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The One Ring Forums: Off Topic: The Pollantir:
Do you homeschool your kids?
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Poll: Do you homeschool your kids?
Yes, I do and have for many years
Yes, I do and have for a couple years or less
No, I don't
I prefer private school over homeschooling
I prefer public school
I prefer a combination of public/private school and homeschooling
Yes- I homeschool one child
Yes- I homeschool multiple children of different ages
Yes- my children are in elementary school (grades 1-8, or ages 6-13)
Yes- my children are in high school (ages 14-18)
Yes- my children are preschool-kindergarten (ages 3-5)
Yes- my older children are, and I also have children younger than 3 as well
Yes- my children range from elementary to high school (see ages above)
I don't have children.
View Results (42 votes)
 

Ethel Duath
Half-elven


Sep 16 2014, 3:48am

Post #51 of 80 (2245 views)
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Yes, yes, yes to the probiotic caspsules! But! [In reply to] Can't Post

Be careful which ones you try. I had severe IBS for awhile, and dropped down to 93 pounds. As a last resort, my doctor put me on an antibiotic (mild one) that targets intestinal bacteria, especially the ulcer bug (H-Pylori, I believe, even though I'm not sure tests showed I had it. It was a long tie ago) and at the same time, he had me get a specific type of probiotic, one with only 8 strains. It worked. But when I tried one with 12 strains, I got worse. I'd start with a simple pill like that, not a crazy, high dosage one, twice a day at first. Then you might increase by one capsule and wait a week. If you have an overgrowth of bacteria, too much can hurt. But without them, I'd still be rather--ahem--skeletal. ShockedShockedShockedEvil


Cirashala
Valinor


Sep 16 2014, 6:01am

Post #52 of 80 (2242 views)
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That's awesome! [In reply to] Can't Post

So were you able to read his name, or did you know it was him because he was the only one who did it?

That's great that you are able to establish friendships with other Tolkien nerds in the non-online world like that Smile

If I were a teacher and got things like that on homework, I might be tempted to dole out extra credit on occasion Wink

It's like that one comic strip-

mx + b= c

Find x.

And the student circled x in the question and said, "right there" LOL! I would dock the points of the question, then grant one back for making me laugh Wink Though I wouldn't do that on a regular basis if the student kept doing it Tongue


Cirashala
Valinor


Sep 16 2014, 6:14am

Post #53 of 80 (2243 views)
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We have a white board [In reply to] Can't Post

in the classroom (our smaller of the two "kid" rooms- the girls share the bigger one).

I'm going to pick up a chalkboard though- white board markers give me a headache and it's a small room Evil And I'm going to make it big enough that I can stand and the girls can still reach the bottom of it (I'm not tall by ANY means, but I won't go on my knees just so my two year old can reach it).

We did that mnemonic in school too Smile Despite having a LOT of problems learning how to complete the square, I never forgot how to structure the original problem Wink

x= -a +/- the square root of (b2-4ac)
2a

(unfortunately I can't replicate it exactly on a computer Evil).

I actually re-created a classroom setting in our third bedroom- it has two desks (though only one is an actual school desk from a thrift store- the other is technically a slanted art desk but we're making do until we can purchase another desk on amazon, as they run about $70 on sale), a whiteboard (soon to be chalkboard), teacher's desk, the alphabet and numbers on the top of the wall, the national and state flags pinned to the wall (they were on sticks, but got separated from the staples by the girls- hanging on the wall works better anyway), an achievement board to showcase well done assignments and artwork, a clock, and around the room most of their toys (play kitchen, dollhouse, baby bed, and toy box- it not only helps keep the two year old occupied when she gets bored, but allows for creative play as well). And the closet is where I keep the materials, sans a three drawer organizer on top of my desk.

And when we're not in school, the desks are moved beneath the window to allow it to be used as a playroom (a must, since they share a room, and while it's big enough to share with two beds, two dressers, and two nightstands, it doesn't have space for the bigger toys). And to also allow for more interactive play- like using drama to act out history scenes and bible scenes and such. And eventually we can move the desks so easels (with a drop cloth) can be set up once we get them Smile

So I've basically brought school into my home complete with classroom. The main difference is that it's a Christ centered education and I'm the teacher and our schooling involves more hands on than most schools I've been to are able to do (they can't do as much hands on because there's too many kids for one teacher and they cannot devote the 1 on 1 or 1 on 2 needed for many hands-on activities, especially at this age)- but the basic idea is the same.

And if I sometimes use Barbies on the floor to do visual representations of historical events, or explain some concepts, then, well....whatever works Tongue


Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal


Sep 16 2014, 12:21pm

Post #54 of 80 (2244 views)
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I had to pull my copy of LotR from my office shelf [In reply to] Can't Post

and look up the chart in the appendices to read his name, though I knew it was him. I got online to see how to write numbers, and wrote his grade in them. He loved it.

I once gave two points for a cartoon on a test, even though the student got the problem completely wrong (left it blank, in fact.) It was a problem about compound interest, and he drew a cartoon of a bank robber running out of a bank with two cartooney money bags in his hands. Another time there was a problem about two trains. I had shown them how to make a chart. He made the chart, and drew an amazing picture of a locomotive with the chart as the foundation of the drawing. He also got the problem wrong, but I gave a few points for awesomeness.


Cirashala
Valinor


Sep 16 2014, 3:25pm

Post #55 of 80 (2217 views)
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that's great :) [In reply to] Can't Post

Sometimes kids just learn in different ways- it would be a shame to overlook obvious talent like that Smile

And it sounds like he had an awesome Tolkien fan for a teacher- something I'd wished I had (then again, my parents are convinced Tolkien is evil, so they wouldn't have let me read his books anyway- that's why I didn't find Tolkien until I was 21 and engaged to my Tolkien fan fiance).


Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal


Sep 16 2014, 9:19pm

Post #56 of 80 (2207 views)
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Wow. My parents never censored my reading in any way [In reply to] Can't Post

nor did I censor my kids' reading. I'm not sure letting my daughter read Jurassic Park at age 7 was such a good idea, though. I was proud of her for plowing through that big book, but then she saw a velociraptor in her closet that night... (We did censor their movies, but never their books.)

One of my Christian relatives gave me a copy of this book, which I thought was pretty good (though I'm not a Christian myself.) I don't know if it would change your parents' minds.


arithmancer
Grey Havens


Sep 17 2014, 3:06am

Post #57 of 80 (2204 views)
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No... [In reply to] Can't Post

...my sons are in fourth and sixth grades in my local public schools. homeschooling would be impractical for me for two big reasons - first, I am a single mother, my income from full time work is needed in my household. And second, the kids' father and I do not have a good enough relationship to work anything like this out; he'd be criticizing any educational decision I'd make in a homeschooling context. He complains about the local schools too but that is easy to ignore.

