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meltf928

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Posts posted by meltf928

  1. Keep in mind that if she understands the concept, it is definitely not necessary for her to complete every single page of every lesson. We are using MUS Algebra 1 as well. If my DD understands the new concept and she completes a Lesson Practice with 100% accuracy, then I have her move on to a Review. If she does that successfully, I have her take the test and then we move on.  Every other lesson or so I'll throw an extra review page at her just for practice.  

    I'll say this too. The first 1/2 of MUS Alg 1 was very slow for her, but she is now finding her groove with it and moving along more easily.  

    I would not rush in an urgency to get it done. I would make sure that she's fully understanding the concepts. That, ultimately, is most important.

     

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  2. It's not beneficial. The NCAA only cares about 16 core courses being at the high school level and that you passed those classes. Really, it is only complicated if you choose to use non-high school or above level materials or you choose to list outside classes as outside classes without you being the teacher of record.

     

    What I plan to do with my son is: 

     

    1. List a high school textbook for every one of the 16 core courses. I may, in fact, use those textbooks, or I may simply use them as a guide for what my son should cover and cover it in my own way.

     

    2. List myself as teacher of record for every single outside class he takes (excluding DE, if he goes that route).

     

    As long as I do those things, there is no reason the NCAA won't approve my courses.

     

    FWIW, my dd hates the NCAA so much that she has chosen to forgo college hockey at the D1 or D2 level because she wants nothing to do with NCAA, does not agree with their monopoly on sports, and refuses to tailor her high school experience to meet the NCAA requirements. She may or may not have gotten that attitude from me. ;) (In reality, she asked me what I thought, and I told her, and then I encouraged her to do her own research on it. She decided that there are MANY things about the NCAA that she doesn't like and that she didn't want to cram her high school studies into an NCAA-approved box. My dh has a very neutral opinion of the NCAA, and she talked to him about that, as well.)

     

    My ds is very much, "Meh, if that's what I have to do, I'll do it" about this issue, although his plan is to go through junior hockey into the minors and not through D1 hockey. I'm tailoring his high school transcript to keep the possibility of D1 sports open for him.

     

     

    This brings up another question. Dual Enrollment isn't an issue I assume, provided that it's a recognized college?  She's quite a smart little girl and I'm having to give her a gap year in science. She's only 12 and just completely Apologia General Science with a high A.   I plan to have her do something else for science next year and then pick back up.  i definitely want to keep DE as an option for her.

     

    She is also highly intreated in a DIII school that has a pre-vet program.  It's private though, so her SAT/ACT scores will have to get her an academic scholarship. The only reason that I'm willing to jump through the NCAA hoops is because as of now, her #1 pick gives a scholarship for full tuition and books. Since I have 4 to put through school, it'd be nice to have multiple options. ;)

     

     

  3. There is no guarantee that those two hybrid schools will still be approved by the NCAA when your student goes through the process.

     

    I think seeking accreditation would be time-consuming and unnecessary.  We are homeschoolers.  Accreditation is necessary for online public schools, not homeschoolers. 

     

    I would make the educational choices that are best for your child.  As long as your child is using high school level textbooks, you will be fine.

     

     

    This is how I've always felt about accreditation!  ;)

  4. I am aware that some Universities may balk at Christian context, which is one of my reasons for adding  secular material as well. Having said that, two of her top choices are Christian Universities and the other, UGA, doesn't have anything specific on their website. These colleges routinely accept students from private Christian school and homeschoolers.    I do want to have my bases covered though.  ;)

     

     

    One other question. Knowing that the NCAA changes their mind about things like I change my clothing....  There are two private homeschool "hybrid" schools here that I happen to know are in the NCAA database as accepted schools. One has courses listed with NCAA and 2 does NOT.  Does anyone think it may be beneficial to seek accreditation though either of these schools. With one, she would have to attend 3 days a week with homework, with 2, I could get her transcripts accredited independently.  Neither of these are online options like K12 or the like.  

