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Bookswithtea
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I had a  realization the other day. I was trying to figure out what to dejunk in my curriculum stash, and realized that in science, even after 12 yrs of homeschooling, I still haven't found my groove. My shelves are littered with failed attempts to teach science, and I have a harder time getting rid of science curriculum because I never know from year to year what we are going to study. Its a subject I don't find particularly inspiring. I don't teach it well.
I'm ready to just goodwill the entire lot of failed science attempts and start over.
But that got me thinking...what will I replace it with if I get rid of it all? I'm *still* floundering around when it comes to this topic.
What do you do with the required subject(s) that just never seem to go well in your home? I don't think it matters what the topic is...a strategy still has to be found within our temperaments, our weaknesses/strengths, and how our family operates, kwim?
Do you farm the topic out to a tutor or coop or online class? Unschool? Give in to a textbook series? Or are you still muddling through each year, like I am? I would really like to just find a groove, recognizing my weakness and working with it. It seems like it would be more in line with simplicity to quit the muddling. Muddling stresses me out and feels burdensome.
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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Martha
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I look for a program that is:
mostly self-teaching
has great grading references for the teacher
is highly rigorous in content
has multiple options for learning
My goal being:
that whether I can do it well or not, I need my kid to be able to do it well.
I need the answers and to possibly learn with them.
and that on a subject I am unfamiliar with, I find it is easier to remove stuff than suppliment it. So I can make harder easier, but it's more difficult for me to make easy rigorous.
and the more options in how to do it that I have, the more likely that either one will fit or that I can use the multiple lesson strategies to cement the material.
And last but not least, when it is a subject I am not personally good at, I insist that we stick to our guns for at least a year. I personally think more harm than good can come from bouncing about too much and I personally cannot afford to repurchase materials mid-year anyways. And when it's a subject I don't like, it's just too easy for me to let it fall to the wayside. This is why math and science are the first subject of the day here. 
Starting at about 11th grade, they will take either CC courses or test prep courses to test out. IME, academic coops aren't all that academic. I'm a bit draconian in my expectations though. 
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Martha
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drmommy
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I would love to phase out math beyond sixth grade!! All the college with all the math, I still hate it. Oh well. LOVE science, but to be honest with you, I really did not "get" it until college. It just all came together for me. So, sometimes just presenting the information is ok, and as long as the children are familiar with the terminology, they will pick it up. Maybe concentrate on, let's say, natural science (which is just plain fun), and introduce the other sciences, but not stress about it...meaning, they will pick it up if that is their knack.
Or, how about going to a science museum, and take notes on what to do research on, or what the children liked or sparked their interest? That way the children get the hands on about researching subjects, plus delve more into their interests.
I HATE physics, but presented it to my daughter (12) anyways, and she LOVES it. I am more of a natural/biology science person, and here I have a daughter who loves math and physics!
I am not an unschooler, but I see the value...maybe ask the children what they want to concentrate on.
How about focusing on God's creation and just run with that?
I don't know...but don't stress. I had no science all the way through grade school (no time the teachers said), and when I was in high school, I HATED it. When I took it in college, I fell in love with all the cellular biology, zoology, biology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and even chemistry, o-chem, and biochem! Still hate physics though. Anyways, you are a good Mommy...just keep going.....I am sure you are doing fine.
God Bless you...He will give you the direction you need.
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Bookswithtea
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drmommy wrote:
| I would love to phase out math beyond sixth grade!! |
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Yeah, I played the math merry go round for several years before finally finding our groove within two programs. In this particular case, I don't think I could teach math effectively without them. They won't leave my shelves.
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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Bookswithtea
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Martha wrote:
I look for a program that is:
mostly self-teaching
has great grading references for the teacher
is highly rigorous in content
has multiple options for learning
My goal being:
that whether I can do it well or not, I need my kid to be able to do it well.
