A Quick Intro

[Erikamomof3]

Hi Everyone,
I'm new to Mothering.com and just wanted to introduce myself.
I also put my intro at the "Pleased to meet you" board.
I'm Erika and I'm homeschooling my 3 boys, ages 9, 7, and 3yrs old. My oldest is high functioning autistic and my youngest has Asperger's Syndrome, which is also on the autistic spectrum. My 2nd son probably has ADHD but we haven't had him diagnosed.

We're in our 5th year of homeschooling and have used almost every approach...workbooks, textbooks, unit studies, child-led learning/unschooling and now we're using a mix of Charlotte Mason and the Classical method using The Well Trained Mind.

I'd love to get to know all of you and feel free to ask me any questions!

Take Care!

[Leslie in MD]

Hi Erika!

Welcome to our little community! There are some great ladies here with lots of wonderful ideas. Basically we just support eachother and use eachother as sounding boards when we have questions. I was so excited to read your introduction because we, too, homeschool using CM and Well-Trained Mind! I have two boys ages 8 (2nd grade) and almost-5 (preschool). I'm actually going to start another thread in a minute for people who are interested in CM. Anyway, I would love to swap ideas with you. Ask any questions you have and someone will surely come to the rescue! Please share with us any curriculums you have been using that you enjoyed!
Leslie in MD, board moderator

[kel]

Hi Erika -

Not much time to write, but a quick hello.

I have 3 kids, my oldest is 6 1/2 yrs. We're unschoolers, but I do enjoy certain aspects of Montessori, CM, and Waldorf.

Welcome!

[Darci]

Hi Erika! I'm also new to the boards. We homeschool our boys: Ages 8, 6, 3 and 20 months. Mostly the two younger ones listen in and "do school" when we have crafts!

This is our first year. My oldest is 2nd grade and went to ps for the first two years. My 6 year old is kindergarten, but does 1st grade work mostly.
We are using the Sonlight materials. I really like it, but I will have to do some paring down next year. Too much material!! They like it so far. I am very intersted in the CM methods, but as this was my first year I was a little leery of doing something without a "guide!" Too unsure of myself, I guess.

I'm very intersted in how to get my high-needs 6 yr old to sit still for a complete lesson! He's extremely physically active, constantly chewing his pencil, shuffling his feet, squirming in the chair...you know the type! OR maybe it's ok that we break things up into ten minute intervals.

Anyway, nice to meet you!

[Alexander]

Re: A Quick Intro

Originally posted by Erikamomof3
Hi Everyone,
...and feel free to ask me any questions!

Hi Erikamomof3,

Actually, I've got lots of questions. Have you seen the threads on autism?

a

[Linda in Arizona]

Hello and welcome! My kids are 3 1/2 and 5 and we are relaxed homeschoolers, pulling on Waldorf and CM (which have a lot in common). Our only curriculum this year has been Singapore Math, the primary level of the Explode the Series, and reading lots of good books. I'm considering 5 in a Row for next year because I think my kids would really like it.

Darci, have you seen http://amblesideonline.homestead.com/

It is an on-line guide to CM style homeschooling, complete with a reading list and schedule. There are some real gems at the site. This is my latest favorite:

"A Formidable List of Attainments for a Child of Six", a reprint
of a curriculum outline from a CM school in the 1890's. Here it is, enjoy!
(from Summer 93 Parents Review pub by Karen Andreola


1. To recite, beautifully, 6 easy poems and hymns
2. to recite, perfectly and beautifully, a parable and a psalm
3. to add and subtract numbers up to 10, with dominoes or counters
4. to read--what and how much, will depend on what we are told of the child
5. to copy in print-hand from a book
6. to know the points of the compass with relation to their own home, where the sun rises and sets, and the way the wind blows
7. to describe the boundries of their own home
8. to describe any lake, river, pond, island etc. within easy reach
9. to tell quite accurately (however shortly) 3 stories from Bible history, 3 from early English, and 3 from early Roman history (my note here, we may want to substitute early Am for early English!)
10. to be able to describe 3 walks and 3 views
11. to mount in a scrap book a dozen common wildflowers, with leaves (one every week); to name these, describe them in their own words, and say where they found them.
12. to do the same with leaves and flowers of 6 forest trees
13. to know 6 birds by song, colour and shape
14. to send in certain Kindergarten or other handiwork, as directed (this
one is unclear to me, any ideas as to what is meant here, anyone?
15. to tell three stories about their own "pets"--rabbit, dog or cat.
16. to name 20 common objects in French, and say a dozen little sentences
17. to sing one hymn, one French song, and one English song
18. to keep a caterpillar and tell the life-story of a butterfly from his own observations.

[Darci]

Wow! Thanks! I'm off to follow your link-age!

I am using the Before 5 in a row with my 3 yr old. He just loves it!! I also thought of that for next year for my oldest (the beyond fiar)

#14 in your list...maybe they mean penmanship or something?