Summer Virtual/Home "School" programs for kids

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ThankYouJack
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Summer Virtual/Home "School" programs for kids

Post by ThankYouJack »

For a couple hours each morning this summer I'd like my kids to read / study /do an enrichment activity. I'm also thinking about virtual / home school for a year so this could be a good opportunity to dip our toes in and see how it goes.

Any recommendations for companies that offer summer curriculum for a kid in middle school and another in elementary school? I don't mind spending a decent amount, but being able to try before buying would be nice to make sure it sticks. Also, I'll be able to get involved in helping -- I just don't want to set them up in front of a computer all morning.
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Beensabu
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Re: Summer Virtual/Home "School" programs for kids

Post by Beensabu »

How to get kids who don't choose reading as an activity on their own to read:

- Go to the library and have them check out books they think they might read.
- Turn off / take away screens at an appointed hour each day until they read one of the books (or a certain number of chapters, pages, etc.)
- Have them tell you about what they read when they are done. Ask them questions based on what they tell you.

Writing:

- Turn off / take away screens at an appointed hour each day until they have written something (a journal entry, a book report, a poem, part of a story, lyrics to a song, whatever)
- Don't correct their spelling or grammar or try to edit/revise/guide their writing at all. Just let them write. Something. Anything.

Math:

- workbooks (booooo - it's the only way, though) - a test prep workbook for the completed grade level should get them through the summer without losing math knowledge
- a page / day, don't be cruel

Science:

- DIY experiments - the internet will find them for you

Art:

- provide arts and crafts supplies and a space where they can use them and make a mess and nobody cares

*Give them stuff (besides their screens back) for doing academic/enrichment activities. It's not a bribe. It's an incentive. A rewards program.

It's better than "Welcome to your summer! Here's more school... At least it's on a screen!"
"The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next." ~Ursula LeGuin
westpac
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Re: Summer Virtual/Home "School" programs for kids

Post by westpac »

For summers I would check out books from the library. One I recall was a biography
on Gen. George S Patton. Then my parents thought I was reading too much and I
had to cut back.

Does the kids have any say in this? It seems that this would be a slow torture to me.
Topic Author
ThankYouJack
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Re: Summer Virtual/Home "School" programs for kids

Post by ThankYouJack »

Thanks for the recommendations. Great idea about going to the library and using workbooks instead of screens.
westpac wrote: Fri Jun 02, 2023 11:56 pm Does the kids have any say in this? It seems that this would be a slow torture to me.
Yep, they'll have say. My kids enjoy reading and learning, so I think if we find the right books / learning material and can get into a routine it could be great.
stoptothink
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Re: Summer Virtual/Home "School" programs for kids

Post by stoptothink »

Beensabu wrote: Fri Jun 02, 2023 11:28 pm How to get kids who don't choose reading as an activity on their own to read:

- Go to the library and have them check out books they think they might read.
- Turn off / take away screens at an appointed hour each day until they read one of the books (or a certain number of chapters, pages, etc.)
- Have them tell you about what they read when they are done. Ask them questions based on what they tell you.

Writing:

- Turn off / take away screens at an appointed hour each day until they have written something (a journal entry, a book report, a poem, part of a story, lyrics to a song, whatever)
- Don't correct their spelling or grammar or try to edit/revise/guide their writing at all. Just let them write. Something. Anything.

Math:

- workbooks (booooo - it's the only way, though) - a test prep workbook for the completed grade level should get them through the summer without losing math knowledge
- a page / day, don't be cruel

Science:

- DIY experiments - the internet will find them for you

Art:

- provide arts and crafts supplies and a space where they can use them and make a mess and nobody cares

*Give them stuff (besides their screens back) for doing academic/enrichment activities. It's not a bribe. It's an incentive. A rewards program.

It's better than "Welcome to your summer! Here's more school... At least it's on a screen!"
This is almost step-for-step what we do with our kids, and we are very fortunate that I WFH and have a lot of free time. But, wife and I are having some semi-serious discussion about taking this to the next level (possibly even starting home-schooling our kids in a year or two, for reasons that would get this thread closed) so I would love to hear from others about this.
retired recently
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Re: Summer Virtual/Home "School" programs for kids

Post by retired recently »

When our son was growing up, we always tried to learn one new thing each summer. Two really as we did sports and academics. One of the best things he did (he always loved math) was he would pick an Art of Problem Solving course (AOPS). He would do Counting and Probability, Number Theory, Programming, etc. If your kids like math, I would highly recommend looking into AOPS.
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Watty
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Re: Summer Virtual/Home "School" programs for kids

Post by Watty »

One of the best tips that I ever heard for getting your kid interested in reading was to make sure that you regularly sit down and read a book for pleasure yourself when they are around you. This is especially true when they are younger.

