Need help with homeschooling

None ^ | 5/21/2007 | self

[captjanaway]

Was going to post this link :)
Rainbow Resources has an incredible curriculum catalog that has anything and everything homeschooling...
I know someone who used Sonlight’s curriculum - if you’ve never home schooled or need strictness of a pre-set curriculum, Sonlight, Abeka and Horizons are good....
My sis and several friends have/are homeschooling... :)
Best of luck.
(I apologize for being a day late, but I was busily enjoying the holilday yesterday - don’t even think I checked my emails...)

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Maybe you’ve seen this — an indictment of the stuff taught in “Everyday Mathematics”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr1qee-bTZI

Interesting. I agree that the standard algorithms should be taught. I learned them, and since education is a cultural endeavor, I expect my grandchildren to learn them - at least to the extent that no new and unambiguously superior method is developed. Full Stop.

But it certainly is true that calculators work. In fact, as an engineering student I gradually became so habituated to the use of a slide rule that if I decided to divide 4 by 2 I would begin to reach for it before realizing what I was doing.

And it is also true that the "standard algorithm" for division is in fact an iterative procedure. The example the video presented wasn't actually long division because the example divisor was singe digit. Actual long division tends to trial and error. The reality is that the word for not using a calculator (or computer spreadsheet) when you have a long division problem is, "stupid."

The reality is that people with the interest and ability to do mathematics (as for example, engineering) do not necessarily learn that they are good at it by drilling in long division. The reality is that digital chips are transcendently better suited to the purpose than the human brain (savants excepted) is. The reality is that the human brain is better than the computer at one particular thing - and that is defining the problem to be calculated, and making use of the result. And teaching how to decide what arithmetic to do is what I see the math books struggling toward. All I know is that my elementary teachers didn't emphasize that skill, and that I was unusual in my class because I cared about that issue. Others groaned if the Arithmetic assignment was "word problems"; I groaned if the Arithmetic assignment was not word problems.

[politicket]

We homeschool in Colorado, and have pursued that form of education for the last 14 years.

The best first resource that you can get your hands on would be this: CHEC Deluxe Starter Kit. It will be the best $50 that you have ever spent.

I would also recommend that you call the Christian Home Educators of Colorado (CHEC) office at (720) 842-4852. Ask them specifically about the upcoming Homeschool conference in June, and resources that are available for those considering homeschooling.

Lastly, you might consider listening to a radio program in your area. It airs on 670 KLT every weekday morning at 8:30 a.m. It's called "Generations" and is hosted by Kevin Swanson - who also is the Executive Director of CHEC. If listening to the radio at that time in the morning is too inconvenient, then you can hear his programs on his web site at: www.kevinswanson.com.

I pray that this helps...

politicket

[politicket]

P.S.: Everybody has offered excellent advice on curriculum here, but I would strongly encourage you to not put the cart before the horse.

You need to get your homeschool set up first, and then prayerfully analyze the gifts of each of your children. There is no "magic" curriculum that will work for all types of learners. For example, Saxon Math is a fantastic math course for certain types of learners, but absolutely awful for others. Take it slow...

[uptoolate]

Hey Dave, we just had the Illinois Christian Home Educators (ICHE) conference this past weekend. Dr. Voodie Bauchman was a keynote speaker. I, for the first time, have come to realize the main reason of why I should homeschool my children.

Have a listen, this speech from 2006 mirrors about 90% of what he covered this past weekend:

http://www.gracefamilybaptist.net/Podcast/4B50BCF2-09AF-4153-A8A1-57D434FD5558.html

[Mr. Silverback]

I recommend Alpha Omega's curricula. They have a workbok based curriculaum called Lifepacks and a computer version called Switched On Schoolhouse. I have used the former, and may be switching to the latter because of recomendations from friends. Either option will cost you less than Christian school tuition unless you were receiving a VERY juicy scholarship.

LifePacks fit all your requirements, and they give you a discount if you buy all five subjects (Math, Language Arts, History & Geography, Science and Bible) as a package.

Switched On will run on some pretty old/inexpensive computers; I suspect they designed it with low minimum system requirements because they wanted homeschoolers to be able to use whatever they had sitting around. That said, if you buy a couple (or three) laptops from somebody like these guys you can run it on those at your kitchen table. Pretty much any laptop that has a CD drive in it is powerful enough to run the software.

[Mr. Silverback]

Count me in as an edhelper booster...even if you buy a good curriculum, it’s well worth the $20 a year just to be able to go over stuff again if you need to.

[Constitution1st]

This is excellent advice for someone who is struggling and failing.

I home educated 2 children - the oldest is in her second year of college, and our youngest leaving for college next Fall. Even with 2 normal children, who were intelligent, I found that waiting for the right time to teach math was a godsend! I only had to teach it once and they got it. When I brought them to this level, we then enrolled in Kumon math (was linked on the other page) and it was amazing! Kumon filled on ALL the holes or grounding that was needed, and the kids were beating the cash register in making change at the stores in no time! Excellent program that has 3 levels of Honor Roll for children who work ahead of grade level in math - Bronze which is equivalent to running 1 year ahead of grade level in math, Silver that is equivalent to 2 years ahead, and Gold that is 3 years ahead of grade level in math.

[Alkhin]

Some programs that I have used or am looking to use:

Saxon Math - good incremental program - but am looking to change because at middle school the child needs more focus on more specific math functions

Math U See - hands on manipulatives - have heard high praise of this program

Key To Series is also highly praised...I am looking to use this for my daughter now because she has had problems with fractions and decimals.

Sonlight Curriculum is well known and well liked. William J. Bennet came up with K12 curriculum

Also look at the Well Trained Mind website.

DO NOT TRY TO WORRY about what "grade" your child should be in. Homeschool is what YOU design/choose for the level that your child is at...and every child is different.

Hope these help...Ive been HS for over 2 yrs...have had good success, although I am still learning what works best for my child.