My youngest is 13 and we've always homeschooled, so that won't be new to us. I am looking for anyone who has worked travel contracts as a homeschooler. I've wanted to be a travel CT Tech for a long time. I'm a Navy brat and have wanderlust:-) Contracts are usually 13 weeks and I figure we can give it a try and if it doesn't work, then I can try again after he graduates. Does anyone have experience homeschooling a middle schooler while being a traveler?

Thank you to everyone who has responded so far! I am getting together a list of things to speak with an advisor about and appreciate your insight! Kellie

Hello, I'm interested in recommendations for my ds15, who would like to attend Michigan Technological University. He is currently a sophomore and will most likely attend the community college first unless there is scholarship money. He will take the PSAT in the fall, so I do not have any idea if scholarships are plausible. I would like to prepare him to go to MTU as a traditional freshman, if possible. Here is what he has taken already: Biology, Intro to Chemistry, and Astronomy, Algebra 1 and 2. He needs to revisit Geometry:-) What should his Junior and Senior years look like in regards to Math and Science? We have a local community college where he could take Chemistry and Physics, but I have heard taking those classes at the CC do not adequately prepare students to transfer those classes and be successful. Would AP Chemistry and AP Physics classes offered online better prepare him for MTU than a CC class? I have heard the same about the math classes, but he really needs to test into Calc I. However, the CC math classes will be better than what I am able to provide him here at home. Also, there is a local ISD that offers Pre-Engineering for Juniors and Seniors. He is not that excited about that and I am not sure if that would be helpful considering we are playing catch up with math and science. At an orientation at MTU, they said it could be helpful, but would not hurt his chances if he did not participate. It would give him a good opportunity to work with others, which does not come easily to him;-) Any input and advice is appreciated:-) Thank you in advance! Kellie

I just noticed that my schedule for giving the tests is missing. (p. 214) I took it out for use with my 1st child and can't find it. Can someone send me an email with this page or direct me to a link? Thanks. Kellie

I will still have my DS11 and DS4 at home with me. I am dealing with anxiety with my DS11, so I won't be free to leave him at home with his younger brother. I don't work anymore, so I hope to be as involved as they let me. We have recently moved, and there will be just under 300 students in 6-8 grade, so I hope the smaller size will make this an easy transition. This is what I am telling myself. Thank you for posting. My son has always wanted to go to high school and so I thought it might be easier to get the nerves out by going for 8th and getting used to all the things everyone is posting on here. For both of us! He is very social and talks a lot, so I think this is going to be his greatest challenge in the beginning. Thank you for pointing out the many things. He played baseball this summer with some of the kids, and so he is very aware of the difference in vocabulary already. I didn't even think to see if there was required summer reading, so thank you for that info. All of it has been great. Thanks again!

I see this is a year old, but my son is going into 8th grade this year after being HS for 7 years, so I thought I'd resurrect it! Any additional input from those who've been there and done that for me or my son would be greatly appreciated. I will be using some of these ideas, so thank you to those who asked and answered these questions last year.

I have tried to read The Book Thief twice myself and I just couldn't get into it either. I keep it on my bookshelf because I keep hearing it recommended. Maybe someday!

These look great! I read the discussion questions listed and I think the girls would have fun discussing them!

I met with the girls on Sat. and they are excited to do a summer book club! Again, thank you for the suggestions. Some of the books are a little above where the girls are-a few are reading at a 3rd grade level according to the staff. I have a great list thanks to you guys, and hopefully they can agree on a few books. I hope we can get through 3 this summer and I'd love to continue it through the school year if they can. All of them are working on remedial skills and it's quite a work load for them.

Thank you for your suggestions! I was thinking of The Fault in Our Stars, so I'm glad that was recommended! Lots of good choices. I will bring these with me and see if they can agree on a few. Thanks again.

I have the opportunity to work with 8 girls in a group home situation this summer and I was thinking about a book club. Many of these girls are not high level learners, but I thought it could be fun, if I could find the right books. Of course they would prefer vampire books, but I am looking for more quality books. As a mom of boys, I'm at a loss! Any recommendations? ETA: The girls are between the ages of 13-17.

We will wait until next year to enroll, to get a chance to shore up his skills. Thank you for the suggestion about borrowing a math book, this is the subject I am most worried about for him. Lots of great suggestions about other ways to get involved, too. I've lurked here for years and I appreciate the wisdom of those who share! There are no co-ops in town that I know of, but there is a big library with lots of things to do, so I will see if any of those peak his interest. Thanks for helping me realize we are not alone. While I'd love to keep him home, I'm not willing to ruin our relationship over the matter. Thanks again:-)

Thank you guys for your thoughts. I am not opposed to sending him to school. Honestly, my favorite part of homeschooling is the flexibility, which we will lose by having one in school. He is absolutely involved in the decision, and after speaking with my husband, we agree that we should respect his desire to try it out. With the comments from the extroverts, even I am excited for him to try it out. I am an introvert, and I was wasn't taking that part of it into consideration. Now for my next question. He is currently in 7th grade. Would you send him now, or wait until the beginning of 8th grade? Also,what are some things I need to do to get him ready?

I am sure this has been discussed on here before, but I can't find any threads! We recently moved twice in the last 6 months to a fairly small town. There is a state university here, though, so we have access to some cool field trip things. We haven't been able to meet up with other homeschoolers and he is missing his friends who are over 7 hours away. As much as I explain to him that school won't be like the TV show's, where all the kids are having a blast hanging out, he still wants to try it out. The only reason's he gives are to have friends and get away from his 4 year old brother:-) My dad was in the Navy and we moved every 2-3 years, so I know what he's going through. He will be 13 in a couple months and he is signed up as a volunteer at the local museum. We are going to check into a karate class, but other than that, I am at a loss. He is my social one and he loves to be around people. Any other ideas?

I also just picked up Salman Khan's (Khan Academy) The One World School House: Education Reimagined. Looks interesting!

I would like to read Quiet. The compare/contrast of Bebe and Tiger Mom would be interesting, too!

Another nonfiction fan here! I second Last Child in the Woods. I have it on my shelf as we speak!

This summer my husband, who grew up in the UP, moved us from the Grand Rapids, MI area to Gladstone. We moved to Marquette a couple weeks ago- trying to beat the snow! I saw the old thread about yoopers, but I am checking in to see if there are any IRL homeschoolers who would like to meet. I have 3 boys who are missing their downstate friends...

Thank you so much for sharing!

So, it's official...we are heading to the UP. We would love to meet up with any other yoopers! We will be in the Gladstone area by the beginning of August.

I haven't read all of the responses, but coming from a medical background in a large facility, I have seen this many times. It is usually trying to protect children with compromised or no immune system. Please do not be offended. A parent can only say, "Please don't touch my child", so many times.

Good morning! My husband and I are stuck and just wondering what others would do. (Back story) My husband grew up, "up north" and for the last few years, he has applied for positions that would allow us to move up there to raise our 3 sons. In the last 9 months, we have purchased a home, my husband's parents have moved from there, and in 4 weeks he is set to start a new job working for a company he has wanted to work with for a long time. Two days ago, a job offer came from "up" there totally out of the blue. He applied for something similar a year ago, but it didn't happen. Both offers are great. We have gone around and around and both of us are stuck. So, if anyone would care to add their two cents... If you could choose, would you 1. Stay where you are (You just bought a house., What if it doesn't sell? What are you thinking!) _______or 2. Go for it (You have 3 boys, of course take them up there! At least it happened before you started working for new company. You've wanted this for the last 3 years and here it is.) I know there are many factors. People are different. We have only lived here 9 months, but we've made fast friends. Boys are torn, too. They love the outdoors, but they've also made some great friends. This would be 7 hours away. So, so torn, and the decision needs to be made quickly, so he (my husband) can either accept new job or tell new comany, sorry, but something else has come up. It feels like it's coming down to career goals for my hubby. Do you want to climb the corporate ladder or raise your boys in the outdoors, like he did. So, ladies and gents, what would you do? Any insight appreciated!

Wow! Thank you so much for these resources. Very helpful!

Thank you for this post! I have been evaluating how we "school" ever since getting caught up in that huge Circe thread! It seems everytime I would read a book on a new philosophy I would switch everything up to fit into that method. I've been through them all it seems. Even though each author tells us to take what makes sense for our family and toss out the rest, it has taken me 6 years to listen! The reading of all these philosophy books has become my hobby. I need a new hobby!

I would love to learn how to play the violin! Someday:)