Homeschooling

[ilovejack02]

Gosh all this other chatter is confusing me, should we start another thread on JUST tips and ideas for folks that are interested in homeschooling and not rehash all of this again and again . I believe this what OP was orginally asking, not should she, but where she should start.

Can anyone recommend a good book on where to start with a 4.5 yr old. He is in preschool now and LOVES it. He has a late birthday so I have him registered at a half day kindergarten for next yr because I know he wont be ready for a full day program. I love working with him here at home and would like some sort of format to go by. Im really considering homeschooling him after next yr. I just dont want him in the public schools here and the private schools that are close to me I dont have alot of confidence in. I have a cpl of schools in B.R. that I would love to send him too but in morning traffic it will be almost an hour to get to them. Not to mention the 600.00 a month plus would kill the budget.
Im soo confused I have no idea where to even start. I checked out the Headsprout site, and I ordered a cpl of catalogs you all recommended and read over the homeschooling law website last night.
Where should i start with a 4 yr old, how do i even begin to pick a plan?

 

[Sunny37]

an interesting view of socialization....

http://www.geocities.com/nelstomlinson/socialization.html

I can't seem to find one of my favorite commentaries about socialization in home schooled kids, but I'll keep looking...

That is obviously a VERY one-sided article! Calling public-schooled children "warehoused children"? Please, give me a break!

"Home schooled children are participants in real life: they spend time with their mother, with their siblings, with their father, with their parent's and siblings' friends. They learn to play nicely with younger children, they learn to spend time talking to adults, and they spend a lot of time under the supervision of their parents, who know them well, and have the authority to discipline them. Home schooled children have time to get to know their parents (and vise-versa), and to have long discussions with them. Home schooled children form close bonds with responsible adults, and are mentored by them. "

Now, how can someone (in their right mind) claim that only homeschooled children receive this type of interaction?

 

[meandtheguys2]

Gosh all this other chatter is confusing me, should we start another thread on JUST tips and ideas for folks that are interested in homeschooling and not rehash all of this again and again .

Can anyone recommend a good book on where to start with a 4.5 yr old. He is in preschool now and LOVES it. He has a late birthday so I have him registered at a half day kindergarten for next yr because I know he wont be ready for a full day program. I love working with him here at home and would like some sort of format to go by. Im really considering homeschooling him after next yr. I just dont want him in the public schools here and the private schools that are close to me I dont have alot of confidence in. I have a cpl of schools in B.R. that I would love to send him too but in morning traffic it will be almost an hour to get to them. Not to mention the 600.00 a month plus would kill the budget.
Im soo confused I have no idea where to even start. I checked out the Headsprout site, and I ordered a cpl of catalogs you all recommended and read over the homeschooling law website last night.
Where should i start with a 4 yr old, how do i even begin to pick a plan?

I believe that Baton Rouge has a really large homeschooling community. At least that is the claim of two of my friends... they are having a difficult time adjusting to life here in small town Ohio! I'd google for a statewide organization and work down. Or call your library! There isn't any reason to rush a little one. There aren't any advantages other than mommy bragging rights, so don't panic!

 

[ohiominnie]

That is obviously a VERY one-sided article! Calling public-schooled children "warehoused children"? Please, give me a break!

And making comments that homeschool parents aren't qualified to teach their kids, or that homeschooled kids lack socialization, or that homeschooled kids are isolated, isn't one sided?

 

[ilovejack02]

I believe that Baton Rouge has a really large homeschooling community. At least that is the claim of two of my friends... they are having a difficult time adjusting to life here in small town Ohio! I'd google for a statewide organization and work down. Or call your library! There isn't any reason to rush a little one. There aren't any advantages other than mommy bragging rights, so don't panic!

If that is the case that we have a large homeschooling community in B.R. its because the public school system here is SOOOO bad and the really good private schools are very very very expensive . I actually live about 40 mins outside of B.R. in Watson La and we actually have top rated public schools they are just really growing too fast im afraid to keep up everyone is moving out here for the schools. Im going to keep him just the way he is for he loves it and is actually learning alot and Ill send him to the same school next yr and if they went past kindergarten I believe I would keep him there but they dont. It is such a loving environment and very small classes. I just want to start reading up on curriculum and see if this is something I think i can do. DH has already promised to redo an apartment over our garage for the classroom. I didnt even think of calling the library, ill try that.

