I confess. I've been to the principal's office. Although I don't recall my first trip there, my aunt described it in full detail.
When I was little, my mother was taking college classes (for her teaching degree). I attended many classes with her, and evidently got along well with the adults. By 5, my grandmother and great-grandmother had already taught me to read, so I went directly into first grade.
Remember "dittos"? Those worksheets copied in the blue ink that smelled funny? They were usually busywork, something to keep the class occupied when the teacher needed to deal with a struggling student, or a discipline issue. Rarely was there any real learning value. Although they aren't in the smelly blue ink anymore, they are still used for the same purposes, that much hasn't changed.
According to my aunt, one day in first grade, I'd had enough of dittos. I marched up to the teacher's desk and slapped the page down saying, "This is pedagogical nonsense, and I'm not going to do it."
That kind of thing doesn't go over terribly well. I spent the afternoon cooling my heels in the principal's office.
I still have an aversion to busywork. My time is valuable, and my child's time is too. I want to spend the time necessary to cover concepts, and the practice needed to be competent, but not to waste time re-doing things in areas the child is already comfortable.
Decide what level of competence you expect for this child, in this area, at this time, remembering that most things will be used and reviewed as you go along. Don't kill the joy of learning by endless drill in any subject... No dittos!
Showing posts with label Homeschool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homeschool. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Is Sonlight hands-on?
"Won't my active child be bored?"
I've heard those questions a lot. Early in my homeschooling experience I tried a "hands-on approach", thinking my active children would prefer that. What I found was that I would spend an hour (and money on supplies) preparing, and my children would spend 15 minutes learning.
That's a balance that's out of balance! What I've found with Sonlight's literature-based approach is that the kids tend to become interested in things and want to follow up. Since it is their choice, rather than mine, they are motivated and creative as they build, make and do. My part is simple, "Yes, you can use that", "the scissors are in the drawer".
Pleasant surprises have included the time they decided to memorize and perform a humorous poem. They used an old desk and curtains to make a stage, then designed a printed program and illustrations for the performance on the computer. We videotaped the performance and mailed it, along with a program, to grandparents.
A friend's daughter designed dozens of dresses after they enjoyed one book. Another enlisted friends and siblings and they taped an impromptu scene from a Shakespeare play.
My active kids (like the one who just hiked 2.5 miles before starting school for today!), have done very well with Sonlight. They love the openness of following up on their interests, rather than a hands-on "schedule" that predetermines what is supposed to interest them.
So, is Sonlight hands-on? Well, not so much for you, but for your kids... It stimulates interests, and motivates them to pursue their curiosity.
I've heard those questions a lot. Early in my homeschooling experience I tried a "hands-on approach", thinking my active children would prefer that. What I found was that I would spend an hour (and money on supplies) preparing, and my children would spend 15 minutes learning.
That's a balance that's out of balance! What I've found with Sonlight's literature-based approach is that the kids tend to become interested in things and want to follow up. Since it is their choice, rather than mine, they are motivated and creative as they build, make and do. My part is simple, "Yes, you can use that", "the scissors are in the drawer".
Pleasant surprises have included the time they decided to memorize and perform a humorous poem. They used an old desk and curtains to make a stage, then designed a printed program and illustrations for the performance on the computer. We videotaped the performance and mailed it, along with a program, to grandparents.
A friend's daughter designed dozens of dresses after they enjoyed one book. Another enlisted friends and siblings and they taped an impromptu scene from a Shakespeare play.
My active kids (like the one who just hiked 2.5 miles before starting school for today!), have done very well with Sonlight. They love the openness of following up on their interests, rather than a hands-on "schedule" that predetermines what is supposed to interest them.
So, is Sonlight hands-on? Well, not so much for you, but for your kids... It stimulates interests, and motivates them to pursue their curiosity.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
American Sign Language, Part 2
Other reasons that ASL is a foreign language: it is conceptual, ie. signs communicate ideas, rather than words, and it is a form of communication associated with a distinct and unique culture.
Some people take ASL thinking it's an "easy" language. I heard a comment that the college ASL classes lose half the students after the first 2 weeks. It turns out to be much more challenging than they expected!
This is a language that can't be learned from a book. Videos or DVD's along with your book are better, but a live class or tutor is best. ASL is 3-dimensional, incorporating signs with one or two hands, directional movement and facial grammar. All these features combine to convey meaning.
This probably has made it sound intimidating, please don't give up if you are interested! ASL is useful, even for hearing people, you can ask questions or give directions over a long distance or in loud surroundings. You will learn cultural information about the Deaf people living around you, and maybe make some new friends. The Deaf people we've met have been kind, patient and encouraging.
By the way, speaking and signing together is the only way it is physically possible to communicate in two languages at the same time. Challenge your children to think about that!
Some people take ASL thinking it's an "easy" language. I heard a comment that the college ASL classes lose half the students after the first 2 weeks. It turns out to be much more challenging than they expected!
This is a language that can't be learned from a book. Videos or DVD's along with your book are better, but a live class or tutor is best. ASL is 3-dimensional, incorporating signs with one or two hands, directional movement and facial grammar. All these features combine to convey meaning.
This probably has made it sound intimidating, please don't give up if you are interested! ASL is useful, even for hearing people, you can ask questions or give directions over a long distance or in loud surroundings. You will learn cultural information about the Deaf people living around you, and maybe make some new friends. The Deaf people we've met have been kind, patient and encouraging.
By the way, speaking and signing together is the only way it is physically possible to communicate in two languages at the same time. Challenge your children to think about that!
Friday, July 10, 2009
American Sign Language
As I mentioned, my 19 year old daughter studied American Sign Language in high school. Most colleges accept ASL as a foreign language (check with the individual college to verify), and ASL is the 3rd or 4th most commonly used language in the US, depending on the source of information.
There are several forms of signed communication. The popularity and use of each varies by region. Think of them as a spectrum, with Signing Exact English (SEE) at one end, Pidgeon Sign Language (PSE) in the middle, and ASL at the other end.
SEE is NOT a foreign language. It is a sign system, but is essentially "English on the hands". Its grammar and structure are the same as English. Each word is at least one sign.
PSE uses signs from ASL and SEE, with its grammar rather mixed, but signs usually understandable by both ends of the spectrum.
ASL has its own grammatical structure, unique, and conceptual in nature. For example, in English, we might say; "The old man sat at the table in his small white house on the farm". To sign this information, we introduce the setting, the farm, then the house, indicating by the way it is signed that the house is small and white, then probably the table and the old man sitting at it.
This structure is why it's a foreign language. You learn not only the signs, but also the unique grammatical structure.
We started with a class at our adult education center, Beginning ASL. At the time my daughter wasn't old enough to take the class herself, so I attended (I had always wanted to learn ASL!), and later taught her. Not the very best way, but it was a start.
Once the beginning class was over, we looked around for more opportunities. To our surprise, we found a lovely lady at church who is an interpreter, and agreed to work with us. She tutored us for 1 1/2 years. We ended by completing the college text used for the first year ASL class at the local university, and Jesse interpreted a song of her choice and performed it at church. We invited a Deaf friend, and she enjoyed the performance. (She cried, I told Jesse I thought she'd done it right then!)
More coming on ASL!
There are several forms of signed communication. The popularity and use of each varies by region. Think of them as a spectrum, with Signing Exact English (SEE) at one end, Pidgeon Sign Language (PSE) in the middle, and ASL at the other end.
SEE is NOT a foreign language. It is a sign system, but is essentially "English on the hands". Its grammar and structure are the same as English. Each word is at least one sign.
PSE uses signs from ASL and SEE, with its grammar rather mixed, but signs usually understandable by both ends of the spectrum.
ASL has its own grammatical structure, unique, and conceptual in nature. For example, in English, we might say; "The old man sat at the table in his small white house on the farm". To sign this information, we introduce the setting, the farm, then the house, indicating by the way it is signed that the house is small and white, then probably the table and the old man sitting at it.
This structure is why it's a foreign language. You learn not only the signs, but also the unique grammatical structure.
We started with a class at our adult education center, Beginning ASL. At the time my daughter wasn't old enough to take the class herself, so I attended (I had always wanted to learn ASL!), and later taught her. Not the very best way, but it was a start.
Once the beginning class was over, we looked around for more opportunities. To our surprise, we found a lovely lady at church who is an interpreter, and agreed to work with us. She tutored us for 1 1/2 years. We ended by completing the college text used for the first year ASL class at the local university, and Jesse interpreted a song of her choice and performed it at church. We invited a Deaf friend, and she enjoyed the performance. (She cried, I told Jesse I thought she'd done it right then!)
More coming on ASL!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Why the current time in Peru?
This week my 19 year old daughter arrived in Lima, Peru for a missions trip. She has made all the arrangements herself for this trip planned to be a year long.
I'm excited for her, and yet LONG is the operative word! That seems like such a long time for her to be gone! I'm praying for her to have a fun, effective ministry with the Peruvian group there, and also for her to be safe.
Like many experiences, there have been ups and downs already. The Peruvian mission interns have been nice to her, but her Spanish-English Bible and her contact lens solution were missing from her luggage.
She's very excited about this opportunity to serve the Lord, but doesn't speak Spanish! (She studied American Sign Language in our high school, that will be another post.) I'm confident she'll learn Spanish quickly, she'll certainly be highly motivated!
It's scary for me to have her doing this. But I'm reminding myself that this is what we raised our children to do, to step into adulthood and live the life God has for them. (Please feel free to pray for her!)
I'm excited for her, and yet LONG is the operative word! That seems like such a long time for her to be gone! I'm praying for her to have a fun, effective ministry with the Peruvian group there, and also for her to be safe.
Like many experiences, there have been ups and downs already. The Peruvian mission interns have been nice to her, but her Spanish-English Bible and her contact lens solution were missing from her luggage.
She's very excited about this opportunity to serve the Lord, but doesn't speak Spanish! (She studied American Sign Language in our high school, that will be another post.) I'm confident she'll learn Spanish quickly, she'll certainly be highly motivated!
It's scary for me to have her doing this. But I'm reminding myself that this is what we raised our children to do, to step into adulthood and live the life God has for them. (Please feel free to pray for her!)
Friday, July 3, 2009
Choosing Readers
People often ask how to choose appropriate Sonlight Readers for young children. One way is to look over a description of the different options.
Readers K... for the student who is ready to learn the letter sounds.
Readers 1... to be used by the student who knows all the letter sounds and is ready to read 3-letter words.
Readers 2... for a child reading long vowel, 5- and 6- letter words, but needs more white space on the page, and not too much text per page.
Readers 2 Intermediate... More text per page, short chapter books, average 50-70 pages long.
Readers 2 Advanced... For students comfortable with a smaller text size, more words on a page, longer chapters. These books might average 120-150 pages.
You can use the Quick Reading Assessment on the Sonlight website, there are some notes on choosing Readers on that page as well.
What if your child seems in between these levels? I would suggest choosing the lower of the two choices. Don't worry that you are holding your child back. They will actually progress faster by reading more books at a comfortable level, rather than being constantly challenged by harder and harder books.
When your child is ready, having had the practice he needs, he will pull one off the shelf, and just start to read!
Readers K... for the student who is ready to learn the letter sounds.
Readers 1... to be used by the student who knows all the letter sounds and is ready to read 3-letter words.
Readers 2... for a child reading long vowel, 5- and 6- letter words, but needs more white space on the page, and not too much text per page.
Readers 2 Intermediate... More text per page, short chapter books, average 50-70 pages long.
Readers 2 Advanced... For students comfortable with a smaller text size, more words on a page, longer chapters. These books might average 120-150 pages.
You can use the Quick Reading Assessment on the Sonlight website, there are some notes on choosing Readers on that page as well.
What if your child seems in between these levels? I would suggest choosing the lower of the two choices. Don't worry that you are holding your child back. They will actually progress faster by reading more books at a comfortable level, rather than being constantly challenged by harder and harder books.
When your child is ready, having had the practice he needs, he will pull one off the shelf, and just start to read!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
How do we know we're doing the right thing?
As homeschoolers, our families often live on one income. It's easy to look around and see other families that might be able to provide expensive vacations, lessons, or all the "best" clothes and advantages. Comparing that to the simpler life we live can make us wonder if our children would be better off with the second income instead of homeschooling.
My first nursing job was at a university health service. Our facility provided not only urgent care services, but also limited in-patient services. It amazed me how much those young adults had to say in the middle of the night.
Without exception, every young person that talked to me said they wished their parents had spent more time with them. They lamented that their parents had spent their time working, to give them money and "stuff", but what the kids really wanted was time. You can't imagine how many times I heard, "I wish they had given me themselves instead of 'stuff' ".
Although you might wonder if you are giving your child what she needs when others are enjoying 'stuff', remember you are choosing to give of yourself to your child. That will last far longer, and have far more positive benefits than any 'things' you might have provided with a second income.
Invest in what lasts!
My first nursing job was at a university health service. Our facility provided not only urgent care services, but also limited in-patient services. It amazed me how much those young adults had to say in the middle of the night.
Without exception, every young person that talked to me said they wished their parents had spent more time with them. They lamented that their parents had spent their time working, to give them money and "stuff", but what the kids really wanted was time. You can't imagine how many times I heard, "I wish they had given me themselves instead of 'stuff' ".
Although you might wonder if you are giving your child what she needs when others are enjoying 'stuff', remember you are choosing to give of yourself to your child. That will last far longer, and have far more positive benefits than any 'things' you might have provided with a second income.
Invest in what lasts!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Summer Math games
While we hear about lots of summer reading ideas and programs, we all know summer math can suffer from neglect. Leaving math to wither over the hot summer means needing review as you start up again in the fall. Some classroom settings may spend one, or even two, MONTHS reviewing!
Let's not. Encourage your child to keep up his math skills; with estimation as you go to the store, with one or two math lessons each week, or the most fun, with games.
We used a board from a standard board game, 2 standard dice and a special die with the math symbols on it, +, -, etc. We found one at our local teacher store. Each player would roll all 3 dice, to yield 2 numbers and one symbol. The player performs the function, say, 3+5=8, and moves his token that many spots. It makes for a painless way to review those math facts.
If you do flash cards, make that a game. Each time the child can give the correct answer, let her keep the card. Who has the biggest stack after once through, you or the child?
There are unlimited possibilities, choose a variety of games and activities you both enjoy, and jump start your school year!
Let's not. Encourage your child to keep up his math skills; with estimation as you go to the store, with one or two math lessons each week, or the most fun, with games.
We used a board from a standard board game, 2 standard dice and a special die with the math symbols on it, +, -, etc. We found one at our local teacher store. Each player would roll all 3 dice, to yield 2 numbers and one symbol. The player performs the function, say, 3+5=8, and moves his token that many spots. It makes for a painless way to review those math facts.
If you do flash cards, make that a game. Each time the child can give the correct answer, let her keep the card. Who has the biggest stack after once through, you or the child?
There are unlimited possibilities, choose a variety of games and activities you both enjoy, and jump start your school year!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Extracurriculars....
One extracurricular activity that we enjoyed for years is 4-H. Although you might think of this as only for farm and ranch folks, projects are available for everything from Electricity and Rocketry to Cooking and Photography, as well as livestock.
Excited by the huge variety of choices, I WAY overestimated on projects that first year. By the second year I had realized that we needed to choose one or two and finish those. It wasn't until doing livestock projects that my children were interested in competing at the fair.
They put huge amounts of work into their livestock animals, and for the most part it was a great experience. We learned SO much about why the Lord refers to us as "sheep", not particularly a compliment, by the way. Sheep need care, they are silly, foolish, comical, and very lovable. They truly do know the shepherd's voice.
This summer may be a great time for you to check out a 4-H club (there are county rules that are common to all clubs, as well as club charters that specify rules for that individual club). Talk the leader, some of the parents and members, maybe attend a meeting. This is a busy time of year as members work on their books and do all the last things required for their projects to be ready for the fair.
Good questions for you to ask might be how often and what time are the meetings, are there project meetings in addition to club meetings, is there a project leader for the project of your child's interest, or will you be doing it yourself, does the club have requirements for when the project books are finished (the county does, but individual clubs might have additional rules). Become familiar with what the club might require in terms of time commitment.
This research will pay off in a good "fit" between your family and the 4-H club. Meetings often start up again in September or October and the sign up deadline is usually by Dec 1st.
Check it out!
Excited by the huge variety of choices, I WAY overestimated on projects that first year. By the second year I had realized that we needed to choose one or two and finish those. It wasn't until doing livestock projects that my children were interested in competing at the fair.
They put huge amounts of work into their livestock animals, and for the most part it was a great experience. We learned SO much about why the Lord refers to us as "sheep", not particularly a compliment, by the way. Sheep need care, they are silly, foolish, comical, and very lovable. They truly do know the shepherd's voice.
This summer may be a great time for you to check out a 4-H club (there are county rules that are common to all clubs, as well as club charters that specify rules for that individual club). Talk the leader, some of the parents and members, maybe attend a meeting. This is a busy time of year as members work on their books and do all the last things required for their projects to be ready for the fair.
Good questions for you to ask might be how often and what time are the meetings, are there project meetings in addition to club meetings, is there a project leader for the project of your child's interest, or will you be doing it yourself, does the club have requirements for when the project books are finished (the county does, but individual clubs might have additional rules). Become familiar with what the club might require in terms of time commitment.
This research will pay off in a good "fit" between your family and the 4-H club. Meetings often start up again in September or October and the sign up deadline is usually by Dec 1st.
Check it out!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Did you miss it?
I'm coming up for air again after the book sale. My friend, Cheri, and I have been organizing the Missoula/Bitterroot Homeschool Used Book Sale for 10 years now. It seems every year has its adventures, and this year was no exception.
A friend of Cheri's came early, poor dear, we put her to work right away! My daughter and I had arrived a little before Cheri, and along with Cheri's friend, we put up all the chairs, pulled out tables and were nearly arranged when Cheri got there, right on time.
In doing the name tags, we found we were short on tables, a perennial problem! I had tossed in 2 tables of my own, and Cheri went to her church and borrowed one, giving us exactly the right number. The Lord has provided just what we needed each year.
It was great to see so many people, and a wonderful blessing to know that people were able to buy and sell things they needed to. Every year we hear stories from fellow homeschoolers that they were able to find exactly what they needed at a price they could afford. That really makes our efforts worthwhile!
The only sad note this year, I got an email last night from a friend in Anaconda, wondering if she had missed the sale! Cheri and I try to be consistent in planning for the first Monday in June, don't miss it next year!
Congratulations to K.G. of Lolo, who won the gift basket drawing!
A friend of Cheri's came early, poor dear, we put her to work right away! My daughter and I had arrived a little before Cheri, and along with Cheri's friend, we put up all the chairs, pulled out tables and were nearly arranged when Cheri got there, right on time.
In doing the name tags, we found we were short on tables, a perennial problem! I had tossed in 2 tables of my own, and Cheri went to her church and borrowed one, giving us exactly the right number. The Lord has provided just what we needed each year.
It was great to see so many people, and a wonderful blessing to know that people were able to buy and sell things they needed to. Every year we hear stories from fellow homeschoolers that they were able to find exactly what they needed at a price they could afford. That really makes our efforts worthwhile!
The only sad note this year, I got an email last night from a friend in Anaconda, wondering if she had missed the sale! Cheri and I try to be consistent in planning for the first Monday in June, don't miss it next year!
Congratulations to K.G. of Lolo, who won the gift basket drawing!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Summer activities
We like to do a little school during the summer. Maybe one or two lessons of Math per week, some Science experiments, and we still read out loud.
Other summer activities for our family might include hiking, picnicking, gardening. On those hot, hot days, we like to splash in the creek across the road from our house.
Encourage your children to keep reading over the summer. Don't worry about searching out more and more challenging reading. You can find more reading material at about the same reading level by looking for more in a favorite series or more books by an author your child likes. Even though they are enjoying reading at a comfortable level, they will continue to build confidence and improve their reading skills.
You can stimulate their interest by being a role model so, pick up a book and READ!
Other summer activities for our family might include hiking, picnicking, gardening. On those hot, hot days, we like to splash in the creek across the road from our house.
Encourage your children to keep reading over the summer. Don't worry about searching out more and more challenging reading. You can find more reading material at about the same reading level by looking for more in a favorite series or more books by an author your child likes. Even though they are enjoying reading at a comfortable level, they will continue to build confidence and improve their reading skills.
You can stimulate their interest by being a role model so, pick up a book and READ!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Do you ever feel alone?
Like you just don't fit in with the crowd?
When we hear comments that challenge or ridicule our home education efforts, we can feel especially different. It can make us question if this is really a good idea. Then we start comparing. That's our downfall.
Remember that comparing what we are doing with what someone else is doing, or what the school is doing is a fatal exercise. Invariably we are comparing the externally visible strengths of someone else to our own weaknesses. We can't help but come up short.
This played out for me in an experience some years ago. One day each week we met with another family and did "team teaching", their mom taught all the kids certain subjects and I taught all the kids other subjects. The first day was nearly a disaster.
She started with English, asking the children to name the 8 parts of speech. Her kids named them off easily, quickly. My kids looked confused and said, "What?"
Then came geography... Down to her 5 yr old could list off the major oceans and seas. My kids said, "Um, what?" (I was having cold sweats in the corner.)
The capper was when asked, down to their 5 yr old could name the Roman emperors, in order!
Feeling completely defeated, I was ready to crawl under a rock, send my kids to school where they'd actually learn something! I nearly packed up the kids and left, but my brain was so addled I just couldn't come up with a quick excuse to go.
Then it was my turn to teach Biology, a favorite subject for me. We went over the differences between bacteria and viruses. To my utter shock... the tables were turned. Down to my 3 yr old knew the differences and could explain them, up to her older teen didn't know for sure.
That gave me much to think about. Not to say one area of knowledge is more important than another, we all prioritize according to what we think is more important. But more that if I had actually managed an excuse and left, I would never have known that I was comparing her strengths to my own weaknesses (or just areas that we hadn't covered yet). If I had left, I would have stayed defeated.
As hard as it is, don't compare. Instead, enjoy being unique!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Missoula/Bitterroot Homeschoolers!
The Missoula/Bitterroot Homeschoolers
Used Book Sale is scheduled for June 1st, 2009
at King's Christian Church, Hwy 93, Lolo, MT
Open to the public 1:30 to 4:30 pm
For questions or table reservations call:
Cathy Anderson 626-5534, or email me
or Cheri Perez 777-2570
I'll be there with my Sonlight materials so you have another chance to see things if you missed the MHEEC Convention in Kalispell this month.
Used Book Sale is scheduled for June 1st, 2009
at King's Christian Church, Hwy 93, Lolo, MT
Open to the public 1:30 to 4:30 pm
For questions or table reservations call:
Cathy Anderson 626-5534, or email me
or Cheri Perez 777-2570
I'll be there with my Sonlight materials so you have another chance to see things if you missed the MHEEC Convention in Kalispell this month.
Calling all Juniors!
If your student will be a high school Junior this fall, this is the year to take the PSAT. The PSAT is a Preliminary SAT exam. It is used as practice for the college entrance SAT exam, and as the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship competition.
The test is given once a year in October. Now is a great time of year to contact a local public or private high school and ask that they order a test for your student. The cost is approximately $13-$15, the school can set the exact price. The test is quite similar to the SAT, but does not have an essay portion.
Although the Junior year is the one that "counts" for the National Merit Scholarship, your student can take the test for practice in the 10th grade year as well. For the scholarship, it is the total score that is considered. While only the top few percent of students will receive any official recognition for their high score, the PSAT is well worth doing for the practice and allowing your student to become more familiar with standardized test formats. Feel free to use a "prep" book to help your student know what to expect.
The first time we considered having our 10th grader take the PSAT, I didn't realize I should have called well in advance. I found myself calling around to every local school, in a panic because September was too late to find a spare test available. One person finally explained it was only the 11th grade year that is considered for the scholarship competition. We waited until the next year for that student, and for subsequent students I knew to call early!
There is a homeschool code that your student will enter into a designated spot on the test form that will allow the test results to be sent directly to your home address. The score report will arrive around the first week of December.
For more information about the PSAT: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html
The test is given once a year in October. Now is a great time of year to contact a local public or private high school and ask that they order a test for your student. The cost is approximately $13-$15, the school can set the exact price. The test is quite similar to the SAT, but does not have an essay portion.
Although the Junior year is the one that "counts" for the National Merit Scholarship, your student can take the test for practice in the 10th grade year as well. For the scholarship, it is the total score that is considered. While only the top few percent of students will receive any official recognition for their high score, the PSAT is well worth doing for the practice and allowing your student to become more familiar with standardized test formats. Feel free to use a "prep" book to help your student know what to expect.
The first time we considered having our 10th grader take the PSAT, I didn't realize I should have called well in advance. I found myself calling around to every local school, in a panic because September was too late to find a spare test available. One person finally explained it was only the 11th grade year that is considered for the scholarship competition. We waited until the next year for that student, and for subsequent students I knew to call early!
There is a homeschool code that your student will enter into a designated spot on the test form that will allow the test results to be sent directly to your home address. The score report will arrive around the first week of December.
For more information about the PSAT: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Summer's coming! Now what?
The warmer weather is here, finally! This has seemed like a very long, slow process to me, but summer is right around the corner.
Now what??
Some families do school year-round, some take the full summer off, and others, somewhere in between.
We have actually done all those things in different years. Each has advantages but "real life" certainly affects what we might choose.
Initially, we did 2-3 days worth of school over each week in the summer. It wasn't an arduous schedule, but allowed us to rack up some time toward our annual goal of hours or days. My kids didn't mind starting before their public school friends, but they had a passion to finish the school year before them!
Over the years we did 4-H, we tended to do less school in the summer. Time is short and precious when you are doing livestock projects! That is of course, an education in itself, and requires some flexibility during the year. We took shorter holiday breaks to give us time to take off for lambing in February, for instance.
Summer can be a great time to do Science. You can do some or even all, of your Science for the year over summer. We like to do some Math at least, which means we don't have as much review time needed as we start up our full school year. It can be a wonderful time for art, craft projects, cooking, gardening, and of course, reading aloud.
Remember, you are in charge of your school and schedule. You needn't do school "the way we've always done it", or the way the public school does it. You have flexibility, take advantage of it to meet the needs of your children!
It was wonderful to meet so many of you at the MHEEC convention, thank you for stopping to see me! More on high school in the next post....
Now what??
Some families do school year-round, some take the full summer off, and others, somewhere in between.
We have actually done all those things in different years. Each has advantages but "real life" certainly affects what we might choose.
Initially, we did 2-3 days worth of school over each week in the summer. It wasn't an arduous schedule, but allowed us to rack up some time toward our annual goal of hours or days. My kids didn't mind starting before their public school friends, but they had a passion to finish the school year before them!
Over the years we did 4-H, we tended to do less school in the summer. Time is short and precious when you are doing livestock projects! That is of course, an education in itself, and requires some flexibility during the year. We took shorter holiday breaks to give us time to take off for lambing in February, for instance.
Summer can be a great time to do Science. You can do some or even all, of your Science for the year over summer. We like to do some Math at least, which means we don't have as much review time needed as we start up our full school year. It can be a wonderful time for art, craft projects, cooking, gardening, and of course, reading aloud.
Remember, you are in charge of your school and schedule. You needn't do school "the way we've always done it", or the way the public school does it. You have flexibility, take advantage of it to meet the needs of your children!
It was wonderful to meet so many of you at the MHEEC convention, thank you for stopping to see me! More on high school in the next post....
Monday, May 11, 2009
High school: The OTHER scary part...
People have often told me the two scariest times in their homeschool experience are teaching reading and homeschooling high school. We've talked a little bit about teaching reading, let's look at high school.
First, deep breath, maybe have a cup of tea, calm those trembling hands and shaking nerves. You can do this.
A great first step (after your tea) is to make sure you are familiar with the homeschool law in your state. This will help you know what you need to comply with, such as keeping a basic log of hours spent, topics taught, etc. More about records in another post.
Before the beginning of high school, I strongly suggest you make a simple chart. I like to list the courses down the left side of my page and the years across the top, 9th, 10th, and so on.
As you fill in "X's" in the intersecting boxes, you are planning out your student's high school years. Remember this is a general plan. You can list "English" on the left. It's usually done, in some form, each year, so place X's in all four years. That's fine, even though later as you plan in more detail, one year might end up, "Poetry" or "Composition 1" or "Creative Writing".
This will help you plan out the pace of the four years so your student isn't twiddling his thumbs one year, or hearing; "Honey, guess what, you're going to earn 32 credits this year!" Along with the overall pace, you can plan out courses that need certain courses done first. For instance, Algebra 1 is usually a prerequisite, a "do-first" (or at least a co-requisite, a "do-at-the-same-time) for Chemistry.
If that sounds awfully organized, I'll let you in on a couple of secrets: I do this in pencil, not pen, and I've lost that master chart at least once for each child. You can re-create that chart if needed (because you not only lost it, but didn't find it again. Ask me how I know!).
Where do you get the courses? I've looked at the Office of Public Instruction website and the Montana state law to make sure I am exceeding that. Then at lots of college websites for admission requirements. I made sure to look at a range of large and small, public and private colleges, and a wide variety of geographic locations.
At first glance, this might seem daunting and very rigid. Keep in mind that most of those places listed something like: "Engligh, 4 yrs, must include composition and literature". As I mentioned, you have lots of freedom to both meet the student's needs and satisfy his interests, Poetry, Creative Writing, American Literature, English Literature, etc.
We've just scratched the surface! I have lots more to offer, stay tuned here, and I hope to see you at the Montana Homeschool Convention, coming up this weekend!
First, deep breath, maybe have a cup of tea, calm those trembling hands and shaking nerves. You can do this.
A great first step (after your tea) is to make sure you are familiar with the homeschool law in your state. This will help you know what you need to comply with, such as keeping a basic log of hours spent, topics taught, etc. More about records in another post.
Before the beginning of high school, I strongly suggest you make a simple chart. I like to list the courses down the left side of my page and the years across the top, 9th, 10th, and so on.
As you fill in "X's" in the intersecting boxes, you are planning out your student's high school years. Remember this is a general plan. You can list "English" on the left. It's usually done, in some form, each year, so place X's in all four years. That's fine, even though later as you plan in more detail, one year might end up, "Poetry" or "Composition 1" or "Creative Writing".
This will help you plan out the pace of the four years so your student isn't twiddling his thumbs one year, or hearing; "Honey, guess what, you're going to earn 32 credits this year!" Along with the overall pace, you can plan out courses that need certain courses done first. For instance, Algebra 1 is usually a prerequisite, a "do-first" (or at least a co-requisite, a "do-at-the-same-time) for Chemistry.
If that sounds awfully organized, I'll let you in on a couple of secrets: I do this in pencil, not pen, and I've lost that master chart at least once for each child. You can re-create that chart if needed (because you not only lost it, but didn't find it again. Ask me how I know!).
Where do you get the courses? I've looked at the Office of Public Instruction website and the Montana state law to make sure I am exceeding that. Then at lots of college websites for admission requirements. I made sure to look at a range of large and small, public and private colleges, and a wide variety of geographic locations.
At first glance, this might seem daunting and very rigid. Keep in mind that most of those places listed something like: "Engligh, 4 yrs, must include composition and literature". As I mentioned, you have lots of freedom to both meet the student's needs and satisfy his interests, Poetry, Creative Writing, American Literature, English Literature, etc.
We've just scratched the surface! I have lots more to offer, stay tuned here, and I hope to see you at the Montana Homeschool Convention, coming up this weekend!
Monday, May 4, 2009
"I can't read!"
Has your child said that? Mine did. I winced painfully as she said this point blank to a lady, in of all places, a bookstore.
Especially if you are a parent who loves to read, it can be mystifying and frustrating if your child struggles or doesn't enjoy reading. There is hope!
Encourage any effort your child does make, pay attention when the child reads to you, talk about the story, tell your child your favorite part and ask what his was.
We kept a book list on the refrigerator for each young learner. I let my children list each title as they finished the book or story, and I let them list it for each time they read it. If they read the same story 4 times, they could list the title 4 times.
Every 10 titles, we would do some small special thing. A small, one-scoop ice cream cone after lunch, the child gets to pick what is for dinner from 2 or 3 options, we go for a walk and picnic, there are lots of possibilities!
One of my children liked to list not only title and author, but also number of pages in the book. At the bottom of each page she would total the number of pages she'd read.
Your children will get farther, faster with their reading skill by reading more books at a level that is relatively easy for them, rather than dialing up the challenge each time they complete a story. I know this seems counterproductive, and it's agonizing when your older learner is still reading at a level below their age-mates.
While there are times, of course, that issues such as learning disabilities, vision, etc. affect learning to read, keep in mind that each child is unique. Each will need "X" amount of practice before gaining fluency, and we really don't know how much "X" is for each particular child.
Know that others have trod this road as well, and it is a difficult one! The pressure from friends and family can make you feel you have failed your child. Don't go there. Explore creative ways to help your child practice letter sounds and reading, and be patient! The day will come when your child surprises you by pulling a book of the shelf (voluntarily!) and says, "Mom, I'm going to read this." And he does.
(More on Language Arts games and creative ways to practice in the next post!)
Especially if you are a parent who loves to read, it can be mystifying and frustrating if your child struggles or doesn't enjoy reading. There is hope!
Encourage any effort your child does make, pay attention when the child reads to you, talk about the story, tell your child your favorite part and ask what his was.
We kept a book list on the refrigerator for each young learner. I let my children list each title as they finished the book or story, and I let them list it for each time they read it. If they read the same story 4 times, they could list the title 4 times.
Every 10 titles, we would do some small special thing. A small, one-scoop ice cream cone after lunch, the child gets to pick what is for dinner from 2 or 3 options, we go for a walk and picnic, there are lots of possibilities!
One of my children liked to list not only title and author, but also number of pages in the book. At the bottom of each page she would total the number of pages she'd read.
Your children will get farther, faster with their reading skill by reading more books at a level that is relatively easy for them, rather than dialing up the challenge each time they complete a story. I know this seems counterproductive, and it's agonizing when your older learner is still reading at a level below their age-mates.
While there are times, of course, that issues such as learning disabilities, vision, etc. affect learning to read, keep in mind that each child is unique. Each will need "X" amount of practice before gaining fluency, and we really don't know how much "X" is for each particular child.
Know that others have trod this road as well, and it is a difficult one! The pressure from friends and family can make you feel you have failed your child. Don't go there. Explore creative ways to help your child practice letter sounds and reading, and be patient! The day will come when your child surprises you by pulling a book of the shelf (voluntarily!) and says, "Mom, I'm going to read this." And he does.
(More on Language Arts games and creative ways to practice in the next post!)
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Catalogs are coming! The Catalogs are coming!
Catalog season is upon us! That means spring is nearly here! I had great hopes the weather would continue to agree with that, but with the snow and blowing yesterday it looked more like December!
However, I have my Sonlight catalog in hand, which tells me milder days are right around the corner. If you don't have your catalog yet, you soon will.
I think I'd mentioned telling my "catalog story". Every year I am impatient and eager for the Sonlight catalog. I love to read it cover to cover and see all the new books and changes and updates to the Instructor's Guides.
Some years ago, my family thought they'd play a hilarious trick on me. Hilarious to them, that is! When the long-awaited catalog arrived, my husband, enlisting the children in on the secret, hid the catalog under my pillow. He thought I'd be delighted to find it as I went to bed.
That evening he was working on taxes (yes, it's that time of year too). He wanted me to be around in case of questions, finding any documentation, etc. I had a book going I wasn't really all that interested in, and was restless and bored for the couple of hours he was doing taxes.
When I finally went to bed, a tad irritable anyway, what did I find... my catalog. I was furious.
"You HID my Sonlight catalog!? WHY?? What were you thinking? I could have been reading THIS for the last 2 hours! AGH!"
LOL. Needless to say, ever since, when my catalog arrives, it is carefully and immediately delivered safely into my hand. For the rest of the day, they know it's not much use to ask Mom anything, she's busy reading the catalog!
I hope you enjoy yours as well. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me!
However, I have my Sonlight catalog in hand, which tells me milder days are right around the corner. If you don't have your catalog yet, you soon will.
I think I'd mentioned telling my "catalog story". Every year I am impatient and eager for the Sonlight catalog. I love to read it cover to cover and see all the new books and changes and updates to the Instructor's Guides.
Some years ago, my family thought they'd play a hilarious trick on me. Hilarious to them, that is! When the long-awaited catalog arrived, my husband, enlisting the children in on the secret, hid the catalog under my pillow. He thought I'd be delighted to find it as I went to bed.
That evening he was working on taxes (yes, it's that time of year too). He wanted me to be around in case of questions, finding any documentation, etc. I had a book going I wasn't really all that interested in, and was restless and bored for the couple of hours he was doing taxes.
When I finally went to bed, a tad irritable anyway, what did I find... my catalog. I was furious.
"You HID my Sonlight catalog!? WHY?? What were you thinking? I could have been reading THIS for the last 2 hours! AGH!"
LOL. Needless to say, ever since, when my catalog arrives, it is carefully and immediately delivered safely into my hand. For the rest of the day, they know it's not much use to ask Mom anything, she's busy reading the catalog!
I hope you enjoy yours as well. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
