...we are stuck with the maths! I could cry. Star did.This is how it works: We have to carry 4 subjects with our umbrella school; we can ditch science. Relief all round on that one & we actually like science ~ just not the way it comes in textbooks & is taught by scientists. Then it is very dull indeed. *sigh*
We have to keep English. This was a given & Star is OK about that. Besides we are strong in English. We are keeping history. Star less happy about that but again we are strong in history so it won't be a drama ~ at least not as much of a drama as the math.
Math. Such a waste as Star will not be advancing because the next step is algebra & I can assure you that is just never going to happen. I can't do it, Star won't do it. We both think it is silly. Please, don't shoot us. We manage very well without it for everyday living. So more of the same & that is boring. Very, very boring. Hopefully the school will provide something sensible along the lines of what Liddy did: rental agreements/contracts; budgeting; cell phone plans; car insurance. It was very useful & we were able to provide a lot of practical applications for her.
If you can count that high you will have twigged that is only 3 subjects. Star wants to resume her German. Having considered Rosetta Stone years ago we consider it over~rated & over~priced. No problemo, I thought; Abeka...but Abeka only does French or Spanish. Oh. Konos does German. Tell~Me~More does German. Anyone out there got any recommendations? What do you think?
Added to that we are doing a cert., III in Child Care through on~line DL [distance learning] & Star will keep her home economics & music going with the theory that I can send tests in so that adds up to 7 subjects ~ more than enough I think. Especially as said child needs to do some work experience in child care. *sigh* We are sending her island hopping for that.
Two years to survive. Now don't get me wrong. I still love homeschooling but I could do without the government meddling & that is only going to get worse with the National Curriculum. I think homeschoolers should write government policy on education. Now, wouldn't that shake our education system up!
11 comments:
Ahhhh math(s)... After finally having slogged through with Amelia, I am now on the brink of math-horror with Noah as he'll be soon heading out of elementary and into middle school. (Middle school=algebra in the US) We'll be trying Teaching Textbooks this year... I've heard great things about it and the instruction is all done interactively on the computer. Their algebra is supposed to be excellent- just a thought for ya☺
Sometimes I get irritated by the whole government intrusion thing, but then I see families who are doing absolutely nothing with their homeschooled kids and I can see the need for it. Sigh... it is unfortunate that such families exist as they make things difficult for everybody.
Diane: I too have heard good things about Teaching Textbooks but we won't be doing algebra. I won't treat my intelligent 15 yr old like a miscreant 2 year old [nope, not even if she is behaving like one] but the school will tailor make a practical program for her. Still not good, but better.
As for the not doing anything thing ~ it's not just homeschoolers. When I was teaching I was horrified to see a number of kids never ever do any math. The teacher knew but shrugged it off as "there's always the kids you can't help." And these kids were trapped in the public system without alternatives.
Star's practical math is very good ~ much better than mine, & she does most of it in her head with no working out. Unfortunately we are completely right brained & the sort of logic algebra & higher math requires just strikes us as silly. I'm assured by those that actually understand it that this is not so but they have yet to prove it to my satisfaction. lol
I had to go backwards to find out when Ditz became Star. I guess a lot happens during a short hiatus!
Seven subjects sounds like more than enough. I totally agree with the algebra thing if you can get away with it. So totally impressed by what homeschoolers are able to accomplish. Now, I need to get started with Cupcake. I just can't seem to get organized. I hung up my posters a few weeks ago, does that count?
We have Tell Me More French the homeschool edition, but I think they just recently made some changes and have a new edition. I have not used it much because the software is just geared toward an older student, but I am going to concentrate on reviewing and finishing the Power-Glide Junior Adventure this year until however long it takes and then go to Tell Me More.
that takes me back to my schooling and the agony of doing math and not having a CLUE as to what it meant or how I got any of the answers!! Happy days [not!]
Sandra: lol I hate the name change but if you'd seen the altenatives the child proposed...!!! She lived in terror of someone she actually knew calling her Ditz ~ besides her mother, of course.
Bonnie: & that doesn't include our religious studies, which because Star lives in this house, go on round her all the time. Or all the other things we do. Next year she thinks I'm going to teach her to drive. Lord, give me strenght!!!
Seeking: I was sort of thinking the other way. Now I must rethink. Hmmm...
Gerry: I flunked math rather spectacularly myself ...& I manage to function just fine in the real world. Star is smarter than I am so I expect she will manage just fine. ☺
Oh, Star... hang in there, hon.
As I am not a homeschooler - do you need to follow the same curriculum as the schools? Can you divert from it at all? Does the education department check up on what you are doing (often?)? Do you need to sit state based testing? Sorry for all the questions, but it is interesting.
When my sons were at school they did "practical maths" which taught them everyday maths that has turned out to be quite useful eg how much paint would you need to buy to paint a certain size room. Neither are academic so standard maths would not have been any good.
I did very poorly in maths at school - but my career has been in statistics, so even though who struggle earlier in life can be surprised later in life. PS I can't do algebra.
Thanks MrsC. ☺
Jo: It is a little complicated & differs State to State but QLD works like this: 1. you register with the State school of distance education & they send you out the state ordained curriculum. Pretty standard fare; lots of busy work. 2. You register with an independent school of distance education [this is what we do] & they a.have a set curriculum they send you b. they recommend a set curriculum you buy yourself c. you choose your own curriculum & buy it & the school ratifies your choice [our choice]. 3 You register with the dept., ed., & work with one of their overseers to come up with an educational plan each year. This gives you the greatest flexibility but is fraught if you get someone you find difficult to work with or disapproves of your homeschooling choices. Unschoolers have it tough up here. 4. You fly under the radar & lie low. The more radical religious groups & unschoolers often do this.
Each umbrella school works slightly differently but essentially you are assigned a supervisor who is available for help if you get stuck & who marks the child's work & gets to know them. BSDE the teacher changes regularly but the school we use now is Christian & we have had the same lovely Christian lady for the 4 years Star has been under their umbrella.
Again each school is different but basically you send in a certain amount of work in each subject, the supervisor marks it, records it for the governmental records & keeps tabs on how well the child is working. Our problem is that our school of choice requires math as a set subject for yrs 11/12. UGH!
We reniged on the standardised testing last time round as Star plays games with the tests. She thinks they are silly [which they are] & doesn't take them seriously. *sigh*
My take is that Star knows how to find out, how to learn so if she ever needs this stuff she is perfectly capable of getting her head around it but while she has the brains she is not primarily an academic child & her first loves are art & music. These are not generally considered appropriate academic choices but that's where Star is really strong & where we have really stood up for her in the academic realm.
Thanks Ganeida for that information - it does sound quite complicated and detailed, I can see why some parents lie low.
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