Now more than ever we have to try to keep it all together! We are now living in The Last Frontier and trying to find our place in this new big world. Things are constantly changing with us. Grab hold, hang on tight, and come along for the ride. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Tue, 24 Apr 2007 01:26:00 -0500 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 01:26:00 -0500 Can someone please explain Rosetta Stone to me?  I've heard wonderful things about it.  My son wants to learn Hebrew and they have a program for it.  We went to the curriculum fair today and picked up a sample disc.  I wanted to talk to the rep but it was so crowded and so hot, that I just took the sample and left.   We got home and installed it.  It jumped right into pictures. Hear the word, match the picture.  S described it as a "big long memory game"  There are no instructions.  Are there books with this?  Are there any directions at all?    He said he likes it, but it got a bit tedious for him.  I don't think he even finished a full lesson...but how does one know without any direction at all?    I'm quite confused. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/318772/ Tue, 24 Apr 2007 01:26:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/318772/ Oh wow, this week has been awesome with S's schooling.  He simply loves Writing Strands.  And he can't keep his nose out of The Hobbit.    We've had a lot of fun doing the games in Family Math and it is helping him get some concepts concreted in his head.    As I said, he loves Writing Strands.   This child keeps looking ahead and saying "OH!  I can't wait until Lesson *insert lesson here*!  We get to *insert task here*!"  It is so awesome to see him this excited.   I'm seriously considering ordering it for next year.  He is just LOVING it.   Meanwhile, our curriculum fair is this coming Monday and Tuesday.  Tuesdays are full with horse lessons and me working, but Monday is open, so we are going.  There will be a Math-U-See workshop that we can't wait to attend.  That is the math I think we're going with next year.   We can't wait!! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/317446/ Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:38:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/317446/ Well here we are at the end of the school year.  Just, what, a month and a half to go or something?  But S has been just so completely frustrated with his current curric that we felt it best to just toss it and do something else for the rest of the year.  So we went to the resource room at our charter school office.  They have tons of things available for check-out.  I went with Family Math (which seems to be more fun stuff than an actual curric, but I'm good with that), Writing Strands, a unit study on Farmer Boy, and some DK and Usborne chemistry books.  Just a basic fun intro kind of thing.  We also checked out books to read.  He currently has his nose in The Hobbit, which will be included in the Core we are getting from Sonlight next year, but he "just had" to read it now.  LOL  I figure these will give us some fun things to do and let him ride out the rest of the year.  I'm thinking Writing Strands looks really good.  I'm anxious to get going on that one.  I've never really looked at it much, until I checked it out the other day.  And Farmer Boy was my idea.  It is probably a little young for him, but *I* wanted to read it, and he loves the farming way of life, so I grabbed it.  I think we'll enjoy it.  Maybe this will help smooth the rest of the year and make for a good transition into Sonlight for next year. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/315183/ Mon, 16 Apr 2007 12:11:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/315183/ I realize the "school year" is almost over.  However, we have reached a brick wall.  We have been using OdysseyWare, which is a public school version of Switched on Schoolhouse.  We just knew we'd love it.    We were wrong.   My oldest, S, is in 6th grade and is to the point that he can't even concentrate on school anymore.  It is a fight each and every day.  There are many factors to why we aren't happy with SOS and I'll go into those if you really want to hear them, but the truth of the matter is that we have to find something else to finish out the school year.  This is simply NOT working.    We are looking at Sonlight for next year, however, our distance learning school funds are not available until July 1.  Meaning we can either order SL and start now and have the school reimburse us after July 1, or we can wait and order July 1.    SL is not currently in our budget, so that first option is out.  (which is why we enrolled in the distance school in the first place)   So now, for the rest of this year, here are our options...   1)  Free unit studies 2)  textbooks that I have sitting around here 3) curriculum that can be checked out at the resource room of our distance school.   I plan on going to the resource room tomorrow to see what is available.  My son says his "ideal" curriculum would involve some reading, some activities, some arts/crafts.  When we first started, I wrote our own unit studies.  Maybe we should get back to that for the rest of this year.   But I worry about that because when we first started, they were in younger elementary grades.  I am nervous about providing everything they need for these older elementary grades on my own.  I prefer a little guidance.   I'm physically and emtionally exhausted.  I've been pondering, praying, and searching (therefore not sleeping at night!) for the past 3 or 4 days.  Any suggestions would be most appreciated! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/312920/ Wed, 11 Apr 2007 15:46:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/312920/ ...but to be honest, I wasn't sure I was welcome here anymore.  See, we DID go with the charter school.  I know that lots of people don't consider that to be truly homeschooling.  But we felt like it was what our family needs right now.  They pay for our curriculum, which we get to chose (within certain parameters), and we have to submit to state testing.  They also pay for extra-curricular activities within a certain price range.   We feel like we went with the best charter we could find.  Our charter was made by homeschoolers for homeschoolers.  So, while they are "technically" enrolled in a public school, all of the administrators and staff and everyone truly involved are or have been homeschoolers.  They understand that we don't like being under the control of the public school and try to make things as painless as possible.  It is a great fit for us.   That being said, we are so grateful to have the financial freedom to provide things for our crew that we couldn't normally.  The crew is now taking horse riding lessons.  This is something S has wanted for years but we could never even dream of affording.  We have also been able to purchase art and music curriculums.  Again, we've never been able to afford those.  We now have art supplies coming out our ears, much to the delight of my crew.    We have been using Odysseyware curriculum, which is the secular version of Switched on Schoolhouse.  If I'm not mistaken, they are both made by Alpha Omega.  At least, the Odysseyware demo disk said AO and SOS on it.  Oddly enough, much to my shock, S HATES it.  He is nearly in tears every day when we begin school.  It seems like there is too much information thrown at them in each lesson, they answer the questions, take the quiz, then move on.  There is really no retention.  At least for S.  C is doing somewhat better with it.    But we will definately be getting something else for S for next school year.  We are probably going to try Sonlight.  Especially with their new money back guarantee.  We can try it for a while and if it isn't a good fit, we'll send it back and try something else.   I love the idea of having that option.  We have really struggled with finding something that works for S.    On other topics, we are LOVING Alaska.   We do have one minor complaint...we are READY FOR SPRING already.  The past couple of days have been much warmer and we are getting excited at seeing the roads wet with melting snow and ice.   We can't get over how gorgeous everything is here.  And seeing moose in the yard is always a big deal.  You wouldn't believe all the moose pictures we have taken, just out our windows!  It is truly an amazing thing to  me.   While I do get a little Spring Fever when I read other blogs, where people are having 80 degree days and planting gardens, I don't feel so jealous when I read the stories of severe storms and tornados.  Yep.  I'll take my longer winter if it means no tornados for me!   I hope to able to update this blog a little more often, if I'm still welcome.  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/306533/ Thu, 29 Mar 2007 13:18:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/306533/ Hello everyone!  I'm sorry I haven't been keeping up this blog.  Please visit me at my other blog for a detailed account of the past month.  Lots of exciting stuff in our lives!   We are now living in Alaska.  Homeschooling here has a couple of options.  One option is out and out hsing.  There are no regulations, no reporting, no testing.  Just do your thing.  This is amazing.   Another option is charter school.  Because there are so many children in the bush, without access to public schools, there are many many public school charter schools.  The state funds these and through this option the student recieves "x" amount of money to spend on homeschool.  This purchases curriculum, classes (like music or PE classes of any kind), computers, musical instruments, supplies, etc.  That is an awesome deal, especially for people like us who could certainly use the help.  However, with that comes regulation.  The students have to be tested yearly, the parent has to check in with a teacher at least once a month and then turn in class work each quarter.  Grades are issued by the charter school.   I think the charter school system here has more flexibility because the parent does get to chose the curriculum and method.  (from an approved list, but the list is pretty comprehensive)    However, I don't want to sell my freedoms.   Then again, my children could certainly benefit from those music lessons and karate classes.  Or hockey lessons.  Or whatever.  We won't be able to afford them otherwise.   We have decided to just continue on our current path for this year and continue checking into the various charter schools and such for next year.  