Does anyone have a resource that lists suggestions for poetry or other pieces (Hamlet's soliloquy for example) for memorization in middle school and high school? I need to make a list for my 8th grader and 10th grader. Feel free to suggest any poems/pieces! Thanks!

Does anyone have a resource that lists suggestions for poetry or other pieces (Hamlet's soliloquy for example) for memorization in middle school and high school? I need to make a list for my 8th grader and 10th grader. Feel free to suggest any poems/pieces! Thanks!

I used TOG three years and finally threw in the towel. After 8 years of SL, I wanted a change, for similar reasons you shared. I think TOG is more of history major kind of curric and thought it was just too much. I switched to BiblioPlan last year and it's a better fit for what I was looking for. Maybe check it out. It's also tons cheaper.

Happy to help here too! I will have a senior and all the way down to a kinder next year. Homeschooling six kiddos. What are your Qs? Encouragement: Figure our your best time of day and do your hardest to get done activities at that time. Works towards independent learning by high school so you can be as involved as you want to be, but they can do their work solo if needed. Remember one of the perks of a larger than average family is that we have assistants and younger kiddo attenders built in and that's a good thing.

So interesting. I don't think TOG is reasonably priced at all. I just reviewed it (and Sonlight and BiblioPlan) on my blog. Tomorrow's post is why I left TOG. http://gratefulforgrace.com/2013/02/tapestry-of-grace-review/

SUH=WEET! THANKS! I specifically came here looking for these guides. Had no idea there were PDF options. Thank you!

When I say I want another baby, I mean, "I want another member of our family that starts out as a baby." I don't mean I want to add a teenager instantly. I've done that (foster to adopt) and it was the hardest thing I've ever done. I see the many benefits of the member starting as a baby in our family.

Thanks! I'm trying to get keep an adventurous spirit. :)

Well, we made the decision: my hubby signed a contract for a job with UNM running a camp for autistic kiddos. He starts May 14th. We've lived in Central Texas our entire marriage (almost 18 years), plus some. We are so sad to leave our family (in town and an hour away), our amazing and loving church family, terrific homeschool group and lifelong friends. Plus we think it's amazingly beautiful here. We prayed long and hard about this and believe it is the right choice, but, WOW! So... ABQ homeschoolers, give a shout out! All tips and words of encouragement welcome. Yikesers!! Though I'm sad in so many ways, I'm very excited too. (Oh, and we're looking for a rental house in the NE area or near UNM, if you have suggestions.)

That's super duper!! Seriously.

Wow. I might be in your shoes soon. We've always lived in the country. On camps. So neighbors are camp people only. How would moving closer to hubby's work mean you would see him less? For us, if we change jobs, we still want our close family life, so a long commute is out of the question. Adding hours to my husbands day is not what our family wants because we want him involved as much as possible.

ridiculous.. .sigh. Has he considered teaching via an online school like The Potter's School or elsewhere?

And thanks for your input on housing. DH would be working at the UNM. This is a big transition for us, if it happens, because we have always lived on a summer camp. Never had neighbors or lived in a neighborhood. Huge difference.

And I'm glad you didn't! Thank you!

Thank you, Black Midori! Truly.

Thank you! Your answers are the same as a friend I contacted and really do help. To clarify the #4 Q: Are people in general friendly vs withdrawn? or welcoming? I think you may have touched on that without intending, but if you want to clarify, that's great. The more info the better in my mind. This has really helped ease my mind. The http://www.bestplaces.net reviews scared the mess out of me!

Well, no big city is going to be perfect. Those reviews make it sound horrid, though. thanks for balancing it for me!

Good to hear, Anne! I know that prejudiced people are everywhere, but I also know that mindset can dominate an area. I grew up in Louisiana, went to college in Mississippi and Arkansas and worked summers in Texas. :) We are considering one other area (east Texas) and it's known for racism, but I'm sure we can find a community that isn't. I just don't want to live in an dominantly oppressive culture. KWIM? Are you seen the violence that site speaks of? or the poor work mentality and ethic?

thank you, Jennifer! :)

Thanks for your input. The stunning negative comments about drugs, violence, horrid work ethic, discrimination against non-Hispanics and such was quite shocking at http://www.bestplaces.net

bump

Wow! The comments and reviews of ABQ on bestplaces.net are horrid! Seriously. Ummm... is it really all that bad? (Thanks for the bump, TammyH)

This thread is pretty important to me now. I know it's an old one, but I hope you all see my new Qs. If not, I'll post a new thread. We are considering a move to ABQ, which is a huge deal for us, since have lived here 17 years, have family (we love) in town, family an hour away, are in a beautiful (very green and has a river and hills) location, awesome church family and close homeschool group. That being said, when you have to move, you have to move. :-) Getting used to the brown may be a real hindrance to my kids and me, but I'll start praying for that now. I know it may sound silly to many, but we love green rolling hills. Ok.... I have a couple of specific questions: 1) If your dh's salary was about $54,000 (before taxes) and you were a single income family, what are the prospects for housing??? safe or not? 2) The job would be at the university, so we would need to be within a good commute there. We would be transitioning from living on camp, to the commuting idea, so an hour drive one way is not a fit for us. Again... housing?? 3) Can one find a kind, welcoming, strong, reformed conservative Christian community? 4) What is the social culture like? THANKS!

It's a relief to know I am not alone in feeling like this. We are on lesson 76 in B. I won't admit how long it's taken us to get here due to my avoiding teaching math. Good advice. Thank you for taking the time to respond. Will talk to the principal. ;-).

I am pushing through using Right Start Math because I wanted something better than Saxon, after way too many years. But I am having a hard time following it. Sometimes it makes jumps that I think are too great. I admit, I'm not a math "thinker", but... This program makes me a little crazy. 1)Has anyone else experienced this? 2)Have you ever used a program that you don't "get" because you felt it was the best for your children? KWIM? I want them to see and understand the concepts better than I do.