The Challenges and Benefits of Home-Schooling

[kejedo]

Nice pic Brother Jerry. What happened to the hat?

[Old]

10 minutes ago, kejedo said:

Nice pic Brother Jerry. What happened to the hat?

Didn't need it with my new hair style. 

[kejedo]

I have just been looking at some School House Rock. Then I watched some Sesame Street oldies on counting.  The four y/o who spends time with me can recite one to ten, but cannot associate the number's name with an amount on the papers I have made for him.  EX: I have made a paper with one elephant on the first line, two on the next and he cannot differentiate.  It has been suggested that video learning is not a stand alone, but could help me introduce a concept that is reinforced with  human interaction. A 15 y/o is having trouble identifying the subject or the noun in a sentence.  The School House rock is cute on this. Then I can get a piece of OUR literature and have her search for nouns.  I do believe it is useful to appreciate the grammar used in our literature.  A brother had a counseling point this midweek on "pausing."  Most times punctuation helps us to know when to pause, but sometimes the sentence construction/content does.  

[Hope]

If one doesn't want to learn advanced math, at least learn what it looks like... 

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/05/07/professors-airplane-math-leads-flight-delay/84084914/

[trottigy]

12 hours ago, Hope said:

If one doesn't want to learn advanced math, at least learn what it looks like... 

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/05/07/professors-airplane-math-leads-flight-delay/84084914/

 

Or God forbid you buy more than 2 items at a time and have to multiply the amount rather than just double it.  

 

I can't imagine what would happen with the NON-math people who need to figure out a 15% discount for the 5 items they are buying. Then what happens when they only tax the non-food items   How - without some algebra - would a person know they aren't being cheated? 

 

My other favorite math thing - when I only have a 1/4, 1/2 and 1 cup measuring scoop and the recipe calls for 3/8 cup      

 

Yep, some people use math every day, but then again I work for a building department where MUCH math is used regularly - in plan checking, inspecting and analyzing data. Perhaps if I had a simple job - like janitorial work or retail (and I just trusted the cash register) I wouldn't need it.

 

PLEASE teach math to your children and it should include some basic algebra!! and trigonometry if you don't want them thinking the earth is flat.   There are still people like that out there!!!

 

EDIT: something fun to do - when buying fast food - give the kid at the register whole dollars after they ring up your items. Then AFTER he rings up your change - hand them a nickle and tell them this will make the change easier   Funniest thing to watch those with no basic math skills!!   

[1gemstone]

On ‎5‎/‎9‎/‎2016 at 10:38 AM, trottigy said:

 

Or God forbid you buy more than 2 items at a time and have to multiply the amount rather than just double it.  

 

I can't imagine what would happen with the NON-math people who need to figure out a 15% discount for the 5 items they are buying. Then what happens when they only tax the non-food items   How - without some algebra - would a person know they aren't being cheated? 

 

My other favorite math thing - when I only have a 1/4, 1/2 and 1 cup measuring scoop and the recipe calls for 3/8 cup      

 

Yep, some people use math every day, but then again I work for a building department where MUCH math is used regularly - in plan checking, inspecting and analyzing data. Perhaps if I had a simple job - like janitorial work or retail (and I just trusted the cash register) I wouldn't need it.

 

PLEASE teach math to your children and it should include some basic algebra!! and trigonometry if you don't want them thinking the earth is flat.   There are still people like that out there!!!

 

EDIT: something fun to do - when buying fast food - give the kid at the register whole dollars after they ring up your items. Then AFTER he rings up your change - hand them a nickle and tell them this will make the change easier   Funniest thing to watch those with no basic math skills!!   

Too funny!

[kejedo]

On 5/9/2016 at 10:38 AM, trottigy said:

EDIT: something fun to do - when buying fast food - give the kid at the register whole dollars after they ring up your items. Then AFTER he rings up your change - hand them a nickle and tell them this will make the change easier   Funniest thing to watch those with no basic math skills!!   

Not funny.  

[countrykaren]

I am a home schooling parent started doing it in 1998 and on my last child now my oldest is 28 and extremely happy she was home schooled she is smart and actually has common sense she doesn't like internet thimngd but can use them I believe in balance in all things times tables are very important I was not smart but have learnt more and more every day ! I love the simple pleasures my children have shown me and am truly grateful that Jehovah has blessed me to be able to teach study and laugh with my precious children a gift from Jehovah I would adopt any child it's hard but truly satisfyingly ️


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kejedo]

Has anyone used the CAT by SEton for levels 19, 20? I am going to do a complete content review for some teenagers and do not know how many minutes for timing math- computation and  applied math. I have not seen the instux. 

[NW2020]

On ‎5‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 6:46 PM, kejedo said:

Not funny.  

Agreed !! Not funny - it is actually painful to watch - and for those that have that mind block they know they are being made fun of - amusement should come from other sources rather than the belittlement of another's seemingly stupidity.  Disappointed.

[kejedo]

On 5/9/2016 at 10:38 AM, trottigy said:

PLEASE teach math to your children  

Another basic truism. The teenage home-schoolers that I am coaching still need to commit basic operations to memory (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division).  When the word 'arithmetic' was replaced in most curricula, so were the  processes. Like building a house on sand.   `These Baptized high schoolers have asked me what to do for the rest of the summer, and I (again) asked that they learn these facts, skill through drill, if necessary.

 

I intend to do a math day at the beginning of the 'technical' new school year (service year) September.

 

I have written a couple of math labs (activities): One is using cheezits to accidentally (?) prove the Pythagorean theorem.  I have found a spot in town which is almost a complete right triangle. I would like them to measure, using twelve ft metal tape measures and calculators, and see how far off the longest side is from the correct hypotenuse.   (This was redesigned a few years ago, to the chagrin of the town.)  

 

I would also like to take them to a spot where I watched  a 'surveyor' draw lines incorrectly.  HIs instruments were leaning against my car that morning and I had to move them to get to work on time.  He was definitely not on point. I would like them to chalk mark where the vehicle park lines should have been drawn (Surveying) 

 

Additional  activity is to find our way anywhere in the world using the sun and an analog watch face.  Outside, we will use paper plates with handwritten clock faces  and using angle bisectors, map all directions.  We can pick this anytime of the day that is sunny. As a pre-lab to this activity, I would like them to research daylight savings time, which affects our calculations. (Orienteering). 

 

I may include an additional indoor activity , Rocket Ships and Newton's Third law, if we are waiting for the sun to come back out. 

 

Happy summer to all students whether you are in session or not. We are always learning through our theocratic assignments,  thanks to Jehovah, the Greatest Mathematician (among  limitless other things.) 

 

Edited July 19, 2017 by kejedo

[PrairieGirl]

Shockingly enough, I NEVER required my children to memorize the times tables... but we do math in every day life (some workbooks too, but really a lot in every day life). When Lela got to be 3rd grade age, I thought hmm.. maybe I should have her memorize the times tables like they do in school.. so I gave her a sheet of them, and told her to memorize them.. she looked at it, an said.. moooom... this is dumb.. seriously you want me to memorize this, we know all this, why would I sit and memorize this when I know all the answers. So I took the sheet back from her, and told her to recite to me all of it.. (with out looking at the sheet) and yeah.. she knew all the times tables 0-12.. with out ever having to memorize the "times tables"! lol So after that I was like, well it's kind of silly I guess to do that when they already know their math from life! 

The other day my 7 year old, was playing with my youngest sister.. they were doing "dress up".. my daughter was painting my sisters nails.. she said, while I will do this for free now, because we are kids, when I grow up, I'm going to do nails for a living. Then you will have to pay me, but I will only charge you a dollar because you're my aunt.. but well you know it will have to be 1.08 cause of tax you know! My little sister started laughing her head off, and was like how does she know about tax, and how to add it up?? Uh life.. they want to buy something at the store, they better know how much they need to buy it, including tax! 

I think it's really difficult for non-homeschooling people to understand how homeschooling can work, and what it looks like.. so kind of hard to give advice when you haven't experienced it and done it... 

[kejedo]

4 hours ago, PrairieGirl said:

 So I took the sheet back from her, and told her to recite to me all of it.. (with out looking at the sheet) and yeah.. she knew all the times tables 0-12.. with out ever having to memorize the "times tables"! lol So after that I was like, well it's kind of silly I guess to do that when they already know their math from life! 

Yes, that's why i put 'maybe' for skill through drill (aka chug n plug). Many have already learned basic operations through activities.  I believe the youngest of the high schoolers I coach knows most or all the facts of basic arithmetic.  Some would like to learn some speed math techniques, but one has to know basic  facts for this.  Maybe I'll teach them a few  speed tricks  in September.

 

The NCTM (National Council for Teachers of Mathematics) has wavered on this; avoiding any rote learning such as arithmetic facts, but now states students should know and be able to use these basic calculations, regardless of the method  by which they learn relational mathematical understanding.

"......... it is strikingly distant from the kind of relational mathematical understanding that NCTM (1991, 2000) envisions for teachers and students."  

