Homeschool Chat

[Disney Mommy 3]

We will be starting in a couple of weeks. For you experienced h/s moms could someone reassure me that even though I am homeschooling and my dd will miss out on having a "first day of kindergarten" that I won't be scarring her for life. I just remember loving school and I'm sad for her that she won't get to experience this!

Also, just curious if anyone has used Five in a Row, McRuffy Math, or click-n-kids.

Thank you so much!

She will NOT be scarred for life!!! I think it's a common fear--our society has 'done school' like this for so long, it's a way of life we are used to...think of all the famous/ brilliant people who were homeschooled, like Thomas Edison and Abe Lincoln. For some people, school just wasnt an option-so they had to stay home and look how great they turned out!!
I have my oldest in high school this year and all of a sudden (this is our 7th year), I feel like maybe I CAN'T do it. It's crazy to feel this way all of a sudden! I just had to remind myself several times this week to zoom out...look at the big picture. No, they will not know everything about everything, but I think they will be a lot better off than if they were in our local public school!! It's been a bit of an emotional week...it's been so long since I had any hesitation about schooling at home, and then this hit me out of the blue!!! Any of you have late onset anxieties when dealing with older kids? It's weird!!

 

[dis-happy]

We will be starting in a couple of weeks. For you experienced h/s moms could someone reassure me that even though I am homeschooling and my dd will miss out on having a "first day of kindergarten" that I won't be scarring her for life. I just remember loving school and I'm sad for her that she won't get to experience this!

Also, just curious if anyone has used Five in a Row, McRuffy Math, or click-n-kids.

Thank you so much!

Starting K for the very first day of school is a big deal! So make a big deal of it....keeping in mind that her first day of school at your homeschool is as legit as the first day of school anywhere else. We like to make a special place setting for breakfast the first day, with a note from Mom and Dad. Take a photo of your dd sitting at her desk (or table). Start your numbering system if you plan to do one (ie. a paper chain where you add a link for each day of school, or construction paper cut outs that are numbered and posted each day for the school year...it's always nice to see progress). Tell her what the school schedule will be each day, have some fun things (maybe an art project where she does something re. the first day of school)...you get the picture. You are starting your traditions on the first day of school, so make it memorable and have fun.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

sahmoftwo...forgot to say that we did FIAR and we loved it!!!!

 

[sahmoftwo]

thank you all for your encouraging words that I am not damaging my child! My dd is getting so excited for her first day of kindy...I'm thinking of combining a few of the suggestions and doing a special breakfast by taking her out of the house to pick our her favorite donuts while all of her friends have already started their school day.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Hi all!

Just popping in to see how everyone else is doing. We're making real progress towards starting our first year of homeschooling. We're so excited!

After all the hours and hours of reading, searching, studying, analyzing and over-analyzing I finally just did what our lecturers told us in our 'Beginning Homeschoolers Class' and took the plunge. I ordered both the boys' math from Chalk Dust (anyone who would be interested in the basic math after this year PM me). I ordered all other subject selections from the Homeschool Supercenter online. All together we spent just under $1300. Everything arrived on Friday. It was fun going thru the boxes and sorting everything. Even the boys were excited to see everything.

In the next week we're going to start both the boys with a handwriting for middle school course. I'm amazed at how horrendous their handwriting is. When we were their ages if our teachers couldn't read our writing we didn't get credit for our assignments. I have no clue how they got so far with such illegible writing.

The following week both will start their Math. I'm thinking from there we'll add a subject each week after that so we ease into this whole thing without overwhelming any of us. That also gives me time to organize myself and figure out how I'm going to do everything on my end.

Sooooo, how do you all do lesson plans? Or do you just get them moving and keep track of everything their doing? Do you use a lesson plan book? A computer program? How do you track grades? Tell me what you do when their stuff all arrives. Do you read thru before you put everything in front of them? I'm curious how everyone else does all this.

I know...you're thinking: "Why didn't you start off with a box deal with all the lesson plans done for you???" Well, I didn't find anything like that fit us right. So I'm gonna buck up and figure out how to do it somehow. Good luck to me, right?

Anywhoo, wanted to give my best to everyone and thank y'all again for all your help!

 

[Ellester]

http://www.sott.net/articles/show/2...ks-Out-Against-Schooling-in-Graduation-Speech

Very thought provoking. I think she is 100% right.

 

[Tink561]

We will be starting in a couple of weeks. For you experienced h/s moms could someone reassure me that even though I am homeschooling and my dd will miss out on having a "first day of kindergarten" that I won't be scarring her for life. I just remember loving school and I'm sad for her that she won't get to experience this!

Also, just curious if anyone has used Five in a Row, McRuffy Math, or click-n-kids.

Thank you so much!

I used FIAR with my sons (who are now practically grown...the baby is a senior) when they were younger and we loved it. My daughter is starting K this year and we're using Sonlight. We're also using McRuffy Math. It looks great!

With my boys we always went out for lunch/ice cream the first day of school. They were in school for K though so I know what you mean about a big deal. Since it is just my daughter now, we will still do lunch/ice cream. I will also take a picture of her for the first day and we will do something special like Build a Bear or something. I'm not sure yet.

 

[robinsegg]

We will be starting in a couple of weeks. For you experienced h/s moms could someone reassure me that even though I am homeschooling and my dd will miss out on having a "first day of kindergarten" that I won't be scarring her for life. I just remember loving school and I'm sad for her that she won't get to experience this!

Also, just curious if anyone has used Five in a Row, McRuffy Math, or click-n-kids.

Thank you so much!

We've homeschooled all through, starting with preK 4yo. My older two don't seem to have had any problem with not having had to leave for their first day of K. As a matter of fact, until just this spring, they told me that if I'd sent them to school, they would feel like I was "sending them away" from me . My other child is a baby (1yo), so we haven't experienced this with her
Just try to remember that she's still having a first day of K and a first day of school. Either make it a day to show her what your "school" will be like for the year or take her on her first *official* field trip (something that will help her learn), even if it's just to the library or something.
I have a friend who does FIAR with all her young children and swears by it!
Have a great day!

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

It's been a bit of an emotional week...it's been so long since I had any hesitation about schooling at home, and then this hit me out of the blue!!! Any of you have late onset anxieties when dealing with older kids? It's weird!!

Yes! The elementary years are so easy and I was full of confidence. Then along comes middle school, and little doubts started creeping in. High school? It seems like the major leagues!

But you said, "...they won't know everything about everything..." and I think that's the wise outlook. I think as h/sers we often try to create this utopian education, and that just doesn't exist. You do the best you can and give it all you've got, and it'll be okay.

...um, right?

 

[dis-happy]

Yes! The elementary years are so easy and I was full of confidence. Then along comes middle school, and little doubts started creeping in. High school? It seems like the major leagues!

But you said, "...they won't know everything about everything..." and I think that's the wise outlook. I think as h/sers we often try to create this utopian education, and that just doesn't exist. You do the best you can and give it all you've got, and it'll be okay.

...um, right?

Plug on and don't lose hope! I managed to school my dd into her first choice college and she made the honor society for her major (BS in bio, now starting her senior year).

On Friday I went to the community college to see about enrolling my ds in a dual enrollement class. The admissions officer made the comment to me that the dual enrolled homeschoolers fare much better than the regular high schoolers. So much so that she's now thinking about homeschooling her 6 year old!

 

[Denine]

We have our first day of school tomorrow. I always have DD dress up and I take her picture. We also go out to dinner. This will be our 5th year. We started with PK.

We are using Sonlight this year after using Calvert for 4 years. We are still using Horizons math. We are adding in Prima Latina this year.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Yes! The elementary years are so easy and I was full of confidence. Then along comes middle school, and little doubts started creeping in. High school? It seems like the major leagues!

