1Togo
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Posts posted by 1Togo
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Oh my, I just joined this thread to write that dd felt good about the SAT -- finished all math sections and the writing prompt wasn't wonky. She will be crushed if all her prep work was for naught. The kids in her group caught the error, and the proctor handled it.
Smooth sailing except for waiting for a father to go home for his daughter's id.
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Btw, we tried the following for math: Saxon, BJU, VideoText, Math Relief and probably a few I can't remember, so my Tablet Class rec comes from experience. TC has worked not only because of the material; i.e. content, clear video teaching, etc., but also because of the excellent tutoring. When the tutor has written the material, he knows his goals, methods, and the challenges. Also, Mr. Zimmerman has given us an appropriate strategy even time we have gotten stuck. We keep moving.
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BCP has been worth every penny. Dc had no scholarship money when we went into this, even with good scores on other sections of ACT, but now has scholarship money at many univs and is very close to full ride at one target school.
I know it's just my opinion, but I would not put a struggling math student in a co-op setting. The progress this this year has come with hard work and my involvement. Fwiw, I am not good at math at all; i.e. barely made it through high school reqs and one required college math class. I have been working the same math as dc, so I understand the struggles. I pass on that info to the tutor, so the sessions are very productive. I am not the teacher; Mr. Zimmerman is the coach/mentor/tutor.
In general, I don't think outside courses are good for struggle subjects. We've had to slow the pace, repeat the material, and do extra review for some of the concepts this year. Deadlines and schedules would have made learning difficult and stressful. It's not that we didn't stick to a schedule, but we had the freedom to make sure that learning and mastery were the priorities.
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I've been in your position, so I completely understand, and I'm going to encourage you in a different direction. Instead of looking for ways to bypass the ACT/SAT tests and/or avoid math, take the path of conquering this challenge. At the beginning of this year, we found out that youngest dc could not graduate from our home school cover (new cover for us) without an additional math and science. Since math has always been a terrible struggle, we thought dc would work on a business math and a non-math science and just get done. However, I could not accept that dc could not learn math, and dc was very aware that not understanding/learning math is limiting. It wasn't an easy decision for this year to become another year of home school; i.e. 11th grade, especially since many kids dc knows are graduating, and dc is already older than most of them. In the end, we made the decision to delay graduation, and I set out to find a way for dc to learn math -- a daunting task since I struggle with math as well. Fast forward..
From a post on this list, I decided to use Tablet Class math with online tutoring from the author, Mr. Zimmerman. Since he knows his curriculum, he was able to help us create a plan to review where needed and keep moving. We began with pre-algebra and are now working on Algebra 2 and Geometry simultaneously. We will finish both of those courses at the end of July. I say "we" because I have worked through the courses at the same time as dc, so I am able to understand which concepts and problems are challenging and pass them on to Mr. Zimmerman before the tutoring sessions. Dc no longer thinks that math is impossible/discouraging/frustrating/hopeless. One day as we were working on a long set of review problems, dc looked up from scribbling away and tapping on the calculator, and said, "I think I am turning into a math geek". Honestly, those were words I could not imagine ever.
In addition to the work with Tablet Class math, we signed up for ACT/SAT prep with Beasley College Prep. We have never used a prep service, and I thought improving dc's math score would be impossible since we hadn't covered the required math. At the beginning of the school year, dc couldn't even finish the ACT math section in the allotted time and scores were low. It took a lot of work (1-2 hours per day) and progress was slow, but dc's math score on the April ACT was in the college-ready range, which was cause for much rejoicing, and dc came out of Saturday's SAT tired but feeling good. All math sections were finished and the essay prompt wasn't wonky. Also, dc was not in the range of merit money at the beginning of the year but has now earned a good amount and is very close to full ride. Fwiw, students working with BCP are earning high math scores without the required math.
Feel feel to pm me, but I will end with this. You have three years to go before the end of high school, so mastering math is possible with hard work and dedicated time. I would make learning math a priority. Dc will be rolling into pre-calculus in two months and plans to earn college credits through CLEP next year. First up, College Algebra CLEP.
