Sorry Ladies for coming here and venting but I am having a stressful week and it's only Monday. I don't know what it is going on. Maybe just to much stress right now I don't know. I wish I could feel comfortable about teaching the girls. I feel like someone is always going to come and check up on me. I have all there work to show nothing to hide. I am afriad I am not teaching them right. I don't know what it wrong with me do any of you ladies ever feel that way. Or is it just me. I don't know if it's because I have no one close to me that is for homeschooling. Every where we go we get question, they ask the girls fifty question like what did you and what did you learn. And when do you get done and how much did you learn today. It just gets sicken. I stick to my grounds. But, why all the time, I never ask them what there kids learn in school. And another thing if I say we were having trouble here in this they say you better put them in a public school but if they say there kid is having trouble in school it's always the teacher fault or something else never theres. If I say then maybe you better step in and help them at nights they say they don't have time. I don't know what to do. HELP
Faythe is a little "behind" in a few subjects. And I say that a little tongue-in-cheek because WHO is she "behind"? But I'm very hesitant to mention to my in-laws just what she's doing for the very reasons you mentioned. Will they think I'm being too easy on her? Do they think I should put her in a "real" school? And I know that if she was in a "real" school, she'd probably be about the middle of the class. Not the top third for sure, but not at the bottom, either. She's making progress at her own speed, and that's the important thing for me to look at. How does your husband feel you're doing? That's one of the biggest gauges for me. When he starts getting concerned about something, I will pay more attention. Though to be quite honest, that's not a fair assessment. My DH is a PS teacher, and gets bent out of shape sometimes when he shouldn't. For example, Phillip turned 5 in December, and DH is asking me when he's going to start reading!!! He knows his upper case and manyof his lower case letters, and we've been doing some worksheets on color words, but that's it. And he loves to look at books and be read to. He's just not ready yet to be "reading" on his own! I wiah you had some hs'ing friends near you!!! That makes such a big difference, especially when family and friends think you're crazy. Hang in there! You ARE capable of doing this!!! Your kids are doing fine. It's OK if you somehow neglect to teach them the state bird of Vermont; they can live without that knowledge! It will all come out even in the end.
' I pity the fool' ( remember Mr. T?) who asks Jeannie what she's been learning!! She has told me she wants to study the body, planets and dinosaurs. Right now we're finishing the body study. I got some nice sheets from enchantedlearning that showed the various body systrems, but weren't too harsh for a 4yr old. My girl sopped up the digestive system once she realized where food ends up!!!! We did that one last week, so I used the example of what happens to a chocolate rabbit after you eat it. She became the choc. rabbit. I would take ahold of Jeannie, squeeze her gently like she's being chewed, shake her around like she's being digested, swing her around like she's going through the intestines, then plop her down with a SPLASH like .... well... you know!! She loves it. Yeah, let some nice grandma ask her what she's been learning. But, Kris, I see what you mean. Do you have anyone near you to talk to about it, someone nonjudgemental? If you don't get feedback it's hard to know if you're doing the right thing. Can you access the benchmarks for your school system through their website? That's how I judge Jeannie, by what the p.s. kindergarteners are doing. I see what they should have accomplished by when, then I see how Jeannie compares. She's doing fine compared to them Kris, and I don't get to do nearly as much as you full time h.s.er's do.
BTW, Kris- 10:30 this morning I was saying it was one of those days!! Maybe there was a global thing at work affecting some of us!
BTW means by the way. Somewhere here is the list of what the abbreviations mean. Try looking back in past other conversation pages, I bet that's where it is.
Kris, I'm with you. I have a sister who is constantly picking apart what the kids are doing (or not doing) in relation to what her kids are doing in school. It drives me crazy!! She works in the public schools and thinks that anything else is unacceptable. Now, I try not to discuss anything concerning education with her, at all. It just always ends up in a fight. I found a poem not long ago about the recipe for a healthy kid--I'll try to find it. It basically reinforces what we're doing with homeschooling. Not all about life can be learned sitting in a hard chair, in a cold classroom, with 20-30 other kids. Being well rounded means being educated in ALL areas in life---especially those areas that just can't be offered in the public school setting (religion, life skills, compassion, volunteering, self-study habits, life-long learning, etc.). Hang in there! At least we all have each other here to lean on when we need to vent. Remember, you're not alone.
Ladies thanks for all your support without you all I don't lknow where I would go. Becky, How do you access the benchmark for a public school wouldn't know where to start or begin with that. Ok Mom I would love the poem. Thanks ladies for all the wonderful support without you I would go nuts. :lol:
Well the way I did it was to go to the school's website. If you don't know it call the school and ask what it is. I think I googled Carroll County Public Schools Westminster Maryland, and it took me right to their site. Once you get to your school system's site it should be divided up by elem., middle sch., and high sch. After that it should list the curriculum outcomes or benchmarks for each grade level. This just means what the kids should have accomplished by the end of the year. Another thing you could try is to google your state and the words voluntary state curriculum. I googled Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum. I think then it led me to my county's link. Keep digging at it. If this rummy can find it out so can you. Hey- email me your county, town and state and I'll see what I can find for you, Kris. Whatever you doi find, save it to your favorites so you can go back to it whenever.
I think in some states you can go to their State Board of Education site and find their standards. Is that the same as the benchmarks you are referring to?
Well, that's the first part of it, Brooke. Here each county tweaks the state standards. Our county is pretty slack, while other counties really increase the standards by adding on and better clarifying what the state gives them. That's why I told Kris to find her county school system, to cut down on time.
Smart kids We all go thru that unless you have kids who are super smart. I have homeschooled 6 years now and I still have up and down times. There are years I think man look at what they have learned and other times I have to say we learned but aren't where I would like to be at. Kids are all different. Trish reminded me of that today when I complained to her. We all have great days and bad ones. All kids do too. Just remember you do have friends here. Lorna
Kris, Hold your head high and hang in there. I'm visiting the in-laws this weekend and will be once again feeling your pain. The constant quizzing and questions are a pain. DH, told talked to them and now they don't fuss in front of the kids. One of those, you'll stop this or we wont visit talks. :cry: Like you I wish the visits could be more enjoyable and less stressful. When someone starts with the 20 questions, I paste on a smile and say..."my, you are so full of question today, I think you should write them down." : Then I get this look :shock: Your kids are lucky to have you looking out for them. Tammy
I want to thank all you wonderful ladies for the support and help. With no one to talk too it's great to have you all. Thanks alot. Becky, I plan on looking my school up soon, I will be contacting you with question. Thanks alot. Guest good luck this week with the in laws and hang in there. Keep the head high and I will be praying and thinking of you all week end all. :lol:
Kris, how is your search coming? Give this link a try- http://www.riverdeep.net/pro_development/standards/standards.jhtml You'll see a map of America and you click on your state. You'll get linked to your state standards, hopefully.
Becky, Thanks so much I took today and did some reading on it. There's alot of reading to do to see what needs to be. Thanks for the new web site it looks wonderful too. Hope to look that over tomorrow after school. Sorry, I was late getting back with you but hubby had surgery on knee on Wednesday and things have been a mess around here. Thanks again :lol:
There is ALOT to read once you reach your state. Once you reach your county school system's site I'm betting you'll be linked to activities and more sites to practice what they want the kids to learn. That's how I got interested in Houghton-Mifflin curriculum- I got linked to their site for math activities. Not only that, but the cooloest thing about H-M is they will tell you what materials of theirs you need to meet the standards!! Just what this rummy needs! I just need to remember how to get to that page :roll:
Becky, Thanks so much for all the wonderful help. It's helping alot. You are a great person. Thanks again. :lol:
Don't throw any bouquets at me! I had to dig and dig for this stuff, plus when I called the school I didn't phrase correctly what I was asking, so I got the runaround like crazy!
