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Paula in MN
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| Posted: July 14 2009 at 7:34am | IP Logged
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How do you know if your kids are learning? How do you know if you are teaching the right stuff? Does this even make any sense? Our lives for the past 19 months have been so upended with the legal issue, that I'm really second-guessing my teaching. My kids have been involved with the church softball league for the last six weeks, and the majority of the kids go to the local public school. I know I shouldn't compare my children with anyone, but how do I know they are getting a good education? Yes, they can both read. They excel at math. Spelling? well, some days are better than others. They dislike any writing assignments. I have DYOCC, and Real Learning, and MODG syllabi, and CHC plans, and Core Knowledge, and even the World Book suggestions.
How do you know what to teach and when to teach it?
And how or when do you stop questioning your choices??
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 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
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teachingmyown
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Paula, I don't really know how to answer. I can say that having just had a child graduate from public school that there is very little education going on there. That knowledge gives me the peace to not worry.
Now, when I read thing like the Latin-centered Curriculum, I start to worry, but not in comparison to what the public schools are doing just to what I *could* be doing. And yes, that drives me crazy sometimes!
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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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Becky Parker
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Paula,
I worried so much about this very thing until last year when my oldest ds went to highschool for 9th grade. The school is known for it's "academic excellence" but I was surprised at how easily my son managed to get A's. He is a bright kid, but he can be quite lazy.
Even if he doesn't remember all the Latin conjugations we learned or how to diagram a sentence, I think he did learn the essential things while he was at home - he learned to learn, and he learned to love reading. Along with Math, I think these are the most important things. If a child can read and he knows how to really delve into something he's interested in, it will serve him well when he HAS to learn about something, even if he's NOT that interested.
This probably doesn't make much sense. I'm struggling to word it well.
I used MODG for the last 3 years of this ds's homeschool education. Before that we were here, there and everywhere, trying to find the right method. I finally settled on MODG because I could tweak it to fit and I loved the history reading. But, quite honestly, I don't think it was the program. I think it was knowing that it often takes personal discipline to do school work (which this ds really had to work on!), and the ability to attend to what he was doing.
Okay, I think I'm rambling (again) and I'm struggling with how to say it, but I guess the bottom line is that as long as we seriously pray about what God wants for our children, have faith that He will provide what is necessary since He called us to this form of education, and then provide the books, the encouragement, sometimes the promptings to be disciplined!, and the guidance, our children will do fine.
Editing to add: You might feel like God is calling you to use a program already organized to include everything. There is nothing wrong with that. It actually gave me much peace to go that route. But you really have to listen to the Lord on this, because I think He calls us all to different things based on the children He has blessed us with and our own strengths and weaknesses.
So this whole post is probably no help at all  but I'll say a prayer for you , which I probably should have just done in the first place! 
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Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: July 14 2009 at 8:39am | IP Logged
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I think you answered your own question here:
Paula in MN wrote:
| Yes, they can both read. They excel at math. Spelling? well, some days are better than others. They dislike any writing assignments. |
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That sounds pretty typical to me!
Paula it sounds as if they are doing fine. I think it is harder to tell how our kids are doing when they are on target and typical than when they are off. So the fact that you don't notice any glaring issues means there probably aren't any.
Relax.
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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jdostalik
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My goodness, Paula, your kids are still so young. They read and excel at math? Woo Hoo! And you've read enough Charlotte Mason to know that narrations (mostly oral at your kids' ages) should fit the bill for writing. Hugs to you and you are doing grand because your kids are learning how to love learning just like they should.
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Jennifer in TX
wife to Bill, mom to six here on earth and eight in heaven.
Let the Little Ones Come
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JuliaT
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I constantly question my choices on how I am educating my children. I live in the land of second-guessing, especially when my mom tells me all that my nephews are doing in public school. I often think that I am not teaching them enough. Then out of the blue my oldest will say something totally profound and, with my mouth wide open, I wonder when did she learn that? These moouth open moments are what encourages me to keep on what we are doing.
Blessings,
Julia
mom of 3 (10,8,6)
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Carole N.
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jdostalik wrote:
| ...you are doing grand because your kids are learning how to love learning just like they should. |
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You can design the best curriculum and give your child every lesson they could possibly have in school. But if your children do not love to learn, then your efforts are in vain.
I second guessed my teaching as well, but my dh pointed out to me that my children will go and learn about whatever they happen to be interested in without any prompting from either of us. This is our sign of success.
A good education is the love of learning and knowing how to learn. Hopefully, a curriculum helps you to get there. Some lessons in life are not in textbooks, but still need to be learned.
But you probably already know all of this ...
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Carole ... in Wales
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Paula in MN
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| Posted: July 15 2009 at 8:16am | IP Logged
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Thank you all so much.
I know that a big part of my concern is because of everything we've gone through. So much questioning of our ideals and methods, religous background, curriculum choices, testing, evaluations, etc.....has all led to second-guessing.
We know homesschooling is right for our family, but more and more I find myself questioning all of it.
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Paula
A Catholic Harvest
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Tina P.
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I am constantly surprised by what my kids learn from LIFE. We go through ups and downs scholastically when we have babies or when I'm at the end of a pregnancy, when we're getting ready for someone to have an extended visit, when a close friend needs help ... you know the drill.
Those times are when kids learn to be key players in a family team. They learn how to give a little more of themselves when I can't give of myself. They learn how to budget, plan, and cook for an extra person or extra people. How you respond to any situation is how they learn to respond.
Experience is the greatest teacher. And as my older sister says, "It's so easy to advise OTHER PEOPLE about their children and so hard to take that advice concerning your own."
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Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
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JennGM
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Paula in MN wrote:
Thank you all so much.
I know that a big part of my concern is because of everything we've gone through. So much questioning of our ideals and methods, religous background, curriculum choices, testing, evaluations, etc.....has all led to second-guessing.
We know homesschooling is right for our family, but more and more I find myself questioning all of it. |
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Big Paula. You have been through so much. I have been so inspired by your CM methods in your home.
My dh is big on wanting to make sure we're "on track" and learning. So I admit to using achievement tests and following Core Knowledge Series and William Bennett's The Educated Child and the state's Scope and Sequence to where we fit.
But really, isn't it comparing apples to oranges?
We don't look at education as filling a bucket, but teaching the child to think. But the educational system uses different methods, and so their measuring stick will be much different than ours.
So, jump through a few of the hoops to just reassure yourself that your kids are doing fine, and then keep on your path.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Milehimama
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I think everyone second guesses themselves. Even the public schools revisit their curriculum and switch textbooks frequently! They just have a committee to support their choice and vote Yea, while we don't.
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Milehimama in Houston
Mother of 11 - 8 Church Militant and 3 Church Triumphant
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ladybugs
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I understand very well your concerns, Paula. I was recently sharing with a friend that I've been so worried about trying to survive that I wonder if I've given my kids a good education.
My older girls were involved in softball this season, too, and my oldest (who turned 12 in March) played with the 13-14 year olds because there were not any openings left on the 11-12 year old team. I found myself really working hard to not compare....but I did it anyway. I know that this isn't academic, but my daughter played at level with the 13-14 year olds physically, but more importantly, mentally. (She even was good enough to make All-Stars but in the end, she couldn't because of being too young). To me, the fact that she played on par with older girls and played well mentally, counted for something.
You have your crosses and since you've been called to home educate, God will compensate.
I hope this helps. I have to trust that too.
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Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
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TracyQ
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It's so hard not to, but when I find myself asking this, I keep repeating over and over...
*Comparison is the DEATH of contentment!*
Trust in the Lord. He called you to this, He'll take you THROUGH this!!! Don't doubt in His plan for you and your wonderful family. He wouldn't call you to something, and leave you alone to see it through. He will ALWAYS make sure He brings you through it! 
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Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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TracyFD
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I don't know what else I can add here, Paula - you have our votes of confidence! A trip to the Heppner's store to talk with Nancy B. always helps my perspective when I feel off-kilter. She LOVES to minister to her customers and I'm sure you would experience some peace after talking with her.
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Tracy
Mom to 3 girly girls,
1 absent-minded professor, and one adorable toddling terrorist.
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Birdie
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Paula,
I think the questioning is normal. I also think it's God's way of keeping us on track. When the doubt creeps, you look hard, rely on God for answers and get confirmation. It's kind of like God whispering to us, I'm here, you are doing my will. At least that is how I see. I have come to look forward to the questioning because I know it will lead me to God's voice.
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Susan (Birdie)
A Charlotte Mason Education
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TracyQ
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Birdie wrote:
Paula,
I think the questioning is normal. I also think it's God's way of keeping us on track. When the doubt creeps, you look hard, rely on God for answers and get confirmation. It's kind of like God whispering to us, I'm here, you are doing my will. At least that is how I see. I have come to look forward to the questioning because I know it will lead me to God's voice. |
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Susan (Birdie),
This is such a beautiful way to embrace the angst that can come from answering His call for this vocation. Thank you, I'm going to put this in my encouragement journal.
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Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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Tina P.
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TracyQ wrote:
| put this in my encouragement journal. |
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Ooooh, I think I finally know what to do with the little bitty journal my 13 yod gave me. Tracy, do you just jot encouraging thoughts down as you see them? Or how else might one use an encouragement journal?
I tend to be messy with my journal (blog). I write about whatever strikes me at the moment. I categorize (some of) the posts into themes. But they're all rather random.
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Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
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TracyQ
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Tina P. wrote:
TracyQ wrote:
| put this in my encouragement journal. |
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Ooooh, I think I finally know what to do with the little bitty journal my 13 yod gave me. Tracy, do you just jot encouraging thoughts down as you see them? Or how else might one use an encouragement journal? |
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I am gathering all of it in a folder, and plan to make a binder and seperate them into categories such as HOME & FAMILY, FAITH, HOMESCHOOL, FAVORITE QUOTES, FAVORITE POEMS, etc. I think I'd like to use some of my scrapbooking things to make it perty too! 
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Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Are my kids getting a good education?
