Home Schooling and Raising Chickens

[AccidentalFarm]

Quote:
Isn't that just the greatest- being able to take time out when you need/want it? I love it. We don't follow a strict schedule, as much of our schooling goes on during the weekends, evenings and yes, even on vacations. We do have pre-made curriculum workbooks for some subjects, mostly just a hodge-podge collection from different sources that work well for us, but they are totally portable, so no matter where we are or when, the kids are able to do their schoolwork. I love homeschooling.

I will really look into the conference. It sounds like a great resource and I would love to meet other homeschoolers.

 

[Judymae]

Chelly-I homeschooled my oldest son when he was in 1st grade. Mainly because of a personality conflict with his teacher! Anyways he was reading on a 4th grade level but he seemed to struggle in math. The local teacher's store sold a set of tests that helped me place him in each subject. I was able to pinpoint his strengths and weaknesses. I didn't buy a curriculm-I bought different books and work books that met his needs. I was able to bring his math skills up to par and actually go over his grade level. At the same time I was able to challenge him in his reading. The only prob I found with the reading was finding age appropriate subjects with his reading level being so high. If you have a teacher's store in your area they can suggest many things that will help. The first time I walked into ours I was in tears over my son and teachers 'personality conflict'. They showed me some books on homeschooling and the tests to help place him. Within a week I had him outta school and working from home. It was hard with a 3 yr old and baby but he needed to be taken out of school. I later put him back in school and he was so far ahead of the other kids it was sad.
I'm so happy to hear that so many of ya'll homeschool. It seems like ya'll put so much time and effort into it. It can be exhausting but so worth it. I have a neighbor who says she is homeschooling her kids--she thinks 4 hrs a day of the history channel does the job. Her 7 yr old doesn't know his alphabet or how to read. It kills me when her kids watch out the window at mine playing outside. They aren't allowed to go outside at all. I've reported her to our school district but they say their hands are tied. In Texas there are no guide lines or anything to follow on homeschooling. If anyone out there knows anything I could do to help these kids please let me know. I hate to see her 3 kids wasting away over there. We do live in a rural area so I think she feels like she can get away with a lot more out here.

 

[janramsey]

Since I got my incubator yesterday...My husband has decided that using a flashlight to candle the eggs just wont do.......He says when he was in school they made candle light boxes to candle eggs. He plans this week on having the boys make one out of wood and a lightbulb......So now I see science and woodshop lesson plans made for the week.......LOL..

 

[Chelly]

Judymae, funny my son is ON grade with math, and so far ahead in reading. We have had a huge problem finding books for him to read, because he's practically reading at a teenager level but is not interested in those topics.... his teacher said he can easily handle Harry Potter books, so we have bought him the whole set - they are HUGE books.

I'm really scared about homeschooling, HE on the other hand is very excited about it. He is still So excited to learn which should make it super easy! He LOVES animals and anythign to do with nature.
(he asked us to buy him BIRD books for christmas, and he was OUT bright and early on christmas morning identifying birds)

I will just have to find a way to make math more exciting for ME.
Chelly

 

[Judymae]

Chelly-Harry Potter books are great for younger and older kids. My son reads a new Harry Potter book in less than 2 days. He can't put it down. Our local library was able to help me find books for my son. It was sooooooooo hard to find books that would interest him at that age. He is now 13 and still an avid reader. He has gone through the whole Left Behind series in 6 weeks! Your son may be interested in the Left Behind series for kids. My son read them at his age. There is about 40 in the series so go to the library!

 

[Chelly]

Thanks Judymae, I'll look for those, I also would like to get him more non-fiction books, he loves reading about things like the stars and planets, animals, nature geography etc... I so want him to KEEP this enthusiasm!

When we move to Nebraska, I'm going to give him his own veggie patch, to plant and take cARE OF - as well as letting him pick which chickens we buy.... (I might have to influence him a little - finally saw a pic of a blue laced wynadotte!)

 

[65browneyes]

Okay, Chelly.......I have to ask. What part of Nebraska are you moving to?


Edited to add:
Not to steal the thread at all. Just curious.

 

[SeaChick]

Hi everyone-

We home schooled Olivia for 2 years )grades 3 & 4) while we were living on a sailboat. WE sailed from Maine to South America and back. It was SO GREAT.... I did not use a packaged curriculum, juts got the guidelines from her old school to make sure we covered the basics, and filled in with lessons based on our life and travels. For instance, we learned about Mayan civilization and then went to the amazing ruins at Yikal in Guatemala!! And of course, weather, oceanography, geography, etc were all around us. It was very cool. With all of the immediate, hands-on lessons she learned WAAAAAAY more than she ever would have in a classroom at her old school.

She came back to "regular" school and tested way ahead of her peers; they put her in "gifted and talented" classes. We are trying to get back out sailing again by 2009, and go around the world this time, whcih means I'll be homeschooling HIGH SCHOOL!!! That is a scary thought. Anyone done this? I'd love some tips on how to do it cheaply. I'll definitely have to buy some sort of prepared course for the higher maths (whcih I am terrible at!). I heard Saxon Math was good and have ben watching eBay for used textbooks.

Stacey

 

[BirdBrain]

SeaChick,
Before you invest in Saxon math, you might want to have a look at some of their stuff in a homeschool store or a store that supplies this curriculum. There are a lot of people who use it, but it is VERY repetitive and may be over kill. You might look into Math-U See or Jacobs Math. Also check out http://www.livingmath.net/ for some ways to bring math alive and make it relevant. Something you might consider is going to a homechool covention just to look at all the vendor offerings and just see what is available. Take your daughter and see what appeals to her. If she helps you choose, you may get a better result. I have found that my kids do a great job of choosing their science curriculum and they have chosen it for the last 2 years and for the upcoming year. They are currently 9.5 and 8.5 years old. Of course I find out what they are interested in and give them several things to choose from.

WOW!! sailing around the world. She sure will have stories to tell. I hope all goes well. So are you taking a few chickens along for fresh eggs?

--Bird

 

[hipmarye]

Quote:
Stacy,
Mine aren't quite that old yet , but I shutter at the thought of high school math. Will y'all have internet access on the boat? A friend of enrolled her 9th grader in an on-line college level math course at a local college.
Anyway, just a thought. We will certainly look forward to hearing of your adventures.