:grouphug::grouphug:

I think he might come around. I pulled my then 5th grade son out of public school last year, and at first he didnt want to. Back then I didnt force the issue and actually told him that he had a choice, but that the younger two were definatly homeschooling. After playing up all the cool things we would be doing together, like the field trip, make our own schedule, things that would appeal to him, only known by us, he came to us and said he would like to try it. Maybe ask for his ideas and input but of course the decision is ultimatly yours to make.

My daughter is more like this too, and at being a freshly turned 8 yr old, she would rather be reading an Arthur picture book, but she's able to read the Little House books aloud just fine to me for assigned reading. I let her keep her Junie B books that she has been reading since Kindergarten on her won, but I frequently expose her to other books trying to get her interest. Ive tried Boxcar children to no avail and American Girl books, but she wasnt budging. She finally caught sight of a Ramona the Pest book which she is enjoying and also some Judy Blume books too. The fairy books are likable too. I think its good to let them read what they want for free reading, but to also assign reading that is on their reading level.

We like the free lessons from Mark Kistler... http://www.mkisdraw3d.com/public/p_mmval/ and if you like him enough you can buy a year's subscription for $39.95 instead of the usual $100 price. https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/mark-kistler-online/?c=1

I do not teach LR every day, and sometimes not every week either. We are doing a chapter a month instead of a chapter every two weeks, so its a slow pace. I actually told my son recently that we are going to pick up the pace and get two more chapters done this summer. I think its a great study of Latin words and grammar and it takes about an hour or less to complete a section. I go over the lesson with him and he usually has something he needs to copy and put into his notebook. I allow him to use his book for tests if he needs to. I would like to find a Latin program online for him to do because I dont feel like Im teaching it well enough. Thats why I dont use it as a stand alone program, I just dont feel confident enough, but with the Shurley, I do. It is easily laid out though and a gentle approach to learning Latin, so I still recommend it. We will stick with it for now, but it might help if I bothered to watch the videos, it just never feels like I have time! Heck, we could watch them together!

We use Shurley Grammar 6 along with Latin Road 1. We will have completed half of LR and half of Shurley 6 by the end of 6th grade. I think it has been going well, so we plan on finishing up the 2nd half in seventh grade. According to the WTM book, LR isnt enough and even before I read that, I also thought it needed just a little something else, but couldnt put my finger on what exactly.

I love fries; especially the already seasoned fried from Aldi's. I love pepper on my fries above all else, and salt is ok if it's lightly sprinkled. If it's McDonalds, I like them just the way they are without ketchup. Anyone else's need ketchup though.

:grouphug::grouphug:

We love Rightstart Math so much that I'm also switching my 2nd grader over. It's manipulative based and so fun that sometimes we spend an hour on math, but its because he wants to. Its not colorful, but its teacher scripted, easy to gather materials for and just get it done without figuring out how to teach it. I would say that its great for a child that is mathmatically advanced. You can start with level B instead of A, since the beginning of B is review of A. writing doesnt not have to be mastered in order to do advanced math lessons.

You would just want to add some more books on some subjects to give your child a bit more meat to go with the program. We used it for sixth grade and added extra reading from other books, like Rainbow Science's textbook, library books, The Story of Science, etc. We mostly just read for science and only do occasional experiments when we have time.

Maybe try getting a teacher's manual for your Writing Road to Reading. You could just use the spelling aspect of the program, teaching the rules as you spell the words in order.

It looks good to me...at least you have decided on 7th grade plans. I need to but can't decide on anything for sure. I like a little bit of too many different programs.

I also loved Anna Maria Island! We plan on going back next Feb! These are cut pics by the way.

Tons of hummus!

I really like the story;great job!

Ive found great lawyer advice at www.avvo.com, and if I really needed more than advice, I would go with the lawyer that gives me the most helpful advice. Avvo is a site where people go to anonomously ask for advice and then a bunch of lawyers from that person's area or outside too, then share their advice, hoping to get a lead. I bet it is a good way to get a few clients in.

I would try maybe something more fun...like Rightstart math, if not the lessons, at least the games and cards set. He might like playing with the manipulatives and will be learning at the same time!

I might that missed something here, but may I ask why you have gotten rid of your D'Aulaire books?

We mostly just pick out great books and read them, then discuss on our own, but I felt inclined to buy a lit guide from Total Language Plus at a homeschool seminar recently on Sarah Noble. I like for when I feel like I need some more stuff to do with literature without getting too crazy. It also switches up our Spalding/Phonics Road stuff for when Im lacking energy/time/whatever here and there. I think they are great lit guides.

After pulling my son from public school last year, we found Shurley English to be a good fit for grammar/some writing/vocab. Its also teacher scripted so its easy to get out and do. Also, its very thorough in the grammar dept.

We have not been using an official spelling program for most of 6th grade. We are doing the Latin Road, which helps with spelling, and earlier in the year I went through the Writing Road to Reading with him through the end lessons. After awhile, I realized we were doing enough in Latin Rd and dropped official spelling, although I do a monthly McCrabbs spelling test to see if he needs to work on anything. He is a natural speller also.

We are planning on going bowling on Sunday, on her actual birthday. her cousins will be there and we will have cake and ice cream. We did this last yr too, and she had a blast. I just dont have any presents...I loke the girft card idea;she could pick out her own gift and go out and spend her Sonic giftcard on dinner. I guess money always works too huh?

Awesome idea abt making her own garden! My daughter loves flowers, butterflies, playing in the mud/dirt/water, and the great outdoors. Ill see if we have room perhaps in our postage stamp yard... I know that when we go by the bouquets of flowers at the store she always wants to take some home, which we never do. She has picked out seeds to plant in our yard, but we never did get around to planting them.

Speech went well...it was fun researching the No Child Left Behind Act and also our state information. Thanks everyone for your tips, personal testimony, and help. Here is my outline below. Im not including my powerpoint because I put personal pic on there, but it is described below. It was funny too, because a girl a few speeched ahead of me did her speech on public school vs homeschool, and included benfits such as transportation, meal cooked for the kids, and income gained from parent being at work, and that the No child left behind act would insure that kids wouldnt be left behind. Then I get up there and say how I feel The No chils left behind act isnt working based on my state of MO's numbers/.It was funny! Monroe’s Motivated Sequence and Persuasion Outline Format I. Introduction Attention: A. Attention-Getting Device-(Slide #1 Pic of Duggars) Think abt “homeschoolers†term denim jumpers, 12 kids, etc, surprisingly, (over 2 million homeschoolers, (Home School Legal Defense Association) B. Proposition (Thesis Statement) – Today I want to challenge you to realize there’s an alternative to public school, homeschooling C. Credibility-1st yr homeschooling after ps D. Preview-(Slide #2 homeschooling arm wrestling w/ps schooler from collegehome.com)Today #1 How public schools are failing #2 Alternate choice, home school, #3 Benefits received from homeschooling Transition Statement- need for parental involvement, take charge of child’s education, reclaim responsibility II. Body A. Problem- Main Point #1- How public schools are failing 1. (Slide #3)No Child Left Behind 2001, not working, teach to the test, St Louis schools still cannot pass, losing funding (according to Albert Duncan, Wash Uni of STL Mag) (according to Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) Problem is not money-$8,000+ per pupil a. Large classroom b. Too little individualization c. Lack of real life scenarios, siblings, age segregation, social scene, unlike any situation 2. Lack of parental involvement, washed hands 3. (Slide #4)Academics a. Test scores b. Drop outs(1/3 of nation do not graduate highschool) (According to study by Edu test service written by Paul E. Barton) c. Focus not on school, social scene(1/3 surveyed goof off, 2/3 cheat on test) 40%disengaged(according to Laurence Steinberg, author of Beyond the Classroom) Transition Statement-Too many parents have lost their ability to direct child’s education, overpowering of school culture, peer culture, media driven culture B. Solution- Main Point #2 Home school as alternative solution 1. Allows one on one attention 2. Studies show parents involved equals student success 3. Don’t need degree, anyone can 4. Opposition: Socialization, homeschoolers are involved in more actitivites oftentimes because of more time Transition Statement- student success proven when parent is involved C. Visualization- Main Point #3 – If we home school or after school…the future (Slides 5,6,7 familt pics during schooltime)Personal Testimony 1. family learning, growing 2. sibling interaction 3. choice of curriculum, resources, outsource 4. schedule, no time wasted, xtra activities, fieldtrips 5. time to develop interests yr round schooling option 6. our worldview, goals to children Transition Statement- III. Conclusion A. Summarize-parents need to be #1 source of student support, even if not homeschooling B. Re-state Proposition-You can home school, support groups D. (Slide#8) Bang! Quote Works Cited Barton, Paul E. Educational Testing Service. 26 04 2012 <http://www.ets.org/Media/Research/pdf/PICONETHIRD.pdf>. Duncan, Garret Albert. "Washington University in St Louis Magazine." 2005. 25 04 2012 <http://magazine-archives.wustl.edu/winter05/Viewpoint.htm>. Home School Legal Defense Association. 24 04 2012 <http://www.hslda.org/docs/media/2011/201101140.asp>. Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. 2011. 26 04 2012 <http://mcds.dese.mo.gov/quickfacts/State%20Accountability/2011%20Final%20Annual%20Performance%20Report.pdf>. Steinberg, Laurence. Beyond the Classroom:Why School Reform has Failed and What Parents Need to Do. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1996. These are all just key words and phrases and I talk between them. It took 11 minutes; I went over the 6-8 minutes and could have kept talking!

I need some ideas on what to get my daughter for her 8th birthday. Any ideas? She can't think of anything either, and she seems to have enough Webkins, books, dolls, a camera, decorations, bead kits. Anything cool you can recommend?