Last I checked I dohttp://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif

Yes it does. Thanks!

The smilies never come up as smilies just the command for them - even once they are posted. Can anyone using MAC or safari or both confirm that they don't have this problem? Thoughts?? Thanks!!! Julie

Smiley disfunction...is it a MAC problem or Safari maybe??

I still want to look over the site that was posted with the proofs done in the more mathematical, un-formulaic format. Any direction on checking over proofs would be appreciated. Since this is such a new way of thinking of math - specifically geometry proofs. I feel like a little kid just finding all these secrets out!

I found the books used, even the workbook. I just sold my set (minus the workbook), so they are out there, for a really good price too if you look around. Occasionally I see a set on VegSource, but more often it's the traditional used book sellers i.e. textsbooksrus (not sure if that's exactly correct). Anyway, I paid less than retail by a good bit for all materials.

I think I found the link! Give this a try: http://pc.ctc.edu/get_file.aspx?id=2872. Otherwise I just have a hard copy.

No that's not it, but that might be helpful too. I found a woman who had a site for becoming multi-lingual and she had chosen Destinos for the Spanish curriculum to achieve that goal. I also found a syllabus that broke the book into three 1 year (for high school) or 3 semesters (for college). I felt like it was very manageable chunks for each. Julie

Regentrude- Can you give a brief description of what a true, thorough proof would look like? In our geo curriculum, the student writes out an analysis of what they are going to prove, then we use the two-column method to list our statements and reasons to support. How would this be different? Since I do math with my dd, I can certainly say that we are having to reason through each step to justify the next step etc. creating that chain of logic to support the whole argument.

My dd was in the same class! She had a great time too. I tried a bunch of things and just couldn't find something that really worked until we did this. Language is hard if you don't have an instructor and classmates. Practice and feedback during practice are very helpful.

So I too was very confused and found a wonderful website that really laid it out. I don't have that anymore, but I bought the curriculum, so I can share with you what that is! Destinos 3 year Spanish course, SPAN I, II, III This includes The Second Edition of the Alternate Edition Textbook, Listening Comprehension CD program for the Second Edition of the Alternate Edition (7 CDs), and Student Edition CD program for the Second Edition of the Alternate Edition (7 Audio CDs). The video telenovas are online, available for FREE. All you need is the workbook. These all match. (This is from an ad I have). I also was given the teacher guide for the videos (some good extra stuff, some goofy details no one would care about). I would say the Faculty Guide to Accompany Destinos ISBN 0-07-002071-x. This book contains grading tips, form B of the self-test, unit tests etc. I think this is essential. It's a good course IMO. I have a lot of Spanish, but even still I was having to stay ahead and it was more work than I wanted. A small group of kids would be good so that they could practice the oral work together and help each other out in weak spots. That's out take on Destinos : )

"She is also taking a photography course, again for 16 hours. We are hoping that more art classes wil be available in the spring. Then we will combine all of the art class into a half credit of fine arts." My dd is taking a photography class at our coop this fall and a few other classes. I read it somewhere and it makes good sense, it is also important for them to have outside activities. So some things can be rounded out to count for a 1/2 or whole credit, but some are just good to say, "this child has interests in things outside of traditional subjects."

Absolutely! If the only education the child is going to get is home school high school, it better be a strong education in a wide variety of subjects. IMHO Julie

As simple as things could be in a different order or you could approach it from a slightly different point/perspective. I am doing VT geo with my dd so we are bouncing things back and forth between each other. Occasionally we have to pull in my mathy husband too. If these were not options, I would find a class, but make sure the teacher/tutor is good because this is tough stuff, but teaches some amazing thinking skills as did algebra. BTW my dd did great at alg 1 and 2 also. This is a whole 'nother beast!

Exactly what I was thinking Penny! SOOO much to read through. I totally agree with OP (Mtn...) comment about one big reason for starting to homeschool is to encourage the love of learning and I also believed that learning could be fun all the way through. So far we have kept that true and we are into 9th grade, a bit. Who want to throw that under the bus for high school?! Julie

Wendy, I just want you to know that we are using VideoText geometry and the proofs are really tough. I have been posting questions on this myself. One thing that helped me is that there is more than one way to formulate the proof. The steps will not all match in order or reason. We use the two column method. As far as coming up with the statements/reasons I am beginning to think this just takes practice. Try to be kind and peak at answers a smidge to help guide. Hope that helps a little : )

I have never had the ability to use the emoticons : ( They come up only as the command for them and even once posted they are not cute : ( Cleared my cache, still nothing. I don't have them disabled on my account. Anyone??

