Homeschooling Parents

[nahkoe]

Originally Posted by Rico

Well, they are already out of school for the summer. Friday was their last day. I don't know that her teacher will be there next week, but I will call and give it a shot.

It's definitely worth a call. I hope you can talk to someone.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Rico

This is getting frustrating. I went to school of tomorrow and they offer diagnostic tests but they don't say what grade level it tests or anything.

The Math (as opposed to Intermediate Math) tests for 1st grade - 5th levels. (It doesn't matter if she gets to the 4th/5th grade parts and can't answer. They'll just start her where she stops performing.

Rico, just get the phone number from the site and call them. It's a really quick and easy process.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Rico

Ok, gang. Everyone keeps telling me to get her tested first, but how do I go about doing that? I am really in the dark with this sort of thing.

Rico, you don't have to get her tested.

You can also just go to bjupress.com and order 2nd and 3rd grade math books (teacher books and student editions) and go over those with her during the summer. I'm using curriculum from BJUpress for Hannah this coming year, and I really like it. The downside is, it's a lot more expensive. School of Tomorrow is easy, inexpensive, and their basic math is pretty effective and very easy for a child to understand. It's also a lot different format from your basic textbook style curriculum, so she might find that a lot more interesting.

[MissBrattified]

Hey, Rico, scratch the ordering tests thing...they have a free online diagnostic test. You have to register first, and I haven't used them myself, but its worth checking out.

http://www.schooloftomorrow.com/Default.aspx#

Scroll about halfway down, under "Student Placement", and click on "Free Online Diagnostic Test."

Make sure your browser allows pop-ups for the website before you try it.

--Okay, I registered myself...it doesn't work very well in Firefox, but IE works fine. I had to register, close the box, then log in before it would allow me to choose a subject and grade level. I would start the test at 1st grade and let her go as far as she can. (That way she has a lot of right answers under her belt before she starts having difficulty with anything--it's a self-esteem thing. )

If nothing else, Rico, you can observe the test, and jot down notes about which areas she seems to struggle with most, and then just help her with those areas. I would not help her with the test whatsoever. Anything she doesn't know the answer to or needs help discovering the answer to is material she needs to cover or review. Let her do it on her own, and be a silent (but interested) observer.

I recommend www.funbrain.com. There are math games kids can play according to their grade level. Some of the "arcade" games require quick estimating and basic conceptual skills. My girls never suspected a thing. LOL!

-----> Link to the Math Arcade at FunBrain

[Tina]

Rico, if you are interested you can look over on GNC in the homeschooling thread. Several of us shared links over there. There was stuff for just about every subject.

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Tina

Rico, if you are interested you can look over on GNC in the homeschooling thread. Several of us shared links over there. There was stuff for just about every subject.

Thanks. I am going to give these AOP folks a call tomorrow. I will explain the situation and see what they recommend. I let my daughter know today that I am going to get her a course on Math to do over the summer. If she still isn't performing up to par, I am going to seriously look at pulling her out of public school to homeschool her. The thought alone scares me.

[Margies3]

Rico,

I don't have anything to contribute to your thread, but I just wanted to say thank you for posting it. The information on here will be helpful to several others as well.

Thanks, brother!

[Rico]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Rico, you don't have to get her tested.

You can also just go to bjupress.com and order 2nd and 3rd grade math books (teacher books and student editions) and go over those with her during the summer. I'm using curriculum from BJUpress for Hannah this coming year, and I really like it. The downside is, it's a lot more expensive. School of Tomorrow is easy, inexpensive, and their basic math is pretty effective and very easy for a child to understand. It's also a lot different format from your basic textbook style curriculum, so she might find that a lot more interesting.

The problem I have with ACE is that this is the program they were using at this church school my son attended. He was supposedly an "A" type of student on the ACE program, but it turned out he was far behind other students in his grade level when we made the switch to public schools. It left me with a bad taste for ACE and church schools.

[Rico]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Hey, Rico, scratch the ordering tests thing...they have a free online diagnostic test. You have to register first, and I haven't used them myself, but its worth checking out.

http://www.schooloftomorrow.com/Default.aspx#

Scroll about halfway down, under "Student Placement", and click on "Free Online Diagnostic Test."

Make sure your browser allows pop-ups for the website before you try it.

--Okay, I registered myself...it doesn't work very well in Firefox, but IE works fine. I had to register, close the box, then log in before it would allow me to choose a subject and grade level. I would start the test at 1st grade and let her go as far as she can. (That way she has a lot of right answers under her belt before she starts having difficulty with anything--it's a self-esteem thing. )

If nothing else, Rico, you can observe the test, and jot down notes about which areas she seems to struggle with most, and then just help her with those areas. I would not help her with the test whatsoever. Anything she doesn't know the answer to or needs help discovering the answer to is material she needs to cover or review. Let her do it on her own, and be a silent (but interested) observer.

I recommend www.funbrain.com. There are math games kids can play according to their grade level. Some of the "arcade" games require quick estimating and basic conceptual skills. My girls never suspected a thing. LOL!

-----> Link to the Math Arcade at FunBrain

Funbrain is one of the "play" things I am going to encourage her to do. I checked it out and they make a game out of what they do. You are right. She will never know what's really going on! lol

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Margies3

Rico,

I don't have anything to contribute to your thread, but I just wanted to say thank you for posting it. The information on here will be helpful to several others as well.

Thanks, brother!

YW, Sister. The funny thing is that I am against homeschooling children just for the sake of homeschooling them. I think a person can really mess their kids up that way. But, I do believe, in certain circumstances, homeschooling may be the route to go. Never thought I might be facing one of those circumstances though.