Thank you for all these ideas! Will check into them all 😀

He was in a better academic environment before high school. I could have worded that better. He has a good foundation through Pre-Algebra-- the gaps start in Algebra 1. Having used Saxon with my own kids, I'm having a hard time with the idea of consolidating so much high school math in less than two years! Thanks for your input 😃

I'd like to help out a student with a weak math background (solid before high school but has fallen off since) and would really appreciate suggestions on remedial math options that will help him get up to speed for the ACT independently. This kid will be spending his free time on it, so I want to get the most efficient, no nonsense option for him. Traditional ACT prep books seem to assume a stronger foundation than this student has and I don't like the idea of jumping back and forth between texts filling in gaps and making it complicated. We have 18-20 months and he's willing to work hard, is there any traditional curriculum that I could have him work through that would zero in on only those concepts? I'm essentially looking for something that teaches to the test, but from the ground up. Thanks in advance for any input!

Hello, it's been many years since I've needed this information and I'd really appreciate some recommendations. It seems the extremes on either side of this debate have widened and I'm having a tough time finding moderate sources without CDC and pharmaceutical company influence. Thanks in advance for any ideas! Ally

Hello, I love CLE's reading curriculum and my older kids used it with great success. I love the content, the workbook format, and that it is somewhat self guided. Unfortunately it's been a battle from the start with my youngest and I need something more contemporary. He just can't overlook the stories being old fashioned and I'm throwing in the towel on this one. My ideal curriculum would be the exact same format but with more modern stories. Does this exist or are there any alternatives you'd recommend? Thanks!

Thank you! That is really helpful!

Hello, In terms of being prepared for high school English and ACT/SAT, how important is the distinction between nominative and objective pronouns? It is confusing my 7th grader and after being unable to find supplemental teaching material to practice or explain it I am wondering if it is truly necessary. thanks for your input!

Thanks so much!!!! Super helpful info

I’m working with a middle schooler on remedial writing skills, trying to do a short-term intensive to get him up to speed. After researching here I got the “Jump In” curriculum and the format/pace/content is perfect (minus a couple worldview things, but academically it’s good enough for me to overlook those) but I am learning this student would do better with something less interactive with me. I’d really appreciate any curriculum suggestions, would prefer something self paced if possible. I know I’ll need to read and grade the writing assignments, I’m comfortable with that, just would like something where I’m not having to give feedback so frequently bc that’s where we are butting heads. Thanks in advance!

Our online subscription recently expired and I'm wondering if there are any tips or tricks to getting a good deal on Word. Would prefer a real copy of it and not another online or subscription type version. Thanks!

Thanks so much OK Bud, I checked it out and Teaching Textbooks online is exactly what I had in mind. It was only available as a disk last time I looked into it. Thanks so much for suggesting it. I have been homeschooling close to 20 years and have a pretty good handle on it, but there are always new things out there and only so much time in the day to investigate them all. Thanks again!

We are unschooling in every area except math. I wouldn't say I was lamenting, lol, more that it doesn't seem very productive. Thanks for the ideas!

Sorry I ha I haven't posted here in a while and can't find the button to reply directly. Square 25: My son is a perfectionist and very driven. He prefers to do math on his own using curricula that teaches to the student because he says I make it take too long and/or confuse him. He's a good student and has always been able to work above grade level in math so I've decided to keep letting him work independently as long as it keeps working. OK Bud: Great idea with TT, I'd forgotten about that one and agree that might be a good direction to go long term! I love CLE, my older children used it through middle school and there isn't much about it I would change. This particular kid is maybe better suited for something like TT in this situation. Thanks for the suggestion!

We're doing a short season of unschooling right now because we school year-round. I want to ensure that we don't lose any ground in math--I'm fine with not gaining much, but want to use the time to review and target any weak areas. Want DS (5th grade) to have 20 minutes of math a day that is streamlined and productive. We've always used CLE math and will return to it when we're back full-time. He tried doing just one or two pages a day of CLE but it doesn't seem like he's getting much out of it. We've tried some online options (Beast Academy, Scootpad Math, Manga High, Elephant Math) but feels like he is doing a lot of random math without clear focus on progress. I used Aleks many years ago with one of his siblings and I'm thinking about returning to that so he can track his progress and also brush up on any weak areas. Before I purchase it I'd like to make sure there aren't any newer/less expensive options that we should look into. This will be completely student led, so immediate feedback on incorrect answers is important as well as some instruction he can read himself. Fine with workbook or computer/ipad, as long as it makes the most out of his 20 minutes. Thanks in advance!

Thank you Twigs! 😀