Mrs. Lange opened her own "academy." She offers a few classes at Integritas Academy. It is my understanding that the class sizes are small. She gave lots of personalized feedback even when she had huge classes at WHA.

After DH watched the recording of class, I talked with my daughter. We agreed that we would try out a different teacher (assuming MPOA lets us do that) next week and if that teacher isn't a good fit, I would let her drop the online class. None of the other sections work well with our schedule, but I sent an email with options to MPOA to what they say. Thanks for the names of teachers that your DD likes. (Dr. Dray has a section of FFL, but it is full!)

I would sit down with him & help him draft an email to his different teachers with his questions. It is not acceptable to fall so much behind. You may have to help him the first several times (or months) to email the teacher (or visit during office hours if they have those). That is why the teacher is there - to help!! He may think no one else has asked, but perhaps many others have the same question. He may be embarrassed. Help him send the emails. It is hard to ask for help. (I struggle with this in real life.) Help him get over the hump.

The most fun & easy to teach spiral program would be McRuffy, IMO. I've used level 400 of CLE, levels 1-Algebra 1 of Abeka, and Horizons K of what you mentioned. Hands down, as far as fun, McRuffy K was the best. Now, I will mention that although McRuffy is spiral, I did make it even MORE spiral (by building in even more review) for my kids because we need a lot of spiral review. It is really easy to use, has lots of games, and a wide variety of activities (so if your kid doesn't like one particular one, you can just skip it). Of the ones you mentioned, CLE would probably be the easiest to teach. Abeka gives you a script to follow in the Lesson Plans, but lessons would have taken an hour if I did them all. (And did take an hour for oldest kid, because I didn't know any better!)

Yep. There are two here now. But, they aren't required. If one falls off the bed, the kids will often find it and put it back on. They are mostly for show (although I do grab onto a paw sometimes when DH is on nights and I need to touch something after a nightmare). I have body pillows (also) for proper body support when DH is on nights. I am a firm believer in snuggles, stuffed or human (or the furry kind). Whatever helps you to sleep and be comforted. No shame. Took my kid brother's snuggly (on loan) to college with me.

I live 1 1/2 hours from my OB/gyn. With homeschooling full time, it is hard to get in on the exact schedule. I personally feel ok to stretch apts out some, but will make sure to make the important ones (time-sensitive). So, if testing has to be done between week x and y, I'll make that work, but I might stretch a week or two on the other sides of it. I have had both healthy pregnancies and miscarriages. My doc has always been willing to work with me. I have run into when the doc is called out for a delivery. Either I get rescheduled for the next week or they try to get me in with a physician assistant (if possible) for the same apt time.

It looks like they are not doing the homeschool code again this year. I grabbed this from the PSAT Admin manual for 2017. (Bolding is mine. From pgs 24-25 of manual or 29-30 of PDF.)

Thank you for this. None of the other classes really fit our schedule, so I'm considering letting her drop the class. I will probably wait until after next week's class as MP gives you until the 22nd to drop. I have heard good things about Ms. Cutrer from a friend, but we've found that just because a teacher is beloved by someone else doesn't mean we will have the same feelings. (My friend's kids also loved Mr. Cable. He was not bad, but not a favorite here.) For this particular kid, I don't need the structure or discipline, I need passion and the passing on of that love of a subject. That's what I'm willing to pay $$$ for. I completely understand this sentiment. Until Mrs. Lange's class last year, I would have agreed. I could not have been happier with her class at Wilson Hill - with the understanding that it was a tough class for the recommended age group. She's not with Wilson Hill anymore & her private classes are very pricey. If she comes down in price, I would wholeheartedly recommend her classes. Her feedback is very specific and she always tries to increase the writing ability of the student in front of her. So, if your kid already writes well, they will write better with her specific feedback. If they struggle, they will get feedback to get them to the next level in each assignment. I think high-quality writing classes are hard to come by. It is difficult to find a class that matches the specific needs & ability of the kid in front of you with a teacher that matches what your kid needs. Good quality feedback is so important. You can find AP level writing classes that are great for kids who already write well, but what about a struggling writer? What about that initial learn-to-write-well level? And, some classes are SO PRICEY. Others might be great, but require way more time than your kid can afford to spend on them (15-20 hours/week for a non-AP class?!). This has definitely been a struggle at our house, too.

Definitely call around tomorrow. I have to call tomorrow to verify DD has a spot at the school she took it at last year. It is one district over because the local school won't let anyone but their registered full time juniors take it there. I think schools (inside the US) have until September 22nd to add more tests to their order. So, I'm calling THIS WEEK to make sure they order enough for DD. This is a really small school & there are only 3-4 kids who take it. DD was in cozy seating conditions last year. The guidance counselor said they'd just put kids on the floor if they didn't have enough space at her little desk in her office. :driving: You might have to call several schools. You definitely want to use the homeschool code so you get the results. Last year, they didn't actually have the kids bubble in the homeschool code as they'd changed the answer sheets to have a "homeschool" bubble specifically. When it gets closer to the date, someone on here (on the regular high school board, probably) will help us clueless people out with how to fill it out. And we can pass along the info to our kids. :coolgleamA:

So, it is very early in the year - with only two writing classes & one Latin class under dd#3's belt, she & I have already formed some first impressions. Sometimes, first impressions are wrong, sometimes they color all your other interactions, and sometimes they are spot on. We'll see. This is a thread where you can share your first impressions, if you want, for your kids' middle grade online classes. First, the "good": DD#3 is taking Coram Deo's Introduction to Essay Writing. It is a small class (only four kids or so). DD is the youngest in the class - which makes sense since it is geared toward 11 & ups. So far, she has loved it. It is gentle and they're concentrating on reading & thinking in a very soft introduction into the "Lost Tools of Writing" type of class. I think it'll be perfect for her and so far, she agrees. Now, the "bad": She's also taking Memoria Press's First Form Latin. She had her first class this week with Mr. King. Neither one of us think the teacher is a good fit for her. :thumbdown: He's very formal - insisting on no colors in the chat box and no slang ("nope"). He refers to them by "Miss Last Name" or "Mr. Last Name." Honestly, as a parent, me thinks he doth protests too much. I don't know if he's just really young and so he's trying to make himself appear more formal or if he's just uptight. There are a lot of 11-12 year olds in this class, so you do have to keep a tight rein on the chat box, but it just doesn't seem like it'll be very fun. Latin should be fun. DD#1 took Second Form with MP (different teacher) and disliked it. We might end up 0-for-2 for MP classes & write them completely off, which would be too bad. Most of the other Latin sections were full and this one fit with a good time slot. It would be too bad if a stiff for a teacher made her dislike Latin even more than she already does. A good teacher can make such a difference. How about your first impressions? How's it going so far?

My boys are too little, but since a couple people are tossing in their own experiences, I'll toss in mine. I think it is different to be the only woman in a sea of males than to be one of the only men in a sea of females. My undergrad degree is in engineering. In almost all of my classes, as in my work experience later (except for one employer), I was surrounded by men. I had one other female in some of my classes, but it was never the same female. All my best friends, except for my dorm roommate from sophomore year on, were males. All my study groups and all the people I hung with (again, except for my roommate) were males. I fit in with them beautifully. I think part of it was personality & part was interests being aligned. I don't know that most guys would fit in nearly as well with a large swath of females, but I suppose there are some that would. I personally wouldn't want to be surrounded by all the behavior that periodically comes with a group of women hanging out closely together for months on end. (There are four females in my household now & I find it tough sometimes!)

How much did he make 20 years ago? (Obviously, not much, since he would have been 15 years old. How much did his parents make 20 years ago?) It won't be nearly the same - as I believe food/core inflation has risen more than salaries, but it should help with the overall idea. As an example, if my father made $20,000 in 1985, it is the equivalent of $46,000 now. I found one chart with food inflation since 1992 - for the grocery argument.

I'd probably try to find an online class. Barring that, I'd get a book from amazon & supplement with lessons on italki (and have him practice with the native speaker when possible).

I could be wrong, but I believe the PSAT math score would be the same. Since there are less questions on the PSAT (and some of them are easier), the top score is lower. However, the two scores should be similar (within a band of +/- how you do on a particular day).

I looked up the place we used (HannaBruceBears) - but the owner has retired from doing stuffed animal repairs.

I've had a couple of stuffed animals doctored in the past. I can't remember the name of the one we used, but you can find quite a few options on the internet. (stuffedanimals.com, cheryl's doll hospital, teddybearrepair) I would look for a place who gave estimates before starting the work. We sent the animals to them, they emailed an estimate back. If we didn't like the estimate, they sent the animal back to us. Also, look at the pictures on the website & see if you like *HOW* they redo an animal. You'll understand if you see the variety of ways things can be fixed (major, minor). Also, you might need to be specific as to what you want changed vs. what you don't want touched. It took a couple of months total (including shipping) because of the wait time in the hospital. We were kept up to date on progress. They even sent a small stuffed animal "friend" back with one of them so our guy wouldn't be scared & lonely while in transit on the way back. :coolgleamA: These were DH & my sibling's animals - not my kids', BTW. They were extremely well-loved. It wasn't cheap, but it was worth it for us.

Jean, as always, this thread helps me through my toughest days, even though I rarely post. Your post was started before I [edited out private info]. I appreciate you doing this everyday. :grouphug: Thank you.

