So you don't think we really need them? I haven't looked ahead to see how much they are used.. Thanks for your reply :)

Hello all I have had a quick look at the first few lessons in Horizons G6 this morning & see we need decimals flash cards up to the hundred thousandth place. Would anyone know where I can buy something like this? This is our first year using horizons, & the manipulatives are not available in the UK. Thanks!

This all sounds wonderful..I am going to mull your ideas. Thank you for sharing. This is a book on my amazon wishlist: An Illustrated Life It is a book about watercolour sketching. It may possibly bring some inspiration.

Which part? Thanks! P.S. I *really* love your signature :)

This sounds amazing!

Hi Rosie here is some info regarding learning journals: http://www.worcester.ac.uk/studyskills/documents/Learning_Journals_2012.pdf and commonplace books: http://sageparnassus.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/silva-rerum-commonplacing-as-habit_30.html

I am thinking over the idea of using a learning journal with my 12 yo daughter this year. She began a commonplace book last year, and I am thinking this would be an extension of that idea for her. Does anyone else use these? Can you share your ideas for use? Thanks.

bump

Does anyone have a good book about Bloom's Taxonomy to recommend? I would like to read up over summer. Thanks!

Ah, thank you

Hello there Every now & then I can a random email from the blog in a foreign language. I usually just hit delete. Today I hit translate instead ;) This is what I got: Posted: June 25, 2015 9:48 AM PDT If we talk about the house, it will be very interesting when we talk about home with this one type, minimalist type housing is still a trend in the property in addition to presenting a simple concept, the building of this type are not too many eating places so it fits in implementing the urban areas that have a sale value of the land is very expensive. Type 36 Type latest minimalist in this year little has change when compared with a few years ago, in addition to further highlight the impression of a more simple but not eliminate beautiful impression, especially if the wall paint color selection that is used to do some combinations, so it will be more interesting again and comfortable to live in. Is anyone else getting these emails?

I have to say that these are subjects she has expressed interest in...we may / may not end up studying them all. However, it is the norm for children to begin to study for their GCSEs at age 14 for two years, then take the exams all at once. Five - eleven, perhaps twelve different exams is the norm. Very high pressure :(

Not at all! Practicalities most welcome :hurray:

Yes, I agree, that can be problematic. I have friends whose children have taken GCSEs this way the last 3 or 4 years, and each year it is getting better :)

That is really helpful, thank you. If you have anything else to share, please do! I would be particularly interested in how you structured your course. Thanks again.

Ah, yes. I was reading the OP to say that there was an oral component for other exams, such as history & biology.

Yes, she is able to choose her own exams. We have discussed it and she has expressed interest in: Maths Eng lang Eng lit Biology Religious Education Psychology General Science Philosophy History We will take it step by step & see how we go along the way. It is really interesting that you have an oral component to your exams. And I am DEEPLY impressed at all your languages.

I am following your blog, btw :lurk5:

Yes, for the last few years colleges have offered courses, but funding came via LEA so HE kids had to fund themselves. Now funding goes direct to the college, so HE kids do not need to pay!

Me too! yes, we are starting with just one exam this year. Next year she will be working toward RE & psychology (a friend is going to tutor her own daughter, as well as mine) She may do another also next year, depending on how things are going. I think covering the material in a living format is the ideal, but tbh, I am lacking confidence in myself & my own knowledge, so this is where the teaching to the test is coming in... I plan to spend summer researching good living books to go along side the course...hopefully we will be ok :) The answer key for the course book I linked above is online, & having looked at it, I feel really hopeful! I think planning ahead will be such a good thing. I imagine A / AS levels she will go to college for. In fact we have discussed her going to collage at 14 to do a couple of subjects such as maths (this is a new thing here, but colleges are now offering GCSE courses from age 14) some local HE families have accessed them with much success.

No problem! My dd is only 12 yo - this is the first IGCSE we have thought about. She will be 13.5 at the time of the exam. I have ordered this book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Edexcel-IGCSE-Biology-Student-International/dp/043596688X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1435055235&sr=8-3&keywords=igcse+biology There wasn't a whole lot of choice :huh: My ed phil is CM inspired, but we are by no means purists...I am learning on the job so to speak! I found this book last night, & I have ordered it for her to read alongside our studies: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0091812690?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00 I am going to look for other 'living' books for her to read with each area of study in our text book. So my plan is as follows; She will spend about 45 mins 4 days a week, reading through the text book & writing a narration (summary) of what she has read. On Friday mornings, we will meet with the two other girls using the same course to discuss, review, iron out any problems, complete any activities etc. She has time allocated each day for assigned reading, so it looks like a lot of it will be biology related this year. :glare: In January, we will review how we are doing, & if it seems achievable, enter her for the exam at a local exam centre. No idea about the change in '17 ETA: I will also be using ideas from the textbook for memory work during our afternoon time.

To be honest, I don't have a great understanding of all the different US tests. IGCSE. stands for (International) General Certificate Of Secondary Education. They are the exams children in the UK (except Scotland) take at age 16. They begin a two year course of study at 14 for all the different GCSEs they will take, so, maths, English Language, English Literature, Physics etc etc. Then they take all the separate exams over a period of a few weeks. The exams are graded: A*, A, B, C, D, E, F or G. The child then goes to college & can take A levels, (or equiv) which are needed to get into university. Depending on the A levels & ultimately the degree you wish to take, you tailor the GCSEs to that end in mind. Here is an interesting article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/secondaryeducation/8720277/Our-children-deserve-better-than-the-worthless-GCSE.html

I will try to keep you posted...assuming I do not wither away from the stress / lack of truth, beauty, and goodness :leaving:

^^^ This! As much as I want my daughter to have a lovely, wide, balanced knowledge of biology, colleges & employers won't give a fig, unless she has her exams. And to pass the exams, she needs to know the syllabus. I feel the maxim 'education should be the lighting of a fire, not the filling of a bucket' has suddenly switched on me :( Thanks for your post. Perhaps if exams are spaced out, there is a little more chance of keeping a similar spirit to what we have had in the past, though as you say, it becomes harder. As we are hoping for her to do this in a year, there is much less ability to be spontaneous in our days.. Thanks so much for sharing

Thank you everyone for sharing your thoughts..it is all really helpful.