:grouphug:

Comparison and contrast can be a great bridge into analysis. Example: Comparison/Contrast of urban and rural life during x period. A great think about it type question, is to have them explain how a given technological breakthrough changed life for regular folks (who did it put out of work/offer opportunities for, did it bring people together or divide them). Did x man reflect or shape the times he lived/ruled in? Why might one geographic area develop a culture different from another over a given time period?

A thread recently brought out a point that may be an issue for those in the "schooled" market (public or private). At the high school level, schools determine what constitutes a credit that they will post on the transcripts they produce. Thus your friend's customers would have to check with the school for each of the dc's to see if the credit would be accepted. Given the way too many high schools treat homeschool credits when students try to transfer in from homeschooling, it is hard to imagine selling them on standing behind a credit for remedial work from an external source. Homeschoolers have more flexibility. I suppose it could be argued that what "keeps us honest" is testing validation. If we list courses on a transcript, whatever we list really is going to often be deemed "real"/"valid" if external tests or other external validations (dual enrollments...) jive with the claims on the transcript. Extreme Example: Near perfect SAT score on all fronts (including writing) and transcript reads "Literacy Enhancement 0.5 credit per year", then college admin reviewer may scratch their heads but would accept it as productive work reflected? The thing is, many homeschoolers I know would prefer not to list anything that may indicate remedial work in that situation (unless they were seeking accomodations). My question about "how much time" was meant to ask: how much time would your friend's program take from a student weekly? I am not trying to be contentious, I am trying to understand better the service being offered. If it really is about serious remediation of basic literacy skills, will take families a substantial chunk of weekly time and they are able to seemingly get by without it, it may be a hard one to sell. A student struggling with literacy is going to take longer to do existing schoolwork. The student may benefit from the tutoring most in reducing that time, but it is often hard to have people be willing to take on more for a longer term gain when they are getting by.

How much time weekly does it take?

It may be worthwhile to contact your local division of child protective services/social services and or police station. Very often (too often sadly) kids are picked up in domestic calls and leave without anything. In the past we have packed bags that had 1 pair socks, 1 pair undies, 1 toothbrush, 1 toothpaste, 1 pj's, 1 note pad, 1 pack colored pencils and a small stuffed snuggable something. It helps the officers so much to have something to give the kids, and while they comment on the utility of the items, they have been known to pull out the snuggable item and say it really helps remove some of the tension.

If schools are giving the kids credit, I can't imagine much of a market for parents to pay for "more". (Not my way of thinking for my dc, but...)

I have known parents who didn't hesitate when hiring a math tutor, especially if doing so meant their dc's would be able to take Algebra and/or Geometry in middle school, but would not consider tutors in other content areas. Math placement seems rather clear cut, but often in the schools locally the kids in those classes are doing their homework with a tutor. We have a wide assortment of math tutoring shops around and see them at the libraries and book store coffee shops all time. We do not see literacy tutors (with the exception of the occassional young elementary aged kid). Formal screening for gifted placement takes place in 3rd grade locally, and many parents will hire tutors for a couple of years before to boost their dc's performance on the ITBS/CogAT. Based on what I have observed (take it for what it is worth), many don't feel qualified to tutor their own kids in math but feel they can support them in reading and thus don't contract out for it.

Given this, more direct experience with Exploring Life, it may be what you are seeking. As I said, we didn't have a chance to work with it, just look at it.

website correction corestandards.org

If kids do not have the experience of having age appropriate fiction read aloud anymore, it will not be due to the common core. It really is worth visiting the common core website and reading over the scope/sequence and other materials. www.commoncore.org

:thumbup1: TY! TY! I have been looking for something to walk ME thru using the graphing calculator effectively....just in time to prepare for next year! Made my day.

