Notes from Mom's Night Out

Hi Ladies,

Those of us that attended the Mom’s Night Out Curriculum Review thought it would be nice to send out the notes of what we discussed. Attached are the handouts addressing different learning and teaching styles. We had a great discussion about utilizing curriculum and approaches that couple our teaching styles and our kids’ learning styles. Here are some thoughts/ideas that the ladies had that evening:

From Natasha:

• The website for highly distractable children and ditties is www.sizzlebop.com (writer of what looks like a neat book “The Big WHAT NOW Book of Learning Styles”)
• Also, the grammar & phonics website curriculum I was talking about is Bridge to Latin Road and Phonics Road which can be found at www.thelatinroad.com

From Jami:

• Homeschool Rundown (for a Kindergartner and a 3 year old)
• Workbox System - for organization and smoothly running school day. Great for my 3 year old. http://www.workboxsystem.com/ (Jami has the book you can borrow)
• Five in a Row - Literature based unit-study approach for early education based on outstanding children's literature covering Social Studies, Language, Art, Applied Math, and Science in a way that causes children to fall in love with learning. http://www.fiarhq.com/
• Math U See - http://www.mathusee.com
• Kumon, My book of Numbers - http://www.kumonbooks.com/
• Bob Books Series - phonics books. Found mine at Costco (cheaper and bigger box of books there) or find at http://www.bobbooks.com/
• New American Cursive Handwriting - Recommends starting cursive at a early age http://www.newamericancursive.com/
• Kumon, My First book of Tracing - http://www.kumonbooks.com/
• Kimon, My First book of Cutting - http://www.kumonbooks.com/
• Kids FitDeck - Kids FitDeck is on Amazon for $15 or an basic adult FitDeck is free at the HAWC.
• Favorite FREE Websites:
• http://www.homeschoolshare.com/ - Awesome website full of FIAR stuff, workbox suggestions, unit studies, literature studies, ect for all ages.
• http://www.filefolderfun.com/ - File folder games for early elementary ages
• http://www.colormountain.com/ - lots of coloring pages that you tweak to your needs
• http://www.currclick.com - as a free sections where you can find some awesome things
• http://www.guesthollow.com/ - free science curriculum based on a literature approach to science
• http://preschoolpalace.org - all sorts of free worksheets
• http://1plus1plus1equals1.com/index.html - all sorts of toddler packs to print
• http://www.notimeforflashcards.com - great alphabet crafts
• http://confessionsofahomeschooler.blogspot.com/ - awesome ideas for little ones
• 
  
• Off subject:
• http://gnowfglins.com/ (starting class this summer if anyone is interested)

From Michelle:

• The reminder that homeschooling is an extension of our motherhood not separate.
• Montessori projects for younger hands on fun/learning while teaching others. Setting up an area and kits to do so.
• Using curriculum as a framework and building from it with what your child likes to do to apply.

From Casey:

• The reminder to not feel like you have to use one curriculum for all your kids. Be flexible, be fun, be creative.
• The reminder to meet our kids where their needs are where we can.
• Remember that cooking something, watching the process of foundation being poured next door, writing a report on a History Channel documentary, and theatre rehearsing are all learning experiences in “curriculum” that count!
• Letting older kids pace themselves in their work, not being so structured in our day’s scheduling.
• Here’s a good website to review curriculum: http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/Homeschool_Reviews/