Internet: how important is it? - Page 3

jenny_islander · 07-22-2014, 06:09 PM

I love the Internet for younger students mostly because of Starfall. For $35 per year I get a self-paced reading and math classroom that--well, it meant that when my little perfectionist was getting frustrated, she yelled at the computer, not at me!

And the lessons Starfall teaches tend to stick. My 10- and 8-year-old learned how to read from Starfall. We'll see how my super active 4-year-old takes to it when he is finally mature enough to use a mouse as a mouse instead of a missile.

For older students, the Internet is handy for illustrative purposes IME. I read about the fine garments of Helen in The Iliad, then I pull up photos of cloth made from byssus to show the girls what she might have been wearing. I read Seabird, I can play a sea chanty from the same century in the background. That kind of thing. It's also good for historical maps. So far you could get the same info from books and CDs. However, we did something really awesome a few weeks ago. We were rereading The Lost Wreck of the Isis, which is about the 1988-89 expedition led by Bob Ballard that pioneered underwater archaeology using the Jason ROV. (The Titanic expedition was awesome, but more about proof of concept IMO.) There was a chapter about the then-pretty-shiny technique of renting time on a satellite so that people in selected locations could talk to the crew on the phone and watch what they were doing on live TV. I detoured from discussion of Imperial Roman culture to talk about how much worldwide communication has changed just in my adult lifetime. I showed them that Ballard now has a website. Lo and behold, live streaming video from an ongoing expedition in the Gulf of Mexico was right on the front page. So was an ask box. So I typed in a question about how shipboard communications had changed since the '80s, clicked Send . . . AND NOT 10 MINUTES LATER I HEARD BOB BALLARD HIMSELF ANSWER MY QUESTION LIVE IN FRONT OF MILLIONS.

My girls had eyes the size of golf balls. It was awesome.

milkmommy · 07-22-2014, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melliethepooh

In the OP I explained that the question at hand is whether spending an extra $60/month on real internet over our mobile data is worth it.

Lol duh ignore
me

tempus vernum · 07-24-2014, 07:00 AM

Im in the "whatever works for your child and family" camp But have found my older kids prefer online instruction (middle and high school)!

However I wondered if you've considered your phones as hot spots? My dh and dd have phones that turns into a hot spot. We have unlimited talk text and data through cricket (no contract)! I think it's $35 a month each phone.

It was nice for when we were on the road

and I desperately want to download a new kindle book

and my kids loved having their iPods and iPads able to access Netflix

I ready to get a new phone and will make sure it becomes a hot spot

zak · 07-24-2014, 07:30 AM

Posting BLIND:

We are UNABLE to get real internet at our home. IT IS AWFUL. First world problems and all but it truly truly makes life very stressful for me.

We have a HotSpot from AT&T and our cell phones are with AT&T. It's expensive as all get out and VERY limited data (30GB per month - we were at 20GB per month for a while but the new Family plans made it cheaper for us to get 30 over 20!).

I HATE it. My kids get virtually ZERO internet access (no playing, no schooling, nada) until the end of our billing cycle when we can "use up" what overage we may have of the 30 GBs.

I am trying to homeschool and have business to run and it's very very stressful not to have all the time I need to perfect my marketing/website.

Bringing my laptop to the library is awful - because kids.

At least we are all healthy, right? I seriously hate to complain about something so dumb. But it stinks.

---------- Post added at 10:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:28 AM ----------

In short: I would GLADLY pay $60 a month for internet.

melliethepooh · 07-24-2014, 07:43 AM

we have a hotspot with Cricket too, but it's unimpressive on a good day

I have to be pretty desperate to use it.

tempus vernum · 07-24-2014, 07:49 AM

Ugh! So sorry to hear that. I'm vowing to be grateful for my internet after this thread

zak · 07-24-2014, 11:25 AM

Cricket. Jodi, you may have given me hope!!

momzilla76 · 07-25-2014, 06:20 AM

Other than a few stretches where I was printing off my worksheet for the year from the net is not a have-to. We have satellite with limited usage allowance so we have to be careful with videos and music. Honestly we could live without it.
I guess the financial answer is how bad do you need the money the internet will cost?

07-22-2014, 06:09 PM	#31
jenny_islander Rose Trellis Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 3,362	Re: Internet: how important is it? I love the Internet for younger students mostly because of Starfall. For $35 per year I get a self-paced reading and math classroom that--well, it meant that when my little perfectionist was getting frustrated, she yelled at the computer, not at me! And the lessons Starfall teaches tend to stick. My 10- and 8-year-old learned how to read from Starfall. We'll see how my super active 4-year-old takes to it when he is finally mature enough to use a mouse as a mouse instead of a missile. For older students, the Internet is handy for illustrative purposes IME. I read about the fine garments of Helen in The Iliad, then I pull up photos of cloth made from byssus to show the girls what she might have been wearing. I read Seabird, I can play a sea chanty from the same century in the background. That kind of thing. It's also good for historical maps. So far you could get the same info from books and CDs. However, we did something really awesome a few weeks ago. We were rereading The Lost Wreck of the Isis, which is about the 1988-89 expedition led by Bob Ballard that pioneered underwater archaeology using the Jason ROV. (The Titanic expedition was awesome, but more about proof of concept IMO.) There was a chapter about the then-pretty-shiny technique of renting time on a satellite so that people in selected locations could talk to the crew on the phone and watch what they were doing on live TV. I detoured from discussion of Imperial Roman culture to talk about how much worldwide communication has changed just in my adult lifetime. I showed them that Ballard now has a website. Lo and behold, live streaming video from an ongoing expedition in the Gulf of Mexico was right on the front page. So was an ask box. So I typed in a question about how shipboard communications had changed since the '80s, clicked Send . . . AND NOT 10 MINUTES LATER I HEARD BOB BALLARD HIMSELF ANSWER MY QUESTION LIVE IN FRONT OF MILLIONS. My girls had eyes the size of golf balls. It was awesome. __________________ Wife to John, December 18, 1999 ~ Mother to Sophia, March 13, 2004 ~ Mother to Eva, June 10, 2006 ~ Mother to Matthew, December 21, 2009 ~ Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will lift me up. Last edited by jenny_islander; 07-22-2014 at 06:11 PM. Reason: Bracketitis.

07-24-2014, 07:00 AM	#33
tempus vernum Rose Garden I am the mountain. I am not the storm and the storm is not me. -Ian Cron Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 28,913	Re: Internet: how important is it? Im in the "whatever works for your child and family" camp But have found my older kids prefer online instruction (middle and high school)! However I wondered if you've considered your phones as hot spots? My dh and dd have phones that turns into a hot spot. We have unlimited talk text and data through cricket (no contract)! I think it's $35 a month each phone. It was nice for when we were on the road and I desperately want to download a new kindle book and my kids loved having their iPods and iPads able to access Netflix I ready to get a new phone and will make sure it becomes a hot spot __________________ ~Spring always comes after winter~ 2 Corinthians 4:16 “ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ”

07-24-2014, 07:30 AM	#34
zak Administrator Friend of the Fellowship Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The South Posts: 33,212	Re: Internet: how important is it? Posting BLIND: We are UNABLE to get real internet at our home. IT IS AWFUL. First world problems and all but it truly truly makes life very stressful for me. We have a HotSpot from AT&T and our cell phones are with AT&T. It's expensive as all get out and VERY limited data (30GB per month - we were at 20GB per month for a while but the new Family plans made it cheaper for us to get 30 over 20!). I HATE it. My kids get virtually ZERO internet access (no playing, no schooling, nada) until the end of our billing cycle when we can "use up" what overage we may have of the 30 GBs. I am trying to homeschool and have business to run and it's very very stressful not to have all the time I need to perfect my marketing/website. Bringing my laptop to the library is awful - because kids. At least we are all healthy, right? I seriously hate to complain about something so dumb. But it stinks. ---------- Post added at 10:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:28 AM ---------- In short: I would GLADLY pay $60 a month for internet. __________________ -zak Wife to MrZak Mama to the ZakKids - 2005, 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2017 Dedicated GCMer since 2003 Administrator and Moderating Cradled, Babes, Breastfeeding, Beautiful Mothers and Circumcision

07-24-2014, 07:43 AM	#35
melliethepooh Rose Garden Dinosaurs are people too Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,981	Re: Internet: how important is it? we have a hotspot with Cricket too, but it's unimpressive on a good day I have to be pretty desperate to use it. __________________ Melinda, INTJ Married to Mr since 12/06 ENTP Mama to all the babies, 1/09 ISTJ and 11/11 ExxP and 5/14 ExxP and NEW ONE 8/16

07-24-2014, 07:49 AM	#36
tempus vernum Rose Garden I am the mountain. I am not the storm and the storm is not me. -Ian Cron Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 28,913	Re: Internet: how important is it? Ugh! So sorry to hear that. I'm vowing to be grateful for my internet after this thread __________________ ~Spring always comes after winter~ 2 Corinthians 4:16 “ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ”

07-24-2014, 11:25 AM	#37
zak Administrator Friend of the Fellowship Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The South Posts: 33,212	Re: Internet: how important is it? Cricket. Jodi, you may have given me hope!! __________________ -zak Wife to MrZak Mama to the ZakKids - 2005, 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2017 Dedicated GCMer since 2003 Administrator and Moderating Cradled, Babes, Breastfeeding, Beautiful Mothers and Circumcision

07-25-2014, 06:20 AM	#38
momzilla76 Seedling Rose Today is a gift that is why it is called the present Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Michigan Posts: 35	Re: Internet: how important is it? Other than a few stretches where I was printing off my worksheet for the year from the net is not a have-to. We have satellite with limited usage allowance so we have to be careful with videos and music. Honestly we could live without it. I guess the financial answer is how bad do you need the money the internet will cost? __________________ super hubby of 17 years dd 16 dd 13 ds 10 ds 9 ds 7 ds 5 Last edited by momzilla76; 07-25-2014 at 06:22 AM. Reason: spelling

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