thanks for the ideas! I like the kitchen table idea--she is very much hands on---and I think that's why the facts don't appeal to her and don't stay in her mind. She is able to memorize things she wants to-LOL!

I'm going to be starting a homeschool curriculum for my daughter this summer focusing on improving her math skills. She has really fallen through the cracks at school--and doesn't seem to be able to get her math facts down despite lots of drill. She could even have it one day and forget it the next. Specifically subtraction and division are her weak points. But we really need to learn them this summer. Her teacher was hesitant to move her on to the next grade. Her main issue is when she is timed--which is just as much mental as it is about knowing the facts, I realize. Any ideas? Things that have helped your kids?

I appreciate the perspective each of you brings--that's why I asked here! I thought DH was pretty crazy for suggesting-but it does help to see it in this light!

Thanks for all the suggestions--I am not new here--I homeschooled my kids when they were in the younger years and pulled my oldest out after the 4th grade and HS him for the past 2 years. This is his first year back in school after all that time. They are at new schools this year and going through adjustments to new friends and experiences. My oldest would come home in a heartbeat but I know he needs to be back in school this year and at the beginning of the year made it clear he should stick it out. it's funny someone mentioned the governor's book--as my husband just finished an unsuccessful run for state legislature-and that is part of his reasoning for this trip--to get away from people that recognize him locally and memories of the event. My second son LOVES school and would never want to be homeschooled. He has a great school and does doesn't want to leave new friendships that he is forming. My other 2 would probably be all on board for it if I could excite them about it. I think some of my biggest concerns are them missing out on having real daily responsibilities and relationships for an extended amount of time. My main hopes for what my kids learn are to be responsible, work hard, and be able to help others. I fear an extended trip may send the wrong message in that way.

DH is between projects right now and really wants to hit the road. We have homeschooled before but this year all 3 of our kids are in school. They are ages 8-11-13. He wants to just pull them all out and hit the road for a few months and go somewhere warmer to explore. I am in such a routine here-it is hard to consider for me how I would make this work. It would be music/language lessons on hold for a few months. The plan is to hit a few places in the south--not necessarily to travel all around the country--so we wouldn't be driving all the time. He is so excited about this--and i'm just nervous. Anyone have some great ideas how you would make this work--or is it just nuts?

DH is in construction-and he really wants to go somewhere warm for the winter while he doesn't have any projects going on. Our kids have been homeschooled in the past but are all public schooled currently. He really wants to pull them all out and take school on the road. I know it may sound fun to some-but I'm a real home-body-and all I can see are negatives about being away for a few months. Can you help me with some ideas that would make this seem legistically possible?

Thanks for your support-I've been reading a lot-and hoping that when I meet with principal and teacher this week I will have some better solutions. Certainly I don't want them to struggle with her and have a difficult year-Heck-I'd be willing to come into the classroom 1/2 days-or even pull her out 1/2 days if I thought it would help and she didn't have to be moved back. I just don't think if she got a's and b's in 2nd grade that that is the answer. Thanks for the advice of seeking out a neuropsych eval. That could be helpful-I read a book last night that said there are many medical possibilities as to why a child has trouble-allergies being one of them-and I have noticed that her allergies are awful right now-but I've always treated with OTC drugs and never fully evaluated her for that.

My dd is 8 just starting at a new school in 3rd grade. She has never received a formal diagnosis--but her dad has ADHD--and there is no doubt in my mind that she has it too. The teacher has already called me in for a conference--based on her inability to focus and finish tasks. She has always gotten decent grades--A's/B's, but has always brought most of her work home. She works slow at home-but she does get it done. Well--teacher really thinks we need to get her help-or they are planning to move her back to 2nd grade-she started school 1 week prior to the deadline-so they say she's technically too young for her grade. To me-sending her back to a grade she has mastered will only make the problem worse. But by "getting help" meaning most likely to medicate-we're just not willing to do that right now! DH says I should talk to a couple other schools and ask what they would do with her-so when I talk to the principle next week I have some bargaining ability. Bargaining is not my forte-even though I want to do what's best for DD I'm not amazing at confronting in these types of situations--any ideas-i really feel backed up against a wall!

We loved Peter and the Starcatchers series. Also, I like a lot of Jerry Spinelli--we did Loser--it was funny but touching-not a lot more advanced vocab but a good story. I also picked up a collection of O. Henry's short stories they are incredibly advanced in their vocabulary--you can get through a story in about a half hour. Mine loved the Ransom of Red Chief. Other good ones from this book are "Gift of the Magi, The Last Leaf, A Blackjack Bargainer, A Lickpenny Lover, Mammon and the Archer, A Municipal Report. Because they are short stories--you can quickly read over them first to see which ones will appeal to them. Be prepared to have a dictionary next to you on some of them--many you can figure out through context. O. Henry is a master storyteller, though--and most stories have very unexpected twists! The Book of Three (Black Cauldron is a sequel) Little Britches Series (Father and I were ranchers-first book) The Great Brain (loved this hilarious series!)