My local library has a number of summer activities and reading challenges so be sure to see what yours has.

It was not homeschooling but when he was that age there was a day camp by a local group that he went to for several summers which had a lot of enrichment activities that were more in the arts and music side. Many schools have cut their arts and music programs so the summer could be good time to focus on getting more exposure to things that they will not get in school.

You might check to see if the "Odyssey of the Mind" group has summer camps in your area. My son also did that program during the school year for several years and that a really worthwhile program.

They have waned in popularity but getting involved them involved in boy or girl scouts is an option to consider and many merit badges would cover the types of things you want them to get interested in.
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leeks
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Re: Summer Virtual/Home "School" programs for kids

Post by leeks »

retired recently wrote: Sat Jun 03, 2023 7:50 am When our son was growing up, we always tried to learn one new thing each summer. Two really as we did sports and academics. One of the best things he did (he always loved math) was he would pick an Art of Problem Solving course (AOPS). He would do Counting and Probability, Number Theory, Programming, etc. If your kids like math, I would highly recommend looking into AOPS.
For math, I second AOPS for your middle schooler. For the elementary student, they offer Beast Academy with a problem solving focus). They are high quality and fun for kids with comic book format guides. I recmmend the paper versions. It is best for kids who have somewhat of a natural talent for math.
https://beastacademy.com/books

For language arts, if your kids are gifted readers and enjoy language, look into Michael Clay Thompson MCT published by Royal Fireworks Press. It won't click with every family. It is quirky but very well thought out, beloved by many homeschoolers of highly gifted children. But only worth it I think if you can make time do all the components of a level as they support each other (grammar, writing, vocabulary, poetry, literature). You would buy "the complete homeschool package" for each level. Start a level down from where you think your kids are as it covers stuff not taught at these ages in most US schools. For portions that are digested easily, you can go quickly and skip practice assignments where they are not needed. The elementary student should start at Level 1 Island (or the preliminary Poodle stuff for a K-1 student). The middle schooler maybe Level 3 Voyage. There is some other great stuff from that publisher.
https://www.rfwp.com/mct-language-arts/ ... nd-guides/
Sample pages are viewable for each book if you poke around enough on the website.
https://www.rfwp.com/wp-content/uploads ... -Pages.pdf

We used both of these curricula during a homeschooling year and are continuing with them as supplements now that our kids attend a private Montessori elementary.

Some logic workbooks could also be fun
https://www.criticalthinking.com/mind-benders.html

Combine with weekly library trips and I would recommend designated time for reading that you consider as part of the homeschool time. You could work one-one-one with the younger child while the older reads and then switch to give them each focused attention. One of the things you can do is specify categories of library books to ensure a variety of genres. Something like each kid must pick a fiction book, a biography, a history nonfiction, a science nonfiction, a poetry book, and 3 free choice. And you can vary those genre assignments to ensure a balance throughout the summer.

Also keep reading aloud to them, even the older one. Pick some novels the whole family will enjoy to read together over the summer. The kids can take turns reading aloud too. You can also do audiobooks as a family. You get the most benefit out of this if everyone discusses the stories.

The Bogleheads of homeschooling:
https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/
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celia
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Re: Summer Virtual/Home "School" programs for kids

Post by celia »

I watched a show recently where Temple Grandin, a well known autistic academic, was talking about her latest book, Visual Thinking. She was lamenting as to loss of common skills in people, such as those people who maintain factories, welders, woodworkers, etc retire and the later generations don’t know how to fix things because schools are only teaching the academic skills. She says we need shop classes, theater, home ec and all the subjects we used to have.

Instead of doing everything for your kids, especially those who do not do well in school, we need to expose them to using tools, explore nature, be creative. So I suggest your kids be encouraged to put on a talent show or play they produce all on their own (with costumes and music). Have them take apart a clock or toaster or similar (from a thrift shop?), and go find the smallest and largest creature in your yard or the park. Have them build a birdhouse to see if they can attract a bird to live there. Create a new recipe, learn calligraphy (even handwriting), and fix something that is broken at your house. Go outside and create a new “sport” or find all the trees on your street that are the same species. If they get all wrapped up in a particular project, have them explore it at a more advanced level.

They can get more ideas from a library book on the subject.
ZMonet
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Re: Summer Virtual/Home "School" programs for kids

Post by ZMonet »

I'm trying to develop something for my middle-school kid as this will be the first year where she isn't in a ton of camps (she was finding them boring and not age appropriate). Actually, I'm hopeful that my wife and I can do something similar. The idea is that she/we can earn points by completing certain enrichment activities. Some of them are super easy; others much less so. I haven't come up with the points system or the rewards, but the idea will be that there will be categories of things that can be completed daily/weekly. Depending on what my daughter wants to do, the incentive will be something small weekly (a nominal gift card, a privilege, like getting time on an app, etc.) or some sort of goal for the summer (family vacation of my daughter's choosing -- she would need to plan it, including a budget, accommodations, activities, etc.).

So far, the categories I've come up with are:
  • sleep hygiene (get at least 7.5 to 8 hours sleep -- we have sleep tracker watches but you wouldn't need to be that exact)
  • nature/light exposure (go outside for a morning walk/hike and get some morning sunlight)
  • food/water consumption (get X amount of protein/nutrition per day and stay hydrated -- she is an athlete)
  • social engagement (write an email or letter to a friend/family member)
  • movement (weight training and cardio exercise, in addition to the six days of practice and events -- all related to her sport)
  • learning (her school gives her a math workbook to complete and a summer reading list; she is also going to add in watching a documentary of her choice every two weeks)
  • creativity (make or build something -- she is really into making things on a Cricut right now)
  • meditation/mindfulness (many apps out there that have exercises in this regard)
I asked her what she wanted for incentives, and she said she didn't really care about those. Interestingly, she said she just wants to get much better at her sport.

OP not sure if this is the type of thing you had in mind.

Does anyone have any other categories to add?
BanquetBeer
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Re: Summer Virtual/Home "School" programs for kids

Post by BanquetBeer »

We have used outschool for our young kids. Don’t know If they have more advanced classes
ND Fan 1
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Re: Summer Virtual/Home "School" programs for kids

Post by ND Fan 1 »

My wife homeschools our oldest 3 (of 5) children and keeps them doing activities all summer. This helps so they don't "brain dump" and have to re-learn at the beginning of the next school year.

Online:
XtraMath a site that does math tables, addition, subtraction, multiplying and then division. About 5-10 minutes flashcard style to help them memorize their math tables
Typer Island, to help learning how to type.
Art Hub on YouTube for Art lessons, my girls especially love this.

Books:
Summer workbooks for appropriate grade level. Bunch on Amazon. Do 1 page of math, 1 of English, one of phonics a day. Maybe 15-30 min tops.
Lots of reading, and this is a bit of a challenge to find appropriate books. My son just burns through books, so we are constantly trying to keep up with him. We spend an inordinate time at the library checking out and returning books.

Now the kids are a little older, we have incorporated physical fitness. Run a mile, do 30 push ups, planks, wall sits, bike riding, pull-ups, etc... I helped them create a spreadsheet where they set goals for the week and log them. They have embraced it and love the tracking aspect. We have learned that giving the kids ownership helps them "buy-in" to whatever we have them doing

Overall homeschooling can be challenging, but the results are well worth it. The flexibility it provides for our family is such a big benefit, not to mention the control over curriculum and what our children get exposed too.
stoptothink
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Re: Summer Virtual/Home "School" programs for kids

Post by stoptothink »

ZMonet wrote: Sat Jun 03, 2023 2:16 pm I

So far, the categories I've come up with are:
  • sleep hygiene (get at least 7.5 to 8 hours sleep -- we have sleep tracker watches but you wouldn't need to be that exact)
  • nature/light exposure (go outside for a morning walk/hike and get some morning sunlight)
  • food/water consumption (get X amount of protein/nutrition per day and stay hydrated -- she is an athlete)
  • social engagement (write an email or letter to a friend/family member)
  • movement (weight training and cardio exercise, in addition to the six days of practice and events -- all related to her sport)
  • learning (her school gives her a math workbook to complete and a summer reading list; she is also going to add in watching a documentary of her choice every two weeks)
  • creativity (make or build something -- she is really into making things on a Cricut right now)
  • meditation/mindfulness (many apps out there that have exercises in this regard)
Fantastic additions. Those things are all part of our normal lifestyle, but I can't say we necessarily directly teach our kids about them. Maybe we should.
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