Last semester I taught a one-semester class in which the class worked together to complete a 90 Second Newbery project. That was a hit! (You can see it online here: http://90secondnewbery.com/post/169544124171/the-mostly-true-adventures-of-homer-p-figg-by ) Most of those students had spent the previous year with me using Teaching the Classics lit analysis materials. I’m teaching a class again on lit analysis this semester, only I’m also using Rita Cevasco’s materials for it. A primary art class based on picture book art and drawing heavily from the blog Deep Space Sparkle has also been a hit this year. Games classes (math games, General board games) have also gone well.

Thanks, Roadrunner!

Ok, so when does Clover Creek open for registration each spring? I’ve read this thread (linked from a more recent thread) and am so sad that my dd has already missed out on this class for next school year. Any chance Jetta will add another section?

Thank you, J-Rap! This actually is how our days go now. My older girls work independently in the morning, we eat lunch together and do some together-lessons (with varying degrees of participation by the eldest), and then I work with the girls both separately and together in the afternoons. Thank you for helping me reframe to see how much I DO with my dd!

Thank you, skimomma. Your insight is helpful. To be clear, my dd has never been to school. She has always homeschooled.

Thank you, Garga and Freesia, for your responses. My dd isn’t exactly alone all day in the basement. Her younger sister also has a workspace there that she uses sometimes. Her younger brothers are in and out, etc. It is also a walk-out basement so she has access to sunlight and the backyard should she choose to go outside. I didn’t mean to paint the picture of her being relegated by choice to the dungeon all day everyday. Lol. She also joins us for lunch daily and her sister and I (just eighteen months younger than she) work together in the afternoons. I imagine this setup won’t change much next year. She wants to use the basement and I’m pretty sure forcing her upstairs to do her work would result in a pretty fierce battle. Given the current setup, I don’t feel it’s an altogether unhealthy situation. The point about emotional health is part of my question, yes. It’s something that is always on my radar. A big part of my question, though, is about the amount of involvement needed from a teacher/tutor/mentor for a “good†education. I’m just trying to make sure I plan my days to NOT ignore my high schooler.

I’m curious about what is “normal†for high school. My dd will be a ninth grader next year and has recently decided to homeschool rather than enrolling in public school like we had planned. I have three younger students (including 8 and 5 year old boys who obviously require much from me), and I want to make sure I can provide what’s needed for an adequate (excellent?) education for my dd. I don’t like the thought of her sitting down in our basement every day (that’s where she has her workspace set up—her choice—to have a quiet place to work) all alone. She likes to work independently, but there has to be relationship and interaction, or else I don’t feel like it’s a “real†education. So my question is: what’s a realistic (normal?) amount of interaction around a high schooler’s education? For reference and in case it matters, here’s our tentative curricular plans for the core subjects for next year : Excellence in Lit/ Daily Grammar Practice/something for vocabulary probably Geometry with Derek Owens History of the Ancient Worle by SWB Miller Levine bio with Kolbe syllabus

I almost refuse to get my kids cards because I don’t want books checked out on multiple cards. We are heavy library users and it helps me so much to have all our books on one account.

Thanks, madteaparty! That’s very helpful.

Check out denisegaskins.com and Math Geek Mama website. Games are the way to go!

I would love some input on the pros and cons of Thinkwell, Derek Owens, and Chalkdust for geometry. My dd is working through Foersters Algebra I, having also dipped in and out of AOPS Introduction to Algebra successfully. (We ultimately decided a traditional approach is best for us.) She hasn’t struggled at all with Foersters. We have the Math Without Borders videos, too, and she watches them (because I make her ðŸ˜) but truthfully doesn’t really need them. I’d like the best geometry available that doesn’t break the bank. Anybody have any insight into how these three stack up?

