MommyThrice
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Posts posted by MommyThrice
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We have used this as have many of our debate friends. Lots of good reading from various sources all packed into one box. I plan to use it with my younger children, too.
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I don't think you want to factor like that. You want to end up with two binomials:
( ) ( )
You can then multiply these two binomials back together using the FOIL method to get your original polynomial.
Is that as clear as mud?
Here's an example...
x^2 + 4x + 4 = 0
(x+2)(x+2)
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We loved it. I found that Notgrass AH was significantly harder than World History. I felt that the quizzes were too picky and trivia - laden. We had better luck with me just flipping through the text and asking questions of my son. We added lots of literature, too, so I guess we really just used Notgrass as a spine. It worked well for that purpose. I SEEM to remember that most of the Christian content was in the Friday Bible studies, not the rest of the text.
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In considering next year in light of last two years, we are going to focus less on academics and more on life/job skills and on following passions...
Next year we are limiting the academics to math, science, literature and history.
Me too. We are focusing on the academics and extra-curriculars that are important to my son, who wants to go to law school. I'm going to let him take easy science classes and the bare minimum of Spanish, so he can focus on writing, rhetoric, and debate (and music). This year we tried to do too much. I pushed too much classical literature on him and he took a very hard and very unnecessary science class. He took HSLDA's ConLaw class - also pretty difficult - but loved every minute of it. That should tell me something. I'm still kicking myself that he had a chance to work in our state legislature, but turned it down because of school work.
I'm learning (or, re-learning... isn't this why we homeschool?) to let him focus on what is important to his future, and quit trying to do everything! He is perfectly aware that doing so may cost him admission to the top schools. He doesn't care. He loves law and politics and feels convinced that his experience and studies in those areas will pay off in the long run. Besides, ivy leagues are still a dirty word in some parts of Texas. ;)
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I'm considering AP English Language and Comp.
But I'm having trouble getting details from PHC. We had a really bad experience with a previous online writing class (not PHC), so I'm concerned about the amount of writing feedback and if papers are read by a teacher or a student.
Thanks,
Tracie
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We found Foerster's Algebra 2 to be quite thorough and rigorous, compared to a few other Algebra 2 textbooks I looked at. It is mastery-based, rather than spiral-based. Each lesson presents a topic, and then the problems in the lesson grow increasingly more complex. It encourages -- requires -- an ability to problem-solve, rather than the reliance on memorization of formulas that I think Saxon encourages.
Older DS who has always been math-minded, but not going into a math or science field did Foerster's Algebra 2/Trig. It was more rigorous than what DS needed for heading towards a humanities/digital arts field. We did not get through the entire book (due to taking our time through the text), but skipped some of the Trig chapters at the end, so I only gave DS credit for Algebra 2, not the Trig.
No way younger DS who has always struggled with math, esp. the abstract concepts of algebra could have handled Foerster's.
Thank you! I think in FINALLY understand what sets Foerster apart.
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Interestingly, the Coen brothers are Jewish. And they didn't even realize the similarity to The Odyssey until they were already into production, then they say, "It kind of evolved into that."
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I also like Write Guide; we will use it again. You will need to be careful, because they can drag one essay out f-o-r-e-v-e-r. I just told the tutor upfront how much time I wanted to spend on the assignment and when I was satisfied with it and ready to move on. I think they did an excellent job of explaining each and every suggestion or correction that they made.
My oldest is doing the Write at Home research paper class right now. We are getting very little feedback from them.
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Also, there is "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", which is a comedy re-imagining of the Odyssey. I have thought of having ds watch it when he reads The Odyssey.
Wendi
We watched this after we finished the Odyssey and ds wrote a compare/contrast paper on the book & movie. He really enjoyed that.
We bought an audio version of The Odyssey and cheap paperback copies (same translation - Robert Fagles) for each child so we could read along and mark sections while listening. We also enjoyed the Teaching Co. lectures by Vandiver.
