Time4Learning

Home School Questions :: RE: Record keeping, first timer freak out

goodnsimple — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:04:31 GMT

Author: goodnsimple
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:04 pm (GMT -4)

I have been using homeschool tracker too...but I am not sure that is what I want to continue.
I have a student planner (paper) that I write out the lesson plans (in pencil) and then mark what we actually get done.
It was important to have something ds could look at for the days I am not right there.
It also tends to change... I am thinking it would be enough of a record, at least for 6th grade.
I have been moving it to tracker at the end of the day, but it is beginning to feel more like a chore.
I am also not thrilled with how it lists resources... but it is free.
I would like a good book/movie log... easy enough for ds to fill out himself.

Home School Questions :: 1st grade math lessons...too hard???

missmelissa — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:58:49 GMT

Author: missmelissa
Subject: 1st grade math lessons...too hard???
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 11:58 am (GMT -4)

So I have twins that are 7 and a 6 year old. We are 2nd year homeschoolers and 1st year with T4L. We LOVE it so far. It keeps my boys so engaged and they actually ask to do lessons. This is my only issue so far....
I started ALL of them in the 1st grade math. My twins struggle alot in math so I figured I would start them back a year just to review. We hit the first bit of adding/subtracting today and my boys freaked. The lesson itself was wonderful, but the quiz questions seemed really hard they asked the question in a confusing way and it took them literally like 20 minutes to get through the quiz (and that was with my help). Here is an example of a question: Find an equal Sum of 12-4
a. 6 +6
b. 10+4
c. 3+2
d. 4+4

Has anyone experienced any issues with this or are my kids just really lost??? Any suggestions on how to get them stronger in basic math?
I just hate it because they are almost advanced in their reading, phonics and reading comprehension and they struggle so much in math...any suggestions are soooooo appreciated!

Tech Issues and Questions :: RE: Screen problems-5th grade math

gulfmiss — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:57:10 GMT

Author: gulfmiss
Subject: Screen
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:57 am (GMT -4)

Thanks so much for your reply and suggestion...will try it.

Tech Issues and Questions :: RE: Screen problems-5th grade math

t4ler — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:32:35 GMT

Author: t4ler
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:32 am (GMT -4)

If you are not able to see the buttons underneath the green arrow, you may need to maximize your computer screen, which you can do by hitting F11. You may also need to lower the resolution of your computer screen to display the entire screen.

Members Chat on Using Time4Learning :: Allow me to introduce myself...

cathyh1970 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:57:33 GMT

Author: cathyh1970
Subject: Allow me to introduce myself...
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:57 am (GMT -4)

Good Morning,

My name is Cathy and I have 3 kids ~ Russell 9 (almost 10) in 4th grade, Lydia 7.5 in 2nd grade and Sara 3 in pre-school. I have home schooled off and on over the years. When we weren't hs-ing, we sent the kids to private school.

Now, between the economy and the fact that we are trying to buy a new house and move somewhere, we decided to go back to hs-ing. The kids are excited about it and I am excited/anxious/nervous about it. I had only hs-ed one at a time because of how the ages of the kids fell and the grades I was hs-ing. So this will be the first time I will be doing all three at once! We start next week Tuesday.

I have been reading some of the threads here and feel better about how I had planned on scheduling computer time. It may take us a week or two to get all the bugs worked out, but I have already printed off all the worksheets for the older two and I have tons of books for the younger one. I am suplementing Bible and Indiana History and have lapbooks for Thanksgiving that I will start in October. I will do music and art too, so that will give the kids time away from the computer.

I have been confident all summer about our decision, but this last week before starting school has me in panic mode! I am checking and rechecking and re-rechecking everything! I just pray I haven't forgotten something important only to find out when we start on Tuesday!

I look forward to chatting with you all. You seem to be a very patient and personable bunch.

Cheers ~

Cathy

Members Chat on Using Time4Learning :: Algebra tools?

adelenpaul — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:54:14 GMT

Author: adelenpaul
Subject: Algebra tools?
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:54 am (GMT -4)

Forgive me if this is already stated somewhere on the website but I haven't found it yet. In honors algebra, they start the year off teaching them to use different algebra tools. These are great! However is there a place in the program they can use these tools as they're working through problems? I seem to recall in 8th grade math they had a button at the top they could click on for math tools and manipulatives. However I'm not seeing it in the algebra. Am I missing it? Is it somewhere else? Dd and I are working on the distributive property with problems such as (x+y)(2x+3y). I think it would help her (okay, me!) to see it visually and I would love to have access to the same tools she used in the tutorials. I know there are other algebra tile tools available online however they don't appear to check the answer. We seem to be getting two different answers with pencil and paper and the algebra tiles.

Plus, it would be very nice to have these tools handy whenever dd felt they would be helpful but perhaps they are only nested within certain learning activities?

Thanks ahead of time!
Adele

Questions & Answers for families thinking of joining :: RE: any similiar programs for grades 9-12?

kim.perry — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:01:33 GMT

Author: kim.perry
Subject: T4L High School? Bring it on!
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 1:01 am (GMT -4)

I too hope that high school will be made available in the same general format as T4L. (Affordable, easy to use, and learner-friendly!) I for one am a believer in this educational approach already. I look forward to more information about this soon.

Kim

Questions & Answers for families thinking of joining :: RE: Just getting my feet wet and ready to jump in

kim.perry — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:57:50 GMT

Author: kim.perry
Subject: We're new too
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:57 am (GMT -4)

Hi Millie,
I have been a home schooler for years, but due to personal circumstances needed to find a program that my kids would love to do even if I am not immediately available. I found this resource today, and signed them up! I now have 3 children begging to 'do school'. I have never had this happen before! The best thing is the oldest is 14 but finishing middle school, and is able to help the younger ones if necessary. What a fabulous resource for busy home school families. I hope your first experiences are as great as ours were today

Kim

Home School Questions :: RE: Where is everyone located? Maybe we can find someone close?

lileigh24 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:02:06 GMT

Author: lileigh24
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:02 am (GMT -4)

We are in Fayetteville, NC.

Home School Questions :: RE: language arts...grammer?

goodnsimple — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 03:44:37 GMT

Author: goodnsimple
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:44 pm (GMT -4)

I looked at the ILA's... that might work.
I sure wish the history could be read also... that would save me a ton of time.
We might keep, keep'n on...
I think I will skip the rest of the comprehension... and the state simulation tests. (ugh)
We are working on writing. especially with typing, that has really helped. I think there are some dyslexia and some graphomotor difficulties... Since he never failed he never was tested.
I am trying to deschool a bit with reading... we are reading selections that he likes. He still likes to read, and I don't want to snuff that out.
thanks for the push, sometimes a bad day is just a bad day, not a curriculum failure.
It probably isn't T4L's fault I forgot to pick up the photos I was supposed to, and didn't get to dinner or laundry or my own homework!

Home School Questions :: RE: language arts...grammer?

goodnsimple — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 03:30:00 GMT

Author: goodnsimple
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:30 pm (GMT -4)

We are in the 6th level, at comprehension. It doesn't read the passages to them, and the passages are a little dry. One on Rosa Parks was probably the best but was difficult to follow because who the people were was not explained in the passage... so you had (and I cannot remember the names) someone who didn't have a car coming, and two people calling other people... it was difficult for me to follow, much less ds.
I will look at the ILA's... I know the boys did one together the other day for "fun" and it did read to them...
I had an off day yesterday, and I am thinking T4L got the brunt of it. We did do math today, and I was thinking....well, this is ok. But even the math, with so much vocabulary... he has gotten some 60%, and math is his good subject. When it is just math...

Home School Questions :: RE: How many lessons a day in each subject?

hearthstone_academy — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:22:42 GMT

Author: hearthstone_academy
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:22 pm (GMT -4)

Hello, Diane. Time4Learning is intentionally very flexible. Some families school all year round. Others take the summers off. Some do school five days a week, while many families only do formal lessons four days a week, leaving a day for errands and so forth. Some families alternate, doing math one day, and language arts the next.

The most important thing is that the material is covered in a way that allows your child to understand it and to retain what he is learning. For most children, small amounts of information on an almost daily basis are remembered more easily than information presented during one long study session. Because of this, my personal recommendation is simply to avoid letting him proceed as quickly as he might want to at first. Many student are very enthusiastic about Time4Learning initially. Limiting their access keeps that initial enthusiasm longer.

People who frequent this forum probably get tired of reading this, but it's my favorite analogy. Imagine you are required to memorize a poem. You could study the poem off and on for hours on Monday, and perhaps you would "know" it by evening. The chances of your still being able to recite it that weekend are slim, though. However, if you merely read through the poem morning and evening every day from Monday through Friday, you would probably have it memorized well enough to recite that weekend, and the following weekend, too.

Two or three lesson activities per day should be plenty. Get a general idea of how much he needs to cover each day to finish during the school year, but leave "wiggle room", in case he needs to repeat something he didn't understand the first time.
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Members Chat on Using Time4Learning :: RE: Greetings from Texas

hearthstone_academy — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:04:22 GMT

Author: hearthstone_academy
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:04 pm (GMT -4)

Welcome! We're happy to have you with us!

Here is the Time4Learning users' map. It includes the locations of forum members who have had a chance to put themselves on there.
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Members Chat on Using Time4Learning :: Greetings from Texas

cookinmamma — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:39:08 GMT

Author: cookinmamma
Subject: Greetings from Texas
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:39 pm (GMT -4)

Hi everyone. I am very new to all this. I started my daughter with T4L on Monday. She is loving it so far, but she is very sneaky. She will whip through an activity and then not master the quiz. I have learned quickly that she needs to be closely monitered if I want her to learn this year.

I have 2 children, but only one using T4L. My son is in 5th grade with the Texas Virtual Academy. I love their program, but they only offer grades 3-8 currently. My daughter is in 2nd grade, so that left me searching for something else to do with her, as I was rather frustrated with our public school system. I thought about using the K12 curriculum, but that was so expensive. I thought of purchasing curriculum, but again the cost was more than I could afford in one sitting. Finally I stumbled upon T4L. It looked so fun and was definitely affordable.

We are enjoying the activities. I am just struggling with knowing how much is enough to be doing. I am using T4L as a core curriculum and supplementing my son's Art, PE, and first year French. I also added a weekly spelling list for her as her spelling is as bad as mine. LOL!

Anyway, I just wanted to say "Hi," and am curious to know how many other families are in the Fort Worth, TX area. We are always looking to network and get to know others in our area.

Home School Questions :: How many lessons a day in each subject?

Diane Johnson — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:52:36 GMT

Author: Diane Johnson
Subject: How many lessons a day in each subject?
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 5:52 pm (GMT -4)

I am new to T4L. My son would be in the 4th grade in public school. I am having trouble understanding how much he is to cover in each subject a day. I printed out the Lesson Plans for each. What I don't know is if he is supposed to work on a complete Lesson daily which consists of 3-4 activities. We have 178 days in a school yr. He would finish before May by doing a lesson a day. The Math Lesson Plan consists of 214 activites. The Language Arts consists of 263 activities. Are we to go by activities or by lessons? Im very confused! Also I am from Louisiana, and was wandering if there were homeschoolers from this area just as confused?

Members Chat on Using Time4Learning :: RE: new to home schooling

hearthstone_academy — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:13:33 GMT

Author: hearthstone_academy
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 5:13 pm (GMT -4)

I'm not sure what you mean when you ask, "Is this program state credit for Oklahoma . . . ?" From what I can find online, Oklahoma does not regulate homeschooling, which usually means you can use the curriculum of your choice in your preferred manner.

Read all of the Time4Learning Hints. They will help you determine the best way to proceed with your son's education. Also, read the free Time4Learning Welcome to Homeschooling Guide.

You can access the lesson plans by logging in as a parent. The lesson plans tell you how many activities, quizzes, and tests there are in each subject at each grade level. That information will help you decide how much your son needs to do each day. Few children spend more than two or three hours on their computer lessons daily. The balance of the school day consists of reading, writing, music practice, sports activities, and enrichment study.

Time4Learning does not currently provide high school lessons. There is algebra, which is intended for advanced middle schoolers. I'm using it for my high schooler, though. You might also consider Time4Writing when he enters high school. Time4Writing offers writing classes for elementary through high school.
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Members Chat on Using Time4Learning :: RE: Lower/Upper Levels ?

gottwinsand3 — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:46:11 GMT

Author: gottwinsand3
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:46 am (GMT -4)

Thank you for the reply. It just seems like such a huge difference between the 2nd grade and 3rd grade maths. It seems like the interactive stuff is maybe a quarter to a third of the the 3rd grade math; and the remainder seems more like a computerized textbook.

Am I correct that there is a HUGE change between the 2 grade levels; or am I just being too critical. :O))

Michelle

Members Chat on Using Time4Learning :: new to home schooling

sareitta — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:59:30 GMT

Author: sareitta
Subject: new to home schooling
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:59 am (GMT -4)

I have a 14 year old in eighth grade and we are new to the program, so far everything is going well, but I don't know if we are doing everything right. He works on different subjects every day , but how many hours a day should he be working???? Is this program state credit for oklahoma, someone told me it wasn't . How do we know that he has passed the eight grade and will move on , and do you offer a program for ninth graders and on???

Tech Issues and Questions :: RE: Where is the animated lessons like Demo's?

healthybrightkids — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:25:19 GMT

Author: healthybrightkids
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 9:25 pm (GMT -4)

Thanks I will look more.

hearthstone_academy wrote:

At those levels, you should be finding a lot of animated lessons in language arts and many for math. Most of the free science and social studies lessons are more text-based, but there are a few animated science and social studies lessons scattered throughout the program.

Fifth and sixth grade math were just updated and you should find many animated lessons there.

Tech Issues and Questions :: RE: Where is the animated lessons like Demo's?

hearthstone_academy — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:30:17 GMT

Author: hearthstone_academy
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:30 pm (GMT -4)

At those levels, you should be finding a lot of animated lessons in language arts and many for math. Most of the free science and social studies lessons are more text-based, but there are a few animated science and social studies lessons scattered throughout the program.

Fifth and sixth grade math were just updated and you should find many animated lessons there.
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Home School Questions :: RE: language arts...grammer?

hearthstone_academy — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:12:53 GMT

Author: hearthstone_academy
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:12 pm (GMT -4)

On what level are you working? The ILA (integrated language arts) lessons teach grammar, vocabulary, and usage within the context of real literature. On most levels, these selections can be read aloud to the student by the program (in a more natural voice than Peedy's). This is usually a more meaningful way for students to really start to understand language usage, as they are able to see what they are learning used in context (in the literature selection) instead of just as a workbook exercise.

There are additional language arts lessons in the language arts extensions.

Students need to learn to write. Most reluctant writers enjoy being able to do their writing on the computer. Others have been successful with recording their compositions orally for awhile before moving on to written compositions.

All of my kids love Time4Learning's language arts. Take a look at some of the ILA lessons and see what you think.
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Tech Issues and Questions :: Where is the animated lessons like Demo's?

healthybrightkids — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:58:44 GMT

Author: healthybrightkids
Subject: Where is the animated lessons like Demo's?
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:58 pm (GMT -4)

I am so lost here.
I log in the kids can log in and all I find are lessons full of reading for them.
None of the lessons look like the Demo's for us.
3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th grade lessons.

What are we doing wrong?

Special Needs :: handwriting and oral language software ??

tonton — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:42:30 GMT

Author: tonton
Subject: handwriting and oral language software ??
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:42 pm (GMT -4)

1.) are there any handwriting software out there for autistic(DD) kids with fine motor issues ?? Just to clarify, what I am interested in for now is not writing skills but handwriting skills ,e.g. writing the letter 'A' , writing the letter 'B' and so on then maybe later handwriting individual words .

2.) how about oral language software. my kid cannot speak at all. he has zero expressive speech but his receptive is good.

Home School Questions :: language arts...grammer?

goodnsimple — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:40:52 GMT

Author: goodnsimple
Subject: language arts...grammer?
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:40 pm (GMT -4)

OK, I am questioning my decision to use T4L for my core curriculum. After two weeks we apparently have reached a point in LA where the emphasis is on reading comprehension. This is way tooooooo much reading for us. I have already supplemented with grammer...but I was hoping, well for more animation I guess. ds really liked the beginning, and I did not have to help much.
I have been planning to read the social studies...and we have been using the science to supplement the book we are using.
But am I missing something? is this it for the "grammer portion" (we tried going down a grade and picking up the lessons there...still to much reading. and the synonym/homophone sort of lessons were too simmilar level to level) I understand why peedy doesn't work on the reading comprehension stuff, but I guess I was hoping for more nouns, verbs...sentence structure...maybe vocabulary. Is it there and I am not seeing it?
There is also a lot of writing. something I was also hoping to avoid with the animated lesson idea... hmmmm.
any ideas?

Home School Questions :: RE: Where is everyone located? Maybe we can find someone close?

Diane Johnson — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:25:14 GMT

Author: Diane Johnson
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:25 pm (GMT -4)

Shreveport, LA
4th grader