It is an option that I think has both its pros and cons. One of my sons has a learning disability/diagnosis that entitles him to special ed services, and these are most easily obtained at school. I do feel that some of the staff that worked with him over the years do know better than I could learn, how to teach a child with his challenges. On the other hand, some of those challenges only really show themselves in a school environment... learning things he finds interesting (almost anything) without the associated school structure would be easier for him in some ways.

Also, school has its social advantages along with the disadvantages. While bullying is a risk and a possibility (more so because of the disability) school is also a good opportunity to meet potential new friends. My other son has made all of his friends in school settings. To date I feel the pros have outweighed the cons for both.


Elizabeth
Half-elven


Sep 17 2014, 8:03am

Post #58 of 80 (2195 views)
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You are a great argument for professional teachers! // [In reply to] Can't Post

 


Maciliel
Valinor


Sep 17 2014, 2:13pm

Post #59 of 80 (2189 views)
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yogurt cautions [In reply to] Can't Post

 
be very careful with yogurt and read the label -- most contain +scads+ of sugar... more sugar than in a donut.

cheers --

.


Cirashala
Valinor


Sep 17 2014, 6:11pm

Post #60 of 80 (2173 views)
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I do watch it [In reply to] Can't Post

I can't stand plain yogurt without at least a little sugar, unfortunately Unsure

I have been looking into making my own, basically making a base and adding my own sugar and fruit (might mix the sugar and fruit together and "stew" it then add it to my yogurt mix). A few people on TORn have given me recipes on how to do so- now I just need to find the time and purchase the ingredients Smile


Magpie
Immortal


Sep 17 2014, 6:40pm

Post #61 of 80 (2170 views)
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a lot of fruit will release its juice with a little suger [In reply to] Can't Post

strawbs, especially so. Other fruits may need some cooking.

I think we often used a spoon of jam. Preserves would work, too.


Magpie
Immortal


Sep 17 2014, 7:08pm

Post #62 of 80 (2173 views)
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I was just thinking, too... [In reply to] Can't Post

that we use yogurt in many places instead of sour cream.... especially on bean burritos.

Also, when I feel the need for some simple digestive relief... I'll mix some plain non-fat yogurt with some milk to make it about the consistency (or thicker) of buttermilk and drink it. Somehow, it seems to work better than eating it thicker although I'm sure the science wouldn't back that up.

But I enjoy yogurt this way with no flavorings or sugar whatsoever. I also enjoy drinking buttermilk and kefir.

Some people will also mix it with musli or granola. (but you have to watch granola for the added fat and sugar. I prefer musli. I still lament that I can't get Alpen cereal anymore.)


(This post was edited by Magpie on Sep 17 2014, 7:10pm)


Arveldis
Rivendell


Sep 19 2014, 3:58am

Post #63 of 80 (2162 views)
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I'm being homeschooled right now... [In reply to] Can't Post

And here I thought my first post would be on the Hobbit board. Tongue

I've only been homeschooling for a few years, so I can't offer much advice. I'm an only child, so I don't have any tips on juggling two kids at once. (Sorry.)

My mom definitely had a nervous breakdown when I said I wanted to be homeschooled. She thought that to be able to teach me she would need some sort of degree in teaching (she's an accountant). After all, all public school teachers have to have one, right? Not so. Teaching your kids is stressful (my mom is constantly reminding me how many things we need to do each day) and not without its issues; but, in my opinion, it's better than public school. Way better.

My experience in public school, although not as extreme, was a lot like yours. I went from being outgoing and semi-popular (in my mind, at least) in kindergarten to extremely shy, introverted, and most definitely not popular by middle school. I was bullied a lot. I was bookish, quiet, often alone, wore glasses, and never had the "in" clothes (not that I liked them, anyways). All of that added up to equal: bully magnet. I took things in stride, but after a while, the peer pressure and drama began to wear on me. Add that to the horror stories I'd heard about our local high school...well, I made up my mind pretty fast that I did not want to go there.

Flash forward to now. I'm thriving as a homeschool student. Quite frankly, I wish I'd made the decision to switch to homeschooling earlier. Sure there are challenges, lots of them. It seems that there are always subjects that get neglected and have to be caught up on. I can't tell you how many times I've sat in a doctor's office working on homework because we can't take time out of our day to stop schooling (I have nine classes).

But, it's worth it. All of the stress and sleepless nights (my mom's had plenty) and fingernail biting and fretting about "Am I good enough for my child?" Trust me, my mom's told me all about it. To be honest, I've wondered at times if I'm doing better than my peers in public school too. But I know that even on the least productive day what I'm doing is light years ahead of what they are. After all, how many public school students can say that they're taking logic? Smile

Now that my little (err, large) dissertation about the joys and ordeals of homeschooling is over, I guess I should go on to what you were really asking about: tips.

I would highly suggest getting involved in some homeschool network. I have one at my church that my mom just got connected with. It'll provide that oh-so-important "socialization" that every non-homeschooling parent wonders if homeschoolers get. (Yes, we do. Believe it or not, there are other ways to have friends besides public school. Amazing, huh? Shocked Wink) Besides that, there are bound to be other homeschooling parents with great ideas and helpful hints.

Curriculum. I use Saxon math. (It is very "idiot friendly, isn't it? Wink) Much easier to understand than the public school textbooks I've used for years.

For science, I used the Apologia curricula last year. This year, since I'm taking astronomy, I'm having to use a different publisher, but I highly recommend Apologia nonetheless. It's very detailed. I used their Biology course last year and it was pretty hard. Some people say it's like college science.

For English, I'm using some of Susan Wise Bauer's books and A Beka Grammar. Both are Christian and pretty rigorous.

If you decide to do foreign languages, I'd recommend Rosetta Stone. It helps you get the pronunciation down. For supplement (since Rosetta is full-immersion it doesn't give you the language "rules"), we use Memoria Press. We have their books for Latin (for which it's our only curriculum) and French. Both are great, and I highly recommend the Latin. It's also pretty "idiot friendly."

My mom has also found that Lee Binz (dubbed the "Home Scholar") has great advice. I'd suggest checking out her website.

My mom's also checked out loads of books from our local library about homeschooling.

So in brief, homeschooling is hard, but it's not rocket science. Are people going to criticize you? Yep. Are you going to have days where you wonder if it's all worth it; if your kids are doing better than their public school counterparts? Yep and yep. But in the end, it is so worth it. Your kids will thank you for doing this. Smile

To quote Bofur, "I wish you all the luck in the world." Wink I'm sure you'll do great.