I'm tackling 9th grade next year for the first time. Aaaaaaack! I thought dd was set on attending public high school, but now she's changed her mind. I'm both ecstatic and terrified. What is it about this that brings out all my insecurities! I'd love for someone to critique my still-in-the-works plan for holes and weak spots. I would love to be able to afford to put dd in at least one live online class, but sheesh!--are they expensive! As it is, here's what we have planned. Math--Derek Owens geometry Literature/language arts--Excellence in Literature with me at home, plus Daily Grammar Practice History--ancient world using History of the Ancient World by SWB plus resource book Science--Miller-Levine text using the Kolbe honors (?) syllabus We'll round out her credits with co-op stuff. She's active on our co-op's robotics team and it's SUPER busy in the fall. Surely I can count that as a half-credit? She's also taking a couple of art classes. Mostly it's fluffy stuff, but she is signed up for one digital photography class that we might be able to get a half credit out of. She's also doing a year-long Bible study class at co-op. Could I count that? I honestly feel a little lost about electives because I was hoping/expecting that she might be able to take an elective at a local high school and play tennis. However, the school district we're zoned for doesn't have a girls tennis team and our state governing agency for high school athletics won't allow her to play out of district. Other than those sketchy ideas, I'm just about as lost as a golf ball in high grass. LOL I suppose Spanish or some other language is a possibility, but in my mind I always thought that would be a great introductory DE class and was planning to save it for later. My aspiration has always been to give my children a really great education, and right now it's feeling pretty mediocre. My limitations are that I have three younger students with whom I need ample time to work, too. I'd really appreciate feedback on what I'm planning.

Thank you all for your insight!

I believe Windows to the World is an IEW product, isn’t it?

Thank you, Penelope. This is very helpful!

I’m interested in using the Miller-Levine biology text with the Kolbe syllabus with my dd next year. She will be fourteen and is a strong reader and can be a motivated student (depending on where the teen moodiness is taking her at the moment ðŸ˜). I’m curious as to how much time a week a student who tackles this might plan to devote to it. Also, how much teacher-intensive time is required? I have three younger children who require a lot of one-on-one, but I don’t want to be hands-off with my dd as she enters high school. I am planning to outsource math (her best subject), but everything else will be taught/studied in-house.

Has anyone used Windows to the World without having used IEW? My dd has written oodles of narrations, a couple of research papers, and about half of the lessons in Power in Your Hands. I’d consider her a competent writer , but writing isn’t her “thing.â€

Has anyone used Windows to the World without having used IEW? My dd has written oodles of narrations, a couple of research papers, and about half of the lessons in Power in Your Hands. I’d consider her a competent writer , but writing isn’t her “thing.â€

The Simply Charlotte Mason hymn resource (the name escapes me now) is the best thing I’ve found for hymn learning. I’ve used Hymns for a Kid’s Heart in the past, but for the length of time it takes to learn a hymn, in my opinion you’re better off just sharing a little about the songwriter’s life and then learning the hymn. In other words, the length of the devotional/biographical info in the books I’ve seen is short enough to read in one sitting while the hymn takes weeks to learn. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Can I just say how impressed I am that you have a pencil from highschool? I’m pretty old, so that would make my pencil 25+ yrs old if I had one, but seeing as I can’t keep with my “good†pen for a week—well, I’m impressed. [emoji13] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We’re done. I’m DONE. Lots of bickering today, some attitude (theirs and mine [emoji13]), and a major meltdown from one of the youngers. All things considered, it has been a good school day, nevertheless. [emoji13] Now I have to go do all the stuff for co op tomorrow. I’m always SO energetic when I volunteer to teach these great classes, and then I’m all [emoji43] when it’s time to prep weekly. [emoji13] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Beautiful! I’m intrigued by this program, too. My 11 yo dd has extreme anxiety and LOVES animals. I think she’d love to be a part of a program like that (& would benefit from it!) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We all have weeks like that! Don’t beat yourself up. This week will be a good one—I can tell by your determination! [emoji1373] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I love Ransom of Red Chief. My 13 yo dd read it earlier this year. It had been a while for me and I had forgotten how delightful it is! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Busy day ahead Go for walk with dh {done} Shower {done} Breakfast {done, plus some co op planning tomorrow with my friend/helper, plus reading most of a long picture book to my 4 yo} School with DS7: Math {done} Reading lesson {done} The Wand lesson {done} Handwriting {done} History {done} Listen to him read + narrate {done} {plus some laundry and the dishwasher running. Whew.} Math with 11 yo {done} Lunch with circle time {done, bare bones today} Girls’ circle time: CNN 10 {forgot, and now dd11 is gone to swim team} read aloud {done, two chapters} Literary elements {done} Greek and Latin roots {skipped in the chaos—will pick up later in week} With 13 yo: Check her AOPS review problems ch 3 Discuss persuasive essay progress {done} Check grammar sentence {done} Listen to and read narrations for geography {done} With 11 yo: Listen to and read geography narrations {done} Latin translation and review of vocab {done} Supper prep {done, plus eaten, but not entirely cleaned up} Co op prep: Art lesson 90 S newbery plan Email/phone call Print teacher manuals for church Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk