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Another homeschool post
Apr. 18th, 2010 10:32 pmI think I've decided to try Real Science 4 Kids, Chemistry. It only takes 10 weeks, so if we hate it, we can switch up without losing much time. I really love the concept of Noeo science, but it just looks a little overwhelming for me right now. I have to be practical about this. I need to streamline a little bit. And I have yet to read a bad review of Real Science. So we'll see, I guess. Science and art are the weak spots in my ability to teach my kids. Art...I just know nothing about. Science I love, but I never seem to be able to figure out how to bring it down to my kids level. I talk over their heads or something. Zoe NEEDS good science education. All of them do, but Zoe really, really NEEDS it. It is her strong point. I need to help her continue to love it. So finding the right curriculum is key right now as I need help teaching it. I'm still a little lost on art. I've decided to use the Usborne Art Activities book for...well...art activities and Usborne Book of Famous Paintings for picture study this next year. Have no idea if that is a good plan or not. I need an art teacher. I need you, Amy!
I just put about 90% of what I need for the next "trimester" of my girls education in my cart at Rainbow Resource and it comes to $116. I'll probably make it to $200 before I am done, but that will hold us until at least September. If we like Real Science for Kids, I will have to buy the next set by September and then a couple of workbooks for the girls reading programs, but that will come to less than $100. Another $100 for the last "trimester" and we will have a whole year of schooling for about $400. I think that is pretty good. I know there are people who do it for less. But I also know a LOT of people who spend a whole lot more. Since several of the programs I'm using are endless (as in they can be used until up to the high school level) such as Spell to Write and Read, and many of the things we use are non-consumable (like Singapore Math textbooks and the readers for the Pathway reading program) we can save a lot of money.
I just had Maria take a short reading assessment test from the McCall Crabbs Standard Test Lessons for Reading. She scored 5.0 (fifth grade level). I do these with the girls about once a month. They love them for some reason. Last September Maria was consistently testing at about 3.5 (third grade, fifth month), so there has been definite improvement over the last seven months. Makes me happy to see things like that. I worry way too much probably, so these little assessments give me much relief. Zoe just took one too. She scored 4.4. She is at the end of second grade here. So...I'm going to stop worrying for awhile.
I just put about 90% of what I need for the next "trimester" of my girls education in my cart at Rainbow Resource and it comes to $116. I'll probably make it to $200 before I am done, but that will hold us until at least September. If we like Real Science for Kids, I will have to buy the next set by September and then a couple of workbooks for the girls reading programs, but that will come to less than $100. Another $100 for the last "trimester" and we will have a whole year of schooling for about $400. I think that is pretty good. I know there are people who do it for less. But I also know a LOT of people who spend a whole lot more. Since several of the programs I'm using are endless (as in they can be used until up to the high school level) such as Spell to Write and Read, and many of the things we use are non-consumable (like Singapore Math textbooks and the readers for the Pathway reading program) we can save a lot of money.
I just had Maria take a short reading assessment test from the McCall Crabbs Standard Test Lessons for Reading. She scored 5.0 (fifth grade level). I do these with the girls about once a month. They love them for some reason. Last September Maria was consistently testing at about 3.5 (third grade, fifth month), so there has been definite improvement over the last seven months. Makes me happy to see things like that. I worry way too much probably, so these little assessments give me much relief. Zoe just took one too. She scored 4.4. She is at the end of second grade here. So...I'm going to stop worrying for awhile.
