Wow! Thanks for the great advice! I do remember that Saxon taught in a strange (unique?) sequence for math. I wasn't sure if this was the case for Physics. Bummer. I'll check out the other options.

Hello all! I have a rising junior I'm trying to prepare for calc-based physics in 12th at the Community college. The professor for Alg-based physics at the cc didn't get good reviews by past students, so I'm planning to teach it at home through the year. This would be his first physics course. He has other tough courses at the cc this year (including calc 1 and college chem 2) so I'm not being naive. I know that "Mom's" physics at home would feel like a low priority for him. It's just the reality. :-( I'm looking for a course that will be good preparation and also will GET DONE. Here are the 2 I'm looking at: 1. Saxon/Dive: PROS: We're familiar with Saxon. We completed the math sequence up through 1/2 of Advanced math in middle school. I also have all the books!!! I don't remember where I picked them up, but somewhere along the line someone gave me the whole set! I would have to purchase the DIVE videos but they're not too pricey. I feel that Saxon is a strong program that would prepare him well. CONS: There's nothing keeping us on pace. This makes it easy to "fall off the wagon" and put other priorities ahead of physics. In other words, I'm not sure it would "get done". 2. Derek Owens: PROS: This program has structure to it. Videos that he would watch, homework that he would "turn in" to be "graded" and returned. Tests to take and turn in. With me, he would likely want to do only the odds! Ugh. DS might be annoyed by this "extra pressure" but I think it would help in the "get done" column. CONS: The program has a monthly fee ($58) which isn't a big deal but still. Saxon would cost $60 total (for the dive videos). Also, I'm not familiar with Derek Owens programs so I don't know about how well prepared he would be. Does anyone have feedback here? Also open to other suggestions.... Thanks, Brett

In trying to complete the FAFSA application for the first time, I've run up on a question concerning "parent assets" that I'm not sure how to think about. I'm hoping that someone here might have some insight/advice. Sorry this is a bit detailed. Here's the background: My husband's grandmother set up a trust before she passed (many years ago) which contains her home on the coast of Maine and a couple of mutual funds which are used to pay expenses and taxes each year on the home. The trust established 3 heirs (or beneficiaries) which were her children. One of her "children" was my husband's father. When he passed away about 10 years ago, his 1/3 was passed to my husband and another sibling. So....my husband now has 1/6th share. The trust is in the name of the grandmother but every year when mutual funds are sold to pay taxes, 1/6th of the capital gains distributions/income, is added to our (my husband and myself) tax return because my husband is now a beneficiary. Usually it's a couple of thousand dollars. So, my question is this: do we need to include 1/6 of the value of the house and 1/6 of the value of the mutual funds as "parent assets" on the FAFSA? I've asked a financial advisor and my CPA and got somewhat conflicting answers. I know that trusts are often misused and are therefore treated with some suspicion, but this isn't something we set up to "hide" assets. It's been in my husband's family for many years. The rules on the fafsa website say it is "straightforward" about who should claim a assets in a trust. However, in our case they seem contradictory. One rule says: If the trust is in the name of the parent, spouse or student they should be included (the trust is not in his name, but he is now a beneficiary) . Another rule says: whoever pays the taxes is the owner of the trust. As far as the house is concerned, the trust itself pays the taxes (property taxes, etc...). But my husband (as a "beneficiary") does seem to have to pay capital gains on the mutual funds. So now I'm confused. Adding extra assets will, I assume, make it less likely for our daughter to qualify for aid and could drive up our EFC, correct? The assets in this trust are not something we (my husband and I) can "sell" or "use" to pay for college. There are lot of other family members involved. I want to try to do this correctly and count the things we're supposed to count, but I don't want to add assets needlessly. I'm just not sure. Any thoughts?

We had the exact same situation with my DS15 this past school year. He was scheduled to take his first CC/DE course, College Algebra, in the spring and I was terrified that he would struggle and get a bad grade (which would be on his college transcript permanently! College Algebra is pretty equivalent to an Alg 2 Honors highschool course.) So...to prepare him for the class I signed him up for Mr. D online Alg 2 and he worked on it through the fall semester and into mid-January (when his college class started). He didn't finish but got more than halfway through the course. He was completely prepared for College Algebra! He got a high A and felt very confident. I'd recommend this prep strategy. I'm having my daughter do the same thing to prepare for Calc 2 next fall. She'll work on the Thinkwell's online calc program through the summer.

What age/grade level was your daughter when she did this course with you?

