To get a sense of the program, check your library. Our library has a great inter-library loan program and I was able to check out TWSS before buying. It's great to be able to have access to see if the program will work for you before you spend the money. Just an FYI.

Not sure if this meets what you're looking for but have you considered Spanish for Children by Classical Academic Press?

We checked out Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concert DVD's from the local library. My kids really enjoyed them. Might be worth a look for you.

Check for school district surplus sales. Our district just had one and there were many roll up maps for very little cost, they basically were giving things away. I got a large box of text books for $2.

I checked other - we have a pair of African dwarf frogs.

When I was in school...20 yrs ago...students taking Algebra 1 in 8th grade were able to take Calculus as a senior. The sequence was: Algebra 1 Geometry Algebra 2/Trig. Math Analysis Calculus

I am checking out Tops and it looks like a perfect fit for my 9 and 12 yo. How many of the books can you get through in one year? I am looking at the physics set listed on their site, it includes 9 books.

I'd love to play. So just one more. -Amy

I would like to find a grammar/language arts program to start with my son in the fall. I am looking for a program to use for 2 years and then move on to Hake Grammar 5. I looked at Easy Grammar but didn't care for it. Any suggestions? TIA

IMO the problem with the WA state test is what Breann stated earlier, to receive a proficient score students need to answer less than 60% of the questions correctly. And many kids still can't reach that standard. When I was in school 60% was not proficient. How many parents receive their child's score and get the impression that everything is fine, my child is proficient?

I'm in WA and my children are in a parent partnership enrolled at 99% so we don't have to take the MSP but still take the MAP test for annual testing. The state is reworking the rules for all ALEs in WA and one of the new rules is that any student enrolled at 80% or greater would be required to take the MSP. We can still opt out but the program will receive a zero for those that don't take the test. I think we will be pressured to take the test, the program could lose funding etc. If the school had taught my kids math I would let the school receive their scores. TERC was part of the reason I took my kids out of the school in the first place.

We tried our local public school and it just isn't what I expected or wanted for our children's education.

It was a fifth grade teacher who told me kids can't understand borrowing and carrying. When I asked what happens when kids have already been taught that way she replied, 'We don't tell them they're wrong but, we make them show their answer another way.' Our school uses Investigations and I don't think they spend much time on standard algorithms. My point was that kids can learn place value, they just need to be taught. If left to discover it on their own they might or might not.

My decision to homeschool was made when a teacher told me not to teach my daughter math with borrowing and carrying because 'kids can't understand it'. I knew my daughter could understand it because I had TAUGHT her already. If you teach them, they will learn.

I like to listen to Thom Hartman.