Cirashala
Valinor


Sep 19 2014, 4:15am

Post #64 of 80 (2155 views)
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that's very fair [In reply to] Can't Post

Every situation is unique, and some kids do better in a school environment than a homeschool one. And some kids thrive in homeschool rather than public school.

It sounds like you have a good approach to your son's education- especially the special needs child. Mine would be special needs on the gifted side of things, and, aside from other concerns mentioned above, I didn't think our school district was equipped to handle a bright yet easily distracted child (she was quite far ahead of her peers in pre-kindergarten, according to her end of year assessment) and though she just turned five in June she's already doing addition problems using teddy bear counters as visual aids- in fact, I never gave her the answers but I showed her how to do the first half of her homework assignment this afternoon (16 single digit addition problems) using green bears for the first number that "came over to play" and blue ones for the second number "that came over a little later", and with exception to one problem she got all of them correct! It was not her first time adding- she'd done it using her fingers a couple times, but this was the first partly independent instruction (meaning she finished 8 questions all by herself without my help in guiding her by explaining the directions).

So I felt she would be bored in school. Plus, as I said she's easily distracted (I struggle with her a bit on keeping her on task and focused). My dad and sister very clearly have ADHD, which can run in families (my grandmother said that when she first met him he "left footprints on the ceiling" and after my husband (who is working on his master's of mental health counseling and also has four adopted siblings, three of which have ADD or ADHD on top of many other issues) watched a family reunion video when my mom was pregnant he immediately recognized it.

There's also speculation that I could have it too, though my counselor and I haven't confirmed it (she's not qualified to make that kind of diagnosis, though she has plenty of books on the subject)- in girls, they aren't usually hyperactive so it's more difficult to diagnose and often missed (though they can be hyperactive, but it's rare- my sister also "leaves footprints on the ceiling" and can't hold still if her life depended on it- and she's 26). Girls will often daydream and have trouble focusing and be easily distracted, and when I was in school I distinctly remember being bored out of my skull and doodled on EVERYTHING in class (I would erase the pictures before I turned the schoolwork in). I am also a HUGE daydreamer- maybe that's why I am so good at writing lol (I often daydream my story scenes then write them down when I get the chance). And I can have trouble focusing, though if something really interests me (like homeschooling) I can focus quite well. But it takes conscious effort.

So it's quite possible that my daughter could be ADD as well- we would have to see a professional for a confirmed diagnosis, but it's certainly a possibility. Things like this are often genetic (sorry kiddo Unsure).

My adopted siblings, however, have such a host of problems that homeschooling isn't, nor will ever be, an option for my mother in law (the youngest is 10 now, and the eldest is 18 going on 8 and always will be). Those kids have WAY too many problems- mental retardation, ADD/ADHD, Reactive Attachment Disorder, and were badly abused in both their biological home and foster care so there's PTSD on top of everything else (and two of them demonstrate Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which permanently damages the brain, and the eldest was medical neglect as an infant with a lactose intolerance that caused him to fail to thrive until 14 months, which severely damaged his brain as well). My mother in law has homeschooled before- my husband has two biological siblings before she couldn't have more kids (thus the adoption- though to be fair she didn't know they had problems aside from the eldest, which was an earlier adoption (younger 3 are siblings and were adopted at the same time) and his youngest biological brother was homeschooled for a bit after their private Christian school closed.

But these adopted kids? NOPE- their special needs are too much for her (plus they verbally abuse her, and sometimes physically (hit, punch, bite, kick, throw recliners at age 4 (not kidding, sadly Unsure) and mouth off badly) so she NEEDS the break when they go to school for her own sanity (and for what's best for them). They see her as an authority figure (the same position their abusers were in) so they lash out at her confusing her with their previous abusers all the time in their damaged brains. It's classic of PTSD, though she's done nothing to warrant any of this (the state didn't inform them of how horrible these kids are- hint: they actually got BANNED from services at one PSR clinic and a respite home due to their behavior, so they had NO idea what they were getting into when they adopted them Pirate Frown).

So I completely understand that homeschooling is not for everyone, nor the best thing for every child (or parent). DEFINITELY not saying your child is like this! But I can understand the necessity of special ed teachers under necessary circumstances for sure.

On a side note- I don't know anything about the situation between you and the kids' father, but I've heard on some of the blogs I visit that you can actually file for "educational custody" so that you have the right to make educational decisions for your children without needing their father's input (or criticisms, as you mentioned). Whether that be public school or private school or homeschool (whichever), it might be worth considering, depending on how bad the criticism is. Don't feel you have to take this suggestion- I'm just letting you know that I've heard about it in case it can be of some help to you, is all Smile


Cirashala
Valinor


Sep 19 2014, 5:46am

Post #65 of 80 (2165 views)
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thanks a bunch! And mae govannen! [In reply to] Can't Post

Sly

Aw- I was your first post Evil I do appreciate your advice very much (and maybe, just maybe you've dispelled some of the myths about homeschooling that I encountered early on in this thread Wink).

That's fine- not everyone has lots of kids (I myself am done at two-severely ill with my difficult pregnancies- I had to put myself on self imposed bed rest with tons of anti-nausea pills so I wouldn't puke all day and end up in the ER (of which I am on a first name basis with the docs). My husband ran across an ER doc at work six months after I'd been in (for the fourth time in 9 months) and he remembered me out of the hundreds of patients he saw, to give you an idea Crazy).

In fact, I had to compose and print up my own gradebook/record book, which took me four hours and half my printer ink- I'm sure your mom knows this, but do you have ANY idea how hard it is to find a gradebook for just TWO kids?! Crazy

I actually snort at the idea of public school teachers' credentials lol- at my sister in law's graduation I heard about "teaching degrees" (she went to private school until it closed, then attended the local public Charter Academy- in fact, several teachers and most of the students are still Christian there because a lot of them moved over when it closed, or kids go there when they can no longer be homeschooled or Christian schooled because it's academically challenging and operates like a private school complete with uniforms but there's no tuition involved).

The vice principal of the school got up to do his speech, and he said that the school refused ANY teacher with a "teaching degree" even if it was a PhD! Their teachers had to have Master's level degrees or higher in subject matter- like a Master's in Mathematics or a Master's in History or a Master's in English, etc. And their continuing ed classes were supposed to be in subject matter, not "how to teach". The teachers who taught there were experts in their subjects, and it shows- my sister in law said that, after taking Charter's science courses Community College was a breeze- she felt like she was in 5th grade again with how easy it was!

