Kirsten in MO
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Posts posted by Kirsten in MO
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My Father's World?...I am using the high school Ancients this year and it is meant to be something that the student can do independently. I did not use MFW for elementary however, so I don't know if it is designed to be as independent as the high school stuff. Hopefully someone who has used it can let you know!
Kirsten
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Great info! Thanks for taking the time to explain what worked for you and what didn't. Every kid is different, so there is never "one size fits all" when it comes to learning.
I was thinking of this class for my 9th and 11th graders who have no experience at all in programming, so they wouldn't have anything to compare it to. I liked that it is something that is still available to do in the spring, and wouldn't take up the entire school year. And, if it turns out to be something they really enjoy, maybe I could find a class for them to do over the summer that would build on the AoPS class.
Thanks again for the responses!
Kirsten
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Okay, so we have one "loved it" and one "didn't like it"...that makes it even so far! :001_smile:
Persinem: did your son say why he didn't like it? I know my son (and me, for that matter) didn't like the online Spanish with OK state at first, so much so that I was really considering dropping it, but we decided to stick it out and it has gotten much better. I think we just got over the "new skill" hump that can be so frustrating at first. Did the AoPS programming class move too quickly, or were things not explained well? What wasn't working for him?
Kirsten
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Just wondering if any of your kids have taken the online AoPS Introduction to Programming class, and if so, how was it? Does it move quickly? It says 2-3 hours outside of class per week...is that accurate in your experience?
If you haven't taken this class, what have you taken online that was doable?
Thanks!
Kirsten
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What a fun thread!
I call my dh by his name, or Honey. He calls me Babe or My Love, or Lovely One, but when he is talking to the kids he refers to me as "your dear sweet mother" (as in "Look what you are doing to your dear, sweet mother!" or 'Go take your dear, sweet mother's plate" .
It's funny, I still remember when we were dating and he called me "babe" for the first time...I thought, now we are getting somewhere!
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My 11th grade son is taking Spanish online with Oklahoma State ($389), physics online with Apologia Academy ($475), and a once a week class for Bible, English/Literature/writing, history, and government; the teacher also supplies the assignments for each week ($550). This is just the cost of the classes, not the books, etc.
My 9th grader does everything at home with me, but I did sign him up for a two day Landry Academy biology lab intensive in the spring ($170).
Both boys take a weight training class at the high school (free!)
I plan to continue to outsource science and foreign language in the years ahead, and possibly writing.
My son that has graduated did German I and II online with Oklahoma State, and then his senior year took Calc. I and II, statistics, and macroeconomics at the University of Central Missouri, which cost a total of $3534, not counting books. That was for 16 credit hours of university level work for which he was given full credit at Auburn. This was a great experience for him and well worth the expense.
Good luck with your plans!
Kirsten
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Took your poll...also would love to see the results. Please post them when your done!
Kirsten
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You guys have brought up some interesting points! :001_smile:
I was wondering about the science because my DS has taken biology, chemistry, and is doing physics this year, so he will have the three required sciences done, which leaves an option for his senior year. I don't think he will be interested in doing an advanced study in any of the above, so I was just wondering if I could slot a computer class into the "science" category on his transcript and have it count for core science credit. I guess that would be sort of lame. :D It sounds like I might be able to count it as a math? I was already planning to have him continue with his math sequence, so he would then have two "maths" his senior year...
My intention is for him to do some sort of computer programming course (not decided what yet) but the question is where to list it on the transcript, and can I count it as core hours.
And yes, even without it, it is easy to get 600 hours of core credit for high school.
Okay, before I hit "submit reply" I decided to check with our local high school and their computer classes fall under the category of "Practical Arts", and they require one unit (credit) for graduation. So, maybe I should just delegate it to the "electives" category...
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Missing problems may or may not be a big deal - you need to carefully analyze EACH miss and see what is going on: careless arithmetic mistake, or lack of understanding.
Why would you see that as a problem? I give my kids ONE single math exam per semester. Math mastery must mean long term retention, the Whatever program you choose, I think you need to work more closely with him. He needs to check his work every single day, and every single incorrect problem must be addressed thoroughly, right there and then. It sounds as if your son can not do this on his own; this is where you as the parent (or another teacher) need to step in.
regentrude,
Thank you for your reply. I was letting him check a lot of his own work and since he was "doing math" with another teacher, I just checked out, so to speak, and dropped the ball on keeping up with where he was at. I am trying to do better with my younger son, who is doing Saxon Alg. I. I grade his work every day and we go over his missed problems the next day with the white board, and I know EXACTLY what he is missing and why. I also give him a test every Friday. I wished I had done this with my middle son!
Brenda in MA;
Thank you for sharing your experience with your son! I feel encouraged by your story and am so glad your son was able to go on and do well. I will definitely check out the Aleks math...I am not familiar with it but it sounds like I need to be! I have searched on Amazon for the Lial's, but have not been able to find the cd support that is suppose to be available. I think we would need that. I have already decided that we will be doing math through the summer!
Teachin'Mine;
I appreciate the encouragement...I keep thinking that he could have had Alg II under his belt already, but hopefully, he can still get it learned and have a little time left before he graduates to go on to some pre-cal. If not, then it's not the end of the world! He is so very solid in literature and writing! His scores there are very good. :001_smile:
Deniseibase;
Thank you for responding as well. If I'm understanding you correctly, you basically know how to do the math but are seeing it in a new way through the AoPS materials. Your understanding is expanded? Very interesting!
Thanks to all of you who took the time to respond. I was looking at the AopS website, so I thought my questions was about that, but I guess my original questions should have been "Help! What do I do?"
Again, I appreciate all the help! If anyone has anything else to add, please do so. I will keep checking back!
~Kirsten
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Kirsten, how did he do on the Saxon lessons and on the tests?
Well, he seemed to do fine on the lessons, but I have him enrolled in a one day a week class that meets for history, bible, literature, and math. The teacher would teach the concepts for the lessons she expected the students to do for the week, and I also encouraged him to use his DIVE cd whenever he thought he needed it, but he seldom chose to use it. He would always miss some of the problems, but I didn't think it was a big deal. I think the biggest problem was that the teacher only assigned 5 tests for the whole year, and he made B's and a C, but then totally failed the last two tests. They didn't get done with the book last year, so finished it up a week ago and that is when he took the final test...he only did 2 out of 20 correct. The teacher had planned to have him go on to the Advanced math book, but I pulled him from the math portion of the class last week and told her I would have to decide what to do about this. He is a junior this year, and I am thinking that he needs to repeat Alg. II with something besides Saxon. What a mess! It always sounds like the kids using Aops are learning so much. I guess I was hoping that it might help him actually learn it, but I am grasping at straws I suppose. I have really messed this up for my son....
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AoPS uses a discovery based approach where the student has to solve problems on his own before the concept is discussed and the theory introduced. Some of the problems are really challenging, so the student has to be motivated to work on a problem for an extended time. Also, the books cover a lot more material than a traditional high school course. So typically, only students who are good at math and who enjoy math would be willing to use a curriculum where they have to work longer and harder on math than with another book.
Thank you. My son is not crazy about math, but he would work for 1-2 hours to finish his Saxon lessons without complaining...he always did every single problem, but there doesn't seem to be the ability to apply any of it to the problems that are labeled "alg. II" problems on these other tests. Do you think he would learn to understand the math better if he had to think through it more, rather than just review the same types of problems day after day? (Saxon)
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Thanks for the replies! I was hoping that since I want him to do some sort of computer programming that I could count it as a core subject, but I guess not! Oh well....
Thanks again,
Kirsten
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I have noticed that a lot of WTMers use the Art of Problem Solving matherials. I looked on their website and it seems to be for really motivated or advanced math students. Is this accurate? Does anyone use it for their "average" math student? Does the style of learning only appeal to certain types of learners? Does it take a year to work through each book?
My middle son has completed Saxon Alg. I and II, but wasn't able to solve a single Alg. II problem on an SAT practice cd that we have. He only scored a 21 on an ACT practice test. Ughhh!!
What can I do to rectify this???
Thanks,
Kirsten
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I have been reading the thread regarding a "well trained" computer programming course, (great thread, by the way!) and that is something I would really like my son to do. Could you count this type of course as a "science" course, or does it just fall under an elective?
Thanks,
Kirsten
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That's not the case here. Kids are checked for learning disabilities (sometimes more than once) if they are not meeting benchmarks.
The most common problem overall (IMO) is student apathy. Most will NOT put forth any effort to actually try to learn something outside of class. Some won't even put forth effort during class. But if their grades suffer, then mommy and daddy get mad - not usually at the student, but rather, at the teacher. When mommy and daddy get mad, they complain to the school. The school discusses it with the teacher. The teacher takes enough heat that they end up dumbing down the class. Eventually, almost all classes have been dumbed down to the point where it's possible for pretty much everyone to pass - yet know almost nothing.
My husband and I were considering putting our youngest (9th grade) in public school this year. In Missouri, if you want them to graduate they have to enter in 9th grade, or you must have used an accredited curriculum in order to receive credit for high school courses done at home if you enroll them past 9th grade. The school required that my son be "tested" by them, to which my husband took great exception. So he scheduled a meeting with the principal and the counselor, and went armed with questions such as:
"Why does he need to be tested if all ninth graders are required to take the same courses? "
"What is the purpose of the test?"
"Who sees the results? "
"How exactly are the results used?"
Amazingly, they did not have the answers to those questions, other than to say that they wanted to "ensure that my son would succeed." My husband replied, "That is my job and my son's job." They stared at him with open mouths. I'm not sure if they have ever had a parent tell them that before.
As far as the testing, since they had no real quantitative reasons that they could articulate, they said that they would waive it and would accept my son's 8th grade Iowa test scores. In the end, we decided to keep him home, but the whole process was enlightning.
My sons have a good friend who attends this school (senior) and when I spoke with him the other day he told me he was taking some "honors" classes...but then added that he hadn't even had any homework yet (he said that the class discussions are very rigorous though!). No homework in honors classes? Really? This school gets out at 2:30...
Maybe student apathy has just caused the teachers to give up on really trying to challenge them.
Kirsten
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The best dessert with chili is brownies! :001_smile:
Now I want to make chili....
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Thanks, Nan, this is great! My youngest wants to be a meterologist, so we are very "into" weather. We have a laminated chart that we track hurricanes on, but this would allow us to use a separate sheet for each new hurricane and keep a running log of the entire season.
Thanks so much for sharing this. :-)
Kirsten
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I just signed my son up for the this:
http://www.landryacademy.com/lab-intensives.htm
If there is one scheduled for your area, you can get the labs done in two days! We haven't done it yet, though, so I can't give an opinion yet.
Kirsten
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It is likely keratosis pilaris
Thanks for the link...what a great resource! That looks exactly like what my son has! I noticed it said it is hereditary; my son is the first one in my family or my husbands to have this, although my side does tend to have dry skin and cracked fingers/heals in the winter...
Thanks everyone for the product recommendations...I will definitely try them. It doesn't seem to bother him, but the looks of it is driving me crazy, like I need to do something about it! I give my kids a supplement of EFA's from Swanson...maybe I need to double him up for awhile? Change brands?
Okay, I feel equipped to give this a try...thanks so much for the help!
Kirsten
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My 14 yr old DS has had these tiny bumps on the top parts of his arms for about 6 months now...they look like acne, but they don't do anything; they don't look infected or anything like that. What can be causing this, and what can I do about it? It seems to me that they have gotten more numerous lately, and he has even gotten a few down on his forearms. I don't believe it is a rash or an allergic reaction to anything...
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Kirsten
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Here are a few you could check out of a library or possible buy cheaply.
A Short Guide to Writing About Literature by Barnet I liked the analysis of the student essays in this one. (I have the 10th edition, but I think I checked out an older edition from the library and liked it as well)
Writing about Literature by Roberts I liked the organization of this one, but I didn't think the student writing examples were very good.
Kendall
Thanks so much, Kendall! I will definitely check these out!
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(Sorry, I don't know how to do the multiple quotes)
Windows to the World!!! It teaches literary analysis and has you write several essays. If you buy the co-op lesson plans for $5 there are lesson plans for additional essays and novels to beef it up.
I was thinking about using this...sounds like it is worth the investment!
probably post this link too much, but I like what MCT says about writing on literature on the *last* page here:
http://www.rfwp.com/samples/about-research-papers.pdf
Loved this...thanks so much! I printed that out to keep in my file.
Thanks, Candid. I have the WTM...I need to go back and review it now and again. Do all of you use The Well Educated Mind as well?
Kirsten
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Anyone have a good book recommendation that would help my 16 DS learn to write good literary responses to literature? I was looking at some on Amazon, but many don't have reviews so it is hard to know if they would be helpful or not. I am hoping the hive will have some first-hand recommendations!
Thanks!
Kirsten
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He spent about 1 to 1.5 hours a day, between the novel reading, the chapter notes, and the journaling. It was a doable amount of work. I also added in some Sparknotes books for a few of the novels. He did not always journal though (he was not much into that!) and he did not do all of the essay writing assignments. There is a book included in the program that works on vocabulary (Word Power Made Easy), and a poetry book called Sound and Sense. I think the book selections are awesome, and give the kids a lot of material to work from to do their AP essays.
I'm not sure if he ever said which study guide he liked better...he did this two years ago as a junior, so I don't remember. He's gone off to school now in Alabama, but I can ask him next time we talk. I went back to the shelf to flip through the guides after you asked the question, and realized I had also bought him another McGraw Hill book called 5 Steps to a 5 Writing the AP English Essay by Murphy and Rankin. As I recall, he spent a good bit of time with that book as well. I highly recommend getting it!
xpost - meaty problems to supplement Foersters Alg I
in High School and Self-Education Board
Posted
Have you tried the Alcumus problems from the AoPS website? You can do as few or as many as you like.
Kirsten