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Jager (save)
Senior Member
Username: save
Post Number: 22
Registered: 06-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 01, 2003 - 12:12 pm: |     |
I guess I should have been more specific. Of course parents need to have input and continue to guide their children,even as teens. As Susan pointed out perhaps it is more unusual for a child to be self motivated than I have known in my personal experience. Let us know how it goes. |
Cheryl Z (cherylz)
Senior Member
Username: cherylz
Post Number: 25
Registered: 06-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 08:30 am: | |
> I do agree with Susan in part. I never really planned to just throw it all at him and give him no guidance. I think that some children could do it, but I know he can't/won't. Ryan spent 4 years in private school before homeschooling and I've mostly picked his stuff, made his schedule, etc., since then. This past year I gave him a little more independence in that I told him that with his science if he did a module every 2 weeks he'd be done by the end of the year. He still isn't done because if I didn't specifically tell him to "do school" today, he didn't do it. Proof positive that he won't do well with no help or supervision. I plan on going through the manual with him and helping him choose from the options available in some subjects. Our biggest work will be getting him in the habit of journalling what he is doing.
Cheryl in IL |
Susan (susan)
Moderator
Username: susan
Post Number: 191
Registered: 05-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 09:55 pm: | |
What I meant was that a child who had been schooled up to this point would be lost if suddenly the manual was tossed into his lap and he was told to choose what he would study and how. Having been told what to do and when and how for his entire school experience, it would be overwhelming. Even Helen at the Moore Foundation told me that it would be unusual for a child to take full responsibility for choosing and designing his course of study for a year, even in high school.
Even our teens need our guidance and input, as well as resources and time and money.
We want to be guiding them towards becoming God-directed learners.
Susan McGlohn
Homeschooling 9 years and counting 
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Jager (save)
Senior Member
Username: save
Post Number: 20
Registered: 06-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 06:31 pm: | |
I don't think the child needs to be home schooled all along for this to work.Even if that child has never had a say in curriculum it could work. Modeling is the key. If they have it from experience great. If not that is where the books and manual come in. A willing attitude would be important. |
Susan (susan)
Moderator
Username: susan
Post Number: 190
Registered: 05-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, June 21, 2003 - 05:55 am: | |
I think this would work if the child has been homeschooled since the beginning and has always played an active part in planning their curriculum. Children who have spent years in school though, might not be ready for such a step.
Sarah has been very busy this spring choosing her plan for next year. She wants it to be more school-like, and according to the high school portion of the manual and the conversations I have had with Helen at the Moore Foundation, this is how it should be.
Sarah has chosen to use some material from Oak Meadow, some material from the Keys To series (Algebra), an online language course, and continue trying to sell painted furniture (hasn't done much with that lately), and volunteer at the hospital and at the church bookstore.
I think she has a nice balance of work, study, and service.
Susan McGlohn
Homeschooling 9 years and counting
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Cheryl Z (cherylz)
Senior Member
Username: cherylz
Post Number: 24
Registered: 06-2002
| | Posted on Friday, June 20, 2003 - 08:10 pm: | |
"Let them take some of the responsibility themselves." Actually, you hit on an idea I've been having more often lately. I've thought of it in the past, but was never brave enough to actually do it. I just might be this year. I also thought that it may help my oldest son to get more motivated if he has more control over what he learns and does for activities. I thought of giving him the Moore Formula Manual, just like you said, and letting him pick what he does. It still scares me a little, but I think this will be the right thing to do. For all of us! Thanks for the encouragement! |
Jager (save)
Senior Member
Username: save
Post Number: 19
Registered: 06-2002
| | Posted on Friday, June 20, 2003 - 07:20 am: | |
"It takes too much mental energy on my part." I thought that I should suggest that as your children are getting older that you transfer the responsibility of schooling to them. Let them read the manual and the books and design their own program. Be available as a consultant. At this point you can be more of a leader than a manager. Help set goals and time frames, but leave implementation to them. You can follow up and check on progress.Redirect as necessary. Lead them and not manage them. Not only does this leave you more mental time, but it helps your children accept responsibility and thrive. It's only my opinion so take it for what it is. |
Cheryl Z (cherylz)
Senior Member
Username: cherylz
Post Number: 22
Registered: 06-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 - 08:45 pm: | |
>" I look at the list above, and I think, "we ain't doing enough of > this...." > Me, too. > > 1) In what ways are your children using this list of ideas? What > projects have they done so far? > The communication section has been used most in our family. We discuss and analyze a lot of things, more informally, than formally.
