Another ENTJ - which now explains why my children never have any free time. Classical education? Yes. Real world experiences? Yes. I want it all!

I read this recently and was actually looking forward to a depressing book on the dust bowl era, but it was that fatalism that I hated. I wasn't sure if the family was unable - or just unwilling - to better themselves. (Kind of like when I desire to lose weight, but won't bother changing my diet or exercise routine.) But the clincher, for me, was the scene at the end where the young mother, whose baby recently died, literally "nurses" and old man back to life - with a sly smile on her face. Good grief. :ack2:

PSAT is the best prep for the PSAT, but my son took the SAT in 9th because we were out of town during the PSAT. And I wanted him to take the essay portion in a real test environment - I can't recreate that at home. He had taken the PSAT the year before and just wanted to know what the other was like.

So many of you mentioned your teen sons lack of motivation. What a coincidence. :D Did that change when they attended a public or private school? Any idea why? Did any of you find that it worked itself out while continuing to homeschool?

That's a good idea. He would like to do mock trial in the spring, so I'd like to get it out of the way before then. But since we're doing it all at home, I could just spread it out over the year instead of cramming it all in at one. My husband is still disorganized and that what has this organization-freak so worried!

Because it took him two years to get through Algebra I, and he made a B. But you're right, there's no hurry because he probably won't take calculus at all. It's been difficult for him & he has his mind made up that he isn't good at math. However, he tried the SAT this year (freshman year) and his best section was math, which is really odd since that is more grade-level dependent than the english sections.

I just posted about it here I think your American History plan sound great.

Is this reasonable? I ask because, in 11 years of homeshooling, I've yet to come up with a plan that works in real life! :glare: This plan is for a boy that hates math but loves logic, debate and the Con Law class he took this year. I think he's capable of writing well, but won't take criticism from me anymore, so I'm farming it out. English: AP English Language and Comp through Patrick Henry Prep (they estimate 10-15 hours/week, I have no idea how long it will take ds) Additional 6-7 works to read at home Lit Analysis: Windows to the World with the family, once/week Maybe Vocabulary from Classical Roots History: Studying Middle Ages - Renaissance with Notgrass World History, Gileskirk lectures, and the literature listed in English, above. Pretty light this year. Math: Saxon Algebra II - 4 or 5 days/week Foreign Language: Rosetta Stone Spanish. I'm just using this to prep him for dual credit Spanish his junior year. I've heard it's difficult if you don't have a little Spanish already. Science: Putting it off until he can take a dual credit Chemistry this summer. I think he'll need the time this year for his AP class Economics: Economics in a Box, fall semester only. Pretty rigorous. Electives: Debate (4th year) Guitar He could, possibly take AP Gov't in the spring if all goes really well until then. I estimate the English and lit will take 3-3.5 hours/day History 30 min-1 hour/day Math 1 hour/day Spanish 30 min-1 hour/day Economics 1 hour/day (fall only) That totals 6-7.5 hours/day plus debate and guitar I feel certain it will probably take him far longer than my estimate, so I really need to know if this is reasonable. He wants to go to law school and is hoping that AP English, AP Gov't (maybe spring or next year), Con Law and Economics electives will help make up for his weakness in math. He's smart, but he really struggles with organization, and that's what makes me want to :banghead: I would appreciate any suggestion. Thanks, Tracie

I think it looks good. We used Notgrass American in 8th grade; it is significantly more difficult than their World History, but I think will be fine for 9th grade. I, personally, would drop the grammar. We use R&S through 7th, then drop it and just address grammar issues through writing and foreign language. Ninth is when we switch to traditional logic; it works nicely with geometry - at least it did with Jacobs. Good luck!

It was useless to me. The book is mainly examples of student's writings, with comments on how the author would discuss it with the child, showing various problems or how to improve the writing. I would consider it a book for you to read some weekend to give you an idea of what to look for in writings, but that's all. If that is really what you are looking for, I would be happy to sell mine. ;)

It started off pretty easy. By the middle of the first book, about 30-45 minutes per day. In the second book, about 45 minutes to an hour per day. There is quite a bit of writing out syllogisms in various forms, so there is alot of thinking and alot of writing.

