My daughter did Singapore Math through 6b, then moved over to Galore Park Maths 2 & 3 for pre-algebra before starting Foersters. Going straight from Singapore 6 to Algebra 1 would have been quite a jump (in content and format) and I can't imagine missing out on middle school math.

I didn't care for Winning with Writing when I tried it 5 years ago. I don't know anything about EIW. Have you looked at The Paragraph Book? http://eps.schoolspecialty.com/products/literacy/writing-handwriting/the-paragraph-book/about-the-program

Yes, but it didn't have a particularly happy ending. What started as co-homeschooling with two parents teaching different subjects 3 days/week turned into one parent dropping off her daughter at our house 5 days/week. Or worse, not just dropping off but coming inside and trying to chat and distract me. I needed firmer boundaries than I had.

If you're okay with videos rather than an online class, you might consider Derek Owens physical science (or physics).

Sorry -- I have had someone in my life like that. In the end, I began to secretly pretend I was a traveller to an alien planet and observing a new species of an intelligent life form. Or that I was an anthropologist observing a hitherto undiscovered culture. I would create imaginary entries in my imaginary journal as she did her crazy around me.

We did a lit/geography class last year and used this book: http://www.amazon.com/Best-Loved-Folktales-Anchor-folktale-library/dp/0385189494 Also, https://www.learner.org/courses/worldlit/was excellent for a preview for some of the books we read.

We're using k12 American Odyssey for 7th and 8th grade but I think it would be a bit heavy in size and content for many middle schoolers. We're using it over two years with lots of supplementation and it's great. But I'd probably choose Hakim for middle school if I were putting on a course.

I have this kind: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Babolat_SFX_All_Court_Grey_Pink/descpageWSBAB-BWSFXGP.htmlwhich I got on sale for $80. I like them a lot. I usually take an 8 or 8.5 and chose 8.5. They're longer than I would normally choose for everyday shoes, but it's actually nice when stopping suddenly and jumping to have a bit extra room in the toe area. Before those, I was wearing my regular old gym shoes and I had two toes that kept getting bruised because they kept running into the toe of the shoe. If you have a shop that you can go to to try some on, that'd be best. We don't, so I have to order online, try on and return if necessary.

The visit to the Ingall's homestead in DeSmet was a favorite in our last cross-country road trip about 5 years ago. We explored the homestead and tried all the activities and stayed in the covered wagons and there was a tornado warning at around 5am and our covered wagon was shaking back and forth from the wind so we cowered in the underground bathrooms until the siren went off. I'm sure it was no big deal for the midwesterners, but we were terrified! It was otherwise an awesome place to visit with kids. I'd totally go back!

My 8th grader is headed to public high school too. I have the same exact questions!

My daughter had a rough time in 4th grade about math. It was bad enough that we turned to TT simply as a solution to our mother-daughter math crisis. However, after a semester of that, she requested returning to Singapore and we continued on with it after that. She still has no love for math, but she's reached a point of acceptance about it and she gets the work done. I really noticed the improvement in attitude towards work around age 11 or 12, but it was worst at 9 and 10. Just to add another thought... looking back, I realize now she was an early developer and the tears and frustration and oppositional behavior was definitely related to puberty.

You might spend some time just working on reading fluency. I'd use a book that's pretty simple and repetitive and has a nice rhythm to it... Dr. Seuss is ideal. Point out that good readers try to read smoothly and have inflection in their voice. Read the page to her once and have her read it back to you at the same pace. Have her repeat it if needed until she's got a rhythm going. It's okay if it's memorized a bit... it's not about decoding, it's about fluency. Then go on to the next page and repeat the process. Does she like music? If she has a favorite song, print out lyrics and have her sing along. You could also show her how the same sentence can have different meanings depending on how she reads it and which words are emphasized. *I* do not like green eggs and ham. (but you do) I do *not* like green eggs and ham. (I really don't) I do not *like* green eggs and ham. (I love them!) I do not like *green* eggs and ham. (I like blue eggs) I do not like green *eggs* and ham. (I like green sausages) I do not like green eggs and *ham*. (I like green eggs and bacon) I do not like green eggs and ham? (I'm not sure what I like) That's all I can think of for now...