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Biblioplan Year 2 - history, Bible and literature -- is quite a bit of work. We didn't and couldn't add anything.
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We used Year 1 & 2 of Biblioplan. It is so complete that we didn't add anything except a study guide for Bible.
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First of all, check with your target university to determine the CLEPS it will accept. There isn't any point in studying for CLEPs that won't be accepted. Dd will be working on CLEPs this year, and several of her target universities accept CLEP. However, they don't accept the same CLEPS, so we put together a list that will be accepted by all of the targets.
As regards math, I agree with the suggestion to use ALEKS math. Start with Algebra I and go from there. With ALEKS monthly fee, you can only work on one course at a time, but as soon as you finish/test out of a course, you can move on. After you finish Algebra I and Algebra II, you can prep for the College Algebra CLEP.
There are many options for CLEP prep, which I am listing in order of cost. Some people prepare on their own using just a flashcard service or what I call the combo plan or using lesson plans from http://clepprep.tripod.com/cleplessonplans/. Credits Before College and Dual Credit at Home offer lesson plans. CollegePlus is a complete service with coaching.
The following is a nutshell description of the combo plan using History of the United States I as an example. Fwiw, History of the United States I is a good place to begin because it is supposed to be one of the easier CLEPs, and it is usually a part of the freshman, college core.
1. Purchase a flashcard service; i.e. SpeedyPrep or InstantCert. We are using SpeedyPrep and like it, but some people prefer
InstantCert. Begin working on the flashcards.
2. Purchase the REA guide for United States History I.
3. Set up a binder with dividers for each of the REA chapters. There are seven.
4. Take notes on the REA chapters, and study those notes.
5. Watch lectures or use another text and take notes. Put those notes in the appropriate sections of the binder. Study notes.
6. Keep working on the flashcards until success rate is 90%. You can keep notes on your incorrect answers and study those notes.
7. You are trying to do the above in 4-6 weeks, so daily time will be 2-3 hours.
8. At about the 4-week mark or when you are having success with the flashcards, feeling comfortable with the material, etc., take one of the REA practice tests. If you score 70% or above, schedule your CLEP test. Prior to the test, review the wrong answers from the practice test. Continue to work with flashcards and study notes. If you don't do well on the practice test, review the wrong answers, continue to work with flashcards, and study notes. Take the second REA test. If you score 70% or above, schedule your test. If not, retake the first test. Review and study. Rinse and repeat.
Of course, the above are suggestions. As I mentioned, some people only use flashcards and do well. They don't study texts, watch videos, take notes, etc. Other people take practice tests and study what they do not know.
It's a good idea to group courses. For example, study for History of the U.S. I, then History of the U.S II, followed by Government. While you are working on those three, study for American Literature. American literature is a content-heavy test, so in addition to the REA study guide and a flashcard service, you might want to work with a course like Excellence in Literature American literature or least read many of the covered works.
The yahoo group connected with the clepprep website is active, and the members are very helpful. Many of the members are guiding their children through accredited, online degrees at a fraction of land-based university costs. Like the OP, we are using CLEP to eliminate some of the basic, core college classes. However, if you are student who is eligible for freshman scholarships, check with your target university to understand it's policy regarding credits and freshman status. All of dd's target universities will only allow the student to bring in up to 30 credits; i.e. AP, CLEP, DE, and/or IB, and still keep freshman scholarship status. Plan accordingly.
The clepprep lesson plans have suggestions for textbooks, but you can also use high school textbooks and older edition, community college textbooks.
Good sources for videos include: Annenberg Learners, The Teaching Company, Hillsdale College for some subjects.
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Adding this. Being significantly behind in math at the high school level really comes into play for standardized testing; i.e. ACT and SAT, so as you decide on materials you need to consider not only learning new material but how to catch up. I want to recommend Tablet Class again because the author, John Zimmerman, knows his courses and will help you put together a plan. Dc has gone from math struggler to college-readiness with TC and weekly tutoring with Mr. Z. We could not have accomplished this without his help, even though dc was motivated and a hard worker.
