Last year was the first year that we had really out sourced any of our children. Seri was taking some classes.
this year has evolved to many of our children being out sourced and I have such a mixture of feelings about it.
Ser has:
Shakespeare
writing
Voice
Speech and Debate (although this year I am asking that she just focus on speech and not compete in debate.)
Swimming
Michael is taking a Lego Robotics course which is really cool and right up his ally.
Isaac is taking keyboarding.
Sariah is taking music
The thing is the children love all of their classes and each one has classes that are geared towards their passions. It is a great opportunity for each of them. On the flip side it feels like we are all going in circles a lot of the time. driving this one here, that one there…. Rarely are we all together any more and rarely are we home for a whole day.
I really miss those days when our schedule was ours and it was rarely interrupted during the day by other things. We could just stay home and be together if we wanted or we could spend the whole day exploring. Just pack up and go on a field trip somewhere.
I feel as if that was one of the main reasons we decided to home school in the first place, so no one else would dictate our schedule. So, now that our calendar is running our lives I feel a little like I am not being true to the ideals I set for our family.
It’s a hard line to draw. What things are better and what things are best? Yes, all of these opportunities are great for my children but at what point is their greatness undermined by the lack of family time and down time and time spent on other more important things (scripture reading, family home evening, etc.) What if this is one of Satan’s ploys to distract me from the best by keeping me insanely occupied by the better?
Yet, on the other hand which of these things am I willing to let go of for my child. Which child should have to hear me say that I am asking them to stop an activity they enjoy?
Or, is it none of the above and just a result of my growing and changing family. Something I need to learn to accept and adapt to and relinquish what used to work for us but might not any longer?
Guess at this point only time and prayer will tell.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Seri's results are in!!!
Last year I reported on her SAT scores for all those who are either interested or who do not believe that homeschooling my children was the best decision for their education.
We just received this years, so let the dreum roll begin...........
P.s. The scores are reflected as grade level achieved, 7.5 means she tested in the middle of the seventh grade year. Last years scores will be posted in the first column this years in the second. She just completed 8th grade.
2008 / 2009
Total Reading - PHS (post highschool) / 11.3
Vocabulary- 12.8 / 7.5
Reading Comp.- PHS / PHS
Total Mathmatics- PHS / PHS
Problem solving- PHS / PHS
Procedures- 10.2 / 12.8
Language- 6.3 / 8.1
Lang Mechanics- 7.4 / 6.6
Lang expression- 5.3 / 10.2
Spelling- 4.7 / 6.9
Study skills- 10.3 / PHS
Science- 12.8 / PHS
Social Science- 9.4 / PHS
Listening- 8.0 / PHS
Using Information- PHS / PHS
Thinking skills- 10.4 / PHS
Complete Battery- 10.3 / PHS
Once again I amazed at the process and will probably repeat much of what I said last year.
I have a curriculum for Math and that is the only subject I "teach" in a way that would be recognizable for anyone. I do not have a curriculum for or "teach" in a traditional way, science, reading, writing, or any other subject. I do not instill time lines on my children such as, "you must be reading by this age", or "writing a good paper by this age". Many would say we follow more of an un-schooling approach. Our day consists of Scripture study, prayer, chores, Math, and being together. Yet somehow in the middle of my not teaching them Seri seemed to learn the things that society has deemed neccesary for her to know in order to be a functioning member of society. And I will have you know that I, unlike some teaching institutions (actually more like the great majority of teaching institutions) do not teach to the test. I have no idea what is even on the test...
I will also remind you that I recieve no funding, so the whole idea that if schools had more money they would be able to teach your child better is a crock of.....
All that being said I am extremely proud of her and of myself and my husband. It is very reassuring for me to see in black and white what I know and am learning to be true. It is comforting to have my work validated in a way that is accepted by everyone.
Aside from what the tests do show, there is more to the story that they do not show. They do not show how much of a hard worker she is and how she seldom complains when serving others. She does not sherk from duty when many teenage girls do.
She communicates effectively with people of all ages and is respectful to all.
She can often be found reading her scriptures of her own free will and not because she has to or someone has asked her to.
She is loyal and honest, respectful and sympathetic, trustworthy and full on integrity.
This is really why we keep our children home, to teach them full time that which the schools could never and would refuse to teach even if they could.
We just received this years, so let the dreum roll begin...........
P.s. The scores are reflected as grade level achieved, 7.5 means she tested in the middle of the seventh grade year. Last years scores will be posted in the first column this years in the second. She just completed 8th grade.
2008 / 2009
Total Reading - PHS (post highschool) / 11.3
Vocabulary- 12.8 / 7.5
Reading Comp.- PHS / PHS
Total Mathmatics- PHS / PHS
Problem solving- PHS / PHS
Procedures- 10.2 / 12.8
Language- 6.3 / 8.1
Lang Mechanics- 7.4 / 6.6
Lang expression- 5.3 / 10.2
Spelling- 4.7 / 6.9
Study skills- 10.3 / PHS
Science- 12.8 / PHS
Social Science- 9.4 / PHS
Listening- 8.0 / PHS
Using Information- PHS / PHS
Thinking skills- 10.4 / PHS
Complete Battery- 10.3 / PHS
Once again I amazed at the process and will probably repeat much of what I said last year.
I have a curriculum for Math and that is the only subject I "teach" in a way that would be recognizable for anyone. I do not have a curriculum for or "teach" in a traditional way, science, reading, writing, or any other subject. I do not instill time lines on my children such as, "you must be reading by this age", or "writing a good paper by this age". Many would say we follow more of an un-schooling approach. Our day consists of Scripture study, prayer, chores, Math, and being together. Yet somehow in the middle of my not teaching them Seri seemed to learn the things that society has deemed neccesary for her to know in order to be a functioning member of society. And I will have you know that I, unlike some teaching institutions (actually more like the great majority of teaching institutions) do not teach to the test. I have no idea what is even on the test...
I will also remind you that I recieve no funding, so the whole idea that if schools had more money they would be able to teach your child better is a crock of.....
All that being said I am extremely proud of her and of myself and my husband. It is very reassuring for me to see in black and white what I know and am learning to be true. It is comforting to have my work validated in a way that is accepted by everyone.
Aside from what the tests do show, there is more to the story that they do not show. They do not show how much of a hard worker she is and how she seldom complains when serving others. She does not sherk from duty when many teenage girls do.
She communicates effectively with people of all ages and is respectful to all.
She can often be found reading her scriptures of her own free will and not because she has to or someone has asked her to.
She is loyal and honest, respectful and sympathetic, trustworthy and full on integrity.
This is really why we keep our children home, to teach them full time that which the schools could never and would refuse to teach even if they could.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
The FHE co-op- Families Homeschooling for Excellence
I know I have mentioned before how much I love the co-op we belong to. It is perfect for us in every way. Last tuesday was the last day of this co-op session and we are ready to take a break for summer.
this term I taught WWII to the 7-10 year olds. It was amazing! One of the things about teaching your own children is that you never cease to continue learning things also. there were so many things I did not know about each of the subjects I have taught and I am grateful that I have the chance and oppurtunity to continue learning through this avenue.
I vividly remember when I first pulled Seri out of school we were in Germany and she wanted to learn about WWII. I knew it had something to do with Hitler and the Atom bomb, at least I thought, but I wasn't even sure if those two events were in the same war or one was WWI. We were standing in the library and I didn't even know what countries were involved in this war. I remember being stunned at my lack of knowledge, overwhelmed, and feeling that there were so many things I didn't know.... It was a very empty feeling.
So here is what we covered in our oh-so brief introduction to the war.
1- Hitlers rise to power, the pact with the USSR, which countries were the axis and how they started invading nearby countries.
2-Aushwitz and the Holocaust
3- The Americans get involved, how and why
4-Famous battles and the allied troops
5-War in the homefront and how it changed our world.
6 victory, how and why.
The kids totally ate it up and we made "candy bombers" resembling those dropped by American troops over Germany for the children, Posters representing some of the "Rosie the riveter" propaganda posters and planted Victory gardens.
We filled in maps with the names of the countries involved and color coded them accordidng to their alllegiances, and set up a risk game board and reinacted some of the major battles on it using the risk men.
All in all it was a very succesful class.
Now just for the sake of helping me remember I want to list the different classes I have taught in our co-op career.
Winter 2007- substitute
Spring 2007- Math-Times tales
Fall 2007- Forensics
Winter 2008- Forensics
Spring 2008- took off to have Tristan
Fall 2008- The constitution
Winter 2009- Little Known history
Amastad
Uss Indianapolis
Trail of Tears
Orphan Trains
Shakers
Salem witch Trials
Spring 2009- WWII
I am excited about next year because Sariah will be entering the pre-school class and I am going to be doing pre-school arts and crafts. While I enjoy learning it will be a relief to teach a class in which I don't have to mentally spend so much time on preperation. I need a break I think. I have also been toying with the idea of doing a "Readers Book Guild" for the older children. We'll see.
this term I taught WWII to the 7-10 year olds. It was amazing! One of the things about teaching your own children is that you never cease to continue learning things also. there were so many things I did not know about each of the subjects I have taught and I am grateful that I have the chance and oppurtunity to continue learning through this avenue.
I vividly remember when I first pulled Seri out of school we were in Germany and she wanted to learn about WWII. I knew it had something to do with Hitler and the Atom bomb, at least I thought, but I wasn't even sure if those two events were in the same war or one was WWI. We were standing in the library and I didn't even know what countries were involved in this war. I remember being stunned at my lack of knowledge, overwhelmed, and feeling that there were so many things I didn't know.... It was a very empty feeling.
So here is what we covered in our oh-so brief introduction to the war.
1- Hitlers rise to power, the pact with the USSR, which countries were the axis and how they started invading nearby countries.
2-Aushwitz and the Holocaust
3- The Americans get involved, how and why
4-Famous battles and the allied troops
5-War in the homefront and how it changed our world.
6 victory, how and why.
The kids totally ate it up and we made "candy bombers" resembling those dropped by American troops over Germany for the children, Posters representing some of the "Rosie the riveter" propaganda posters and planted Victory gardens.
We filled in maps with the names of the countries involved and color coded them accordidng to their alllegiances, and set up a risk game board and reinacted some of the major battles on it using the risk men.
All in all it was a very succesful class.
Now just for the sake of helping me remember I want to list the different classes I have taught in our co-op career.
Winter 2007- substitute
Spring 2007- Math-Times tales
Fall 2007- Forensics
Winter 2008- Forensics
Spring 2008- took off to have Tristan
Fall 2008- The constitution
Winter 2009- Little Known history
Amastad
Uss Indianapolis
Trail of Tears
Orphan Trains
Shakers
Salem witch Trials
Spring 2009- WWII
I am excited about next year because Sariah will be entering the pre-school class and I am going to be doing pre-school arts and crafts. While I enjoy learning it will be a relief to teach a class in which I don't have to mentally spend so much time on preperation. I need a break I think. I have also been toying with the idea of doing a "Readers Book Guild" for the older children. We'll see.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
constitution bowl
the second semester of this year Seri took a class entitled "Key of Liberty". It was a very in depth study of the constitution. During the semester they analyzed the constitution, memorized the preamble, wrote their own constitution in a simulation experience, read reference books, and many other activities.
When Matt was trying to find all the books, movies and other articles on her list he mentioned that the class was more in depth than his high school and even college classes.
For the semester Seri enjoyed it. She did not have the same enthusiasm that she showed for her Shakespeare class but she did OK. I am not sure if it is because she missed the first semester so she never really fully got the benefits of the course or what but she did not complete very many of the expectations for this course.
she did her presentation on John Hancock and I did not help her one bit. She did great.
For the conclusion of this course they had a constitution bowl. I was shocked and amazed and what these children and my own daughter knew. She knows who all the delegates were and where they were from, what they believed. The questions asked covered things in the constitution, some of it I knew but a lot of I had no clue about. Not only would the children answer but they would then explain it and state what article, what section and what clause it could be found in!!!! Amazing!!!! I can't explain the pride I felt as my daughter sat there and answered these questions in this manner, getting them right! How many well educated adults don't even know how many articles there are?
I left grateful that my daughter now had this knowledge but overwhelmed at how much I do not know.
On a home schooling note it validates a lot of things that I have held true. One being that the parent does not have to be a genius to be able to teach their children effectively. There is no way I could have taught Seri even half of those things, but I can find her someone who can and will. I can't keep up with her in math hardly now (please note here that I have taken college math courses and passed them) but that does not mean that she can't follow the curriculum on her own with help from other mentors who can. It is insane to deem one person a "Professional" at teaching and then trust your child to gain a whole education through them. What I see often enough is teaching on a basic level. I want my children to learn through those that are passionate about a subject and who are therefore able to teach it with charisma and energy. From this, children truly learn. Not from a person who has sat through boring lectures for at least four years of "higher learning".
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Transitioning
Ok. I saw it coming. I avoided for a bit, then it hit. Homeschooling a teenager is definetly different than homeschooling the younger set.
I used to wonder why it was such a common trend for parents to homeschool elementary aged children and then once they hit middle school, they are thrown back in to the PS system. For me it was always the opposite. I figured if I were only going to choose one age in which I would keep them in a safe environment it would be that age.
As Seri has gotten older the resources we have for her are dwindling. The homeschool support system I am finding is mostly gear towards the elementary set. Other homeschooled friends are few and far between, unlike the plethora of little kids running around. I have had to look harder and drive farther away to find support for a homeschooled teenager.
Luckily, we have a good community and she is able to attend two classes this semester for teens in the TJED style of education. Lucky thing is, it's about five minutes away, there are children there who drive at least an hour to participate. She is taking Shakespear again and adding "key of liberty" which is a social science sort of class. They are studying the Constitution in depth this term.
There is also a Homeschooled teen group that meets once a month. We have to trravel an hour for that one, but again there are people who travel farther than that.
Lately she finds she has a ton of time on her hands and describes herself as "mentally bored". Her math, and shakespear are no longer cutting it. She does more academics than she realizes but I think we have taught our children to be in tune to their thirst for knowledge and now it has come back to bite me in the butt.
So, for awhile I have been wondering what to do about my "mentally bored child". It dawned on me the other night that one win-win situation would be to recruit her as my new preschool teacher. Win for me since Sariah will be getting that much desired time and attention, win for Sariah, win for Seri........ So far, so good.....Today she sat down with a few preschool activity books from the library and plotted out a lesson plan. The subject is Bees. They will sing the "I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee song", do a little bee finger play from the book, run and dance around the room acting like bumblebees to classical music, make bees out of construction paper and pom pom's for the antennae. After making this plan I asked her what she needed to have prepared for her lesson tomorrow and we discussed that this step was important because a two year old will not sit patiently while you get your act together. I think she will do great.
It begs to reason and got me thinking about whether she would be so mentally bored if she were in a ps highschool. That thought didn't last long. As I remember my days sitting in class and listen to the girls in the youth group I lead discuss their days at school I am comfortable that the answer would be yes. She would be just as mentally bored, or worse she wouldn't realize she was bored and would head for the socially active and mentally ignorant lifestyle that so many teens have today.
On another note one of the girls the other day told me that her favorite subject was PE. Now that is no surprise, that's been the age old favorite for as lon as I can remember, but what she said next caught me off guard. "Yeah, because we get to take naps". When I gave her my astonished "are you kidding me?" look, she went on to explain that they lay down matts and turn down the lights, play soft music and go to sleep until the bell rings. Wow, there is just so much wrong with that. Maybe these children wouldn't need to take naps if they were allowed to get an appropriate amount of sleep rather than burning the midnight oil to finish homework they procrastinated on and then getting up at 0'dark 30 to catch the bus. Maybe if the system found a way to be more efficient with their time the children could be home in time to take a nap and we wouldn't have to pay the teacher who is supervising them through this activity...... What a waste!!!! So glad my tax money is going to ensure that these teens are getting their naps!!!!!
I used to wonder why it was such a common trend for parents to homeschool elementary aged children and then once they hit middle school, they are thrown back in to the PS system. For me it was always the opposite. I figured if I were only going to choose one age in which I would keep them in a safe environment it would be that age.
As Seri has gotten older the resources we have for her are dwindling. The homeschool support system I am finding is mostly gear towards the elementary set. Other homeschooled friends are few and far between, unlike the plethora of little kids running around. I have had to look harder and drive farther away to find support for a homeschooled teenager.
Luckily, we have a good community and she is able to attend two classes this semester for teens in the TJED style of education. Lucky thing is, it's about five minutes away, there are children there who drive at least an hour to participate. She is taking Shakespear again and adding "key of liberty" which is a social science sort of class. They are studying the Constitution in depth this term.
There is also a Homeschooled teen group that meets once a month. We have to trravel an hour for that one, but again there are people who travel farther than that.
Lately she finds she has a ton of time on her hands and describes herself as "mentally bored". Her math, and shakespear are no longer cutting it. She does more academics than she realizes but I think we have taught our children to be in tune to their thirst for knowledge and now it has come back to bite me in the butt.
So, for awhile I have been wondering what to do about my "mentally bored child". It dawned on me the other night that one win-win situation would be to recruit her as my new preschool teacher. Win for me since Sariah will be getting that much desired time and attention, win for Sariah, win for Seri........ So far, so good.....Today she sat down with a few preschool activity books from the library and plotted out a lesson plan. The subject is Bees. They will sing the "I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee song", do a little bee finger play from the book, run and dance around the room acting like bumblebees to classical music, make bees out of construction paper and pom pom's for the antennae. After making this plan I asked her what she needed to have prepared for her lesson tomorrow and we discussed that this step was important because a two year old will not sit patiently while you get your act together. I think she will do great.
It begs to reason and got me thinking about whether she would be so mentally bored if she were in a ps highschool. That thought didn't last long. As I remember my days sitting in class and listen to the girls in the youth group I lead discuss their days at school I am comfortable that the answer would be yes. She would be just as mentally bored, or worse she wouldn't realize she was bored and would head for the socially active and mentally ignorant lifestyle that so many teens have today.
On another note one of the girls the other day told me that her favorite subject was PE. Now that is no surprise, that's been the age old favorite for as lon as I can remember, but what she said next caught me off guard. "Yeah, because we get to take naps". When I gave her my astonished "are you kidding me?" look, she went on to explain that they lay down matts and turn down the lights, play soft music and go to sleep until the bell rings. Wow, there is just so much wrong with that. Maybe these children wouldn't need to take naps if they were allowed to get an appropriate amount of sleep rather than burning the midnight oil to finish homework they procrastinated on and then getting up at 0'dark 30 to catch the bus. Maybe if the system found a way to be more efficient with their time the children could be home in time to take a nap and we wouldn't have to pay the teacher who is supervising them through this activity...... What a waste!!!! So glad my tax money is going to ensure that these teens are getting their naps!!!!!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Math-U-See
After a few years of doing the Saxon math curriculum I was looking for something a little different. Saxon was great don't get me wrong, it was thourough and complete, but there was just so much of it....... Once Michael really started getting into math it took a lot of time to do Seri's math and his and they both got frustrated with the amount of work there was to do. The assignments were a little overwhelming.
I started the search for a new curriculum and after ordering and watching the free DVD from Math-U-See, I knew I had found a perfect fit!!! Three years later we are going strong and I have no regrets.
Math-U-See is amazing!! It is helping me to understand math when I had all but given up hope on my mathmatical ability. Rather than teaching the methods and short cuts and procedures, he shows you the "Why". Why it has to be that way, demonstrating with cubes and different visuals exactly what happens when you are working mathmatical operations.
So many times I have watched the lesson and been left with my mouth open as I finally understand something I have never gotten through school or college. I then make Matt watch it and when Mom comes over I insist that she watch it also. We then spend the next hour exclaiming over how amazing the teaching method is.
Seri is doing math that I do not understand. Luckily it is also a self-teach program for the children who work best in that manner so she is pretty self sufficient.
Michael is moving along at a great pace.
Isaac is now adding and subtracting multiple digits and he just turned six last month!! He is also solving for unknowns. The amazing thing is he doesn't use his fingers to count on at all. I have seriously considerd putting Michael back in an earlier level so that he can learn how to not use his fingers to count with.
I recommend this program to anyone who is home schooling and looking for a curriculum, anyone whose child needs a little help understanding and anyone who has ever considered themselves "math illeterate" as I have.
This curriculum has blessed each and every person in my family including Matt who has a very "math/science" brain.
the other nice thing about the program is it fits all learning types, those that need to see it (with the DVD) those who need to manipulate and those who need to hear it. It also enforces a move at your own pace mentality with no pressure to finish at a certain time, they instead encourage you to master a procedure before moving on no matter how long that takes. That is something I struggled with when I was teaching third grade. It made no sense to teach these children division when they had a limited understanding of multiplication.
I love, love, love this program!!!!!!
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