I need the answers and to possibly learn with them.
and that on a subject I am unfamiliar with, I find it is easier to remove stuff than suppliment it. So I can make harder easier, but it's more difficult for me to make easy rigorous.
and the more options in how to do it that I have, the more likely that either one will fit or that I can use the multiple lesson strategies to cement the material.
And last but not least, when it is a subject I am not personally good at, I insist that we stick to our guns for at least a year. I personally think more harm than good can come from bouncing about too much and I personally cannot afford to repurchase materials mid-year anyways. And when it's a subject I don't like, it's just too easy for me to let it fall to the wayside. This is why math and science are the first subject of the day here. |
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OK, I could see this strategy as one workable option. Do you have a "big picture" type plan so that you make sure to cover all the bases by a certain age level? Would you stick with one program within the subject area, or find books from different sources so that you are still covering the same topics?
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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Martha
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Bookswithtea wrote:
OK, I could see this strategy as one workable option. Do you have a "big picture" type plan so that you make sure to cover all the bases by a certain age level? Would you stick with one program within the subject area, or find books from different sources so that you are still covering the same topics? |
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upon reading my post - it sounds rather scary to contemplate! LOL I really was thinking what about what I have do I like? What helps me to get it done and feel like I gave them a decent education in that area? And the above is what it boiled down to. A few years ago I was very unhappy with my inconsistant demand for consistancy in science. So I became very hard on myself in that area. A very fake it until you make it attitude. 
I do have a big picture. In math for the lower grades I stick to one thing for that subject. It's just easier for consistantcy to me. In the upper grades I have several materials, but what we start with - we use unless I see complete failure to progress from the begining.
For science I have many sources that vary in presentation, but deliver the same basic essentials for what I hope is a firm foundation. We chose one to stick with as the core, if we hit bumps in understanding, I have back up materials to glean from.
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Martha
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guitarnan
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I have tried, with science, to spread our emphases out enough so that life science and physical science are covered in some way during the elementary, middle and high school years. I usually use general science textbooks until about 7th grade.
We've floated from program to program (sigh - did this with math, too) and finally settled on Apologia's materials, which have lots of experiments using materials you typically have at home, and present solid science. (Apologia is a Christian publisher, so there are references to God, the Bible and creationism in the textbooks, but the science is solid and the presentation is very user-friendly.)
My first child did:
Earth Sci 7
Life Sci 8
Earth Sci/Astronomy Grade 9
Biology Grade 10
Chemistry Grade 11
Physics Grade 12
He wants to study something related to engineering, he thinks, so he really needs the 4 years of high school science to be competitive. Within this...he hates dissections so we did virtual animal dissections only in bio - and some plant dissections - and he had to draw and label them as you would with a physical dissection.
DD (now grade 7) did general science until this year and now is doing marine biology, which is her first love. Next year, I don't know if she'll do zoology or some earth science. Then, for high school, she'll probably do Bio/Zoo/General Physical Science/Chemistry unless she veers away from her plan to study marine biology in college. She'll need chem for that (you often have to take chem/organic chemistry for life science majors).
I planned my high school science around what our local universities want to see applicants take. I don't want to get to the point where my children should have had three or four years of high school science but we've only done two. Doubling up is no fun. Within that, though, I've tried to let my children have a say in subjects...except biology, which everyone has to take in my state.
I teach a lot of science at co-op (middle and high school level) and try to provide the hands-on stuff that's so challenging at home, rather than present tons of theory. We go heavy on experiments and projects and just hit the basics on the theory side. This helps parents who are lab-challenged and makes the classes fun - if messy - for the students.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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missionfamily
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Books--I don't know how your school years evolves, but I have considered taking a subject like science and choosing ten topic areas to study...one a month, with one month in the fall and one in the spring off from formal study to focus on nature notebooks.
We'd create a notebook for each topic and instead of choosing ten new ones each year, repeat the topics and go a little deeper with the learning each year, so that by the end of their education they'd have completed ten science courses total....does that make sense?
