Homeschool Chat

[SCHBR'smom]

Congrats on the baby!!! And that is the same break we do...Tday thru NY weekend....it helps when you have to have a major holiday or two to prepare for!! My oldest is Dec 4...so we have a busy schedule too--hang in there..you can do it!!!

Major holidays, a new baby, and we have two birthdays already, Dec. 23 and Dec. 29, we probably wouldn't have time for school anyways. Going back to school will be our break.

 

[Denine]

Great Wolf Lodge has a major homeschool discount for the Williamsburg homeschool days. We are staying for 3 nights in the KidsCabin suite. $139Very excited! If you need the discount code pm me.

Sounds cool. We will probably stay in a Marriott somewhere for the rewards if we go.

 

[adisneymama]

Does anyone know if Barnes & Noble or borders bookstores offer discounts for homeschoolers? Thanks!

 

[Ellester]

Does anyone know if Barnes & Noble or borders bookstores offer discounts for homeschoolers? Thanks!

Yep, they will give you an Educator's Discount card. You have to fill out a form and show some kind of proof that you are a homeschooler. Here in Georgia, I just bring in a copy of the "Declaration of Intent" that I have to send the county each year. The discount is 20% and applies to anything used for education. We've used it on books and games, it doesn't work on magazines or coffee at the coffee shop . They also have Educator Appreciation weeks a few times a year where everything for school or personal use is usually 25% off.

 

[SCHBR'smom]

Does anyone know if Barnes & Noble or borders bookstores offer discounts for homeschoolers? Thanks!

I also homeschool in Texas, and I didn't have to prove that I homeschool. I filled out a little form and listed the grades that I was teaching. That's it! I love having the discount!

 

[DisneyMom5]

I also homeschool in Texas, and I didn't have to prove that I homeschool. I filled out a little form and listed the grades that I was teaching. That's it! I love having the discount!

Ya think they'd question that I'm teaching 11th, 9th, 6th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st, and Preschool???

I think here at our local one you can use your HSLDA membership card because it says "Teacher ID."

 

[adisneymama]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to fill it out next time I'm there. I need some new books for DD.

Disneymom5 I don't think they would question it if you brought them all in at once! LOL

 

[MiniGirl]

I know some of you here sew, but Jo-Ann's also gives an educator's discount. Great if you're into scrapbooking or for art supplies, etc.

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

Does anyone know if Barnes & Noble or borders bookstores offer discounts for homeschoolers? Thanks!

I have both. I like Borders best because they send me emails every week for 33% - 50% off one regularly priced item.

I can not remember if they needed proof but I made us all IDs with our Homeschool name and our extra passport photo. I also designed cards for our umbrella group (since they didn't have one). The coordinator loved them. I laminated them so they will survive my wallet. They have worked perfect for anyone who has needed proof.

If anyone has older children that are interested in Adobe programs. They have educational discounts up to 80% off! http://www.adobe.com/education/purchasing/education_pricing.html

 

[Mommy2three]

well i just bit the bullet and ordered calvert 2nd grade without the math. he will be doing teaching textbooks for math. he is advanced in math. I have decided to homeschool AGAIN, but only my son. He is diagnosed with pdd-nos and is 8 years old. I homeschool for the last year and a half and decided to put the kids back into ps, halfway into the school year, but i think its failing my son, but doing great for my daighter, and my youngest daughter will be in K this fall in ps. My son just doesnt have the social skills and know how to deal with ps and other kids, is getting bullied every day, and getting hit, and he cant pick up on social cues for the life of him. In ps he would be going into 3rd grade, which is fine for math, but everything else not so great, he can barely read, can read at a beginning second grade level i would say, cant write a sentence on his own unless he copies it, etc. I was really hoping to enjoy the peace and quiet at home while all 3 kids were in school full time this fall, but i have to do what is right for my son and not for me.

 

[bumbershoot]

well i just bit the bullet and ordered calvert 2nd grade without the math. he will be doing teaching textbooks for math. he is advanced in math. I have decided to homeschool AGAIN, but only my son. He is diagnosed with pdd-nos and is 8 years old. I homeschool for the last year and a half and decided to put the kids back into ps, halfway into the school year, but i think its failing my son, but doing great for my daighter, and my youngest daughter will be in K this fall in ps. My son just doesnt have the social skills and know how to deal with ps and other kids, is getting bullied every day, and getting hit, and he cant pick up on social cues for the life of him. In ps he would be going into 3rd grade, which is fine for math, but everything else not so great, he can barely read, can read at a beginning second grade level i would say, cant write a sentence on his own unless he copies it, etc. I was really hoping to enjoy the peace and quiet at home while all 3 kids were in school full time this fall, but i have to do what is right for my son and not for me.

Oh my goodness, it does sound like they are failing him. They are allowing the bullying to continue???? And aren't helping him with the reading? Poor dude. I'm glad he has you.