    I guess what I'm asking is, is seeking accreditation beneficial or hurtful....if anyone knows.  

  5. I too have a question.  My DD's sport, Equestrian, is an "emerging" sport with NCAA. It is currently governed by NCEA and they adhere strictly to NCAA guidelines and qualifications.  Because she wants to pursue a Div 1 team, I have been planning to treat her High School years to meet all NCAA guidelines.  

    I have been using Sonlight and Apologia and it has recently occurred to me that since these are considered Christian Educational Material, it may not be accepted.  Now I'm wondering if I should look at changing her textbooks to fully secular or at a minimum adding secular textbooks to our resources.  Sonlight has worked VERY well for us thus far and I don't really want to change it. Unfortunately at this juncture BookShark doesn't go through high school.  

     

     

  6. Interesting. My 3rd grader also bombed this section on the ITBS along with 1 other section that I can't recall.  Like you, I'd like to know what's going on, but we minion parents can't be trusted with the actual test (I'm not a registered proctor) How are we supposed to help them if we can't see what the issue is. 

     

    I've considered giving my DD a different standardized test that I can administer here at home so I can get a better idea of what the struggle is.  

    I do have a few friends that are teachers and ITBS proctors, so I plan to reach out to them for some more information.

  7. I would use 8/7 next. She'll likely find lots of review, especially in the early chapters, but it will get more complex at the end. If she wants to move more quickly, I'd let her do two lessons a day, but I wouldn't skip anything. Then when she gets to the last 30 lessons or so, I'd go back to one a day. If she completes 8/7 well, then you can move right into algebra 1. As far as needing a separate geometry credit, you can search here for many ways people have listed it on their transcripts. We did a separate geometry course one year, but it's not necessary with Saxon as it is all built into the algebra texts and advanced math. If Saxon is working, I'd continue as it's great prep for higher math and the math she'll need in physics and chemistry. There's no need to hold her back if she can complete a text in a semester. Eventually she'll probably arrive at her appropriate level and slow down to one a year. You can also supplement with more complex word problems from another text like AoPS or test prep books.

     

     

    Thanks. That had been my original plan but upon speaking with an adviser, she recommended what I posted above. (we will be using a different service for accreditation purposes) I believe I'm going to stick to my original.

     

    We are in GA and we don't HAVE to seek accreditation, but the colleges here make it more difficult when applying if you don't have accreditation. (higher SAT scores and portfolio as opposed to just a transcript) GA will NOT give accreditation for Geometry in Saxon unless it's the separate Geometry course. It's not something I necessarily agree with, but I don't see that changing in the foreseeable future. This is all new to me as my oldest is only in 5th grade, so while I don't have to have concrete plans yet, I want to make sure I"m on the right path for her.

  8. I have used a hybrid school for my crew for the past 4 years. Next year we will not be returning, but will keep it as an option for the future. First you should know that hybrid schools are extremely popular among the homeschool set here, we have no less than 12 options in a 30 mile radius. I say that because I really felt/feel pressured to have my kids in one of these settings.

     

    For us, I felt that the 2 day IN CLASS courses were fabulous and my kids greatly benefited from them. However, the school didn't do any book work in class, but they wanted it all completed. My kids essentially had to complete 5 days worth of work in 3 days. In addition to that, there were a lot of projects assigned that the school wanted done independently that we could have been able to dive into more if we did it together as a family. For instance, we are working on a family tree project. That's fantastic, but the school wants 3 project boards, 1 for each kid. Well, my children all have the same lineage, so they are essentially producing the same thing. We could dig much deeper into our heritage if we weren't producing this project in triplicate.

     

    Lastly my frustration has been that 2 of my children are accelerated in some, but not all areas. The school has worked with that, but there aren't a lot of options, so my children are both working independently in math b/c the school can't accommodate them. Of course math is in the middle of the day, so my kids both just sit there and work on their own assignments while the others participate in class. Mine are able to participate in some instruction but for the most part, it's remedial to them so therefore boring.