> 2) Now that we are in the junior high section, do you who have > children in this age range feel they are working up to > expectations? > I have almost got one out of 8th grade (he'll be done this week) and one starting 7th this fall. I haven't felt good about Ryan's education lately - OK, for the past year or so. I've still gravitated more towards the "school at home" philosophy in hopes of doing it "right". Though, that didn't work so well, either. And, as it turns out, after we got standardized test results just 2 weeks ago, he scored very well in everything but math, which we knew was an issue. I was so excited. Even though we haven't schooled the traditional way, he's obviously picked up a lot of stuff somewhere! We'd been debating public schooling or correspondence schooling him for high school, but this encouraged me to keep up what we've been doing. Plus I hope to try harder using the Moore's plan, though it's been hard for me as the children get older. I feel it takes too much mental energy on my part. I guess I'm missing something.
> 3) Are you comfortable with their progress and the curriculum > choices > you made this year? > That was just covered with the last question.
> 4) Anyone else found that things weren't going as planned and have > changed horses in mid-stream? Lots!! Pretty much every year and we've been homeschooling 5 years.
Cheryl in IL |
Jo Dee (jodee)
Board Administrator
Username: jodee
Post Number: 241
Registered: 06-2002
| | Posted on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 01:32 pm: | |
Funny, it is rare I assign anything for them to show what they know. They do it automatically on their own. They've made a lego pyramid, complete with furniture and "pharaoh" inside, they've made up games to answer knowledge questions, they tell other people, especially dad, what they've learned. They'll play act some of the things they've learned, etc.
While we do some projects together, like building a volcano or solar system or doing experiments, I don't see those as counting as showing what they know, it's teaching them.
My oldest, who likes to write, many times writes something about what we've learned. I made a mistake once when we were doing a horse study. I gave her an assignment to write about any breed of horse she wanted. She didn't want to do it, and I'm sure she would have if I didn't ask her to.
Since then, I've just let them do it on their own. If they aren't interested in it, they don't do anything, but if they are, the sky's the limit as to the things they can come up with. Who am I to squelch their creativity in showing what they know?
That doesn't mean they don't have math worksheets to do (Math-U-See) or the like. While that shows what they know, sometimes you just have to do it that way.
Jo Dee
Nothing takes God by surprise! |
Susan (susan)
Moderator
Username: susan
Post Number: 180
Registered: 05-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 10:43 am: | |
Pages F-6 through F-8
Ways We Learn and Show What We Know
IDENTIFY: Classify, Duplicate, Recognize, Sketch, Examine, Graph, Identify, Highlight, Hypothesize, Jot, Label, List, Match, Question, Photograph, Recall.
ILLUSTRATE: Map, Convey, Set up, Diagram, Arrange, Portray, Illustrate, Compile, Advertise, Indicate, Draw, Symbolize.
DEMONSTRATE: Experiment, Cook, build, Display, Measure, Earn, Plant, Demonstrate, Collect, Assemble, Operate, Use, Cooperate, Manage, Perform, Teach, Repair, Sew, knit, or crochet, Participate, Attempt, volunteer, Choose, Manipulate.
COMMUNICATE: Tell, Write, Express, Deliver, Summarize, Recite, Describe, Report Orally, Compose, Defend, Make up, Explain, Memorize, Narrate, Respond, Correspond, Share, Restate, Publish, Tell, Interview, Recommend, Tutor, Lead Discussions, Debate, Discuss, Counsel.
CREATE: Draw, Paint, Construct, Sculpt, Shape, Develop, Stencil, Assemble, Sketch, Form, Carve, Invent, Transform, Sew, Brainstorm, Enlarge, Redesign, Arrange, Orchestrate, Design.
ANALYZE: Estimate, Itemize, Evaluate, Describe, Analyze, Compute, Compare, Calculate.
ORGANIZE: Plan, Draft, Rearrange, Organize, Schedule, Arrange.
Page F-9: EXAMPLE OF HOW TO USE WAYS WE LEARN AND SHOW WHAT WE KNOW:
The list above is just a sampling of all the wonderful ways our children can show us what they are learning. Many are things that can be informal observations on our part, which don't even interrupt the flow of learning. Examples might be writing a newspaper article to document the research done about a particular subject, going to a museum to view samples on display, communicate with the librarian to find material about the subject, create a small replica, or explain to someone what it means to him personally.
If we still feel the need to test the child, and he is over the age of 10 and doesn't mind being tested, the Moores say go ahead, but you are really testing yourself. "Ways We Learn and Show What We Know will embed your child's study material in his mind far more firmly than any test".
Discussion/Confession/Question Time:
I look at the list above, and I think, "we ain't doing enough of this...."
So here are some questions:
1) In what ways are your children using this list of ideas? What projects have they done so far?
2) Now that we are in the junior high section, do you who have children in this age range feel they are working up to expectations?
3) Are you comfortable with their progress and the curriculum choices you made this year?
4) Anyone else found that things weren't going as planned and have changed horses in mid-stream?
Susan McGlohn
Homeschooling 9 years and counting
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