Enrollment starts in April, so we have a few months to decide.  Meanwhile, I am talking with other homeschool parents in our area.  So far all of them I've spoken to use the charter school systems and love it.    I think the local hs group meets tomorrow night.  I hope to talk to them about it as well.   As it is, I am getting pressure from my mother to go the charter school route.  And the sooner the better.  She does not approve of our decision to wait until next year and insists I call and get my kids enrolled ASAP so they can get started on these music lessons and a sport of some kind.  She is worried that we aren't active enough.  While I agree that we need more physical activity, I'm still not convinced I want to sell my freedom to gain it.   Please pray for us that we'd know what God's will is on this.  Thank you! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/220862/ Mon, 16 Oct 2006 11:42:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/220862/ I have been sitting on some big news.  I was waiting until I talked to my workplace before making the announcement, but I think I'll spill the beans now.  I hope to talk to my boss today or tomorrow anyway.  Since none of them even know about this blog, much less read it, I will take the chance.  ;)   Our Little Slice of Heaven will not be in Kentucky after all.  In fact, we are eyeballing a snowy little slice far away in the Great White North.  Yep, we are moving to Alaska!    We are so excited.  The plan is to stay with my parents for a short time while we find jobs.  We are also scoping out some land to build our cabin and live out our dream.  Of course, I'm sure we will have to do a little urban homesteading before we can fully afford our land, but I'm ok with that.  As long as we are taking steps to get us out there.  Interestingly, most of what we are finding is only accessable by boat or plane.  My hubby is all into that.  I'm a little leery, personally.  But God will work it all out, I'm sure.    We will wave goodby to our "old Kentucky home" and fly the friendly skies on Oct 3.  My crew has never been on a commercial airplane so this will be quite the experience.  *I* have, but neither my hubby nor my kids have.  They have flown in a "puddle jumper" but never a big one.  They are excited and a little scared.   I will be sure and keep everyone posted as we start this new journey.  Perhaps we will finally find our permanent Slice of Heaven and be able to settle down for a while.  We would appreciate your prayers. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/196479/ Tue, 5 Sep 2006 09:00:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/196479/ A few years ago I ran across Ambleside Online.  I decided to go with unit studies instead, but constantly felt drawn back to AO.  This year I broke down and showed it to my hubby.  He immediately fell in love with it.  So, here we are.    This is Day 4 using AO and I am amazed.   My oldest son (who "hates school") has told me each day how much he loves this "new school stuff".  And my hubby said he has told him the same, as well.   I am shocked at how much they enjoy it.    I haven't joined any lists or anything for it, we just have too much going on and I don't want to be overwhelmed.  We are doing great thus far on our own.  But I just have to say WE LOVE IT!  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/185450/ Thu, 17 Aug 2006 09:19:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/185450/ Anyone here use Ambleside Online?  This is something I've looked at occasionally but wasn't sure if it would work for our crew.  However, DH and I looked at it today and he REALLY likes the look of it.  I think we are going to give it a whirl.   So, have you used it?  Please give me the pros and cons as you have seen them. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/180610/ Tue, 8 Aug 2006 21:14:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/180610/ My youngest sister is here visiting from Alaska.  I haven't seen her in 2 years.  We are having a good time.  I just wish I didn't have to work so we could spend more time together.  Ah, well.  She came up and had lunch with me today.  It was fun.  :)   Anyway, the point here is this...   We haven't seen each other in 2 years and yet we have SO much in common that it is scary.  I mean silly little stuff that we never thought about.  Yeah, we are sisters, so we are a lot alike anyway, but this is wild and wacky stuff.    For instance...   Turns out we have the same model and brand of cell phone, except hers has a camera and mine doesn't.    We carry the same notebook in our purses.   We have the same purse, except mine has Cinderella on it and hers has Tinkerbell.   I've been wanting to try some new make up.  I found the website and said "Hey, Ash, I want this make-up."  She looked at it and grinned and said "Here ya go." and handed me her make-up bag!  She had that same make-up!  And I don't know anyone else who has even heard of this stuff!     DH says we are twins separated by a decade.  LOL  (I am 11 years older than she is)   Love it!  :) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/168558/ Mon, 17 Jul 2006 22:14:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crewchief/168558/