Is The Purpose of Learning to Retain?

So, now that we are half the year into our homeschool journey, I ask myself - is Learning Meant to be retained?

My kids have been bombarded with a lot of information. A lot. I mean the boxed curriculum we use is nothing to sneeze at, those DVD teachers leave nothing out.

Not to mention my kids usually get at least 2 quizzes and 1 test every other week in each subject (both the 4th grader and formerly 7th grader [that I skipped a grade] have this schedule)

I've heard other homeschooling moms say it is way too much information.

But my kids hardly ever complained since they did double the work in public/private school and didn't retain much of it.

PLAY instead of WORKBOOKS, TEXTs or TEST

I've switched things up with my kids and introduced some ways to 'play' and work at the same time.

We've added online math games, reading games, language games and the kids don't even realize that they are LEARNING and RETAINING the information.

However, those tools were selected because they do TEST the kids knowledge to make sure that the method is working for them.

RETAINING? and ACCOUNTABILITY?

So, I also tried other ways to PLAY and LEARN that the kids explored things they wanted on their own, and we went on tons of field trips where I had them write about it.

But sadly, for my kids, after the event was over, they'd only retained or remembered a portion of the 'point' or learning specific subject matter the 'trip' was supposed to validate.

HOW TO DO BOTH?

Well after several trips, play activities and hands on task, I realized for my kids I have to do the following for them to really capture and hold onto that teaching moment.

1) Spell Out - Write out a List of what we are planning on learning
2) Point those things out during the activity
3) Have kid do a project or invest in writing about, reflecting on the activity
4) Go over activity with kid, point out the List of Learning Points
5) Test or Quiz the kid either with a game, or questioning them on their past projects

This way we have a way of (1) pointing out what child should gain from activity (2) seeing if kid retains the important facts of the activity (3) make learning FUN and ACCOUNTABLE

HOW DO YOU DO IT?

CLEP TEST Madness for the Homeschooler

Yes, this week it has been madness. I changed our schedule yet again. I know. I know. I'm a curriculum junkie of sorts. But I think I've got it.

My enthusiastic 7th grader wanted to go for it with me :-D

So this week week when I called to set up her appointment to take her CLEP test I got thrown for a LOOP.

Scheduling....never works out the way you've planned.

After talking with a friend of mine who's daughter did the COLLEGE PLUS way, I decided to tackle these test with my very motivated daughter by grouping similar or overlapping test together and studying within 2 weeks of each other.

But the Test Center was closed intermittently which disrupted my original plan.

Sigh...

THE FREEDOM OF HOMESCHOOL

Did I say I love homeschooling because of all the freedom it gives us? Well, in order to meet the new schedule we dropped some of her original coursework.

Courses Post-poned until after our CLEP test taking frenzy:
Analytical Grammar
Abeka Science
Abeka English DVD
Bible
Japanese

Courses moved to independent study done in the morning
(I asked my Tiger Lilly which courses she wanted to continue to do)
Youth Digital (Mod Design and Game Design 2)
Algebra 1 (both Teaching Textbooks and Abeka)
Geometry (Teaching Textbooks only - dropped Thinkwell)
Biology (Thinkwell)


THE NEW STUDY PLAN

Mon-Fri
10am-1pm (she does this on her own & I check at night)
Game Design 1 (or) Mod Design - Java
Algebra 1
Geometry
Biology

2pm-6pm - (English) COLLEGE COMPOSITION CLEP CRAM TIME 
(I sit with her and mark her scores)
This is where we focus ONLY on 1 test at a time until the scheduled day of test

College Composition (CLEP TEST) study
Instantcert Flashcards
Speedy Prep Flashcards
Quizlet Review
Education-Portal.com Video
Time4Writing.com (SAT Essay Writing Course)
REA College Composition Review

Practice Test (every other day)
REA Practice Test
Petersons Practice Test
Free-Clep-Prep Practice Test
Education-Portal.com Practice Test

Fri-Sat
Flashcard review

Instantcert Flashcards
Speedy Prep Flashcards
Quizlet Review

HOW DID IT GO?
Absolutely better than I could've expected!

Her progress:
Flashcards: Overall she went from knowing 5 to 10 per set, to 20-25 per set by the end of the week
Testscores:
Petersons: (1) 21  taken on Monday (2)39 taken on Thursday
REA: (52%) taken on Friday

TEST date is planned for when she scores a bit higher on her test and finishes her Time4Writing.com test in 2 weeks.

MY SPEED RACER...

Well he is watching his sister and thinking she has it easier since she in theory has less classes than he did. But this week we did have a step backwards with him.

He took it upon himself to stay up late and purchase a ton of stuff on playstation...so video game systems are currently banished.

Other than that, he's been scoring A's and B's on all subjects this week.

Don't Judge-Homeschooling is Great-But Traditional School is Needed

Sometimes I overhear mom's on the homeschooling front really rip a new hole in Public or Traditional School systems.

I get it, there are a lot of problems with the system ... BUT...

STEP OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE

There are many, many kids in the US that would never be able to be educated at home. Due to parental issues, parents that have to work but still can't make a decent living, single parents or disabled parents or even parents that aren't present.


THE NEED FOR PUBLIC or TRADITIONAL EDUCATION

The need is providing education for everyone. Yes, we don't like to be 'made' to send our kids to school, but some parents are negligent. This mode of operation was made into law for a rather good reason. The problem though is the execution is based on a system of people that have to make it work for EVERYONE - and that's just not a realistic goal.

My Mother In Law is an educator and I've seen her become so angry at her staff when they give up on kids. But the truth is, they graduate from college ill prepared to deal with kids that come from various homes with different levels of parental support.

SOME KIDS SURVIVE, SOME THRIVE, OTHERS ARE FAILED

With having 4 kids I have to say I see traditional school as an 'Option' for my kids. Truth be told, it was a good fit for my oldest son and my oldest daughter did just fine there.

However, my younger two kids suffered in this system. I moved them from Public school to Private school and still saw the light of learning seep out of their eyes, replaced by the depression of being bullied by both teachers and other students.

Maybe school has changed? Maybe these 2 kids are just different. I think it's a bit of both.

Finally, while homeschooling them makes them extremely happy (neither kid wants to go back to Traditional school - they remind me every so often). I believe I love having the FREEDOM to decide how I want to educate my kid.

WE MOVED TO BE IN A BETTER SCHOOL DISTRICT

The thing is, if you want to go the Traditional school route, there's lots of ways to get in the better selection of schools. Let's admit it. Some schools have MAJOR resources that homeschooling just can't give that easily.

So there were many people that moved to, rented in, and fought their way into the better schools or school districts.

In my current school area our kids have to 'compete' to get into the limited programs available.

IN YOUR SPARE TIME 

Take a look at A MOVIE that shook me,

Waiting for 'Superman'

 

THE MADNESS OF A LACKLUSTER WEEK OF HOMESCHOOLING

See that little snow man? They guy from FROZEN? Well that's what we were this week!

I've realized something about myself. I HATE SNOW!!!  But my little guy, SPEED RACER loves it!

NOTHING GOES AS PLANNED

Well I had the kids schedules all made up, their workboxes in order and their curriculum changes for the new year in FULL Effect.

UNTIL...the snow

MY BLESSING and CHALLENGES

I don't know if I've told you this, but I work during the day. My Hubba takes a mid-shift and I also write novels on the side. Yeah, I know ...madness.

Well my day gig (which I LOVE my new job btw) hindered my homeschool due to the many snow days I've had to take. I just started this job and have very little if any vacation time built up. So essentially I have to make up my hours within a 2 week period.

What suffered because of the DRATTED snow? My HOMESCHOOLing duties.

WHY I LOVE HOMESCHOOL

We can adjust and adapt. So here's what we did this week.

4th Grader, SPEED RACER's classes:

Bible (Abeka DVD) Skipped Mon,Wed,Fri - Used Bible Based Movie on Friday as a makeup
Math (Abeka DVD) Did All Days, working on Multiplying Fractions and more Long Division
Reading (Abeka DVD) Skipped Mon,Wed,Fri - didn't make this up in any way
Penmanship (Abeka DVD) Skipped all week - didn't make this up in any way
Spelling  (Abeka DVD)- Tue-used DVD to give Spelling Test - Wed-Fri: Didn't watch the DVD but wrote out the spelling words
History (Abeka DVD)  Skipped Mon,Wed,Fri - Had him write answers to questions in back of chapter on days missed.
Science (Abeka DVD) Did All Days

Additional Enrichment Labs Or Classes SPEED RACER DOES in addition to core 

Spanish Instruction- Used Standard Deviants Spanish DVDs (got from Amazon) They are great with a workbook
Spanish Games - Dulingo app (does daily on mom's iphone) Spanish School Bus app (does daily on mom's iphone)

Science Lab - Uzinggo.com - He did this daily since he loves it

Math 6 Lab - Teaching Textbooks - He did this daily

Math Drills - Xtramath.com - He did this daily

7th Grader TIGER LILLY did a LOT of independent work this week.

Algebra 1 - She did this daily using Abeka DVD and Teaching Textbooks

Geometry - She did this daily using Teach Textbooks and Thinkwell

Science - Skipped on Mon, Tues, Thu using to Abeka DVD on Wed/Fri

English Literature - Did daily using Education-Portal.com and SpeedyPrep.com Flashcards to prep for CLEP

American Literature - Did daily using Education-Portal.com and SpeedyPrep.com Flashcards

Analyzing Literature - Did daily using Education-Portal.com and SpeedyPrep.com Flashcards

English Composition -  Did Abeka DVD and Instantcert.com

Humanities - Did daily using Education-Portal.com and Instantcert.com

Speed Reading - Skipped this week

Logic - Skipped this week

Bible - Did on Mon, but skipped the rest of the week

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Cheering - Tiger Lilly did 3 days this week O_o
Tumbling - Tiger Lilly and Speed Racer do this together one Day a week through a private gym
Basketball - Speed Racer does this 2 times a week, Hubba is the Assistant Coach
Break Dancing - Speed Racer does this 1 time a week and is training for the Competition Team
Hip Hop Dance - Tiger Lilly and Speed Racer both do this 1 day a week

TIRED YET?
I am....