But you said, "...they won't know everything about everything..." and I think that's the wise outlook. I think as h/sers we often try to create this utopian education, and that just doesn't exist. You do the best you can and give it all you've got, and it'll be okay.

...um, right?

Plug on and don't lose hope! I managed to school my dd into her first choice college and she made the honor society for her major (BS in bio, now starting her senior year).

On Friday I went to the community college to see about enrolling my ds in a dual enrollement class. The admissions officer made the comment to me that the dual enrolled homeschoolers fare much better than the regular high schoolers. So much so that she's now thinking about homeschooling her 6 year old!

Thanks ladies!! I needed that today!! I don't have any friends that homeschool with kids as old as mine...the people who have hsed put them into private school when they hit high school, or their local school....your words of encouragement almost made me cry!!!! I am glad I vented to y'all!!! Thanks!!

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

Plug on and don't lose hope! I managed to school my dd into her first choice college and she made the honor society for her major (BS in bio, now starting her senior year).

On Friday I went to the community college to see about enrolling my ds in a dual enrollement class. The admissions officer made the comment to me that the dual enrolled homeschoolers fare much better than the regular high schoolers. So much so that she's now thinking about homeschooling her 6 year old!

Well, dang! That is inspiring! Good work.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Hey...just wanted to let y'all know I am doing the Christmas shopping thread again this year....here's the link!!
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2522057
Y'all come over and let's talk about shopping and all things Holiday!!!

 

[NHWX]

Hi all!

Sooooo, how do you all do lesson plans? Or do you just get them moving and keep track of everything their doing? Do you use a lesson plan book? A computer program? How do you track grades? Tell me what you do when their stuff all arrives. Do you read thru before you put everything in front of them? I'm curious how everyone else does all this.

I now use Homeschool Tracker Plus because I have high schoolers who need to have a their grades tracked. (I know some people don't track high schoolers grades but they way we're working it, we do.) At some point in the summer when I'm ready to wrap everything up, I assign a weighted value - 75% math exercises, 25% exams, for instance for math. Or 30% labs, 30% papers, 40% exercises for biology. Or whatever I think is reasonable given the course. Some things like gym and art are really difficult and I probably fall prey to "Mommy grades" there but seriously, who really counts a grade in gym? When you set up a course in HST, you can choose what types of work you want to have over the course. Then you use that to automatically calculate the grade.

As far as lesson plans go, I do try to make them because I am a person who is made happy by having a plan. It fits in nicely with my Disney trip planning dreams too. But, I've learned that the best laid plans of this homeschooling mom can be washed away, just like a Disney touring plan when you have torrential rain. Some things like math are easy - I looked at several other sources for math for a particular course, checked the math textbook and said "You have to go through Chapter 11" or whatever. Sometimes a plan comes with the material. Sometimes I go with a number of hours for something like gym. Other classes are harder to define and I think that that's where I see the need for the greatest amount of flexibility.

Have fun with your new adventure!

NHWX

 

[herdtoDisney]

We will be starting in a couple of weeks. For you experienced h/s moms could someone reassure me that even though I am homeschooling and my dd will miss out on having a "first day of kindergarten" that I won't be scarring her for life. I just remember loving school and I'm sad for her that she won't get to experience this!

Also, just curious if anyone has used Five in a Row, McRuffy Math, or click-n-kids.

Thank you so much!

I homeschooled my three oldest kids for 8 years-my oldest was hs from k-8th, kid #2 k-2nd, kid #3 k. So they did not go to public school for k (although my youngest 2 dd's have, since I had returned to full time employment by then).

We had our own 'first day of school' celebration every year-I took pictures, cooked a special breakfast, ect-my boys enjoyed it. None of them have ever mentioned feeling like they missed anything. The oldest boy just graduated high school as salutatorian!!!

For my dd's, I ended up having to work both of their first days of school, so I didn't get to see it anyways-they don't even remember that.

 

[MiniGirl]

I've been enjoying reading about everyone's first day of school celebration.

We are rather relaxed around here and have been doing a little bit of work all summer long -- sometimes more and sometimes less, but we don't really have a first official day of homeschool.

The girls have been wanting to go to the zoo, and I have been putting them off because of the heat and the crowds. I told them we would go the first day of public school, so I guess that will be our official celebration. One homeschool group that we belong to is having a beach day complete with a sand sculpture building contest on that same day. Maybe I'll see which one the girls would prefer.

 

[Denine]

I've been enjoying reading about everyone's first day of school celebration.

We are rather relaxed around here and have been doing a little bit of work all summer long -- sometimes more and sometimes less, but we don't really have a first official day of homeschool.

The girls have been wanting to go to the zoo, and I have been putting them off because of the heat and the crowds. I told them we would go the first day of public school, so I guess that will be our official celebration. One homeschool group that we belong to is having a beach day complete with a sand sculpture building contest on that same day. Maybe I'll see which one the girls would prefer.

That sounds like fun!

 

[disneymom3]

Any of you have late onset anxieties when dealing with older kids? It's weird!!

I am having exactly the opposite onset of anxiety. I am having DD start high school this fall. (End of this month ) after homeschooling for 8 years. In many ways I really don't want to teach high school. I stink at staying organized for one thing. Plus, the books are a lot more expensive. This last year, I feel like my boys just sort of floated along and I didn't do a good job of solidifying their basics. However, now I am wondering.....is this really the best choice?

Hi all!


In the next week we're going to start both the boys with a handwriting for middle school course. I'm amazed at how horrendous their handwriting is. When we were their ages if our teachers couldn't read our writing we didn't get credit for our assignments. I have no clue how they got so far with such illegible writing.

The following week both will start their Math. I'm thinking from there we'll add a subject each week after that so we ease into this whole thing without overwhelming any of us. That also gives me time to organize myself and figure out how I'm going to do everything on my end.

Sooooo, how do you all do lesson plans? Or do you just get them moving and keep track of everything their doing? Do you use a lesson plan book? A computer program? How do you track grades? Tell me what you do when their stuff all arrives. Do you read thru before you put everything in front of them? I'm curious how everyone else does all this.

I know...you're thinking: "Why didn't you start off with a box deal with all the lesson plans done for you???" Well, I didn't find anything like that fit us right. So I'm gonna buck up and figure out how to do it somehow. Good luck to me, right?

Anywhoo, wanted to give my best to everyone and thank y'all again for all your help!

Nope, never once thought why didn't you buy a boxed curriculum. I never have in going on 9 years now. They never completely fit us either and I personally find them to be too "schooly" for us. We do the same thing with starting slowly.

We started today actually and it went really well. This year, I am using Winter Promise, Adventures in the Sea and Sky. Today that was mainly just reading intros on what is coming up. Then we did language arts which for one son is Christian Light Publications and silent reading and the other is Explode the Code, handwriting practice and reading aloud to me. We also read from Treasure Island. The Winter Promise curriculum combines both science and history so that's nice. Then in a couple of weeks, I will add in math. I am using Christian LIght Publications for both of them in that too.

If you aren't familiar with CLP, they are a great little company with a huge variety of topics with quite low prices. They have what they call Light Units and each one is about $3,00. Ten of those make up each level. They are simple, basic and straightforward. DD did some of the homemaking ones over the summer for fun. The group that publishes them are (I think) Menonite so we didn't do the sewing one as I didn't feel the need for her to know how to make a head scarf or the certain type of dress they have. The cooking and meal planning was great though!

I totally forgot until reading this today that we always have gone out to lunch on the first day of school. Oh well, no one else noticed either!

 

[Denine]

Just wondering what everyone uses for a spelling program. We are using Sequential Spelling that comes with Sonlight and I am not sure how much I am going to like it.