 

[meandtheguys2]

The library controls all useful info here! I love our library! They should have all of the basic "homeschooling for dummies" kind of books, also!

 

[Brier Rose]

I checked out the Headsprout site, and I ordered a cpl of catalogs you all recommended and read over the homeschooling law website last night.
Where should i start with a 4 yr old, how do i even begin to pick a plan?

Did ya'll try the 3 free sample lessons?

After jaycns mentioned this this other day, I checked it out too. DS did the sample lessons, and I was so impressed with it, we went ahead a purchased the whole program.

He's a lot older than your DS, but he's been really having a hard time with reading. He shot right through the first 5 lessons in one hour, and seriously was BEGGING to do more!

Headsprout just makes reading so much fun! I even enjoyed the little cartoons they get after completing each section!

They also provide a really colorful sticker chart so that they can track their progress, as well as books to go along with the words they've learned.

They change it up too so it doesn't get boaring. The first 5 lessons had an alien theme..the next ones..dinosaurs..etc.

I just can't say enough good things about it!

 

[ilovejack02]

Did ya'll try the 3 free sample lessons?

After jaycns mentioned this this other day, I checked it out too. DS did the sample lessons, and I was so impressed with it, we went ahead a purchased the whole program.

He's a lot older than your DS, but he's been really having a hard time with reading. He shot right through the first 5 lessons in one hour, and seriously was BEGGING to do more!

Headsprout just makes reading so much fun! I even enjoyed the little cartoons they get after completing each section!

They also provide a really colorful sticker chart so that they can track their progress, as well as books to go along with the words they've learned.

They change it up too so it doesn't get boaring. The first 5 lessons had an alien theme..the next ones..dinosaurs..etc.

I just can't say enough good things about it!

We didnt do it, but will look at it this afternoon when he gets home from school. Its so hard to sit on the computer and read up on all of this. I can do it now( need to be cleaning though lol), because he is at school, but once he gets home I hang with him. Thanks!

 

[jaycns]

jaycns, did I see somewhere that you are big on the Rosetta Stone program? We've gone thru the first 3 levels of The Learnables in French, and the first in Chinese. My boys are 12, 10 and 7. Would the Rosetta program be a reasonable jump from here?

I love the Rosetta Stone program. Let me qualify that with saying that I went to an immersion school K-6 grade while I was growing up and I really do like the immersion style of learning that it offers. I am sure you would be able to find someone that the program did not work well for but I like it a lot and my boys are responding well.

My eldest (10 years old) did very well in Spanish 1. It took him about a year to complete that program (but he didn't really work on it for about a 5 month span in the middle of that time period...so he went back a bit and reviewed). He is now doing both Spanish 2 and Latin. I am such a little nerd, that I sometimes log on to his Latin after he goes to sleep and do it myself . I think it's fun. His younger brothers (7 and 5) are currently doing Spanish 1 and seem to be picking the language up as well.

As far as what level to start on...I am not sure if your kids would be past Spanish 1 or not. I do know that you can order free demos (I think they have on line demos as well) so you could gage it that way. I have never used the Learnables so I have no idea where that would put you in relation to Rosetta Stone. However, my ds10 had completed Powerglide Junior before using Spanish 1 and although he did have a lot of review, I think that Spanish one still provided him with an educational benefit.

After Spanish, my son is saying he would like to a host of other languages....using Rosetta Stone gives me the freedom to allow him to delve into this passion without me having to master them first. If it's not Spanish or Portuguese, I am pretty much at a total loss.

Although I really enjoy languages, I just don't have the time to teach myself Russian (for instance) in order to teach him.

I would like for our entire family to learn a language and as a treat to then travel to the place where it is spoken. But that is a dream for the future when all of my kids are a bit older. But...one can dream...

 

[meandtheguys2]

Thanks a bunch! Was just checking them out!

 

[jaycns]

OP, forgot to add that there are some awesome conventions out there. We have a good one in Columbus, each year, but Cincinnati is doing one also this year. At conventions you have the opportunity to hear experts, and go thru curriculum. Overwhelming, but a good time!

I am like a kid in the world's most alluring candy store every time I step foot inside of a home school convention. You should see the amounts of stuff I order. I am a sucker for seeing something that looks appealing and thinking it's a must have. I am sure that they love me because I end up leaving with a lot less money then I start with. However, I have found some real gems among all of my impulse purchases.

Without going to a convention I never would have found the Veritas Press Phonics Museum program and my youngest son absolutely LOVES this program (as do I since it's all laid out and I don't have to pull in extra because it's all there...oh the joys of a small break ). I would also have missed out on the Draw, Write Now! series and my middle son adores doing his handwriting that way (and the whole getting to draw every day as part of an assignment).


Does anyone have a favorite spelling program? We are currently using Spelling Workout. Spelling Power worked very well in the short term, but few words ended up in the long term memory bank. (These are only my son's problems with the program, I have heard many stellar things about it from others, so I am not knocking the program). Any other suggestions or feedback on programs you are using? Finding a good spelling program that works for my children is at the tops of my "wanted" list. TIA!!

 

[5starmom]

OP, forgot to add that there are some awesome conventions out there. We have a good one in Columbus, each year, but Cincinatti is doing one also this year. At conventions you have the opportunity to hear experts, and go thru curriculum. Overwhelming, but a good time!

I visit the Well-Trained Mind boards and someone mentioned that convention in Cincinnati. It sounds really great AND it's cheaper than the CHEO convention in Columbus. I haven't gone the past 2 years because it seems a waste of money.

Homeschool Conventions: Check this page for the ones in your state http://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/states/conventions.php

ilovejack02--Take a look at some of the *cute* Kumon workbooks for ages 3-6 or so. They have ones that focus on cutting skills, cutting and pasting little crafts, numbers and letters, simple phonics and developing handwriting skills, mazes and dot-to-dots...all those things are great skills to work on at that age and they are really fun. My 5yo loves these workbooks! LOL

There are plenty of phonics programs out there, but that will come in time as you see the signs of reading readiness. My favorite book to read with our little ones as they are getting ready to learn to read is Hey! I'm Reading! by Betty Miles. Bob Books are our first "readers".

For science we read through as many of the Let's Read and Find Out science series books as we can get. These are picture books but are SO educational that all my kids love them. Then we add in some activities and science experiment type things from Mudpies to Magnets and More Mudpies to Magnets (they're subtitled "A Preschool Science Curriculum" and are just full of activities to do)

I have lots of suggestions but won't hog the thread. LOL!!

 

[meandtheguys2]

CHEO is very expensive. I could spend forever in the vendor area, though! I hope the new one attracts as many vendors!

I've already pricelined a hotel over there. That was also cheaper than downtown Columbus!

And they let kids come. If your kid can behave and sit quietly, I don't have a problem with them being there.

 

[momto2girls]

Ooh, thanks for the info on the HS convention in Cincy. I'm in Ohio too! I'll have to go check it out!

 

[jaycns]

Gosh all this other chatter is confusing me, should we start another thread on JUST tips and ideas for folks that are interested in homeschooling and not rehash all of this again and again . I believe this what OP was orginally asking, not should she, but where she should start.

Can anyone recommend a good book on where to start with a 4.5 yr old. He is in preschool now and LOVES it. He has a late birthday so I have him registered at a half day kindergarten for next yr because I know he wont be ready for a full day program. I love working with him here at home and would like some sort of format to go by. Im really considering homeschooling him after next yr. I just dont want him in the public schools here and the private schools that are close to me I dont have alot of confidence in. I have a cpl of schools in B.R. that I would love to send him too but in morning traffic it will be almost an hour to get to them. Not to mention the 600.00 a month plus would kill the budget.
Im soo confused I have no idea where to even start. I checked out the Headsprout site, and I ordered a cpl of catalogs you all recommended and read over the homeschooling law website last night.
Where should i start with a 4 yr old, how do i even begin to pick a plan?