We used VideoText for algebra and as I've said before, I did the course with my daughter. After many years of reading over story problems over and over, each time feeling dumber and dumber, they finally were doable! VideoText speaks of math as a language. Therefore, once you speak math, you can read through a story problem much more easily. They also give a 6 step approach to come up with the pertinent information contained in a story problem. I actually spent additional time doing story problems the weekend after they were introduced because they were so much fun! NEVER in a million years would I have thought I would say that. So if nothing else, let me offer hope that there is an answer to understanding story problems. There is nothing worse, in my book, than reading those over without an effective attack plan that works.

Crystal, Thanks for the reply. Joy, I saw College Prep Genius at our conference too. I thought it was good tips she was presenting. The DVDs are broken down into 12 lessons, so I suppose you could do it in a summer. She gave the suggestion of various times to study per week based on their grade, increasing each year till Junior year. She is ideally trying to get students to have a score they are happy with by the time they take the SAT in their junior year. She suggests they take the PSAT in 9th, 10th, and 11th (when it counts for scholarships). Specifically she says to take the SAT in Sept/October of 11th grade, PSAT in Oct/November because it will seem easy after the SAT. Then if they need to take the SAT again they can take it again in the fall of 11th grade while they are prepared. I agree the vocab books seem silly compared to quality literature. She said her kids wrote those, so that might be why they are a bit lacking in grammar! For the most part, I feel like some test taking skills/tricks should be enough if they have a strong education. They should be through a certain point in math to do well and then grammar, vocab and thinking skills learned through math and years of socratic discussions etc. Right? All that, and to be honest, I will still say, I have been looking at this curriculum myself! Fear I guess, getting the better of my judgement. I guess it can't hurt unless it squelches their love of learning. Then we've gone overboard.

YES! This helps! I am the one who has the issues. My daughter is more like you, "oh, ya, that's the same thing," or "we are getting to the same place in a different way." I am the black and white one and since I do VT with my daughter it drives ME crazy and her a little bugged. Thank you for validating my confusion. I also appreciate your comment about being in the driver's seat, and that there will often by more than one way to prove something etc. Being terribly black and white about things, I feel the need for permission - crazy isn't it? I really appreciate your reply!!! Also good suggestion to let them know in case they are not aware of this issue.

Makes a lot of sense to me and I have heard many others say the same. Junior and Senior year are very busy preparing for college, graduation etc. Plus they might have work.

So as we continue on into module C, we are still frustrated with the sudden change of terminology-inconsistent with their program, unidentified terms, etc., i.e. on the quiz for lesson 2, indirect proofs, there is an answer the appears to be substitution, but it is called addition of inequalities. Others terms that have just popped up are addition property of equality and multiplication property of equality. Those terms are not listed as properties in any of their books and I have tried looking several of them up online and in our math dictionary, some we find and others, no luck. We have found a bunch of things like this and it is causing confusion. I have found the errata pages (which are many!) which helps clear a few things up. On the whole I am finding this to be taught much less clearly than the algebra. Suggestions? What have you all found helpful with these inconsistencies of terminology? Please tell me you noticed them. I have been so impressed with the teaching for algebra and the reasoning skills in both alg and geo, so we do want to make it through the course. My husband is a math person and has confirmed that we are not crazy and that this is confusing. Some terms he has been able to help us match up the new name with the one listed in the book, others he has confirmed are just not there. We have tried to call to talk to VT (we feel these are program questions, not helpline questions), and they will not talk to us since we haven't paid the fee for the helpline.

Julie- Excellent thoughts! Thank you for sharing. I totally agree the passion is the key. The idea of watching movies/news etc. would certainly help gain fluency. After 6-1/2 years in MS/HS, and 3 more courses in college, I have reached eaves-dropper level; meaning I can tell you what someone is talking about, but couldn't give you word for word. LOL! We are currently using the La Clase Divertida online. I just don't know about the cost, but it gives the group setting that is definitely helpful.

One more thought. If you take the summer off, I would consider going through the whole course over the summer. Since you have done some grammar work, you can probably go through some lessons rather quickly. Then your student is prepared to move forward in the fall.