Ki is making puppet hows for his frog research.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
To School.... or NOT to School......
My youngest is the most unschooled. I should have seen it from the beginning. When he was 3 he counted to 3, when he was 4 he counted as high as 4. When he was 5 he counted all the way to FIVE! I asked him when he was going to count all the way the higher numbers. He told me:"When I'm six, I'll count to 6. When I'm ten, I'll count to 10. When I'm twenty, I'll count to whatever that number is."When we started homeschooling he was almost 5. He told me he wasn't going to learn or do any school until he was 6. 'SIX is the age to start school. I'm not 6 yet, so I won't do any school yet. I will when I;m 6"...and he did (and he decided to count all the way up as high as he could, not JUST to 6"When he was learning to ride his bike and had training wheels he could ride without them the summer he turned 6. You could tell because the training wheels never touched the round. He refused to take them off though. He told me "I'll take them off when I'm 7. 7 is the age to have training wheels off. I'm not old enough yet." The first nice day after he turned 7 (it was rainy, I remember because my husband hated waiting to take them off when he knew Ki could do it already), he told us it was time to take the training wheels off because he was 7 now. and he rode off down the street just fine.He has always made his own school schedule and decided what games to play to learn spelling words. I started spelling words with his bothers when they were 5th and 6th grade and he wanted to try as well, but he made up how he wanted to learn them. He makes up part of his own spelling list.I dont think there is anything wrong with teaching my kids what I want them to know along with them learning about what they want to know. I guess that keeps me from being a full unschooler, it also seems to keep from fitting into any other type of homeschool group, LOL. But I don't like to have a method/label dictate how I should do things. So I do the parts of it that I want and not the parts I don't want.my boys are working on some independent research right now. they choose their subject and I have a few requirements. (they are making Power Point Presentations- I figured it went with their interest of robotic and computer engineering type stuff). Ki (11) decided to do a puppet show as part of his research project. He decorated the couch and did his first act last night.
I am not a total UNSCHOOLER. I am more of a....."Child Interest Guided relaxed Eclectic with some unschooling tendencies" I think as the parent it is my responsibility to make sure my kids learn certain things. But I donlt go by what texts or reports or curriculum tell me they need to learn 'this school year'. I use their interests and needs. Like they older 2 are interested in Computer/Robotics so I teach them thinks like math and PowerPoint and brian teaches them computer programming. Gavin and Ki had lots of dyslexia, so I use certain techniques with them. A special Spelling program. I am not interest in spelling tests or how well they do on spelling tests, but the program is great for teaching kids with dyslexia decoding and word roots and foundation. WE choose what they learn, but we make our choices based on their interests and needs and with their input of what they want to learn.--Kimberly the partial unschooler7th yr homeschooling 3 boys
I am not a total UNSCHOOLER. I am more of a....."Child Interest Guided relaxed Eclectic with some unschooling tendencies" I think as the parent it is my responsibility to make sure my kids learn certain things. But I donlt go by what texts or reports or curriculum tell me they need to learn 'this school year'. I use their interests and needs. Like they older 2 are interested in Computer/Robotics so I teach them thinks like math and PowerPoint and brian teaches them computer programming. Gavin and Ki had lots of dyslexia, so I use certain techniques with them. A special Spelling program. I am not interest in spelling tests or how well they do on spelling tests, but the program is great for teaching kids with dyslexia decoding and word roots and foundation. WE choose what they learn, but we make our choices based on their interests and needs and with their input of what they want to learn.--Kimberly the partial unschooler7th yr homeschooling 3 boys
Thursday, November 8, 2007
ASL spelling meltdown
We use sign language with our spelling list. We fingerspell the words and we learn the signs for some of the words. 1 or 2 xs a week we have ASL class with spelling words. We start by doing the alphabet together, twice. I use both hands, sometimes they do. I will have everyone's words on the dry erase board. And I call on the kids and tell them to spell a specific word. They are to use their hands AND their voice. So they are using more than one part of their brain simultaneously. It enhances learning when they can use multiple areas of the brain or multiple ways of thinking at the same time, esp when they use both sides of the brain at the same time.
