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yvonne

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Everything posted by yvonne

  1. Yes, I'd be very interested in your Eng 3 experience, cin! Thanks for your feedback, mamamoose. All my experiences with TPS Eng & French prior to this class have been very positive. In fact, TPS's high school Eng classes were the best I found from the many providers we used. My dd did take an MPOA English class in 7th or 8th. It was ok. The instructor was very good (Roemer). My dd enjoyed the class and I think her writing improved. For high school, I prefer lit-based Eng classes, with a strong writing component based on the works read and with grammar only addressed in the context of the student's writing. MPOA's comp approach is intriguing to me, and I think it would probably work, but it was just too different/too big a leap of faith for me to try it with my kids.
  2. Thanks for your feedback. The two "textbooks" are the ones by R. Frederick, "Grammar the Write Way" and "Making Connections,"for which they charge $40 each, for electronic-only versions. I finally had MC printed out because I cannot stand having my student on a computer screen so much. I didn't print out GtWW because Office Depot quoted me something over $50 if I printed color & with all the color coding stuff in the text, I knew we would need the color. TPS Eng 1 & 2 courses used to be so good. I'm really sad to see TPS Eng 1 & 2 courses shifting to "textbook"-based instruction. If I wanted textbook type/caliber instruction, I would do it myself. When I pay to outsource, I'm looking for quality, live instruction by quality instructors, not for someone to simply regurgitate a textbook at my student. I'm looking for LESS dependence on online texts, not more, and certainly not complete dependence on online sources for the teaching. My dd took the Journey into Narnia class w/ RA Frederick. It was a great class. Smooth, organized, a good balance of lit & writing. This new Eng. 2 course is nowhere near the same caliber. I just hope the Eng 3 classes have been left alone. I'll probably contact Ms. Frederick after the class is over and grades have been submitted because I know she has the best intentions. I think perhaps she's been doing this for so long that she doesn't realize that handing HER program to other teachers doesn't necessarily translate well, and that, in fact, it can hobble teachers who would otherwise be good teachers by imposing an outside curriculum and approach on them.
  3. We used TPS's English 3-6 courses for high school for my children who are now all in college. They were excellent. Solid, quality literature discussions and solid writing expectations and feedback. My youngest also used TPS's Eng 1: Narnia course. That was also excellent, with good, weekly writing requirements. All the instructors my children had were fantastic. My children could write excellent lit papers by the time they graduated. I've recommended TPS's Eng courses all over the place to many folks looking for truly high caliber, online Eng courses for middle & high schoolers. This year I have a 7th grader using TPS's Eng. 2 course and I am utterly disappointed with it. They are trying to move to a "textbook" written by one of their very good teachers, but the quality of her teaching is not translating at all. I really hate when online providers try to force all their teachers into one mold. Just because something works for one teacher does not mean ALL teachers can replicate that same success. Hire great teachers, tell them what texts and skills you want them to cover, and then leave.them.alone! I am also dismayed at how much time online the kids have to spend reading two very pricey (2 x $40), beta-version texts AND entire works like the play, The Importance of Being Earnest. It's ridiculous. The kids should be reading hard copies and learning to annotate them! Especially junior high students! Is anyone else using TPS's Eng 1/2 courses? Are you having a similar experience? I cannot imagine recommending these classes any more. I hope TPS hasn't changed its Eng 3+ high school courses.
  4. Has anyone tried the online ToG dialectic history classes? I'd love any feedback you might have, as well as a better idea of how exactly those classes work. Thank you!
  5. Thank you so much! That is very helpful! I do plan to supplement with additional lit, just because I love lit and my niece is a big reader. I'm going to have her do the placement test and see how it goes.
  6. Hi, I'll be homeschooling my rising 7th grade niece this coming year. My own children took several high school level TPS Eng courses and I was happy with all of them. I'm bummed that they don't have the Journey into Narnia class that my dd did in 7th, but perhaps one of the other Eng. 1 courses would work. I already do Rod & Staff grammar with my niece, and will be doing R&S 7 this year with her, so I'm looking for minimal grammar in a TPS Eng course. If anyone has had a student take the TPS English 1 Lit & Comp Journeys & Quests or Unlikely Heroes courses, or if anyone's student has had Pamela Holben as a teacher at TPS, I would very much appreciate any feedback on the classes/teachers. Thank you!
  7. Is there any downside to taking "Conceptual Physics" using Hewitt's text for a bright 11th grader who hopes to go to a good 4-year college/university? She took "Honors Bio" in 9th and Chemistry in 10th. My daughter took it in 9th grade concurrently with algebra 1 because she is so not mathy. (She loved the conceptual physics course & instructor, though!) My sons took AP Physics in 12th with AP Calc. Are those the two choices nowadays--conceptual or AP? Or, is there something between conceptual and AP levels for physics? I've tried my usual online searches to see what some top private college prep schools in CA are using for physics, but it looks like the ones I usually check are using online resources rather than a text. Thoughts? Thanks so much, in advance!
  8. Thank you, everyone, for weighing in on my question! There are various underlying issues with the young man that are being addressed. My question is solely about whether there would be any long term ramifications for him of having a GED. Ie, assuming he is able to get through the other, emotional issues and get back on track, will he regret having gotten a GED? Arcadia, I hadn't looked into the CHESPE/CA College Promise info, but will pass that along to my friend. Thank you!
  9. That is crazy! Talk about being chained to a checklist! I wonder if you had gone up the ladder enough, until you reached someone who had graduated with a 4-year degree (ie, someone who would have known that a high school degree/GED was required for college admission), if it would have made a difference. But that's an interesting data point! Thanks for posting!
  10. Thanks for your bil's story! It sounds like he really turned his life path around! I'm hoping my friend's son is able to do the same because it's not looking very bright right now. Not a drug issue for him, as far as my friend knows, but he's wrestling with other problems. That is interesting about Amazon requiring proof of your high school diploma (or GED) despite the fact that you had a BS! Wouldn't one HAVE to have a high school diploma to get a 4-year college degree?? I don't think I could even find my HS diploma anymore! What did you give them?
  11. I know the general consensus is that we should give our homeschooled high school graduates a diploma, and I agree because I like to make sure I haven't closed any doors or knowingly omitted doing anything that could possibly affect my kids later. But, I was wondering..... have you or any of your homeschooled kids ever been asked about, or for, their high school diploma after they graduated from college? Is a high school diploma, or GED, ever seen, or come up, after those college apps are in? Thanks! Yvonne
  12. Asking for a friend whose senior year son is has been at a small private school for 11th & 12th. It's not a high end private school, so they don't have any real college advisors like other private schools might. Her son is failing two of five classes this year. He had a similar record last year. He won't read the books assigned for English, claiming he can just read summaries. He won't do most of the work for his English class. He's very bright, but stubborn and angry. I don't know what's behind the anger. He chose to continue with a second year at this private school when he could have returned to public school. I know.... the big issue here is the anger and attitude, but life goes on and while they're working on that, they need to figure out what to do about school. Early on, in middle school through maybe 9th grade, he had wanted to go on to a top 4-year college, but that's obviously not happening now. My friend mentioned today that she's advising him to take the GED and go to community college for a year or two while working. Given that he will probably fail 2 of 5 classes because he is not willing to do the work, I guess getting a GED might be the only way forward? I know a GED is a distinct disadvantage if one plans to go into one of the services, but he has a physical condition that rules that out anyhow. Are there other disadvantages to having a GED? I know it is generally considered to be for kids who've had problems, which he has. But does a GED limit a person besides as far as the services? Thanks! Insert other media
  13. Here's a cool website where you can click on Econ or Gov or.... and see which colleges require each of those from high school applicants. No idea how accurate it is, but maybe a starting point! https://www.whatwilltheylearn.com/
  14. I don't think so. IIRC, my sons just self-reported. We didn't send AP scores until they'd decided which school they were going to attend. Then we sent all AP scores to that school.
  15. I guess the only reason I'd rather delete than cancel is that cancelling involves sending in a hard copy form & who knows how long that will take. I wanted to try to delete asap so I could send the other scores to the college she really wants to attend. And I know AP scores are self-reported on apps and that the student doesn't have to send official score reports until after acceptance, if then, but we'd still like to send her other AP scores to this one college now. 🙂
  16. I'm almost sure it used to be possible to delete an AP score, but now I only see options to withhold or cancel a score. My dd took an AP as a 9th grader (got a 3). Retook the same AP this past May as an 11th grader and got a 5. No additional study or official "AP" class in that subject, so no new "AP X" course on her transcript. I'd rather delete than withhold the earlier score. Is it still possible to delete an AP score?
  17. Thank you, all, so very much for taking the time to offer suggestions! 💜 The more I think about it, the right thing to do is drop AP Bio. My dd is simply impossibly over-booked between her academic classes and debate and at the very edge, emotionally. The obstacle, for me, is the potential impact on college admissions to dropping it at this point. 😞 Lanny, you are right about needing to work on time-management. It should have been clear early on that there was an issue, but she's been used to being able to pull out all the stops and get assignments done if necessary. Obviously that sort of approach is only good for occasional use, not on a constant basis. I do think that this is a situation where there is objectively too much work to do in the time available and the longer it's gone on, the more backlogged she's gotten. 😞 I should have seen it. (Also, she's applying EA, not ED, bec. we're hoping for merit aid. And there is one college that she's wanted to attend since she sat in on classes there during a 10th grade visit, but she's applying to two others, EA, just in case. If none come through, she'll be scrambling over Christmas break to do other apps.) MadTeaParty, thank you, thank you, 💜 for pointing out that the GB class is, indeed, worth more than one credit because it is SO time intensive, with all the heavy reading and all the writing. I've only ever listed my kids' GB classes as one credit because I think that's probably how a private school would do it, but I should have been more careful about factoring that in to her load this year. And my DD actually enjoys the GB class & doesn't want to drop it. Regarding dropping to a regular bio class.... She's already taken the lower level bio at the CC. Hm. That's another idea..... drop AP Bio (which she's doing at the hybrid & which is a tough class) and take whatever the next level Bio class is at the CC. We've found that the CC courses are much easier than the hybrid's courses, so, theoretically, that would reduce the workload, but allow her to keep a Bio class on her transcript. I'll have to look into that. Regarding the transcript... I have already submitted it, so no way to pull it back and delete the course. 😞 So the question becomes.... IIRC, there is both an "optional report" and a "final report" upload option. Should I upload a modified transcript with a "W" instead of "IP" for AP Bio NOW, so colleges don't think we tried to hide dropping the course? And then the 1st semester grades as the "final report"? And my second question: The college that she really wants to attend accepts either the Common App or their own App process. Theoretically, I could change AP Bio from "IP" to "W" on the transcript and she could submit that transcript through the college's own app process. Would that be better?
  18. Thank you for your suggestions. I think a W is probably the way to go. I wonder if I should let the colleges know now? Or wait until the mid-year report? The MY report won't be ready until end of January because two of her classes don't finish the first semester until mid-Jan. Will the colleges think I "hid" the W until after she'd applied? What's the most honest way to go about telling them? She can't drop her other Eng assignments, because it's an online class. 😞
  19. All, I'm not sure what to do to help my dd. She's a senior, just turned 17, and in the midst of college app season. She's taking 5 courses -- Eng, PreCalc, Great Books (for history), AP Bio, AP French-- and she does debate, which also takes a big chunk of time. She's overwhelmed and can't keep all the balls in the air. She's starting to miss assignments and she still hasn't finished the essays for the ONE college she wants to attend. We'd like to get that app in by this Friday, 11/15, so she'll find out by mid-Dec. if she's accepted. If she's accepted there, she won't have to write any more applications and that would reduce the load. Ideally, she would drop AP Biology. She already has Bio, Chem, and Physics (algebra-based) on her transcript, so a fourth science isn't absolutely critical. However, I have already submitted my part of the Common App, which includes the transcript with her current courses and course descriptions. Is there any way to pull that transcript (and course description document) off the Common App, remove AP Bio, and put up a transcript without the AP Bio? If not, is there any possible way to drop AP Bio without affecting her chance for admission to colleges? Could I just list a "W" on the midyear report when I submit it with the 1st semester grades? I suppose I'd have to explain why she withdrew when I submit the mid-year report. Should we let the one college she wants to attend know that she dropped the class just after I submitted the transcript? Help! What can I do? Thank you for any ideas/suggestions!
  20. I was thinking about that for my dd, but I was afraid she might end up applying to some college that required it. I don't have a good sense of how many colleges actually require it, so I had her do it. I thought I'd heard that some colleges are using graded essays that the student has done instead of requiring the SAT essay. That makes much more sense to me. It would be a much more accurate sample of the best writing the student is capable of doing. Haven't heard much about it the past year, but I haven't been paying as much attention to this stuff as I did when my oldest were in 11th & 12th grade.
  21. It's crazy, isn't it?? Makes me wonder how useful terms like "honors" or "accelerated" or even "college level" (coming from a high school) can possibly be. I guess if there are 20 students applying from the same school, it might help to distinguish between them. Or, if the admissions folks have had experience with a school, they'd have a sense of what those terms mean _for that school_.
  22. I can see why. For me, it's the idea that CB is using the kids as guinea pigs. That's fine, if it's the last test of the day and will have no impact on the kids. But, when it's just.another.thing in an already stressful morning and then they have to do something that _does_ affect them..... AND I have to pay for all these tests, so obviously I want them to do as well as they can... Just seems stupid that they don't have the kids who are only doing the SAT R&W, not the essay, do the guinea pig sections. I'm just grumpy. 🙂 My boys only hit guinea pig sections when they were done testing & that was totally fine.
  23. I did what Corraleno did for my two oldest and included both unweighted and weighted gpas on their transcripts. Also used +0.5 for "honors" classes, using the same metrics as she did, and +1.0 for AP/DE. It seemed to work out well. I figured if it mattered to anyone what the weighted GPA was, it was right there. They could look at it, ignore it, or recalculate it, if they wanted. I'm terrible about second guessing/worrying myself to death, so including both gpas on the transcript took care of that!
  24. My dd hit the same thing.... unexpected section on the SAT before doing the essay. I knew about the extra, supposedly ungraded guinea pig section, but I was pretty angry that they would have students who were also doing the essay do it. My dd said she was pretty wiped out after that section bec. the questions were harder, she thought. Her essay score came back pretty low considering she had a 5 on her AP Eng exam and her SAT Eng score was nearly perfect. 😞
  25. For sure. There really can't be much difference between the editions. If your local schools use the same texts, you might be able to find them used on craigslist or from local hs groups. I bought my dd a used text.
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