Jessica

Hi... I'm new to this list, we took the kids out of public school last May after the school year ended (it ends early in Texas) and have been deschooling since... I got tired of the older 2 bringing home stuff related to the yearly achievement test.. from 3rd grade on, school became "all about the TAKS test, uhg)... we also moved (in December) & packing was a TON of work and we're still remodelling & living in the 2 finished rooms in the house...

We're still feeling our way with schooling/unschooling... at the outset, we tried using the Robinson curriculum but the math was Saxon math & the older boys used Saxon in school.. can you spell disaster? (One of my boys said that Saxon gave him some bad memories... ) Also they weren't interested in writing very much... I've been doing a lot of reading (a lot about waldorf & I have 2 or 3 books by John Holt & recently purchased Guerilla Learning by Lllewellyn Grace, would've gotten her other book but didn't know if it was mainly for teens...

All 3 of the older boys (11 yr old twins & an 8 year old) got their 6 hours for 6 flags reading done & next year all 4 of my boys will be eligible for the 6 flags reading program... I'm looking forward to watching them on the roller coasters, hehehe... (maybe I'll go on one, too!) The youngest (4-1/2) will be able to participate next year... (mostly reading aloud unless he teaches himself how to read)...

One of my boys is *very* interested in chemistry, wants a chemistry set & wants to fix up our camping trailer to use for a chemistry lab when we're not using it for camping... any suggestions for good chemistry books or maybe a good chemistry set or supplies or a book or website with good info for putting together our own? There are so many & my son wants test tubes/vials... someone on one of my homeschool email lists posted a ton of science books...will show him the list later...

Ren: I want to hear more about that signature shawl! Is there a story behind it? Did she make it? I can't see if it's knit, crocheted, woven or... but I'm guessing crocheted from the texture that I can see...or maybe it's garter stitch? It's gorgeous! I can't wear shawls, I get tangled up! <lol> Maybe when I'm out of the kiddo carrying stage... (I'm a knitter & weaver & whatever, as long as it's color...)


> I just wanted to share this link with everyone;
> http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=16ee6sof.60k8mler&Uy=cr4nii&Ux=0
>
> This is Kelli's pics of the conference. Lots of cute photos of Hannah
> and her family (there's one of Diana at Margaritaville, wearing her
> signature shawl) and friends.

Cheers,

Jessica

http://weavingrainbow.com
blog: http://weavingrainbow.com/blog

I do have a homeschool blog but have not posted a lot in it... so I didn't post the link...

Sandra Dodd

On Feb 15, 2006, at 3:58 AM, Jessica wrote:

> All 3 of the older boys (11 yr old twins & an 8 year old) got their
> 6 hours for 6 flags reading done & next year all 4 of my boys will
> be eligible for the 6 flags reading program... I'm looking forward
> to watching them on the roller coasters, hehehe... (maybe I'll go
> on one, too!) The youngest (4-1/2) will be able to participate next
> year... (mostly reading aloud unless he teaches himself how to
> read)...

It might be healthier for relationships and learning if you just take
them to Six Flags separate from reading hours and "rewards." http://
sandradodd.com/reading

Sandra

freasabird2003

LOL It may be "healthier", but a whole lot less expensive when you are
talking about taking a family with more than just one or two children
to an amusement park like Six Flags! Mine are also looking forward to
those free tickets to Six Flags! Without 'em, we probably couldn't
afford it!
~Wilda and the girls in northern Shenandoah valley VA
>
> It might be healthier for relationships and learning if you just
take
> them to Six Flags separate from reading hours and "rewards."
http://
> sandradodd.com/reading
>
> Sandra
>

nellebelle

>>>>>>>>>>>Mine are also looking forward to
> those free tickets to Six Flags! Without 'em, we probably couldn't
> afford it!>>>>>>>>>>>>

Maybe, but why keep track of the reading? Why not just fill it out and sign
off, rather than keeping track of minutes or pages?

We have used the pizza hut book it program. This comes with charts and
stars, but we just use the coupon for a free pizza.

I just got forms to get free kid's tickets to Silverwood (a water theme park
in Idaho). I'm just going to divide the required reading by the number of
days and fill in the chart.

My schooled nephew recently won his classroom's reading contest. The winner
was taken out for ice cream by the teacher. He is 10 and normally reads
books such as Redwall. During the contest he read short books because the
winner was the one who read the most "books" not pages or minutes. Not sure
what he really won in the long run there, but he did get the ice cream.

Mary Ellen

Nisha

--- In [email protected], "nellebelle"
<nellebelle@...> wrote:
Maybe, but why keep track of the reading? Why not just fill it out
and sign
> off, rather than keeping track of minutes or pages?


The sheet we have for this has places for the time spent reading. They
are supposed to get it in exchange for so many hours of reading. We
are doing it by counting our story times together, and other places.
Since my kids aren't reading on their own a lot yet, we are counting
their time being read to.
To do it the other way feels dishonest to me, so we are doing it this
way. We are sending in two sheets,(one for each kid with a different
parent listed) so we get two adult tickets out of the deal.
Nisha

Nisha

Or just keep track of the reading by making guesses, and not telling
the kids about it, just that you are going to be going to six flags
after the tickets or certificates come in. That way it isn't tied to
it for the kids.
Nisha


--- In [email protected], Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...>
wrote:
It might be healthier for relationships and learning if you just
take
> them to Six Flags separate from reading hours and "rewards."
http://
> sandradodd.com/reading
>
> Sandra
>

nellebelle

>>>>>>>>To do it the other way feels dishonest to me, so we are doing it
>>>>>>>>this
> way.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The point of these programs is supposed to be to encourage children to read.
I'm sure the company sponsers benefit, as they get business from the adults
bringing the children to redeem their "free" stuff and probably tax
deductions too.

My children live in a very reading friendly household. We have lots of
books, I read to them daily (they are 13 and 10). I get books from the
library and other sources. We listen to audiobooks together. None of that
is required, except for the bedtime reading which they practically require
me to do, lol. But I enjoy it very much.

I don't feel that I'm doing anything dishonest in making use of a program
that wants to give stuff to kids, even if we aren't using the program
exactly the way it was envisioned.

Mary Ellen

freasabird2003

Oops! Guess I forgot to say that I haven't kept track of exact
hours read and my kiddos aren't aware of that piece of
the "requirement" either. Like another mom here, we are all big
readers in our household, just because we like to read and be read
too, so I'm don't feel guilty in "guesstimating" the hrs we've read.
In hindsight, I see now that I leftout a big piece of information with
my original post. This group sure keeps one on their toes! LOL
Cy'all at Six Flags!
~Wilda and the girls in northern Shenandoah valley VA
>
> >>>>>>>>>>>Mine are also looking forward to
> > those free tickets to Six Flags! Without 'em, we probably couldn't
> > afford it!>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
> Maybe, but why keep track of the reading? Why not just fill it out
and sign
> off, rather than keeping track of minutes or pages?
>
> Mary Ellen