Can you believe that I'm on my 3rd year of home school?
My oldest has been a reluctant student and really drags his feet in reading but does fairly well in Math and Science.
He is very computer oriented and a visual learner so I was looking for a program that he could do online and that I could supplement with extra courses, like bible.
I came across time4learning.com and he LOVES it! He is getting so much better about doing his lessons.
I am still learning how to do things like how to set up a schedule to keep him moving. It is a little confusing to me but I am going to make an even bigger effort to figure it out.
The games that he gets to do help him learn without being a worksheet. He can take a fidget break between lessons. I can go back to his quizzes and see how he did and the supplement it with a worksheet or other game (pinterest and online home school sources have a lot of great ideas!)
I am able to have him work on 1st grade language arts and 2nd grade math.
I would recommend it to the mom who has a full house and needs an affordable home school option.
I've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. My opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about my experience. Time4Learning is an online educational program that can be used in many ways including as a homeschooling curriculum or afterschool tutorial. Find out how to write your own curriculum review for Time4Learning.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Reality Check
In looking back I have to laugh at the thought I could raise 2 crazy boys, homeschool and blog. I will do an update a little later today. :) hopefully!
Mandy
Monday, September 19, 2011
countdown to fall
I found this really great craft on V & Co.
We used to make stained glass as kid but I had never thought of doing fall leaves. So here is our attempt at welcoming fall with finesse.
After the melting part this is what it looked like
These are after the leaves are cut out.
We used to make stained glass as kid but I had never thought of doing fall leaves. So here is our attempt at welcoming fall with finesse.
After the melting part this is what it looked like
These are after the leaves are cut out.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Sensory Integration/Processing Disorder
I've been doing some research on this. At first I thought Bubba #1 was/is an Aspergers Child. He fits many of the criteria but does pretty well socially.
I had read one homeschool mom's blog that talked about her struggle with her son and his SID.
Here is a rundown of what a child who has Sensory Integration Disorder...I think Bubba #1 fits it to a tee!
Young children are, by nature, active. We expect the toddler to be "into things" and the preschooler to be curious, to explore and to play vigorously. We don't expect the young child to have a very long attention span. Characteristics which indicate problems in one child may be perfectly normal in a younger child. Here are some warning signals related to activity levels:
1. The child is disorganized and lacks purpose in his or her activity. This is the child who goes through the room like a tornado. Even though the child may appear to be interested in a toy or object initially, once he gets it he may throw it aside, dump it out of the container, or immediately be distracted by something else. Another characteristic is that the child lacks exploration or manipulation; he may dump objects out of a container or off a shelf without stopping to manipulate, visually examine, or play creatively with them. On the playground the child may run around a lot but does not organize his activity to climb, swing, or explore equipment.
2. The child does not move around or explore the environment. This is the "good" baby or toddler who is content to stay in one place and does not make many demands on his or her caretakers. This child may be content to watch things in his environment although he is physically able to move around and interact. The older child may use good verbal skills to engage the adult in conversation as a way of avoiding manipulating with his hands or actively engaging in activity.
3. The child lacks variety in play activities. Some children become very repetitive or stereotypic in playing with toys. Everything may be flung aside, tapped on a surface, or brought to the mouth. Another child may prefer only visual activities (TV, videos, looking at books) while avoiding visual-motor or manipulative toys (coloring, drawing, clay, construction toys.) Other children may learn one way to interact with a toy or playground equipment without adding variations, creative play, or generalizing to other similar objects. For example, the child may line up toy cars but does not pretend they are going places or experiment with rolling them down an incline.
4. The child appears clumsy, trips easily, has poor balance. The child may experience an excessive number of bumps, bruises, stitches, or broken bones. Sometimes this child seems always to be in a hurry and impulsive, does not "look where he is going." Other children may always be bumping their heads because they lack protective responses and do not "catch themselves" when they begin to fall.
5. The child has difficulty calming himself after exciting physical activity or after becoming upset.
After this child "loses it" he cannot be consoled. Tantrums may last for hours, or the child may become so excited after vigorous play that he continues high activity levels long after the event. Some children regularly escalate their activity levels during the day without experiencing "down time" or being able to engage in quiet activity. Dinner time becomes chaotic and the child has extreme difficulty falling asleep at bedtime.
6. The child seeks excessive amounts of vigorous sensory input. Many children like to jump, swing, and spin; but when this is excessive, it may be problematic. The child may spin himself on playground equipment or twirl around a room for prolonged periods without experiencing dizziness. Another child may continually throw himself on the floor, deliberately hurl himself against people and things, or jump excessively.
Anyway, I am still researching. There is a clinic close by that I might be able to get some services for him. I need to talk to their billing department, and the insurance company to find out what is covered.
Here is a webpage if you are interested in finding out more about SID :-)
http://www.spdfoundation.net
I had read one homeschool mom's blog that talked about her struggle with her son and his SID.
Here is a rundown of what a child who has Sensory Integration Disorder...I think Bubba #1 fits it to a tee!
Young children are, by nature, active. We expect the toddler to be "into things" and the preschooler to be curious, to explore and to play vigorously. We don't expect the young child to have a very long attention span. Characteristics which indicate problems in one child may be perfectly normal in a younger child. Here are some warning signals related to activity levels:
1. The child is disorganized and lacks purpose in his or her activity. This is the child who goes through the room like a tornado. Even though the child may appear to be interested in a toy or object initially, once he gets it he may throw it aside, dump it out of the container, or immediately be distracted by something else. Another characteristic is that the child lacks exploration or manipulation; he may dump objects out of a container or off a shelf without stopping to manipulate, visually examine, or play creatively with them. On the playground the child may run around a lot but does not organize his activity to climb, swing, or explore equipment.
2. The child does not move around or explore the environment. This is the "good" baby or toddler who is content to stay in one place and does not make many demands on his or her caretakers. This child may be content to watch things in his environment although he is physically able to move around and interact. The older child may use good verbal skills to engage the adult in conversation as a way of avoiding manipulating with his hands or actively engaging in activity.
3. The child lacks variety in play activities. Some children become very repetitive or stereotypic in playing with toys. Everything may be flung aside, tapped on a surface, or brought to the mouth. Another child may prefer only visual activities (TV, videos, looking at books) while avoiding visual-motor or manipulative toys (coloring, drawing, clay, construction toys.) Other children may learn one way to interact with a toy or playground equipment without adding variations, creative play, or generalizing to other similar objects. For example, the child may line up toy cars but does not pretend they are going places or experiment with rolling them down an incline.
4. The child appears clumsy, trips easily, has poor balance. The child may experience an excessive number of bumps, bruises, stitches, or broken bones. Sometimes this child seems always to be in a hurry and impulsive, does not "look where he is going." Other children may always be bumping their heads because they lack protective responses and do not "catch themselves" when they begin to fall.
5. The child has difficulty calming himself after exciting physical activity or after becoming upset.
After this child "loses it" he cannot be consoled. Tantrums may last for hours, or the child may become so excited after vigorous play that he continues high activity levels long after the event. Some children regularly escalate their activity levels during the day without experiencing "down time" or being able to engage in quiet activity. Dinner time becomes chaotic and the child has extreme difficulty falling asleep at bedtime.
6. The child seeks excessive amounts of vigorous sensory input. Many children like to jump, swing, and spin; but when this is excessive, it may be problematic. The child may spin himself on playground equipment or twirl around a room for prolonged periods without experiencing dizziness. Another child may continually throw himself on the floor, deliberately hurl himself against people and things, or jump excessively.
Anyway, I am still researching. There is a clinic close by that I might be able to get some services for him. I need to talk to their billing department, and the insurance company to find out what is covered.
Here is a webpage if you are interested in finding out more about SID :-)
http://www.spdfoundation.net
Week 4 Can you believe it??
Right now I think even our best "learning" time is not during school time. Yesterday afternoon...Bubba #1 grabbed a sheet of paper and a pencil and started writing out his numbers 1-21. I found a great book to help him practice his writing. Little boys just don't dig writing the same thing over and over...unless you find something that integrates something they love with writing...enter Dinosaur Fun
Today I had to almost wrestle the book away from him after the letter P!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Week 3!!!
Monday again!!
We worked on the letter 2 today, colors and shapes in Math. Bubba #1 does NOT like doing worksheets!!
We talked about how things grow. Specifically how people grow. We read the book "Now That I'm Big". It's a great way to introduce adjectives...big, small...old, new...baby, boy. It's fun to observe how Bubba #1 can do things that Bubba #2 can't do yet. Good to note Bubba #1 says that he won't ever drive and will let Mama do it. Part of me would be happy to do that. Less insurance claims I'm thinking. Sometimes he reminds me of the dog in the movie "Up". "SQUIRREL" He'd be driving and see something shiny and drive off the road. We have a while before we have to worry about driving though.
We did a lot of rhyming words today. Nate loves playing a memory style rhyming game. Instead of finding the same, he has to find the word that rhymes with it. Like cat, hat; or fox, box.
I've noticed that now we are in week 3 that the lessons are more involved. There seems to be more prep time. I'm not complaining. I find though that Bubba #1 has a hard time sticking to the "plan". I'm having to prioritize the important things and not do as many of the enrichment things.
All in all, we are doing well. I expect to have challenges with him.
Oh and here are the rest of the letters we've finished so far.
I for Ice Cream
J for Jet
K for Kite
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Pop Goes the Weasel
I waited too long before writing a post. Can't remember what we did today!
It was The Tortoise and the Hare for a story. Complete with the props I created last night. Bubba 1 is going to be so disappointed when mama tells him a story with just words and NO props!!
We worked on letters. Bubba 1 knows his alphabet, getting him to write them is another thing. Today was G g.
The highlight of the day was music! With our curriculum they gave us a music break cd to play songs for a kind of down time. By far the boys love this time!! Seeing them dance to Pop Goes the Weasel still makes me smile hours later.
Tomorrow...another day!
It was The Tortoise and the Hare for a story. Complete with the props I created last night. Bubba 1 is going to be so disappointed when mama tells him a story with just words and NO props!!
We worked on letters. Bubba 1 knows his alphabet, getting him to write them is another thing. Today was G g.
The highlight of the day was music! With our curriculum they gave us a music break cd to play songs for a kind of down time. By far the boys love this time!! Seeing them dance to Pop Goes the Weasel still makes me smile hours later.
Tomorrow...another day!
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