Curriculum for sale...

[niglefritz]

I have quite a bit of curriculum for sale, including a full Canadian dyslexia program. I have writing, Apologia, some about how to HS & how to teach reading books, RightStart math, Growing with Grammar, and more.

PM me if you are interested in knowing more about these. They are good for homeschooling or supplementation for other schooling.

[Davinci]

Niglefritz, are you a homeschooler?

[niglefritz]

Yes I am. How about you?

I didn't think that I might get a lot of response trying to sell some extra stuff here, but thought I'd try anyway. You never know.

[Davinci]

I was. Homeschooled the kid the whole way except for about 10 months in grade 9 when the desire to know what public school was like overwhelmed her, so I reluctantly agreed to let her try it.

I regret it. The public school part. Not that I have any beef with the school system, I do not and that was never my reason for homeschooling. It was a very negative experience from my perspective. Kid (now 21) says she's glad she experienced it, even thought it was pure hell. Long story but the bullying passed from bullying and into criminal harassment and if I'd had an ounce of brains, I would have removed this from the realm of school administration and involved the RCMP. In my mind criminal charges should have been laid. But I was caught utterly off guard by the ugliness possible by small town kids in a small town school. I feel in this situation, I totally failed as a parent to do right by my kid. I should have rode in like that angel of death and opened a can of kick ass on a group of grade 12 boys who needed a SERIOUS smack down! (daughter was a grade 9 girl being unbelievably harassed by grade 12 boys!)

Aside from that, having followed only a very loose curriculum to that point, I was VERY PLEASED to find that my kid was a straight A student in every class! I was worried that she might not be able to keep up. When she finally called it quits, due to the bullying, her math teacher called here in a panic, "she's my only straight A student!" the teacher said.

THe curriculum we followed was custom designed, by me. I would go to the teaching store and I'd buy some workbooks that I felt were appropriate. If you live in a province where you have to test your kid and have to have certain outcomes, then you are probably more restricted in what you have to teach. But in BC we were free to do what we wanted, no testing of any kind ever required.

To this day I feel it is possible to homeschool a kid for under $200 a year. I NEVER spent that much money in a year, ever. The library and some imagination were pretty much the only resources we needed, plus a handful of books from the teaching store. I was not big on buying all sorts of gadgets and gidgets. But if you have set outcomes you have to meet, then you have less leeway.

THe one time I had the kid tested was when she was in grade 6. I had a bit of a panic attack thinking she was a hopeless dumby compared to same age students. Again, our daily learning was pretty loosely structured and I wanted to know where she stood academically. I had her write a provincial exam. She placed in the top 97%. The exam came back saying she should be in a gifted program. I felt a little less panicked about her learning.

It is my belief that every single child born has within it, gifted potential. I believe that the power of children to learn and grasp is beyond the scope of our understanding. I believe that because a child might not grasp all math concepts as taught, it does NOT reflect on that child's intelligence one bit. Intelligence is a concept we want to box up and define with scores. But intelligence EXCEEDS BY MILES our limited grasp on it. Children can be called dumb just because of how narrow and limiting our definitions are. When in fact, that kid has intellectual strengths that would blow our minds...if we tapped into them.

I did not homeschool to make my kid a test passer, although it reassured me when she did. I homeschooled with the goal of raising her to TEACH HERSELF. I wanted her to know how to read, how to gather useful information from the resources in front of her. I taught her that a library is an invaluable resource. I gave her what I hope are the strong basics, like knowing her times tables. I know that sounds stupid but you have NO IDEA how many kids hit a math block because they do not have automatic recall of their times tables!

It was a lifestyle. It was 24/7 with my kid. I listened to people give me lectures on how she wouldn't fit in socially. What an utter and absolute load of crap! That's a topic for another day!

Homeschooling is NOT perfect and I have never told anyone it is. It is a choice and you take it, warts and all, same as sending your kid to school, there are warts there too. Pick your poison. Every kid is a potential genius, and I believe that to the depths of my soul. Every parent has what it takes to be a facilitator to learning, and I believe that too. Too many parents lack confidence in themselves, and that's a shame. A little imagination is all it takes, and it's practically free!

Sorry I went bonkers on you here Niglefritz. Hope you sell your left over curriculum. I still have a few of the kid's workbooks around. Every now and then when I want to expand my mind, I whip out an algebra workbook and see if I can still do any algebra. Like a second language, you forget it if you don't use it!

[niglefritz]

I agree with what you said, but in hindsight, things are often so much clearer.

I wish that I had pulled my oldest out of a small town playschool (2 1/2 hrs/wk) when she was 4. We have regretted it ever since. She learned things that we still struggle with...and she is a teen now. It was better the year before and the teacher was great, but the next one to come along was not even wanted in the public schools...I will leave it at that.   

In MB, our regulations are the least restrictive in Canada at the moment. Even BC has had some changes with being under an umbrella school and doing some required testing if I remember correctly. I hope that the new homeschoolers do not undermine our freedoms here by starting to compromise. I have found that they don't really understand homeschooling. Compromise is never good. I have heard that some of them would like funding (we get none)...and you know we would fight that and hard. That is how we lost our home birthing freedoms in the province...compromise and funding.

Homeschooling is certainly less expensive than the other options. Most people see it as pricey, especially if one parent stays home. Well, it depends on your expected lifestyle (far away holidays, huge fancy house, multiple new cars, etc., or not). We hear that public school is very expensive...specific expensive shoes and supplies, laptops required, and so on it goes. We are glad that we can homeschool. We buy curriculum and it can be used for all of our children. They don't need the latest, greatest, and so on either. They learn things at home that they would never learn in the system and they never learn things in the system that you don't want them to. They also learn to talk with everyone and not just their same age peers, and like you discovered...they can excel.

I wish that we had a good library close by. We have to pay like crazy to belong to one (out of their catchment area), and one of the two that could be options has a resident very busy and intrusive dog there. Not our idea of quiet and clean and it cannot be trusted with very young ones, so we quit visiting there. I cannot let my young one on the floor, and to put in a complaint would not go anywhere. Instead, I collect books...

Ah, she WAS in a gifted program. You sound like you had her pegged for curriculum needs. Good for you! I strongly believe that no one knows their kids better than an involved parent.

I know that our oldest just took physics and did very well. She loved it so much that she was upset when it was done. Now she has started pre-algebra. She is certainly not in gr. 11 or 12 yet but could handle physics easily. We found a math course that is excellent and gives her motivation like we had never seen in math before. Top notch and inexpensive and FUN. I only wish that we had had it available sooner.

I agree with your definition of boxing up a child in labels. It is not fair, nor is it accurate. "Dumb" just means that they curriculum is not right for the child. Nothing wrong with the child, they just learn in a different way. I think that many "learning disabled" kids just have a "curriculum disabled" education... Our goal is for the kids to love learning and want to pursue more of it.

Whenever I get discouraged and wonder if I am doing enough academic-wise, I look at the good things, our goals and how the kids are learning in general & developing overall and it helps me feel somewhat better.

Our style here would be considered eclectic. We have some curriculum, a mix of whatever we feel is best for our kids..and also expect them to learn through life skills and experiences. We give them those opportunities (homemaking skills, trapping, music, art-related, animal husbandry, odd things...maple syrup making, etc., being part of certain sports clubs, etc.) My oldest can make a full meal and dessert from scratch, take care of animals and so on unlike most other country kids today. It is my goal to make sure that our kids have what it takes to survive well...not necessarily succeed by anyone else's standard...not just be able to fill in blanks and take orders...but by their own standard. If they have a roof over their head, clothing and can eat well (from scratch), and are happy...that is success. We want each of them to taste being an entrepreneur and think outside the box. University and conformity is not our goal. Being self sufficient is.

I like the quote (and I will botch it, I am sure): Just because a fish can't climb a tree doesn't mean it is stupid. Ah, I think that I did botch it, but I think that you will get the idea.

Socialization...   Our kids have had many, many compliments on their clearness of speech, being able to initiate and carry on intelligent conversations even when toddlers, and talk to adults and children of any age. You don't know how many adults are surprised at that. We aren't...they are well taught. We want no less. They show respect for adults too. They are involved in sports and outside activities when they are available. They make friends and keep in contact. They are popular where they go, even though they are growing up differently...need I say more? We decided that the people who use the "socializing" argument could just watch and judge. We don't need to argue or even give an answer. At some point, they will have to admit that they are not correct...and some have...

We test very little. Tests are more a gauge on how well the teacher is teaching than the kid is learning. If they learn the concept well and can use it...that is passing the test. I know people who can pass a test with flying colors, but not real life...

Yes, so many kids today graduate that cannot read, do math without a calculator (like you mentioned...times tables...it is accurate), nor write. Did you know that they are phasing out handwriting here? My kids will still learn it...I don't care how outdated "they" figure it is. They are not always right either. One day our kids will be writing in code and only the "elite" will know how to decipher that. hahaha

Yes, a lifestyle. That is correct...and if you don't ever try it seriously, you cannot understand it...just like real, hard core homesteading. We find that they go hand in hand very well if you are serious about homesteading/self-sustenance (haha, and so does home birth...another topic again...). There is an inherent theme there...something about being independent...

It is not perfect, but I think it is the better option when I see what is out there. I was homeschooled for a short time at them end of my high school, and even though it was certainly not perfect, I decided that is what I had to do when I had my own kids. Sometimes it is VERY hard, but what good thing worth doing isn't?

haha...No you didn't go bonkers, and I probably easily matched or surpassed your exposition. I enjoy reading about other's experiences...both good and bad. There is always something to learn. I was encouraged by your words too. Thanks for being willing to reply even IF you aren't buying my books.   

I don't know if my curriculum will sell. I will keep trying though through whatever avenue is open to me. It is getting harder now with the price of postage having gone up.

Okay...that is certainly enough words out of me today...it was good to get to know you more.

Have a good day!

[Davinci]

Great post, Niglefritz!

I love the 'beating a dead horse' smilie when it comes to socialization! Good grief the go rounds I've had with people who CANNOT think outside the box!!!

I'm sure you've heard it a million times : How will little Susan learn to socialize with other children if she isn't with other children? My answer to this was another question. If your child does not speak German, and you want him to learn German, and you lock him in a room with 20 other kids who DO NOT speak German, will they all spontaneously learn to speak German? No they will not! If your kid is not socialized and my kid is not socialized, putting them together in a room teaches them exactly nothing, except how to not be socialized!

We could go on about the philosophy that says a school is a highly artificial construct of extreme hierarchical division and class abuse. Another day, though. besides, none of these ideas had entered my head when I started homeschooling. It was a decision based on learning that we had built a house where there is no school bus service. What? I'd have to drive every day, to and from, for 12 years? To hell with that! Homeschooling it is.

As far as I know BC still has no required testing of any sort. BUT..

If you sign up as a homeschooler with the public school system, you are considered a public school student and these kids might (I say might, not sure) have to write some exams to get a diploma.

Or you sign up with an independent school and are NOT a public school student. THen you can write tests or not, up to you. But as far as I know there are no required exams. It is at the discretion of the homeschooler.

There was a split in the homeschool community several years back when the public school system, realizing the homeschool movement was HUGE, decided to get in on the action. They offered an umbrella service to homeschoolers. YOu get to be a 'homeschooler' and a teacher very casually oversees your program, and you get a pretty large amount of money for books and extra curricular activities, etc. What was the catch? THe catch was that when you signed up with the public school, you were counted on govt records as a PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT. Oh, they called you a homeschooler, but as far as the govt cared, you were funded as if you were a body in a desk.

There were just as many people homeschooling as before, but statistically, the numbers were cut in half. Then people opposed to homeschooling were able to say to the govt, look, you better outlaw homeschooling, it's a dying fad, the numbers are way, way down. Well, they were down because the public schools had grabbed the homeschoolers by waving money around.

The rift was the anger that non public-system schoolers had, feeling their fellow homeschoolers had betrayed them for money. They took the money and sold their souls, so to speak. Those who champion the cause of homeschooling were fewer than before, and did it on their own dime. It was a bad time. One group of people saying, look at the money we can get if we sign up with the public school! Another group saying, you are killing your own cause when you sign up with the public school and no one needs that much money to homeschool a kid anyway! Shortly after that I was done schooling the kid so I'm not sure how it ever got worked out, or if it ever did.

No, homeschooling is not perfect. I used to hear all the time, oh I could never spend that much time with my kid! Then why did you have it? Then there were the days I thought about abandoning my kid in a mall and hoping a nice family would take her in and look after her! Homeschoolers get burnout in a way that parents with kids in school just can't grasp! Like, rip your hair out, bash your head with a brick, walk around like a zombie with a pencil stabbed in your ear, kind of days. But there are great days too, like when the kid finally grasps a concept and says, A HAH!

It was an adventure, that's for darn sure.

[Sassy]

I only had a taste of home schooling my son. We moved from Holland to Edmonton. Paul got registered at a school just in the back of our block. Being at school for 1.5 year he suddenly had to leave because they discovered that our papers weren't correct. We had done the request, but as most paperwork it takes forever to get things done. Paul was very upset. He loved school, had many friends and it was heart breaking to see him so sad. But we couldn't do anything about it. So homeschooling it was. I asked the school for help in this part, as I wanted Paul not to get behind for when he could go back again. They refused to help! They said they couldn't do that. The rules. It was the most weirdest thing ever. But a nice mother of one of Paul's class mates helped me by telling what the kids were learning, and with internet it was easy to print out stuff and keep Paul going. I took Paul on field trips a lot. Being outside, learning about nature, animals, plants, while our dog also got a nice long walk. :-) It was so much fun. Paul wasn't easy sometimes, but hey, neither was I. It was a very fun time though. Paul is 18 now, but he remembers home schooling time as one of the best times ever. Our walks in the park and bike rides along side the river, our craft time when it was bad weather and we had to stay in. Because a friend of ours,who knew the minister of education personally, made a phone call, Paul could go back to school right away and await the paperwork while going to school. Amazing huh? 1 phone call was all it took from a 'higher' person in the system.
Oh well.
When Paul got back in school, 2 days later they had a test. Name all capitals of all provinces in Canada. He knew them all! We studied them together, thanks to the mother of his class mate who told me the subjects the kids were working on.
I was SO proud! And Paul too. He was very happy to be back, but sometimes he would say to me he missed being home with me, being home schooled. :-)

I have lots of admiration for parents who homeschool. You have to have a lot of patience and be very flexible. I learned a lot during those weeks. I don't think I was such a good teacher, because of not having so much patience I guess. Keeping Paul motivated to learn stuff was not easy. So another field trip it was. LOL I just needed to get out and get fresh air, to calm my nerves. Hahaha!
I'm sure if I had to I could have home schooled Paul. But in a way I was glad I didn't had to. Poor Paul. Dealing with such a stressed mommy until he was 18. Not sure if that would have worked out so well. LOL

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