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Tablet Class - talk with Mr. Zimmerman to put together catch-up plan. Also, weekly tutoring. I can't praise TC enough.
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Your choices are excellent. I've been looking at the lovely list of fall classes and trying to decide what dd should take if we can put the time in her schedule. You don't need to buy anything for the classes. All the lesson material is provided. Just sign up and breathe a sigh of relief that writing is covered. Do keep in mind that your daughter may need up to an hour or more daily for her classes, depending on the lesson. Our dd is enrolled in the Shakespeare 12th Night course, and she is spending a good bit of time each day on the homework. She loves it though and would spend more time if she could.
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It sounds like your daughter already has a full schedule. Since she will be doing writing as part of her AP classes, I think your plan to wait for composition is wise.
The short time-frame for Bravewriter classes is a plus because you can pick a type of writing that appeals to your child or needs improvement, focus on that for 6 weeks, and move on or practice at home if necessary. The classes don't require a semester or year-long commitment.
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For the first three weeks, the amount of daily time ranges from 30 minutes (first few assignments) to one hour. During the expository essay portion or the class, the daily time can go to 2 hours because of research and reading.
I would not do Kidswrite Intermediate and Expository Essay at the same time even with a strong writer simply because the KW is a prequel to EE. The assignments help the student think about mulitple viewpoints. Also, the writing is more creative and narrative. If you want to do both, perhaps you could buy "Help for High School" and work through the first portion, which is KW, on your own. Then, take the Expository Essay for the excellent feedback. That is what we did. Fwiw, dd has writing experience, and she learned a lot in the class. There was a range of students and abilities. All the input was appropriate for the individual student.
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The Expository Essay class is a six week class. The students write two complete essays -- an exploratory essay (open form) and a 5-paragraph, persuasive essay (closed form) which includes research and MLA documentation. They learn: about open and closed form essays and read examples, to develop questions that lead to a thesis, to write a thesis with tension, to develop an essay plan, revision techniques, paraphrasing, etc. The instructor posts the assignments which are in written form so the student can refer to the material as they work. The students post their work and can read the work of their peers. Then, the instructor posts revision input/suggestions. Finally, the students post their revised work and receive more feedback. The feedback is encouraging, appropriate, and timely. No waiting. Imo, the material in this class is essential college prep. Like all Bravewriter classes, the class moves along, so put adequate time in the schedule to learn and enjoy.
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You tried parts of so many different approaches that I'm not completely clear what your children have mastered. However, I would decide on one approach/curriculum for next year and stay the course with it.
For example, if you use Bravewriter, I would take the online classes. The Bravewriter approach is different and requires more from the teacher/mentor. Also, the input from Bravewriter instructors is worth every penny.
Classes for your son - Kidswrite Intermediate, Movie Discussion Club, Boomerang Club, Write Your Own Greek Myth, Photography
All of these would be great choices for him. Start with Kidwrite Intermediate and one discussion club. Do one other class in the spring. Even our mathy, reluctant writer loved Bravewriter classes and wrote beautiful pieces in his Bravewriter classes.
Classes for your daughter - Expository Essay, Timed Essay, Advanced Composition I, High School Writing Projects
Again, all great choices. Four classes equal one year of credit. Begin with Expository Essay unless your daughter has mastered 5-paragraph essays with research and MLA documentation.
We have used LToW I and like it very much. We are signed up for LToW 2 next year and expect it will be excellent as well. The thinking required for LToW is the reason we are going forward.
Fwiw, if your daughter was able to write the essays in EIL, I wouldn't worry about a boot camp this summer. Just decide on a path for next year and sign up for classes or prep to teach.
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I wish I had not outsourced Latin because I could have taught it myself just as well.
I am not naming the 3R curriculum because the mere mention of the name brings out ugliness. I'm having a lovely day and evening.
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Things I would have done differently:
Composition - I would teach the progym and stay with it until all levels were mastered
Math - Like Excelsior, I would have accepted that youngest dc and Saxon were incompatible, but who knows if we would have found a good fit for math early on. I definitely would have/should have found a good tutor.
Latin - I wish I had taught this instead of outsourcing.
