I would add to the Henle study plan: Pack a backpack that you carry instead of a purse. Fill it with your Henle notebook, flashcards, etc. If you can be consistent about having it with you and pulling it out for those odd moments in the waiting room, you will have additional progress. Also, consider teaching a class--you wouldn't need to wait for your kids, but gather a group of kids. The second time through (with your kids) you will be able to teach more efficiently, and easily. I made some new chant sheets for my Latin classes this year which are really helping ME. They have spots to fill in the chants and translations for each word of the vocabulary for each conjugation (or declension). It will help cement the material for visual learners. Maybe make some parts in color for those with alternate learning styles. Also, I'm finding that my brain just works better if I get more exercise. So, I'm up using those early hours to exercise, and doing the Latin later in the day. I'm not sure why exercise makes such a difference. Hope this helps, Pat

I was really disappointed in the "romantic scenes" when I watched this a few years ago. I pre-watched a section each day and then let my children watch only part of it. There really was not as much scientific content as I expected to fine. My memory is that there were more than a few distasteful bits, and I won't show this program, unedited, to my 10-year-old this year. (What a difference a few years makes, though. Perhaps older children. . . ) I believe that there also was a whole segment about Einstein's relationship with his parents that I didn't like. Now that I'm writing about it, I remember particularly disliking the psychoanalysis of his personality and justifications about why he was so unkind to his wife and (I think they suggested) how this led to his major discoveries. Hope this helps someone--obviously there are different ideas about LOTS of this stuff! Pat

I have found the middle school years to be quite challenging in many ways. Some advice that I heard was to challenge your child to "work ahead" in the middle school years, but that just didn't seem feasible for us. However, one area that is feasible with a child unready for academic acceleration would be to spend time exploring the intersection of the child's interests and potential career paths. I'm now seeing how much the beginning levels of searching through what is interesting to a child can be really useful for the future. A book that has expanded my vision for finding my child's "passions" is the Wissner-Gross book, "What High Schools Don't Tell You." She gives thought-provoking advice for beginning to set your children deliberately on some "tracks" that they may want to further pursue as high schoolers. I don't agree with everything she says, as entrance to a prestigous Eastern school is not that important to our family, but I really see the value of encouraging your students to set goals for themselves. This is a real turning point for the middle school to high school years. Parents can facilitate the process in simple ways. For example, parents of a kid intersted in geology may spend vacation time visiting Indian mounds, visiting a Geological Museum, digging for fossils, etc. She says in the book that the kids that score the best on the Chemistry Olympiad often have parents who are Chemistry professors. I think that it is easier to set your child on the same course as you have followed, but this book provides some ideas for resources when your child is interested in a different career path than her parents. If the apple truly doesn't fall far from the tree, perhaps the apple might need a little toss in a different direction! I hope this is helpful! Pat

The Feynman lectures have a reference on the Wikipedia article on Feynman. Hope this helps. Pat

When I went to the convention this year, I put a pile of stuff down and accidentally picked up two high school planners that I didn't need and didn't plan to buy. And I accidentally paid for them as I didn't notice them being rung up at the register. Rainbow Resource extended wonderful grace to me and allowed me to return them even though I had lost the register receipt. Really, they are a class act! Pat

I think that a co-op for discussing the literature parts of TOG would be very helpful. They have several paragraphs on their website explaining why you might want a co-op here: http://www.tapestryofgrace.com/Overview/co-ops.htm I bring this up, because you may want to look and see what possible co-op you could join, and which year of the cycle the co-op is on. . .even if you don't join it right away. Pat

I have become more liberal in dispensing candy. We have flashcard drill at the end of class, usually tied in with some movement, game or activity. This year, the kids made review lists. For example, at the beginning of the year the review was for lessons 1-25 from English to Latin. I would tell the kids ahead of time which 3 lessons they would be quizzed on, and if they got them ALL right, quickly, they would get a candy (about 100 calories per prize) or prize from the box for each lesson mastered. The kids really like making the lists, too. For the flashcard drill at the last class, I had helpers that made this work, but we had a 3 wicket croquet match set up in the front yard. For each word set that was completed you got to move your ball along. I save the flashcard drill for the end of class, usually, as it gets chaotic. Usually I give them a second or third try with the 10 words, and they can have a minute to go off and look at their book while someone else has a turn, which usually cement the words in their brain, but they need to know them. Frankly, a great added benefit of the drills is that I REALLY learn the vocabulary, which I am finding challenging!!! This may be a little rude, but I think the most important thing that you can do is vet the parents. Choose people who on their own might study that language, or that you see having the follow-through in other subjects which they will need to commit to a foreign language. I chose my first class based on geography (less driving for parents) and trying to have some boys and some girls within a 3 year age range, and not more than 10 students since it meets in my home. My limited experience with kids is that a 3 year range is ok for playing together and having a real relationship afterward, which was one of my goals, while 4 years is somehow a LOT harder. Maybe it is just the kids I know--I don't have enough experience to speak to this point across the board. The homework example is from our last class. I take the Memoria Press materials for Latina Christiana a little slower than one level per year, and focus heavily on making sure that mastery by the whole group is attained. Parents can see at a glance at the boxes whether each part of the homework was done. Lesson XII, Continued, May 21, 2008 Tuesday  Chant the Doxology  Chant present tense Lesson XII  Sing Veni Creator Spiritus  Complete Exercise A  Review lessons from English to Latin (Book 1, random quiz from lessons 11-15, Book 2, lesson 8, English to Latin for both)  Optional: Play the online Quia games for lessons 6-10 in book 2. Wednesday  Chant the Doxology  Chant imperfect tense Lesson XII  Sing Veni Creator Spiritus  Complete worksheet section Exercise B  Review! Thursday  Chant the Doxology  Chant future tense of Lesson XII  Sing Veni Creator Spiritus  Complete worksheet section from Lesson XI (the previous lesson), Exercise C  Review! Friday  Chant Sanctus  Sing Veni Creator Spiritus  Put any show and tell items with your book to bring tomorrow!  Review! I usually add some image or comic that I've clipped from the Internet, and hope it didn't copy here! On one of the last weeks, the comic was kid sitting in a classroom with his hand raised who asks, "Mr. Osborne, may I be excused? My brain is full!" Pat

I've been teaching Latin in a class setting for the past 4 years. I think one of the keys to the successful class is that each week I pass out homework sheets with check off boxes (I think a square to check off is more rewarding than these stars, but don't want to mess with this program to try to figure out the boxes.) Example of each day's assignments: *chant the verbs in the lesson in present tense *recite the memory selection (we work on each one for a while until they are mastered, such as the Lord's Prayer, the Gloria, etc.) *sing the song (this is also on the tape, and students can sing with it) *Listen to the tape for the lesson. THis recites the words for the week. *complete assigned homework section. *look for show and tell words that relate to Latin, and bring these ilustrations to the class Also, I think that parent's commitment to making the homework happen is key! Pat

One of the challenges that I've seen in my years organizing co-op types of opportunities is that homeschooling breeds families that have to make unique choices that work for their family. It can be challenging to get everyone to want the same things that you want for the group. So, before you begin think long and hard about EXACTLY what it is that you want with regard to curriculum, hours, friend development, etc. Proximity, so that there is less driving, and "kindred spririts" really help in the process. This whole thing is really worth doing if it meets YOUR family's needs. I would not start this with a committee approach, but a something targeted for your family, as I have found that it is rewarding, but work! Hesitate to hire teachers unless you want to organize and run a mini-school. You might want to do that, but I have found a lot of homeschoolers who are financially pressed and do not want that type of commitment. On the other hand, two parents in our area run a one-day-out program that has science, art, etc. for 5 classes/day at a cost of about $5/class for preschool through 6th grade. Parents drop off and have a day to themselves, or to work with other children that are not in the program. This has proved very popular. However, I think that to get a big enough class size to be able to pay the teacher, there is a compromise in rigor. Many of the people on this board want a more rigorous school experience, so this may not be the way to go for you. Hope this helps! Pat

We are in a once/week co-op on an afternoon, and it continually amazes me how one hour of work in class can spur so many hours of work afterward. Some of the effort is related to wanting to make good comments in class, and some to not fall behind the "peers." I wouldn't want to homeschool without some outside interaction like this, as it is so much fun. I especially like having tea with the parents afterward while the kids "hang out." Pat

I, and my ds, liked Dana Mosely's presentation skills better than the other presenters. We also watched some of the Lial's BCM video tutor examples, but didn't like them as well. Also, we had ds take the Chalkdust placement test which they offer for an additional fee--worth every penny to know that we were starting in the right place. And, it has worked. It has been a good year for math, too. Hope this helps! Pat

The compose a sentence is a puzzle which allows the kids to choose different verbs and nouns and make sentences. I then talk about the parts of speech with them, or have them tell about their sentences. Also, the Ruth Heller books which have all kinds of examples of a particular part of speech. I read them aloud to a group and pause at the large print word (whichever book--let's say adjective) and let the class read the adjective aloud together. It keeps them engaged. Also, I like the Grammar Rock video or DVD we borrowed from the library. It was a Schoolhouse Rock recording. Pat

My current job is on Sunday mornings for a few hours. Childcare while the children are young is essential! I think you have to choose your priorities. Someone once told me that at any given time you can probably only do three things well. I think that if you are homeschooling, maintaining a home and working, you really don't have time for anything else! Pat

and then did a page/day, or occasionally an exercise/day. We read the student text just before doing the worksheet on that particular topic. We also skipped the crossword puzzles and word search puzzles. It was a very pleasant curriculum, and I've already purchased LL8 for next year! Hope you have a nice experience with it, too! Pat

is one of my favorite lists for this. http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/history.htm Pat

We're looking at this plan: Math: Chalkdust Algebra English: Local book discussion group/paper writing, plus Lightning Literature 8, Abeka Grammar 8, and Spelling Power Latin: Continue in Henle I, perhaps units 4-10 Science: Natural Science II from Scholarsonline.org Hope this helps someone. Pat

I recently recommended the magazine "Science News." I have to rescind my recommendation. They have recently redesigned and changed their advertising policies. This month, and carried a full page ad this week: "If you'd like ___ to be exciting again, This new video series can help!" Fill in the blank, or email me for more details. But, my unqualified recommendation for this magazine has evaporated. Pat

I don't know much about eyesight convergence, but I remember reading that eye doctors don't routinely notice certain types of vision issues. Email me if you can't google some information. (Scary--google used as a verb. . .) I have found that comic books just laying around the house have really pushed kid's reading/comprehension levels. Also, having a variety of reading material just hanging around can be really helpful. The library once gave me a huge box of kid's magazines which were more than I would have purchased on my own, for example. Also, I've heard some parents have success with leaving 10-15 minutes earlier than needed, and then just having to hang out in the car--with some reading material--for 10-15 minutes before an appointment.

I used this with one dear child for 6th grade. We also did THinking Toolbox, also written by the Bluedorns. It was more fun than I've found Mindbenders. I've been working with a 4th grader on the A series of Mindbenders, and it is really going well. HOpe this helps!

We have enjoyed listening to the Hakim Story of the US in the car, etc. Several of the books cover that time period--with a light and engaging manner. You can borrow some from libraries, or purchase mp3 files, I believe.

I haven't worked with some of the other curriculums that were mentioned by others, but I have worked with both Wheelock's and Henle. I've been working on learning Latin for about 4 years now. My first attempt as an adult was with Wheelock's. My grammar knowledge was not strong enough nor was I able to master the wider vocabulary with that method--I needed more exercises to master the material than I found in the book. I think there are other resources for that, but I didn't find them, then. However, as I've taught the Latina Christina series and then moved on to teaching homeschoolers with the Henle books, I have found more success in mastering Latin. Fr. Henle has a lovely way of re-introducing the SAME vocabulary or concepts over and over in a way that makes it easy to remember. The limited vocabulary really helps me, too. Unfortunately, if you just pick up a Henle book and look at it, you will be unable to see those good things about it. It requires working in it to see those advantages. Anecdotally, I have a friend whose 7th grader started Wheelock's in the fall. Her mother switched her to Henle halfway through the year because of the self-teaching nature of Henle. So, I recommend Henle--and a lot of chanting!

If you don't already have some good books, like the Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia, just hanging around the house for him to find, I would either buy or borrow some from the library on a regular basis. We subscribed about a year ago to the "Science News" magazine: http://www.sciencenews.org/ It costs $50 for a year-long subscription. I can't tell you how many times I have heard about articles in the magazine including a recent visit to the Smithsonian, where I was informed that the exhibit was not up-to-date because there were newer generation unmanned surveillance vehicles which had been described in the Science News magazine. We subscribed to Popular Science, but I cancelled that subscription for now, because of the ads in it. There were too many offensive ones for you-know-what types of stuff, and he had been poring over the Boy's Life ads (which are tamer.) But the Science News ads have been fine. (We are borrowing the "Handbook of Chemistry and Physics" from the library right now as a result of one of those ads; it is a 6 inch tome. {grin} Pat

Tour a National Weather Service office. Obviously, you have to live or be visiting near one. Here's a website: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lot/office/outreach.php Pat

Tapestry of Grace website has interesting Arts and Activities info here: http://www.tapestryofgrace.com/year1/artsactivities.php I found some really great medieval pages via the TOG compilation with pictures of famous people that we really loved, plus I've found some great field trip ideas, too. Pat

Play lots of games! At that age, we used to end every math session with a game, and it was a lot of fun. I loved the one page games that you can print for free. Google "Strategies for Instruction in Mathematics" or go to: http://community.learnnc.org/dpi/math/archives/instructional_resources/ Look inside each week's pages and you'll find one page games that reinforce key concepts, but in a "fun" way. Pat