If you have a home school convention near you...GO...*just guard your wallet with your life...somehow it seems to empty very quickly for me there*. Open the books and touch the manipulatives and see what hits you as interesting to your son.

At 4 I didn't do very much at all. He listened to me read. He did a few preschool workbooks I picked up at the dollar store. He liked to play with a few computer games like Pooh's Kindergarten or Mickey's Kindergarten. I included him in crafts.

However, at 4, I didn't really consider it "teaching" yet...so I didn't push anything. He came and went as he pleased in and out of the schoolroom and did as he pleased while he was there. My son was just not ready to start that young (some kids are...I just didn't have one of them).

For my 5 year old I can give you some examples of what he is doing. Maybe that would help? I am not sure.

Math is Saxon K. I think you could start this program earlier as it is very simplistic and a lot of fun. My son is almost done with the entire book so he will be starting Saxon 1 in about a month. I actually have friends who start their children in Saxon 1 bypassing Saxon K all together.

Reading is Headsprout (the on line program) as a supplement and our "main stay" is Veritas Press Phonics Museum. He loves learning this way. I wish I had done phonics this way for my two older children. I used Saxon Phonics with my eldest (didn't really "cut it" for my son, he needed something more but I know others who have loved it). I used Explode the Code for my middle son. Again, not the best program for our family. However, I have heard many great success stories.

Spelling is not a subject that I teach in K. I quiz them on the words they are learning to read (am, is, the, etc) but I don't use a separate curriculum. I personally start that in 1st grade. Others use spelling programs at this age and find success.

Writing is A Reason For Writing. He does pretty well using that. He loves the animal pictures to color that are a big part of the K program. He is always eager to work on this. Also, Phonics Museum provides practice with letter writing as well. I have heard that Handwriting Without Tears is another great handwriting program (but have not used it myself).

Civics is I Love America from the National Center for Constitutional Studies. It's a once a month program. I spend about 40 minutes to an hour teaching it a month. But it is just right for a 5 year old (IMHO).

Social Studies this year is a combo of history and geography. He will have the continents memorized. He will know his galaxy, planet, hemisphere, continent, country, state, city and address. To learn that we work on this fun unit study about aliens. First I found a few books about aliens at the library. Funny ones. Ones kids would like. Nothing heavy or scary. He draws what he think an alien life form would look like. Then he tells me what they would be like and I write down what he dictates. He copies that over in his own writing. He then comes up with three things about the alien (favorite foods, what he wears, what his home is like)and he draws those as well. After all of that we start studying maps to help tell his new alien friend how to get to his house. All three of my kids have loved learning "their place" in the world by this method. It takes a few days to a few weeks to do it this way depending on what you chose to get way into and what you just gloss over. We studied the planets and space for about a week. We worked for about a week on North American countries (he loved learning about piñatas and maple syrup). A week on US geography/history/culture. Then we spent another week on our home state. And a final week doing local history (in our immediate area) stuff. That week was heavy on field trips. So that took about a month and 1/2 for us total. It was fun and in the process...each of my kids (in turn) learned a lot about where they live (in specific and in general). I also follow the What your Kindergartner Needs to Know book by E.D. Hirsch as a semester of history for my son.

Science for us in K is just a hands on thing. Tons of experiments and nature study. I try to keep everything hands on so that it becomes exciting and it peeks their curiosity. I figure we will have years to go more in depth and formal with this subject. I just want to create a love for it at this age.

And books, books and more books...just reading stories. Anything and everything. Dr. Seuss books. The Magic Tree House series. The original Peter Pan. Other classics. Anything by Kipling. The Alice in Wonderland books. The Wizard of Oz books. Short books. Board books. Fairy tales. Folk tales. Fluff books. Books about holidays. Books about their favorite things. Books about silly monsters. Books about history and science. Just any and all books. The library is our best friend.


Okay...I better run....lunch time is over and it's time to go back to doing the teaching instead of talking about it! Have a great day!!

 

[sahwifeandmommy]

So You're Thinking About Homeschooling by Lisa Welchel (Blair from Facts of Life) is a great book about homeschooling.
Also I love starfall.com for aiding with reading
We also enjoy reading aloud the Magic School Bus chapter books for parts of our science.

 

[disneymom3]

I would guess that any "strange" behavior on the part of home school child is attributed (by those who have brief contact with the home school community or a limited number of children who are home schooled) to the fact that they are home schooled. That is not true. Plenty of "strange" behavior exists in all children...no matter what type of education they are receiving.

This is the thing that gets lost in this whole debate far too often IMO. Peope see that strange homeschooled child and blame it on the homeschooling when no one can really say if that kid is not just strange and would be no matter where he went to school. A friend and I had our kids auditioning for a play last night and there was this kid there who was just odd. We looked at each other and she said, "Oh, please tell me he is not homeschooled. Please please please!" I just chuckled because I knew she was thinking that the assumption would be made that it was BECAUSE he was homeschooled that he was weird. I have told this other story on the homeschool thread, bot so nonhomeschoolers can see about those assumptions I will retell it. My son was playing with a little boy at the park near our house while I helped his brother learn to ride his two wheeler in the flat area nearby. When I walked over to the play area, the mom commented to me on what a nice and friendly little boy DS is. She went on and on about how her son usually is very shy but DS just made him feel very comfortable and they were chatting it up and having such a nice time. Then she mentioned that DS told her he was homeschooled. (She asked where he went to school.) And the next question out of her mouth--Aren't you worried about socialization? Hello??? Aren't you the same peson who was just saying what a nice, outgoing little boy he was???? What is socialization about if not that? It can be such a knee jerk response for some people. I simply said, "No, I'm not. As you may have noticed he makes friends very easily."

 

[disneymom3]

Ooops, this was all supposed to be one post. Kinda long anyway!!

Gosh all this other chatter is confusing me, should we start another thread on JUST tips and ideas for folks that are interested in homeschooling and not rehash all of this again and again . I believe this what OP was orginally asking, not should she, but where she should start.

Can anyone recommend a good book on where to start with a 4.5 yr old. He is in preschool now and LOVES it. He has a late birthday so I have him registered at a half day kindergarten for next yr because I know he wont be ready for a full day program. I love working with him here at home and would like some sort of format to go by. Where should i start with a 4 yr old, how do i even begin to pick a plan?

First off, for any questions or issues, the mods of this forum have given us permission to post threads on anything pertaining to homeschooling. so feel free to do that. We were really trying to get a subforum for it but that doesn't seem to be happening. Keep posting though--you never know!

For a good program for a little one--Have you heard of Five in a Row? It is a fun way to teach where you focus on one book at a time for a week and each day reread the book and do a new activity with it incorporating science, math, daily living, art, etc. They are often available at a store such as Barnes and Noble so you can look it over before you buy. I also really like the Kumon books that someone else mentioned. My littlest one just eats those up. For K I use Moving with Math and then switch over to Singapore math. Singapore does not have a lot of bells and whistles but it is an awesome foundation and is fairly inexpensive. When I start spelling we do Spelling Power but not until about third grade and actually I have to stop using it for awhile with DD as she is in the eleventh grade list and her spelling ability is outstripping her vocabulary. Doesn't do you any good to know how to spell a word if you don't know what it means. She will be switching to Wordly Wise in Feb. My younger two also use the Explode the Code series and if you have a little one who likes to do paper/workbook type stuff, they have a good preschool phonics part of their series that is pretty inexpensive.

I think public school parents would get pretty ticked off if people were always questioning why they put their kid in a public school. Could you imagine me going up to ps parents at the bus stop and challenging them on their choices? It's absurd. And one of the reasons it's absurd is that the public school system has been around for so long that people accept it as "normal" and they don't question a parents choice to send their kid there. So, yes, homeschoolers can get a bit defensive because they are always being challenged and expected to defend why they chose the legal option to homeschool.

I swore recently that if one more person looked at me like I was insane and said, "You homeschool? Are you kidding me???" I was going to act shocked that they sent their kids to public school and ask them if THEY were crazy. It does get tiring to have your choices questioned by random strangers. Not that anyone on this particular thread is doing that but it happens more often than I ever would have believed. To me it is like the whole working parent/at home parent thing. Clearly, we all want to make what we consider the best choice for our families. It would be nice if we could all simpley rejoice in the freedom we have to make that choice and support each other. Unfortunately it doesn't always work that way.

