I'll keep that in mind. We are going to visit the area CC this spring. Thanks! I didn't think of that.... Brenda

Thanks so much ladies.....this gives me a lot to think about. Think we will stick with our original plan to do 2 years of high school Latin, and then follow up with two years of Spanish. Practical and complete. Blessings to you this morning, Brenda

DS has two years of high school Latin under his belt. Should we at this point continue with LatinIII OR switch to Spanish I for something a little different. What are the colleges and universities looking for on a transcript? Blessings, Brenda:001_smile:

This is our plan for next year for my rising 9th grader dd. She is our second child to go through 9th grade. (I must say she is our right brain "free spirit" child who loves to draw, sew, crochet and knit. Not to mention that she is a great cook. She is very different from her brother who I will talk about below. ) 9th grade dd (Right brain, creative) English I: Wordsmith Craftsman, High school reinforcement:American authors of Analytical Grammar, LLATL/Gold American along with others using Stobaugh and WTM (In other words studying authors from 1860 to present) Algebra I: TT and some of Firebaugh's Algebra I from Keyboard Enterprises along with LOF beginning Algebra for FUN! Biology I: Apologia Biology along with LLS: The Human Body w/CD US History II: We use TQ to start our week along with Spielvogel and BJU as texts....And just have FUN with this! (Same time period as our lit study 1860 to present....pairs nicely with SOTW with younger siblings:D. Some weeks I use questions that I pull from TOG classic.) Fine Arts: 1/4 credit We study the artists and musicians of the time period we are studying in history LatinI/II: Will be finishing Latin I and moving to II Will be using Cambridge or Oxford Latin. Bible: DD is reading through the bible on her own. She may also do Logic with big brother....but not sure yet. Extra: Choir, 4-H Big brother: (mathy, left brain who loves history, economics and FOX NEWS!!! DD lovingly calls her big brother the sweetest nerd she knows. Can see him teaching history as a college professor.....Very different from free spirit little sister.....HeeHee) This was his plan two years ago...... English I: OmnibusII, Wordsmith Craftsman, and Winston Grammar Geometry: MUS Geometry along with LOF Geometry(won't use MUS again for our family) Biology I: Apologia Biology I along w/ LLS the Human Body World History II: We were studying the middle ages that year. We used TQ as an intro for the week, and then used Spielvogel, BJU world, and Middle Ages by Dorothy Mills. Fine Arts: 1/4 fine arts credit....studying artists of the time period. Bible: Did the Bible in Omnibus and then studied PROVERBS! Language: DS did Latin I and II in 7th and 8th grade, so we gave him the year off from Language in 9th. Extra: Boy scouts, choir..... Hope that helps...... I do think that as you collect different curriculums, you pick and choose what you like from each of them to make a good "mix" for your student. Each year is different and each student is different. Blessings, Brenda:001_smile:

Got it! Thanks for the information! Brenda

I take it that this First Form Latin (1st in the series) would be Latin I for high school credit.....Or would it only be one semester of Latin I? Just wondering..... Brenda

Is this weather crazy or what? (Just so folks know....Kelli and I live about an hour away from each other....:seeya:Hi, Kelli!) Anyway, thank for the information on Cambridge. That is what we are presently using with Rachel. And she loves it and seems to be getting it but it is SO different from any other approach it almost seems as if she is not doing enough. But the "whole to parts" approach is the way she learns, so it seems to be a good fit. But her left brain mother, (That's me!) who learns by "parts to whole" wanted another approach. (O.K. you know confession is good for the soul....Is there anyone here who every once in a while goes to look for another curriculum because the one you are using doesn't fit YOUR learning style.....but your child is perfectly happy with it????:001_huh:) So, after typing that last paragraph, I think I just need to let my little right brain DO HER THING! :001_smile: Blessings, Brenda

Heh, ya'll coming from icy TN!!!(It was 80 degrees here this week!) Anyway, what is your favorite high school Latin course. I need something that is EASY for ME. In other words, easy to implement for the TEACHER. Any ideas? Blessings, Brenda