3R - We used a curriculum that focused on 3R with our older children until early high school. I wish we had done the same with youngest dc.
Overall - I wish I had done more reading out loud, cooking, knitting, sewing and gardening with youngest dc. As Mtn Teaching put it, ENJOY. Fortunately, I got this message through Circe earlier this year.
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We are working with Adler's 102 Great Ideas, which I printed and put in the front of the journal. I also like the Great Ideas journal better than anything else I have found throughout the years. It covers so much. The Great Idea journal with composition, math, science, Latin, and logic could be a classical curriculum for 9th, 10th, and 11th. The headmaster who put this together says that he can really do something with his AP literature students after this work. Next year is our last year of home schooling. Can I have a do over?
Btw, the idea ties in with the op's initial post because the end result of the reading and journal writing is improved reading. Also, we don't do this with every book. Sometimes, the reading time is read-only as we move through whatever I have on the list for the year.
Feel free to pm.
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We are not using an Adler book, and btw, I don't use study skills books/courses. I teach Cornell note taking, which we use for oral lectures and textbooks, and I teach outlining, although I don't place as much emphasis on outlining. Dc study for tests by "teaching" an imaginary class with the Cornell notes. I also think of ways to teach several skills with one task/assignment. For example, we are working on timed essay writing using materials from Bravewriter. Next week, after the timed essay is completed and evaluated, dc will use the essay plan; i.e. brief outline, written for the timed essay for an oral speech; i.e. 5 minutes at the most.
Anyway, for the Adler writing, we are doing the following:
1 - Read for the assigned amount of time. Write one paragraph that identifies the Great idea and summarizes what the author has to say about it. (9th grade)
When the student gets very good at this, add the following:
2- Write #1 and write another paragraph that analyzes/compares what the author has to say about the Great Idea in today's reading selection with what he/she says about it in another place in the text or compare it with what another author says about the Great Idea. (usually 10th grade)
When the student gets very good at this, add the following:
3- Write #1 and #2 and write another paragraph about what difference the Great Idea would make or not make in something you are thinking about doing or not doing. Why? (usually 11th grade)
4 - Do the above work 4 days per week, and write a 5-paragraph essay on Friday. (usually 11th grade)
We began using this Great Idea journal idea this year, and the work is going so well it goes into to my wish-I-knew-then category. We will be moving to #2 this summer. It can be used with all types of fiction and autobiographies but it is designed to be used with Adler's Great Books list. Also, you do not need need to read complete books. You can use a mix of complete books and selections; i.e. just start from the beginning and read to a stopping place you determine.
Of course, if you do all of the above, this is more than an hour of work, and it would be a significant part of the curriculum.
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For non-textbook reading, I don't use page amounts for two reasons: 1) It hasn't work well with the varying abilities of our children, and 2) I want dc to focus on comprehension/content rather than getting through a set number of pages. Instead, I use time for reading assignments; i.e. read for 30 minutes or 45 minutes or .... The reading time slot often includes a short writing assignment and/or annotation, so it isn't difficult to determine if the reading is productive. We have used questions from "Teaching the Classics" for reading journals, and more recently, Adler's Great Ideas. It's really simple - read for X number of minutes, write in journal, which usually takes about 30 minutes. Keep moving steadily. Let the books and learning lead the way rather than completing a list.
I use textbooks for teaching skills, and I usually schedule about 1 hour per day for this work in early high school. For example, outlining the chapters of the health textbook and going over the outline with Mom might take 1 week for a chapter. Anatomy chapters might take 2-3 weeks because dc takes Cornell notes for the chapter, studies the notes, completes other chapter exercises, and takes tests. I also include lecture note taking with some courses as prep for note taking in college classes. After a few weeks, I know how much dc can do well in 1 hour. As the subjects become more difficult and our goals change, the time per subject may increase to 1.5 hours or 2 or 3.
I usually schedule 2 hours for composition, whether dc is working research essays for subject topics (government, health, history, etc.) or literature papers.
So, the day consists of time slots with a mix of hard-and-fast assignments as well as do-what-you-can-do-well assignments. Fwiw, math is 1 lesson per day, and we try to have morning time before math that includes reading aloud, Bible, etc.
