Homeschooling Parents - Page 14

Rico · #**131** 06-10-2008, 04:14 PM

Un update:

The materials we ordered arrived today.

My daughter and I just finished looking through the book and we are going to load the program on to the laptop tomorrow and away we go!! She is so excited! She hugged me, told me thank you, gave me a big old smooch on the cheek and everything, without me having to ask for it!!

AmazingGrace · #**132** 06-10-2008, 05:04 PM

what did you go with Rico?

Rico · #**133** 06-10-2008, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmazingGrace

what did you go with Rico?

I bought Switched on Schoolhouse's 3rd grade Math program and the Games For Math book by Peggy Kaye.

AmazingGrace · #**134** 06-10-2008, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rico

I bought Switched on Schoolhouse's 3rd grade Math program and the Games For Math book by Peggy Kaye.

awesome!!!

Rico · #**135** 06-11-2008, 06:37 PM

She did her first lesson today. I was there with her, to help her learn how to navigate the program. She did well. I need some advice though. How many hours a day, or lessons per day, do you think I should have her complete? I realize that learning how this program works slowed things down today quite a bit, but it still took her two hours to get it done. I am thinking of setting a 4-5 hour time limit on lessons, and however long she wants to play the games (funbrain, PK's book, etc.).

AmazingGrace · #**136** 06-11-2008, 09:29 PM

This is just my opinion but I would go with 3 hrs since thats what a course of summer school is... and let her possibly have one day off a week... 3 hrs a day or 2 hrs a day w no day off???? Of course off all weekends unless she choses otherwise I would think...

Rico · #**137** 06-11-2008, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmazingGrace

This is just my opinion but I would go with 3 hrs since thats what a course of summer school is... and let her possibly have one day off a week... 3 hrs a day or 2 hrs a day w no day off???? Of course off all weekends unless she choses otherwise I would think...

Well, I was hoping to squeeze the whole program into the summer. It's a school year's worth of work.

MissBrattified · #**138** 06-11-2008, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rico

She did her first lesson today. I was there with her, to help her learn how to navigate the program. She did well. I need some advice though. How many hours a day, or lessons per day, do you think I should have her complete? I realize that learning how this program works slowed things down today quite a bit, but it still took her two hours to get it done. I am thinking of setting a 4-5 hour time limit on lessons, and however long she wants to play the games (funbrain, PK's book, etc.).

How much of the summer do you want to spend on this program? How many lessons or units are there? Set it up on a logical timeframe based on either covering a certain number of units per day, or divide them among a few weeks. (e.g., if there are 25 units, plan on covering 1 per day for 4 weeks.)

Even though she does need to master this material, try not to make the schedule too demanding. If you do two hours, I would do an hour, take a break (20-30 minutes), and do the other hour. In my personal opinion, 4-5 hours is way too long to spend on a single subject. Children simply don't have an attention span that will hold out that long.

If you were covering multiple subjects, it would be different. It would preferable to move slowly, maybe make the first hour about completing a certain amount of work, and the second hour to review, go over the things she didn't understand, correct mistakes, etc.

Also, after a good night's rest, and a high protein-low sugar breakfast, morning or mid-morning is probably the best time to study.

AmazingGrace · #**139** 06-11-2008, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rico

Well, I was hoping to squeeze the whole program into the summer. It's a school year's worth of work.

It should possibly work... figure it I dont know how many units that one has but my son did a whole yr since Dec... so maybe??? But he is also in the structured environment of a church school

Rico · #**140** 06-11-2008, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

How much of the summer do you want to spend on this program? How many lessons or units are there? Set it up on a logical timeframe based on either covering a certain number of units per day, or divide them among a few weeks. (e.g., if there are 28 units, plan on covering 1 per day for 4 weeks.)

Even though she does need to master this material, try not to make the schedule too demanding. If you do two hours, I would do an hour, take a break (20-30 minutes), and do the other hour. In my personal opinion, 4-5 hours is way too long to spend on a single subject. Children simply don't have an attention span that will hold out that long.

If you were covering multiple subjects, it would be different.

Also, after a good night's rest, and a high protein breakfast-low sugar breakfast, morning or mid-morning is probably the best time to study.

Hmmmm. You have a point about her attention span. I hadn't really thought about how many breaks or how long they should be. She really wants to do this. She was drivin me nuts asking when it would arrive. I'd like to take advantage of her enthusiasm before she figures out this is work. lol