My daughter has used "Rules of the Game" by EPS, which is great but does have a lot of text per page. Last year, just to keep up with writing mechanics and remember things like "prepositional phrases" and "appositives", she starting using "Easy Grammar Ultimate Series: 180 Daily Teaching Lessons" (ignore the grade level... it doesn't seem grade 8 is much easier than grade 12). It's very short and sweet... takes about 5 minutes for my daughter to do one "Day". It might be what you're looking for and it does have a lot of white space.

I always recommend these... They've never let me down: Galore Park -- quirky and solid math, science, English, Latin and French Ellen McHenry -- great content made accessible and fun Apples & Pears spelling -- easy to implement and really effective

Our schedule looks something like this on average, though it's pretty flexible... 2 hrs Math 1 hr English 1 hr History 1 hr Science 30 min French 30 min Geography (1st sem) & home ec (2nd sem)

We wanted two. And we had two. And they're wonderful kids! I wouldn't mind another, but I'm now 40 and not that into it... and my wife isn't interested in another... so we won't have another. But I still sometimes get a little broody. Our solution? We foster. Whenever we start feeling like we would like a little one around, we get one. And then I remember why I don't really want another child! I think we're ideal foster parents in that we already have our own kids and we don't have that aching desire to keep our foster kids as our own... we just feel like we're helping a child while a family sorts itself out. Our kids are old enough to help and I'm really quite experienced as a mom so it's good all around. Plus we love to travel and our foster kids invariably end up going on cool trips and seeing neat things they probably never would have otherwise. Anyway, I feel like we're in a good place. We're taking the summer off from fostering and we'll re-evaluate in the fall.

I agree that it's okay to think about that in 8th grade, not 6th grade. That said, when my daughter told me in 7th grade that she wanted to go to the local high school, I took her request seriously. She didn't whine or complain or beg that she wants to be with friends and she hates homeschooling and she wants to go to school NOW. Instead, she told me about some of the things in her life that she wanted and she had some good reasons for wanting to change things up in 9th grade. I've raised her well, I've educated her well... I feel like I can send her off knowing that she's bright, sociable, sensible and independent. I guess I figure that homeschooling is not really about me and what I want... it's a two-way relationship. And if one of us doesn't like it, I don't think it makes sense to keep doing it if there are other options available. Anyway, I'm excited for our last year together and also excited for her to start 9th grade at the high school. I want her to make positive decisions in her life and I think attending high school is going to be good for her. If not? Well... we can always re-evaluate.

Ellen McHenry's science and historical linguistics materials were some of my favorite ever. Don't miss out on those!

Of course! They are sweet books and still relevant after 60 years. Sibling rivalry and the challenges of getting along in life are appropriate topics for school-aged kids.

Check what the cognitive science research actually says about learning styles --https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sIv9rz2NTUk

Tough one! Presumably the immigration matters more than the job? When my wife finally got her US citizenship interview notice she cancelled a family vacation. It had been 14 years of immigration uncertainty. Sure, the notice said she could reschedule... But those sorts of appointments are so hard to come by. And 14 years is a long time. We didn't want to mess around.

Oh! I went to a Christian school where the entire first semester of biology was on why evolution was wrong. The second semester involved reproduction and why pre-marital sex and abortion was bad. I had a terrible biology education!

I boldly ambled my way around the mission today. Thank you for all the good advice! I found street parking that I shouldn't need to move, ogled books at borderlands and poked around the pirate shop and had a bubble tea at boba guys (all within like two blocks of my brothers apartment). Only downside... I haven't really talked to anyone since arriving. So if you live in San Francisco and are feeling chatty, message me! I'd happily go for a coffee!

We are in a college town and adults here get pretty into halloween with a parade and everything. It's not unusual for teens to trick or treat at all. My kids show no signs of slowing down. I'll let them out alone (with each other or friends) this next year... last year I followed them around.

Thank you so much! I'm armed with ideas and am looking forward to the trip tomorrow.