For instance, here's my list:
- anatomy and physiology
- zoology
- astronomy
- geology
- chemistry
- physics/engineering
- famous scientists/science careers
- botany
- health and nutrition
- paleontology12`3128
So each student would have a notebook for each of these topics and for a month we'd read, narrate, research and experiment within that area. The next year, we'd do the same, digging a little deeper into a subtopic, or challenging ourselves with more difficult material...by junior high and high school, the kids could be choosing research topics in each subject area and completing projects on their own to add to their notebooks.
I'd like to give this a try and see if it works.
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Colleen
dh Greg
mom to Quinn,Gabriel, Brendan,Evan, Kolbe, and sweet St. Bryce
Footprints on the Fridge
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Bookswithtea
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missionfamily wrote:
For instance, here's my list:
- anatomy and physiology
- zoology
- astronomy
- geology
- chemistry
- physics/engineering
- famous scientists/science careers
- botany
- health and nutrition
- paleontology12`3128
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Hmmmmmmmmm...I think it would be really difficult for me to change tracks every month. That said, I do like the idea of taking these same topics and making sure I have covered them all before the 7th grade, mixed in with nature study, of course.
I'm going to have to think about this...
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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Connections
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missionfamily wrote:
Books--I don't know how your school years evolves, but I have considered taking a subject like science and choosing ten topic areas to study...one a month, with one month in the fall and one in the spring off from formal study to focus on nature notebooks.
We'd create a notebook for each topic and instead of choosing ten new ones each year, repeat the topics and go a little deeper with the learning each year, so that by the end of their education they'd have completed ten science courses total....does that make sense?
For instance, here's my list:
- anatomy and physiology
- zoology
- astronomy
- geology
- chemistry
- physics/engineering
- famous scientists/science careers
- botany
- health and nutrition
- paleontology12`3128
So each student would have a notebook for each of these topics and for a month we'd read, narrate, research and experiment within that area. The next year, we'd do the same, digging a little deeper into a subtopic, or challenging ourselves with more difficult material...by junior high and high school, the kids could be choosing research topics in each subject area and completing projects on their own to add to their notebooks.
I'd like to give this a try and see if it works. |
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I was thinking of doing this same sort of thing. I am looking at using the Usborne Science Encyclopedia for my topics (and subtopics). I love the idea of notebooks for each. That way they will revisit/review past material when they take it out to add something new.
This may work well for us because I tend to become bored of the same subject before long. (Not a positive quality, I know.)
___________
Tracey
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folklaur
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we use ASK kits (my fave) and Young Scientist kits, and then ds11 is reading the Hakim science books, and dd7 is loving the Usborne Children's Encyclopedia's science selections (which is what SL uses for...um Science K, i think?)
i won't use Apologia.
there is such a huge whole in homeschooling curricula wrt Science.
it's frustrating.
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Mackfam
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Books,
I'm just wondering for clarification...are you looking for ideas for generally tackling subjects that are challenging for us personally to teach (and haven't gone well) and how to discern about purchasing/keeping resources?
Bookswithtea wrote:
| What do you do with the required subject(s) that just never seem to go well in your home? I don't think it matters what the topic is...a strategy still has to be found within our temperaments, our weaknesses/strengths, and how our family operates, kwim? |
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Or, are you looking for some specific science ideas?
__________________
Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Bookswithtea
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Mackfam wrote:
Books,
I'm just wondering for clarification...are you looking for ideas for generally tackling subjects that are challenging for us personally to teach (and haven't gone well) and how to discern about purchasing/keeping resources?
Bookswithtea wrote:
| What do you do with the required subject(s) that just never seem to go well in your home? I don't think it matters what the topic is...a strategy still has to be found within our temperaments, our weaknesses/strengths, and how our family operates, kwim? |
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Or, are you looking for some specific science ideas? |
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I chose philosophy of Ed. because I was wondering more about what principles people operate from when they know a particular subject is stressful or challenging for them...not to discount the science suggestions offered, though.
So far, one suggestion has been to stick with something that meets mom's academic requirements, make sure its as self teaching as possible with a *good* answer key, and to be diligent in finishing it.
Another has been to continue winging things with field trips, etc.
A third is to consider the main topics that need to be covered and to use that as a rubric for choosing materials and a rhythm over the years.
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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guitarnan
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We all find math stressful here - and we have struggled to find the path that works best for us. We finally switched to Teaching Textbooks last year and, although no one likes math any better, the whining has declined in volume. My son does math first (gets it over with) and my daughter does it last (to put off the agony) - I let them choose.
It does help to find a text/resource that is pretty self-teaching and covers all the basics that students need to know. You don't spend as much time trying to figure things out or look things up - it's all there. (Point #1 on your list just above.)
Field trips/experiments (Point #2) do help expand understanding. If your chosen text doesn't have good ones, Janice VanCleave's books are great for elementary/middle school experiments. (Easy, too.)
Point #3 helps me - if I have a long-term plan, even if it is only a list of subjects we need to cover, I feel better about things. I'd rather be able to tell myself something like, "Biology is next year, so I only have to focus on physical science right now." And, you can always tweak the subject list based on your childrens' interests.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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missionfamily
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+Yeah, I guess that's what I was going for on a more philosophical note...if I can get the big picture in my head and know we are going to get it all one way or another, I tend to relax a little and not be tempted to purchase every little recommended thing thinking it will be my fix for that subject.
History, for whatever reason, seems easier to wrap my brain around. We did an American History survey over two years and are now onto the Continents and Cultures for two years. Next we'll spend a year in 20th century history. By then my oldest will be starting high school and it'll be an election year again, so I think we'll go with a government course that year. We'd need to get to the Ancients, so that would come next, and then we'd be ready to walk the American history path again with him in high school. If we took only one year to do so, that would leave his senior year for him to chose a history course on his own.
I keep trying to get this same kind of picture for science and can't seem to do it. It's harder for me to stay interested in one topic for a long time because there's not that same feeling of fluency and progression that there is with history.
But I keep thinking that if you have that ultimate progression worked out in your mind, you can begin tinkering with different ways to accomplish it and make changes until you hit a stride that works for you without losing that vision, you know?
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Colleen
dh Greg
mom to Quinn,Gabriel, Brendan,Evan, Kolbe, and sweet St. Bryce
Footprints on the Fridge
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teachingmyown
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I find it almost laughable that I am weighing in here, but here I go. I find a lot of comfort in programs like CLAA, Robinson, and even CM to an extent, in that they don't promote "formal" science instruction until later years and rather emphasize an intimacy with the natural world around them and just a familiarity with other science topics.
Science texts stink, in my opinion, for most kids. There are kids who will read and enjoy, but I think most will read and forget. Experiment books and programs are just too much for many moms of large families to do, and I am not convinced how much the kids really take from them.
So, what to do? I like Elizabeth's science basket idea. Nothing formal, just let the kids pick and choose books on a certain topic each month. I really think what we are aiming for in K-8 is familiarity. Then strew Discovery Kids magazines and Usborne books around, watch good science video programs, even Magic School Bus, maybe,if you really want to, subscribe to the Young Explorer's Club for experiments. That seems doable because they send you everything, it's just one a month and you're done.
I hated science. Honestly, I don't think I retained anything even in high school. It wasn't until I was in nursing school that I started listening and absorbing the material. I am still pretty weak in most science topics, but I know enough. I wish I had more of a knowledge of nature like my Boy Scout dh!
I don't do very well at the approach I described, but I think it is a good, doable approach. As someone said, I intend for my kids to get their upper level science either at the community college or through a good online course. But they won't "get it" unless they want to get it.
Hope that helps. I need to print this off for myself to give me courage to sell off my shelf of unused science books!
