*** Homeschool List ***

[TNKBELL]

I see what you are saying...the reason we have a "school room" is that we are cluttered..and I couldn't stand it . We won't necessarily keep ourselves in there...but I had seen somewhere that for children to learn to write properly--best position is seated with feet on the ground...so I got to thinking...how comfortable is it doing work out our table--not very comfy at all. So we bought a pint sized table set for the office--and moved all the junk in there. We might bring it out on occasion--but at the start...it at least gives DD the "school" feel for when she starts asking about going to the big brick building. I think it will help with our "transition" period as all of her church pals go to the building while we get to stay home and do whatever we want.

This is true, for writing, it is good for children to be on a surface where they have the proper position, that is why we started at a smaller table. I have pulled boxes under the table and had them sit on phone books to give them a better position. I have used the "Sound Beginnings" program and it really stresses this. I really don't notice a difference in thier penmenship though when I use the boxes or if they sit at a smaller table, but it may be more challenging position wise. Hmmmm... Maybe I should bring up the small table from the basement, my only problem with that is my 19 month old who feels it's his personal climbing gym! AAHHH the challanges of Homeschooling!! You bring up a very valid point though!!

 

[tigertam]

Hi, I'm not quite clear what type of list you are putting together, but you can put me on.

I had read 7 or 8 pages a couple of days ago and then wrote this nice introduction and responded to peoples comments and then my 15 mth old reaches up and touches the key board and zap it all disappeared! I guess you didn't want to read it all.

I will introduce myself still. My husband and I have been hometeaching for 17 years as long as our oldest child, or 12 years if you start at Kindergarten. We have 6 beautiful, fun children who range from 17 to 1. I custom design each study to each individual child. That's not to say that they all have differant programs per say. I have used mainly a one room school house approach until they hit high school and then they do most of their stuff independently.

What I was hoping when I first came across this thread being on a Disney thread was to brainstorm and discuss "educational" fun things to do at disney! Everyday is a learning day and therefore counts for the state as "schooling"! I have come up with some ideas, but I love hearing others ideas. Do you have any or can you think of disney and say "hey that could turn into an educational experience! Looking forward to brainstorming with you.

By the way we will be at WL Sept. 12-22 Tammy from Maine

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Grrr...decided to start homeshooling the year TOMORROW...well, b/c the kids are bugging me--very excited about all their new stuff.

We bought "The Learnables" Spanish computer software at convention in May. Getting this weeks stuff all set up--go to load the software...aaaaaaaarrrrrggggghhh! It doesn't work. The CD is scratch. I just removed it from the package---so it came that way. The kicker---they had in the bag a huge yellow flyer with their return/exchange policy and the warning to try things even if they aren't intended for immediate use--b/c no exchanges after 30 days.

Now if you've ever been to a convention and made purchases--most of the extra stuff in the bags is advertisements....and if their is an exceptional policy--they usually verbalize. So we are peeved. I ordered the book and CD and hubby will call tomorrow to see if we can work something out.

So aside from the missing Spanish lesson--we are starting tomorrow!!! Hooray!!!
My kids will do anything if it means craft or paint time is involved .

 

[adisneymama]

Hi add me to the list of interested. I have a 3 yo DD who is gifted. Everyday is a challenge with keeping her busy "learning". I don't hold out much hope of a public school system being able to teach her. She doesn't learn when you "teach" by the "normal" standards. However, I'm not sure we could afford a private school that would be able to help her excel either. So HS is something we are seriously considering. I am going to "try" a part time preschool to see how she does. She is very shy. Anyone have some ideas of where I could start? Maybe supplement what preschool does if it even works out? Any suggestions are very much appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[mello]

What I was hoping when I first came across this thread being on a Disney thread was to brainstorm and discuss "educational" fun things to do at disney! Everyday is a learning day and therefore counts for the state as "schooling"! I have come up with some ideas, but I love hearing others ideas. Do you have any or can you think of disney and say "hey that could turn into an educational experience! Looking forward to brainstorming with you.

I've been thinking along the same lines. I've been putting together an activity book/journal for the boys to get some writing and other things in a fun way during our trip. So far, all I've found are the kids pages at The Mouse for Less. Have you all seen those? They have some nice journal pages, and some good Epcot stuff. Today I've been working on making up my own "Mad Libs" type stories with Disney themes. We love to take Mad Libs on trips, but we've already done all their vacation themed ones, so thought it would be fun to make our own this time. I'd love to hear others' ideas too!

I wonder if we should start a new thread with learning ideas in WDW, so as not to divert this thread which seems to be doing a great job of "collecting" us all in one place?

 

[nuzmom]

Here's a homeschooling idea that we used on our last trip.

Last year my DS8 completed a fall course on World Geography (GREAT course, by the way, based on pictographs and for ages through high school). We had a trip planned to WDW for Dec so I made an "Epcot" book for him. Each "section" of the book started with a clip art of a map of each country with some stats of the country beside the map. Then DS and I came up with a standard set of "questions" for CMs in each question. (That was fun: things like 'what's your favorite Amercian food? What was your favorite Christmas gift? Can you show me on the map where you live?') We found a CM in each country who wasn't busy and he talked with them and asked them the questions. The last page in each section was blank for a "note" from them - most CM actually ASKED if they could write something in it. Many wrote in their language and then wrote the translation.

Oh, I made the pages out of cardstock and had the book spiral bound at Kinko's before the trip so it really held up.

Maps and stats were found on the CIA's webpage (yeah, who knew?)

Well, I know stuff like this has been done, but I thought I'd share with you guys in case it's new to someone.

I'm also looking for ideas for our upcoming trip. We like Animal Kingdom and "count" some of our time there. We really take time and enjoy the animal teaching parts of it. I'd like to "study" some of the animals with my preschooler before our upcoming trip, but I'm not sure I can remember them all. If anyone knows of a list of animals that you see, please let me know.

Anyway, I'm very interested in hearing other WDW "school" ideas.

 

[Eeyore's Girl]

adisneymama - my DD4 also excels academically. One of the ways that I thought about getting her where she needs to be, classroom speaking, is to start out homeschooling, and then enroll her at a school (private or public, just depending on the circumstance). Since she would have homeschooled up to that time, the new school would have her take a placement test. Your DD may test a couple of grades ahead, and if you're comfortable with it, perhaps that's where she'll be placed. I don't know if it would actually work that well, but it's just and idea I had. Also, you should start researching the various homeschool groups/programs in your area. You may find enough support available that you'll decide not to send her to a formal school at all. Good luck!!

mello - we'll be at WDW during the last week of September. I'm going to have my DD12 and niece (who will be tutoring with us) each choose any one of the countries featured in World Showcase at Epcot before we go. They'll research and gather information and then we'll visit that "country" at Epcot. Each girl will share with us what she has learned about that country. I'm hoping that the countries of choice will have cast members that are actual natives of that particular country so that the girls can talk/ask questions, etc. Other than that, we'll just be there for the fun, fun, fun of it all!!

 

[meandtheguys2]

Lisa, can you borrow someone else's first disk? We have the french, or I'd send it on up! We do really like it!

eta: You know, you might want to just give them a call once you are calm and happy. It amazes me how sweet people really are (usually) in the end, when you explain nicely the situation.

 

[Belle5]

Wow, what a difference! Back in 01, for our last Disney trip I spent some time here, and I posted about homeschooling and got little response from anyone, at least not a positive response. Could have been a exception for sure, but there certainly seems to be more homeschoolers around now than there were then.

anyway, count us in. We have homeschooled our kids from the start, they are 15, 13, 11, and 1. We're always excited to talk to other homeschoolers, swap stories, advice ect.

And yes, for many many years our entire house was the school room, untill it got to be too much and I finally finished remodeling a large porch into a school rm. Best thing we could of done. With three kids, the books and papers ect were everywhere, but now they are at lest contained, and we can just close the door when people come over (who needs to clean?)

I couldn't agree more! I have been on the board since '99 and anyone mentioning they homeschooled was flamed by the masses! What a difference a couple of years makes.

We have been homeschooling for 14 years. I have six sons ages 1-18. My oldest is beginning college next month. I will also have a senior, sophomore, junior higher, 2nd grader and a little pumpkin who will start his Five in a Row program this year. (He will be two next month) None of my kids have ever been to school outside our home.

We are planning our 20th vacation to WDW for January 2006--college break--a new thing for us. We've never had to work around anyone's school schedule before.

 

[Kerlynne]

I have six sons ages 1-18.

Well you are a busy little mamma.
Heres hoping we can get this thread on a sticky
Until then, we have to keep posting here everyday, so it doesn't get lost. Plus so we can find more homeschooling parents, that can give or need support.

Came across another neat site, that I thought I would like to pass on.
http://www.thatquiz.com/

Everyone have a great week!
~Kerri

 

[mello]

I have the "perfect" school room set up in our basement, complete with Pottery Barn Kids table and chairs, magazine rack, bookshelves galore, cute little baskets with liners and the shelves and a big armoire, and a calendar that still dated "March" because that's the last month I used it. Since we have been doing school at the kitchen table, I am able to accomplish way more upstairs(laundry, dishes,diaper changes,snack breaks, bathroom assitance...) so our countertops on one side of the kitchen are covered in stacks of books along with our homework basket.

Same here! Except that my calendar in the basement is on October. Of 2002.

 

[mello]

Ok, I just found your reply to me...this is getting to be such a huge thread! I think your plan sounds like a good one. It is hard to decide which cores to do and which ones to skip and in what order. I keep tweaking my plan around all the time because we keep taking longer than a year to do them lol. We started when oldest ds was in 2nd grade with my own concoction based on core 1, then did actual core 2 over the next year and a half, then 3 over the following year and a half. We're in the middle of core 4 now (but on summer break), and I'm wishing I had done 3+4 'cuz I don't think we're ever going to finish! Pretty sure we'll do our own scaled down version of 5 for whatever's left of the year when we finish 4, then who knows from there? Oldest ds will be in Jr. High by then, so I'll definitely have to skip something...

And yes, my absolute favorite thing about homeschooling in general and SL particularly, is taking the time to delve into history, in a basically chronological way that makes sense, and reading real books! We feel like we really know the people in history, and what they went through, and I'm learning as much as the kids are!

Hi Melinda, it has been so hard to decide! There is such good stuff there at Sonlight, but running out of time, with Ds being older. I decided to go back to core 3+4. The reasons are it didn't too well with Lang arts in the public school, so he still doesn't know how to write a proper paper. And the topic interested him. There are a lot of areas where I live, where we can do trips, to reinforce the subject. And what a better plan, to get him totally excited about what he's learning, than the first year. That's what is so great about Hsing you cover what will work for your family, in the order and time you want. I feel that's what happens in the beginning of schooling, kids love it, and are excited, but as they age, and the text books get mundane, they get bored. He's not in love with core 5 neither. Because of that we may skip that. Not sure, because if he ever decided to do mission work or work in our church, think that would be good to know. I was going to skip 7, since he did it this year in his school, but they never did social studies every day, so they didn't cover as much as 6 grade should. It's odd as so many Ps are now not using science/social s. every day. That's why I'm excited about getting into Sonlight so we can really get involved with that time period, and really grasp what they went through. So with all that in mind, for the following year, for 8th grade, we will prob. do core 6 . 9th gr. will do core 7. Skip 100, since it's like 3+4. Then go into 300 for 10 grade.{will hit 200 if have time later } core 400 for 11th. And then 530 & 200 for senior year.
What do you think? Sorry to be so long winded; but I haven't ordered yet, because I'm little anxious, about planning this out well.

 

[BiniB]

Count me in!
I am new to these boards - just planning our first "family" WDW vacation!!!

Homeschooling is something I've always had in the back of my mind - I would love a place I could get more information!

Robin
DS - 3
DS - 2mos

 

[Kewz1]

Melinda,

I absolutely agree with you regarding SL and their history. I love that my kids can really get into it and not just memorize dates.

I wish their geography had a little more "teeth" to it though. This year I decided to create my own geo program and I'm very excited about it. We're doing Core 4 so we're starting with South America, then I'm adding the US using Evan Moore and Geomatters products. We'll conclude the year with Canada.

I'm very anxious for 1 August to get here so we can start. The kids -- not so much but they are coming around.

Kristen

 

[DisneyMom5]

Jan./Feb. 2004 we went to WDW and were on the bus from Fort Wilderness to Epcot with 2 other families (it was around lunch time.) One of the other families noticed our shirts (We were wearing our homeschool is cool shirts from our local homeschool group.)
They exclaimed they were homeschoolers also, from Florida, and that they loved the flexibility of being able to travel whenever. Suddenly, the family from the back exclaims "We homeschooled too!" Their children were grown now.
We thought that was sooo cool.
So if any of you are the very nice family with 2-3 kids (and several piercings per parent ), or the former homeschoolers with grown kids, howdy from the people with 5 small kids (now 6) and matching t-shirts!

 

[westjones]

Hi everyone!! I'm trying to accumulate a list of Disers that would be interested in a Homeschool board, you don't have to Homeschool to add yourself to the post! Anyone who is interested in education in general, you should add your post as well, there will be a myriad of resources for any parent, teacher, hs, daycare, or early education providers!! I'm hoping to get a list on this board and also the community board!! Thank you and see you soon!!

You can add me! We are not currently homeschooling, but we did for the past 5 years. We may go back to it again at some point too. I am just not sure right now, so I try to stay on top of homeschooling topics.

DJ

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Lisa, can you borrow someone else's first disk? We have the french, or I'd send it on up! We do really like it!

eta: You know, you might want to just give them a call once you are calm and happy. It amazes me how sweet people really are (usually) in the end, when you explain nicely the situation.

Thanks--hubby spoke with them and discovered it was non-technical people. Anywho--he finally go them to agree to take it back and they will try and repair the disk. If it still doesn't play on their machines--they will give us a new one...if it doesn't, we get the old one back and if it still doesn't work we are outta luck.

They tried to tell him it was impossible for it to be scratched--and the scratch looks like a klutzy removal from a cd copier or something.

They for some reason had a much later purchase date than when we actually bought it. I suppose b/c of when they finally loaded in all the receipts from convention.

We have the audio CD on the way---so I did pay extra money. I guess that was the good karma for them to take our CD back .

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

mello - we'll be at WDW during the last week of September. I'm going to have my DD12 and niece (who will be tutoring with us) each choose any one of the countries featured in World Showcase at Epcot before we go. They'll research and gather information and then we'll visit that "country" at Epcot. Each girl will share with us what she has learned about that country. I'm hoping that the countries of choice will have cast members that are actual natives of that particular country so that the girls can talk/ask questions, etc. Other than that, we'll just be there for the fun, fun, fun of it all!!

FYI--all countries have natives from the represented country in a program similar to the college internship program. They come out for a year and live in Florida and work at EPCOT....so there are indeed Moroccans, Germans, Japanese, Norwegian, etc. residents that are working there who would be I am sure very open to answering questions and having a discussion--and who knows, perhaps even share some of the language.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Another website I can recommend for phonics: www.starfall.com (free and fun!!).

Also for worksheets and ides: www.enchantedlearning.com . You can access some things for free--but if you want lots of worksheets you will need to pay and subscribe. I use the K-3 theme area with worksheets for different letters of the alphabet--my daughter cuts the pics out for pasting on her letter page that we then laminate.

 

[meandtheguys2]

Thanks--hubby spoke with them and discovered it was non-technical people. Anywho--he finally go them to agree to take it back and they will try and repair the disk. If it still doesn't play on their machines--they will give us a new one...if it doesn't, we get the old one back and if it still doesn't work we are outta luck.

They tried to tell him it was impossible for it to be scratched--and the scratch looks like a klutzy removal from a cd copier or something.

They for some reason had a much later purchase date than when we actually bought it. I suppose b/c of when they finally loaded in all the receipts from convention.

We have the audio CD on the way---so I did pay extra money. I guess that was the good karma for them to take our CD back .

Good grief! Don't you hate it when people try to convince you that you are wrong, or did wrong?! I am glad you got it worked out!