Hi, I'm looking for a syllabus for Foester's Algebra II and Trigonometry. I'm wondering how many problems I should assign each school day. My oldest completed chapters 1-8 of this text last year but it just about killed him doing all the problems even using 2 days for most lessons. I also have them watch the Math Without Borders DVDs that teach the lessons. I plan to have him complete the text this year and have his younger brother, the 9th grader, do the first 8 chapters like his brother this school year. I'm fine with them not doing all the problems as long as they are mastering the concepts. My problem is that I am not certain which problems to assign. Just doing odds or evens seems so random to me. Should I just assign the evens since the answers for the odds are in the text? If he makes a 90 or above on the chapter texts does that mean he's mastered the concepts?:confused: Jennifer VA homeschooling 4 boys; 10th, 9th, 7th & 5th grades

We're in our 10th year.:D Jennifer VA homeschooling 4 boys: 10th, 9th, 7th & 5th grade

I used to keep a super clean house until a year and a half into homeschooling. I got tired trying to do it all. I have boys who like to put grass stains on their pants, and are blind to clods of dirt stuck to their shoes (yes, I have a shoe shelf). I'm training them slowly, and they have chores, but...right now I succeed in getting my "really clean house" one or maybe two days a week when I host something like a co-op committee meeting. My house is almost always picked up, but it's so difficult to get to those deep cleaning chores. Also, I realized that I'm the type of person who gets pleasure from completing jobs--checking things off the list. So, cleaning can be a little demoralizing for me because it's a job that gets undone so easily. Thankfully, the germ-a-phobe in me overrides the task and I do the hygenic thing. I have Proverbs 14:4 taped to my desk, "Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; But much increase comes by the strength of an ox." Just insert "boy(s)" for oxen and "house" for trough and you'll know why I have that verse taped to my desk. The verse reminds me that what's a little mess compared with raising 4 princes. Mom to 4 boys, ages 12, 10, 8 & 6

I call it chop meat. I grew up in VA, but my parents are from Long Island, NY. My mom always referred to it as chop meat. My dh has been in VA all his life and his family called it hamburger. Jen mom to 4boys

Do you think that Great Expectations by C. Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities by C. Dickens, Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, and Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis would be too hard for a 7th-8th grade book club. Another homeschool mom I know is trying to offer this class at our co-op, but I'm afraid her choices are a little too hard and her offer to teach will be rejected. I'm on the steering committee that approves/rejects co-op classes. She has been a fantastic teacher for the younger grades this year, so I'd like to work with her on this and give her a better shot. Does anyone have any ideas for a 16 class book list that meets once a week for this age range. Thanks. BTW, parents would pay tuition for the class, if that makes a difference. Thanks.

we don't have a home phone anymore. We're trying to save money and get perfect cell reception at our home. I thought that at 12 and a half that I could start leaving him at home for an hour or less. Afterall, I babysat at 12 way back when. So, it's a security issue for us. Also, the phone was free with our family plan and it only costs us $10 a month. We also had our service provider block texting, because we don't even want to start that nonsense.

My dh and 8yo have environmental allergies. Specifically my 8yo has allergies to tree pollens and dust mites. After a few convos with our family allergist we plunked the money down and removed the carpeting in our family room and the 8yo's bedroom. We have noticed a change already for the better in him since we took the carpet out. We also took the carpet out of the schoolroom last weekend to improve his daily environment even more. He has had less sinus problems and has lost the cough I normally see when things start to bloom. He's even noticed that he is "sick" less often. We're almost a carpet free house now...only 3 bedrooms to go! That being said, we do plan to keep the two area rugs in the living and family rooms; but, I'll never put even one little throw rug in the 8yo's bedroom because the less of that stuff the better for his health.

I use Classical Writing, but voted other because I didn't read the note that "Creative Writing" is supposed to be "Classical Writing.

I pretty much did the same thing as Julie in Austin with my 4ds. Though with two of my boys, I found it helpful to make a bingo game out of the cvc words and play it for a week before moving on. We also completed Explode the Code and read Bob Books along with PP. I've been very happy with the PP and ETC combo. I can't thank SWB enough for the recommendation. Jen mom to 4ds, ages 12, 10, 8, and 6

"climb up to the roof and wrap something around that vent.... even just a flapping piece of cloth or tape should work....... like a couple pieces of ribbon or something" Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'll ask dh to tie some ribbons on the vent. I mentioned tape to him already, but he thought the heat would bake it off.

Our house roof vent is being attacked by a noisy pecking bird. It wakes us up at 6am pecking on our roof and shaking the house (we like to get up at 7am). My dh was able to sneak out and catch the bird in action twice before flying off to a nearly tree. My dh wants to pelt it with a BB gun because he thinks it won't stop otherwise, but I'm wondering if there is a more humane way. I can't imagine there would be anything tasty on our roof, we have a contract with an exterminator because our backyard was overrun with carpenter ants when we moved in. We have zero pest problems now, minus the woodpecker/flicker. BTW, dh and I enjoy bird watching with the exception of roosters of course:D Thoughts?

I don't have any advice to offer, but I can commisserate a little. My 12 and 8yo sons don't make friends as easily as their other brothers. The 12yo is reserved and speaks a little stiffly (think "English butler"). He does have 1 friend his age we can invite over from time to time, but it's been difficult to work out due to distance. The 8yo is very black and white and needs to learn a little more grace if he is going to form more than an acquaintance outside the family. My 12yo is content with his social life, but my 8yo moans about it. He's especially jealous at the ease at which my charismatic 10yo makes friends. Dh and I do what we can to foster opportunities (sports, co-op, Rangers, inviting boys to our home after church on Sunday afternoon), but I also try to focus his attention on the positives because he's such an analyst;). I remind him while friends are good, they will come and go, but a brother is a friend for life. I'm so thankful he has 3 brothers close in age to play with, while he's waiting for "other" good friends. Jen

I don't know if I read your post correctly, but I interpreted it to mean that it is typical for him to do all those subjects daily. It might be a lot for him to do all of them thoroughly on a daily basis. My 12yo ds has 14 subjects, but he doesn't do all of them daily. Each day he has 5 or 6 "individual subjects" including guitar practice and 3 "together things". He is comfortably ahead a year or more in most subjects, and we're able to complete each year's academic goals planning this way. BTW, the "together things" title has nothing to do with my participation, because I help out whenever needed with all 4 of my boys. He has 3 school-aged brothers so there are 3 subjects we do together daily which the boys and I call "together things". If your 12yo has some free time to explore areas of interest, then he probably isn't doing too much. If he doesn't have free time you may want to cut back unless it's a procrastination/discipline issue. Peace, Jen

looking up all your suggestions and considering what will work for us. Thanks again Hive mind, Jen

I'd like some advice. I've barely begun researching what my upcoming 7th grader should do come August, when our family starts the next school year. I would like to know what curriculum you thought was wonderful and also what you thought was a waste of time and money. He will not be doing any more spelling and grammar. He is doing well in all his subjects, but is weak in logic (haven't done much in this area). We will continue with CW for composition work and will be studying some systematic theology with his father. He is completing SWO H and Shurley 7 in a few weeks. He is doing Henle I, parts 3-5 with the Memoria Press guide and Saxon 8/7 (not tied to Saxon, would prefer another program). I need recommendations for Latin, math, literature, history, science and logic (or anything else that I might be leaving out). Feeling a little lost right now regarding 7th grade stuff, but excited and hopeful that the lightbulb will go on soon, Jen Mom to 4 great boys, ages 12, 10, 8 & 6

We take off June and July each summer with the exception of their individual instrument practice. During the summer due to the combination of our vacations and their music instructors' vacations, music lessons taper to twice a month on average instead of weekly. However, this year we haven't been able to tackle much of our history reading list--too many good books and not enough time. So, the current plan, other than 20 minute daily instrument practice, is to read those history books like Martyr in the Catacombs and The Bronze Bow.... I may throw in 10 minutes of daily Latin vocabulary flashcards review as well, but that would be the limit. I choose not to do more because we really need the break. We're in the 6th year of homeschooling, and I know that for my boys retention and getting back into the swing of things come August hasn't been a problem. Also, our math and grammar programs have built in review. If we have a problem or lose ground, we'll do more during the summer break or go to year round schooling. Threads like these remind me how grateful I am to be able to homeschool. I love the freedom homeschooling affords me to individualize these things and chose a schedule that meets my family's needs. Jen

After I completed my first year of homeschooling, I thought I would go all the way and graduate all four of mine. After struggling the last year and a half, I'm not as sure. I'm taking it year by year now. I have great admiration for those who go the distance and have more children than I do. It's been difficult for me to devote the time needed to homeschool 4, take care of the house and teach 3 outside classes, etc... I considered putting my 12 year old in a public/private school setting next year for 7th grade. My oldest son is wonderful, helpful and has a great attitude. He's not the problem. I want to do a good job and not short change his schooling. Unfortunately, I'm starting to drop some balls this year. To be candid, I'm a bit worn out and nervous about handling material at a level higher than 6th, with the exception of literature.:o So, dh and I prayed for several months about where my oldest should be next year. After receiving no sure answer and just as uncertain about what I should do (prayer, discussions with older homeschool moms, asking my 12yr old his desires), I asked God to give dh a dream about what to do with my oldest next year. I didn't tell anyone, including dh, about this "fleece-like request" because I knew it's a little out there spiritually, and I'm not 100% comfortable with this type of thing. I'm only aware of Gideon in the Bible doing it and being chastised for his lack of faith in making such a request. In otherwords, I'm not recommending or advocating throwing out fleeces. However, Dh rarely has a dream that he recalls (only a handful during 17 years of marriage--I think he needs sleep apnea testing), so I thought if he did get a dream about our 12yr old's schooling then it would be a type of miracle and give us a definite answer. Weeks later, dh had a dream about our oldest in a school dormitory setting with small ceilings and doorways and narrow halls littered with trash. It was a dark dream and my dh was concerned in the dream about our son being there alone in such a dark and dirty place. When dh told me about his dream, he felt that our oldest should continue to be a home with his 3 brothers next year. I was so astonished that I forgot to tell dh about my "fleece" prayer request. It wasn't until our care group asked us about this topic that I revealed what I did to a flabbergasted dh. SO...I'll definitely be homeschooling four next year and praying a lot for the LORD to show me what to do and how to handle it with the fruits of the Spirit still in operation. I need mentors, which is the reason why, despite my busy life, I returned to these forums recently after a hiatus. I hope to glean wisdom from many of you. Jen formally Jen4b mom of 4 active young men ages 6, 8, 10, and 12

I do a mix of pulling stuff together (Science, History) and using prepared plans (Math, Latin). I'm in my 6th year homeschooling, and I've discovered that I really dislike boxed curriculum or following someone else's philosophy completely. My homeschool curriculum stew has bits of TWTM, LCC, VP, and Logos School in it. Jen Mom to 4 boys 6th, 5th, 3rd, and 1st