My dd has struggled with math since the beginning of time. This past year in 9th grade, she began Algebra 1 using Teaching Textbooks, but it quickly went over her head. Midway through the year, it just wasn't working. We had already tried a few other texts, and finally settled on working through the Keys to Algebra books. She has come to the end of Book 4 and it's now well into the summer. She works so very slowly, and the abstract concepts are just so difficult for her. As a right brain thinker, it's been torture to say the least. So now I'm looking at going back to TT Algebra 1 again from the beginning and just slugging through. I don't think we should pick up in the middle of the book, but hopefully she could start now and work quickly through the early parts. The goal would be to get well into Geometry by the end of next summer, or maybe even finish by then, so she could do Algebra 2 in 11th grade. I would ask if this is OK, but really, I believe we are doing the best we can, so I think whether it's OK or not is irrelevant. My main question is how to assign her credit for the work she's done this year. She definitely put in the time and effort, she hasn't failed anything, she just didn't complete anything. She has made progress, it just isn't at the typical pace. I can't give her Algebra credit, but I need to give her credit for something. For anyone else who has been in this situation, what would you suggest?

Thanks - I had looked at Thinkwell, and if we had a whole year I'd probably consider it. The other think is paying for a subscription that can't be reused for my other 2 makes it a pricier choice. I didn't realize there was a 'co-op' type option. Great idea. Thanks!

OK, good. I think I'll combine them for reasons given here. And I do have John Stossel's DVDs already - didn't even think about pulling them out. Thanks!

I am very last minute here. My senior dd is finishing up her last semester. I have Economics on her transcript, and had a plan to do the books from Bluestocking Press: Penny Candy/Economics: A Free Market Reader/The Money Mystery/The Clipper Ship Strategy....along with their respective study guides. I would have her do maybe 2 projects and a paper and call it done. But then I saw the Teaching Company Economics course is at 70% off... I've heard good things about it and I think she would enjoy the lectures. Would it be a good compliment the Bluestocking books? Other ideas I have for her to read along with the DVDs: Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell Economics for Dummies and The Idiots Guide to Economics Atlas Shrugged I don't feel like I have to use the Bluestocking books just because I have them. She already started reading them, but it's not too late to change. My main concern is to not bog her down. She has a heavy schedule right now and although I think this course will be interesting to her, I want to keep it pretty basic and just want to fulfill a minimal requirement. Her future is pre-med then medical or PA school if that helps at all. Thanks in advance for the help!

It sounds like you have my son there! He's almost 14, 8th grade and working through KB Algebra 1. Bright guy - but tends to be on the lazy side, moving very quickly through his work just to get done... In the same way as your son, mine also does very well on all the lesson work, consistently in the 90's. But when it comes to quizzes and tests, he does poorly. I finally realized what's going on. When he does the daily lesson work, he is given 3 tries (or is it 2?). If he gets it wrong, he has another shot. But the quizzes and tests don't give you any more chances. So by getting used to careless errors and then just fixing them as he went along every day, he wasn't prepared to check and re-check his answers before submitting when he was doing the test. I haven't figured out the solution yet, except to stress the importance of careful work. Adding in some motivations are probably the key here as well. In other words, a little kick in the butt.

Rosetta Stone just didn't work around here. We started using Visual Link this year and I am very pleased with it. My senior dd who is determined to become fluent is taking Spanish 2 in a classroom. I have given her the Level 3 to challenge her more and give her an additional credit in Spanish this year and she is happy with it. She feels like she wasted her time with Rosetta, but feels like she is making good progress with Visual Link. One thing she does is to listen to the CDs as she drives around.

My senior hasn't had a schedule since 9th grade. She's completely independent, only an occasional reminder here and there. My 8th and 9th graders still need a daily schedule. My goal is to have them independent by 11th grade. We'll see how that goes. They don't have the inner drive that older sister has...at least not yet.

Today was Homeschool Visitation day at Campbell University here in NC. We were asked to please weight the grades on the transcript. Regular 4.0, Honors 5.0 and Dual Enrollment 6.0. Since this is what they want, I will be happy to comply. The school system here weights the same, and show both weighted and unweighted GPA on their transcripts. In the past week I've called Duke University, UNC and NC State. All 3 told me to send both. So that's my plan.

I don't think you can go wrong by giving them the practice in taking the test. Just make sure that your son isn't discouraged by what he doesn't know, that he knows this is just practice for when it does count. My dd took the PSAT only one time, last fall in 11th grade. She scored 212, missing the threshold by just one point! How I wish I had given her opportunity to take it several years ahead of time. I have no doubt she would have scored comfortably - Her results didn't reflect what she is capable of considering her scores in the ACT and SAT. For my next 2, I will definitely give them practice ahead of time.

My dd used TT Algebra 1, 2, Geometry and Pre-Calculus. She worked completely independently, mostly from the text with occasional use of the cds when she would get stuck. She's a senior this year and enrolled in a cc Pre-Calc course. The first day she realized it would be repetitive, so she went and took the Compass test which easily placed her into Calculus. That's just our experience, but considering her only math instruction was from TT, I would have to disagree with anyone who would say it isn't thorough enough. That said, since you do say the other programs worked well, I wouldn't change just because of the good you hear about TT - the old "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" saying comes to mind.

OK, I'll probably do it like this then: 9th: Honors Biology 10th: Honors Chemistry 11th: Advanced Biology (AP Exam Prep) 1 12th: Honors Physics (AP Exam Prep) 2 (Or 12th: AP Physics if it is approved as an AP course...) 1 AP Exam Score: 5 2 AP Exam Score: 5 (hopefully :)) The classes were all taken at our Homeschool School Academic Resource Center, and taught by paid instructors. They title the classes "Honors" - except for the Physics class which is titled "Physics (AP Physics)". I'll have to ask the instructor about that Physics title, to see if it's CB approved. He gives additional instruction and study work as an option beyond the Apologia text. If it isn't, I should still be able to call it Honors, right? I would think that AP prep is certainly Honors worthy.

Ok, that is very helpful. Thanks!

Maybe I've been misinformed then. This is the class description of the Apologia A&P class she took: "This course plus the regular biology course gives a student an AP Biology equivalent." and from Apologia's website: "it gives the student the equivalent of a university biology course. In other words, these two courses together cover the entire "advanced placement" (AP) curriculum." Either I misunderstood (highly likely :001_huh:) or possibly the courses have received approval? How do I find out if the course has been approved by the College Board? If I'm wrong, then I think the quotes above should be changed to clarify that merely covering the content does not equate to calling the class AP. Now I'm wondering about her Apologia Physics class, which the teacher has included this in his description: "Note: This class also has the optional opportunity of special instruction and additional study work for students who desire to take the AP Physics Exam B or C."

My dd took Apologia Biology in 9th grade and then the Anatomy & Physiology in 11th grade. Taking the A&P is supposed to bump the Biology to AP. She did take the AP test in May this year and got a 5. Good deal. But this is my question: How do I list these courses on her transcript? Like this? 9th Grade: AP Biology 11th Grade: Anatomy & Physiology or: 9th Grade: Biology 11th Grade: AP Advanced Biology Or what? It doesn't seem right to list the Biology she took in 9th grade as AP, since the content wasn't completed until the 11th grade course. I can't figure out how to assign the proper credit to each course. I've searched the forums and can't see any discussion that addresses my question. Thanks in advance for your help!

I think it is very common to do American History in 9th grade.