How many Dis'ers homeschool?

[disneymom3]

We are not required in MN to do any number of min days or hours of schooling. I love the law here, we are required to report that we homeschool and required to teach certain subjects, but the specifics are left up to us. We just have to be prepared to prove we are teaching if the school district requests it which they rarely if ever do.

So when I say we are taking the next two weeks off, I am talking from formal learning like spelling and math workbooks. We will still be reading, cutting, measuring (ingredients etc) playing games, but not doing written work. I sometimes forget it, as seen on the other main thread this morning, but we are pretty much learning all of the time. It has just become our lifestyle. However, Spelling Power, Writing Strands, Explode the code and Singapore math will all be put aside for the next two weeks.

 

[Belle0101]

Sounds like I get myself too worked up on technicalities.

To teach DS5 fractions I used a book from the library. Really cute, it used a Hershey bar to show the examples. We read it through and then did examples like if mom had 5/12 and you had 7/12 who would have more pieces. Then yesterday we baked but I made DS5 tell me how many 1/4 cups would I need to make a whole cup. All along those lines. We didn't use a workbook but I counted it as class.

Of course DS10 I have him do more workbook pages. Obviously he's older so he can work on his own more.

Like I said, I'm beginning to think I just get too worked up. My biggest fear is that I'll forget to teach something, my children will grow and then not be able to function in the world. Sounds kind of silly once I type it out but still ... what if? They'll be 60 years old and still at home!

 

[mykidzrock]

I'm posting this here because I don't know where else to post it...

We ate with the Princesses during our last trip. We want to do another character dining but would prefer different characters...Any ideas? Seeing as how these are rather pricey, I would rather get as much an experience for my kids as possible.

Thanx.

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

I'm posting this here because I don't know where else to post it...

We ate with the Princesses during our last trip. We want to do another character dining but would prefer different characters...Any ideas? Seeing as how these are rather pricey, I would rather get as much an experience for my kids as possible.

Thanx.

Here are other character dining experiences.
click here

 

[TNKBELL]

Sounds like I get myself too worked up on technicalities.

To teach DS5 fractions I used a book from the library. Really cute, it used a Hershey bar to show the examples. We read it through and then did examples like if mom had 5/12 and you had 7/12 who would have more pieces. Then yesterday we baked but I made DS5 tell me how many 1/4 cups would I need to make a whole cup. All along those lines. We didn't use a workbook but I counted it as class.

Of course DS10 I have him do more workbook pages. Obviously he's older so he can work on his own more.

Like I said, I'm beginning to think I just get too worked up. My biggest fear is that I'll forget to teach something, my children will grow and then not be able to function in the world. Sounds kind of silly once I type it out but still ... what if? They'll be 60 years old and still at home!

Sounds like you are doing a beautiful job!! Honestly, what do you remember from school that you actually use in everyday life? For all my jobs that I had, I never needed to know the capital of Maine or the date of the Boston tea party, not saying we don't teach these things, just that focus should be spent on understanding and teaching our Dks to teach themselves to use resources and to understand concepts. The best way to do that is to infuse them into our daily life....the best example ever!! The 3 R's are most essential and once they master those(especially reading) then it seems other things just come with careful guidance of course. For example, my Ds8 has never done a science worksheet, nor have I taught this formally, but he knows more about science than I ever will just because he enjoys reading different science books, now dodging all his info is another story!! lol

 

[Belle0101]

I'm posting this here because I don't know where else to post it...

We ate with the Princesses during our last trip. We want to do another character dining but would prefer different characters...Any ideas? Seeing as how these are rather pricey, I would rather get as much an experience for my kids as possible.

Thanx.

Also, there's a dining forum here on the Dis ... lot's of info there.

 

[disneymom3]

Belle--I think I may have mentioned on here before, but I would really recommend getting the What your xxx Grader Needs To Know by Hirsch. I bet you will find that your kids already know most of the stuff, but it is a good catchall that I use to reassure myself that I haven't forgotten anything important.

 

[Stepht5]

Hey! I did have my kids plan a trip to Disney as schoolwork, LOL.

That is quite cool! I may have my 14dd & 7ds do this..... I think the 7ds will still stick with the GF the 14dd will probably pick soemthing cheaper!

 

[Goofygirls4God]

1 year later and I reply...I homeschool and love it! Glad to see there are many of us and a forum for DIS HSers would be such a blessing!

 

[Praise2Him]

I homeschool my DD14 (9th grade) - this is our 2nd year, and I also just started homeschooling my DS16 (11th grade) the week after Thanksgiving. He's decided he wants to do 11th and 12th grades in 1 year so he can start college next fall. We live right off campus in a college town so he will still live at home.

We LOVE homeschooling - I just wish we had started when they were little and not waited so long.

For those with older kids, I definitely recommend doing some of the tours at WDW. We did the Wild By Design tour at AK last summer and it was so interesting and educational. When we got home DD wrote a report on it and I counted it as a school day.