     

    Having said that, despite the frustrations, our hybrid school has been a HUGE blessing for us. There is certainly a possibility that my kids will return when they are older and our class options are different (it changes 7th -12th grade)

  9. My 11 1/2 y/o 5th grader will be finishing up Saxon 7/6 soon. She has scored 95 or above on MOST tests. There were a few that she scored slightly below 90/95 and it was because she didn't focus so we revisited the concepts to ensure she understood them. My plan was to move her into Alg 1/2 with 8/7 as a back up if it's too overwhelming.

     

    Having said that, in GA we must have a separate Geometry curric for accreditation purposes (which we will be seeking, I"m not thrilled, but she's college bound so there ya go) I do wonder if I should explore other options for her and when. She'll be 6th grade next year, so by 7th I expect I will be tracking her Math for HS credit.

     

    Saxon has clearly worked very well for her as she can fly through a book in 1 semester but she doesn't love the spiral and gets very frustrated when she comes to a problem that's so easy she can complete it in her sleep.

     

    I could continue with Saxon, but I'd still have to have her take a separate Geometry course which I suspect would be relatively easy for her. I am not sure how much work the accreditation services expect to see from a student, if they want/need ALL work/problems or just the tests.

     

    I'm just not sure how to proceed from here with her Math courses and could use a little guidance. Thanks.

     

    ETA: I posted this in the HS forum b/c I'm mostly curious about math for HS credits, and I need to update my siggy. ;)

  10. We use dry erase markers daily. I really like The Board Dudes with the attached eraser. The package doesn't say low odor, but they are. I find they they last longer and write more clearly than the others that I've used. I have found that the Expo markers are some of the worst, they dry out quickly and the ink isn't as dark and clear. The Board Dudes also have a better price tag.

     

    http://www.amazon.com/Board-Dudes-Magnetic-Assorted-4560VA-12/dp/B005GPFWG6/ref=sr_1_3?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1360856258&sr=1-3&keywords=the+board+dudes+markers

     

    http://www.amazon.com/Board-Dudes-Double-Sided-Magnetic-14002UA-24/dp/B0028N6QTG/ref=sr_1_4?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1360856258&sr=1-4&keywords=the+board+dudes+markers

  11. I can tell you what I do and maybe that will help you. I am not required to keep a portfolio, but I require it for myself.

     

    I LOVE 3 ring binders. I get Avery with the clear pocket front b/c they hold up better and we can use them for several years. We have fun decorating a piece of card stock to personalize.

     

    I also greatly prefer the composition notebooks over the spiral b/c I feel they hold up better. Having said we do use some spiral notebooks with 3 hole punch to be kept in the binders. I stock up on the high quality notebooks & other supplies during the clearance events after regular school starts.

     

    *Lang Arts ~ 3 ring binder with tabs for writing & grammar. All of their notes and assignments they are working on is kept in there.

     

    *History ~ 3 ring binder and spiral. My older kids (4th and 5th) are given questions for each chapter, questions and answers are written in the spiral. Other history work is kept in the 3 ring binder.

     

    *Math ~ 3 ring binder and spiral. I use Saxon for my older girls. Daily work and timed math drills are filed in the binder. Tests are completed in a spiral. When we finish a book, the regular work is tossed and the spiral is filed in their portfolio.

     

    *Spelling ~ All spelling tests are completed in a composition notebook. I keep a chart of their scores in our year end portfolios and toss the rest.

     

    *Science ~ This year we are using Christian Kids Explore Physics CKE Chemistry. I printed the notebook and placed all of that material in a 3 ring binder. I also have the older girls write the vocabulary words in ...you guessed it...a spiral notebook.

     

    That said, we don't always get things in those notebooks like we should. Our first year was a hot mess. I now use the plastic file boxes, one for each child with hanging folders for each subject. All new work is placed in the back. I may or may not have a giant stack of work on top of each one that needs to be filed accordingly. :blush:

  12. Michele ~ I can't remember if I mentioned this before for Science or not, but I LOVE DIVE. (linked up thread) Since mine are younger than yours, I have only used it for Saxon Math, but it is so helpful for us. I'm not sure what we'll be using for HS, but DIVE is definitely on our list.