Thanks for your response. This helps!

would love anyone with experience!

Anyone have a teacher that uses the ear-training method from Simply Music? I had a sample lesson with a teacher this week in hopes that my son with a good ear would spark some interest for him. Being trained traditionally myself--I'm just curious about the longer term effects of this training and whether it is effective or not. If so--I'd be willing to fork out the $$ to have someone else teach him--if not--I'll just teach him myself!

So this summer I just want to do something really simple--but hoping maybe some of you have done this or have some ideas. We tried to do to much last summer and it ends in doing nothing. So this summer trying to keep it simple--I'm thinking of incorporating Classic Movies-maybe 1-2 per week into our summer and having a theme around it, i.e. Fiddler on the Roof--Russian Cuisine/Jewish Cuisine--and some culture studies based on it. My kids are 8-12 so they will grasp some of these old classics at this age, I think! Share your thoughts and ideas--I'd love to hear!

I really think my DS will like AOPS Algebra--but I want to avoid online classes until he is a little more mature. We have done them last semester--and I had to pretty much supervise the entire time to keep him on task. So if you have done AOPS--how do you like to incorporate it independently--or is this even an option?

Thanks--that helps put it into perpspective for me. Ours is a 1 hour class once per week and I bought the materials for the class. I'm not at all inferring that I wouldn't pay her--I just need to have a basis point to look at. We are near Purdue University which does once/week classes for an hour for $50 for the semester. I realize they are not for children--so I have had no other real examples to look at to explain what I think is fair and reasonable. I really think if I were paying $20/hour for a lesson it would be for something my kids are really passionate about, not something where we are kind've feeling out the water to see if they will become interested. No one speaks Chinese in our house. My 12 yo just had read about the prevalence of the language and felt like it was something he should learn....so I'm going on a gut feeling :)

Thanks for the basis point--we have never done anything like this. But we agreed to participate--and there was no talk at all about even charging till the past 2 weeks and she didn't come up with the cost until last night--and our first class is tomorrow. Had I known the cost I wouldn't have bought a textbook and talked to her about 2 of my kids doing it--Maybe just one who I think will put forth the effort.

So I have an acquaintance who is Chinese American--she is fabulous. My son wanted to learn Mandarin a couple years ago and she wanted to teach her kids as well who are about the same age 10-12. Well--after 2 years she is finally getting the curriculum together to teach. My problem is--I always assumed it would be really low-key (since she is teaching her kids and mine in a homeschool-type environment)-however, now she has decided she wants a small class--so to keep others from wanting to join she wants to charge. She has been really wishy-washy about the cost. Going from asking me what I thought it was worth to we'll just talk about it later. So clearly she is uncomfortable with the topic. I told her I'm more than happy to pay but I really don't know what the cost should be (an hour lesson once/week with 4-5 kids). Well--she finally came back with a cost last night. She is thinking $40/week for my 2 boys--making it $160/month.. It might be really reasonable and maybe I'm cheap. But now classes start tomorrow--and at that cost I'm not sure we want to participate. Am I being cheap? Is this a reasonable amount to charge in this type of setting?

bumping--I would love to know!!

We're planning a vacation in Jan--and I noticed if you go through the education program the tickets are WAY cheaper. Has anyone used this with success? It seems they only have to attend 1 educational opportunity to get the tickets. Is this cheaper than doing an all-inclusive package?

I have a good friend who just pulled her son out of public schools and is homeschooling now. Her 12 yo is dyslexic--and her goal is to just get him more comfortable reading at a reasonable speed and comprehension. The issue is that all the programs she is finding are super expensive--any ideas of something that works that doesn't cost thousands!?!?

thanks for the ideas!!

I'm teaching Food Science for our Co-op this year--because I taught it last year and everyone loved it--they asked me to do it again--but I really feel I used a lot of my great ideas last year-so does anyone have some great food science experiments that you have found to be fun with your kids?? We have experimented with yeast, baking soda/powder, candy making and egg science last year! Thanks for the ideas!

thanks for the responses--doing roots would be doable right now--perhaps that would be a good focus--I really just don't want to overwhelm this year--and we're already well on our way--so hoping not to add another subject!

I know Latin is at the heart of a classical education. We are new to this and we are choosing between latin, chinese or spanish. This would be a first language and DS is in 6th grade--WDYT--is Latin essential??

I was hoping to do a lot of math practice with my kids this summer--and was hoping for some ideas of some websites that are fun practice for Math--I know we did one a couple years ago that was multiplication based and a free download--I'm looking for all levels grade 1-6!! Thanks for the help :)