I believe the paper trail is critical to receiving testing accommodations. You don't necessarily need to submit it all but referring to documentation that you can submit in your request is critical. My DD was originally spot tested in second grade for visual convergence issues, then went through the full battery of neurological testing in third (WISC-IV, Woodcock Johnson, Beery, Visual-Motor integration and academic assessment). She went through a similar set of tests in sixth grade. All testing was performed by the same neuro-pyschologist. Thus in the reports the neuro-pyschologist referred back to earlier tests and results, reinforcing her findings and noting changes for the better or worse. She also made suggestions for accommodations in her reports. IEP/504 plans are updated annually. So I could have submitted nine years of paperwork when I applied for accommodations, instead I included the most recent 504 plan, an assistive technology assessment (to support computer use for essays) and the latest testing only (four years ago, sixth grade - College board requires it be within the past five years of the request for learning disabilities, more recent for psychiatric disabilities). I referred to the earlier test results and IEP/504 plans in my cover letter, noting I would be happy to fax all of them to the representative handling my DD file if they needed them. In my cover letter I noted the accommodations that were critical for her, referenced the disabilities linked to them and pointed to the accommodations she's received since her early testing - one short concise paragraph for each accommodation. Our request for accommodations was granted the first time and within a month of the request. I am confident it is because of the paper trail.

Since your daughter is doing Great books study of Rome next year I would recommend you look at having her study Marco Pollio Vitruvius. He wrote "Ten Books on Architecture". It is the first written treatise in western architecture and the foundation for western architectural theory. It would fit within the context of her other studies very well. As a general guidelines I would lean toward freehand drawing, complex problem solving, geometry and origami, and architectural theory rather than history as the lynch pins. Scotia

There is an amazing iPad app called "Among Giants" (based on a book of the same name). If you have an iPad, get the app - it integrates video and sound into the text, if not see if you can get your hands on the book. The photos are truly incredible. I'd look at groups like the Oceanic Society, the Center for Whale research for both factual and video resources. There is also a new movie coming out in February called Big Miracle, a Disney version of a story about Humpback Whales trapped by ice in Alaska. And one last recommendation - watch this video called Saving Valentina. It was filmed on Valentines day this year. Scotia P.S. My DD 15 is devoted to Marine Mammals.

Yet another Private School Affidavit here. We don't like being told x book is the only one approved for a specific subject. Too many amazing options to learn and be engaged in learning are available outside of the a-g requirements. DD 15 will take the CHSPE in the spring to give herself the ability to more easily enroll in courses that support her interests at the local Community Colleges and State Universities. She will be going into college as a freshman with dual enrollment credits under the rules of OUR Private School. Scotia PS I am going to PM you too Jenn. That transcript file sounds wonderful.

If you ever make it to a college cross country race, it is a rather hilarious event to watch. The audience dashes from point to point on the course taking all the shortcuts they can in short sprints so they can cheer the runners at as many points as possible. When I watch road races with my uncle (he just turned 80 and ran the Boston marathon Looooong before it was fashionable) he takes the same tactic I mentioned above, only with a car. Before the race he sits down with a map of the running route and figures out where to park near the start and end (where he can easily get the car in and out) and then picks a few places along the course to drive to. Since he is interested in the front runners, we are constantly on the move, we park, run to the course, they pass, we dash back to the car and drive to the next point, repeat as many times as we can. It is a lot of fun, a whole lot more fun than just waiting at the end. That said, being at the start and end, with one point in the middle (if you can pick one point somewhere around 2/3-3/4 of the way done that will really give your runners a boost) it will be fun for you and extra supportive of their efforts. Use their running speed to figure out how long you have between points. Of course being there at the end to congratulate them on their efforts is also great! Have fun!

:iagree: with Carol in Cal What worked for me having been there done that in a different field. 1) Retake the GRE. Give yourself 30 min each day and work through a practice test section. Review the answers, correct and incorrect. Make sure you learn the stuff that brought your score down the last time. It is not rocket science, just rigor and discipline. 2) Pick a couple of professors whose interests coincide with yours. Contact them, research them, read their work and tailor your letter to them. Don't worry about the others, if you aren't interested in their work, you don't want to work with them anyway. (Sounds like you may already be doing this, if I read your OP correctly) 3) Frame your experience in terms of your chosen professors work. When I applied and got in, I was completely naive about how off the map my background was (all practical, non-academic, non-theoretical-but I could still think!). I was interested in one specific professor's work and I wrote my letter as a response to that work, and framed my experience within that context. It seemed to me to make sense and I found out much later that the letter leapt out at him. I didn't specify him by name just talked about our common ground and what I could bring to the table. I was different from all the other students he worked with, BUT I showed that I understood where he was going and that I would bring a unique perspective that would add depth to his work. Go for it - those odds are not all that long.:) Scotia

