I think I remember that our sons are in the same class. My son has really enjoyed the course, too. We are also trying to decide what to do next year. My son is not interested in AP Lit at all. And I feel just the opposite about the speed issue. The only detraction that I have seen from the AP Language course is the fact that the students have to write essays under such limiting time constraints. I would prefer to see depth, research, and time spent on longer projects rather than quick, surface-level essays like they must write for the AP exam. The speech project that the class is doing now is more the type of writing that I would like my son to work on next year. I am researching research paper classes (Ha!); most of these are one semester or less, so that would give us time to do other things. Thank you, G5052, for mentioning Lukeion's course. I had already looked at WTMA's and Write at Home's research paper classes. I have also purchased the They Say; I Say book that I've seen recommended here before, and I'm considering Shea's Language of Composition. Both of those books may be overkill after having had AP Language...not sure. Now just to figure out what our actual goals are and how to put it together. Kendall, I told Mrs. Walker that I wished she taught another course (similar to what Blue Tent has added to her list)! My son would probably take it even if it were AP Lit. ;-) Good luck with your decision!

I used Positive Action for Christ's Life of Christ with my 8th grade son. It was fantastic! Very well done. But it does have a chapter near the end detailing the medical aspects of crucifixion. That one chapter would give me pause for using it with a younger student...although honestly, a younger student might not understand enough to be bothered. My son was not disturbed by it as much as I was. Have you looked at their 6th grade program "Winning the Race"? It has several weeks on the life of Christ worked in with other things. One thing I will say about using Positive Action for Christ...be sure to purchase the TE. It has a lot of information...including a large portion of the lessons...in it.

Hi Melissa, I asked a question about Expository II a couple of weeks ago and only received responses from those with students in Exp I: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/544522-wtm-academys-expository-writing-ii/ I finally gave in last Friday and pre-registered my younger son for the class. He really, really needs the twice-a-week meeting time, so I decided it would be worth it.

I have enjoyed reading this thread, too. I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that my little boy will be a freshman. Yes, he has grown tall and strong and has the beginnings of a mustache, but he is still my little boy. I didn't feel this way about his older brother starting high school; I was excited then. But not this time around. Not at all. :-( But facing facts: Bible: Positive Action for Christ's Dynamic Christian Living plus competitive Bible Drill English: literature to match with history, Analytical Grammar, and probably WTMA's Expository Writing II Math: Jergensen geometry Science: geology/astronomy course that I will teach to ds and some of his friends...lots of hands-on work...using BJU's Earth Science as a spine History: BJU's World History (doing this with his older brother) Fine Arts Elective: Art History to match with his world history...using a mix of things P.E.: baseball, soccer

Seems like a heavy load already to me. There was a thread recently about planning senior year for a future engineering student, and in it, there was some meaningful advice from TechWife. Here it is. Her post is #8. I've gone back and reread her post several times to remind me about some things concerning my own rising senior son. Having said that, I am an AP Stats fan. It is one of the best courses my son has taken in high school. Have you read this thread about the course? It has quite a bit of information about time commitment in it. Good luck with planning senior year! I am right there with you, and I feel that recurring lump-in-my-throat rising just as I type this.

Hello everyone! :-) I have tried to stay completely away from this thread because I do not want to personally advertise or market my course on the WTM forums (other than in my signature). I have far too much respect (and admiration) for Susan and what she has provided for us through these forums to abuse her generosity in any way. You all, on the other hand, may discuss it to your heart's content...just as I am reading and posting about courses such as PAH AP Econ or WTMA's writing courses on other threads. That is the beauty and value of our forum! I did feel, however, that I should squash the trig thing. My course is purely algebra-based. When we cover such topics as projectile motion and resultant forces, we will work separately in the x-plane and in the y-plane...only combining with the Pythagorean theorem. We may "dabble" with some trig functions at times, and we will use the sine function in optics...but only via the calculator. If your student can manipulate standard algebraic equations (including those with square roots), then he or she is prepared for my course. I do not want to "muddy" the course with more difficult math. Instead, I want the students to thoroughly learn the physics concepts so that they are completely prepared for further mathematical-based work in physics (if that is what they want). OR if the student is more humanities-inclined, I want that student to have an understanding of the physics in the world around us...so that his or her appreciation of our world is increased. :-) Please...if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me via email. I will do my best to answer your questions quickly and thoroughly. I have to add that I am thrilled to see the camaraderie among the parents on this thread. Hopefully, that will spill over into the class so that we have a lively, interactive group. Thanks! Jetta

This is SO true. I think I've voiced this complaint myself. Well, I have a few more weeks to think about it before the pre-registration discount ends...

Thanks! The description on the course information page does not indicate any grammar, but then when I just looked at last year's sample syllabus, the teacher includes Strunk and White, so I guess that means there is a little bit of grammar/usage/style included. I was hoping to hear from someone whose student is in the class now...and whether or not they felt it necessary to supplement with a grammar program. I would definitely add literature to the mix...but not sure if more grammar would be needed. To be honest, it seems like a big time commitment for *just* writing without other elements of an English credit, so I'm at the "trying to talk myself into it" stage. :-)

Is there any grammar instruction at all in this course? Thanks! Jetta

I am not exactly using the MFW lesson plans (although I purchased them because I like supporting MFW). We are dividing it up a bit differently to fit my son's schedule. The difference in involvement is that the Ramsey course is a DVD course that requires a heavier time commitment. Like so many of the other posters have said, my children have grown up seeing us model and directly teach wise and careful use of our money, so I just wanted a simple program to make sure we had already covered all the bases. Burkett fit the bill. And the Alcorn book is a challenging read...challenging to the modern world's view of money. My husband and I have both read it several times. Ellen mentioned a side of Dave Ramsey's "persona" that bothers me about him, too. He was probably quite nice when you heard him on Focus on the Family, but he can be almost cruelly sarcastic at times. I've watched him on TV several times and read one of his books, and I just can't bear his tone. While I realize that he has directly helped thousands and thousands of people who may (or may not) have needed his tough talk, I just wish he would sometimes be a little more gentle. But that is ME. For example, I can't tolerate how coaches often yell and berate young sports players...so it is definitely a personal preference. Your preference could certainly vary! :-)

My son is using the Burkett workbook and enjoying it. Obviously, it is not quite as involved as the Dave Ramsey course, but it is definitely adequate and interesting. I made the Burkett choice based on...money. The irony! lol! I just could not justify the cost of the Ramsey course. My son is also reading Randy Alcorn's Money, Possessions, and Eternity in conjunction with the Burkett workbook. Nice combination. HTH! Jetta

I must admit that I have found this conversation quite illuminating. I do not want to hijack this thread, so I will probably start another one. But for me...who is attempting to build an online course from the ground up...I am eager to hear what other moms expect as far as communication with parents goes. I send out a weekly update to all the "users" on my website, but it only goes to those moms who have created a parent account. Which is not many (surprisingly). So those moms who do not have a parent account do not receive much communication from me. I think I will really push the parent accounts next year, so there won't be a communication break-down. As far as PAH communication, it definitely varies with the teacher. We receive a weekly email letter from my son's AP English teacher....wonderfully written and engaging (of course!). But we have only received ONE update from the AP Chemistry teacher...and that was one month into the course. To be honest, I have been quite disappointed in the lack of communication between teacher and students/parents in that course. But that is another thread, too! lol!

I am counting it as a full credit (combined with my son's rather intense Bible Drill program). There are 36 weeks of work in the student text, so if you complete it as written, the text definitely takes a year. I strongly suggest purchasing the teacher's edition to go with the student text. My son does his part (reading and study) in the student text at the beginning of the week, and then we meet together later in the week to do the portion called "Teacher's Lesson". We have had some of the most wonderful conversations stemming from his study in Proverbs...covering subjects that I would probably have never brought up on my own. It has been VERY worthwhile. :-) Let me know if you have any more questions.

I am considering WTMA for writing for my younger son, so I looked through several of the class descriptions/syllabi from the current year's courses. I noticed on one (I think it was Expository Writing 2) that the teacher held class on days like December 26th (!) and January 1st (!!). This surprised me. Is it really true? Does WTMA not take such days off? I did see a break for Thanksgiving and a few days before Christmas, but no fall or spring break. Just curious... I can imagine that my 14 year old son would create quite a stir if he had to attend a live writing class on New Year's Day when his extended family is here...eating, playing cards, and watching football.

Plus ice is noisy. It kept me up most of the night hitting the windows with a fury. Ice is really, really NOT nice. Snow is so quiet... At least we still have power...for now.

My son is in Mrs. Walker's class (AP Eng Lang @ PAH). And yes, she has included regular AP exam prep throughout the year (practice timed essays and multiple choice). She will also include what she calls "boot camp" at the very end of the year for approximately two-three weeks prior to the exam. I would think that all of the teachers at PAH would do something similar, but hopefully others will answer and give you more concrete feedback. Now, having said that, Mrs. Walker does not *focus* on the exam. Instead, her course is a well-rounded, highly-varied, interesting, challenging English course. I am continually amazed with the variety of reading and writing assignments that she provides for this class. We are extremely pleased with this course. From what I've read, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the English instructors. It seems that they are all fantastic! Once upon a time, Kathy in Richmond recommended that you carefully read the bios of the teachers (as well as their course descriptions) to find the one that best fits your student, your lifestyle, your philosophy of education, etc. etc. I followed that advice, and I am just thrilled with our choice! :-)

One more thing, foxbridge... After that spill that I mentioned... When the lab required the students to stir in those tiny vials that could easily tip over, I started giving them playdough to hold the vials in place on the table. We had no more spills after that. :-)

I think Janet answered all of your questions about Spectrum, but I'll add a few observations about the program, too. The labs are the strength of the program. I taught this course in my home to 8 students, and the lab portion of this course definitely showed them how patience, detail, and a quick eye are necessary in true laboratory work. Many of the experiments require lots of timing, stirring on a schedule, and waiting. I was very pleased with this aspect of the course. Some of the experiments took more than one day...one took 1 full month of waiting to see the results. So you cannot just count the 30 labs as 30 days of work. And that mole review crossword...Ha! That thing was actually quite a challenge. And no, there are no replacement chemicals. We had one spill during the year, and it was quite disappointing to that lab group because they were not able to finish the lab (after having already invested quite a bit of time into it). We actually ran out of school year before we could do all the labs...we did 27 of them...had to pick and choose from the ones at the very end of the course. There were NO weeks during the year when my students only had 3 days of work like the Spectrum website says. There were a handful of weeks when I assigned 4 days of work, but most of our weeks took 5 full days. Of course, we had class meetings every week when we reviewed material and did lab work. I also wrote tests to go with the material, so that added in extra days, too. We found a lot of typos/editing mistakes in the Spectrum textbook. The authors do provide a list of errors on the website; be sure to print it out and keep it with you. But we found quite a few other errors, too, so be aware. Also, one of our chemical boxes (I ordered 4) was missing several chemicals. The company was quick to send them to me...but you may want to carefully check your materials when they come. I did not count the course as honors, but it definitely provided my son with enough chemistry background to go into AP Chem (and he is doing very well in that course right now). I did order Bridge math for my students because they all came in with differing math backgrounds. I found it to be a complete waste of money, and I do not recommend it. HTH! Jetta

Agreeing with Jen...I think it depends upon which courses you are considering and what the remainder of your student's schedule is like. When I taught in a brick-and-mortar school, it was common for students (juniors and seniors) to take 4 AP classes. But that was before block scheduling became the rage, so the AP teachers had direct interaction with their students for an hour every single day. Taking 4 AP classes was quite doable. But taking 4 AP classes online is a totally different animal. My son is taking two AP classes right now with PAH...AP English Language (Walker) and AP Chemistry. He probably spends 2 hours a day average on English. In chemistry, on regular lesson days, he spends about an hour, but test days require 3 solid hours and lab days at least 2 hours. Chemistry test days literally wipe him out, so he has to plan little else on those days. He also has two other online courses...Honors Precalc with Derek Owens and physics with me. Four online courses requires my son to have a strict schedule with little flexibility, and there is no way he could ever get behind. I can't imagine trying to dig out of a hole with his schedule as it is. We are considering having him take 3 AP courses next year, but the two from PAH will not be nearly as time consuming as the ones he is taking this year. He is considering AP Human Geography and AP Macroeconomics. Then he will take AP Calc AB from Derek Owens. Those will be his only online classes, so honestly, I think next year's schedule will be easier...even though he will one more AP! So as you can see, it depends upon the classes chosen and the rest of the student's schedule. We are looking forward to a lighter year next year! :-)

Derek...thank you for posting about the Wilson Hill geometry course. I had not heard of this before, and it looks like a perfect fit for my younger son. He needs the teacher interaction. :-)

Lisa...I'm not Julie, but we are also considering this course. Is your son bored with the routine of the course? I'm a bit concerned about this. Does it end in Feb? Is that when he plans to study micro?

I laughed when I read this because my math guy son asked me last year when he was in this same AP Stats class, "Mom, why did you sign me up for TWO English classes?" Ha! I loved how the stats class taught him how to *explain* the math and his problem-solving in a concise and clear way. Very useful skill to learn! And that doesn't even touch on the usefulness of learning statistics. I highly recommend this course. Carole is a very accessible, flexible, and understanding teacher. The workload was just right..about an hour a day as an average. The preparation for the exam was extremely thorough...actually almost too much for my son...he only did about half of what Carole suggested and still made a 5. He was already prepared because of the course itself.

Hi! :-) I used Foerster's Alg/Trig text with my older son. In some aspects, this text is fantastic. The wealth of application problems is amazing; I love how he covers so many different fields of study in his word problems (everything from finance to science to surveys/polls). The book is worth purchasing (used) just for the word problems. Having said that, I did find that *some* areas of the text lacked complete instruction. It almost seemed as if Foerster added in those sections at the last minute and didn't have time to properly develop them. (OR...maybe the sections were heavily edited by someone other than Foerster). Because of the weak instruction in those sections, there is a "disconnect" between the instruction and the problem-solving sets. But this is just for some sections of the text. Most of the text has thorough, interesting, and well-developed instruction. I worked through the whole text with my son...doing the problems as he did them. He would agree with my assessment. We had to turn to Khan Academy and Google to help us learn (relearn) some of the topics. But again...this is not the whole text. Honestly, I wouldn't give up on using this text (in your situation). It seems your daughter is a very strong learner with a good bit of intrinsic motivation. :-) I think the two of you would do just fine with the Foerster text. If you have to do a bit of Khan every now and then, so be it. I will also say that this text was EXCELLENT preparation for my son for the PSAT/ACT. :-) HTH! Jetta

Not familiar with Active Physics, but after following your link, I sure would like to get my hands on that Active Chemistry!

I also have an older version of this text (TE). It does have short-ish sections with problems and/or concept questions after each section. It has nice example problems and interesting tidbits here, there, and everywhere. In other words, it is kind of a "busy" text...and that is in an older version! The chapter reviews are very thorough. Like Janet said, the lab manual is *awful*, but there are suggested labs in the text that have merit. I also have the study guide that goes with this old version, and it is completely useless...just fill-in-the blank paragraphs to review vocabulary. Nothing else. I would not recommend purchasing the study guide. All things considered, the text is decent, and if you have access to online tests and quizzes, then it would be a good choice. HTH!