Dd (15) had a breakthrough in Saxon math today. Since she was asking so many questions, I had her go back a bunch of lessons for review. At first, she I think she thought I was punishing her for not getting something. But I told her my students don't get punished for not getting things. I only wanted her to understand it. Well, it worked! She was ready for a break after that, so I asked her to help with a special meal. Since we've been studying (in MOH) how the Vikings interspersed with people in the British Isles, in North America & in Europe up to Kiev, & since we're about to study Russia & the origins of its written language, we decided to prepare a Russian meal today. Dd pounded the chicken breasts for "Chicken Kiev" while I peeled & chopped vegetables for borscht (soup). Since the climate in Russia is cold, cabbage grows well, as do potatoes, turnips, & beets. All these things go into their soups. Dd is so special! She put red ribbons over the soup bowls & then hung name tags over the ribbons & then decorated the table with three little Russian dolls. It was so pretty! It was one of those rare ocassions I felt like applying for the cover of some homeschooling magazine! Teresa, I love teaching, too! Especially if I have students who love to learn!
You're ahead of us in history now! Rachael's part of a co-op that took a break. we won't be starting back up until next week. So we follow their schedule. Today I'm reading "Song of Roland" to them, whicfh I found in a book I bought at a Library Sale. And we started watching "Arabian Nights" on video yesterday. We'll finish it tonight. We also finished the book "Shadow Spinner" over break. The kids really liked that one!
Deena, normally she starts school at 8 am, or earlier, this week they are lazy lulus and she has not been up at that time! We had quite a busy weekend last week so I gave them the whole week to catch up on sleep too. So Normal sched for her should be; 8-830 devotional time ( this consists of what ever bible lessons I am giving her at the moment as she has no set lesson book in Bible this year. She has been serving in the church's children's ministry with power point and seen the lessons or kids sermons twice a Sunday, so I gave her devotional books for Bible as her lessons). 830-930 - Science on Big computer ( this time varies sometimes takes longer sometimes shorter depends on what lesson she has and if I follow up on her lesson... she is the one I have a tendancy to ignore because she 'gets it' so easily and I know I need to get out of that! 930=10:30 Lang arts ( but she seems to take only half hour on book work then goes to reading whatever library books she has brought home) 1030-11 she generaly takes a break and helps wiht chores or does more reading in her room. 11-12 Math. - on Lap top This one I have started sitting near by because she is doing Variables, and so I instruct her as new concepts are introduced. 1pm History /geograph in life paks She generaly gets done with this as fast as she can answer her history questions.. this is where I know she is lacking work! She does quick answers or cirlces the work and stashes the book instead of asking for help because , (most likely I have created in her) this thought that she does not know how to ask for help because she thinks she knows everything, when she realises she does not she does not ask for help just circles it and when I go over her books ( not often enough this year!) she and I go over what she did not do or circles. This is why I know I need to do a total rehash of her school for the SEMESTER BREAK change.... I figure I will make a big deal abotu the day that we change shedules type it up etc. She loves being ahead of her self , but I really want to be sure she gets EVERYTHING not just the stuff she likes to learn about. I loved school when I was a kid, one reason in Kindergarden even I wanted to be a teacher; I want kids to love learning! That Mac Millian Mac Graw Hill site I posted on its own has really helped! I have her now doing Health class in there! she did the science already because she wanted to see the Computer course in it! She is learning how to make a web site! her own! Lol! Now I just have to organise this into a schedule.. and I think I will pick out some of thier books for Johnny at Staples cause I know they carry them for less than the computer's price and I can use my Teacher Discount there... Hmm I wonder what other stores with the teacher discounts I picked up this fall I can get this brand at? johnny did Math drills online yesterday did adding and subtracting then Multiplication, we choose what minutes we want to do what, and the first time we gave him 10 mins, he laughed cause he got it done way sooner, 30 qs. So second time we went with 5 mins I think, for multiplication he got 3 wrong , partly because I played with him and messed him up ( bad mommy) I plan to have them do this daily work as well to encourage quick answers with thier math sos's.
I have no clue what I want or need for 9th grade. I need ideas to look into and I thought maybe some of you have finished 9th and loved some of the books you used. Lorna
TMom, She sounds like a cross between my oldest ds and my dd9. Everything always came easy to my oldest. It just always clicked, so he didn't really have to study or work on things for a long time, he'd just go do it. Last year, 10th grade, was an eye-opener for him, cuz he actually had to study! My dd is 9 and she's doing 6th grade Saxon math. When she's done with this book, she will know it well, so we will move on to "Algebra 1/2". So she'll be 11 or 12 (depending on how long it takes) when she's doing Algebra 1. She's moving very slowly, though she really knows the material. I think I need to do more drills for her so she can get up to speed! What drills are you using for yours? We were doing some drills for awhile, and she was doing better, now she's slowed WAY down again...
http://www.macmillanmh.com/math/2003/student/index.html This is where I found the drills where it says Fast Facts you click there and there are drills towork on the basics with add/sub/multi/div/ for each age level only up to 6th grade on this link though. you choose if you want to time it for how many minutes or not timed. it only goes up to 12 times tables... but it is good drill practice!
Thanks for the site!!! Oh, maybe your dd needs a "tougher" curriculum? Bob Jones is tough! It's very good, but requires time and effort on the part of the student. That's what ds used last year. He could do the work, it's just that it was more on a time schedule (cuz we got the dvd's), and he really had to dig in and work hard and study! He didn't like it, but I think it was good for him! Apologia science is WAY more interesting and hands-on than the LifePac science (That's just our opinion of course! ). ds15 is doing the LifePacs this year, and he feels they are boring. If I would have known, I would have gotten him the Apologia science, but he doesn't want to switch now, this far into the school year. We may though, and just let him work on it until he finishes it. I think it would be good for him! Next year, his senior year, we are going to do CLEP tests to get him some college, as well as the highschool, credit. At least we're going to try it and see how it goes. I'm starting ds13 on that next year also, I think. Just a couple probably, but that will get credit built up for him too. We got the idea from "College Without Compromise" by Scott & Kris Wightman. Saves a bundle on college costs! Your dd may be up for something like that, so she uses that intelligence in a positive way! Just a thought.
what is CLEP? So far she is okay with Science, not bored with it but not that interested anymore. But then not all of us gals are scientists, I am learning certain things in this area that are more exciting than what I had learned... and I think the SOS guy , th emini tutor guy makes it more exciting for her maybe? I know we switched to SOS science from Life Paks because it was not getting completed each year, I am not into the subject so its hard for me to get excited about it... if they are not. SO SOS helped me there.. I am enjoying the Mac Milian Science though< ds9 got to learn about forensic science to solve mysteries yesterday! That was cool! I may see if they have dvd course of Science for next year that is cost efficient actually.
Jackie, the Song of Roland and "Arabian Nights" sound great. I gave our dear librarian a long list of things to start inter-library loaning for us for MOH, including the Nova documentary on the Vikings, the 1958 movie about them, & several books which L.Hobar suggested. I'll have her look for those you mentioned, also. Thanks for saying your family enjoyed them! We plan to spend extra time in-depth on the chapters we're in now, since the twins were born in Russia. I'm interested in CLEP testing also. Dd could probably start testing this semester. Where should we inquire to have them administered? Would Jr. Colleges offer the tests?
Deena, Rachael is 12 and doing Algebra I. she would be 7th grade. Her best friend just turned 13, and is doing Algebra I this year in PS. Again, that is 7th grade. Prairie, I think our lkids ibrarian moans every time she sees me coming with my history text, because she just KNOWS I'll be putting books on inter-library loan! She says I'm the only one who puts those requests through the kids' section, and she would never remember how to do them if it weren't for me, lol!
Yeah Jackie, I remembered that, and almost added that Rachael was doing that also. I'm just hoping my dd keeps going with it. She does well in math and often catches on to new concepts before I remember how to explain them to her! But she's going so slow, and I'm not wanting to push her too much, so she begins to dislike math! That's why I'm thinking I'll add the drills and see if that helps her again.
Deena, slow is two hours workign on 30 variables ! my brain was ready to freeze like a confused computer! we got a few wrong, working on them together so we had to re work them, one I re worked seperate from dd, and she came with same answer as I did, so we checked the answer on teacher thing and found we were both wrong! SO , took thier answer worked it in the Y= and found how that worked.. have you ever done that? Done it back wards to find otu how come you kept getting the wrong answer? My problem was always I added when should have subtracted! LOL
CLEP is the acronym for College Level Examination Program. There are no age limits, you just study for the tests, pay a certain amount, and if you pass, you get the college credit. It's pass/fail, so it doesn't matter if you barely pass or get them all right, you still get the pass and it can go on your record for college credit. This book explains more about it. It's a good way to get rid of some of the boring "HAVE TO TAKE" classes for WAY less money than traditional colleges charge, plus, you don't have to spend a whole quarter or semester on it! www.collegeboard.com has more info. about them.
Yes TMom, I am thankful for Teacher answer books that have the problem written out! I've worked and reworked problems, then figured it out backwards like that to get the answer!
T'mom, "Song of Roland" is like the first poetry of the Middle Ages. (I should make Rachael tell you this!) It tells the story of Charlemagne's nephew, Roland. Charlemagne had been fighting the Saracens in Spain. Roland was part of the rear-guard. He was ambushed through treachery, and his entire company was wiped out. There's no historical evidence of the story, but it's a good tale of bravery, etc. We studied it my Senior year in British Lit.
hmm, well it sounds familiar, the name thats why I asked, maybe we studied it someplace out there too?