Did you do Calvert 1st grade? We're about to order that...it's frightening to me how expensive it is! (by the way, THANK YOU to those in this thread who told me that I was wrong a few months back, making sure I knew that Calvert isn't religious! yay for you guys!)

Anyway, good luck with your son.

 

[Mommy2three]

well i ordered the second grade because the reading was too easy for him on the first grade placement test, and he didnt do too bad with the second grade placement test. so i think he should do fairly well with the second grade material. i didnt order the ATS tho, just the standard calvert.

he has really low self confidence when it comes to reading. and when he reads to me his voice gets really quiet and really shakey like hes not sure of himself. the bullying still continues..this one group only bullies my son, and its an everyday issue. My oldest daughter who is 10 has her own aide in class and she doesnt get bullied on, and my youngest dd who is 4 is going to be in K, and she is in K in summer school right now and she has gotten picked on a few times but she knows how to stick up for herself and fight back if need be, whereas my son doesnt know how to stick up for himself, and will start crying right away which only makes it worse for my son because they pick on him even more then, and he wont fight back if need be. I was going to put him in self defense class just so he could continue school but i dont feel like we should have to have kids know self defense to attend school where they should feel safe at.

 

[littlepeppers]

well i just bit the bullet and ordered calvert 2nd grade without the math. In ps he would be going into 3rd grade, which is fine for math, but everything else not so great, he can barely read, can read at a beginning second grade level i would say, cant write a sentence on his own unless he copies it, etc. .

I hope that this year goes well w/ your DS using Calvert. May I suggest that you add in how to write a simple paragraph (5 sent.) into your lessons. We are 3 days into the Calvert 3rd gd & it is a whole new ball game. There is a lot of writing & reading in the 3rd gd program.

Did you do Calvert 1st grade? We're about to order that...it's frightening to me how expensive it is! (by the way, THANK YOU to those in this thread who told me that I was wrong a few months back, making sure I knew that Calvert isn't religious! yay for you guys!)
.

I wish that Calvert wasn't so expensive, but I like not having to dig through stuff. I like having it all laid out for me. Don't forget the technology lessons. I missed those last year. They aren't well marked in the Lesson Plans. I went throught my Technolog lesson book & marked in my regular Lesson book where to insert the technology lessons. The lessons are really good.

We used Spelling City last year, but Calvert has a good online spelling program this year.

There are also online daily quizes. You have to log in to My Calvert & go to the Lesson Plan section. Click on your lesson & they are on the right side "Self Check". They are graded & thrown into a gradebook section for you.

I started some HS boxes with DD3 to help keep her busy. She was super excited to "go to school" She packed a bag & all. Halfway through our day, she started packing her bag & folding her desk up. I asked what she was doing & she said "This isn't school. This is Eban's room."

I hope DD3 changes her mind & attitude before she is 5yrs old b/c I don't want to spend the $ & deal w/ the drama of Catholic school again. I would miss her too. DS8 said he would go back to Catholic school to watch over her if she wants to go, but he would really like her to stay home w/ him.

 

[littlepeppers]

he has really low self confidence when it comes to reading. and when he reads to me his voice gets really quiet and really shakey like hes not sure of himself.

I was going to put him in self defense class just so he could continue school but i dont feel like we should have to have kids know self defense to attend school where they should feel safe at.

Your DS sounds a lot like mine.

We solved his reading issues by getting him a digital recorder to read into. He listens back to his recording w/ me & I stop it when he misses a word. He can magically fix the word immediately. I think that hearing himself read & being forced to look at the material twice made a big difference.

We put DS8 in Jiu-jitsu when we started HS last year. The discipline needed for his jiu-jistu class has carried on into the rest of his life. His confidence has shot through the roof. He can focus on a set of directions now. He knows that he can't use this skills outside of class unless it is an emergency. His instructor really pushes this issue. He knows now that he doesn't have to be a punching bag (cousins used to bully him) & that he has the skills to take them down, but doesn't have to. It has changed him. He is more assertive when he deals w/ his cousins & other friends who are doing wrong. He feels free to follow his own moral compass & not follow others. From time to time, he even tells his cousins that they are wrong & why they are wrong. He is growing into himself & feeling good about his choices. I am too.

Be careful when you look for a gym. Jiu-jitsu is really big in the UFC & sometimes its fans aren't the nicest people. You have to really check out the gym & make sure that it has that old school martial arts discipline. Jiu-jitsu was created by a small man. A small person can take down a large person in the sport, so even if your DS is small framed it would still a good sport for him.

Sorry for the long post.

 

[wvdislover]

well i just bit the bullet and ordered calvert 2nd grade without the math. he will be doing teaching textbooks for math. he is advanced in math. I have decided to homeschool AGAIN, but only my son. He is diagnosed with pdd-nos and is 8 years old. I homeschool for the last year and a half and decided to put the kids back into ps, halfway into the school year, but i think its failing my son, but doing great for my daighter, and my youngest daughter will be in K this fall in ps. My son just doesnt have the social skills and know how to deal with ps and other kids, is getting bullied every day, and getting hit, and he cant pick up on social cues for the life of him. In ps he would be going into 3rd grade, which is fine for math, but everything else not so great, he can barely read, can read at a beginning second grade level i would say, cant write a sentence on his own unless he copies it, etc. I was really hoping to enjoy the peace and quiet at home while all 3 kids were in school full time this fall, but i have to do what is right for my son and not for me.

