Just as a follow-up... According to an email from the company, the Maths Mate series can't be bought by individuals. Only school districts. :glare:

We totally could use Saxon, but I would hate switching from one series to another when what we're using now (Foerster Algebra) is working fine. I just want to continue to add in a little daily review to keep up old skills.

Thanks! Maths mate looks great. Saxon is fine too, but I don't want to use a whole other math program. Does Saxon put out just a non-intimidating quickie worksheet type review or is it only the full textbook?

For the past few years we've used a series called Math Minutes as a quick daily review. I like that it's short, easy, and on mixed topics. It helps my daughter keep things fresh in her mind. Unfortunately, it only goes through an 8th grade (pre-algebra) level and we'll finish it this week. I'd like to continue this daily review next year as we dig further into Algebra and Geometry. Any ideas for a quick spiral daily review math book that is at an algebra 1 and higher level? I will cross-post on the logic/middle school forum.

For the past few years we've used Math Minutes as a quick daily review. I like that it's short, easy, and on mixed topics. It helps my daughter keep things fresh in her mind. Unfortunately, it only goes through an 8th grade (pre-algebra) level. I'd like to continue this next year as we dig further into Algebra and Geometry. Any ideas for a quick spiral daily review math book that is at an algebra 1 and higher level? I will cross-post on the high school board.

It definitely has a wide age range of fans. My kids at 10 & 12 love it... Or at least they love the recent incarnations. And I would even say it's good for them. It encourages them to think about right and wrong. Plus it's funny and cute and sometimes awesomely cheesy, but still... Anyway, there are some scary episodes and occasional adult references, but it is ultimately a family program. I'm comfortable with it for older elementary age. I don't let my 6 yr old watch.

I'm in the same boat and have looked at: Derek Owens Physical Science (also Derek Owens physics) Concepts and Challenges in Physical Science Conceptual Physical Science (also Conceptual Physics) There's also a ton of interesting supplementary materials that could be used for a great middle school course: Horrible science (Fatal Forces etc...) Story of Science (from a historical point of view) How things work (and similar books) Thames and Kosmos Milestones in science kit Snap circuits and stuff on electricity

In the US, you'll sometimes see: Earth science, life science (easy bio), physical science (easy chem and physics) in middle school and then biology, chemistry, physics and maybe an AP or elective in 12th. But there's a lot more variation than the typical math sequence. In a way though it's kind of backwards -- physics is useful for chemistry and chemistry is useful to understand biology. But physics requires some math, so it traditionally goes later.

In our state, vacations in-state with a foster child don't require anything, though I send an email to the caseworker as a courtesy. Vacations out-of-state require a case worker to get permission. A judge would be required for international travel, but we've done respite care in the two instances that we've traveled internationally. We get no respite care allowance... We just find another certified family and pro-rate the foster care allowance. We can use a babysitter, no special requirements, though they don't want my own kids babysitting foster siblings until age 14.

For math between pre-algebra, you might try "Real World Algebra" by zaccaro. Perhaps combined with keys to algebra and/or math minutes 8th grade. We've been doing this combination for a few months and it's perfect for a post pre-algebra math course. The real world algebra has different levels of difficulty and is entirely word problem oriented, the keys to algebra is gentle and reinforces the procedural side of algebra. The math minutes are easy and useful for a spiral review.

My 6 year old is in public school and the entire (quite good) district happily de-emphasizes academics in kindergarten. So if your 6 year old is behind, so is our entire town's population of 6 year olds. And yet, they all read in the end...

Is this your 4.5 yr old son? If so, I'd set it all aside for a while and try again later. His resistance is a sign that he's just developmentally not there. When he's ready, it won't be a struggle... you'll just point him in the direction and he'll get it. If he hasn't figured CVC words in about two years time, I'd start taking it more seriously, but until then, just provide a fertile environment for literacy to happen. I find that it's really easy to imagine that it's us parents and teachers that control the learning process and that if we just teach something in the right way or with the right materials, our kids will get it. But really, it's not about us at all.

I'd love to see one too. I bought an American lit textbook at a thrift store - aimed at 11th graders probably. For next year, I figured I'd pull out stories and excerpts that fit what we're studying. It's chronological so it's easy to work between the two subjects.