I thought I would tandem nurse a couple of them. However, they all ended up weaning on their own (one exception) before I gave birth & had no interest in nursing once the baby came. My one exception is my biggest gap between kids (2 1/2 years). I had to wean that one before the next came because I just couldn't take it (nursing) anymore and needed a break before the next one was born. I got about three months break. The lactation consultant who came into my hospital room after I had that (next) baby was concerned about jealousy, but it didn't happen. (She was a wack job.) My milk dried up during pregnancy with one of them. I wouldn't worry too much as time has a way of taking these decisions away from us.

Adding: My oldest is the same grade as your kid, so I don't have a success story to share. But, if you dig back in the high school board archives, you'll find a handful of 'average' (for real - including 50-65% test scores and what would have been Cs if Mom hadn't insisted on mastery of material) kids who have launched successfully. Some of the kids who didn't have much get-up-and-go in high school found their tribe & their motivation in college (or later). I could provide links to old (and new) threads to show what I mean if you like, but rest assured, your wonderful boy isn't doomed.

First of all, hugs. :grouphug: Now, step back a bit. Your kid sounds like a good kid. He's rounded with activities, a sports interest, and academics. From what you wrote, he doesn't sound "average," he sounds like he's great. As and Bs, some DE in his future, and 90% test scores might seem average on the high school board here, but will be above average at some colleges that will be a good fit for him. You'll want to help him find colleges where his scores and grades put him in the top 25% of the incoming class. (If you need help figuring out how to find those, let us know. There are college search tools & key google phrases to use.) I'm assuming you are not looking at "selective schools" - the ones where even the Nobel Peace Prize Winners with perfect ACT scores only have a dice throw chance of getting in. It sounds like you and he are doing fine. Enjoy your little (big) person. You'll blink and he'll be leaving for college. :crying:

To piggyback on the test prep comments, use the link Arcadia provided to print out a practice test from Khan's site. Get your kid a Khan account (just for this, if they don't already have one). When they are done taking the practice test under as close to real testing conditions as you can get (just the listed break times, only snacking/bathroom at breaktimes), put the answers into Khan yourself. This will score it for you (although I scored it by hand to double check), but it will also show Khan's system the type of questions that your kid missed and needs more practice on. Khan has test prep - and it helps, to a certain degree, although not for tippy-top scoring kids. I'd definitely start there & see what types of questions (esp. math) that she missed. I'd make her go through the explanations (over a couple of days after the test - my kid is always exhausted after taking a full test) on the questions she missed. I also have my kid mark the questions she was unsure of - so if she guessed correctly, she can see if her reasoning is correct or if she just got lucky. (She marks with a question mark on the actual test sheets. I print her a bubble sheet to fill in & she doesn't mark on those other than bubbling. But, you could do it either way. There is a link to the bubble sheets in the link already provided. If you can't find it, let me know & I'll link to it directly.) My DD#1 isn't a tippy top student like many on here. She's an average kid with some fun and awesome pointy edges (math & foreign language). However, she's a good test taker for her academic level and just took the SAT for the first time in August. We are waiting for her scores as she's determined to do last minute prep for the PSAT in October. She wouldn't ever score high enough to make NM in Virginia or New Jersey, but we don't live in a super high scoring state, so she's hoping to get there with lots of hard work, determination, stubbornness, and a "good day." :wub: If you choose to prep on your own, the Hive has some good prep book recommendations. Best of luck to yours! We, the Hive parents, will be rooting for you both. The High School board is a wonderful education and support structure for when she makes her list of colleges, narrows it down, and when you are working on your part of applications. Don't forget to get started on the transcript and course descriptions freshman year. The pinned threads at the top of the forum are a wealth of information. A glass of wine or a cup of tea are mandatory when sitting down with them. :ph34r:

My mom told my brother to stop complaining about his arm or she'd take him to the doctor. Three weeks later, he finally convinced her to take him. Broken arm. Had to be rebroken so it would heal correctly. I was a hypochondriac, though. I never know when to take my kids in. DH seems to have a better handle on it.

I am glad to hear you have a champion on your side finally and a plan moving forward. While I am sure all will not be smooth sailing, I wish for a less bumpy ride and some relief from the anxiety of the day to day symptom management as things improve. Hugs.

I hope it works for you!! DD#1 has four different providers this year (if my quick count is accurate). I think all four use Adobe Connect, but only one (that I know of) has a problem on our laptop where we have to use the incognito browser function to get into the classroom. (I think all four work on the desktop with no workarounds. Actually, I'm not sure she's tried both computers with all the providers yet, so I could be wrong.) It is really crazy. [On a side note, dd#3 is taking Coram Deo's Intro class. Is the LTOW class as small as the Intro class? (4-5 kids) It is a nice size class!]

The Commended cutoff is usually the lowest state's score. As North Dakota & some of the other low-scoring cut-off states haven't self-reported their scores yet, we don't know it for sure (I think). We should know on or after the NMSF release date (Sept 14? 15?).