Homeschool Chat Part III

[StraightToDumbo]

Does anyone else get kind of annoyed this time of year when you hear people complaining about the cost of school supplies?

Absolutely! The great thing is, once you find curriculum that works, you can reuse it with other kids. Our curriculum bill this year is just north of a grand, which isn't too bad. When we first started, it was 2 bills easy.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

How do you determine your "start date"? I see all these friends posting first day of school pics, but I haven't decided on an official first day of kindergarten for dd yet!

 

[JoanneDisFan]

I set Aug 1st as our start date for reporting purposes, but will actually start school work when public schools start back.

 

[StraightToDumbo]

How do you determine your "start date"? I see all these friends posting first day of school pics, but I haven't decided on an official first day of kindergarten for dd yet!

We started on Monday. We normally start the first Monday after August 1st. It puts us in great position to end the year in May with plenty of wiggle room. Also, we like to take the budget hit as early as possible so we can recover for Christmas.

 

[chicagoshannon]

We start in July. We always go on vacation Labor Day week and I like to get 6 weeks in before then.

 

[superchime]

It can get super hot and humid here in the summer, so we usually start right after the 4th of July. We'll go swim in the mornings and do school in the afternoons when they don't want to be outside anyway. This lets us take time off when the weather is nicer in the fall and winter.

 

[chicagoshannon]

Anyone here live in Huntsville, AL? We're strongly considering a move there. Seems like homeschooling is very popular there.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Time to revive this thread! Is there a new one I am missing?
What ages are the children your are homeschooling this year?

13/Freshman
12/7th grade
10/4th grade

 

[MommyinHonduras]

Oh, somehow I missed this thread the past few years. I have 4 DD13 finishing up 7th, DD11 finishing up 6th, DS9 finishing up 4th and DD7 finishing up 2nd, we will be done by May 11 and head to Disney on the 18th!!!

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Oh, somehow I missed this thread the past few years. I have 4 DD13 finishing up 7th, DD11 finishing up 6th, DS9 finishing up 4th and DD7 finishing up 2nd, we will be done by May 11 and head to Disney on the 18th!!!

YAY!!! How exciting!!! We head there in December but it's still too far away! LOL.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

We are putting the finishing touches on kindergarten for DD5, and it went much better than I thought! She is doing great in math and science, geography, and history. The area we struggle in is reading, she is just not interested! Hopefully sometime in the next year she will decide that learning how to read is cool. I planned a teeny tiny K- graduation party for her so she wouldn't miss out on the rite of passage.

I've already got our 1st grade books and supplies purchased and mapped out the year so we can relax this summer. I started working on my master's degree recently so we will be busy! But I am loving homeschool life

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Oh, somehow I missed this thread the past few years. I have 4 DD13 finishing up 7th, DD11 finishing up 6th, DS9 finishing up 4th and DD7 finishing up 2nd, we will be done by May 11 and head to Disney on the 18th!!!

no better way to end the school year than with a vacation!

 

[chicagoshannon]

DD 11/finishing 6th, DS 7/finishing 2nd. Our last day is also the 11th and we head to Florida that day!! We are actually done with grammar and science already. I am definitely ready to be done with our year.

 

[MommyinHonduras]

We are putting the finishing touches on kindergarten for DD5, and it went much better than I thought! She is doing great in math and science, geography, and history. The area we struggle in is reading, she is just not interested! Hopefully sometime in the next year she will decide that learning how to read is cool. I planned a teeny tiny K- graduation party for her so she wouldn't miss out on the rite of passage.

I've already got our 1st grade books and supplies purchased and mapped out the year so we can relax this summer. I started working on my master's degree recently so we will be busy! But I am loving homeschool life

Still waiting fory DS9 to think it's cool! Kid does crazy math stuff in his head but reading is like the end of the world. Says he does not need reading.. anyway this year he can now at least read a level one and two book but still lots of stumbling. It is memorizing words so that kind works in his favor but make for some amusing sentences when he guesses at them instead of reading them. :/

DD 11/finishing 6th, DS 7/finishing 2nd. Our last day is also the 11th and we head to Florida that day!! We are actually done with grammar and science already. I am definitely ready to be done with our year.

So exciting for you guys!, 10 days is going to be here quick!

 

[MinnieTink]

I have a son finishing 5th grade. This was our first time trying homeschooling.

Just wondering, do you purchase curriculums or do you do your own thing? This year I did my own thing. My son had two very tough years in school so I had to include some 3rd and 4th grade math concepts to catch him up this year. In the future I feel like I will need some guidance and I’m not sure where to turn. Would be interested in any ideas and info. Thanks!!!

 

[bellebud]

Unschoolers here. DD18 'graduated' last year. DS16 is a junior according to the school district. We're in the middle of a move to Florida (from NY). Will be joining Florida Unschoolers soon for ds. DD and I just got annual passes!!!

 

[DisHmsklMom]

Still homeschooling after 20+ years, my last one is finishing her 10th grade year. My ds is in college working on his Engineering/Math with a minor in Physics majors. My oldest has a great job after graduating with majors in Economics, Business (finance concentration) and Math. It has really flown by!!!
Next week we head to Disney for a 5 day vacation.

 

[DisHmsklMom]

I have a son finishing 5th grade. This was our first time trying homeschooling.

Just wondering, do you purchase curriculums or do you do your own thing? This year I did my own thing. My son had two very tough years in school so I had to include some 3rd and 4th grade math concepts to catch him up this year. In the future I feel like I will need some guidance and I’m not sure where to turn. Would be interested in any ideas and info. Thanks!!!

I am hoping there is a homeschool group in your area, you may need to try a group or two until you find others that fit with you and your son. This is a great time of year to be on the look out for used curriculum/book sales at your area homeschools and churches - it's a great way to meet people and get tons of good info on what worked for others. We started with a curriculum but it was not a perfect fit and had to add to it. I used it as my spine up through middle school.
For math we've loved Math-U-See, make sure your son really understands fractions - it makes algebra so much easier.
I've often found great information on the Well Trained Mind Boards. I've also looked on line at other curriculums and on-line schools to see what they are using.

Just ask questions, don't be shy.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

I have a son finishing 5th grade. This was our first time trying homeschooling.

Just wondering, do you purchase curriculums or do you do your own thing? This year I did my own thing. My son had two very tough years in school so I had to include some 3rd and 4th grade math concepts to catch him up this year. In the future I feel like I will need some guidance and I’m not sure where to turn. Would be interested in any ideas and info. Thanks!!!

We purchase a curriculum and always have for the past 5+ years we have been homeschooling. It works for us, because we travel a lot and the kids are involved in a lot, having a planner that comes filled out with what to do on what day along with instructor help if needed and grading done outside the home, well it all equals stress free learning with a lot of flexibility!

 

[chicagoshannon]

Sounds like May is Homeschool month at Disney.

We purchase curriculum also, but different things from different places. We love Sonlight for history and literature. Math Mammoth has worked well for the lower grades in math and we're using Lifepacs (alphaomega) for Algebra and will again for Geometry next year. You just have to find what works for you.