 

Students have a variety of learning styles , frequently differing between the maths: Example - one student may learn Algebra quickly by understanding the concept first, but this same student may do better in Geometry by  practicing  shape measurement (context first.)

This is why I have always written most of my own class materials, with a variety of approaches, and it it is why most all math achievement tests have two parts: Calculation and Applied.  

 

Happy differences and Yay for your children that are succeeding in math.

[Ferb]

On 08/05/2016 at 8:50 PM, Old said:

A different era, the same ponderous thoughts:

 

Equally surprisingly, another day has passed and I haven't used car driving skills once.  Perhaps that shows how useless the ability to drive a car is.  Or alternatively, perhaps it shows that I never learned to drive.  You never use any skill that you never become competent in - how could it be otherwise?

 

As an example of using algebra, I did a job for £80 and the client wanted to pay me on PayPal.  PayPal charges a transaction fee of 3.4% + 20p.  So how much did I have to charge?  (PayPal doesn't offer to do this calculation for you, by the way, even though you might expect it to - you either work it out yourself, or just realize after you've charged your client that you've ended up with less than expected.)  A naive answer would be to add on 3.4% + 20p, arriving at £82.92 - but then 3.4% of 82.92 will be subtracted, which is more than 3.4% of £80, leaving you with only £79.90 - and if that kind of difference happens regularly and with larger amounts, it will lead to some messy accounts.  Some clients, aware of this problem but not knowing how to solve it exactly, just offered to make it about 83.50, a round number which they know is enough to cover it - they will be like the girl in the picture, carrying on their lives saying "I've never needed algebra after school!" when really they have needed it - they just weren't skilled enough at it to know that they needed to use it in this situation.  If you don't understand how it can help you in a certain situation, you can go through lots of situations where it would really be helpful and yet carry on thinking that you've never needed it and never will.  Like people who don't know the truth.

 

The solution, by the way, is that the price to charge, x, is given by:

x*(1-0.034) - 0.20 = 80

x*0.966 = 80.20

x = 80.20 / 0.966

x = 83.02

[kejedo]

When I taught middle school, students would say. "When am I ever going to us this?" I would answer, "Probably never; I doubt you will ever find a use for this. It is only to get you in to the next grade." 

 

Students would begin bringing in practical uses for a variety of math applications; "You re wrong, Mrs. W, there is a use for this." And they would then proceed to prove me wrong.  Was I lying to them to get them  to discover applications of the maths?  No, I was letting myself be wronged. 

 

Of course people use algebra every day.  EX; A person (like my mother), kept her clock set 10 minutes fast to hurry out the students/children.  The correct time =subtract ten minutes. NOw  daylight savings time has changed the hour, and my dear mom did not reset the clock.  We children cracked the code in an instant by adding an hour and subtracting ten minutes. T = (h plus 1) , (m  minus 10.) Of course, one could just subtract 50 minutes (simple operation), but many will agree that the algebraic route is faster.  

 

Happy differences! (a difference is generally a key word for subtraction)

[Ilda Porter]

 Hi friends.  I am homeschooling my daughter for 8 year now.  We did try regular school but she was diagnosed with ADHD.  Schools in the time didn't have a curriculum available for her needs or teachers prepared to deal with special needs kids.  I did try many curriculuns avaiable with no sucess.  I end up having to research a lot to put a curriculum together since I could not find what I was looking for.  I observed that I would have around 15 minuts to reach her, after that she would no concentrates and get distracted. To be able to be effective on such short of time, I would have to use a visually interesting material.  At that time I didn't know about right and left brain learners, visual learning and the different type of learners.  I don't speak English well, by the way forgive my grammar.  I do much research and study first to be able to teach and I do use a lot of movies and sites like Teachertube and Youtube.  She is 13 years old and  in the 8 grade.  She was tested last year with a doctor specialist in evaluation of kids and did very well.  I have all the test results and his evaluation of the school level she is including his opinion that she is in a advanced level compared with the average school students he regularly tests.  For high school level I don't fell I could continue to teach her for my difficulties with English.  Recently I was informed for high school I would have to come up with her tests results of each subject for all the years we homeschool as well the curriculum I used.  I don't have  any longer all that.  They told me the specialist and tests we did would not be enough for the school districts here in Austin, Texas.  I  am training her to work independently, she is responding well and I am increasing the level of material she works without my supervision.  We are looking for a online school or some electronic curriculum trying to prepare for next year and so far being very frustrated with what is available.  Or we find religion based, or boring not good material.  We try this year a public online school and didn't work because is not appropriate for her needs.  Right now I am panicking a little.  Could someone tell me if you went through something similar and the solution you founded?  I would appreciate curriculums suggestions too.  Thank very much.  

[Elijahsmama]

19 hours ago, Ilda Porter said:

 Hi friends.  I am homeschooling my daughter for 8 year now.  We did try regular school but she was diagnosed with ADHD.  Schools in the time didn't have a curriculum available for her needs or teachers prepared to deal with special needs kids.  I did try many curriculuns avaiable with no sucess.  I end up having to research a lot to put a curriculum together since I could not find what I was looking for.  I observed that I would have around 15 minuts to reach her, after that she would no concentrates and get distracted. To be able to be effective on such short of time, I would have to use a visually interesting material.  At that time I didn't know about right and left brain learners, visual learning and the different type of learners.  I don't speak English well, by the way forgive my grammar.  I do much research and study first to be able to teach and I do use a lot of movies and sites like Teachertube and Youtube.  She is 13 years old and  in the 8 grade.  She was tested last year with a doctor specialist in evaluation of kids and did very well.  I have all the test results and his evaluation of the school level she is including his opinion that she is in a advanced level compared with the average school students he regularly tests.  For high school level I don't fell I could continue to teach her for my difficulties with English.  Recently I was informed for high school I would have to come up with her tests results of each subject for all the years we homeschool as well the curriculum I used.  I don't have  any longer all that.  They told me the specialist and tests we did would not be enough for the school districts here in Austin, Texas.  I  am training her to work independently, she is responding well and I am increasing the level of material she works without my supervision.  We are looking for a online school or some electronic curriculum trying to prepare for next year and so far being very frustrated with what is available.  Or we find religion based, or boring not good material.  We try this year a public online school and didn't work because is not appropriate for her needs.  Right now I am panicking a little.  Could someone tell me if you went through something similar and the solution you founded?  I would appreciate curriculums suggestions too.  Thank very much.  

I sent you a message.  I feel like you need to connect with other homeschoolers in Texas that will be familiar with the requirements.  Or even check out the homeschool defense league.  

 

 

[Motherhen]

22 hours ago, Ilda Porter said:

For high school level I don't fell I could continue to teach her for my difficulties with English.  Recently I was informed for high school I would have to come up with her tests results of each subject for all the years we homeschool as well the curriculum I used.  Could someone tell me if you went through something similar and the solution you founded? 

I don't understand why they want to know the curriculum you used in the past. What they should be asking is what will your daughter be studying, and how will she be learning the information that is appropriate for her grade level. It may sound overwhelming, but each state will tell you what students need to study in each grade, and what they are expected to learn. Then you simply write a report and tell them that you have come up with a curriculum tailored to her learning style, and that she will be meeting the state's requirements. They are busy and that is the language they understand. If you make it easy for them, they should be happy to work with you. 

One source that my son enjoyed in your daughters grade level was Crash Course  https://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse/playlists, which has many subjects and the videos are fun to watch and within your daughters 15 minute attention span. We used it mainly for history and government/political studies, which we supplemented with documentaries and textbooks.  For geography my son really loved this online interactive website that teaches all the countries, cities, bodies of water, etc. in the world http://online.seterra.com/en/.  There's lots of fun resources out there. The hardest part for you is right now, then you will just sit back and guide your daughter the way you have been. Sounds like you've been doing a great job so far.

Edited August 3, 2017 by Motherhen

[kejedo]

I am coaching some high schoolers in NY, one of the most highly regulated states.  I would have  to update my research, but you can submit a typical curriculum (reconstructed) for elementary school levels with a review letter for each year (usually from a certified teacher). I believe for middle school, there needs to be testing done every other year.  Is she entering grade 7 or 8? I don't know if you counted K as a year.  Take a CAT as soon as you can, and submit it with your letter of intent. If the school drops her a grade b/c of a missing standardized exam for one of the middle school years, you can make it up on your own in H.S. and still graduate her at what you consider her correct year.   Scrutinize those expectations for NY on HSLDA

 

Unless you just moved to NY, your school district should have your records. KNow that you are doing the right thing and exceeding anything being offered in the school system.

Edited August 3, 2017 by kejedo

[kejedo]

3 hours ago, kejedo said:

Unless you just moved to NY, your school district should have your records. KNow that you are doing the right thing and exceeding anything being offered in the school system.

 

p.s. sorry, I was looking at Sis Karina's State.  No experience in TExas. 

[Ilda Porter]

Thank you so much for all the information.   I will look and get informed.  I appreciate the tips and suggestions.  

[Ilda Porter]

On 8/3/2017 at 8:56 AM, Elijahsmama said:

I sent you a message.  I feel like you need to connect with other homeschoolers in Texas that will be familiar with the requirements.  Or even check out the homeschool defense league.  

 

 

Thank you so much.  I know now I can have a place to get help and learn.  We were feeling so by ourselves in our struggles since in our congregation we are the only one homeschooling.  

[Ferb]

On 02/08/2017 at 6:55 PM, Ilda Porter said:

 I  am training her to work independently, she is responding well and I am increasing the level of material she works without my supervision.  We are looking for a online school or some electronic curriculum trying to prepare for next year and so far being very frustrated with what is available.  Or we find religion based, or boring not good material.

KhanAcademy is quite a good site, particularly for maths.  It doesn't cover all subjects equally, so you can't get by with just that alone.  For things like science, I'd say it probably covers some of the later grades and assumes you already have some of the earlier knowledge, and subjects like language aren't covered at all.  But for maths, it covers everything from early stuff like addition right up to some university-level stuff (e.g. I was learning about Fourier Analysis on there the other week), and everything through high-school level includes exercises to test yourself on, and it's all free.  And the videos are usually about ten minutes long, so should be within your daughter's attention span.  (The only thing to watch out for is a chunk of the biology section teaching evolution, but I think you find that in any curriculum.)

[Joey]

On 8/2/2017 at 1:55 PM, Ilda Porter said:

 Hi friends.  I am homeschooling my daughter for 8 year now.  We did try regular school but she was diagnosed with ADHD.  Schools in the time didn't have a curriculum available for her needs or teachers prepared to deal with special needs kids.  I did try many curriculuns avaiable with no sucess.  I end up having to research a lot to put a curriculum together since I could not find what I was looking for.  I observed that I would have around 15 minuts to reach her, after that she would no concentrates and get distracted. To be able to be effective on such short of time, I would have to use a visually interesting material.  At that time I didn't know about right and left brain learners, visual learning and the different type of learners.  I don't speak English well, by the way forgive my grammar.  I do much research and study first to be able to teach and I do use a lot of movies and sites like Teachertube and Youtube.  She is 13 years old and  in the 8 grade.  She was tested last year with a doctor specialist in evaluation of kids and did very well.  I have all the test results and his evaluation of the school level she is including his opinion that she is in a advanced level compared with the average school students he regularly tests.  For high school level I don't fell I could continue to teach her for my difficulties with English.  Recently I was informed for high school I would have to come up with her tests results of each subject for all the years we homeschool as well the curriculum I used.  I don't have  any longer all that.  They told me the specialist and tests we did would not be enough for the school districts here in Austin, Texas.  I  am training her to work independently, she is responding well and I am increasing the level of material she works without my supervision.  We are looking for a online school or some electronic curriculum trying to prepare for next year and so far being very frustrated with what is available.  Or we find religion based, or boring not good material.  We try this year a public online school and didn't work because is not appropriate for her needs.  Right now I am panicking a little.  Could someone tell me if you went through something similar and the solution you founded?  I would appreciate curriculums suggestions too.  Thank very much.  

I live in a different State but I did not need such documentation to send my son to high school.

I homeschooled throughout elementary grades, then sent him to a charter school for 9th, 10th and he entered a vocational school in 11th and 12th...my son just graduated last May.He graduated with honors and was the secretary of the national honor society. He was in an intern program and the vice president of the company he interned for offered him a full scholarship at a local Tech school.

I feel that finding a good individual portfolio based charter school really helped my son for the high school years.

A school like 'Imagine' if you have those in your area. My son loved the Imagine School and they have them in Texas.

 

[LettJW]

Hello friends,

 

Just wanting to extend a thank you for the homeschool information given in this forum/post and share a bit about my family. Our oldest son started virtual school last year, so I got to see first hand what was being taught and how our son was learning. It was then I realized that he struggled with some subjects and a large portion of what was being taught seemed unnecessary. We wanted to keep him from the issues of bad associations (he was bullied every year) as well as help him progress spiritually and academically. This year we had decided to go traditional. We have a 5th grader and Pre-Kindergartener. We are currently in our 3rd week of homeschool and things are good but could be better I'm sure. I have spent many hours researching homeschool tips and such, but I think an important part of what is missing in our homeschool is more like minded associates. We are the only family homeschooling in our congregation and we only have one English congregation in our town. I try to keep track of our district's schedule in order to plan activities with other moms on no-school days. So I guess what I'm asking for are suggestions, tips, stories or simple encouragement to help in our first year of homeschooling. Hope to read from anyone with this experience.