Campbell's Exploring Life is a multimedia product. When I had a chance to look at the text, it seemed you would need the online/dvd pieces to have full coverage. Campbell also has Biology (a college text for majors), Concepts and Connections (college non-majors, high school honors) and Essential Biology (with or without Physiology). I love the Biology book, but it would not be the book I would use for a first time high school biology course. It makes a great reference to have to go further on various content. Concepts and Connections: A nice entry point text. Challenging, but solid coverage. We actually use both Miller and Levine (Dragonfly) and Concepts and Connections. Dd will often start by reading the Miller and Levine, then read again from Concept/Connections. (I should note, she likes to read and re-read as a learning mode.) Miller and Levine is one of a very few high school text books we can stand (the visual clutter in them drives us nuts). The following 3 features in each chapter are nice: "Inquiry Activity", "Quick Lab" and "Design An Experiment". They tend to be very doable in the home setting and add hands opportunities. I think of them as something short of labs, but that enriches the content (Dd does labs otherwise-intensives, local offerings...). Another feature of Miller and Levine that is strong are the graphics/photographs/diagrams. Concepts and Connections has strong ones, but combining both can really be nice.

We had set the day as a vacation day, just falls at a good time to do so for us this year. We tend to schedule a one day break day each quarter. In the past we have done a normal school day on Halloween, so it really just depends.

One other note: If not the Governor, then who? Who else could speak for the entire state in this situation. Should an emergency session of the legislature be called (with all the cost attendant doing so, assuming the legislature is not in session) for the purpose?

The Federal Government establishes the dates of recognition of federal holidays. Many may remember the great debates that occured when the presidential birthdays were removed from the officially recognized days to make room for MLK day. When such federal holidays are established they can have implications for federally regulated businesses and employment contracts. It can be very interesting to look at and compare those holidays recognized at the federal level (Mother's Day, Father's Day compared to MLK Day, Labor Day...) You could turn on C-Span and see months or weeks declared as recognized (Black History Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Week-later month) just about any last/first week of the month. Some holidays do not receive federal recognition/designation. Halloween is one of them. I would guess no state officially recognizes Halloween and yet it is entirely common for there to be candy handouts at Governor's mansions. Is that official recognition? Governors can make all sorts of proclamations and do have considerable discretion over health and safety within their states (see their powers over the National Guard). Assuming NJ's governor was challenged for trying to change the day of recognition of a non-federal holiday, he could certainly skin that cat via powers over safety concerns.

We have lived in our neighborhood and watched many of the teens grow up. I enjoy that they come by on Halloween and it gives me a chance to see them and chat with them briefly, it is worth a piece of candy.

I wonder, when he did Alg2, did he also do only half the problems in each lesson? Saxon really was not designed that way. Working with my daughter in Algebra 2, I see the value in each of the problems, they really are specifically designed to build on almost discovering a nuance of each concept. Algebra 2 is pretty dense with Geometry elements and the first part of Advanced Math extends them. As I have looked at the Advanced Math text, I noticed it doesn't have the big review of the previous year characteristic in Alg. 1 and Alg. 2. Buried in what might seem at a glance to be review are new concepts pretty much from about the 5th lesson, the pace is just much faster. If he did skip half the problems in Alg. 2, I might go back and for a couple of weeks just have him do a test a day from it. This would take at most a month. As he does, you may see a pattern emerge in types of problems he misses. He may only miss one or two problems, but if they are consistently the ones on a key concept that could hinder him. Say for example he didn't have his grip firmly on the Pythagorean Theorem, it may well really make for a struggle although he may only miss one problem a test until late in Alg. 2 or into Advanced Math. As others have said, it never hurts to buy an inexpensive older edition of a Geometry, Trig and/or Pre-Calculus book and have it around to play with. The Kahn videos can be great too. One other thing, if Dd misses a specific type of problem for two or three lessons, I look to see if they are on the same concept. Unfortunately, Advanced Math doesn't have the reference number next to each problem (at least in our 2nd Edition), thus I already know I will have to do a bit more legwork.

What works well in one content area is not necessarily the best fit in another. I tend to think of the whole thing in terms of the differences between "how", "what" and "why". How we approach a specific area may not neatly fit any philosophy, but overall I have a big picture of what we want to learn and why we want to learn it.

