Welcome from another fellow Aussie,

I'm in Adelaide. It is the most exciting journey you will ever take with your child.

Kimba Here to answer any questions you might have.

Hey Miss Gloria!

So good to have you back. Is your dd still doing gymnastics??

Hope the Homeschooling is going well.

Kimba15

@ waterdreamer that is a very interesting question. I guess your son is already learning to be independent. I think it takes time for 1. Us to let go and 2 for them to have the confidence to do it themselves. Montessori book although aimed at children called teach me to do it myself is a really good book in helping children to become independent. Although it goes through getting them to do practical life activities I have found my dd wants to do a of academic activites on her own to. She will say go away Mummy I can do it myself. Okay..... but I just hover not to far away continuing with the cleaning or cooking or teaching my other little girl. and if she needs help I am on hand.

Sending my dd to a montessori school has taught me that I need to back off a little. My traditional schooling gets in the way and I can get upset if I see she is going to make a mistake instead of letting her work it out for herself. So sometimes I need to let her struggle so she casn do it by herself.

Ahhh the joys.

Sorry for the hiatus. Its been a busy school holidays. So my daughter has been asking for things every time we go to the shops so I decided it was a great time to teach her about saving money and valuing what we have. I think we live in a world where it seems everything is so cheap that nothing has any value. I want my dd to understand that it is fun to work for something and pay for it out of your own money and hard work. So I wrote a blog on it http://smartbabysmartkid.com/eeek-im-starting-to-teach-her-about-money/.

I hope that while my EL will prepare her for academic life I also want to prepare for real life so she can use all of her academic skiils to her full potential while living in the real world and also lets face it I do not plan on having my 30 year old daughter living at home with me being a professional student for the rest of her life.

So let me know what you think.

Kimba

Im going out on a limb here because this has nothing to do with EL it is purely a toy for myself! I have been wanting one for a couple of weeks now and I can't seem to decide which on is the best.

So can you help me please?

Hi everyone.

I am excited, nervous, sad and little bit trepidous about my daughter who is starting official school in Feb. Thanks to EL she will be starting school almost a year early and wont be quite 4 1/2 when she starts.

The school think she is ready and have told me that she has gone as far academically/emotionally/physically and socially as far as she can and has to move up. I have started to talk to my dd about what is expected of her next year and she doesn't seem to like it one bit. She is in a Montessori school and I know they will take it very easy on her but I am still a bit worried as to how she is going to react when she is told it is time to settle down and do some work. She is very head strong and does not take to kindly to being told what to do!

Any advice to would be much appreciated on after schooling her as well I plan to keep her two years ahead in Math and Reading/comprehension. but I am unsure how to approach this with her. She has been very resistant to doing any work after school complaining that she is really tired. How to you keep your child ahead when they don't want to do any more work? and do you recommend any after school activities while they are adjusting to school?

Kimba

Hi Tamsyn,

The only negative is really how other people approach your early learning. Some teachers don't like it (particulalry in a traditional school environment) and will not be flexible to your child's needs because it is difficult to tailor a curriculum to one child who is further ahead than their peers in the class room. Personally I think it is up to the parent to have a good relationship with the teacher and lots of communication and be willing to help the teacher if need be tailor a curriculum to that particular child.

I think most parents who enter into early education are looking at this for the long term and not 'I will do it until they go to school and then there the school's problem'

I think parents who enter into early learning are either very particular in the school they will send their child or will home school

I currently send one to a montessori school and I still have a very good relationship with the teacher and I showed her what Sophia was capable of doing. We worked together to help Sophia achieve her best at school and at home. Sophia will now be starting school almost a year early but I plan on keeping a close working relationship with her teacher as Sophia is incredibly head strong and needs consistency to get the best results out of her.

Hi everyone.

I have just joined both my girls up to IXL maths. I am so far pleased with the program not hugely impressed. I see as a compliment to an already established maths program and this as a back up programme. It is mainly just packed full of math questions which the kids go through until they get to 100 points in which they earn a gold medal and a special prize on their chart. I feel it will complement the math she will be learning at Montessori.

I sit with both the kids and go through the questions with them. My youngest dd who just turned two is comfortably doing the preschool section and my dd who is doing kindergarten math very easily but because she just does not like math and will do this so I have not pushed her any further.

It is only $11.95 a month for them to do it so I feel Im getting enough out of it to warrant a monthly membership.

Kimba15

I need help to fix my eldest's attitude before it gets to late.

Miss S is driving me insane... I don't know if it the end of the year and she is tired from school. An attitude she has picked up from school or she is using the I CAN"T DO IT because she just does not want to do the early learning any more.

A few weeks ago when her readers when she jumped quite significantly in reading levels at school from 21-27 (Even though I know she can read better than lvl 27 any way) She started fighting me on doing her reader. Whining purposely making mistakes on words she already knows or flatly refusing to sound out words or even try. Saying it is too hard which I respond to her "That is rubbish Sophia I know you can read this just sound it out and I will help you. She wouldn't do it and most days I would have to stop the reader because we would be still going after 1 hour because she was dragging it on purpose and I would have to wait to my husband got home to finish it with her where she would start the same crap with him but at least he has more patience to deal with her.

This attitude has also spilled into other areas. Like lego building. For example she wanted me to build her an aeroplane out of duplo this morning and I was busy working with Anneliese. I said you can do it look at the picture on the front of the box and try to copy it doesn't matter if you make mistakes I will help you with it later. So she then decides its too hard without even giving it try. So in the end I help her and then tell her she has to some of the building herself because I am not going to do all of it for you. She then goes on to proceed trying but gives to bits a go and gives up.

All I try and do is think of what I must have done some where along the line to make her be a quitter? Maybe I pushed her to hard? Maybe I praised her intelligence too much? I just don't know what I have done to cause her to be sooo stubborn and giver upper if there is such a word.

Please help me how to I go back to getting a little girl who loves to try?

Kimba

There is Wink to Learn French but I too am waiting patiently as I can fro LR French so hopefully no to far away.

For books try http://www.little-linguist.co.uk  they sell all sorts of books in about 20 different languages.

Kimba

The program is okay. Sophia likes it. I personally think it would work better as an app rather than software. Your child really needs to know how to use a touch pad on a lap top or a mouse. You can still get results so it does get the point across but you will need to be interactive the whole time with them as there are timed games and levels to get through but I think Miss A would get it just fine. There is a talking bird that is annoying and I think it is a bit clunky so here it is.

Overall Customer service 1/10
Product                         6/10

Def go ahead and teach the soroban. I used the Showme Soroban software and to be honest it is good but no great and heaven forbid if it does not work on your comptuter like it did mine Good luck getting your money back but lucky for us my hbby got it to work on his. She may be able to manage the small beads I think Sophia could have managed the small beads @ 3 1/2. Since A is not that far off and you think her fine motor skills are there than go for it.

For those of you that don't get the Jump Math emails, there are a few webinars coming up in dec 2012 if you are interested please read below.



JUMP Math Adds December Webinars

JUMP Math has added new webinars for December 2012!

Choose from a full slate of live, interactive training sessions conducted by JUMP Math experts that will help Grade 1 to 8 educators eliminate math anxiety and enable all students to reach their full potential.

The JUMP Math approach embraces new work in cognition showing that mathematical abilities can be developed in all students through rigorous instruction. It is a method and philosophy that closes the achievement gap and raises the bar. In these webinars, we present proven methods for engaging students in learning mathematics. Meticulously crafted lessons enable teachers to get their entire class moving forward at unprecedented rates by using continuous assessment, techniques for improving class dynamics, scaffolded lessons that challenge students to discover mathematical concepts in manageable steps while continuously raising the bar, innovative bonus questions, and subtly varied practice.

Upcoming webinars include:

1. JUMP Math Level 1: How to Reach and Teach Every Child
This two-part webinar is for educators with little or no experience with JUMP Math. Participants will:

    Learn about the JUMP Math program, its philosophy and development
    Become familiar with JUMP Math's teacher and student materials
    Learn about JUMP Math teaching strategies
    Discuss practical strategies to develop mental math fluency
    Look at the JUMP Math confidence-building unit for engaging slow learners
    Learn about strategies to develop solid problem-solving skills

Sessions scheduled for: November 20 & 21. December 5 & 6

Cost: $49 (for both parts 1 and 2)
2. JUMP Math Level 2: Taking it to the Next Level
This is for teachers of Grades 1–8, Learning Assistance Specialists, and EAs who have a good grounding in the basics of JUMP Math and wish to get even more out of the program. Participants will:

    Thoroughly examine JUMP Principles in order to simplify complex math concepts; build connections between concepts and procedures; and verify student learning
    Explore the use of guided practice and guided discovery
    Share tips using JUMP Math teaching strategies
    Look at how to develop bonus questions that challenge students who finish quickly
    Guide you through planning for and managing multi-grade classrooms

Sessions scheduled for: November 29. December 6

Cost: $35
3. JUMP Math for Special Education: Meeting the Needs of All Learners
This is tailored for Special Educators, Learning Assistance Specialists, Educational Assistants and Classroom Teachers. Participants will:

    Explore how learning differences become challenges in your classroom
    Explain how JUMP Math minimizes these challenges and enables you to teach to a higher standard without leaving any students behind
    Discuss the importance of brain-based teaching strategies
    Discuss practical strategies to engage all students
    Have opportunities to share ideas and network with colleagues

Sessions scheduled for: November 28. December 3

Cost: $35

JUMP Math webinars are extremely popular so register early to ensure availability!
Please visit http://www.jumpmath.org/cms/webinars_2 for further details and to register online. Participants will be able to choose their desired session date and time when registering.

If you live in Canada and wish to attend a workshop in person, please check for sessions in:

    B.C. - http://jumpmath.org/cms/pd_british_columbia
    Alberta - http://jumpmath.org/cms/pd_alberta
    Ontario - http://jumpmath.org/cms/pd_ontario


Questions may be sent to Noreen McLean by email at [email protected] or by phone at (416) 596-7716 ext. 228.


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Kimba

Well done MummyRoo!!

Please correct me if I am wrong but do the french use a similar levelled reading program based on phonics? I thought I stumbled across a Jolly phonics french program but I could be wrong? If they do use a levelled reading program where could I purchase it from and some videos on the french phonics system? That would be great thanks.