How about Writing Skills by Diana King (published by EPS)? You could start with Book A to remediate - not babyish at all, though set at mid elementary level.

My kids have done it - don't worry. There is so much variation between different public school classrooms in social studies and science that these content area subtests just test kind of basic concepts and common sense knowledge.

Sometimes it's more about the developmental readiness of the child than about the math program. In your place, I'd probably set it aside and focus on games and activities to solidify adding and subtracting and number sense. Then pick up 1B again in the fall. When he's ready, it'll be a lot easier.

Our studio has a separate recital for the pre-ballet/creative movement kids (ages 3-6) and then includes the ballet students into a full ballet which is practiced outside of class for several months prior. The showcase is super low-key with the teachers on stage, directing and talking about the skills that have been learned. The kids wear basic leotards and skirts as costumes that can be worn later in class. It's all very relaxed and voluntary. The owners of the studio do a very good job of organizing, but sometimes parents don't read the instructions or kids get overexcited and then it gets chaotic.

What?? No!! How did it happen? When? That's terrible news. I'm so sorry.

Early on as a homeschooler, I skipped over a few topics in math that I was sure my daughter knew, only to find weird gaps later on. I have a fear of my kids missing essential skills or important practice and so I like them to work through all problems. It gives me peace of mind knowing we've done everything to be ready for the next step. So in your place, I would not skip anything. I would finish Dolciani and if I had more time, either go back to AOPS pre-algebra or start a supplementary math book like Zaccarro or Keys to Algebra. I just remind myself that review and practice is good with math and it's no race to the end.

Not Williamsburg... But we've had fun at other "living history" museums. Staying overnight in a covered wagon on the Ingalls homestead in South Dakota was really fun for my girls (then age 5&7). http://www.ingallshomestead.com

If you're in the U.S., 12 is often the age when kids move from the leveled integrated math books of elementary school to the sequence of pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, algebra II, pre-calculus, calculus... I'd find out what the last math book she was working from covered, what she would be doing if she were going to continue in the public schools, what her previous math teacher would recommend and start from there. If you're not sure, I'd probably start with a pre-algebra textbook since it'll cover arithmetic and move into algebra and you can catch any gaps that might be there. There are lots of options available! Good luck!

You might take a look at "history portfolio" at homeschooljourney.com. It can be as light or as rigorous as you want it to be. The author provides the notebook and card stock and ideas for each area and you can adapt it as you wish... Perhaps adding in videos or historical fiction or focusing on different areas. It has a Christian perspective (particularly the ancients) but can be made secular without much trouble.

No one... I always figured it was a hallmark kind of holiday. My mom never expected any fuss to be made, so I never grew up with the expectation of something special happening on Mother's Day. Plus, as a lesbian couple, who was going to organize the kids into celebrating their mothers? Or was one of us supposed to take Father's Day? None of it makes sense to me. I feel plenty appreciated and don't need a special day.

Readiness for pointe in most schools involves a combination of factors - strength, technique, age, number of classes per week, foot shape... If your daughter is ready, go for it. The funny thing is that ballet is great for your body - core, flexibility, posture... But pointe work? Not so much. Feet aren't naturally meant to be used like that. A good school will take it really slowly. My daughter started last year and did just 10 minutes of pointe work at the barre at first. Now she does closer to an hour per week in her pointe class and has just started wearing pointe shoes at the barre in one of her easier classes. I understand that over the summer, her teachers are planning to step it up some more. She doesn't have any foot complaints and has even avoided blisters, though I'm sure she'll get some eventually. As for fittings, you need a good fitter. I'm sure your daughter's teacher will either recommend one or do the fitting herself. Your daughter and you will learn about boxes and vamps and it'll be really exciting for both of you until you have to pay for the shoes. If the class is "pre-pointe" , she might be in flat shoes for a while at first, so you might want to clarify.

I agree. Our vet never offered this option and it was terrible. I had to leave. To be fair, I don't know that it would have been easier on her, it absolutely would have been easier on me. They did apologize and we did not have to pay for the euthanasia, but it was pretty traumatizing for me.