That's not exactly "cutting" the Odyssey from your schedule, but maybe you could just skip it for now and move on with MFW, then do this over the summer and call it "fun.
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This sounds great! Is there any chance you could share your checklist here?
Thanks!
GardenMom
If you'll PM me with your email address, I'll send it to you.
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FWIW, we go through and make a sort of checklist for each chapter. For example, ch. 3 gives format for full & final thesis, ch. 4 teaches structure, ch. 5 has two style mistakes to avoid, etc... We keep this list handy so (1) my son can remember what he needs to include in every essay and (2) I can remember what I'm supposed to be looking for in his writing.
Good luck.
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My oldest and youngest just did NOT want to ever use Saxon again! My middle would've tried it again, probably, but we went a different direction with him (he did LoF Beginning & Advanced Algebra for his Algebra 1 credit, which fit his learning style perfectly!).
However, it sounds like your son is open to trying it again, so that may be the way to go. I'd have a 2nd choice ready in case he gets bogged down with Saxon again.
My son never complained about Saxon, he just hates math. It's a little hard working around THAT! :D
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I'd think about looking at the DVD's from Art Reed at www.homeschoolwithsaxon.com and also reading his book....then following his prescibed method...... The student does all of his daily problems and THE STUDENT checks them, not the parent. If he missed any, it's up to him if he wants to redo them or not. The parent checks the tests, if he got an 80 or above with NO partial credit....20 problems each problem is worth 5 points....if it has a and b if you miss one, you lose the whole 5 points.... 80 or above, great move on.... If not, take a look and see what the problem is and then go back and relearn those concepts..... This is working great for us.
Just my thoughts.
Blessings
Sandra
Never hear of this. Good ideas. So, when one of your children has to go back and "relearn," what do you require?
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Last year we quite Saxon. Ds struggled with Saxon Algebra I (he's not my mathy kid), then finally "got it" with Lial. He's working through Jacobs geometry this summer with success. I'm thinking about putting him back in Saxon Alg II next year. Am I crazy? He seems to have overcome some sort of hormonal/mental hurdle. I don't know that I can attribute it to Lial, but maybe.
He's going into 10th grade and wants to consider Saxon b/c it includes geometry, which he won't complete before next year. He's wanting to move ahead more quickly than Lial. I think part of his success is due to the side (practice) problems in Lials. I'm thinking about having him use Saxon Alg II in a similar way by having him check his answers as he works them. You certainly can't cheat in Alg II b/c the answers in the back don't show you how to work the problem and I require all work to be shown. Isn't this more like a college environment? I would place more weight on exam scores than daily homework. I just think this might help him learn, instead of constantly showing him what he doesn't know.
Any thoughts?
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What did you find confusing about the sample lessons?
Exactly this...
With TMM you just have to be okay with not understanding 100% right away, knowing that eventually you will pick it up and understand.I'm really visual - didn't like the sections that were strictly audio. I feel that I have to SEE the spanish word to get it. I know that later I'll be okay with audio only (I have a little spanish background and I live in Texas, so I know what it should sound like) but at first I need to see the word.
Thanks for your detailed response. You have some great suggestions for integrating various resources. I would never have dreamed of doing this; I just thought everything had to match up with the same vocabulary words. OSU sounds great, but its too expensive for all three kids. I keep going back to Visual Link (visual learner). Maybe with added grammar it would be okay.
I'm trying to make sense of Destinos, now. That's my project for this morning. It looks very interesting.
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I agree that it's wise to use other items to make it a complete program, such as a grammar workbook, readers/audiobooks, DVDs (movies in whatever language that you are studying), etc.
How would you add a grammar workbook? What kind of grammar workbook? Don't you want the computer lessons and grammar workbook all from the same place so that they use the same vocabulary? I haven't been able to find anything like that. Just curious how you are doing this. Can you explain?
I just looked at TMM online, and the sample lessons were really confusing. We tried RS back when it first came out and we didn't learn anything. I think I really need a book/workbook to go along with the course. I've looked a bit at Visual Link and it looks interesting, but the reviews describe it as short on grammar.
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OK, late afternoon I told them to just stop and go take a break. They looked at me like I had lost my mind. A short while later I found them all down the hall playing music together. Then they got another phone call asking them to perform. Now I've got to decide what schoolwork to cut so that the important stuff still gets done. Dropping logic feels like admitting defeat, but it IS winning.
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I cannot imagine 5 hours per day on academics. That sounds heavenly! I don't know how you manage to limit history/literature/writing to 2 hours per day. I think we're spending 3 hours there. Another hour for logic (Trad Logic I was fine, but halfway through book II, it's getting difficult) About 1.5 hours/day on online astronomy that is way too hard for my non-science kid, and at least another hour/day on online Constitution Law (at least he's enjoying that one!) and another hour on math. That's 7-8 hours per day, but it usually takes longer. Plus Bible, which we don't include as school.
I'm going to search for the thread on eating dinner with your kids.
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I should add that all three are boys and all plan to go to college. Oldest is dead-set on law school. 13 yo thinking about engineering, and 11yo loves math and science. We not real hillbillies. :D
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How much time do you spend on extra-curricular activities? I mean life-enriching activities that your children LOVE? Are you willing to cut back on school for some activities? I am not asking about activities your child may pursue as a profession - sports, drama, music, etc... - just those that contribute to a well rounded individual.
I am seriously reconsidering where we spend our time. Maybe it's just spring fever. ;)
My children love music. This is only for fun (I keep reminding them). We have a family band and play about 1-2 times per month around town and at festivals. The kids all take lessons. This is not a pushy mom thing; they all want to play whenever they have the chance. But my real question is, what is that worth? I feel like we spend ALL our time on school. Classical education... it goes until after dinner every night and my kids are only 15, 13, and 11. Granted, they procrastinate and daydream, but is this really how they should be spending their lives? They are frustrated that they don't have more time for music. Many days they don't have time to practice at all, some days they just "steal" the time from school. I have put so much emphasis on education, and I'm tired of pushing all the time. Is it really important that they read SO MANY classics and study latin and logic? Is it possible that a school might also value what they have accomplished in music? Let me clear: this isn't classical music, it's bluegrass, so we don't get points for violin virtuosos. I'm just really afraid to cut back on what we are doing educationally, to make more time for this.
I know my kids, they will enjoy music for the rest of their lives. They will not continue reading Herodotus or Plutarch, and they hate latin. Logic isn't so bad for my aspiring lawyer. And we make time for debate which they all love.
How do the rest of you make time for activities that your children love? Or do you? I am asking for your honest opinions on this topic. Please don't just tell me what you think I want to hear.
Thanks.
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Congratulations! Do you have a hobby that has been on hold for awhile?
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I asked this awhile back and the only answer I got was that it really doesn't matter with Foerster.
Tracie
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So sorry! I didn't define that. :) By "hook" I mean something that "hooks" or grabs the reader's attention so they will want to read more -- things like:
- a question ("How would are world be different if ... ?")
- a famous quotation
- a fascinating fact or interesting statistic
- ask your audience to imagine something
These are not as workable as hooks for SAT essays, but can be used as hooks in other types of writing or public speaking:
- a very short anecdote
- a joke
- announce your objectives
Thanks, again!
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I'm either the most conservative or most liberal person in just about any setting. Sigh.
Oh, that is so true! We are fairly conservative Christians, but we also play bluegrass music. Sometimes, even I am surprised at who we call friends in the music world. We just choose not to discuss politics or religion in those settings. We never compromise our faith - most everyone knows where we stand - we just agree to disagree.
Unfortunately, that is more difficult for younger people. They have a knack for pecking at anyone that is different. They really need friends that share their values. We get that at debate club. We don't get that, I'm sorry to say, at church. I do think they have learned valuable lessons by hanging out in the music world with their parents (versus dropped off at a secular univ) about how to get along with people that don't share their values, without compromising.
Anyone used PHC Prep AP courses?
in High School and Self-Education Board
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