Our school is an IB World school, and I am very impressed with the IB Diploma Program (this is the two-year grade 11 and 12 program). The students choose six subjects, 3 high level and 3 standard level. They must have a second language within these 6 classes, which are each two years long. The students find that the IB work is great preparation for college level study, and many of them are accepted into top universities. They do a lot of international stuff, like Model United Nations, Habitat for Humanity in a neighboring country.

http://thewelltrainedkitchen.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/quivers-legendary-cinnamon-rolls-courtesy-of-jean-quiverof10/

One more garlic story-- we live in Turkey, and last weekend went to the "Garlic Capital of the World," where they grow tons of garlic. The streets were lined with sellers, stringing the garlic bulbs like pearls all over the strands. They have an annual Garlic Festival that people from all over the country visit. Amazing! We bought a big string, and have it outside, drying in the sun. It's used pretty liberally in most vegetable dishes here. BTW I changed my user name; now I'm Anne/Ankara...

Have you seen the Georgia Public TV series? I believe it is free Japanese video lessons, with two levels... http://www.gpb.org/irasshai

I remember your son's interest in archeology, Jane. Our university here has a number of fine faculty members and we've gotten to know them quite well. Last month we went with some of them on an archeological tour of eastern Anatolia, visiting ancient Roman sites on the Tigris river near the border with Syria. It was fantastic! My ds found several new pottery shards to add to his collection, including Roman pottery handles from third century AD. Amazing! And there are lots of opportunities for young people to join in the digs that are going on here. Food for thought! All my best! Anne

Thank you, Jane! We are all well here-- keeping busy with school activities and learning quite a bit. My ds is taking the AP biology test soon, so we are all routing for him. I'm enjoying teaching my ninth grade English class much more now that we have settled down into some better behaviors in class. We're doing Richard III, so that is fun-- monologue contests, reader's theatre, lots of discussion about ambition, conscience, power... Anne/Ankara (how can I change my name-- I don't see an edit feature for that)

Just a heads-up for those of us with children who like to write-- the Critical Thinking company is now offering an annual essay contest. Fun! My dd just learned she won first prize this year-- $500 plus a $200 coupon, so that's not bad! I believe the competition opens in January, with essays due in March. Something to put on next year's calendar! http://www.criticalthinking.com/company/50th_anniversary_essay_winners.jsp

Here are more e-books by the same company... http://www.learnatest.com/LearningExpressEbooks/home.cfm?CFID=11811638&CFTOKEN=769c7bd3529ee33c-55C12DE5-BCDF-04A2-B06EDD132A45CFCB

Thanks! I think that was the one. I appreciate your help!

A few years back, Ria mentioned a wonderful Canadian wilderness camp... does anyone remember the name? Thanks!

Also, check out the National Strategic Languages Initiative (NSLI) which has Mandarin Chinese. Looks like a legitimate program... http://02c71fd.netsolhost.com/languages.html

There are also the Hippocampus video mini-lessons on US History. They are very well done, and free.. http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?page=about

Well, I can chime in from an international school in Ankara, Turkey. I'm teaching freshmen English (the first year of a two year program in IGCSE English Literature and Language). The ninth grade has to read three novels: To Kill a Mockingbird, Ethan Frome, and Richard III. They have to cover about 12 poems (Keats, Matthew Arnold, Browning, etc). We do a vocabulary program (Vocabulary for the College Bound) and I put them through a Grammar Essentials review program last semester. There is a separate English Language component, which is basically a reading and composition program, responding to articles and showing comprehension and some sort of personal response. In my particular class, we do weekly in-class essays (passage analysis, empathic response, or discursive essays), and then we have monthly two-page papers (poetry analysis, book reviews, literature response, etc). We have some fun too-- made powerpoint presentations of To Kill a Mockingbird, did vocabulary bees, poetry memorization challenges, writing for publication, etc. So far, so good... Anne

I am teaching To Kill a Mockingbird right now to ninth graders. Here are some of the websites I like: SAT vocabulary linked to novel: https://secure.layingthefoundation.org/english/vocab/novels.asp The movie on line for free: http://tesla.liketelevision.com/liketelevision/tuner.php?channel=958&format=movie&theme=guide Novel Guide: http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/gcse/mockingbird.htm Powerpoint Presentations-- look them up on Google, particularly on one Scottsboro Trial, Jim Crow laws, Great Depression, etc. jh118.k12.sd.us/mockingbirdhistorical%20background.ppt Vocabulary study linked to chapters: http://www.lausd.net/Belmont_HS/tkm/ Anne/Ankara

Here is a treasure trove of PDF books from Learning Express for some of the types of learning your DH might want to tackle... they have lots of English books listed... the link is a bit unreliable, but here it is: http://www.learnatest.com/LearningExpressEbooks/home.cfm?CFID=11811638&CFTOKEN=769c7bd3529ee33c-55C12DE5-BCDF-04A2-B06EDD132A45CFCB