Thanks so much for your recommendations! Very useful!

Ah! I did not know Alcumus! It looks great! Thanks for the tip.

This is a good point JoJosMom. It is entirely possible I am just being too impatient. I do see the advantage of the AoPS approach and I do love it. Also I am surprised how much fun my son has working with it (he is not one of the kids who loves math). We started only about a month ago.

My son asks for help with the initial set of problems each chapter starts with. I think he understands the concept but too often he needs some initial hints to solve a problem. I am not sure how to proceed because I do think he understands most of the concepts quite well but this does not translate into being able to solve the problems that are a bit more difficult that the basic ones.

My son (12 yo) started Art of Problem Solving Pre-algebra a few weeks ago. He really enjoys the style and I also like the way he learns but the book has a very strong focus on concepts but very little on the actual practice. My son spends a lot of time thinking about the problems but I don't think he is learning much about how to quickly look at an equation and manipulate it in a way to solve a problem. I am thinking I should maybe supplement with some procedural math or at least with way more exercises. AoPS does not have many exercises. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks.

We are starting HS for the first time this fall and I am working on choosing an appropriate curriculum for math. My son is in 7th grade. How am I going to choose between a more procedural vs. conceptual approach? My son does not seem to be particularly mathematically gifted but he does definitely learn when he spends enough time on it. I am attracted by the conceptual approach (Math-U-See looks great!) because it seems less intimidating but I am worried my son may not acquire the "mechanical" skills that are definitely needed when doing math. Is there a way to merge both approaches? I have an additional question: I am not sure what level my son is and whether there are major gaps we should cover before starting with Algebra. Do you have any suggestions for placements tests that can give me a better sense of what we should cover. My sense is that he was a bit behind in 6th grade when he was in school. Thanks!!!

Thanks so much Kareni, it's very useful to hear what others have done in similar situations. I'd love learn more about your approach to history and also learn more about how to get advantage of library material. In NYC we have quite a few really good libraries. One is actually very close to our apartment.

This is my same impression. Writing is an essential skill which requires a lot of practice. I think the school environment just does provide the right framework for students to practice and focus enough. I am not too worried about whether schools will accept my son once we switch to HS. I suspect we will move to HS for good. I also have two more kids which are still in school. I am planning to progressively move all of them out as they become more independent.

Thanks for the encouragement! Yes, homeschooling in NYC should be fun. This also excites me. I already found a few co-ops and interesting programs. We are also lucky enough to live in a lively neighborhood with lots of kids and friends. This makes me a bit less anxious about socialization.

Thanks so so much for all the encouragement! This is so helpful!!! By the way I am in NYC and I believe some standardized testing is required by the end of each year.

Thanks so much for your responses! I will definitely look into the audio workshops. I also like the idea of going slow at the beginning and ramp it up as we get more accustomed to it. The WTM does look intimidating and I'll do my best to go slow at the beginning. I like the idea of starting with Math and just run the tests we are going to find in the book. I did not decide on any material yet.

I decided to start homeschooling my 12 yo son this coming Fall. The last grade he attended in public school was 6th grade last year. I am reading Well Trained Mind and learning a lot about what I should teach and how (LOVING the book!), however one doubt I have is whether my son will be ready to study at the 7th grade level described in the book. I have no idea what he has been taught in school last year (and previous years for that matter) (part of the reason why I am excited about HS is that from this point on I will be in charge) and as a consequence I am not sure if he will be ready to start with the program described in the book for 7th grade. Note: it's entirely possible he will be fine, I just don't know and have no specific reason to believe he is behind. He was doing well in school. What do you suggest to do? Should I try to test him before starting or just start and adjust in case I see he has some problems? And in case some preliminary testing is needed, how should I go about it? I have no idea how to test a kid of this age on all the subjects/skills that are necessary. Thanks!