Anytime you can something physical to something cerebral it enhances learning,
Today, we did the sign language alphabet twice,then they took turns fingerspelling words. After that I would finger spell one of their words and they'd have to figure out which word. and I don't do it nice and slow....
Then Ki did GRAB BAGS! a brown lunch bag for each word. the lunch bags are numbered and inside are plastic letters (or letter tiles or squares-of paper with 1 letter each). He dumps out the letters in the bag, unscrambles them to get one of his spelling words. He lists the numbers on a piece of paper with the word from that bag next to it.
he had a little melt down half way through. he was SURE a word was something different. it was the word 'fart' but he was SURE it was 'fatten' because the 'f-a-t' came out of the bag first, so he was trying to find the missing letters and wanted to go through other bags and through the pile of letters he has already done and had them all jumbled...... he got pretty upset when i had him put all the letters back, remove all the letters he has already done and LOOK AT the letters from that bag. He get saying it was SUPPOSED to be "flatten"! (yes, 'fart' is one the words he chose himself this week)
he finally got through them all. and I did joint compressions with him and had him do wall push ups.
Anytime you can something physical to something cerebral it enhances learning,
Today, we did the sign language alphabet twice,then they took turns fingerspelling words. After that I would finger spell one of their words and they'd have to figure out which word. and I don't do it nice and slow....
Then Ki did GRAB BAGS! a brown lunch bag for each word. the lunch bags are numbered and inside are plastic letters (or letter tiles or squares-of paper with 1 letter each). He dumps out the letters in the bag, unscrambles them to get one of his spelling words. He lists the numbers on a piece of paper with the word from that bag next to it.
he had a little melt down half way through. he was SURE a word was something different. it was the word 'fart' but he was SURE it was 'fatten' because the 'f-a-t' came out of the bag first, so he was trying to find the missing letters and wanted to go through other bags and through the pile of letters he has already done and had them all jumbled...... he got pretty upset when i had him put all the letters back, remove all the letters he has already done and LOOK AT the letters from that bag. He get saying it was SUPPOSED to be "flatten"! (yes, 'fart' is one the words he chose himself this week)
he finally got through them all. and I did joint compressions with him and had him do wall push ups.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
INDIA! Scary Day
The last India post, which was a couple weeks ago, left us leaving the forts being followed my a little lady babbling a string of words in English.
After our little experience at the Fort our driver took us to a nice restaurant. It was a 3 story building. When we walked in the man asked us what type of cuisine we wanted and directed us to the appropriate level in the building. The second floor was India Cuisine. The table was very low and so were the chairs. The food was delicious.
After that was probably one of the worst experiences of the whole trip. Shopping at Chalimar. It was so crowded. There were so many people that the cars could barely drive down the road. The people were all following us and begging us and pulling us to go to their stand. It was loud and confusing. The streets reeked of filth and urine. A little boy followed us, right on our heels, asking us to buy a necklace. They just badger and beg right up in your face over and over and over and over. The little boy was cute. Soon an older boy came up to him and started pushing him and yelling at him and then trying to sell HIS stuff to us. He was pushing the little boy away so we’d buy from HIM! One of the men at one of the booths said something very harsh to him and he possibly threatened him and he left the little boy alone, but hung around.
My bladder was about to explode. There are no buildings really, just booths along the streets. And little back allies. We actually came to a street with some government buildings. They were kind of open air buildings. There was a police station. I went in and asked the guys with big guns if they had a restroom I could use. They didn’t speak English, but understood. They pointed to an archway with a partial wooden door. I opened it and was now outside in a dark alley. It was like a hallway with no ceiling. It was damp and dirty and full of trash and there was a nasty drippy faucet- probably more “DRINKING WATER” . There was a drain in the ground that was just so gross. And the door to the toilet. It was just a hole in the ground. No toilet. Not even like a port-a-potty here with a ‘toilet’ that leads to a hole. It was just a filthy, stinky room with a hole in the ground and door. Good think I bring wipes and hand cleanser. NASTY. The holes in the ground in the country side of China were a lot nicer than this!
After I came out, the little boy with the necklaces was STILL there trying t get my husband to buy something. Neither of us does well with pressure. We need a quiet minute to think. We crossed the street to this tower thing. Looked like an old bell tower. We bought a ticket (about $3) and went in to have a look. And for quiet.
There was teeny, narrow twisted stairwell that led to the top. It was dark and the steps were VERY steep. The spiral was very tight. You could see a few steps ahead. And there is no way a chubby person could go up them. Brian went up and I stayed. I get pretty claustrophobic and after yesterday’s asthma stuff and the pressing crowd today, I was feeling claustrophobic out on the streets!
I called up to Brian that I would try to come up in a few minutes. I stood and 2 men came and went up. I looked up, took a deep breath, stepped back out, and took another deep breath.. OI repeated that about 10 times. Then I tried a few steps… and came back…. But then I just did it. I thought I was going to die. I could barely breathe and was so panicky. There was a teeny window every few twists and I would stick my head out and breath. The steps kept ascending higher and higher and there seemed to be no end. I kept getting to the break of a panic attack and would tell myself it was just around the next turn…… about 20 turns later I came out in the open.
I walked around and couldn’t find Brian. Some guard said he recognized me from the Hyderabad conference and was very talkative and was going to show me around. I felt scared and turned him down and walked away.
A young couple stopped me and asked to take their picture. I did. Then the man wanted to take a picture of me with his wife (or girlfriend). I was in a little well with a HUGE window- almost open doorway, which opened to the floor below….. WAY BELOW at the bottom of the tower. Next thing I know there were 8 other people crowded in and pushing and wanted my picture or to take theirs and I couldn’t breath and was afraid they’d push me over the edge to my bloody demise! (Brian got upset when I admitted to him, finally, how paranoid and depressed the meds made me)
I saw Brian across the open area and called him over. I pushed my way through the crowd of picture mongers and saw Brian and about burst into tears. Then we had to WALK DOWN that horrible stairwell!! And this time I was boxed in front and back with people. I was starting to hyperventilate and saying “I can’t! I can’t do it!!”. The couple in front of us were Americans and Brian told them I was claustrophobic and they stayed a few steps ahead and talked me down, telling me what was next, the turns and windows, etc…. and Brian stayed about 4 steps behind me to give me room.
At the bottom I just sat on the floor in the open area and rested. It was kind of quiet- thought loud just outside. It was nice and the floor was cool. After about 30 minutes we left.
The little boy was still there. Brian bought a necklace from him. As he got out money to pay, an old man JUMPED up and grabbed my husbands hand with the money and was trying to take it! This kind of freaked me out, esp after my last little adventure! Brian seemed OK. He’s very, very calm and even-keeled. A police man saw the scuffle and came over and yelled at the man and pushed him away. The old man broke my necklace Brian just bought (for $3..LOL).
The we met the girls and drove to the airport
India Posts: India Post #1 --- India Post #2 ---India Post #3 ---India Post #4--- India Post #5 --- India #6 ---India #7 --- India #8 --- India #9 --- India #10 --- India #11 --- India #12 --- India post #13))
After our little experience at the Fort our driver took us to a nice restaurant. It was a 3 story building. When we walked in the man asked us what type of cuisine we wanted and directed us to the appropriate level in the building. The second floor was India Cuisine. The table was very low and so were the chairs. The food was delicious.
After that was probably one of the worst experiences of the whole trip. Shopping at Chalimar. It was so crowded. There were so many people that the cars could barely drive down the road. The people were all following us and begging us and pulling us to go to their stand. It was loud and confusing. The streets reeked of filth and urine. A little boy followed us, right on our heels, asking us to buy a necklace. They just badger and beg right up in your face over and over and over and over. The little boy was cute. Soon an older boy came up to him and started pushing him and yelling at him and then trying to sell HIS stuff to us. He was pushing the little boy away so we’d buy from HIM! One of the men at one of the booths said something very harsh to him and he possibly threatened him and he left the little boy alone, but hung around.
My bladder was about to explode. There are no buildings really, just booths along the streets. And little back allies. We actually came to a street with some government buildings. They were kind of open air buildings. There was a police station. I went in and asked the guys with big guns if they had a restroom I could use. They didn’t speak English, but understood. They pointed to an archway with a partial wooden door. I opened it and was now outside in a dark alley. It was like a hallway with no ceiling. It was damp and dirty and full of trash and there was a nasty drippy faucet- probably more “DRINKING WATER” . There was a drain in the ground that was just so gross. And the door to the toilet. It was just a hole in the ground. No toilet. Not even like a port-a-potty here with a ‘toilet’ that leads to a hole. It was just a filthy, stinky room with a hole in the ground and door. Good think I bring wipes and hand cleanser. NASTY. The holes in the ground in the country side of China were a lot nicer than this!
After I came out, the little boy with the necklaces was STILL there trying t get my husband to buy something. Neither of us does well with pressure. We need a quiet minute to think. We crossed the street to this tower thing. Looked like an old bell tower. We bought a ticket (about $3) and went in to have a look. And for quiet.
There was teeny, narrow twisted stairwell that led to the top. It was dark and the steps were VERY steep. The spiral was very tight. You could see a few steps ahead. And there is no way a chubby person could go up them. Brian went up and I stayed. I get pretty claustrophobic and after yesterday’s asthma stuff and the pressing crowd today, I was feeling claustrophobic out on the streets!
I called up to Brian that I would try to come up in a few minutes. I stood and 2 men came and went up. I looked up, took a deep breath, stepped back out, and took another deep breath.. OI repeated that about 10 times. Then I tried a few steps… and came back…. But then I just did it. I thought I was going to die. I could barely breathe and was so panicky. There was a teeny window every few twists and I would stick my head out and breath. The steps kept ascending higher and higher and there seemed to be no end. I kept getting to the break of a panic attack and would tell myself it was just around the next turn…… about 20 turns later I came out in the open.
I walked around and couldn’t find Brian. Some guard said he recognized me from the Hyderabad conference and was very talkative and was going to show me around. I felt scared and turned him down and walked away.
A young couple stopped me and asked to take their picture. I did. Then the man wanted to take a picture of me with his wife (or girlfriend). I was in a little well with a HUGE window- almost open doorway, which opened to the floor below….. WAY BELOW at the bottom of the tower. Next thing I know there were 8 other people crowded in and pushing and wanted my picture or to take theirs and I couldn’t breath and was afraid they’d push me over the edge to my bloody demise! (Brian got upset when I admitted to him, finally, how paranoid and depressed the meds made me)
I saw Brian across the open area and called him over. I pushed my way through the crowd of picture mongers and saw Brian and about burst into tears. Then we had to WALK DOWN that horrible stairwell!! And this time I was boxed in front and back with people. I was starting to hyperventilate and saying “I can’t! I can’t do it!!”. The couple in front of us were Americans and Brian told them I was claustrophobic and they stayed a few steps ahead and talked me down, telling me what was next, the turns and windows, etc…. and Brian stayed about 4 steps behind me to give me room.
At the bottom I just sat on the floor in the open area and rested. It was kind of quiet- thought loud just outside. It was nice and the floor was cool. After about 30 minutes we left.
The little boy was still there. Brian bought a necklace from him. As he got out money to pay, an old man JUMPED up and grabbed my husbands hand with the money and was trying to take it! This kind of freaked me out, esp after my last little adventure! Brian seemed OK. He’s very, very calm and even-keeled. A police man saw the scuffle and came over and yelled at the man and pushed him away. The old man broke my necklace Brian just bought (for $3..LOL).
The we met the girls and drove to the airport
India Posts: India Post #1 --- India Post #2 ---India Post #3 ---India Post #4--- India Post #5 --- India #6 ---India #7 --- India #8 --- India #9 --- India #10 --- India #11 --- India #12 --- India post #13))
Monday, October 22, 2007
we are lunch break- So I have time to post what we did this morning:(my boys are 11, 12.5, 14). 3 links included.
Monday October 22, 2007
Breakfast at 8:30
School at 9.
Read to boys: Jesus Freaks
Brain Gym (Cris Crosses, water, Elephant 8s & Deep Breathing, water, Body scales, water, Hook-Ups)
Spelling. C&G copy from the board. I sit with Ki and write o ut one word at a time for him- to show how one word can be made into the next word (except for a couple that are not in the spelling pattern.
C&Gs words- they build on their words throughout the week I do not write the words with the dashes- but I write them on the board so the ink word lines up with the /ink’ in the other words (same w/ ‘ought’)
--Ink
-Sinker
Stinking
Thinks
--ought
-Bought
thoughts
Coughing
Catch-caught
Fight-fought
Stink-stank
Ki’s words:
--Ink
-Sinker
Stinky
Thinking
-Winked
Happy
Allergy
Fluffy*
October
September*
*words chosen by Ki himself. (sequential spelling link)
Ki choose to write in his story. Mid year, last year he developed a sudden interest in writing. He has ALWAYS loved telling stories, but had not written much till then. He decided to write. He’ll write then from time to time, he’ll ask me to ‘spellcheck his work’ We live in such a computer age…LOL. If he is playing and I ask him to go do something for me- he says “ok. I’ll pause my game” like his playing with action figures or telling stories (its his favorite past time) are computer games with a pause button.
10 O’clock- Ki is writing. Gavin is showering, Connor is reading. I took a walk.
Then Math, proceeded by Leg Extensions- a Brain gym activity good to do before math.
Ki did Math Dice with 2 fractions dice. 8 addition problems and 5 subtraction problems.
With Gavin and Connor I did an algebra lesson from our Cliff Notes Book . *Changing fractions to decimals- decimals to fractions and fractions to percent. They did well.
Math class was about an 40 minutes. We were done by 11:20- Lunch Time. i hope to be finished with school by 2:30 or 3
Monday October 22, 2007
Breakfast at 8:30
School at 9.
Read to boys: Jesus Freaks
Brain Gym (Cris Crosses, water, Elephant 8s & Deep Breathing, water, Body scales, water, Hook-Ups)
Spelling. C&G copy from the board. I sit with Ki and write o ut one word at a time for him- to show how one word can be made into the next word (except for a couple that are not in the spelling pattern.
C&Gs words- they build on their words throughout the week I do not write the words with the dashes- but I write them on the board so the ink word lines up with the /ink’ in the other words (same w/ ‘ought’)
--Ink
-Sinker
Stinking
Thinks
--ought
-Bought
thoughts
Coughing
Catch-caught
Fight-fought
Stink-stank
Ki’s words:
--Ink
-Sinker
Stinky
Thinking
-Winked
Happy
Allergy
Fluffy*
October
September*
*words chosen by Ki himself. (sequential spelling link)
Ki choose to write in his story. Mid year, last year he developed a sudden interest in writing. He has ALWAYS loved telling stories, but had not written much till then. He decided to write. He’ll write then from time to time, he’ll ask me to ‘spellcheck his work’ We live in such a computer age…LOL. If he is playing and I ask him to go do something for me- he says “ok. I’ll pause my game” like his playing with action figures or telling stories (its his favorite past time) are computer games with a pause button.
10 O’clock- Ki is writing. Gavin is showering, Connor is reading. I took a walk.
Then Math, proceeded by Leg Extensions- a Brain gym activity good to do before math.
Ki did Math Dice with 2 fractions dice. 8 addition problems and 5 subtraction problems.
With Gavin and Connor I did an algebra lesson from our Cliff Notes Book . *Changing fractions to decimals- decimals to fractions and fractions to percent. They did well.
Math class was about an 40 minutes. We were done by 11:20- Lunch Time. i hope to be finished with school by 2:30 or 3
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