     

    Dr. Shormann also has a k-12 plan on his website that you may find helpful.

    http://www.diveintomath.com/course-schedules/

  13. We are Journey Academy. I chose that our first year b/c homeschooling is a journey. If we ever change it, I like the idea of using your street name. Our street name is actually a Cherokee word and a town in GA where my ancestors are from, so it's fitting.

  14. The furniture in our hs room is also from Ikea. We are lucky that we have a huge room in our finished basement that is dedicated to homeschooling. I have some bookshelves from Target and a giant table in the center of the room. The kids keep their individual books on the shelves under their desk. At the end of each day, they have to put their books and assignments away. On Fridays we wrap up our day after lunch and give the room a more thorough cleaning, including wiping down the tables and desks and vacuuming. If this doesn't happen, they are required to help me on Saturday instead of playing....that doesn't happen often.

     

    The kids also each have an individual private workstation in the adjoining rooms that they can escape to if they need quite time.

     

    2012-02-12181009-1.jpg

  15. I would have to look at each book individually. Some do not leave room to 3 hole punch w/o interfering with the text. Most are fine though. IMO, it's worth the few $ to have the UPS store/similar to do it. I just had the spine of 3 of my WWE books cut off. I had the teacher portion bound spiral and the student pages 3 hole punched. It cost me less then $6. Totally worth it IMO.

     

    ETA: With the student pages, there was just a little of the perforation left, but not enough for me to worry with.

  16. We're going to be in the Modern Time period next year. If MOH would just hurry up and release their final volume, I would be set. We used it for the Renaissance time period and LOVED it.

     

    MFW sounds so appealing since it uses SOTW as a spine and I can get the audio CD. I have Lupus and some other autoimmune issues and my TMJ flares something horrible when I read aloud (or talk) too much. TOG just seems so thorough, almost to a fault.

  17. As you can see by my siggy, I have 4 children. Next year they will be PreK, 2nd, 3rd and 5th. DS attends our church preschool, so he won't participate in our school day activities very much until the following year.

     

    I thought I was all set for TOG, but I'm afraid that I'm chickening out for several reasons (cost...though it's not really a factor, planning, and I fear navigating DE on a Mac)

     

    I have thought about just going with SOTW b/c it would be so simple, but then I need to plan literature and put stuff together for that.

     

    THEN I thought about doing MFW, b/c it looks like it would be more open and go than TOG, but is it enough? I'm not sure?

     

    It doesn't help that I'm just terribly indecisive. I almost clicked the buy button on TOG last week. I know once I make the commitment to a program I'll feel better, but getting there is frustrating me!

     

    Any advice!!!

  18. I say "Yes, but I don't have to have an education degree or certificate to homeschool." If they're asking because they're curious instead of snarky, I add that choosing curriculum and implementing it properly is fairly straightforward, and that the individualized nature of homeschooling means that courses on classroom management, test scores, education law really aren't necessary for me to teach my children. :)

     

    Cat

     

    This is what I say, and I also add in that as parents we are ALL teachers of our children, I just choose to teach the academic portion as well.

     

    Homeschooling is fairly common around here and I don't get questioned very often unless it's someone that it genuinely interested. I do not have a degree in anything. I didn't start college until I was in my early 20's, at the time, I was an HR Manager and the classes ended up taking a back seat to my career. This was prior to having children and ironically, I wanted to pursue an Education Degree...dodged that bullet! lol

  19. Lack of a good transfer options is a reason not to consider homebirth. I live in a metro area with a good hospital 15 minutes away. If you have a good midwife who is doing her job monitoring you and the baby, she'll detect the need for transfer in plenty of time.

     

    I would start by interviewing more midwives. Are there any birth centers available to you that are close to the hospital? Are there any natural birth friendly hospitals? Are there any hospital midwives that are very natural birth friendly?

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