Well, I'm an Orton-Gillingham trained tutor with 20 years experience who only charges $25/hour. However, we live in a rural, mountainous area, and I know that it is difficult for many families in our area to make ends meet--especially if they're a one-income, homeschooling family. I prefer for my students to come 3 times per week, so I know I have to keep my rates low for most to be able to make it.

That's good to hear. I didn't realize that using Derek Owens in that way was even an option! After a big cry-fest on Thursday, she pulled out a 90 on the end-of-chapter test on Friday, so we may just tough it out. She only has 3 chapters left! I would like for her to have a tutor, but we live in a very rural area and have not been able to find a live tutor this year. She's been working with an online Chegg tutor, but she is fully convinced that a live tutor would be the perfect solution. She's tried skipping the videos & just studying the text before, but that hasn't really worked. She really needs more instruction than just the book text. Thanks for your input!

I didn't know Teaching Textbooks had a way to join halfway through a course. We've never used it, but I will certainly look at it! Thank you.

My 11th-grade daughter has almost finished Chapter 7 in Chalkdust Algebra 2. She HATES the videos, and I can no longer help her when she struggles. We've been using an online Chegg tutor, but according to her, that's not enough. She & I butt heads constantly because she feels like I'm trying to control her life, so I need to find a way to make Algebra 2 more independent to take the heat off our relationship, but she's too far in to start at the beginning of a new program, especially since she is passing it. (Not thriving, but doing okay) She's taking an online chemistry class and currently has a 98% average, so I know she's capable of doing well--if someone else is holding her accountable. She DOES like the Khan Academy videos, so I've been thinking about just switching totally to it to get through the rest of the school year. I have some questions, though. I've also looked at ALEKS, but it has horrible ratings & reviews, so I probably won't go there. 1) Is the course content enough to prepare her for community college Prob & Stats? 2) I can't figure out how their courses work. Does it have some way to test the student so that she wouldn't have to start all over with concepts that she's already mastered? 3) How is progress/mastery measured? I'm open to other suggestions, if anyone has any other bright ideas.

I love, love, love WttW with Jill Pike's syllabus and teach it every couple of years to groups of homeschool students. I highly recommend it for students who are new to writing literary analysis essays, and I have my own dc take it in either 8th or 9th grade. The syllabus adds "Teaching the Classics," 2 novels (To Kill a Mockingbird and Jane Eyre), and one play (Hamlet), but I have substituted various novels over the years depending on the needs of the students. With those additions, the class takes an entire school year.

What a great tip! Our Bosch arrives next week. I'll make sure we keep our old bottom rack in case I don't like the way it loads. We did get one with the tines that fold down, so hopefully that will help.

I am an Orton-Gillingham trained tutor (although admittedly behind on the latest research), and I never require my students to complete copy work. Since writing is such a chore for them, I only require that they write the words and sentences that I dictate to them. I require my students to type papers once they are ready to write them.

I'm happy to see so many good reviews of the Bosch. We just ordered one from the 500 series, and it will be delivered in a few days.

In the early years, I love RightStart math. After that, I don't really know. We never found anything that really worked for my older daughter with ADHD. 😞

Oooh, I'm happy to hear this. We've ordered a Bosch and it arrives in a few days! I'm so excited!