Sometimes average achievements are extraordinary feats... (And sometimes even average achievements are beyond reach...)

I find it interesting that in a time when athletes, politicians, actors, and others make so much, our culture sometimes seems to be very concerned about paying too much for the people we entrust to teach our children. Shouldn't we be more concerned that they are adequately compensated, which will prompt competition and attract the best to the profession, thus increasing teaching standards and effectiveness?

Just to clarify for those new to testing... Some tests penalize for incorrect answers. You wouldn't want to randomly guess on those. Different strategies are called for on those tests.

Tech support plays a role as well. Solid, dependable online classes don't just magically happen. I know it's all relative, but I think the prices are quite good. There are plenty of free options. One can always try those first. Keep in mind though, that many of those are only free to the user. They aren't really free. Hundreds of thousands of dollars may be pouring in from donations. (Khan Academy) Still, it would be a good way to compare what extras are offered for the fees that are charged. Often this will be office hours, grading, updates to parents, recommendations if requested, and higher expectations often resulting in highest motivation of students. I'm not as concerned with how much the teacher is making, I'm usually concerned it's not enough. I think perhaps a more important question to ask is how much the class is worth to my family. In the end that's really what drives most purchase decisions, isn't it?

This is one of those murky areas where semantics can be tricky!

Test prep can be beneficial. Dd has told us stories of children that had to be told during the test to stop circling answers and to bubble them instead. She also has had conversations coming out of tests that made it was clear some students had given no thought to strategy. My dd was surprised to learn that some students didn't have any idea it would be a good idea to quickly guess at the rest of the answers when there was only a minute or so left on the ACT. Pacing is so important on these tests. A practice test or two can give the student an idea about how much time will actually be available. It would be a shame for scores to suffer because the student just didn't know what to expect. Test prep can allow what the student knows (to the extent that it can be shown on these tests) to shine through, as opposed to being caught in a tangled web of testing snares. For some students it can also help alleviate test anxiety.

Sometimes I carry little bags in my Spi belt while I'm walking the dog a couple miles...somehow that doesn't sound nearly as impressive.... :thumbdown: ;) Not a belt, but Skirt Sports skirts have fabulous pockets for phones, keys, and other items in the shorties under the skirt. I don't even need a belt when I'm wearing a Skirt Sports skirt. My favorite pair of running shorts is a skirt! ;)

True! I still think there will always be times handwriting will be beneficial, though. I also think it's one of those things people subconsciously judge. I really wish I had never dropped it from our days...

A second vote for the Spi belt!

I don't have anything to contribute, but a thank you. This thread made me realize I have really been slacking in the handwriting department. I've been lulled into a false sense of security with the computer... Time to change that...

The only video set we have purchased was for Chemistry. For most lectures we prefer audio, which is perfect for commutes. I can't imagine not having them! As to buying now or waiting, it depends on what your needs are and what you would buy instead. You are still getting a great deal even if you use credits. Of course, that's only if you actually use them. Maybe buy one or two to see if they are a good fit.

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: ETA: :party: (for making it through to graduation...it's been a long, hard road) Sometimes life is messy... :grouphug:

Take this for what it's worth, maybe not much ;), but probability is a strong point for my dd as well. I am always so relieved when we get to those sections. My vote would be Foerster first with AoPS as supplement. That's my "if I could do it all over" plan. Which, unfortunately, I can't. ;)

Not the same scenario, but dd gets confusional migraines. The muddled thinking can last days.... It's so scary not knowing if and when it will get better... :grouphug: :grouphug: Thinking of you...

Well said. If anyone is unsure of personal ability to navigate through claims, The Baloney Detection Kit might be a good place to start. http://shop.skeptic.com/merchant.mvc?&Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SS&Product_Code=b075PB The site also has books, as well as Skeptic Magazine. The magazine is unique in that it has a Junior Skeptic section in the back, so it's good for a range of levels. The Great Courses has a fantastic lecture series: Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills. It's also available on Audible. My daughter was 12/13 when she listened to it, but probably would have been fine listening to it at an even younger age. There's a balance between promoting respect for science and scientists, while at the same time dispensing of the notion that P-h-D = g-o-d. They both have three letters and end with d. That's where the similarities end. Question, question, question. Everything and everyone.

Another thought came to mind... Have an atmosphere of open questioning. Allow, and even promote, doubt. This can be tough because it involves opening your parenting to scrutiny. Yet, if we don't allow a child's first authority to be questioned, it could make it difficult for questioning authority and status quo later on. And what is science if not scrutizing the status quo and asking tough questions? Allowing ourselves to be challenged and calmly defending our actions with rational explanations or admitting and correcting our mistakes can be tough. It's an important lesson, though. For them and for us.

To get the debate going, I'll vote chemistry. ;) Chemistry held my daughter back in a way physics never did. I don't ever recall her saying, "I don't know enough physics to understand this." That was not the case with chemistry. She clearly needed to know more ASAP. That's probably because of her interests, though. I do agree that it partly depends on the math status.

Halcyon, I just wanted to thank you for this. Ever since I read your post this phrase has become a mantra of sorts. I've been surprised at how many times in two days it's popped into my mind regarding various issues. Thank you.

That's a tough one because so much depends on the children involved and the family dynamics. For example, many families make extensive use of documentaries. My daughter has a low tolerance for them, she would rather read a book or go to a lecture about the topic. So that's what we did. Starting when my dd was very young, we went to talks, nature walks, demos, and whatever else was available locally or on trips. Anytime we travel we look for local science happenings and try to attend. We encouraged dialogue with experts from a young age. Perhaps the earliest times were during trips to the doctor. Everything is mulled over aloud. Any diagnosis, recommendation, or prescription for anyone in the family is researched and discussed. We never shielded her from medical info, but instead involved her in finding information and processing it. From around 2nd grade we started looking for mentors. This can be tricky and take time. Some people love children and have good intentions, but don't have expertise. Others have expertise, but don't have the temperament to work with children. Finding someone with both is invaluable. Finding two or more? Count your blessings and your lucky stars... :wub: I mentioned magazines before. One is a good start. ;) My daughter was obsessed with them. She still is. She loves Mondays because that's when the latest issues of The Week and The Economist usually arrive. ;) Just be sure the content is not mainly advertisements and fluff. Quality matters, even from a young age. I also tried to make sure I never let her get too comfortable in any level of magazine. When they became on level or too easy, it was time to move on. I did try to let her keep one comfy one at each level increase until she was somewhat secure in the new level. Commutes have always involved all sorts of conversations, audiobooks, or lectures. Most of the time these revolve around science or critical thinking. (Partly because that's just how we are as a family. Both dh and I have science degrees.) We've fallen into a pattern: the drive to somewhere is used for lectures or discussions, the way home is for quiet reflection unless conversation seems appropriate. When she was little, though, it was talking or listening to audiobooks all the time. And, of course, there are books, books, books everywhere. For her and for me. There truly is no quick fix or shortcut to scientific literacy. It's a lifelong endeavor.

I agree that scientific literacy and critical thinking both need to happen. Ideally both are started from a young age and studied formally. That doesn't mean they need to be school subjects for credit, but it does mean they need to happen in an conscientious manner, not just left to whims. Magazines have been part of the process for us. Starting in the early years with various Cricket Magazines and progressing through the years to more difficult magazines and journals. Being able to read advanced articles is a long term developmental progression. It doesn't just happen. By high school, I think the goal should be much more than one article a month. One way for this to happen is to start young and make it a part of the family culture.

Definitely look into astronomy clubs! Star parties are a great way to meet physics minded friends. Keep us posted!

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

What edition of the workbook did you buy?

Audio books definitely have their place, but they don't replace reading aloud. The student needs to be doing some of the reading aloud to gain the full benefits.

We're still doing read alouds, with no plans to stop. They are no longer every day, though. Usually 2 or 3 times a week, depending on our schedule. One of our current long term (over several years) read alouds is Doubt: A History (The Great Doubters and their Legacy of Innovation from Socrates and Jesus to Thomas Jefferson and Emily Dickinson.) We also have books we are both reading, but we aren't reading aloud together straight through. We read aloud passages to discuss or that strike us for one reason or another. We are doing that with Don Quixote. We also used that approach for Machiavelli's The Prince. With the decreased time spent on read alouds, it's sometimes hard to make progress through complex books. It can also be hard to start and stop and only visit the book a couple times a week. Doubt has been a good read aloud to dip into whenever we have time. Other books work much better with the other method of reading on our own, but reading aloud select passages and discussing 2 or 3 times a week. We also read poetry aloud. Again, not everyday, but when we can. Ideally 2 or 3 times a week, at least. Reading aloud continues to be one of my favorite parts of homeschooling.