Not so much advice, but I can tell you our experience with Saxon. We didn't start as early as you did, but my son has used Saxon Alg 1 (7th) and Alg 2 (8th). During 8th, he also took a geometry class at our homeschool charter. FIrst off, I can say that math does not come easily to him but he has learned a great deal from Saxon. It seems to work for him. He tolerates Saxon's ultra-spiral approach. That being said, after 2 years it has become tedious. He wonders if he would be able to do problems that aren't taught in the exact Saxon-style and the exact Saxon-wording (frankly, I wonder this, too) Also, it takes him forever to do the problems. He complains ALOT about that. This year my plan is to start Saxon Advanced math and have him not do the Geometry (as he already took a Geometry class). I'm not sure if this is considered a "correct" use of the text though. I'm also considering switching to Derek Owens and doing Alg 2 (H) because to be honest many of the topics covered in modern Alg 2 - honors classes are not covered in Saxon alg 2 (logs, matrixes, synthetic division, an emphasis on functions, etc...). I suppose all (or most) of these are covered in AdvMath, but they're scattered throughout the book and he might not even get to them this year as many people need more than a year to cover AdvMath. It's a bit of a struggle. I like Saxon. It works for him. He tolerates the spiral approach. He gets annoyed that the questions take so long but I feel it's giving him a strong foundation.

What grade level do you feel these courses are appropriate for? I have a rising 9th grader (14/15) who's a computer-y kid, but he's never taken a formal CS course. Would you recommend to start at Intro to CS or AP CS as a first class? Not sure if Intro could be "easy" but AP too hard, kwim? Also, do these courses have a weekly online "meeting" with a teacher? or are they self-study?

Yes, the school does offer "shadow days". I asked him back in January if he wanted to do a shadow day and he said that he didn't really want to. BUT...like I mentioned, this wanting to try full-time HS has been fairly recent...just the past 2 months or so. If he were to homeschool for 9th, I would have him do the shadow day in the fall. As a side note, the two schools I'm referring to (the homeschool charter and the full time public charter) are related schools in the same school district. The homeschool charter is an off-shoot of the full-time program, but is only one full day per week for home-schooled kids only. The two programs share the same career counselor (both offer and pay for CE at the local community college) and work together to collaborate. They do allow kids to transfer in for 10th (on a lottery system if space is available). He would have an advantage as he has a sibling in the school. I'd have to check on the credit transfer, but I believe it would. He would have to make up any elective classes that freshman take which are required for graduation, but because of the semester block scheduling, that wouldn't be too hard. Socially, I'm torn. What he really wants is a friend group and I can't blame him for that. I suppose I could plan to put off work for at least 6 months to see how things go if he chooses (and gets a spot) at the full time school.... Thanks again for all your suggestions.... ?

Thank you all for your kind responses. He says he's fine with homeschooling for 9th, but he'd plan (for now) to go to the public charter starting in 10th. (I'd have to ask about the transferring credits thing). I feel like if he could just develop a couple of friendships at the homeschool program, he'd probably change his mind and want to stay. Like I said, he's always wanted to homeschool. It wasn't until very recently that he's started to wonder more about public school. Anyway, I just can't decide if I want our homeschool time to end and have him gone all the time. School 8:00 - 3:30pm & XC 4:00 - 5:30pm means both kids are gone all day. That's not the lifestyle I wanted when I started homeschooling. I know DD is happy, gets good grades, holds down a good part-time job, has lots of friends, etc.... BUT I literally barely see her, and she's only 16. I'm sure that's typical with public schooled families, especially ones with kids in sports too, but I homeschooled because I didn't want that! I want my son to be happy too...but I want to be part of his life. Maybe I'm selfish... ? I'm torn, but I'm leaning toward letting him make the decision.

Thank you. Got it. ?

Hi All, I've reached a kind of a crossroads and could use advice from homeschoolers (or those who have gone another direction). DS(14) has always been homeschooled (except for K) and has never shown an interest in public school. But recently, as 8th grade is ending, he has started to express an interest in attending the same small public charter school as his older sister. It's a school with a focus on college prep. She's on the "honors track" and takes AP and CE courses (NHS, etc...). She's making friends with other kids who are academically-focused. He's seeing her success both socially and academically there. I think it's making him feel like maybe that's a better route to go. He currently goes to (and has for many years) a 1-day a week homeschool program and while he has a lot "acquaintances" there, he has no real friend group (kids to hang out with outside of school or study with) and I think for the first time in his life, it's bothering him. He's too old for me to choose (or even "help" him choose) his friends and his friend group is shrinking as he's not naturally social, like his sister. I know the social aspect can go either way when it comes to public school, but I feel like by homeschooling him, I'm depriving him of having friends, kwim. I don't want a sullen and increasingly lonely teenage boy. That's the social aspect. There's also the academic aspect. His current program offers no "honors" classes or AP. We spoke about homeschooling for 9th and looking into transferring to her school if he wants for 10th but even if he gets straight A's he would have a 4.0, but, seriously, that's not even considered a good GPA anymore when peers are taking honors (4.5) and college courses (5.0). Many, many kids there have well over 4.0. If he were to go to the charter, he would (likely) be put on the honors track, too. It feels like if you do 9th homeschooling, it's best to be able to commit to it through highschool. That's a problem here. Especially now that he's asking to try public school. I'm torn. He's my last kiddo. I've been homeschooling for 12 years. I really love homeschooling but with no students I'd feel like I should go back into the workforce. I can't stay home all day when they're gone from 7am to 6pm (both want to run XC afterschool). At the same time, I don't want to make this decision based on what I want. It should be best for him and his needs. I'm just sad because he's always wanted to homeschool (my daughter always wanted to go to PS, even though I homeschooled her through middle). Any advice? Has anyone else had a similar situation? sorry so long

Sebastian - Can you explain what you mean about "justification for schools not offering AP European History"? I'm not sure I'm following....

Thank you for your replies. Perhaps he would be interested in the Java/AP course. I'll show him the two syllabi let let him choose. I tried to e-mail the company twice, but both messages got bounced back.

I'd like my son to take a Computer Science (perhaps with Edhesive next fall). For those with Edhesive experience, would you recommend taking the Intro Class first, before the AP? I have a rising 9th grader who is computer-oriented but has never taken an AP course. Perhaps start slow with the Intro class? or Jump right in to AP? Brett

I'm using what I believe must be an older version on AoPS Algebra. When I used this version a few years back with my daughter there were short online videos for each lesson. Now, the videos on the website don't match up. Chapter 1 of MY version is as follows: 1.1 Numbers 1.2 Operations 1.3 When Does Order Matter? 1.4 Distributing and Factoring 1.5 Equations 1.6 Summary Does anyone know if THESE videos are still posted anywhere? It would be a great help to find them...if they still exist.

My 8th grader is a decent speller but she doesn't know the "rules" because we never formally did a spelling program. She's asking to do one this year. I've done spelling with my younger son using AAS but we started with Level 1 when he was in 2nd grade. This year, he's doing Level 5. I can't really see starting my daughter on the early levels of AAS as it's a early elementary level! Even starting her on Level 5 seems babyish for her. Workbooks are okay, but my concern is that a workbook alone might have poor retention. Any suggestions on spelling for her? She's an older 8th grader (almost 14).

Thanks for posting this. But when I try this link and access code, I only seem to be able to download the front cover (1 page) of the textbook from the site. I'm opening it in Firefox and I have Acrobat, but nothing clicks on the page. There's no access to the inside of the book (that I can find)... Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Thanks! Brett

The K12 books can be found on amazon (mostly for 1 cent + shipping, used). You would search under "shakespeare for young people". Here's the link to the Julius Caesar one: http://www.amazon.com/Shakespeare-Young-People-Julius-Caesar/dp/0767508297/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431549706&sr=8-1&keywords=shakespeare+for+young+people The others are listed, too.

That's what I was looking to know! Thank you for your reply! :001_smile:

I have a copy of SOTW4 along with its Activity guide. I'd like to start teaching my ds10 outlining and notice that SWB has the kids outlining throughout this level starting at Lesson 1. Is this where she introduces outlining, or is it started in an earlier level? If so, which one? I don't have the guides for any other book so I though I'd ask you all. I'm also open to other suggestions to teach outlining... thanks for your help.

We also skipped them.

I used Homeschool in the Woods (Time Travelers) Renaissance & Reformation for the same age grouping at our co-op. It works great!

My daughter is finishing up VT Algebra soon. She's done pretty well with it so I was thinking of continuing on to VT Geometry. I haven't found many user reviews of VT Geometry so I'm not sure what to think. Have any of you used it? If so, what was your experience with it? It seems to not be as popular as their algebra program....just wondering.

We used a Spectrum Grade 7 workbook. It really worked like a charm. And it was cheap! It was this one: http://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Grade-School-Specialty-Publishing/dp/0769637078/ref=sr_1_66?ie=UTF8&qid=1414701622&sr=8-66&keywords=spectrum+grade+7 can't beat the price...one cent.

Has anyone out there used Science Jim's Physics: Mechanics with their middle school age kids? Did your kiddos like it? Learn a lot? I'm thinking of purchasing the bundle of Mechanics and the videos that go along with it through CurrClick. Any thoughts?