In the wish-I-knew-then-what-I-know-now category, I often over-scheduled in the early years because I didn't understand that I couldn't shoehorn 2 hours of work into 1 hour, that I needed to allow for the difficult days/work, and that I needed to have a complete understanding of how many productive hours of work were appropriate for dc. Using this year as an example, dc worked on both Algebra 2 and Geometry, so that was usually 2 hours of work. Composition was another 1-2 hours. Violin practice was 1.5 hours. Test prep was 1 to 2 hours. Latin 3 was 2-3 hours. Because of cover school requirements, we're finishing some subjects this summer. However, dc and I feel this was an incredible year. Significant progress with math, composition skills much stronger, violin audition material off and running, test scores in the money, and good grade on Latin. :hurray: :hurray:
As Lori D. said quality over quantity.
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Bravewriter Expository Essay - Class this summer, worth every penny, or Help for High School, print materials for student and mentor.
Perfect for your time frame and wonderful in any case.
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We gave Geometry credit after Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Advanced Math.
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Two of ours did the Advanced Math book in one year. They followed the same process as previous books; i.e. lesson Monday - Friday, test on Saturday. The lessons often took more than 1 hour.
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With our older children, we prepped on our own. With our oldest it was my first time at the rodeo, but I wasn't clueless. That was years ago and a 30 meant enough scholarship from a state fund and the universities for a full-ride at quite a few state unis. Fast forward to the present with a 32 as the magic number in a different state. We have used a test prep service this year, and it has been worth every penny - strategies, which have developed critical thinking and are being applied to other subjects, accountability, and encouragement. It's been a ton of work, but that 32 is looking like a possibility in the fall. At the beginning of the year, scores were not in the range of any scholarship money, which was discouraging, not just because of the money, but also because students link scores with intelligence. Dc doesn't live in a box and ACT scores are discussed everywhere - church, cover, orchestra, etc. etc. Seeing improvement, which has been slow, has motivated dc. We are now working on SAT prep for the June test, including timed essay writing using Bravewriter materials, and I wouldn't say it's the favorite part of the day, but dc sees the work as a challenge. In fact, yesterday's essay wasn't bad at all, and dc bought into the evaluation and critique by thinking of other ways to support the thesis. Also, the two of us wrestled through the wrong math problems with quite a few light bulb moments -- exciting stuff for two non-mathies. So for us, prepping has resulted in an increase in scores and using a service has been valuable. Fwiw, we also are dealing with slow reading.
Adding this. Prior to this year, I was stubbornly opposed to test prep services, but I no longer feel that way after what I have learned from the people who have helped us. I now look at what we have learned this year as another set of skills, and I don't see those skills as specific to standardized tests. Also, earning scholarship money means dc may not have to work during college. I regret that we did not do this much earlier since this particular service (Beasley College Prep) is having success with early high school and even junior high students.
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I haven't had time to reply until now. Regarding my suggestion, it was based on prep for three weeks to go. In an nutshell, take a complete SAT on the first day of the first week. Then, spend the rest of the week analyzing each wrong answer. Through analyzing, your student can determine if there is a strategy to help or if there is a knowledge gap for review. The second week, take a complete ACT and go through the process. The third week, take another SAT and go through the process. If the ACT is a priority, change the test sequence to ACT, SAT, ACT or change the test date for the SAT to the first fall date and concentrate on ACT prep. Taking a complete test will take half of a day. Analyzing a section takes 1+ hours, depending on the number of wrong answers, especially with math.
For long term prep, we have done the following:
Analytical Grammar
Fix-It
Access to Energy - science newsletter with lots of graphs
Bravewriter Timed Essay course
Math - Saxon, Tablet Class math
Beasley College Prep
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How was the SAT today?
in High School and Self-Education Board
Posted
Dd says one section was English and one section was math, and the sections were not in the beginning. She isn't thrilled with this solution, but she doesn't want to retest this summer. Since this was her first SAT, she wanted a baseline, so she can decide on direction for the fall tests.