We used Traditional Logic by Martin Cothran and it took a significant amount of time. My son worked on it 5 days/week, and that is without any videos. This year we are going to try the James Nance books with videos. I think my second son will benefit from the videos, but it will require more time to watch them. Both series take two semesters to get through both books. I wouldn't add true rhetoric to the schedule until after the logic is completed. But if, by rhetoric, you mean speech or debate, that will be a great compliment to logic.

I'll say, "Yes." The Latin placement test was difficult for my child, but we used a different text, so, obviously he hadn't studied the same material. If my child had used the SAME text and covered the SAME material, I would either ask for an exception or just go ahead and put your child in the next class. It would be ridiculous - and maybe cruel - to make your child repeat the material unless they really struggled with it.

We love Rod & Staff. If you want one year for high school, I would recommend the 7th grade book. It's the last book in the series that we use and it covers everything I think my kids need to know (except for what is needed for Latin). It would not be too simplistic for high school if you haven't used the books leading up to it. Get the very cheap workbook pages to go with it so your child won't have to copy so many sentences.

Holly, I sent you a PM.

Speech & debate is the most important activity our family has ever done. Time commitment: Are you asking about debate? or speech? The time commitment really depends on what your son (and his debate partner) what to accomplish and what his club expects. When my son started at age 12, he spent very little time working on debate - maybe one to three hours per week plus Friday club meetings. Obviously, he didn't do well in competition, but he grew TREMENDOUSLY and loved every minute of it. Now my boys spend and hour or two per day during the busy tournament season. Your son will have some basic research responsibilities for the club - all the kids contribute to the evidence pool to help each other - but beyond that it is up to your family to decide. I think there is a good chance that your son will step up to the plate in terms of "laziness and rebellion" if you get in with a good group of kids. Does he have friends in the club now? The biggest benefit we've received from debate is the positive peer pressure. CONS: Time commitment Travel to tournaments Stress PROS: Public speaking skills Self-confidence Positive peer-pressure Critical thinking and argument formation When my oldest started at age 12, his speeches were no longer than 30 seconds. He couldn't write well, had no critical thinking skills, and couldn't speak in front of a group. Now he has decided he wants to be an attorney; he enjoys current events and politics. He has taken Constitution Law, Economics and Logic by choice. His writing and critical thinking skills are greatly improved. He has competed at the national level and gone on to compete in mock trial. All of this was prompted by speech & debate. I highly recommend it.

Thanks, y'all!

Can you tell me where you found this? Thanks!

Great idea. I never thought of that!

Are these similar to anthologies? So the selections are actually in the book? (Amazon had ZERO information.) Please don't fish them out... thanks for the info!

My ds is taking an AP writing class next year, so I don't want to load him down with too much literature. We're going to be studying middle ages through the renaissance. I have some ideas for literature, but for some of the works I just want him to read selections - Augustine's Confessions and Paradise Lost in particular. How do you choose selections from literature (No, I haven't pre-read these works :blush:) How do you know where to start? The Bluedorn's Ancient History book lists selections for ancient literature - I haven't found the selections to make any sense at all... almost like they were chosen at random. But beginning in the middle ages I haven't found any source to help me choose. Any suggestions?

I was skeptical. We had a terrible experience with an expensive, online writing class - ds had ONE paper graded by the teacher in an entire semester. We dropped it and lost the entire tuition. Anyway, I kept asking PHC questions about this course until I got the entire syllabus, a list of which assignments are graded by whom, as well as a list of literature readings. I think it will be worthwhile.

Thank you - that's exactly what I had in mind. Reading some literature along with the rest of the family's study of middle ages through the reformation. He's hoping to do the AP lit class the following year, but we'll have to see how this one goes, first! Is PA Homeschooler an online class?

My son will be taking AP English Lang & Comp next year through PHC. I think there is a fair amount of reading to demonstrate various writing styles. But, is that adequate? Do I need to add literature for the year? I don't know how busy the class will keep him.

I think the Adv. Biology is a good idea - she will be through with Alg. I, right? If she wants to sit for the Biology AP, she's better off taking the two classes in a row so she doesn't forget any of the material. My son didn't have the math to move into Chemistry in 9th (he book Biology in 8th) so we let him take a year of Astronomy. That's a good choice, too, except that we took it through Scholars Online and it was like a college course. It required way too much of my liberal arts minded son.