CTC and up: Answers to ??s and where to find them

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abrightmom
Posts: 470
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 5:56 pm

CTC and up: Answers to ??s and where to find them

Post by abrightmom » Thu Mar 31, 2011 5:32 pm

Ladies,

How does a teaching parent help their child with answers to questions in the later guides? I've heard that some Moms struggle with finding the answers but the things I've "heard" have been sketchy (not a lot of detail). I thought I'd come straight to the source and ask. :D The Key Ideas in each box do present summary information that I assume helps us in knowing the "gist" of what our kiddo is studying/reading and what they should be getting out of it. But, what about answers to specific questions the kiddos are answering in history and science? How do we help them and/or check their work for accuracy/thoroughness?

Thanks! :D
Katrina 8) Wife to Ben, husband extraordinaire! God is so good!
2019-2020 plans
Jax DS17 HOD subjects: US1 Lit + US2 LL + IPC
Logan DS15 MtMM + extensions
Chloe DD13 MtMM
Levi DS10 PHFHG

8arrows
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Re: CTC and up: Answers to ??s and where to find them

Post by 8arrows » Thu Mar 31, 2011 5:56 pm

Well, I know this is probably not the standard answer, but I read what is assigned to the children. I feel much more prepared to discuss the assignments with them that way. I have two in high school and that is how I have kept up with them. There is no way I could have continued to help them with their math and science if I was not reading it alongside them. I generally read my children's assignments before I go to bed at night after they are in bed and I can steal their books!
Melissa, wife to Jim for 28 years
3 graduated, 2 using US 2, 8th grade dd using Missions to Marvels
Isaiah 40:11 ...He gently leads those that have young.

annaz
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Re: CTC and up: Answers to ??s and where to find them

Post by annaz » Thu Mar 31, 2011 7:45 pm

Who's Carrie's oldest? Cole? Perhaps we could copy his answers. :?: :mrgreen:
Married 1994
One DD 6/2000
One DH :)
One cat
One dog
Three horses :shock:

abrightmom
Posts: 470
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 5:56 pm

Re: CTC and up: Answers to ??s and where to find them

Post by abrightmom » Thu Mar 31, 2011 8:04 pm

8arrows wrote:Well, I know this is probably not the standard answer, but I read what is assigned to the children. I feel much more prepared to discuss the assignments with them that way. I have two in high school and that is how I have kept up with them. There is no way I could have continued to help them with their math and science if I was not reading it alongside them. I generally read my children's assignments before I go to bed at night after they are in bed and I can steal their books!
Actually, I like this answer :D and I hope to do the same. However, I'm curious if it is an issue if I'm unable to pre-read.
Katrina 8) Wife to Ben, husband extraordinaire! God is so good!
2019-2020 plans
Jax DS17 HOD subjects: US1 Lit + US2 LL + IPC
Logan DS15 MtMM + extensions
Chloe DD13 MtMM
Levi DS10 PHFHG

Heather4Him
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Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2010 10:56 pm

Re: CTC and up: Answers to ??s and where to find them

Post by Heather4Him » Fri Apr 01, 2011 8:36 am

This hasn't come up a lot here, but I usually research anything that we're not sure of and look for the information myself at that point.
Love in Christ,
Heather (WI)
~~~~~
16yog girl
DITHOR/CTC/RTR/Rev2Rev/MTMM

aprilmd
Posts: 187
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:54 pm
Location: Southern CA

Re: CTC and up: Answers to ??s and where to find them

Post by aprilmd » Fri Apr 01, 2011 11:09 am

I also read everything the night before. Part of this is I love to read it... the books are wonderful and I don't want to miss them. :lol: I can easily read most of their books in a very short amount of time. I feel I am receiving the education I didn't get. It is also good sometimes for our children to see we don't have all the answers. They need to learn to look up answers. I do have to admit that with three in the same program that helps also... if one doesn't remember the others do.
April - BHFHG, CTC, RTR, RevtoRev, MTMM, WG & now WORLD HIST
2014-2015
DD 16- World Hist, Chemistry, R&S Eng. 7, Saxon Adv Math
DD 15- World Hist, Bio, R&S Eng. 7, Saxon Adv Math
DD 13- MTMM/ext, finish R&S Eng. 6, Saxon Alg 1

Carrie
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Re: CTC and up: Answers to ??s and where to find them

Post by Carrie » Mon Apr 04, 2011 9:40 pm

Katrina,

This is a good question and one worth pondering! :D Since HOD leans very heavily in the CM direction, you will find that there is much less of the "finding the right answer" mentality and more of the "let's dig a little deeper" goal in both our questions and and our assignments. So, instead of you being responsible for knowing if your child has "the" right answer, there is often the reality that different children will answer differently, and their different answers will be correct. :wink: This is because we often use oral narration, written narration, prompts, starters, and notebooking as responses (and while guided directions are usually provided, there will still be much variety in the final output). :D Our goals are often not so much about the answer as they are about the process used to arrive at the answer. This is because it is the process that makes the learner produce a better thought-out, deeper, more discerning answer or product over time. It is the method that results in the learning. :D So, while the answer is important, it is not the end-all. It is just one step on the continuum of learning with the goal being for the child to become someone who is a life-long learner, who knows how to think for himself/herself, and knows how to learn. :D

Our guides carefully take kiddos through the various stages and steps of all types of skills needed to become a life-long learner. These skills are applied at a deeper level as students move through our guides. In addition, Biblical skills and application are intertwined all throughout our teaching, so that all learning is seen in light of God's word and glorifying Him. This is such an important distinction, as learning simply for the sake of learning is not enough. :wink:

As families move through the HOD guides, they see this progression of skills and notice the increasing maturity and independence in their student's responses and in the learning that their student's exhibit. :D At HOD, our days are planned to provide a full range of all types of learning. The subjects are planned to incrementally guide your children in the skills needed for each type of assignment that we ask kiddos to produce each year. We do not expect that parents will need to have read the books to teach or monitor the process. Instead, we look to the parent to encourage the student to "dig a little deeper" all along the way. For questions that do have more specific answers, we provide a page number for the answer (in science for example) or schedule those specific questions to be done in subjects that the parent is scheduled to lead (like Storytime or Genesis: Finding Our Roots for example). :D If you are able to read the books that are scheduled for your child to read on his/her own, you will likely enjoy them immensely, but if time does not allow you to do so, your child's interaction with the material will not necessarily be the less for it. This is because the assignments prod the child to think, and as long as you expect what is outlined in the guide, your child will learn how to learn not only for his/her own sake but also hopefully to glorify God. :D

It is often either families who are new to HOD or those who do not use our guides as written that may have a tougher time warming to this difference in approach, as they are either needing time to adjust to this new style of learning/teaching or are missing pieces of the learning planned in our guides because they have omitted or substituted too much. :D The longer that you travel the HOD path, as closely as possible to the way it is written, the more comfortable you will become in the "answers" area as you see the fruit in your children. :D I know it is a different way of thinking, but therein is the goal.... for the children to do the thinking. :wink:

On a sidenote, of course there are always subjects that do have "one right answer" like grammar, math, and dictation, and in those subjects the answers are always provided. :D

Blessings,
Carrie

abrightmom
Posts: 470
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 5:56 pm

Re: CTC and up: Answers to ??s and where to find them

Post by abrightmom » Tue Apr 05, 2011 11:56 am

Carrie,

Once again, you have BLESSED my socks off!!!!!!!!!!!! Sheesh....... I am just beside myself with JOY at the opportunity God is giving our family in home schooling the HOD way. I am beyond THANKFUL that we are getting on the HOD path this early in the journey.

Your explanations about writing, about "answers to questions", about Bible progression, about higher order thinking skills, etc. have helped me tremendously. I am a big picture person and NEED to see where I am going and HOW the things I'm doing are helping me to get there. I have a tremendous understanding of the HOD Journey and about the purpose behind what you have planned. HOD is very purposeful. There is nothing random in the guides. I love that.

The ladies that have shared their struggles with "the right answers" likely do not understand the whys behind HOD or the expectations. As you've said, perhaps they are tweaking too much or have jumped into HOD much later in their schooling without realizing the progression of skills over the years.

This is definitely how I want my children to learn and grow. I'm pinching myself!!!! It's soooooooooo good. Just. So. Good.!! Yahoo!! And for the record, I do understand that I do not HAVE to read those books but you can bet that I WILL read them :mrgreen: . Every. Single. One. :D
Katrina 8) Wife to Ben, husband extraordinaire! God is so good!
2019-2020 plans
Jax DS17 HOD subjects: US1 Lit + US2 LL + IPC
Logan DS15 MtMM + extensions
Chloe DD13 MtMM
Levi DS10 PHFHG

annaz
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:47 pm

Re: CTC and up: Answers to ??s and where to find them

Post by annaz » Tue Apr 05, 2011 2:03 pm

abrightmom wrote:Carrie,

Once again, you have BLESSED my socks off!!!!!!!!!!!! Sheesh....... I am just beside myself with JOY at the opportunity God is giving our family in home schooling the HOD way. I am beyond THANKFUL that we are getting on the HOD path this early in the journey.

:D

LOL! :lol:

But ditto everything you said!
Married 1994
One DD 6/2000
One DH :)
One cat
One dog
Three horses :shock:

Tree House Academy
Posts: 1078
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 7:40 pm
Location: Tennessee

Re: CTC and up: Answers to ??s and where to find them

Post by Tree House Academy » Tue Apr 05, 2011 6:58 pm

My son reads very carefully and I require him to write in complete sentences. When I read his sentences, I tend to look at them in relation to what the question asked. If the answer fits the question and is reasonable, then I accept the answer (and typically, he is easily able to answer the questions. He has yet to ask me for any answers and we are finishing his 29th week in CTC). The only time I have ever had him go back and read is when it asks for a Bible interpretation. Sometimes he does have a harder time with those (usually the 5th question each week, if at all).

Thank you for your wonderful answer Carrie! I love it!!! It is the feeling I got from the guides all along and what I have been doing this year with my older son, but I think that doing Little Hearts and Beyond with my younger helped me get in gear for doing things the HOD way. I can see how someone coming from "textbooks" would and could really struggle with the "no right answer" issue. As a matter of fact, I struggled last year with DITHR and so did my older ds because we always wanted to find the "right" answer and I wasn't reading the book. This year has been a complete change for both of us and DITHR has been a complete blessing for us this year with not even one struggle!
~Rebecca~

ds13(8th) - Rev to Rev w/ TT Pre-Algebra, R&S English 6, CLE Reading 8, Rosetta Stone French
ds9 (4th) - Preparing Hearts, TT Math 4, R&S English 3, CLE Reading 4, & Writeshop Jr.

We have completed LHFHG, BLHFHG, Bigger, CTC, & RTR.

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