more people they hear from the better!
mailto:webmaster@wdwinfo.com

 

[mommyof3grlz]

Hi! I am a homeschooling mother of 3 dd's ages 12, almost 10, and 8. I would love to have a homeschooling board. We just returned from a quick, very budget tight trip to Disney (Oct.20-24) to surprise our daughter on her 12th birthday. We are in Alabama and can drive there in 7 hours if we don't stop often. It was great. We renewed our annual passes and did not tell them until we got to Orlando. Their dad is in construction work and they thought we were going down there to look at a job he might be doing. They were so happy!! Hope to hear from some of you soon. Deb

 

[disneymom3]

Julie, I have contacted the moderators and the webmaster and have a received a few emails stating that "they'll see what they can do" but nothing concrete. Feel free to contact the webmaster, the more people they hear from the better!
mailto:webmaster@wdwinfo.com

Will do! Heck, if they can have a weighloss board, a scrapbooking board and even a Katrina board, I would hope a homeschooling board would not be too far fetched. Besides, ever even mentioned homeschooling on the Community Board? Yowza--watch out and be prepared for the firestorm! It is not a good idea.....

 

[Tiffann4k]

I am interested in a homeschooling board as well

I homeschool my 4 children & they are in grades 3, 2, 1 & K

 

[lovetoscrap]

I will add myself to this. Sometimes "Disney" can be a touchy subject on homeschooling boards, so it would be nice to have a place I can discuss my 2 passions!

I sometimes *jokingly* tell people that I only homeschool so I can go to Disney whenever I want to!

But seriously, I have 2 dd in K and 4th grades this year. Started homeschooling 2 years ago and I love it (most days)!

I would love to know if anyone has any lessons they have designed for Epcot they would share. I am going to make my kids homemade Passports (too cheap to buy them there!). We have done the journal from the other "mouse" site and want to do a country study this time in Epcot. I also want something with more detail about each country.

 

[disneymom3]

Well, sadly, my email was apparently not in time. I see on the community board that they are starting up a Photography board.

 

[TNKBELL]

You know, Homeschooling is gaining in numbers, maybe there will be so many of us they will have to give us our own board!! If you are reading this, please don't hesitate to email the mods, there is strength in numbers! The link is in my previous post. Maybe we should be sneaky and request a toe nail fungus board or a canned corn advocates board.

 

[barlowbugg]

Well hello everyone...new to this board....I homeschool my 3, ds 11, dd8, dd6. We just went this last March for our first time and now we are going back end of Feb 06. Cant wait!!!!!!!! And yeah, I noticed, there are definitely some attitude about Disney on some of the other homeschooling boards, as well as vice versa. Sure wish moderator here would be just a tad bit helpful...ya know?