Comments for Learning As I Go

Comment on Science . . . Again by akhomeschoolfun

akhomeschoolfun — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:01:18 +0000

It seems we have opposite kids. Mine are very detailed and science oriented and love the God’s Design series. I’m sorry to hear they’re not working out for you. I do agree they are rather advanced for younger students without a lot of tweaking unless they’re really interested in the topic. I still tweak, but usually it’s my husband adding even more details.

I found something fun you also may enjoy, Pop Bottle Science. It’s a bunch of experiments that are done using a 2L soda bottle. The bottle (which comes apart) and directions are included. I think it was less than $15.

I totally agree finding good, non-agenda science curriculum can be frustrating. It seems everyone has their pet cause to push. That was one of the things I kept running into last year when searching for science that wasn’t watered down. It’s amazing how much bias can be found in a subject supposedly so concrete.

Comment on Chemistry Curriculum Decided! by Science . . . Again « Learning As I Go

Science . . . Again « Learning As I Go — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:41:16 +0000

[...] revisited my curriculum post from almost a year ago. It reminded me of Pandia Press. I’m relooking at their Chemistry [...]

Comment on Three States of (what) Matter by Yousei Hime

Yousei Hime — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:34:52 +0000

How adorable! My parents were both teachers, and that is exactly the kind of story my mother would come home with. I read through your post “Are Books a Distraction?” If your interested, I’ve started a new blog where I review books, movies, and games for kids(www.closerlookbmg.blogspot.com). I would love any ideas and suggestions you might have. Hang in there,
Teacher-Mom!

Comment on Science Quiz by Erin

Erin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:19:47 +0000

I think her answers are an amazing lesson in itself in how the brain stores information.

Comment on Science Quiz by akhomeschoolfun

akhomeschoolfun — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:54:11 +0000

I use those books. My third grade scientist really enjoys them. I don’t use the tests. I found them too nit picky.

Have you seen the Myth Busters episode on invisible water? It’s good and we watched it when talking about density.

Comment on Kindergarten Readiness by akhomeschoolfun

akhomeschoolfun — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:08:21 +0000

KG started because kids didn’t have enough basic skills for first grade. Now we have preschools to get kids ready for kindergarten. What’s next, babyschool? Kids need a chance to be kids before they learn books. Learning at the early ages should be supportive and explorative, not primarily structured and test preps. There’s now studies that show learning differences usually disappear after about third grade anyway so pushing kids into school earlier and earlier just leads to burn out, not smarter teens.

Comment on Are Books A Distraction? by akhomeschoolfun

akhomeschoolfun — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:00:35 +0000

That sounds like my house. My husband had to take away a book from my son last night because he was reading at 5am!

Comment on Kindergarten Readiness by Erin

Erin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:45:19 +0000

I can kind of get on board here, but only for kg. Many kids have had little or no schooling activities, and quite frankly many have languished in day care since they were 6 wks old. Boys especially have a hard time adjusting from the go-everywhere-do-everything to the sit-down-and-pay attention. I always thought of kg as the transitional welcome to school, let’s get used to the idea thing. That’s why until recently it’s been primarily a half day program that’s not even mandatory.
Why is it becoming all day? Because parents demand it since half-day day care is so hard to find- you usually have to pay for full-day care to keep your slot. Why is it becoming mandatory? Because kids aren’t generally arriving for 1st grade with a set of social skill and attention span appropriate for a full day of class. Parents are so competitive and want to give their kids the academic edge, so they expect major achievements right off the bat- I think that’s what that sentence was directed at. The cherry on top is all the extra time students spend on stuff other than the basics. Maybe we should spend less time on methods and more on content. Kids from the 40s sent men to the moon, surely they did something right.
But in the end “kindergarten” is exactly what it means: garden of children, the place where our little ones take their first baby step into a larger word of learning.

Comment on Kindergarten Readiness by morethananelectrician

morethananelectrician — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:55:28 +0000

I’m not touching this one. According to our public school’s performance grades 1-12 are just a continuation of this same policy on readiness. Each grade is just preparing to pass you off to the next one…

Comment on School Status by morethananelectrician

morethananelectrician — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 23:29:01 +0000

Easing in is a nice way to do it. Get done WHAT you can WHEN you can.