[Is Apologia rigorous enough for a student headed toward science & engineering?]

Well---you could look into BJU or Abeka DVD science courses. They cost BIG bucks---but are very rigorous and definitely college prep! You can get all the supplies to do rigorous lab experiments at home from http://www.hometrainingtools.com/ ---also quite expensive. :glare:Another option is CC courses---college prep level for sure. If you really want to use Apologia because of ease of use or teaching----you can always email the company with your concerns and questions to help make your decision :001_smile: and/or point you in the right direction for giving your son a pre-engineering prep degree. :D

[How Far In Advance Do You Plan Curriculum For?]

My daughter is only one and I'm busy writing out a plan for her entire education! It could be because I'm a Capricorn, but I like to have a plan. A plan can be changed when it needs to be, but if you have no plan, you never get started. I have a table drawn up with the grade level down one side and the subjects across the top. I'm slowly filling in the squares with my intended curriculums (or books.) I have long lists of products available on each topic. Some I have discounted, some I'm not thrilled with but feel they may be useful in the future if the kiddies don't like my current choices. (Everyone seems to swap maths curriculums, for example.) It also helps me think about how I want to teach something, not just when or what. I also have a list of things that I'd like the kids to learn, or stuff that looks too cool to miss out on, but doesn't fit in the yearly plan.

:)

Rosie- with a very long wishlist on amazon!

 

Does this type of trait apply to Sagittarius too??:tongue_smilie:My kids are older (7th and 10th) but I also need a plan to see where we are going, so I have and have had their plan all penciled out for years. Yes, the plan changes if something does not work---but we are flexible! I have tried many things, want to try many others and ditched lots over the years. I also have HUGE wishlists on paper and on my favorite curriculum buying sites :D

[Tell me about The Art of Argument]

I am not sure about the religious content, but I plan on using it with my dd next year. It is a very up to date program that seems to address all the advertising propaganda thrown at kids these days. I think all the modern ad-type pictures really help make the study of informal fallacies relevant...

[Sonlight LA]

YUCK! Hated the old SL LA---hated the new one! It went from too hard to too loosy-goosy! I have 4 half to barely used programs sitting around here as proof---I suggest going with R&S or...basically anything else! :tongue_smilie:

[Have you used Lightning Literature 7 or 8]

The reviews here sound great! I also have LL7 for ds next year and also got the Am Lit programs for dd---they look awesome and comprehensive---just what I have been looking for. :)

[old]

First of all---don't stress! Those test results are for you to know what areas need work---and you do now! I totally understand your frustration, though, because writing has always been my thing too---and both my kids are HORRID at the mechanics of it!!! Their testing this year only clarified what I already knew---we more work in these areas. I am going to use Hake next year with ds 7th because he has a horrid time remembering mechanics---daily. I also know that my weakest spot with them is proofreading their written work. I am thinking that a daily reading of what they write, a daily correction and then daily reminders of proper form will make a big difference (I am NOT doing this!)

[Life of Fred or Teaching Textbooks Algebra]

We are going to use both actually!! I was very put off initially by all the bad talk about TT---but my kids LOVE it, never complain anymore and did very well in their testing this year:) Also---hearing Christy's testimony to how well it has served her and her brother reassures me even more. LOF is GREAT, hilarious and really gets you thinking mathematically! You can get through each level in a very short amount of time also. I just thought that LOF would be a fun addition to TT since there really is not all that much practice in the LOF books.

[How do you make high school enjoyable and not overly pressured for your DC?]

Well---I have felt since we began homeschooling 8 years ago an intense desire to make education not only interesting and fun, but an experience that makes my kids WANT to learn! This desire is totally based on my own schooling experiences-----my parents sent us to the BEST private schools they could afford, including an exclusive private college prep high school. We had SO much homework---and the focus was SO narrow---yep----shoot for the Ivy League---nothing else mattered. cram sessions for SAT, East Coast college tours, 4 hours of homework a night----:ack2: By the time I got to college----I was totally burnt out and just wanted to party :cheers2: and live life. Two years into college---I was done. I was sick of school, so I met the love of my life, got married and started having kids. NO degree! :D So I am being VERY careful not to focus too much on academics with my kids----I want them to have a well-rounded LIFE, not just education! College for them IS important to me----but I am being very careful to make sure they want it too. So I am pushing the academics I guess in a very careful way. At this point---dd who will be in 10th is VERY motivated and WANTS more work and WANTS college. But she is very artistic and musical---so she has plenty of time to nurture her true loves---and if that is what she wanted to major in---I am fine with that. My parents---though----would NEVER have allowed this type of pursuit. :glare: There will be NO AP classes in this house, NO cramming for SAT/ACT, NO obsession with credits etc......If a college has a problem with us not lining up in this manner---well, to another college that IS okay with our way of doing things it is..............

[Looking for Math recommendations]

My kids are really liking TT with Life of Fred. Saxon was a no-go here also----and these 2 programs have been lifesavers :001_smile:

[Abeka writing---what's the problem?]

WOW Michelle! Thanks so much for such a detailed, helpful explanation! So my next question is----would it be too much to add in WS if we choose to use the comp portion of Abeka? Going by your signature, it doesn't look like you have added an additional writing program to Abeka G&C?

[Abeka writing---what's the problem?]

bump---anyone? anyone?

[Abeka writing---what's the problem?]

Hi---have been a lurker for years, and have made a few posts on the old board!

I am wanting to try the WTM suggestions of Abeka grammar/WS, but I do not understand one thing---what is wrong with the writing in Abeka?? I have both Abeka W&G III and all the WS---and I just don't see what the HUGE difference is :confused: Abeka seems to be more clear-cut and stuctured to me, whereas WS includes much more creative writing and topics---not so easy for my non-creative writing kids. If we don't use WS and just use the Abeka writing (along with LL and Notgrass), will my kids not be ready for university writing like WTM says?? Honestly, just reading through WS makes my head spin :glare:---the method for writing in Abeka just makes sense to me and the curriculum guide has it all laid out soo nicely............:tongue_smilie: