--------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 158 HOME SCHOOLING Ref: DET00002Date: 10/22/96 From: DONNA RANSDELL Time: 06:42am \/To: CHRIS GILLILAND (Read 3 times) Subj: update > My favorite part of school were the lyceums, > assemblies, pep rallies and field trips. Can you supplement her with > activities that are similar to what she likes to do? (snip) > Could you home-school one without home-schooling her > sister? Would the other child feel left out? (snip) > this out? How do you make the home-schooling > decision? My oldest isn't Admittedly I have yet to make any decisions except indecision. I do have a good reason tho - we cannot do without my income. We are waiting to see if my business grows, or short of that, what happens on my outside employment situation. Unfortunately cost of living for housing is so high here that, short of moving to an apartment (which we have had some bad experiences with, so that's not an option), we may as well stay in our house. In the meantime, I am supplementing - last night I worked with my oldest daughter on her geography homework - I think I covered it better than her teacher (she didn't even know how to do the homework, much less the information needed to do the homework). Last weekend we had a library lesson - they weren't exactly the most cooperative but I think I finally got my youngest's attention when I mentioned library catalogue being on computer. (That one loves the computer.) As for how one makes the homeschooling decision - in my house, before we do *anything* - major purchases, trying a new hobby, or whatever - we attempt to get as much information about it as we can and then decide from there. Homeschooling isn't much different for us. -donna --- GEcho 1.00 * Origin: The Education Station, Poway, CA - Mail Only (1:202/211) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 158 HOME SCHOOLING Ref: DET00003Date: 10/22/96 From: NANCY GRAY Time: 08:23am \/To: REGINA FINAN (Read 3 times) Subj: Home School RF> Well the problem is this new law. We have to teach certain subjects and we RF> have to be very organized. Today we had a slacked off day. We had our RF> religious study, learning how to find words in the dictionary, then a 1 1/2 RF> walk picking leaves and such. It was a Regina, Just curious. Where do you live and what is the new law you are referring to? Also does the state or county dictate the curricula or textbooks you must use to teach the required subjects? Nancy --- * SLMR 2.0 * Nothing is so smiple that it can't get screwed up. * Origin: K_Line (Christian BBS) Davie, FL (954) 792-8355 (1:369/158) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 158 HOME SCHOOLING Ref: DET00004Date: 10/22/96 From: NANCY GRAY Time: 08:38am \/To: KERRY KETELSEN (Read 3 times) Subj: information? KK>I have a question, I'm not really sure where to start, I need to know KK>some of the technicalities of homeschooling. My younger brother is 19, KK>he is extremely intelligent, but has always been easily bored with KK>school. He is also ADHD which has been part of the problem. I have KK>just recently started reading about homeschooling and I think it would KK>be great for him, I just wonder if it is possible. Is there an age KK>limit for this kind of thing? How do you go about getting a diploma if KK>you are homeschooled? Is there a cheap way to do it? He will have to KK>work to pay for the materials because of the financial situation, if KK>it's very expensive I'm afraid he will be discouraged. We livew in the KK>Seattle area. If anyone can help me at all I would appreciate any KK>information!! Thankyou!! A very affordable program is American school. They offer a high school diploma also, as opposed to just a GED. The cost of about 500-600 for 4yrs of high school, and payable monthly. We pay $30 a month. Their phone nbr is 312-947-3300 Nancy --- * SLMR 2.0 * Unable to locate Coffee -- Operator Halted! * Origin: K_Line (Christian BBS) Davie, FL (954) 792-8355 (1:369/158) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 158 HOME SCHOOLING Ref: DET00005Date: 10/23/96 From: AMBER FLOYD Time: 02:22am \/To: REGINA FINAN (Read 3 times) Subj: adhd RF> -=> Quoting Ruth Leblanc to Regina Finan <=- RF> RL> How old is Jeremy? I think he is 8? Time to worry about backwards b RF> RL> and d is grade 2, usually if it continues beyond then it could mean a RF> RL> learning disability. RF> Yes, Jeremy is eight. His ADHD is showing up really bad and he forget which RF> way d and b is suppose to go. He says he doesn't see them backwards and he RF> know what they are when he sees them. He says his brain gets confused when RF> he trys to remember. Just like his alphabets. He starts to alphabetize and RF> then half way through he gets confused again. Thats when the frustration RF> sets in. RF> Regina Just slow down, be patent, and keep going over things in different ways, and in small doses. Remember that repetition is NOT the ADD kid's friend. Maybe a word picture with the word bed? So that he can associate the 'b' with the headboard, and the 'd' with the foot board. Amber --- SLMR 2.1a I've been raising up my hands, drive another nail in! --- DCI Pro/DCIQMail/Chauncy 0.7k * Origin: Nordevald Software = The Home of DCI = 813/961-0788 (1:377/3.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 158 HOME SCHOOLING Ref: DET00006Date: 10/23/96 From: AMBER FLOYD Time: 02:22am \/To: ZAYNAB RICHMOND (Read 3 times) Subj: adhd ZR>I don't homeschool for 4 hours straight anyway... perhaps I'm a lot like ZR>you... but we do little bits and pieces all day long. Sometimes we watch ZR>something on the Learning Channel late at night (ten-ish) and I'll add hat ZR>to my list of things that count towards Aaron's schoolwork. He couldn't ZR>take doing it non-stop either. He does one project at a time.. then lays, ZR>and when I get myself back on task, if he is ready we start on another ZR>project. Somehow, during the day, we generally come up with enough hours ZR>of genuine learning activity. The homestudy office is supportive of this ZR>kind of teaching. Personally, I believe that my son is getting a /much/ ZR>better education than he would at school. I try to teach him at /teachable/ ZR>moments, taking into account /his/ mood... it isn't done by the clock or ZR>by teacher's schedule. It is the times when he is emotionally available ZR>for learning that we actually do things together. That is how we do things here. Learning is hard work, and homeschooling is very information dence. We pour a lot into these kids. It should be done in blocks small enough for them to handle. \YEAmber\no --- SLMR 2.1a Don't Bite The Sun! --- DCI Pro/DCIQMail/Chauncy 0.7k * Origin: Nordevald Software = The Home of DCI = 813/961-0788 (1:377/3.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 158 HOME SCHOOLING Ref: DET00007Date: 10/21/96 From: REGINA FINAN Time: 06:33pm \/To: DONNA RANSDELL (Read 3 times) Subj: Re: update -=> Quoting Donna Ransdell to Regina Finan <=- > She had tons of friends. She still see's them after > school and weekends. Although she hasn't joined any group yet because of > finances. Waiting until things get better after we move. DR> Girl Scouts have programs to help girls that might have problems DR> financially. In our council it's called the Opportunity Fund. It pays DR> dues, program fees, etc., as long as the leader submits the paperwork. DR> It's all between you, the leader, and the council. No one else need DR> know. For uniforms, most neighborhoods-service units have "uniform DR> closets" where uniforms can be obtained at no cost. They are donated DR> by girls/parents when they are outgrown, worn by another, and then DR> given back when the girl gives up scouting or outgrows the uniform. DR> About the only piece of the uniform that one might have to purchase is DR> the vest or sash, as those are usually kept by the Scout as momentos, DR> because the badges and awards are sewn onto it. So don't let finances DR> keep her out of Scouts. She really wants to go into gymnastics and has the legs and muscles in them for it. I am considering that right now. Scouts doesn't seem what she wants right now. But I will talk to her about it again and see. Thanks. Regina ... This tagline is SHAREWARE! To register, send me $10 --- * Origin: Nite Lite BBS (1:2410/534) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 158 HOME SCHOOLING Ref: DET00008Date: 10/21/96 From: REGINA FINAN Time: 06:36pm \/To: RUTH LEBLANC (Read 3 times) Subj: Re: Math/Borrowing -=> Quoting Ruth Leblanc to Regina Finan <=- RL> Hi Regina, RL> You wrote: RF> Right now things are confusing anyway. Jeremy is having a tuff time > understanding borrowing. Plus we are going to be moving next month and RL> Many students have a problem with this concept. The problem is really RL> compounded if they haven't had a thorough grounding in "place-value". RL> I find this is not properly taught in most classrooms that I go into. RL> The biggest problem lies in the fact that this concept - place value - RL> is one of the hardest for children to grasp and if done abstractly RL> almost impossible for any but the brightest. RL> Here are some things that I did...of course works best with a group of RL> children, in this case the more the merrier. RL> In this case we started off with a game. Our magic number was five and RL> we invented a new name for five. We counted round the circle until the RL> fifth person who said the new name and sat down. We then started from RL> one and kept going until there was only one student left. RL> Next we played another game. Still using our new name for five, I made RL> two areas in the classroom with the divider being a skipping rope. One RL> side was for the ones and the other for the fives (can't remember what RL> the new name was). We counted and as we counted the children jumped RL> into the ones area. When we got to five we had a problem, because five RL> didn't belong in the one section and five ones didn't belong in the RL> five section. I asked the children what we could do to show that they RL> belonged together as one unit of five. They decided to join hands, RL> they then jumped over the rope into the next section. We kept counting RL> until we had several groups of fives and ones. We then reversed the RL> order by taking away one. When we had exhausted the separated children RL> on the one side we again had a problem. When asked how we could solve RL> it the children came up with the idea of letting go hands and jumping RL> back to the other side so we could take one away. RL> The next step was to work with manipulatives. Here you can use cubes RL> that will snap together or beans. Make a two sided mat - piece of RL> paper divided into two sections of different colours. Put the ones on RL> the right side and the other (fives or tens or whatever) on the left. RL> Then you start adding beans to the right side. When you get to five RL> (or whatever) you have to change sides. With the cubes you can snap RL> them together and put them on the other side. With the beans you can RL> gather them up and place them in a bathroom size Dixie cup or medicine RL> container (those little clear plastic ones) or something similar. RL> Keep practising adding to make units and ones and then subtracting. RL> Once the children have a grounding in this the concept of borrowing or RL> trading is easier for them to understand. If they have to take five RL> away and there is only three in the ones column they will know to RL> borrow from the other column - which has to be broken down into ones RL> first. RL> I hope you understand what I'm trying to tell you here as it's hard to RL> do without showing you or without diagrams. RL> Hope this helps. If you have any questions write back or email me at RL> (if you have access to email- not netmail) RL> Ruth_LeBlanc@sbe.scarborough.on.ca Thanks, I was starting that this week. I decided to put the borrowing off and start on place values. I will email you later as I have just bought a house and have to go to city hall. Thanks. Regina ... Back up my hard disk? I can't find the reverse switch! --- * Origin: Nite Lite BBS (1:2410/534) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 158 HOME SCHOOLING Ref: DEU00000Date: 10/24/96 From: DONNA RANSDELL Time: 06:36am \/To: REGINA FINAN (Read 3 times) Subj: update > Well we found that house in a bad school district. > Really cheap too. Payments will be around $250 a month and a fixer > upper. Kids are excited because it will be our own. Where are you at?????? Around here the most you could get for $250/month would be an RV...and that wouldn't include the land or space to put it on. -donna --- GEcho 1.00 * Origin: The Education Station, Poway, CA - Mail Only (1:202/211) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 158 HOME SCHOOLING Ref: DEU00001Date: 10/24/96 From: DONNA RANSDELL Time: 03:49pm \/To: REGINA FINAN (Read 3 times) Subj: update > Excuse me for butting in. My kids hated the black > board stuff too, but now that I am homeschooling, they ask to do stuff on > our Erasure board. They even ask to read their reports to the rest of > us. Another words homeschooling gives confidence. It's peer pressure at school, which they don't have to the degree in the homeschool situation. At school, they're afraid to go to the board to do a problem because they are afraid they'll "mess up" in front of their classmates, and if they do, their classmates will laugh. This isn't so much of a problem in the really younger ages, but gets to be a bigger problem as the kids get bigger. Just try to get anyone to the board in 6th grade, except maybe those that the kids consider to be "the brainy ones". It's like pulling teeth! They know the teacher will be kind (probably) and support them, but they aren't so sure about the other kids! At home, you don't have that problem. The only ones that see the board are you and maybe a sibling - and they will see the paper too. They know the family will be supportive, and that if one sibling isn't, they will endure Mom's and Dad's reactions to at! > gone when the other kids are out of school. Plus > they do understand that > after school I get an hour of no interruptions. I Now that makes sense. I had the same question going thru my mind. I get at least one hour every day completely to myself as things stand here, but I was wondering what would happen to that hour if I started to homeschool after Christmas. > Also, just watching the news and discussing it is > learning. So it can In school they call it "current events". At home you have more ability to change the plan of action to *include* those current events as they happen. If a hurricane rips thru the town 50 miles from you, you can drop what you're doing a lot easier than the classroom teacher can, and start finding out about "how hurricanes happen". > be counted. Going to the grocery store and having > them use a budget to plan a meal is Math. All kinds of things and it can There is even a book - Theresa Merkling first mentioned it, then I saw it at the HomeSchool Convention I went to - called Grocery Store Math. So going to the grocery store when the stores aren't crowded, during the school day, can be a "field trip" - you can shop and the kids can do their assignment, or you can make up your own. -donna --- GEcho 1.00 * Origin: The Education Station, Poway, CA - Mail Only (1:202/211) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 158 HOME SCHOOLING Ref: DEU00002Date: 10/24/96 From: DONNA RANSDELL Time: 07:00pm \/To: ALL (Read 3 times) Subj: math textbook My dad and mom sent me an article from the Phoenix newspaper that I thought might be of interest here. I won't print it verbatim, because of the copyright laws, but I'll summarize it. The article concerned a textbook series being used by Mesa (AZ) Public Schools. Since homeschoolers often use the same textbooks, these might be books you've seen offered in textbook exchanges at homeschool groups, etc. The series is the Addison Wesley math series, particularly the one called "Quest 2000" (for the K-6 batch), and the Junior High/High School series called "Secondary Math: An Integrated Approach: Focus on (Algebra, Geometry, etc)". The author/mother picked up the algebra version of this latter textbook, brought home by her middle school aged daughter, and looked thru it carefully. In the article, she pointed out how so much of this textbook really had nothing to do with algebra. She gave several examples, but the one that she cited that got my attention was one about a chili-cook off and "how could a group raise funds during this chili-cook off?" (I agreed: where was the algebra in that one?) The book was full of this kind of stuff. Later in the article, she mentioned how the elementary versions of this series was designed to teach geography and math together, but that the series was not doing either one justice. Her reaction was to start with 9 school staff members, questioning the choice of this textbook. The reaction was, well why are you worried, your daughter is an A student. She then went to 3 board members, who proceeded (in a public meeting) to announce her daughter's 6th grade math achievement test scores to everyone and offering that as proof that the series *must* work. She went to the district office and had a similar experience to that of the teachers at her daughters' school. "Why worry?" The article ended saying that 50% of Mesa's school board is up for election. I came away thinking. My kids are using Addison Wesley Math in school. However, they aren't using the 2000 series - they are using a different one. It's clearly mostly math (so far). So I'm relieved for my kids. But I decided to post this so that if any of you are looking for Math books for your child, and come across these in a thrift store, garage sale, Homeschool Group Book Sale/Trade, you might want to really look thru them and make sure what you're getting. Though Math is a skill that does integrate with other things, it usually *does* need to be taught as a separate subject and then integrated into other subject matter. And from this lady's article, I sure got the idea that the Addison Wesley 2000/Integrated series does NOT do a good job with the integration. -donna --- GEcho 1.00 * Origin: The Education Station, Poway, CA - Mail Only (1:202/211)