I would recommend you check out a copy of "Why do I still have Thyroid symptoms, When my Lab Tests are normal?". It was written by a functional medicine and nutrition doctor. I read it, researched it's basis and then, after mulling it over for about 3 months, followed his advice. I can not begin to tell you how much better I feel. My TSH was 2.7, but I have lost most of the hair on my eyebrows, legs, arms and at least half the hair on my head (hairdresser told me I have bald spots and lines), had put on 40+ lbs which was not moving despite religious adherence to weight watchers and running 3 times a week, had not slept through the night in a decade, could not stay warm (heavy fleece pullover and wool socks were standard even in 90 degrees plus), ridged fingernails, irritable, low energy, etc. You name the hypothyroid symptom I had it. But I also have a lovely letter from my doctor (now former) telling me nothing is at all wrong with me. Within a week of the suggestions in the book above I started to feel so much better I couldn't believe it myself. My family had to put up with me walking around saying "But you just don't understand, I am warm now." while they laughed, for weeks. Good luck.

I just finished Alice LaPlante's debut novel Turn of Mind. It is a bit terrifying how well she draws you into the main character's growing disorientation from Alzheimer's, but I read it straight through at one sitting and have recommended it to almost everyone I know. I'd say it might be a hard read if someone close to you is suffering from the disease, but the author's mother suffered from Alzheimer's and her empathy for the main character's battle for lucidity in the face of a murder investigation shows. ETA: NPR's review was called like The Haunted House Is In Your Head.

We were just in the Florida keys a couple of weeks ago. A few of our favorite things were the Sea Turtle Hospital and Dolphin Research Center near Marathon (both bring you into close visual proximity to the animals); The Beaches and Snorkeling at Bahia Honda (they run snorkeling tours out of the State Park Concessions); The Beach and Snorkeling in Key West, (there is also a FABULOUS Cuban restaurant there - El Siboney.) and snorkeling at John Pennekamp State Park. We also had an amazing experience at the Marine Mammal Conservancy in Key Largo (they currently are trying to rehab a Pilot Whale that beached in May with its pod - and they need volunteers all the time. My daughter scribed for the vets and I was actually in the water with the whale helping keep it afloat, but you need to be over 18 to do that.) With a 5 and 8 year old - I'd focus on the beaches and the water - it was about 84 degrees when we were there and we couldn't keep the kids out of it. No matter what we did everyday they spent at least 3 hours in it - sometimes starting at 4pm.

I am another advocate of doing an elimination diet for food allergies. I too could have written this message six months ago. I got the same "go home. You are fine"' message. After dwelling on it a bit and researching a lot I decided to try out food allergies even though I didn't think I reacted to anything. Low and behold, I am gluten, dairy, egg, and corn sensitive. I feel so much better having taken those foods out of my diet. I am no longer freezing all the time, I am losing weight, I am in such a good mood, I sleep through the night, I only need 6 or 7 hours of sleep and feel full of energy all day... I could go on and on. Starting out was the hardest for me but once I started to see such profound results ( and some of them were immediate) there was no question about continuing on. Good luck.

This is a very generous offer. I would love a copy. I am planning to work through the Lively Art of Writing with my daughter this year, so your timing could not be better for us! Thank you for your time and generosity, I sent you a PM. Scotia

We haven't gotten to Statistics yet, but for other material I have found the author to be very helpful. If you emailed him, he would be able to tell you how he intended it to be scheduled. For what it is worth, my daughter finds doing two (Your Turn to Play) exercises or four cities per day comfortable.

Kiwimum - There is review built into LOF Advanced Algebra. The author has "1/2" chapters for the first six or seven chapters (like in LOF Geometry) which serve as review of Beginning Algebra.

When my motherboard died on my Macbook Pro (Cat dumped a cup of coffee over it) I took it in to an offbeat mac repair place and had them remove the hard drive. I lost the computer but not the information. I carried my hard drive around in my backpack, (it had my dissertation on it) and hooked it up to other Apple computers at the university library, kinko's etc. A similar solution might work for you as a stopgap until you can get the next computer.

Our math sequence has been Holt Algebra last year, LOF Beginning and Advanced Algebra this year and will be LOF Geometry next. I think that a more mature mind is helpful for Geometry.

I am curious what you mean by more challenging work? We too are great fans of Fred, finishing Advanced Algebra but we are going on to the LOF geometry text. I just finished skimming it (and covering answers with post it's) and as a result of what I saw, I now consider it an honors text. Beyond the typical high school material, it covers constructions and introduces a variety of advanced concepts - non-Euclidean geometry, Symbolic logic and modern geometry among others (in the 1/2 chapters- where the review occurs in LOF Advanced Algebra - he calls them "Other Worlds"). My perspective is that LOF is great for kids who are good at math but not enthralled with it. If a kid wants more - IMHO only - only the Art of Problem Solving offers more.

My 14 yo DD HATED algebra last year (in Public school). HATED it. She didn't get it, didn't do her homework if she could get away with it, was not interested, found it completely arbitrary and thought she was not good at math. She passed - barely. Along with our decision to home school we decided to take a leap of faith - use LOF as our primary math curriculum and redo algebra 1. I can not emphasize enough how successful that decision has been. She flew through the Beginning Algebra book (about 8 weeks) and will have finished the Advanced algebra easily by the end of the year. Two weeks ago she took a practice run at the math portion of the PSAT and got every algebra related problem correct. I realize that LOF is not for everyone. But your daughter seems like she might be a candidate. The shift in format, literature based, practical applications and humor maybe enough to lighten things up and shake her understanding loose. As parents we want to be certain, our child has mastered a concept and it seems like correct repetition is proof. You do not have that reassurance with LOF. Good Luck!

Paid $4.49 yesterday in San Francisco Bay Area yesterday. (For Regular - Premium is $4.89+)

You are very welcome, Jennifer. I was able to use the 2005 lectures but not by clicking on them. I pasted the link into my browser. As far as our resources... Let me preface it with this, we started the year doing Biology but my daughter's interests in Mammals at large (not simply humans), started to take over, so we are coming into it rather backwards. She became fascinated with the brain a few months ago, so she started doing sheep brain dissections and using the Brain Coloring Book. This lead to a need for a broader understanding of anatomy. We have the Netter's Anatomy Book which she uses for reference (it was a gift years ago from a friend). They have a web site to support the newer editions book, study guides etc. at http://www.netteranatomy.com/ She will be using Dr. Diamond's lectures that I linked to above, and The Human Anatomy Coloring Book. We ordered Labpaq's AP-1, will be ordering a fetal pig for dissection (see http://www.biologyjunction.com/fetal_pig_dissection.htm for a step by step process) and who knows what else! Oh yes - I just stumbled on the Inside Nature's Giants series on Youttube (referenced in another thread) So she will likely watch those as well. As you can see we have wandered a bit off our Biology course, but I know we will get back to it as her interest becomes more specific, cell mechanisms etc.. Hope that helps a bit.

I don't know if you had seen these but Dr. Diamond is a real Character. Apparently she is one of the most beloved professors at the UC Berkeley. My daughter is going to use these as part of her anatomy work over the next few months. This link takes you to her fall 2008 series of lectures. http://webcast.berkeley.edu/course_details_new.php?seriesid=2008-D-43168&semesterid=2008-D She missed the first seven lectures due to a family emergency but you can link back to the 2005 recordings or do the whole 2005 series here - http://webcast.berkeley.edu/course_details.php?seriesid=1906978238 Her Syllabus is here. http://ib.berkeley.edu/courses/ib131/syllabuses&schedules/IB131_syll_Fall_2008.pdf There is also a link to the course website on the 2005 website. But many of the links require a password.

I posted yesterday with a link to Vbro dot com but it seems to have disappeared, maybe because of the link. I have several friends who have had good luck with vrbo online. Just put in your dates, the area you are interested in and tell it to sort but "Sleeps High-Low". When I did it yesterday 2 places came up in La Marais that would fit your gang. I didn't look anywhere else since I did not know your preference. Good Luck.

I am not sure where specifically you are looking to stay but the top two listings here (When I entered your dates) both would sleep your gang and are available. In case you are looking at a different area/price just click on the different arrondissements and enter your dates, sort it by "Sleeps High-Low" to see what is available... http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/europe/france/ile-de-france/paris/1-louvre-theatre-district

My Dd is also dyslexic and 9th grade. We have used the Analytical Grammar program this year and it is fabulous. The step by step, additive format of the material has worked very well for her. She doesn't love it, but does understand it completely - 99% average on the tests. Best of all - it is carrying over to her writing. She intuitively checks her own sentence structure. Here is the link. We used the Analytical Grammar and are using the High School Reinforcement workbook right now. http://www.analyticalgrammar.com/

Thanks Joan. I am still pretty new at this high school thing and don't think I would have every found that page!

Has anyone used the LOF Calculus book? Does it prep for AP at all? We are on the Fred train right now and it is going so well, I fear shifting back to the real world. :tongue_smilie: