Homeschooling - SUPPORT GROUP

[DMRippy]

Found Mussy Spanish at a yard sale today for $5 SCORE! they are on VHS but I have 2 of those they can watch in on LOL. Manuals and even the original invoice haha.

 

[Arielle]

Found Mussy Spanish at a yard sale today for $5 SCORE! they are on VHS but I have 2 of those they can watch in on LOL. Manuals and even the original invoice haha.

WHat a find!!

OUr school started to teach spanish and then dropped it-- so many of my customers are spanish speaking, and have the children interpret for the adults-- I feel like I could use the Spanish too!

 

[Wasson6Pack]

As for another language we decided that Spanish for children was hard and I had a mentor friends that spoke very fluently. She said that the best thing to do was songs and such until they get older and learn sentence structure. That's not to day that if you are fluent you shouldn't incorporate it at birth, that is truly best, but even with my many years of college Spanish, I'm not fluent because I've no outlet. So, we thought about Rosetta Stone and I tried it and found it fine, but it goes with no instructions. Basically someone starts talking to you and you start guessing what they say. You can go online and try it to see, but I'm not sure how a child could get it I'm sure they would get frustrated.
We got a book called, Play and Learn Spanish. It comes with a CD and it is in groups and you doing songs about breakfast and bath time and such. They learn the words without really trying.
Secondly, we decided that sign language was easier. It didn't have the same trials of learning a new sentence structure. You could speak English while doing hand motions, it is great. We copied stuff out of a book at our old school and I've yet to look up what it was to purchase it here, but we learn basic things like our lunch prayer and how to do the alphabet first.

 

[DMRippy]

mine are at the PERFECT age to learn a language. Mussy has a cartoon in English.... they should probably watch it over and over (like kids like to do anyway) and then the Spanish Version they FIGURE out. It came with a script too. I took Spanish in college and still have that work book and it can with audio CD's too to they can learn more down the road. It was not a hard book like most college books. Had basic cartoons and work sheets like you would do in elementary school. I also took French in HS so I want them to work on that too.

We had a girl in class that knew about 8 languages and submersion is how she learned them. She could speak German, Portugeus, Italian, French.... so Spanish was a SNAP. they are all very similar and once you get it in one language the others are a little easier.

My kids LOVE Caillou and I know we can get it in Spanish too..... I would think if you can find a program your kids really like and watch over and over they could then watch it in Spanish and figure it out. Kids brains are geared to still learn languages at a young age so it is easier for them. Our brains are not as easy since we have lost the skills to learn a language quickly like we did when we were little.

 

[Arielle]

You are so right DOnna-- the younger the better. Just be accpeting that somethine over all language slows down, BUT theyare learing TWO languages so that is considered ok at the pediatians. SO bear that in mind if the docs suddenly get concerned about delayed speak development . . .

I wish I had started my kids sooner but just not to be. . . .

 

[vahomesteaders]

Glad to find this thread. We started homeschooling this year. My kids are 9 and 11. We chose to do so for many reasons. One was class size. 25+ kids a class and the school had to use makeshift classrooms out of large storage closets. Second was the material. We are a God fearing family. And some of the stuff they were bringing home just didnt sit right with us. Some of the new teachings didnt sit right with us either. So we chose this. We started with a bunch of subjects at once kinda like a regular school day. But that proved impossible. So we narrowed it down. We do a couple weeks of just math and english for a couple hours a day. Then we do a couple weeks or science and reading and writing. And in between we have activity days, cooking days ect.. That has worked out much better. We also use the farm as part of learning. Caring for the animals and crops, caring for sick or injured animals ect.. We also do botany. We study about wild plants and their many uses. They enjoy that. Funny thing is they start school around 9 after the morning chores are done and all the animals have full bellies. They are done school by 12. And they are testing higher than we ever imagined. Of course my wife gets alot of the credit. Im just an ol farm boy and always will be. She has the college degree and all the smarts. lol But I help as much as I can. Mostly the outside farm stuff. We havent done a language yet. My kids do not have any interest in learning it. Where we live there isnt much diversity anywhere. So they arent exposed to very many cultures at all. That may change but I want them comfortable with what they are learning. Looking forward to seeing how you guys do it and make it work! I cant for the life of me remember what program we started with but it didnt work for us. So we mixed and matched resources. Math is done with Saxonmath books, english and writing is through Easy peasy all in one homeschool. We also use language arts through literacy program. So its kind of a buffet of different resources that fit us better.

 

[Penny Hen]

Glad to find this thread. We started homeschooling this year. My kids are 9 and 11. We chose to do so for many reasons. One was class size. 25+ kids a class and the school had to use makeshift classrooms out of large storage closets. Second was the material. We are a God fearing family. And some of the stuff they were bringing home just didnt sit right with us. Some of the new teachings didnt sit right with us either. So we chose this. We started with a bunch of subjects at once kinda like a regular school day. But that proved impossible. So we narrowed it down. We do a couple weeks of just math and english for a couple hours a day. Then we do a couple weeks or science and reading and writing. And in between we have activity days, cooking days ect.. That has worked out much better. We also use the farm as part of learning. Caring for the animals and crops, caring for sick or injured animals ect.. We also do botany. We study about wild plants and their many uses. They enjoy that. Funny thing is they start school around 9 after the morning chores are done and all the animals have full bellies. They are done school by 12. And they are testing higher than we ever imagined. Of course my wife gets alot of the credit. Im just an ol farm boy and always will be. She has the college degree and all the smarts. lol But I help as much as I can. Mostly the outside farm stuff. We havent done a language yet. My kids do not have any interest in learning it. Where we live there isnt much diversity anywhere. So they arent exposed to very many cultures at all. That may change but I want them comfortable with what they are learning. Looking forward to seeing how you guys do it and make it work! I cant for the life of me remember what program we started with but it didnt work for us. So we mixed and matched resources. Math is done with Saxonmath books, english and writing is through Easy peasy all in one homeschool. We also use language arts through literacy program. So its kind of a buffet of different resources that fit us better.

For language I can't recommend the Rosetta Stone system enough. You may think it is pricey but when you are done with it, it can be taken off of one computer and registered to another. Therefore there is a resale value.

 

[Arielle]

Welcome VA homeschooler!

GOod point on the resale value Penny HEn.

I just ordered the Schostak series A-D. Crazy that my oldest doesnt have spelling words at all and by that age I was starting the shostak series some &#^@%@% years ago. lol He just did a book report and I will look that book over for a good number of spelling words and definitions, and he can use the sentence from the book to help with the understanding of the word. ALl these years later I still remember a teacher focusing on the misspelling of ONE word I was trying to use-- I had never used ti efore and was experiemnting with using it. IT taught me to not use new words--- how rediculous is THAT?? I encourage my kids to use new words even if the use is a bit off . . . .with practice they will get it So I see spelling as just a moment to focus on leanring a bit more about an indiviual word, but the whole sentence and the expression of an idea is what I am after.

We also play synomym games-- not sure what else to call it. For example, name every color green you can think of: lime, leaf green, emerald green ,etc. FUnny to watch the list expand as they get older. ANd I use this technique to solve problems: tell me 3 ways to "fix this item" or 3 ways to schedule our afternoon; and then that gets expanded to writing. When they are stuck and dont know what to write about: list 3 things you could write about. ANd then list 3 ways to describe something in the writing assignment. When the kids were very small they could only handle 2 ideas to present. THe idea is to encourge thinking, that all ideas are valid, and later fine tune the abilities, ie what is more important , describing the boys hair, or describing his temperament . . .. ..

I'm always asking for options because IMO school starts to limit thinking in some regards. Looking forward to teaching my kids all summer!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

We did well with "Speedy Spanish" which teaches with games, songs, and a short work book. Has audio tapes (cd by now) too.

http://www.speedy-spanish.com/product/10007ssb

Lady of McCamley

 

[Arielle]

Bought several spelling/vocab books by Shostak. A-D workbooks so the kids would not be limited to sitting at the computer--Looking forward to checking them out. Level A starts at 6th grade level, but could be suitable for an advanced student of a younger age.

THis is also online. WIll post a link when I can find it. http://www.vocabtest.com/

My kids like to use PUzzlemaker.com to make word puzzles from a list of spelling words. As well as spelling city .com

When my kids were just learning their words, I would write in large letters using a marker on a thick paper like colored construction paper cut to 2 x 3's. Write 2 cards for each word, and play Go FIsh, Matching, or what ever you dream up. Started with only a few words, like 10 , to teach the idea and can increase the number or alternate packets to refresh.

Coolmath.com offers a WIDE range of activites, and actually has several web sites cool math-games, coolmath for kids. Uses online games to expand many types of math that are fun and a game for everyone. I have been known to stay up late moving up the levels. Alsso has standard math facts as printable cards and online.

My kids often played this physics challenge: Construction Fall. We haven't played for a while so I hope it is still out here. Kids are learning about force and motion as they try the challenging set ups. If all the logical tries fail-- try the illogical!!