You're making a great decision! What good is the peace and quiet, if you sit at home worrying about him every day, and panic every time the phone rings. Been there, done that, not going to do it again

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I also homeschool in Texas, and I didn't have to prove that I homeschool. I filled out a little form and listed the grades that I was teaching. That's it! I love having the discount!

I had no idea! Awesome!

Ya think they'd question that I'm teaching 11th, 9th, 6th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st, and Preschool???

I think here at our local one you can use your HSLDA membership card because it says "Teacher ID."

Joined HSLDA 2 nights ago. I don't think I knew I was gonna get a membership card. That's awesome! And should be very helpful!

I know some of you here sew, but Jo-Ann's also gives an educator's discount. Great if you're into scrapbooking or for art supplies, etc.

Oooooh!!! I could kiss you!!!! I'm very into sewing and crafting. Even my boys have taken interest at one time or another to make things that they'd like to have. JoAnn's will be a huuuuge money-saver for us. Thank you!

_________________


All that said, I haven't been to this board since May. Wow! Lotsa pages since then that I haven't even begun to sift thru.

We're new Texas homeschoolers this year. I'm actually quite jazzed! I've been going 'round and 'round staring at curriculum, reading books about curriculum, etc. trying to make my selections for our boys without breaking the bank. ((The hubby was out of work for 2 months this spring so we're still trying to rehabilitate the savings account.. )) Finding good secular curriculum that's not super expensive but still thorough has been a real challenge. ((I know, all us noobs have to go thru this mega-stress over curriculum... ))

So here's my questions:

1. I really, really like how Math-U-See looks. I like their practical application/word problem/manipulative approach to learning especially when moving towards the upper levels of math. My oldest is having the same problems I did with pre-Algebra. He finds no logic so nothing makes sense and he doesn't understand. Have any of you used upper level Math-U-See? Thoughts?

2. Saxon math. Saxon looks like it's more traditional along the lines of what we remember from school. Is it a difficult math to follow, particularly for high school levels?

3. Have any of you seen or used the Homeschooling Bootcamp program? We went to the SETHSA conference in June & really, really enjoyed the 2 seminars we attended, one of which was for beginners. I'm hoping to find something that'll help guide me to getting organized. So, have you seen or used this program? Any other suggestions along those lines?

4. Are there certain curriculum publishers out there that are more "credible" than others? The reason I ask is when the kids get to college apps and such will I have put them at a disadvantage at all if I didn't get them "the good stuff" (whatever that is)?


Thanks so much for your time. I'd be lost without knowing where to find other homeschool families to ask about this stuff. I'm so totally psyched and scared and happy and excited and nervous about how this will all play out. One thing I know for absolute certain: I am doing the right thing by going down this road with my sons. I only wish I'd done it sooner.

 

[Tiana]

Does anyone use Veritas Press curriculum? I was wondering what you thought about it? I don't know anyone who uses it....

Also, I was wondering how much they charge for the Lesson Plans?

We use Sonlight right now, but we are starting Classical Conversations this year and plan to eventually put our son in a Classical Education school, so I think VP will work out better. Still, I would like to hear others' opinions

 

[dis-happy]

1. I really, really like how Math-U-See looks. I like their practical application/word problem/manipulative approach to learning especially when moving towards the upper levels of math. My oldest is having the same problems I did with pre-Algebra. He finds no logic so nothing makes sense and he doesn't understand. Have any of you used upper level Math-U-See? Thoughts?

FWIW, I don't know many people who used MUS into the high school years.

2. Saxon math. Saxon looks like it's more traditional along the lines of what we remember from school. Is it a difficult math to follow, particularly for high school levels?

Love the DIVE dvd's that go along with the Saxon Math. Saxon is producing their own version now too.


4. Are there certain curriculum publishers out there that are more "credible" than others? The reason I ask is when the kids get to college apps and such will I have put them at a disadvantage at all if I didn't get them "the good stuff" (whatever that is)?

Use whatever you want. When I did my dd's college apps curriculum choices didn't even come into play. I listed the classes in the high school transcript, then had an addendum that expanded on the course list: what the class covered, which books were read, what was required to get the grade acheived.

Wishing you the best!

 

[Michelle and crew]

we use mus, and my son just finished pre calc. He tested into college algebra without a problem at the local community college. This is better than the average public school student.

 

[dis4harley]

I haven't posted on here in quite a while. I have a 3rd and a 7th grader.

We are trying switched on schoolhouse this year and I am having a problem. I have installed everything and I had it assign a sample lesson. During this, when you try to answer the questions it pops up a script error everytime you click or try to type. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Please help...