As for knowing the answers, I have to tell a funny story. DD is working on fractions of a set. We did not have the text book or teacher manual for this book because it is new and a friend and I share them back and forth and she had this issue. So, I got it on Monday and as I was reading it I said to DD, "OH!!! This makes so much more sense now! I think you are really going to get it now that I have the directions on how to teach you!" Gee, ya think I had the mechanics down, but not the whys of the whole thing.

No one addressed the concerns I have about how parents without strong subject background manage to identify and overcome it - except to get defensive and attack. It would seem that this would be a concern for all homeschooling parents. I guess I was wrong, and that is disturbing.QUOTE]
First off, I know and remember that you said you respected the choice and effort involved. As for the question of recognizing that you don't have a strong background, I have to say I do not personally know anyone who does not realize this. For instance I have one friend who does not have a single creative bone in her body, but she knows her kids need artsy stuff to have a well rounded education so she makes sure that her kids are enrolled in comm ed art classes, a clay camp through our co-op and she bought a curriculum called Meet the Masters that basically teaches for you on computer and then tells you what to do for hands on stuff. In our co-op we had one mom teaching science one year and part way into the first semester she said, "I am really bad at this. I do NOT get it and I think I need to trade topics with someone." So, she took drama and I took Chemistry and it all worked out. I think the key is that you have to be humble enough to know you do not know it all. And sadly, you are right, some people do not recognize it or cannot admit it. I am honestly not sure what could be done about that.

 

[melag]

Amy, I'm not sure about Missouri but in CT all you have to do is tell the Local BOE that you are homeschooling and do not have to do anything else. I would check. On another note - I support homeschooling (I am a high school teacher) however I would never force a kid into it, including my own. They will be allowed to make that decision when the time comes - if I believe their education / values are being compromised then that is a different story. I think it depends on their age and maturity level as well.

 

[DisneyMom5]

Okay, I haven't had any problems with any comment but that one is totally out of line, and insulting. If all I needed to teach was an teachers guide I wouldn't have been required to have a college degree, take not one, not two but three state and federal certification tests, and then I had to teach for a year and be mentored by a seasoned teacher before I got my license, to be set loose on the public school system.

Teaching is about more than answers from a book. I respect any parent's wish to homeschool, but that remark held absolutly no repsect for those teachers out there who work and study and understand more about a subject than just what is memorized and spit out of a study guide.

If you actually know the subject you are not a slave to the book, you can expand, you can find alternative examples that may better demonstrate a theory to a child who is not a "book" learner. I know teachers who continue to take classes so that they can make the subject fresh and new and up to date for those students who find a passion in math, or science or whatever subject they teach.

Maybe the op did not mean that the way it sounded, but I was personally insulted and I felt bad for any other teacher out there. We don't teach for the money, or the "prestige" or the great benefits, we do it for the love of a subject or the love of a child. Please don't make your point by mimimizing what teachers do, not all are great but most of the ones I've known deserved to be respected.

I do apologize! I was not intending to insult and/or diminish the importance of teachers. Both my mother and grandmother were teachers.

I have no problem with teachers.

What I meant was: I don't HAVE to know everything about everything.

In the same way that a teacher knows how to utilize the resources he or she has at hand, I also know how to utilize resources.
Teachers do not have the time to figure out each problem on each child's math paper, so they use answer guides.
A history teacher knows the time period he is teaching, and if a child asks a question that is related, but outside of the syllabus, the teacher knows how to use resources to find the answer if he doesn't already know it.

I am continually learning as well. Sometimes right along with my children. I have learned more about History while teaching my children than I did in school, and I bet it is the same for a lot of teachers who are doing research for their classes.

I am aware that I am not equipped to teach a classroom of children, as I have never been taught how to do that. I respect teachers, especially today, especially in our town, because it is often a thank-less job.

I am sorry that my comment was hurtful to you. Please forgive me.