RosieKat
Drama Llama
PeaJect #12
Posts: 5,538
Jun 25, 2014 19:28:04 GMT
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Post by RosieKat on Apr 15, 2022 15:29:19 GMT
So for various reasons, we have decided that it is necessary to pull my 7th grade son from public school immediately. Because it is so late in the year (5 weeks left in our school calendar), the only real option is homeschool, and I am mentally prepared for that commitment. I have the state legalities covered, but am looking for any good tips on how to implement this. At this time, we are not looking to this as a long-term fix but just as a way to finish out this school year. I may add on some time on the end (like go through the end of June) if we are making progress, but that would be more to help fill any gaps we find.
I have gotten workbooks that cover the required topics for his age, and he and I are going to start going through those on Monday by figuring out what he has learned and where his weaknesses are. (As far as I know, he is basically on-level, not gifted though very intelligent, nor deficient.) But obviously, 4 hours of workbooks each day aren't going to cut it for many reasons. I'm subscribing to iXL as he's used that with success at school. I have a couple of mini-field trips planned - not anything huge, again this is only 5 weeks, but these will address a lot of academics as well as getting out of the house. And we're hitting the library for some good books for free reading and for a more official one to read and analyze together.
Any other easy tips, websites, simple things that have worked to shake it up, things I should look into? I'm trying to do this thoroughly but without the all-in insanity that I would have if I were looking at planning several weeks/months ahead and doing this for the upcoming full year - trying to balance the need for "quick and dirty" with the desire for quality, if you will. Thanks!
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Post by christine58 on Apr 15, 2022 15:40:49 GMT
Check and see if there are any homeschooling groups in your area. I bet that they would be able to help you out with a lot of ideas
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Post by Merge on Apr 15, 2022 15:51:20 GMT
Would he be able to transfer to Texas Connections academy? It’s the free fully online public school here in TX.
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dawnnikol
Prolific Pea
'A life without books is a life not lived.' Jay Kristoff
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Sept 21, 2015 18:39:25 GMT
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Post by dawnnikol on Apr 15, 2022 15:57:46 GMT
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Deleted
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Oct 7, 2024 9:26:12 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2022 16:13:19 GMT
Look at the standards for each core subject. Then look at what is coming in 8th grade at the start.
Reach out to teachers to see what they suggest. Many will respond and help.
Add in breaks.
Start life skills - cooking, baking, banking, laundry, grocery shopping, budgets, etc.
Go on field trips and incorporate hands on learning.
My ds is SDC and homeschooling along with a district 1:1 SDC teacher so he keeps services. We do a lot of hands on activities as well as life skills. He loves to make muffins even though he can't eat them.
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Post by tentoes on Apr 15, 2022 17:22:07 GMT
Good luck to you!
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zztop11
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,537
Oct 10, 2014 0:54:51 GMT
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Post by zztop11 on Apr 15, 2022 17:38:39 GMT
I was a health education teacher for 10 years. Take a look at teenhealth.org. There are different parts to their website. Very good information. I also taught home economics for 20 years. You can do some cooking with him. From there he can learn about the history of the food, double or half the recipe for math. Even learning about food science. Start googling and you'll find lots of good stuff. Myplate.gov is a great place to start.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 7, 2024 9:26:12 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2022 17:52:36 GMT
I was a health education teacher for 10 years. Take a look at teenhealth.org. There are different parts to their website. Very good information. I also taught home economics for 20 years. You can do some cooking with him. From there he can learn about the history of the food, double or half the recipe for math. Even learning about food science. Start googling and you'll find lots of good stuff. Myplate.gov is a great place to start. DD loves that site. And while she is 19 still accesses it for certain things she wants to learn about. I was a great tool we used for specific health needs and allowed her to get some information to ask good questions.
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Post by silverlining on Apr 15, 2022 18:17:38 GMT
I'm guessing that your son has had some bad experiences in school recently, and is now going to be making a big adjustment to being at home. Go easy on him. Talk to him about what he most wants to learn to do, the time of day he feels he learns the best. Help him recognize all the stuff he already has learned and doesn't need to repeat.
What are his hobbies or ideas he loves to think about? Let's say he likes baseball-he can read and summarize the biography of a famous player, imagine he's the agent for his favorite player and write a persuasive essay about why he should be paid 30 million dollars, do a statistical analysis of team batting averages this year with the DH rule change, etc. He's developing 8th grade skills, with content that is engaging to him.
You will learn a lot about how he learns best. Some kids do great with worksheets, some crave something with more creativity, many need lots of outside, moving around time. If loves to use computers in his free time, plays video games to connect with his friends, try to have some school activities that are not computer-based, or don't require sitting all day.
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Post by bc2ca on Apr 15, 2022 19:05:14 GMT
I'm sorry you are at this point, but kudos to you and your DH to making the decision to move him out of the current situation now. My tips are to keep to a schedule and look at integrating subjects as much as possible with a major project on something that interests him within the curriculum. You can knockoff history, science and English requirements with researching and writing a paper or producing a presentation.
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Post by fiddlesticks on Apr 15, 2022 19:28:50 GMT
I would suggest looking on Outschool! There are so many classes on there on every topic imaginable. You can look for one time classes or a series. We have been homeschooling my DD for 5 years and she loves her Outschool classes.
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Post by volunteergirl on Apr 15, 2022 19:55:12 GMT
Former 7th grade teacher here.
Find out about any end-of-course exams that he will need to take. Also find out about any state testing that he has to take. Review for those. Finish out whatever unit of work he is doing in his classes.
I would absolutely not start anything new. Your idea to assess him for weaknesses is a great one. That is what I would focus on when you are coming up with work to do. A mini author study could cover several requirements.
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RosieKat
Drama Llama
PeaJect #12
Posts: 5,538
Jun 25, 2014 19:28:04 GMT
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Post by RosieKat on Apr 16, 2022 2:21:26 GMT
Would he be able to transfer to Texas Connections academy? It’s the free fully online public school here in TX. No, they are no longer accepting applications for this year. No one is, even if they seem to indicate it on the website. I mean, I understand, just wish things were different. (In many, many ways!) We are actually talking with them for next year, though. ETA - some of the private ones are accepting students still, but you have to do the work at least from the beginning of the semester to catch up, too, and I don't think he's in the right place emotionally/mentally at the moment to do that.
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Post by tentoes on Apr 16, 2022 2:27:41 GMT
I would suggest looking on Outschool! There are so many classes on there on every topic imaginable. You can look for one time classes or a series. We have been homeschooling my DD for 5 years and she loves her Outschool classes. One of my daughters teaches on that medium.
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Post by Linda on Apr 16, 2022 2:32:30 GMT
honestly? I would have him read, read, read. I would read aloud to him (at my house that would be history stuff but whatever interests him/you). Do some maths - make sure he's where he needs to be before 8th grade. But other than that? Maybe some documentaries on TV (history, science) and some hands-on stuff (has he tried the pringles circle? we had a fun time with that last year - I homeschooled my youngest for 8th grade). But for 5 weeks - focus on just keeping him interested in learning (or get him back into being interested) and deal with any fallout from why you're pulling him out
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RosieKat
Drama Llama
PeaJect #12
Posts: 5,538
Jun 25, 2014 19:28:04 GMT
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Post by RosieKat on Apr 16, 2022 2:32:54 GMT
Former 7th grade teacher here. Find out about any end-of-course exams that he will need to take. Also find out about any state testing that he has to take. Review for those. Finish out whatever unit of work he is doing in his classes. I would absolutely not start anything new. Your idea to assess him for weaknesses is a great one. That is what I would focus on when you are coming up with work to do. A mini author study could cover several requirements. Thank you! He's actually good for the standardized testing this year. Although this did not factor into our decision, those are scheduled for about 2-3 weeks from now but because he is now homeschooled, he's exempt. I'm just as glad because although I'm not categorically against standardized testing, I have some real issues with the ones they use in Texas. I had him pick one modern classic and one older classic out of a list of 8th grade appropriate books that we will read and analyze together. I think he has chosen Maze Runner (I'm a former unofficial school librarian helper, so I've read many of the modern YA classics) and Animal Farm, which I had suggested because he is interested in history and politics, so we can make that more of a unit study. We've always tried to integrate learning into everyday life anyway, but now I'm really emphasizing it with him. For example, we need to buy sealant for the deck. I gave him the job of measuring the deck, figuring out the total area of it (requires breaking it into separate geometric figures, figuring out their areas, adding them back together), and doing the math to figure out how many cans we need. Not the biggest deal in the world, but let's be real, it's the kind of math most of us need on an everyday basis anyway, and the kinds of stuff we often forget to teach our kids. (And yeah, I will be double checking the math on this one for sure! )
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RosieKat
Drama Llama
PeaJect #12
Posts: 5,538
Jun 25, 2014 19:28:04 GMT
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Post by RosieKat on Apr 16, 2022 2:45:06 GMT
Thank you all for the suggestions, and also for the affirmation that I don't need to overly stress about this. This is honestly a huge mental adjustment for me as well as feeling like I've failed him as a parent. (Without going into all the details, we've been concerned about his transition to middle school since the beginning, and while he had made some poor choices, it is also a situation where the school has not provided the support he needs nor that we've been asking for.)
He and I went out to lunch on Wednesday and planned out our rules and mutual expectations for school, so that we had clear expectations. Yesterday he went with me to the teacher store and to Half Price Books to see if there's stuff he'd like to learn about. I'm definitely going to come at a lot of things from a history orientation since that naturally interests him. We'll figure it out somehow! But I appreciate the tips here - there is so much information available out there, and I simply don't have the time to wade through it all since I plan to officially start on Monday. Eeks. Oh well, parenting...whatcha gonna do?
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Post by Merge on Apr 16, 2022 2:56:55 GMT
Would he be able to transfer to Texas Connections academy? It’s the free fully online public school here in TX. No, they are no longer accepting applications for this year. No one is, even if they seem to indicate it on the website. I mean, I understand, just wish things were different. (In many, many ways!) We are actually talking with them for next year, though. ETA - some of the private ones are accepting students still, but you have to do the work at least from the beginning of the semester to catch up, too, and I don't think he's in the right place emotionally/mentally at the moment to do that. That seems so unfair - especially for the public option. If you moved to our neighborhood, our school would be required to accept him and get him acclimated. We can't just say no. Seems like any school taking public funding should have to do the same. But you've gotten good advice - most schools are doing review/enrichment at this point in the year, so don't worry too much about adding new material.
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Post by Basket1lady on Apr 16, 2022 12:18:43 GMT
Former 7th grade teacher here. Find out about any end-of-course exams that he will need to take. Also find out about any state testing that he has to take. Review for those. Finish out whatever unit of work he is doing in his classes. I would absolutely not start anything new. Your idea to assess him for weaknesses is a great one. That is what I would focus on when you are coming up with work to do. A mini author study could cover several requirements. Thank you! He's actually good for the standardized testing this year. Although this did not factor into our decision, those are scheduled for about 2-3 weeks from now but because he is now homeschooled, he's exempt. I'm just as glad because although I'm not categorically against standardized testing, I have some real issues with the ones they use in Texas. I had him pick one modern classic and one older classic out of a list of 8th grade appropriate books that we will read and analyze together. I think he has chosen Maze Runner (I'm a former unofficial school librarian helper, so I've read many of the modern YA classics) and Animal Farm, which I had suggested because he is interested in history and politics, so we can make that more of a unit study. We've always tried to integrate learning into everyday life anyway, but now I'm really emphasizing it with him. For example, we need to buy sealant for the deck. I gave him the job of measuring the deck, figuring out the total area of it (requires breaking it into separate geometric figures, figuring out their areas, adding them back together), and doing the math to figure out how many cans we need. Not the biggest deal in the world, but let's be real, it's the kind of math most of us need on an everyday basis anyway, and the kinds of stuff we often forget to teach our kids. (And yeah, I will be double checking the math on this one for sure! ) I think these are great ideas! I'm not sure what happened, but I will say that our DS was bullied in 6th grade and physically assaulted. We filed charges against a 12 year old! I VERY carefully vetted the next school and met with both the principal or VP as well as the counselor before enrolling DS in our favorite school ever. They did a wonderful job working with him and his self confidence, as well as building skills to help him avoid being the target. Those skills carried him over well and he did very well in HS. But I sure did feel like I had failed my child as I chose the school where the bullying happened. You aren't a bad mom--the school failed him, not you. I never formally homeschooled, but did do a lot of enrichment learning at home, especially during the summer. We're a military family and moved almost every year when the kids were young. They repeated some material and skipped over other because things like the state capitols are taught in one grade and then in another grade in another state. It sounds like your goal is to get him to like learning again (notice I didn't say to like school again!) With only 5 weeks left, teachers are reviewing for testing and teaching off the curriculum--stuff they find interesting. My kids were both gifted learners, but I wanted to make them curious learners. The types of people who will go looking for an answer and who want more than a one sentence answer. I love the idea of the deck project. He can also look for tips, what kind of brushes to use with the sealant, brushes vs rollers, time estimates to complete the project, etc. You are right--that's the kind of math that most of us need on a daily basis. Animal Farm is a great option and ties into current events. Be sure to read it again yourself, as there are things that we forget. Another idea is map reading. This uses a lot of math skills. Plan a route and then drive it, using only a paper map. Show scale on a map, main vs secondary roads, using a compass, soft targets (turn after x street), overshooting (if you get to y street, you've gone too far), etc. Some sporting goods stores like REI offer an orienteering class that would be great for this. He can rewire a lamp socket. It's actually fairly easy and you can find out how on Youtube. If you have nice lamps, a thrift store/tag sale lamp is a cheap option. Watch a Mythbusters episode and recreate it safely at home. Or find a new experiment to try at home. All of the science fair fun without the drudgery!
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maryannscraps
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,791
Aug 28, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
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Post by maryannscraps on Apr 16, 2022 12:54:34 GMT
Check out pbs learning media for videos on lots of topics that can be used for jumping off or following up on a topic. You can filter on grade level and topic and keyword. A lot of the clips have discussion support questions.
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RosieKat
Drama Llama
PeaJect #12
Posts: 5,538
Jun 25, 2014 19:28:04 GMT
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Post by RosieKat on Apr 16, 2022 14:07:47 GMT
He can rewire a lamp socket. It's actually fairly easy and you can find out how on Youtube. If you have nice lamps, a thrift store/tag sale lamp is a cheap option. Extra good suggestion here as his favorite lamp just broke! And DH has lots of electrical knowledge, so although I shouldn't go anywhere near it, he can!
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Post by Basket1lady on Apr 16, 2022 16:08:50 GMT
He can rewire a lamp socket. It's actually fairly easy and you can find out how on Youtube. If you have nice lamps, a thrift store/tag sale lamp is a cheap option. Extra good suggestion here as his favorite lamp just broke! And DH has lots of electrical knowledge, so although I shouldn't go anywhere near it, he can! I actually about 10-15 years ago did this when DH was deployed. I’d broken a light bulb off in the base and i just couldn’t get it out for love or money. I replaced the socket with YouTube directions and it’s still going strong! It’s even better if your DH has electrical knowledge because he can explain what’s going on.
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Apr 16, 2022 19:19:18 GMT
basket1lady and everyone else too. Broken light bulb in the lamp socket. First unplug the lamp. Try pressing a cut potato on the broken bulb and twist it out. Sometimes it works very well, but not always.
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Post by Basket1lady on Apr 16, 2022 21:37:32 GMT
basket1lady and everyone else too. Broken light bulb in the lamp socket. First unplug the lamp. Try pressing a cut potato on the broken bulb and twist it out. Sometimes it works very well, but not always. I did that but it didn’t work! Luckily, it was a cheap fix.
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Apr 16, 2022 22:03:16 GMT
basket1lady and everyone else too. Broken light bulb in the lamp socket. First unplug the lamp. Try pressing a cut potato on the broken bulb and twist it out. Sometimes it works very well, but not always. I did that but it didn’t work! Luckily, it was a cheap fix. I know I have wired lamps. Parts are reasonable and come with directions, easy to do
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Post by mom on Apr 16, 2022 22:32:51 GMT
No real advice, but just wanted to know I am rooting for you!
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luckyjune
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,687
Location: In the rainy, rainy WA
Jul 22, 2017 4:59:41 GMT
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Post by luckyjune on Apr 16, 2022 23:10:57 GMT
Former 7th ELA teacher here. I encourage you to have your son start writing like a writer. NOT test prep writing, NOT essay writing, but writing to tell an important story or to share something he believes. Maybe even use it to process whatever has caused this strife with school. When kids learn they have something to say, their writing blooms and as a bonus, it does help all of the academic writing he'll have to do in the future. I'm happy to share ideas.
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RosieKat
Drama Llama
PeaJect #12
Posts: 5,538
Jun 25, 2014 19:28:04 GMT
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Post by RosieKat on Apr 17, 2022 2:07:00 GMT
I encourage you to have your son start writing like a writer. Something I hadn't thought of until you wrote this - He used to write for fun a lot. In the last couple of years, it's become a job and an obligation for school, so he never writes for enjoyment any more. He was always fairly skilled for his age, too, but it's as if becoming exposed to all the rules and specifications of writing for specific purposes has numbed him to the joy he found in writing. Maybe this is a time to get him just to write ANYTHING for 15 minutes every day, without restriction or rules. I can still have him write specific academic responses for other purposes, but maybe one of those assignments needs to be "Write. Anything."
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Post by mrsscrapdiva on Apr 17, 2022 2:34:39 GMT
I just wanted to drop in and cheer you on too! There are a lot of great ideas here and I think you sounds like you are on the road to success with homeschooling the rest of the school year. I don't know your situation but as a mom, I say Kudos to you to doing what you needed to do, you are not failing him at all.
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luckyjune
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,687
Location: In the rainy, rainy WA
Jul 22, 2017 4:59:41 GMT
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Post by luckyjune on Apr 17, 2022 3:43:44 GMT
I encourage you to have your son start writing like a writer. Something I hadn't thought of until you wrote this - He used to write for fun a lot. In the last couple of years, it's become a job and an obligation for school, so he never writes for enjoyment any more. He was always fairly skilled for his age, too, but it's as if becoming exposed to all the rules and specifications of writing for specific purposes has numbed him to the joy he found in writing. Maybe this is a time to get him just to write ANYTHING for 15 minutes every day, without restriction or rules. I can still have him write specific academic responses for other purposes, but maybe one of those assignments needs to be "Write. Anything." Sometimes and especially if kids have become (as you put it) numbed to writing (my inner teacher is CRYING right now) free writing or journaling is just another writing demand. They've already lost the fire, so why bother? I'd really focus having a purpose for writing and his story. Have him write something that is meaningful to him. For example, I used to have my students choose a possession they've kept for a long time. After thinking about why they've held on that particular object, I ask them to write the story around it. Their job is to show a reader why the object is important and they cannot begin with "I've had my teddy bear for eight years. I have kept it because..." They get lots of examples to read and then they write their own. Just something to consider.
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