Thank you for this! This is something like what I'm looking for. Dd likes grades, even though I don't. [emoji13] Also, that pesky transcript seems to require it, at least in my mind. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I feel like we need some sort of in-the-middle checks to make sure she's mastering and retaining. Any ideas? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I really like this idea. Is this page of hints on the website? I don't remember seeing it in the book, though it is entirely possible that I missed it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm not grading daily work; these are the end-of-chapter problems. Thanks for the exams! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My dd is in eighth grade and is working through AOPS Intro to Algebra. I am attempting to keep up with grades this year as practice for keeping a transcript in case she decides to homeschool highschool. We are using the review problems at the end of each chapter as a test of sorts. My question for AOPS users is how do you calculate the student's grade if they're good math students and engaged with the work but usually score about 50% correct the first time through the review problems? We're satisfied that AOPS is the best fit because she has tried other things, and AOPS is her thing. I usually grade her work and then she makes another pass at the problems she missed before we go over the ones she hasn't figured out. What feels right to me is crediting her back half of the points on the ones she figures out on her own after missing them once, but I'd love to hear other ideas. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The organization of it (or lack thereof) is one of the reasons I dropped it after a few weeks. My dd is now working through The Power in Your Hands by Sharon Watson. It is organized much better! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm doing this this year at our weekly homeschool co op! I have twelve first, second, and third graders. I called my class Primary Picture Book Art, so we're mostly looking at and getting our inspiration from children's book illustrators. I'm also relying heavily on the blog, units, and overall philosophy of Deep Space Sparkle. So far we've done chalk pastel self-portraits, some painted paper, and then several weeks on Eric Carle, which culminated in an underwater scene with a seahorse. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I just wanted to jump in and post quickly from my phone a big thank you to those who responded. Your suggestions and commiseration have already made me feel better. Today I actually engineered the schedule to include an hour after lunch for EVERYONE to rest, especially me. That was nice! I'm not sure I would've done it if I hadn't gotten so many affirmations that I'm doing this right and it is just hard with so many ages and stages. ✔ï¸ðŸ‘ðŸ¼

Hello, everyone-- This is my first year to really feel the crunch of schooling three children at different levels (and with the ever-present baby/toddler/preschooler tagging along). Here's the rundown of ages and materials: 13 yo girl, grade 8: BYL world geography, AOPS Algebra I, Power in Your Hands composition, Daily Grammar Practice, physical science class taught by dad nights/weekends, Bible study and speech class at co-op 11 yo girl, grade 6: BYL world geography, Singapore math, Latin for Children, Bravewriter-ish writing assignments from mom, Bible study at co-op, physical science class taught by dad nights/weekends The girls and I also have a geography/history related read-aloud and we are also working on a Greek and Latin roots interactive notebook together. 7 yo boy, grade 2: BFB early US History, FLL, RS Math, HWOT, copywork/narration/dictation, mom-made human body study, read-aloud We also have a circle time right after lunch that includes Bible, memory work, hymn study, composer study, and art study. 4 yo boy: mostly just playing and keeping me hopping :-) Our days go something like this: 9-11:30: I focus on working with my 7 yo. We do all of his work by 11:30 most days. It could probably be shorter, but that's how long it takes us. It feels like the right amount of work. 11:30-12:00--Latin or math with the 11 yo 12:00-1:30 ish: lunch and circle time (includes everyone), read-aloud for the 7 yo 1:30-4:00 (or later): Checking work with the big girls, read-aloud with them, and Greek/Latin roots study. Unfortunately, the 13 yo often gets the leftovers of the day as she often comes in very last because the 11 yo swims on a swimteam and has to leave for practice by 4:00. I am SO EXHAUSTED by the end of the day from being "on" all day long. When I first started this journey almost a decade ago, I was determined that we'd have a quiet rest period daily. I kept it up for many years, but adding the boys to the mix has really weakened my ability to stick to a schedule. I feel like reclaiming some rest time during the day is going to be KEY for me to continue homeschooling successfully. This is, of course, ignoring the obvious fact that I'm really doing NOTHING with my baby, a fact that almost keeps me awake at night. I don't think formal preschool is necessary, but he eats up attention and loves to be read to. I love to read to him, but I just can't figure out when. If you've made it this far, thank you. What I'd like to hear from you are any little tweaks you see that I could make to our schedule, or perhaps just commiseration that this is indeed exhausting. I know to do it well I have to be all-in, but mama needs a few moments every day to clear her brain. How do I get that?

Lori, Thank you SO much for your lengthy response. I'm always amazed by your responses when I read here to try to solve my homeschooling dilemmas. You are so generous with your time and knowledge! I have decided to purchase WttW with the Pike syllabus and Power in Your Hands and work toward doing them both over the next year to year-and-a-half. How does that sound? Overkill?

Thank you for weighing in. This is sort of my fear--that she'll completely balk at the whole notion even with another resource. We've tried Write Shop and it was a bust. I've always just put her back into Writing with Skill but we have yet to finish year one!

My eighth grade daughter is one month into EIL year one. The first module is short stories, and so far it is has been good. However, this week she is supposed to write her first essay, a comparison/contrast literary analysis of two of the stories. This has really thrown her for a loop. She has done a fair amount of writing, though it has all been narration, summary, etc.--nothing critical or analytical. I feel like I need to provide her with some scaffolding for this leap. I have always avoided IEW writing curricula due to my own personal prejudice against it, but now I'm beginning to wonder if I missed to boat for this particular child. She balks at writing and loves math, so I think the IEW formula might appeal to her. I am considering jumping in with The Elegant Essay to help her move into essay writing. However, I am open to suggestion and would love to hear from anyone who has successfully navigated these late middle/early high school waters. (I'm cross-posting to the highschool board.)

My eighth grade daughter is one month into EIL year one. The first module is short stories, and so far it is has been good. However, this week she is supposed to write her first essay, a comparison/contrast literary analysis of two of the stories. This has really thrown her for a loop. She has done a fair amount of writing, though it has all been narration, summary, etc.--nothing critical or analytical. I feel like I need to provide her with some scaffolding for this leap. I have always avoided IEW writing curricula due to my own personal prejudice against it, but now I'm beginning to wonder if I missed to boat for this particular child. She balks at writing and loves math, so I think the IEW formula might appeal to her. I am considering jumping in with The Elegant Essay to help her move into essay writing. However, I am open to suggestion and would love to hear from anyone who has successfully navigated these late middle/early high school waters. (I'm cross-posting to the K-8 board.)

Thank you all for your responses! I did not know about the videos, do thank you to those who mentioned them. Regarding Alcumus: this week I assigned my daughter 30 minutes on it. How do you all handle it--daily, weekly, specific assignments, etc.? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My seventh grade daughter, age 12, is working through AOPS pre-algebra right now. She is a good math student and enjoys math. She aspires to be an engineer some day. She is frustrated daily by AOPS but is loathe to switch programs. I think she might benefit from a supplemental text to offer a little more practice and more explanation when the discovery method fails her. Thoughts? Suggestions?

I've blogged about our Dauphin Island adventures here.

Destin, FL is my favorite, but we also really enjoy Dauphin Island, AL. Fall is the perfect time to go!

Nothing to contribute, just listening in. :)

Thanks, BugsMama. I assumed as much, really. I'm not a huge proponent of relying on the internet for information, especially in the elementary years. I'll probably pass.

Think you for your input! Anyone else?

One more question for those who set a timer: do you include the teaching time in the total mount of time, or is it just the time your child works independently on problems?

These are great ideas! Thank you for sharing!

Thank you all for your responses! I REALLY appreciate your taking the time to help me. Dd actually knows how to multiply and divide, so I'm using this for more practice (that's a weakness of RS, IMHO--not quite enough practice). I'm finding, though. that the slightly different approach is providing a challenge, too.

I started my 5th grader on MM Multiplication and Division 3 last week after finishing almost all but the last geometry lessons in RS E. She has always used RS, so there's a bit of a learning curve in switching to a new curriculum. My question is this--how much MM should I require daily? Do you veteran MM users do one section per day, work by timer, or something else? Thanks!