:iagree: I would suggest alternating weeks. That way, they both get done frequently, but if you have to take a break and just do the 3R's for a while, you won't get severely behind in history or science (as you would if you did one semester of each). And, you can tie-in history and science. And, you can really focus on one topic each week.

No suggestions for hotels, just wanted to add that we, too, love Hershey Park! A lot of amusement parks just have little kiddie rides and then rollercoasters, but HP has rides that are "in between"... perfect for my dc that were too big for kiddie rides but not big fans of rollercoasters.

Thank you SO much.

:iagree: As for science- well, my favorite science program is BFSU + nature study, but BFSU is famous for being difficult to implement, and nature study might not work so well (depemding on your area's climate), so I can't offer too much help there.

:iagree: Is there any particular reason you are doing T4L? It looks to me as though you've got strong language arts and math planned already.

:bigear:

:iagree:

:lol::lol::lol: I know that this is addressing a true need, but... to me, that's hilarious. I think my sister owns a copy of Write Now, so I will ask to borrow it from her. Thanks for all the links and suggestions! They'll keep me busy for a while. :D Thanks again!

This is the revised version of an essay I posted a while (maybe a month?) ago. She loves writing novels but isn't great at essays/shorter pieces of writing, so please keep that in mind when commenting. Thanks in advance! ------------------------------------------------------------------ I believe that sarcasm is a positive force in the world. Yes, you heard that right. I should know better than anyone, because sarcasm is who I am. I couldn’t avoid using it even if I tried. In my short life, I have quickly discovered that sarcasm can be harnessed and used for good. Amid today’s flood of anti-bullying campaigns, many of which criticize sarcasm as cruel, disrespectful, and rude, I believe that sarcasm is essential. Bullying is generally crass and driven by cruel intentions, whereas sarcasm is refined, artistic, and, when used appropriately, a far cry from cruelty. True, it can be tricky to master the fine distinction between “hilarious†and “hurtfulâ€, but sarcasm used correctly is sly, surreptitious, and amusing. In my opinion, being skilled at subtle wordplay and wit is one of the most effective benchmarks of intelligence. Truly, sarcasm is part of what shapes my worldview. To be successful, you’ve got to be eloquent, witty, and sharp on your feet. You have to embrace the bizarre and understand the intricacies of social environments. Sarcasm is all of these things and more. I have a deep sarcastic essence within my personality, and absolutely no desire to stifle it. In actuality, sarcasm is all over the place. It’s the difference between a bone-dry lecture and an engaging presentation. It’s the distinction between a hilarious comedy routine and one that falls flat. It’s the separation between being culturally up-to-date and being behind on the times. Sarcasm is especially popular with teenagers and young adults, so adults who work with those age groups can employ sarcasm to help understand their students and give the impression of being more approachable. For these reasons and more, I stand tall as an advocate for sarcasm. Sure, it can be exploited for evil when employed irresponsibly. But just like chocolate, when it’s reined in and used for good, it is simply exquisite. Sarcasm is an art, a skill, a personality trait, and a way of looking at the world. What’s not to love about such a complex and multifaceted concept?

(I am posting this here because I figure that you all will have the most experience with handwriting programs. I may x-post to the Self Education board.) So... my handwriting is messy. It's not particularly fast. My letters aren't uniform. And I always print; I never quite took to cursive. I've always preferred typing, honestly. Now, as an adult, I'd like to improve my handwriting- make it a bit more legible and easier/faster for me to write. Ideally, I'd like to switch over to writing completely in cursive, but a legible, neat print would be OK too. So, do you all have any ideas for me to work on my handwriting? Any tips or (inexpensive) programs? Or am I stuck forever, because I've been writing the same way for 40 years (yikes!!) and it's too late to retrain myself?

:iagree: Obviously, I adjust how "involved" the child is by how mature she is (I prefer to go by maturity rather than age), but all of my children are involved in planning their own education to some extent. It's extremely important to me (and to my personal educational philosophy) that my kids are involved in the planning and implementation of their educational programs. I don't force my kids to follow a parent-planned curriculum. It's their education.

The Handbook of Nature Study really is a fabulous volume, and there are tons of online resources to help you implement it.

:iagree: The unschooling homeschoolers in my neck of the woods are almost as stubborn as the TJEd moms.

I agree that Oliver is a great name for such an adorable baby! So, does "loving nature" means that it is in his nature to be loving, or that he adores the outdoors?

:iagree:

Have you looked into FIAR? It is a big hit around here, esp. w/ the cookbook.

Which algebra programs did she use each time? How strong are her arithmetic and prealgebra skills? How old is she?

If he's not interested at all, then I would hold off on the phonics programs for a while. In my home (not saying you should do it this way, but this is just what works for us), I begin phonics instruction when the child displays true interest in learning to read. If you start too early, your child will struggle and basically be turned off to reading (as it sounds he is now). JMHO.

That was my experience, too. Of course, homeschoolers do often have it worse.

Don't you think that that statement is just a tad elitist? I think I'm more with Pei on this one.

That's one of the points of unschooling. I mean, a vast portion of education really is "normal parenting".

This is beautiful. Just sayin'. :iagree::iagree::iagree:

:iagree: This is fascinating. I would love to have that mindset. But, you're right, it is rather unfamiliar and scary.

Ok, so would you consider unschooling to be an all or nothing type of endeavor? I guess that's the main point I'm pondering. The unschoolers in my neck of the woods do treat unschooling like an all or nothing choice, and I don't see why that's so. There are some very beautiful, valuable portions of unschooling that I do agree with. Why must I be an unschooling purist and agree with everything John Holt says (just as an example)? I feel like many unschoolers form a very exclusive club, and are highly critical of those who aren't purist unschoolers, whereas other philosophies are more open to people using "part" of it and not being a purist. I don't mean this as a personal attack on you and I apologize if I'm coming across as such. I'm just thinking out loud. I am very interested in hearing you expound upon your statement.

Bump :bigear: