Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Embarrassed, but how to start a summer HS program?

I am new here. The DDs were recently tested, now I see that I could be doing much more for them. I think that this summer I will do a mini home school program. DDs are 9 and 5. I was thinking that I'd do maybe just an hour or two a day? The DD9 is weakest in math, not over grade level by more than a year, if that. Her language arts are silly great, I don't need much there. DD5 isn't used to much formal work, has not started K yet, but is reading and loves to write emails. How should I start? Is there a relatively easy home school starter kit or something :), seriously, I don't just want to go to the school supply store and start buying things when I have such expertise here! Thanks, y'all.

Well, I don't know what your homeschool philosophy is, and much depends on that. What works for me--an eclectic, child-led, secular homeschooler--would be totally wrong for you if you are an unschooler or a school-at-homer. (If that means nothing to you, you might check out this: http://www.homeschooldiner.com/guide/intro/approaches.html )

But I can tell you what works for us, and then you can ignore anything you don't like.

I usually try to do one or two school-type things per day in the summer. More if it's yucky outside and the neighborhood kids are gone, maybe less if it's a lovely day and the kids want to go play outside. As long as they are running around and having fun (and not in my hair!), then I don't worry about school too much.

I usually plan to work on computer-oriented, fun-type stuff: typing lessons in game form, math games, science online, foreign language, etc. I also require 15-30 minutes of reading for pleasure, 15 minutes of piano practice, and 20 items put away in their rooms/the house in the morning, usually before I'm even out of bed and dealing with them. If that's all they got done all day, I'd really be okay with that.

They usually do lots of creative stuff on their own: art, writing, creating games out of paper, etc. That stuff is very child-led. I keep my nose out of it, mostly.

I make sure to have lots of educational stuff around and accessible, but I don't usually require it of them in the summer. Just enough work done so they don't forget what they know. I hate review time!

But I confess that I mostly make summers for outdoor exploration and play. If they complain about being bored, then I start giving them more school work. I don't think that has ever happened. My kids are--happily!--pretty good at keeping themselves entertained.

I wouldn't recommend spending a lot of money....try this sale at Prufrock:

http://giftedissues.davidsongifted....47/Prufrock_web_only_sale.html#Post44647

Also, Singaporemaths.com check out their clearance, there are some science books.

We did this last year and it was great.

The Marine Science books are pretty good and at $.99 a piece you could get one for each daughter at two different grade levels.

I really like Aleks math for your DD9. You can start at level three, but move her up anytime you like, there is a lot of overlap between 3 and 4. The program generates great progress report and you can customize the reports to synch up to your state's standards.

Make it fun! My girls loved it last year, we'll do a variety of things this year as well. At least an hour, otherwise, they get bored and into too much trouble.

Neato

You could pick a unit study from here that the kids are interested in: http://www.currclick.com/index.php

Or do a few free lapbooks from here: http://www.homeschoolshare.com/Lapbooks_at_HSS.php

Hi, elizabethmom,

Welcome! I hope you will like it here a lot--I've only been around a few months, but I really enjoy this community.

One thing that occurs to me is Julie Brennan's Living Math site ( www.livingmath.net ). She has wonderful lists of "living" (i.e. not textbook/workbook thingys) math books, all sorted chronologically and by topic and approximate level. It's an excellent resource for helping you locate fun math stuff, which might be something you would perhaps enjoy in the summertime. There's a nice blog at www.funschooling.net with lots of good booklists (strongest in "living" science books, I would say). Maybe a trip to the public library armed with some good lists would get you off to a good start?

Also, since it's going to be summer, maybe some outdoor projects would be fun--map-reading/making, nature sketching, birdwatching, woodworking? You could likely work a little/a lot of math into any of those, I would think!

peace
minnie

Wow Kriston... didn't realize that we were officially "unschooling" this entire time. I thought that was just a cute phrase we used on the boards. Thanks for that link.

JB

Thanks, all, it will take me a while to carefully review all of these great recommendations, which is a "chore" that I will really enjoy.
What do you all think of this link - not formal enough?
http://www.ixl.com/math/practice/

My DD9 goes to a regular school during the year and a pull out at another school one day a week, DD5 goes to a regular preschool, so we are new to HS ideas.

Elizabethmom, we're in a similar situation with DS6 (1st) who goes to an all day pull out about 1x every 6 school days. We do a lot of informal unschooling at home and during this summer we'll likely (loosely) go through Life of Fred math books and other things. Maybe so some advanced biology (an interest) but it'll all be very informal and flexible. We'll definitely visit several museums as time permits.

FWIW.

JB

My concern is that they (at least DD9) is used to doing her own thing at home after school and on weekends, not any formal schooling. I'd like to get in some real curriculum this summer, as I think that she has become accustomed to everything being easy, since she didn't skip a grade. The one day GT program is not "academics" but enrichment. So, there is no push at all, nothing that is hard or challenging. If I have a real plan and a real curriculum, even if it is part time, it will, I think, be better than letting her guide me, so we don't argue over having to do math. KWIM?

Well, keep in mind that "curriculum" just means "stuff that kids should learn." It can be formal and workbook-oriented if that suits you and your daughter, but it certainly doesn't *have* to be in order for her to be working hard and learning a lot.

I guess what I'm saying is that you shouldn't equate "formal" with "rigorous." We're actually teetering on the brink of unschooling in our approach--I need a bit more control than that and DS7 needs a bit more direction, so we're not *quite* there--but DS7 is doing pre-algebra already. This is really amazing, I think, because when we started homeschooling in October of last year, he was pretty much at 1st-2nd grade level math. So you can see that it is possible to be relaxed in your approach and still be very rigorous in terms of academic challenge and progress.

If formal works for you and your daughter, that's great! But don't assume you have to do something formal. Sometimes kids push themselves harder than we would ever push them if we give them opportunities and let them follow what interests them.

But, like I said, what works for one homeschooler may be a dismal flop for another. You have to decide what suits your style and your child's way of learning.

How about asking her what she'd like to learn about and then finding some resources to meet those interests? She'll probably fight less about having to do it, learn more, and have more fun than she would if you just said "School time!"

If that doesn't work for you, no worries! You won't hurt my feelings or anything. It's just another approach that might solve the problems you're concerned about AND make the whole endeavor seem more like summer.