You asked about support materials for the other programs mentioned. I really like the solution manuals for AOP and the various website features (alcumus, videos). I like the Foerster Algebra and Trigonometry book and find it works well with the Khan website. Jacob's has the Dr. Sullivan videos and the TC Geometry course cites Jacob's Geometry. I like the Jacob's book, Math A Human Endeavor. I guess my point is if a student likes Saxon, does it as instructed, they are not going to fail to cover huge chunks of content or have huge holes from their math experience. We do not rush the program. For example, Algebra 2 we are often doing three lessons a week, which makes for 43 weeks maximum. Along the way, Dd explores other sources and we focus a great deal on problem solving in science. One feature I do like from Saxon: the reference numbers provided with each problem to the lesson the problem addresses. As we go along if Dd misses a problem it is quick and easy to see if there is some weakness in previous material.

:iagree: Sometimes I wonder how students in any math program can make it to college and suddenly discover they don't understand math well. If they are doing Chemistry, Physics, reviewing for ACT/SAT it seems odd they would suddenly determine they didn't get it for the first time in college. Then again, I see many place into a math in college and assume that means they should find it relatively easy because they "placed" into it.

I was not a Saxon fan when Dd chose it, I am learning to appreciate it more and more as the years go along. That said I think there may be some other answers to the why it is not more frequently used: 1. It is not a flexible program. Practice problems, plus 30 problems for each and every assignment. Each problem matters, and skipping guts the program's strengths. How many people really want to commit to 4.5 years (if Algebra 1 in 8th grade) of the same format each and every day? Maybe doing 15 problems focused on a single topic gets it done. I just know too many people who when pressed will admit being locked to 30 problems per lesson for 120-130 lesson a year is not their style. On the other hand, Dd likes it, feels the practice is worth the time. 2. No color, no Jacob's style funnies, no straight up statement of objectives like Foerster, no discovery emphasis like AOP. Again, some students do better with variety, some thrive on consistency. Dd explores the others, but Saxon is her math spine and she likes what she calls a "no nonsense" approach. 3. I heard a high school teacher recently explain that her math department insisted on texts heavily written or revised in the last two years because they invested so much in whiteboards and graphing aps that they want integration. Now for me, I actually prefer that Dd is in a program where she is learning to use her graphing calculator but continuing to calculate, estimate and problem solve manually. 4. The support materials in video before we found Art Reed's products really bugged me. I didn't need a visual/auditory repeat of the solutions manual. When we discovered Mr. Reed's videos with their short and often alternative approach based lessons both Dd and I found something that we liked. 5. I have heard folks complain about the emphasis on unit conversions, sections on problem solving with chemistry and even some who question some of the distance problems. One thing I have grown to appreciate with the programs is that these continue thru the year and thus are not one and done. I will say that Saxon has helped tremendously with Dd doing Algebra based physics and the math for chemistry. 6. The geometry thing really does bug a lot of folks. You either like integrated math or you don't it seems. I tend to like that there is not a year between Algebra 1 and Algebra 2, and I especially like what I see in the Advanced Math text. All that said, most people will admit that Saxon Alg. 1 - Calculus is a solid program. If it works as a method for student (and the guide/tutor/teacher) great and they will receive a solid math education. Given the way that many public school teachers react to any direct instruction based/very regimented programs, I can't say I am all that shocked the public schools don't adopt it more.

History provides so many rich opportunities: 1. So many writing programs focus on essay writing, but the short answer question tends to be neglected and history lends well to it. 2. What if questions are such a great way to apply what is learned. Example: What if Alexander had survived the return? There are actually several books over the years which have had history professors write about the what if's. 3. I often have Dd explain how history impacts today's headlines 4. So many great opportunities for practicing notetaking, summarizing, outlining 5. Arguments and examination of their effectiveness...historians produce so much fodder for this

:iagree:I actually started with the statement, "what well educated means to me", at the top of a piece of paper and starting noting what that was. Then tempered it with the skills/interests/talents/weaknesses of DD.

I find myself increasingly questioning the validity/value of the traditional 4 year live in college experience. The likelihood Dd will do only a BA/BS is pretty low. Thus, 2-4 additional on campus years may well be part of her experience. If MOOC's did cut into that and allow for travel and/or work experience flexibility, it might be appealing.

One other suggestion: pop in a thrift store, buy a skirt or dress with it built in and cut it out, pin, velcro or quickly stitch it in. Had to do this once for a play.