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How's everyone's school year going so far?


Runningmom80
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My DS11 has always needed space since he was born so I can empathize.

 

My DS11 plays the cello. You can just imagine what it is like when he is hormonal. So far the cello has remained unharmed.

 

Luckily DS10 decided to switch back to the flute after a spell with the cello.

 

I am tempted to put my boys in sports classes every day just to get them tired enough to sleep. They won't do PE for me. However my budget can't afford that :p

 

My DS11 is reading his story book while his "not at all efficient" programming homework code is running. He can spend all day reading and just drink milk if I let him.

 

DS just switched from double bass to piano, and I'm relieved not because I thought he would intentionally hurt the bass, but because he's so gangly and uncoordinated, and the bass keeps growing with him.

 

I want to get my DS onto a swim team.  I think the daily exercise will help greatly with attitude and attention.

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Do you know how many times I have posted plans here only to have to dial back the very next day due to some cognitive leap or hormonal set back? I definitely can empathize.

 

Oh I love reading these old threads! That SA link has been floating around my feed and local community too. I'm glad things are looking up! :hurray:

 

Well that does help me to feel better.  :lol: :grouphug:

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It's going well here. I'm glad I started BA with my four year old. He's interested enough that he'll do some of the worksheets on his own. MCT has also been enjoyable. MCP Maps, Charts, and Graphs are being flown through though.

 

A surprisingly good fit is RFP Aesop Book About Thinking, Reading, and Writing. I thought it might be too public school like, but the worksheets are fairly creative while gently hitting grammar, comprehension, and vocabulary. I am also using the moral of each story to transition into dictation. We are using Pictures in Cursive for copywork.

 

He started violin lessons and gymnastics and is doing very well in both. Especially with violin. I wish he listened to me as well as he listens to his violin teacher.

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DS just switched from double bass to piano

...

I want to get my DS onto a swim team. I think the daily exercise will help greatly with attitude and attention.

DS11 plays my piano when he wants to. He plays 7/8 cello. He loves to play loud, intense pieces on any instrument which is why I get slightly worried over his poor cello bow and strings. The piano is more rugged.

 

My condo complex has a heated (half the year) outdoor pool but only DS10 is willing to swim everyday. I don't see a difference in attitude or attention when he swims an hour daily. However DS10 is my less intense child and so easier to calm dowm.

 

DS11 slept after morning tennis classes in summer. He used to sleep in the car after swim or gym class. Unfortunately he couldn't sleep on time at night because he has already napped.

 

It is really trial and error for each child.

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Can I hop on here? I always feel a little out of forums in general because I'll pop on every once in a while to ask a question and then forget to keep up. I read often.

 

I'm doing school with DD7 and DS4 right now. We also have a second DS who is 2 and another boy on the way. We ended last year in the weeds a bit and took the summer off for pregnancy blah and I was a bit worried about this year and so far it's been great.

 

I broke school into two periods this year since I anticipated we'd have to work around DS2's smash em up personality and a new baby in December. The first period is semi independent and the second is during the toddler's nap so I can focus on more active teaching.

 

We start the day with instrument practice. DD plays violin,DS cello and then do a YouTube excercise video. The excercises are my attempt at OT for DD because she is extremely sensory seeking and though we don't really have trouble with attention she is usually only engaged if she has a specific task. She steams ahead like a freight train when she has something to do but the second she's done she starts making noise, banging on things or generally being a nuisance. DH is still the same way so I know kids like that can grow up to be just fine but sometimes it's a challenge.

 

During period 1 DD works on Singapore 2B, Print Wacky Sentences and journal. DS works in Singapore 2B, Printing Power and journal. If they finish quickly they are allowed to read or listen to a book on tape and they almost always do. While we break for lunch I play the CC timeline song (we did CC for one year but only kept the timeline song) and the little one starts nap. During second period we do Story of the World (the Middle Ages), AAS2 and MCT which we all love. If it's a long nap we might find a documentary about the event or place we just read about in SOTW and then we're done.

 

I can't believe how smoothly this is going and sometimes worry we're not doing enough. This is especially true for DD7 who should probably be doing more for writing than just journal and copy work. I'm meeting with a friend who is a writing teacher next week to see if we can beef things up in that area. DD is very reluctant to write because she perceives herself to be a bad speller which she is absolutely not (we do standardized testing aside from my personal observation) and it stresses her out to try. Ugh... How to explain to GT kid that they're not "bad" at a subject in which they never make a mistake!?

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DD15:

The theme this year is missing Mr. Moskaluk.

Math: AOPS pre calc with me, going well because I'm fairly familiar with the topic.  AP stats on PAH:  It's fine, but not as amazing as Mr. M.

Science:  AP bio at Stanford OHS.  It's fine, lost of learning (not as amazing as Mr. M).  We are learning that SOHS, like all institutions, is uneven, and we're glad to be part time so we can pick from the best of SOHS and leave the rest behind.  

History: renaissance from WTMA, so far so good

Spanish: Ray Leven for year 2.  She also had a trial with Language Bird, but it seems to be untested, so we're holding off for now

English: reading classic novels, working with her English tutor.  Same old same old.

 

DD13:

Math: AoPS Intermediate Counting and Probability.  I decided to do this before Intermediate Algebra, because I thought IA was too much for my 8th grader.  Turn out Inter. C&P is also pretty tough going, too.  We're just finishing up PIE, the toughest chapter so far.  The next chapter on 1-1 and pigeonhole looks to be the same.  Main problem is I'm not that familiar with the material.

Science:  chemistry with a local group of students.  Has not started yet.

History:  unschooling at home, now studying ancient greece using PBS/Natl Geographic resources

AP CS: Edhesive, not too taxing

English: skype tutor we've used for years.  

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What happened to Moskaluk?

 

Oh!  Sorry I wasn't clear.  Nothing's happened to him.  Dd had him last year for AP chem, but this year she's taking other classes and so no longer has him as a teacher.  In fact, he's still part of our lives as she continues as a TA for the course.  But AFAIK, he's still around.  He better be around next year because I plan to have dd#2 take AP chem next year.  

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Oh!  Sorry I wasn't clear.  Nothing's happened to him.  Dd had him last year for AP chem, but this year she's taking other classes and so no longer has him as a teacher.  In fact, he's still part of our lives as she continues as a TA for the course.  But AFAIK, he's still around.  He better be around next year because I plan to have dd#2 take AP chem next year.  

 

DS has Mr M now for AP Chem and really thinks highly of him. Your review was one of a few I had been considering carefully before signing DS up for the class. Thank you! :001_smile: DS said one of the TAs was helping to make flashcards for Chemistry? Is that your DD?

 

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After reading The Economist's Quantum of scholars article (http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21706505-promise-faster-and-cheaper-path-wall-street-quantum-scholars?frsc=dg%7Cc) just now, DS11 decided to add quant to his long list of potential jobs. DS10 wants me to find him a physics class. We do all three sciences every year but biology is their least favorite.

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This is our last year homeschooling. I miss the excitement of the younger years.

 

D is studying AP macro and micro and AP US government with me this year. Good test scores will get earn her credit for her major at all the schools she's applying to and will enable her to take higher-level courses right away.

 

We're also doing a fun, interest-led astronomy course together. She's been doing astronomy events at Science Olympiad competitions every year, so we're building on the knowledge base and adding telescope work and computer-based labs, similar to what is covered in an intro undergrad course.

 

English is outsourced to Blue Tent Online again. She scored well on the AP Lang test so is taking the post-AP option.

 

Chinese has been added to her language study at the university. She's working w a tutor for Arabic as there isn't an appropriate level of Arabic being offered this semester.

 

So many application essays remain to be written. Dd's first deadline is Oct 7 (true deadline is Oct 14) for a long shot uber competitive full ride scholarship.

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This is our last year homeschooling. I miss the excitement of the younger years.

 

D is studying AP macro and micro and AP US government with me this year. Good test scores will get earn her credit for her major at all the schools she's applying to and will enable her to take higher-level courses right away.

 

We're also doing a fun, interest-led astronomy course together. She's been doing astronomy events at Science Olympiad competitions every year, so we're building on the knowledge base and adding telescope work and computer-based labs, similar to what is covered in an intro undergrad course.

 

English is outsourced to Blue Tent Online again. She scored well on the AP Lang test so is taking the post-AP option.

 

Chinese has been added to her language study at the university. She's working w a tutor for Arabic as there isn't an appropriate level of Arabic being offered this semester.

 

So many application essays remain to be written. Dd's first deadline is Oct 7 (true deadline is Oct 14) for a long shot uber competitive full ride scholarship.

 

Good Luck to him!!!!

 

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