Yes, we too use the Apologia listening CD too...LOVE IT!!! But if we switched and just started listening to Apologia and made the BJU our spine....it would significantly increase my cost....I would need a TE for the BJU....and I already have invested in Apologia....and we like the curriculum....just want to "bump it up" a bit..... But thanks for the suggestion.... Brenda

My dh and I read a book back in the early 90's by Larry Burkett called The Coming Economic Earthquake.....In it he predicted that this very thing would happen. People said he was crazy!!! We started paying off our debt in about '95....and have lived without debt other than our house since about '97.....The house will be paid off in about a year and 1/2.....Lord willing.....(said with my southern drawl....) Yes, we saw this coming...... and we have been preparing all along....Just wish the house was paid for....but my security is in the LORD NOT my finances.......HE promises to provide our needs....I have SEEN his hand in our finances OVER and OVER again.... Just my thoughts..... Blessings, Brenda:)

When my first ds was doing Biology, we used this appoach with the Biology: A Self Teaching Guide by Garber that SWB recommends in the WTM. But this time, was thinking of using the new BJU biology text instead with next dd. Brenda

O.K. call me crazy......but one of my friends put this crazy idea into my head....(Heh, Jetta:seeya:) Anyway, what would happen if you did Apologia Biology, but had your child "just read" the corresponding chapter in the BJU text....just to get a different "take" on the subject at hand? So you would use the Apologia as your "spine" and for your labs, but you could use the BJU text as "extra reading". Am I crazy or what? Blessings, Brenda

We have ALL done this.....There were days when my husband would come home and I would be surrounded by catalogs and plans...And my eyes would be glazed over, with no dinner in sight, and he would say, "I guess we need to go out tonight, huh?":glare: Just hang in there.... Glad I could help! Blessings, Brenda

Sorry, I promise this is the LAST post I will send....I have to get on the road....but also think about the BENT of your child.....This becomes MUCH more prominent as your child is a high schooler......So, if you have a MATHY-SCIENCE ENGINEER student.....TOG MIGHT not be a good fit for this student...(Notice I said MIGHT....) So, what kind of student is your rising 7th grader.....Mathy-Science guy, English-Lit student, History guy, Etc...etc...... As you enter high school, rhetoric students will spend more of their time in their BENT areas......For instance my oldest is a history geek who LOVES it. He also has passions in math and economics.....He will earn 5 credits in history including his econ/gov credit....But his brother who is coming along 6 years behind him is a math/science/engineer guy. I call him my little Thomas Edison...He is always building things. He may not graduate with that many credits in history, as he will need more credits in the math and science area than older brother.... O.K. rambling, rambling this morning.....Hope that helps.... "Mother Brenda":001_smile:

"Our history/geography study has been very rewarding, but a lot of prep work for me." Just some thoughts for you.....ask yourself, "WHY has this been rewarding for your family?" Has it been that YOU tailor-made a curriculum for them and it is working? Has it been that you ENJOY putting units together? (Some of us do, you know......;)) Has it been that you are seeing the FRUITS of your labor? (It is a beautiful thing to behold, trust me.....) Also, I agree with Melissa in that the LG and Dialectic books of TOG are great. Some of them have become our "friends". But TOG is not the only curriculum to use "said" books. If you compare book lists of BF, TQ, Sonlight, TOG, WTM, and Veritas......All of them have some titles in common. (I KNOW because I eat, sleep, and breathe this stuff.....) So, here is my advice....as one who has been there, done that, got the T-Shirt....FIRST examine your GOALS for you student for next year...What do you want to accomplish? GOALS should drive your curriculum choices, not the other way around. And please don't pick a curriculum based on what everyone else is using. You have to pick what works best for your child. And only YOU know what that is...... With a rising 7th grader you MAY be working on math skills, spelling skills, or writing skills that need to be the FOCUS before you hit high school....Not a history study..... SECOND, examine your TEACHING PHILOSOPHY for your family-Does TOG FIT your educational beliefs? Check out what Cathy Duffy says about TOG in 100 Top picks. And THIRD, Does TOG fit your budget for this year......Things are tight for most folks this year. And for some, TOG would not be their budget. And that is O.K....... And lastly, spend much time in prayer.....God WILL guide you in what you need to use this year......He won't let you down. Going to see my mom today, so won't be able to check back on this....Will be gone a week. Blessings, "Mother Brenda":001_smile:

Shannon, What grades will your children be in for next year and what history year will your children be in for next year? For instance year 1:Ancients, Year 2 Middle ages,etc.... I have used TOG Classic(2,3,and 4) and Redesign(1&2) and all but one level of Biblioplan..... Some times I think we get the cart before the horse.....There is plenty of time for TOG in the future if you have grammar and logic level students.....They will NOT miss anything if they use SOTW, Biblioplan, and the suggestions from the WTM. Looking back.....I wish I had waited to use TOG when my oldest kids were Rhetoric......I pushed them before they were ready..... I pushed MYSELF before I was ready for something that in depth.....I won't do that with my younger two....:001_smile: Take little bites.....not great big gulps..... And remember what TOG was designed for ......It was designed for moms with lots of kids so that all the kids can be studying relatively the same topic in history......That was its purpose....its design....So, that mom could have engaging discussions with her high schoolers and talk about the same topic with her younger students too....without loosing her mind.:001_smile: A visitor from the high school board, Blessings, Brenda

I KNEW someone could help me! Yea! Blessings, Brenda:)

Which handbook would you used with a rising 11th grader who will be knee deep in essays and also do a research paper next year? Blessings, Brenda

TN Tech is one of the best schools in the state of TN for engineering. (Course I just love Cookeville! We lived there 6 years while I was young. My Dad pastored the 1st Methodist church in downtown Cookeville. ) Dr. Bell, the president of Tech, was a friend of my father. My dad ministered to the Bell family when their son was born prematurely and spent many weeks in the hospital. And when Dad passed away last year, Dr. Bell was there. So, I am just a touch biased. But DO go check this out if your child is interested in engineering. When 2nd ds (my little Thomas Edison) is ready for college, TN Tech will be the First school that we check out for him. Blessings, Brenda

Thank you so much to all of you who have given wonderful ideas for me to think about and use. Blessings to you all, Brenda

Here is what we have done thus far...... Sorry I did not include this information in the first e-mail. 1)Took an ACT prep class with our umbrella school(Well worth our time...) 2)Took 3 practice tests the three Fridays prior to our test date. The week of testing, we took that week off. So we did the practice tests on Jan16th, 23rd, and 30th.....But then did not take one on Feb 6th, as his test date was the following day. 3)Also went through some of the sections in the Princeton Review Hope that helps! Brenda

Heh, Ya'll! We got our first ACT scores this week for first born ds. As a sophomore we got a 28 composite. We are very pleased with his first try. Here is my question though. He wants to bump this score up to a 30 or 31 to be in line for more scholarship money. Now, I'm not concerned about math.....That will come up with another year of math. And math is his strength. And I feel he is doing well with the English. It was his highest subtest score and he hates grammar. But we just kept plugging along and he KNOWS his grammar. (Thank you R&S and Analytical Grammar and SWB!!) But what do we do to bump up reading and science reasoning? He got a 28 in reading and 27 in science reasoning. Should we just "keep on keeping on" with what we are doing, or is there something specific that we can work on? We use a great books approach to reading and use Apologia Science for science. He will be doing physics next year. We just need a few extra points....Any ideas? Blessings, Brenda:001_smile:

I have passed on all of this wonderful information. Thanks for taking your time to help. Blessings, Brenda:)

Wow, I will be sure to pass on your information too! Blessings, Brenda

Good morning, Yvonne! Thanks for the information. I will pass this on to this lady. She had read somewhere that Easy Grammar was not college prep, and she started to worry. So, I wanted to get some infomation from someone who had used it and had success. Thanks bunches! Brenda:001_smile: