Since my last thread was spread over 2 years and many tangents, I want to start a new thread specifically for our home preschool adventures.
Know why? Because all homeschool forums and groups kinda suck and I want to sorta blog/journal and get feedback.
Know why else? You people. We have professors and professionals and expert laypersons in all kinds of subjects here. So I will be picking your brains...I'll try to be gentle.
So, onto the show. I have started teaching Kiddo to read using word groupings for -at, -an, and -all. I ordered two reading programs that should arrive in a few days
We have chosen Math U See, but have not yet purchased it because I am trying to find a bargain. This program goes quick and goes high on eBay, so I may need to buy it new with the Christmas money from Fuck You Grandma
LOL, is it? I did not expect that response....maybe mild interest at best.
Oh, an example of how homeschool group suckage can lead to good things. In response to stupid histrionics I researched free compilations of American historical documents and found Welcome to OurDocuments.gov
I didn't know it existed and it is a cool resource. However, I would rather not have the stupid histrionics as a regular motivator.
Oh, and here's a bunch of smart comic books that you could probably start reading to him now. Larry Gonick's Cartoon Guides cover everything from world history to statistics and physics. They're funny, simply stated but not simplistic, and of course awesomely illustrated. You'll learn more from them than you probably learned in 10 high school classes.
Here are all the good Asterixes in chronological order. After that, Goscinny died and Uderzo can't write for shit so they are but sad shadows of their former glory.
__________________ Hear me / and if I close my mind in fear / please pry it open See me / and if my face becomes sincere / beware Hold me / and when I start to come undone / stitch me together Save me / and when you see me strut / remind me of what left this outlaw torn
Lady Shea, I am impressed by your homeschooling stories. My husband and I had thought about homeschooling when our kids were born, but we realized we did not possess the required skills. Sure enough, by the time they got to 4th grade, we were unable to help them with their math homework.
Now they're in 9th and 7th respectively, and I couldn't imagine myself being the one responsible for ensuring that they are getting the education they need. Bravo to you for your dedication and hard work.
Maybe you can teach me "lattice multiplication" one day...
Or maybe someone can teach us why "lattice multiplication" is a necessary component of a complete education? I'm in computer science, and I've never heard of it.
Edit: Oh look. The first hit for "lattice multiplication" on google is a math website for kids. Cool math 4 kids .com - Lattice Multiplication. Looks like it's just another way to multiply large numbers. Don't assume that the public school curriculum is the only correct one. That's just a way to scare yourself out of doing it yourself.
Or maybe someone can teach us why "lattice multiplication" is a necessary component of a complete education? I'm in computer science, and I've never heard of it.
Edit: Oh look. The first hit for "lattice multiplication" on google is a math website for kids. Cool math 4 kids .com - Lattice Multiplication. Looks like it's just another way to multiply large numbers. Don't assume that the public school curriculum is the only correct one. That's just a way to scare yourself out of doing it yourself.
"Lattice multiplication" is some "new math" that our local public schools introduced to grades 4 and 5. I actually went in to talk to a teacher about it because I was so confused.
Perhaps I should let you know that I recently had a mental health evaluation in which I was asked to count backwards by 7, and I couldn't do it. Hilarity ensued.
If I need to multiply anything, I use a calculator. I am not qualified to teach anyone anything about math (new or old). Luckily, I knew that when the kids were babies.
I chose Math U See based on their free demo DVD (I learned shit, myself, from the demo!). I felt if it made sense to me within a few minutes review, I could teach it. It is a complete curriculum through Pre-Calc that is divergent from the most commonly used public school curriculums.
Math U See uses manipulative blocks as a visual aid for the basics, though I can see where the lattices are another kind of graphic representation of numbers. Just different ways to show the material and hopefully hit a few more brain cells.
That lattice multiplication is really just a pared down version of ye olde multiplication tables. I'm still fond of a good multiplication table. It appeals to my sense of order.
Perhaps I should let you know that I recently had a mental health evaluation in which I was asked to count backwards by 7, and I couldn't do it.
Count backwards by 7s? I couldn't do that either. I can't imagine why anyone would be expected to be able to do that as it certainly never comes up in life. What's that got to do with mental health?
Now some people just have certain things in their head, that they can do without effort...one of Kiddo's friends, also 3, can say the Alphabet backwards. She just did it one day. I can't do that very easily either, but that doesn't mean I can't teach my kid to read.
A good friend of mine can recite all the states in alphabetical order. I can barely scrape together 10 of them in random order. On the other hand, she couldn't understand Emily Dickinson to save her life. We spent hours getting her through her English exam.
I second the Larry Gonick recommendation. His books are really entertaining and easy to understand, but surprisingly accurate and comprehensive. Heck, I've used illustrations from them to help explain concepts like probability and genetics to college-level students.
For American History, I strongly recommend James W. Loewen's Lies My Teacher Told Me and Lies Across America: What American Historic Sites Get Wrong. His basic argument is that standard history texts (and historical markers) get a lot wrong and leave out a lot of important information. I'm sure there are more historically-informed people than me, who can give even better recommendations.
Cheers,
Michael
__________________
“The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be.”
Oh and FYI...currently this is just home preschool. He can't attend public school until 2011 even if we choose to put him in Kindergarten, and compulsory age is 7 (2013) if we decide to skip it.
I have him for another year and a half minimum, so we can certainly re-evaluate anytime. I am pretty sure we will just continue with home education, but this is life and shit happens, so nothing in stone.
Minus 10 Plus 3. So 100 minus 10 is 90 plus 3 is 93. 93 minus 10 is 83 plus 3 is 86..... or did that just make it more complicated?
Not at all, these are the kinds of tricks I personally need, but wasn't taught, and don't come to me naturally for whatever reason. Hubby has this whole spatial thinking thing going on that seems like magic to me.
Thanks!
ETA: I still don't understand the purpose of asking someone to do this, and can't imagine any scenario where it will be necessary...but I know a trick now just in case
Perhaps I should let you know that I recently had a mental health evaluation in which I was asked to count backwards by 7, and I couldn't do it. Hilarity ensued.
At first I misunderstood that as "count backwards from 7" and I was like damn, that's pretty sad.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LadyShea
Count backwards by 7s? I couldn't do that either. I can't imagine why anyone would be expected to be able to do that as it certainly never comes up in life. What's that got to do with mental health?
I saw it on the teevee one time where they had the patient's brain hooked up to a monitor, and they had to count backwards by 7s to see what the brain looked when the person was thinking or concentrating very hard.
Quote:
Originally Posted by livius drusus
A good friend of mine can recite all the states in alphabetical order. I can barely scrape together 10 of them in random order. On the other hand, she couldn't understand Emily Dickinson to save her life. We spent hours getting her through her English exam.
You've never called me a "good friend" before. Srsly I can say all the states really fast, and I could care less about understanding Emily Dickinson.
I second the Larry Gonick recommendation. His books are really entertaining and easy to understand, but surprisingly accurate and comprehensive. Heck, I've used illustrations from them to help explain concepts like probability and genetics to college-level students.
For American History, I strongly recommend James W. Loewen's Lies My Teacher Told Me and Lies Across America: What American Historic Sites Get Wrong. His basic argument is that standard history texts (and historical markers) get a lot wrong and leave out a lot of important information. I'm sure there are more historically-informed people than me, who can give even better recommendations.
Cheers,
Michael
Thank you! BTW I expect biology help ya know Kiddo made me read him three animal encyclopedia things this week...like the whole book. They're not huge but still.
Not at all, these are the kinds of tricks I personally need
I find similar tricks like that really useful, my brain works better by breaking things down into easy to do chunks. While I doubt I could quickly count backwards by 7s I can quickly subtract 10 and add 3. Same goes for multiplication. 15 X 63 becomes 10 x 63 = 630. 10 x 630/2 = 315. 630 + 315 =945 While long and drawn out I can do all of it in my head in a split second, while I would struggle with 15 x 63.
This is entertaining, especially the last bit where he talks out his thought process and certain numbers become words. Mathemagic on TED
Minus 10 Plus 3. So 100 minus 10 is 90 plus 3 is 93. 93 minus 10 is 83 plus 3 is 86..... or did that just make it more complicated?
Not at all, these are the kinds of tricks I personally need, but wasn't taught, and don't come to me naturally for whatever reason. Hubby has this whole spatial thinking thing going on that seems like magic to me.
Everybody does and thinks math totally differently. I have a hard time adding up more than two or three numbers in my head, because I'm not good at keeping track of things in my head (like I can't memorize a shopping list or a handful of objects on a table). So when we add up our yahtzee scores, I always group them by 100s. If I see an 80 and a 20, that's one. A 60 and a 40, that's 2, etc. However the person I play with just adds them up down the line, he's all 80, 140, 160, 200 ... and I'm like how the hell do you do that so fast?
I suuuucked at memorizing the times tables (and I still don't know them all, especially the sevens, but even the sixes and eights, and I do nines on my fingers*). I struggled in third grade over it. I actually sucked at third grade math, and still do. And yet I rock at algebra and calculus.
My mom used to multiply weird when I was a kid, and it didn't make sense to me at the time, but now for no reason it's the way I do it. Like if I want to multiply 36 times 5, I do 30 times 5 plus 6 times 5. Which now I'm like "duh that's just regular multiplication" but at the time I thought it was weird that she went front to back, and even this day I know most people don't do it that way.
I don't really have a point. My point is, everyone maths differently. The only thing that matters is that you learn how to do it. Or in mine and ELGSs cases, that you don't, and you just learn to check your work with a calculator.
Not at all, these are the kinds of tricks I personally need
I find similar tricks that that really useful, my brain works better by breaking things down into easy to do chunks. While I doubt I could quickly count backwards by 7s I can quickly subtract 10 and add 3. Same goes for multiplication. 15 X 63 becomes 10 x 63 = 630. 10 x 630/2 = 315 630 + 315 =945 While long and drawn out I can do all of it in my head in a split second, while I would struggle with 15 x 63.
I do that too! It's how I calculate tips, in fact.
Educating Kiddo
You've never called me a "good friend" before. Srsly I can say all the states really fast, and I could care less about understanding Emily Dickinson.
Kiddo made me read him three animal encyclopedia things this week...like the whole book. They're not huge but still.
Linear Mode