__________________
In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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Nina Murphy
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All I can say is I am so thankful for Co-op Math, Science, and Latin for the upper grades, this year. MODG syllabi, but competent teachers (not me)!
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~~Nina
mother of 9 on earth,
and 2 yet-to-be-met
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ALmom
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Well science is my downfall, too. I actually asked dh almost the exact question you posted here.
Basically I put out all that had been tried in our home, the results I saw (whether we had attempted text book, shelves of hands on, living books, unschooly ...). Honestly, it didn't matter. The bottom line was that this was one subject that I cannot do well at all. We could go on a nature walk - but I hadn't a clue what parts of a flower were - and even when I studied a book to try and figure it out, I couldn't translate that to a real flower. My weakness in this area is deep.
First step - pray
Second step - assess exactly where you feel failure (which is where most of the stress comes from)
In my case this covered a real gamut - most textbooks have AK errors. My knowledge is so poor, I often had no idea. Also if dc answered questions in different wording from the AK, I had no idea if they were correct or not. Also most texts assume a certain amount of background knowledge which neither I or the children had so we spun our wheels a lot and got frustrated. Most texts are chalk full of words and vocabulary (at least we knew some of the vocab that might be important but the dc are very not word people and the more words, the more confused at first. I also found it difficult to hold them accountable and if they had a question, I had no way of answering it. Trying to do it yourself with experiments and such was fine for elementary assuming someone could get the things to work or make some connections - I could not. This whole approach felt and became extremely haphazard for older children. We had a choice - We could just continue to bungle along and accept that unless we had a particularly gifted scientist, our children would be below par in science or we would have to come up with a solution.
3rd step - assess any successes or glimmers of hope. What did work even a little, and why. I realized that a very simple K presentation really inspired all of mine from k level on up to upper middle school. (We were invited to join someone else's tutor to participate in a rock/mineral intro). I really thought about why that worked and realized that my dc all need a big picture. Unfortunately, I am a detail learner and textbooks teach to detail learners. Textbooks were not a good fit for dc before they had an overview of a subject or concept. I questioned my science fan. How did he get interested in science (it had nothing to do with me, I knew as I really had no idea what he was doing)? I also knew that he rarely used a text, except to do a quick look up and then he would get enticed and read for fun. Seems he'd be inspired to try something from playing in the mud. (I found out a few years back that play dough inspired them to try to model the insides of animals - now there was some real science. But I never could do science that way in our house because these kinds of things were well guarded secrets (how do you record keep when you have no clue what they are doing) - they don't like their fun turned into "school projects" even if all I did was try to follow them around and write up what they did for record-keeping purposes. Doing, making, messing around with raw materials seemed to be an important key - but it would have to be child led and directed. Now I had a clue about my limits, the children's learning modes and limits, my dh realistic availability to help - and somehow, whatever we did had to meld this together.
4th step - analyze resources you know are available. Ie my dh has a great science background - in electrical, physics, etc. He is better at chemistry and such than I am but these areas are more rusty to him and take more digging to refresh. It can get very frustrating if what you have, assumes you know certain things and leave out steps or finer points so you can never quite figure it out in order to explain the big picture. Dd does share more of the dc learning style so he is by far the one they must go to with questions - but he works outside the home, sometimes has long hours and sudden business trips. He isn't always available right when they need something - and this can derail our science for months. I do have a chemistry fan in the house - no clue how he got his knowledge. I have a plethora of books - but no idea how dated or accurate. Basic elementary concepts that are foundational surely don't change that much. We have homescience catelogues and kits, some other experiment books and a limited budget to provide learning tools.
5th - what other resources are out there. Bottom line, I had to be out of the teaching/mentoring role and become enthusiastic observer and supply chief. Here is where you have to pray again, trust, not assume anything and just look at what is available. Not spending forever, but say a week of just calling around asking about tutors, classes, fees, posting on 4-real and looking at ideas for how to do things. This is where I might go somewhere and look at a few texts, too. I'm certainly not going to design a science program from scratch - simply don't have the skill, knowledge or time to do it. Some real blessings turned up here - God provides in some amazing ways. In asking about tutor and fee, a mom stepped forward and simply taught dd without charging us in money. She traded 1 hr housework help for 1 hour tutoring. She is wonderful example to dd, shares dd learning style and is a totally hands on, skip the text and test type of teacher. We were able to use her for about a year - enough to get dd over the hump. Now we can succeed with a textbook, homescience or labs, daddy answering some questions and this lady on call for others. Honestly, this mom simply told me that God put it on her heart to help dd. I know He did. She was not planning to tutor, we would not have asked her to tutor (she is mom to 6 young children and at the time was expecting #6). I just thought, in desperation, that maybe she would know the name of a tutor since she was such a science enthusiast.
final step - knowing limits of both our own abilities and internal resources and budget plus what is available in the community, settle down to figuring out how to make it all work - accepting good enough because it is truly the best that you can do without spinning wheels forever looking for a perfect program when this house will never have a perfect science teacher.
6) Our program had to meet basically the requirements Martha posted except that we add a few things that are particular to our children's very non-textbooky style of learning.
So in addition to being self teaching, I need something or someone who will present an overview of the concepts in a very simple, non-wordy way with some enthusiasm Anyone who has read my posts know this is not going to come from me. (Having a real, live enthusiastic person is best, but barring that it can be a very elementary version of the same concepts.)
Most of our dc have a strong kinesthetic component to learning - so not me. Anything we use or hobble together must have some means of helping them make the connection to real life through doing - but I cannot be expected to lead, or expound upon it. (Some sort of science kit that can serve multi-ages to save money, and cover both basic concepts that olders may have missed and more advanced concepts that they'll need and one with some built in explanations in written form. I will never be able to explain these things. It must also be something that a younger child is capable of doing on their own or with a little help from an older sibling. It must not require mom in any large doses.)
I also need a knowledgeable mentor to answer questions that we cannot answer in a timely manner (my dh could always come to an answer eventually, but my science haters learn to hate science more if they get stymied for a month while dad relearns chemistry in order to answer something. (a local mom who clicks with a particular child is the best - but a providers help desk is doable as well.)
Lots of supplies - wires, gadgets, gizmos, wood, books, etc. and a place for them to work without the mess driving me insane. ( A big table in the garage seems to foot the bill) This inspires the science fan, becomes his workshop but also subtley the other dc classroom at times). I do not record anything done here in order to respect their desire to just have fun - I do consider one of the most valuable parts of their science.
This is a rather tall order and no one source by itself seems sufficient.
We have hobbled together :
a tutor (preferable if we can afford it and have a good one) who will present the intro. overview and be available for questions OR at least simple, easy read books that intro something on a very elementary level and this coupled with someone we can call
textbook with AK and teacher support just so we have some systematic idea and documentation. I may get ideas about rearranging presentations, deleting too detailed info, supplementing, etc. but the basics have to be there in such a way that dd are able to work through the text mostly on their own. For the science haters, plans and specific assignments. For science fan, these become one more resource in the arsenal.
hands on kits that the children can do totally on their own that come with little booklets that do explain the scientific principles. We typically go through our textbook spine and homescience catelogue together and dh goes through the experiment kits and picks which ones we order to go with our science. These are on the Montessorish shelf for the children to use at any time. Science fan mentors youngers. One criteria - the kits have to cover from about 3rd - high school.
Dad does presentations in his field and areas of enthusiasm - but our science will not become derailed if this doesn't happen at a certain time or day. He also sometimes builds a few science type trays, has informal conversations (knowing what is covered in text), goes over graded assignments (It is more efficient for me to blindly use the AK and anything I'm unsure of I mark with ?, children then discuss with dh; OH and this also means the dc aren't able to bluff. He often pulls out demonstrations at these points - but, again this is taking place maybe on a Fri. night right before movie or something fun.
Janet
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Becky Parker
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Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
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Posts: 2582
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| Posted: Jan 21 2010 at 7:08am | IP Logged
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Bookswithtea wrote:
I had a realization the other day. I was trying to figure out what to dejunk in my curriculum stash, and realized that in science, even after 12 yrs of homeschooling, I still haven't found my groove. My shelves are littered with failed attempts to teach science, and I have a harder time getting rid of science curriculum because I never know from year to year what we are going to study. Its a subject I don't find particularly inspiring. I don't teach it well.
What do you do with the required subject(s) that just never seem to go well in your home? I don't think it matters what the topic is...a strategy still has to be found within our temperaments, our weaknesses/strengths, and how our family operates, kwim?
Do you farm the topic out to a tutor or coop or online class? Unschool? Give in to a textbook series? Or are you still muddling through each year, like I am? I would really like to just find a groove, recognizing my weakness and working with it. It seems like it would be more in line with simplicity to quit the muddling. Muddling stresses me out and feels burdensome. |
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I could have typed this exact thing Books! For next year I have finally succumbed to something on line for my kids. I am looking at:
Academy of Science for Kids
Science Detective Software
The Young Scientists Club
Along with one of the above, we will continue with nature hikes and the Outdoor Hour Challenge whenever we can. That part of science is something we all enjoy.
It has taken me 8 years to realize that there are some things I just need to "contract out". I don't think I do them justice. I was very sad when my ds went to highschool and came home saying "Mom, I really love Science now! I want to be a Chemist." I felt like I had failed him. I think if I would have found something, even an outside class, he would have enjoyed science more while he was homeschooled. For me, for some reason, I felt like seeking an outside class, or doing something on line or on a cd was like cheating. But I have to accept my limitations and go with what I can make work. So, the computer, or perhaps a kit (although I'm not even sure about that), is going to teach my kids science next year. I'm finally okay with that and I'm hopeful that my kids will become more enthused about Science than I am!
Now I'm looking for something for Latin. 
__________________
Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Jan 21 2010 at 7:23am | IP Logged
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Janet, we must be two peas in a pod when it comes to science. I'm not sure if that's or . I empathize with so many of the points you brought up.
Fwiw, I came up with a system that is similar to yours in some ways. I think the concepts would apply to whatever subject someone is struggling with.
Elementary aged children get to learn science in a more unschooly way--living books and nature study. There will be no rhyme or reason to this. Hands on kits are available but not scheduled and must not have to involve me. 
6th grade on up gets more traditional study, with some resources I own that I am less than fond of, but have used in the past and know they work. The 6th and 7th graders get living books along with the spine and get to move through it at a snail's pace, and 8th graders (here that's the first year of high school) on up have a more traditional text/lab/test method.
My overall plan for elementary is just exposure and playing with the big world, not mastery. For junior high on up I need something more systematic, but built to still be as living as possible. Tutors are a great idea, but don't work for us, because we live rurally and the drive is too disruptive to the school day. So I'm trusting in tolerable programs that meet as many of the requirements that dh and I came up with:
If possible, Catholic, or at least not overbearingly anti Catholic (with science, I'm avoiding heavy 7 Day creationism as much as possible, but will work with general protestant resources).
As colorful and living as possible.
As self teaching as possible, allowing Mom to not pass on her biases to the child.
Truly doable in a homeschool setting. I think this is particularly problematic with science, but I think whatever one's weakness is, this is crucial. There is nothing more discouraging than trying to tackle a subject one already doesn't like with materials that don't work easily in the home.
And a recognition that God knows my weaknesses and will "have my back" on this, if I honestly do my best with what I have been given. In prayer and considering this issue over the last month, I have reconciled myself to the fact that I cannot offer my children the very best in this subject. But I can offer something that is still good. And hopefully, my strengths in other subject areas will balance out this weakness.
...Anyway, that's the plan for now...
__________________
Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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4Real Forums : Philosophy of Education
Topic: the subject that never goes well