Teaching degrees don't teach subject matter so much as they teach "how to control your class, how to administer tests, etc". I've run across many public school teachers (not all by far- especially as I don't want to be cyber-lynched by those on here who have helped me considerably Evil) who are lousy instructors because they don't know the subject being taught (they won't tell you that as a student, but my sister had a teacher who was absolutely PISSED at her for figuring out a legitimate way to solve a math problem she was having trouble with using my mom's old algebra college textbook when he didn't know how to do it that way!).

Conversely, some teachers CAN teach with the teaching degrees, rather than subject matter, and some can teach with no degree at ALL (my husband had several good teachers without degrees- private schools don't look at that as much as public schools do because they don't have the money to be picky). I knew a parent whose children ended up in a fine university with high SAT scores because of her dedication and commitment to learning along with her kids- and she barely had any college at ALL.

I think it takes a certain type of personality to be a teacher- not everyone who is educated to teach can do it, and not all who aren't educated to teach can't.

It can be stressful for sure (in fact, I sent my aunt a text "book"- meaning 13 texts all in one message- this evening asking for help on how to keep a kindergartener focused in the classroom). Sometimes it goes really well, and towards the end of the school day (after about two hours have passed or so) the distracting and lack of focus gets worse. I haven't yet figured out the magic formula to solve this problem (it would be wonderful if my two year old would nap for the "not together" subjects, but she's not at that point anymore- the little stinker went on nap strike several months ago and if she does fall asleep it's either in the car in the evening or about 5 pm at night, and it's too late for the eldest to focus at that point anyway).

Sounds pretty similar to mine (I not only had "not in" clothes, but hand me downs that were often too big (I was tiny- didn't stop growing til I was 16 and still only reached five feet tall) or too long. One pair of jeans was four sizes too big, six inches too long- but it was on sale Pirate And at one point I had to wear boys' clothes because they were cheaper than girls' clothes Pirate

I hear you- I think I would have done well with a uniforms private Christian school that challenged me academically (I was bored to death in school, except for math as it moved too quickly and I moved too much and missed important stuff that killed me later). But knowing my mom's temperament (she freaked if I came home with an A- and asked me why it wasn't an A. She's extremely controlling) I wouldn't have survived homeschooling myself. I would have been ok with a tutor (basically "off site" homeschooling) but my mom is not the teaching sort. She's too perfectionistic and has Generalized Anxiety Disorder along with paranoia as a part of that.

I am the same way! It's nice to know that other homeschool families end up with that- because of their lack of focus, I often end up having to get to the subject I don't end up having time for the next day. BUT- we do spend all day learning, even if it's not during actual "classroom time". I quilt, and sew, and my daughter is working on her second sampler (she made the first one- an "I love you Grammy" into a pillow) and will be making this a Merry Christmas pillow. GREAT fine motor development. I have helped her make a sixteen patch one block quilt (for her baby dolls)- shapes and patterns. She helps me bake- and sees how I measure out ingredients and I show her the amounts listed on the measuring cups (technically fractions, though she's not quite getting that part of it yet). It's also science- mixing ingredients and applying heat to change the chemical makeup. She helps me with my garden- science (botany- not 100% certain if that applies to vegetable gardens too, but I would guess so as they're still plants).

We practice spelling in the car orally (she can read AND spell nine words now, and working on more) when we're on our way to errands. She interacts with other kids on the playground, at the mall playground, and says hi to every little girl she meets (she's not sure about boys right now (and daddy's perfectly ok with that lol Tongue)- in her pre-k class some of them were pretty rowdy) as well as attends Sunday School and has playdates. She also interacts with adults- she earns money (usually coins- I'm nowhere near rich lol Tongue) and saves 10% for church (which she puts in the offering plate), 20% to put in the bank (it's my savings account for her, but she gives the teller her money and the tellers know us quite well by now and help her count the money), and she can spend the rest or save it at will. She has purchased items before (namely the $0.25 ice cream cone at the grocery store every two weeks when we go grocery shopping- and she's also bought her sister one or suckers for both of them many times too- so she's learning generosity). She has helped me go through her toys to thin them out knowing that they will go to other little girls who don't have toys and does it willingly (98% of the time lol). She also cleans her room and her things out of other rooms and helps put away her laundry- sorting, organizing, matching (math skills). She's helped me prepare fruit for canning- sorting, science (plus she really liked punching the pits out of the cherries using the pitter lol Wink). And once she's old enough, I will show her how to piece a basic quilt- shapes, geometry.

She also learns leadership- when I take a shower (since I have a sleep disorder and they don't so they always wake me up, rather than the other way around) she will babysit her little sister (meaning play with her, make sure she doesn't get into what she's not supposed to, etc). And when her friends come over, their room is clean when they get here and all the kids help clean up, so she has to take leadership to direct her friends where things go without getting bossy (we're still working on the bossy part lol Evil).

And when she watches shows on netflix, I make sure that they are educational shows (she watched The Magic School Bus at not quite 3, then watercolored the solar system- the sun was in the middle (and was the only one with rays), the planets were around it (kind of like a "cloud" of planets, and not in the right order, but still), and she included an asteroid and a meteor on it!). It has aided her vocabulary immensely (she was speaking past a 4 year old level at 2.5 and her sister is also using complete sentences and even short paragraphs occasionally punctuated by unintelligible words) and also exposed her to other cultures and areas of the world.

We also sing all the time (though I'm getting SO sick of Frozen Tongue)- we all have very good singing voices, and love to sing. We sing along with my ipod in the car (I hate commercials, so having an ipod and netflix is vastly superior to cable and car radio, IMO), we sing while cleaning, she's constantly "putting on shows" (though I do try to explain to her that if mommy's sewing and has a headache she really needs to keep the "songs" under twenty minutes long and at lower volume lol- I have very sharp ears), we sing in the store occasionally- and yes people think they're adorable (I'm not sure about me, but meh, whatever- I stopped caring about people's opinions of me long ago- which is good, as I now wear a kapp and long sleeved ankle length dresses because I am more conservative as a Christian and felt led to obey 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 after I discovered that the Mennonites/Amish actually got that part right and it was backed up by scripture). So there's music class (and once she's big enough for it, we got her a 1/8 size violin- I've played for 28 years and she's wanted to play mine for a long time so I'm going to teach her how when she's old enough to read music and reach the fingerboard where her hand needs to be).

And on days like today, when my two year old woke us up gagging and pasty white at our door saying, "I frow up" and "My tummy hurts" and nearly puked five times in the span of an hour (finally settled her tummy once we got crackers and watered down powerade in her), I end up having bible videos, Sesame Street, Veggie Tales, and netflix educational videos like Caillou and Leapfrog as a backup when "classroom time" can't happen. Kind of like substitute teaching, I suppose Wink Not all learning happens in a classroom- our field trip to the State Fair was awesome, and we're going to a pottery class (social studies) at one of the local farms first Saturday in Oct. How many public school kids can say that they've seen a leaf forged on an anvil in person (or had the blacksmith give her a personal, unscheduled demonstration after she asked very nicely and we explained that it was a field trip, explained his steps in language she could understand, and give her the leaf afterward (when a key ring with two leaves on the end cost $90!) for free? Wink How many kids can say that they learned how to churn butter? How many kids can say that they got to ride the dragon rollercoaster all by themselves because there were no other kids there and they didn't have to wait in line? (it was Senior day, and she rode three rides in ten minutes then we were free to go see all the demos- it was WONDERFUL and so quiet- no loud music blaring). How many kids can say that they now know how wool is spun on a spinning wheel to make yarn (and got a piece of sparkly wool as a souvenir?)? They even got to sit in the fire truck Smile And next year, we're going to save up enough money that she can do the "mutton bustin'" which is where small kids between 5 and 7 can hang onto a sheep and race it (we didn't have enough money this year- had to replace our stove unexpectedly and we pay cash for things- no credit cards).

Not only did we do science at the fair, but we also did social studies Wink

Very true lol Wink My grandmother's worries about the girls being "where they should be in public school" got me in a major tizzy the night I wrote the OP, but I reminded myself that all that matters is that she learns (though I will be teaching her how to read and spell and do math in order to make sure she's where she's supposed to be at on those levels, because those set up the foundation for her entire educational and life- especially the reading, but also the math). And why should it matter where she's at in relation to public school kids if we never intend for her to go there? Instead of stressing about that, we talked and decided that we would instill a love of learning (and the ability to read and do math) so that if she ever wanted to know about something she could read about it. If necessary, we can put her in Charter in sixth grade (they are only 6-12) but we will avoid public school at all costs.

We feel its best for her to develop a lifelong love of learning, and have God be at the center of her education. She won't get at least the second part in public school. So barring family tragedy, she won't go there if we can help it. So skill wise we'll make sure she meets her checklist for developmental reasons. But for things like social studies and science- the best way to learn about your world is to live it, discover it, and ask questions about it. Does it really matter if she learns about Ancient Egypt now or in fifth grade? I don't think so. I won't stress where she's at in public school because we decided that a public school education is not what we wanted for her. And emulating it would blow that out of the water, IMO.

I've tried looking up networks in the area, but we're rural and there doesn't seem to be much Frown But I've only looked at my state, come to think of it- we're only 5 miles from the Washington border and there's a town with 500,000 people about twenty minutes away- maybe I can find one there Smile I will try to find something (or ask my aunt- she teaches at a private Christian school that does a homeschool-in-class-once-a-week setup so she might know some homeschoolers). And she's extremely social, so it's likely she would know at least one or two.

I laugh about that socialization bit too- what do they think we do? Keep the kids on house arrest? Tongue

Saxon is wonderful Smile And the really super duper nice thing about it is that my two year old can "participate" too- she LOVES the teddy bear counters, and plays with them while my five year old uses them (one color for each side of the addition problem- blue for the left, green for the right number) to help with addition homework. They had to make a pictograph of their family- my toddler scribbled on the "faces" and glued them on (with help)- motor skills. My five year old actually practiced graphing skills- drew faces of her family members, then categorized them into boys and girls, said how many were in each group, and glued them on (plus writing practice- she already knows how to spell her sister's name and hers, but got practice writing boys, girls, mommy, daddy. And I work with colors on the teddy bear counters with her while my five year old works on patterning and sorting/categorizing. I work with simple shapes on the pattern blocks with my toddler and on the more complex shapes with my kindergartener. That actually works very well with multiple kids- and it's easier for me to jump back and forth between them.

I have Apologia astronomy- I was quite surprised to see that it was supposedly for 5-8 (the junior notebooking journal)- it was beyond her. It asked her to do a mnemonic for the planets- she's not there yet. It asked her to write some things she'd learned about planets- she's not writing sentences yet (words yes, sentences without a great deal of help no). And each lesson was reading about three whole textbook pages- she doesn't have the attention span for that (I'm a fast reader, so have to slow down for her, but still takes me about five minutes IF I don't have interruptions, which I usually do, and by the time I've gotten to the end her mind is elsewhere and most of it has gone in one ear and out the other). It's definitely geared more towards 8 than 5 I think.

So for science we've taken more of a "my world" approach with her- stuff she can relate to a bit more (and using education.com worksheets more age appropriate for her) like come harvest I will print off a pumpkin life cycle chart (seed to pumpkin)- since she's helped me in the garden and watched the plants grow she will understand it better I think than if she were to try to remember nine (eight, according to some) planets in a mnemonic. Plus we're growing pumpkins in the backyard, though they're still flowering (not only got to them late, but apparently other growers are having trouble as well and even pumpkins planted on time are just now flowering for some reason). I am hoping that we'll see at least one (dozens of flowers- I planted ten seeds, five on each hill, in case some died and none did) whole pumpkin by season's end Unsure. We'll tackle the astronomy again either next year or the year after (depending on her writing proficiency and attention span improvement).

We're using Language Lessons Through Literature by Kathy Jo DeVore (you can find it on lulu.com (self published book) or on Amazon) for grammar and Abeka (given to me by my MIL) for reading practice, plus flash cards for sight words and practicing spelling words based on sight words (more used, therefore she needs to read them first- and she's already demonstrated that, for her, reading and spelling are hand in hand, and she learns to read a word by spelling it like I do, rather than "whole word" reading). For writing, she does copywork with the LLTL, and she also practices writing the date during prayer journal time, she does ABC writing practice (penmanship) every so often, and she does her spelling words. And she fills in her prayer journal on her own, though I often have to help her with spelling (she tells me what she wants to pray for that day, and I will write it on the board so she can copy it). She's very enthusiastic about writing, and has been attempting letters since she was 2 (later half of two, but still).

We're going to do Spanish together (I did two years in high school, but am so rusty that a lot of it is gone- though my pronunciation is spot on regardless of whether I'm understanding what I'm speaking out loud or not- lived in So California for four years in elementary school). It's spoken by I think 41% of the US population, so it would be a good second language for us all (we live in Idaho, but still). And I was planning on Rosetta Stone- I've heard very good things about them Smile But as it costs several hundred dollars, it will have to wait until at least next year Pirate I regret that, because I know kids learn language best from 0-5, but financially we don't have a choice. I will peruse Amazon and see if I can get it cheaper, but we'll have to see...but as soon as we can afford it, I'm getting it.

Do you have that website address?

Me too- and bought a couple Smile

I sure hope so Evil

Thanks Smile
Your input was greatly appreciated (as evidenced by my long, rambling post- it's usually an indication that it's bedtime lol- I tend to end up on TORn after they go to bed because I'm so busy Tongue).

And mae govannen to TORn- I hope you find it as enjoyable a "family" as I do- even if we are a bit zany at times, sometimes crazy, and have our occasional squabbles that the mods (or "moms and dads" of TORn Angelic) have to break up - like I said, a family Cool


(This post was edited by Cirashala on Sep 19 2014, 5:52am)


arithmancer
Grey Havens


Sep 19 2014, 11:38am

Post #66 of 80 (2136 views)
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Yes, the state I now live in has a separate notion of educational custody. If the ex did more than gripe (to me, and occasionally to the school) I would consider trying to obtain it. As it is, he complains our local schools are poor (they are among the top public schools in my state) and that my son has no special needs (he has a medical diagnosis). But in practice - he lives one state over, and the kids spend the school year here with weekend visits to him. So I wind up making the day to day decisions regarding my son's education and he has not taken steps to prevent this. But I think if I did decide to homeschool the dynamic could change. I think my ex actually knows on some level that a family court would not look favorably on complaints about a local public school program with a good reputation, or on attempts to prevent a child with a medical diagnosis from receiving appropriate school services his other parent and the school's staff both think benefit the child.


Arveldis
Rivendell


Sep 20 2014, 3:36am

Post #67 of 80 (2126 views)
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Thanks for the welcome. Smile I've been a lurker for two years but finally decided to make the transition because I knew the boards would be getting busy soon and wanted to be able to have email alerts since I can't always read everything each day.

I'm glad to know that I was some help. I was worried that my first post might come off as 90% word vomit and 10% advice. Crazy

I had a sister (was an identical twin according to the doctor), but my mom miscarried her. My mom had a lot of trouble just having me, so I've always known that other siblings are out of the question. It gets a little lonely, but I know my sister's in a better place. Smile Secretly, though, I am quite happy to not have to deal with squabbling. Cool

My mom actually just used an electronic gradebook that she found online. I have no idea where she got it, though. But she will agree wholeheartedly that it's stressful. You don't want to know how long it took to find just the right books...

I've heard that teaching degrees are more for crowd control too. I know that you do need to learn how to control people, but it seems like learning how to teach effectively should be important, as should knowing your subject matter. I've had multiple teachers that were, well, pretty awful at getting the subject matter across. One taught straight from the textbook with no additional tips or "shortcuts." Another (I think she was having a bad pregnancy) was so grouchy that I dreaded asking her a question. Even though I was a good student, she seemed to love to snap at me. Frown I mean no offense to any teachers on here, but there definitely are some teachers who just aren't meant for their job. Either that or they haven't properly learned how to teach. I know that the vast majority of teachers aren't that way -- I had a ton of great teachers in public school that were personable, could control the rowdy kids, and could teach well -- but there were some that I just couldn't endear myself to.

I think every little kid goes on a nap strike at some point. Smile I did the same thing to my mom. Unfortunately for her, I was extremely obstinate. Blush

I know exactly how you feel about clothes not fitting. I'm under five feet myself and pretty much done growing. I always had trouble finding clothes that fit (still do, actually). By the time I found something that didn't make me look like I was swimming in it, it was too long for my short stature. I shouldn't complain, though, because I can brag to everyone that I'm dwarf-sized. Tongue According to the Weta books, I'm pretty close to Thorin's height.

My mom's a perfectionist too, but she's not nitpicky about my grades. As long as I try, it's good enough for her. She knows that there are some things that no matter how much she tries to hammer them into my head I just won't understand. She was actually quite proud of the B I earned in Algebra 1 in middle school (I'd had an awful year of sickness -- mono, then the flu two months later, and then the flu again). I, on the other hand, was very disappointed with myself (I've always been a straight A student).

I think every homeschool family encounters that problem. There are just so many hurdles in life that make it hard to fit every subject in each day.

That's the great thing about homeschooling: you're always learning. Even seemingly inconsequential things are learning experiences. Learning doesn't have to just be reading a textbook, filling out worksheets, and taking tests. I think with homeschooling you can make a lot of things that would normally just go in one ear and out the other actually matter and have significance. It's one thing to read about the different cycles of the moon and another to go out and watch them at night.

Aww, Frozen. So funny that you would mention it; I'm trying to learn "Let it Go" on piano right now. I agree, though, it can get on your nerves listening to that song for the fifteenth time. Wink

So cool that you're daughter's going to learn violin. I've always wanted to play that, but I think piano's more than enough for me right now. Smile

Your description of your state fair reminded me of when I went back to Williamsburg last year with my family. In the one week we spent there, I think I learned more about the life and times of colonial America than I ever learned in any history class. It was so surreal on the Yorktown battlefield knowing that I was standing where history had happened (and slightly eww because I knew there were dead bodies underneath my feet). You don't have to go to some major location like Williamsburg to get that experience, though. Even a day trip to a small local landmark makes a history lesson come alive. I think that's one of the things that makes homeschooling special: you can have experiences that you would never be able to get in public school that make your education so much more interesting.

Too bad about the networks. Hopefully you'll be able to find something. Smile I know it's not the same experience, but like someone suggested above, even an online one would be great. I don't know of any though.

Have you checked to see if there are any homeschool stores in your area? There are two about twenty minutes away from where I live that offer classes to homeschoolers. The classes are pretty nice to have if you ever have to teach a subject you're not familiar/too comfortable with. My mom put me in a biology one last year because she didn't want "dead animals in formaldehyde coming to my house and being dissected on my kitchen counter." I wasn't too keen on dissecting animals where we prepare dinner either. Tongue

I don't know much about the Apologia astronomy. I didn't use it because it was too young for me. I do know, though, that overall Apologia tends to be very rigorous. There were times last year in my biology class where I felt like I was banging my head against a wall.

As for Rosetta, I know that they typically have a sale each year before school starts. My mom was able to get French 1-5 for a couple hundred dollars.

Here's the link to the main page of Lee Binz's website:
http://www.thehomescholar.com/
I can't make it clicky since I'm not tech savvy at all, but I trust you know how to use good ol' copy and paste. Wink
I don't know how much on there pertains to younger students. My mom found it was a wealth of information on homeschooling in general, though.

Rambling's not a problem. I do it a ton too. I tend to write books for emails. Tongue

Hope some of this helps! Smile


(This post was edited by Arveldis on Sep 20 2014, 3:41am)


Ethel Duath
Half-elven


Sep 20 2014, 3:04pm

Post #68 of 80 (2106 views)
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I suppose you know why I'm in favor of that . . .Smile

Both my parents are professionals, and to keep me from constantly going after their instruments and possibly shattering them to smithereens in an attempt to play something that was more like a cello to me at the time, they got me my own tiny less-than-an-8th-size at age 3. (The smaller sizes weren't standardized yet at that time.) My mom was my teacher until I was 12, and then my dad took over. I'm still at it. Cool


Ethel Duath
Half-elven


Sep 20 2014, 3:29pm

Post #69 of 80 (2118 views)
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just because things are coming back to me from the dim and ancient realms of my childhood memory,Wink to teach the planets (preschool!), my dad hung a mobile of the planets (smallish one) from the ceiling in the hall right outside the bathroom door. Every time we went by, he'd have me name the planets with him. We would kind of chant it, like poetry. So I have an opinion about things like certain mnemonics that use words (Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge for the lines on the staff for instance). For many kids--and adults--I think it is actually easier to turn the thing itself into something memorable, rather than adding something to it that you then have to think of, and then think of the first letter or whatever. That's a 2-step process, where I think it's often possible to have just one. For my younger violin students, what I do for the lines on the treble clef staff is to draw a circle with a smiling face, and 5 legs coming off all around it (I add antennae just for effect). I tell them he's a Martian named Mr. Egbdf, because he has so many legs he has to name each one with a letter. Then I'll label a staff and show them how his name works with the lines.

And a completely unrelated thought, the method of spelling and sounding out words did finally get proven as the best method. My kids' Lutheran school switched over from the sight method they had changed to previously (in this case the "whole language" approach) and went to back phonics--only with an updated, more researched method--because the students' spelling and reading skills were dropping significantly. Even sight words have elements that can be sounded out. If you're interested, I can find out what reading system they use (it's been years, and I don't remember). Being a private school, it's probably available for homeschoolers too (this school--preschool through 6th grade--was always top ranked when the local paper did a comparison of public and private schools in the area).

Just my 2 cents. Hope you don't mind!Evil


Dame Ioreth
Tol Eressea


Sep 20 2014, 3:43pm

Post #70 of 80 (2112 views)
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Our elementary school takes its 5th graders to Mount Vernon and then overnight to Williamsburg/Yorktown/Jamestown every year. The 4th grade used to go to Annapolis but now they go to St. Mary's City and wonderful Colonial Willliamsburg-type recreation of the oldest city in Maryland. Our 3rd graders go to Woodlawn Plantation and the National Building Museum or the Baltimore Museum of Industry - a great place to learn hands on how the industrial revolution in this country changed cities - it's built around a canning factory model. The younger grades go on trips to the symphony and butterfly habitat and see plays at the local theater group.

The 5th grade led by their teachers are now in the process of setting up a government to underscore what they are learning in social studies. They have elected the Executive Branch and the legislative branch and are now "appointing" the Judicial Branch. This government will be used to set classroom rules and deal with those who break the rules, all within the structure of the school's policies. Serious infractions are still dealt with by the teachers and principal but this gives the kids a taste of self-government and how society can police it's own behavior. It's been fascinating to watch it all unfold. My daughter said some of the kids who caused disruption last year are thinking twice about their behavior this year. They seem to understand consequences under this classroom model really well.

I do a presentation for the 5th graders to get them fired up about Williamsburg history and have them imagine what it's like to walk down the street and see important moments in history taking place. It's my way of contributing my love of history to kids who may not have that at home. I love seeing a kid at Williamsburg looking around with wide eyes, imagining how it would have been. What would it look like to the tailor or a woman washing clothes? How did they find out what was going on? I try to get them to think about what it was like for the people that aren't mentioned in the history books so that they can go and walk around and feel apart of the place without having to imagine themselves being Thomas Jefferson, sitting in the Apollo Room of the Raleigh Tavern talking to his fellow Burgesses after the House has been dissolved again by the Governor. When we get there I tell them how to peek in the windows of the Apollo Room, just like they might have done if they were there at the time.


Whoops... got carried away. We'll be going to Williamsburg in early December so I'm already getting excited. My last 5th grader though... This will be my 5th trip and I love it more every time!


(This post was edited by Dame Ioreth on Sep 20 2014, 3:50pm)


Cirashala
Valinor


Sep 20 2014, 4:50pm

Post #71 of 80 (2095 views)
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Yup- my 1/2 size violin (that I still have/play- my hands are very small) does somewhat resemble a cello to my two year old Tongue

Her violin is 1/8 size, and she's not quite long enough in the arm for it yet. But when she does I will start teaching her. I learned starting at age 10 (5th grade was the standard start time in the school district I was in at the time, something that made me very upset later on when I heard that most school start in 4th grade now Mad) so I was very much capable of learning how to read music and such.

I don't know how old she will be when it fits her- she's five now- but are there any tips you could pass on for starting to teach her? She will likely be younger than I was when I started, and I do remember starting with plucking and not learning the bow until the second semester, but I cannot remember for certain how I learned to read music. Music Theory is something I will have to refamiliarize myself with, I think (doesn't help that I don't have my beginning player's books anymore- but there's a music store in town that my husband's friend words at so I'm sure I could get them).

I've debated having her start learning piano now (my inlaws have one) so that she can develop finger dexterity and also learn how to read both staffs and learn notes as well as chords- I think a piano is an excellent first instrument that can lead into nearly anything later on. She will learn both staffs, so there are very few instruments in which she'd have to learn a new staff (like viola) so she'd already know how to read the music. And she would learn chords and notes- something that would aid her if she ever chose something like a guitar.

At the very least, if she ever chose to play another instrument in addition to the violin, she would already be a step ahead. I have tried to learn piano, and am truly a beginner because I only know one note on the bass clef from memory- C. And I obviously don't know chords.

I am sporadic, but do still play once in a while Smile


Cirashala
Valinor


Sep 20 2014, 4:59pm

Post #72 of 80 (2104 views)
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My mother in law is a nurse practitioner (a very intelligent one at that), and she said that reading and word comprehension, and spelling involve two separate areas of the brain- auditory and visual. So a combination of spelling/phonics and sight words are necessary in order to engage both areas so that a child can learn to read.

Sight word absent of phonics leads to terrible readers and even worse spellers. But a combination of both phonics and sight words leads to better readers and spellers. She gave me an Abeka reading kit and a TATRAS kit (Teach America To Read And Spell). I need to break them out and see what they have to say. I also have Spelling Power- developed by a homeschooling teacher in response to her child being a horrific speller.

But I read by spelling- I don't look at the word as a whole, but rather my mind breaks it up into the letters. I am excellent at word scrambles, and can read words if the first and last letter are the same but the rest are scrambled (those tests are cool) but I've never been able to look at a word without spelling it in my head (not "out loud" in my head, but my eyes evaluate every letter). My daughter seems to be the same way, and I do make her sound out words when she tries to read them. At least her pre-k taught her most of the letter sounds (though she doesn't believe me when I say that C and K can sometimes sound the same lol Tongue). But that's developmentally appropriate for five.

I would love to see a chart of EGBDF the bug Smile THat sounds like a great way to teach music note recognition- but for some reason I'm having trouble visualizing it Evil


Eowyn of Penns Woods
Valinor


Sep 20 2014, 5:12pm

Post #73 of 80 (2093 views)
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Quote
Not all learning happens in a classroom- our field trip to the State Fair was awesome, and we're going to a pottery class (social studies) at one of the local farms first Saturday in Oct. How many public school kids can say that they've seen a leaf forged on an anvil in person (or had the blacksmith give her a personal, unscheduled demonstration after she asked very nicely and we explained that it was a field trip, explained his steps in language she could understand, and give her the leaf afterward (when a key ring with two leaves on the end cost $90!) for free? Wink How many kids can say that they learned how to churn butter? How many kids can say that they got to ride the dragon rollercoaster all by themselves because there were no other kids there and they didn't have to wait in line? (it was Senior day, and she rode three rides in ten minutes then we were free to go see all the demos- it was WONDERFUL and so quiet- no loud music blaring). How many kids can say that they now know how wool is spun on a spinning wheel to make yarn (and got a piece of sparkly wool as a souvenir?)?


I can testify that a lot of public school kids back east have done or witnessed a good many things like that, either as an in-school presentation or on a field trip, and quite possibly on their own time with families. We don't have to travel very far to do so, and in some areas are still very connected to our roots and that way of life. Many of us are what you might call "surrounded by history" every day, and can get rather hobbity talking about our ancestors' roles in it. ;) We also have some unique learning centers set up especially for kids, too, so both public and home-schooled children have the opportunity for some really great educational experiences. [The kids in my area are particularly blessed, I think.]

As for spinning wheel demonstrations, well, any kid who visits me stands a very good chance of going home with some elven cloak fiber or yarn if they'd like to! =) (I just finished knitting a lace wrap with some of mine.)


Ethel Duath
Half-elven


Sep 20 2014, 5:55pm

Post #74 of 80 (2092 views)
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Piano first, or [In reply to] Can't Post

"with" is a great idea. I consistently recommend it. Not only for all the reason you mention, but because it gives you a visual and spacial reference for music theory, intervals and all. My students who have not had much piano really struggle with those concepts.

I'd love to send you some tips! I'll P.M. later.

Her arm will be long enough when she can hold it in position on her shoulder and reach her fingers around the scroll, and also be able to bend her elbow a little.

She can also start learning to hold it on her shoulder and pluck now. She can just put her hand on the violin's right "shoulder" (upper bout) to hold it. And you'd want a little shoulder pad to avoid the slipping (and the darn chin rest bracket pressing down uncomfortably!).

Anyway, I'll P.M. later. It will be very exciting to have he mom playing along with her some day! I've got some duet books to recommend.

And I can give you tips on beginning piano as well (even by Skype if that's not rather scary invasion of privacy. Might be, so don't worry about that.Blush)


Arveldis
Rivendell


Sep 20 2014, 5:59pm

Post #75 of 80 (2089 views)
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I wish my public school could have done some field trips like that. We're too far away, though. The only really memorable field trip I remember is "Outdoor Ed" from sixth grade. At my junior high they did have a summer field trip to Washington, DC, though. But I skipped that because I'd already gone and thought that taking a trip like that would be more fun with my family. (I'm just a little antisocial...)

I'm no history buff, but I do love the Revolutionary War time period. I don't know why, but I've always been fascinated by it.

I wasn't too sure I'd like Williamsburg at first when my mom mentioned we were going there, though. I figured it'd be like Jamestown: a few collapsed buildings and some signs (I know there's more to Jamestown than that, but it's a lot less preserved than Williamsburg). Boy was I wrong. Smile The trip to Williamsburg ended up being one of my favorite vacations with my family. We were only there for a week, but if we'd stayed two more I don't think we'd still have seen everything.

The rest of my family loved it too, even my dad who's definitely not a history type of guy. At one point he started talking with a docent who was in character trying to buy wood from people strolling along the streets. It was so funny to see my dad trying to talk like someone from the eighteenth century. Laugh He volunteered for a position in the "Order in the Court" event too and got to be a criminal. I don't know if the "storylines" are always the same, but he was the man who didn't pay his taxes. Tongue I tried to record it on his phone but I'm not too adept with iPhones (well, technology in general)... I swore it was recording, but apparently it wasn't; it was waiting for me to push another button. Oh well...

My mom and I spent the whole time taking pictures, I think. During the cannon firing in the evening we got really close to the string they had partitioning the viewers from the action, so we got a couple of great pictures. Of course, my camera chose to die right when the fife and drum band walked by us. They were about three feet away and it would have been the picture of a lifetime. Mad And, of course, it was the one trip where I forgot to pack my camera charger. So that meant no more pictures for the rest of the week. Frown

Technology issues aside, it was a great trip and a great learning experience. I could go back every year and still find more to do. (And I'm just a little bit jealous that you're getting to go for the fifth time. Just a little...)

And back to the real topic: I realize that I have kind of been bashing public school. I don't hate it, but it's just not the fit for me. Honestly, I had some great experiences in public school. But I could tell that my public high school was not going to work for me. For some people, it's a great fit. I get that some don't have another choice besides public school for financial or personal reasons, and I don't want to condemn them for their decisions.

So long story short: there's a school for everyone, whether it's public, charter, private, or homeschool. I've found that homeschooling works for me. For others, it doesn't. I understand that. I'm not trying to tell anyone what to do, just my personal experience with public school and homeschooling. As parents, you know what's best for your kids and no one should try to persuade you to do something that you don't think is in their best interests.

(P.S. Sorry, Cirashala, for hijacking your thread with Williamsburg stuff. I tend to ramble about things I'm passionate about. Wink)

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