I have a 5-year-old who is really enjoying BA. Occasionally she'll need my help with reading something, but that's pretty rare. I scribe for her as well (or have one of her siblings scribe for her if I'm too busy with something else). We also do MEP and Miquon as demanded (by her, LOL).

:iagree: There are already plenty of tips on the Web for general homeschooling, so I'll try to offer advice specifically pertaining to the homeschooling of gifted kids. 1. Give up on everything you thought you knew about homeschooling. For that matter, give up on everything you thought you knew about education in general. Your child WILL break the rules... so try not to set any. (I don't mean rules like "don't bite your sister".) 2. Focus on meeting your child where he is. Not where you think he should be. Not where the how-to-homeschool book says he should be. Not even where the experts say he should be. Where he actually is. 3. Be willing to try new things and think outside the box. 4. Seek out support. Parenting and homeschooling a gifted child is one of the hardest things I have ever done. I couldn't have done it alone. OK, now I'll try to offer some help on curricula. Here are some programs that seem to be popular among homeschoolers of gifted kids (this is definitely not a comprehensive list, just things off of the top of my head): MATH Singapore Math (some use the whole program, others take just the IP/CWP books and use them to supplement a different program) MEP Beast Academy (what is out so far) Miquon EVERYTHING ELSE Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BFSU) Michael Clay Thompson (MCT) Language Arts Interest-led studies Tons and tons of reading Don't forget enrichment studies like music and foreign language. HTH!

Yes, we did.

The doctor told us that she was fairly certain that it was bacterial, but not 100% sure.

:iagree: It is a very flexible program. Lots of fun, easy to do, and the books they use are top-notch. ETA: If you do end up using FIAR, I highly recommend using the cookbook.

:iagree: The typical course load for high schoolers around here is seven credits at a time. If he is take 8 classes, I would probably shy away from DE and possibly go for "fluffier" electives. Normally I am all for taking as many harder classes as you can, but eight just seems like a lot.

Thank you! Yes, she is on the eye drops.

How long must a child be on antibiotics before it is safe for her to share a plate of food with other children (such as her siblings)? Diseases spread fast here so we are trying to be extra careful. Also, this particular child has an orthodontic appointment scheduled in a few days. By that point she will have been on antibiotics for five days. Would it be safe for her to go to that appointment? I'm just concerned about how the doctor will be leaning over her face. TIA.

The bolded is exactly what I am trying to say is not necessarily true.

We had other concerns not related to her reading skills. That was why we went ahead with the testing. The issue that I have with the usage of remedial curricula lies in their design. Remedial programs are purposely designed for children who received the information in a "normal" program, didn't master it, and now need to be "caught up". They are not set up like "normal" curricula are. So it makes no sense to use a remedial curriculum for children who aren't remedial learners. Late bloomers aren't necessarily remedial - they'll learn just fine with typical curricula, as long as you wait until they are ready.

But that's just it: what makes the child "behind"? To the first statement: when she was not-quite-8, we had her fully tested for any learning or developmental disorders. Everything came out normal. So, we just did what we called "out loud learning" (as you described above), tried to integrate phonics into real life whenever we could, and waited until she was receptive to reading instruction.

But we didn't know that it was going to happen that way. For eight years I had a child in front of me who was not reading. And there wasn't a crystal ball telling me that everything would be OK. She could just of easily had never been able to learn to read and been illiterate for her entire life. I know NOW that she is fine, but back then we knew nothing. We had no idea what was going to happen. The uncertainty was the worst part. Because of this experience I am acutely aware of the fact that it doesn't always turn out OK. My family is very, very blessed that things did turn out well, but we also faced the alternative. Also... just to the posters as a whole, please know that I am not judging or making assumptions about a specific family. One family did spark my frustrations, but this is a "point" that has been bouncing around in my mine for a while.

Link, please? :001_smile:

No, it isn't, and I really do apologize if I came across that way. I'm not trying to judge anybody. Judging isn't my job; it's G-d's. I'm not advocating for irresponsible parenting, either. I'm a mandated reporter, and yes I have had to report, including one case of educational neglect. I would not ever advocate for that. Being concerned about your child's progress is a positive thing. My point is that kids can be "behind" and that is okay. Sometimes they don't have a learning disorder. Sometimes, NOTHING is wrong with the child. They just aren't ready. And you can't make them ready. Of course, learning disorders and developmental issues are different. I am talking about normal learners.

Gey Geye Gai Goye Guy (hey, it's worth a shot!) Guye Gaiy Gye Gy Guay Gi Giy Gie

Public schooled. It was prevalent, definitely, but I worked very hard to surround myself with friends who weren't from the "drug crowd". I just did not want to go there. I had too much to lose.

Yes, but still, once a child has graduated 12th grade and (hopefully!) received their high school diploma, they no longer have access to free public school services. Why is that? Why does their right to a free education end after 12th grade? Is it just because someone decided that that's when education "should" end? Even the local public schools only offer educational services to kids with IEPs through age 21. Apparently, at 21 their disabilities magically vanish and they've somehow learned everything they could possible ever need to know. Seriously... even if they're reading at a first grade level, they are kicked out at 21. Does that seem very educationally responsible? To have citizens who have "graduated" reading only at a first grade level?

When people on these boards have an accelerated kid, they are fine. Sometimes they want help choosing curricula or with BTDT advice, but they don't panic. They recognize that their child is advanced and they work to serve that need. However... if a child is "behind" - even by just one or two years - people freak out and reach immediately for remedial curric. Really? How can we accept that kids can be advanced, but balk at the mere idea of being "behind"? Everyone is on a different timetable. They will get there eventually! Calm down! One or two years (or even three years) is not so much in the end. My niece didn't learn to read until she was 8.5, but entered college when she was 12.5 (obviously that is atypical, but my point is that she is an extremely bright girl with no learning disabilities whatsoever who just happened to be a little "off" the ps timetable. The ps actually diagnosed her with dyslexia, even though she obviously didn't have it, just because, in their words, "no child reads that late and doesn't have a disability"- what????). Obviously this is a big generalization. There are plenty of people who don't fit this description at all. It's just a vent from what I am dealing with at co-op. But I do feel like it's a real point... even among homeschoolers. :confused: ETA: I may delete this later, b/c it's mostly just a vent, not an actual question. So feel free to share your thoughts, but please no quoting. Thanks.

I like Breaking the Barrier.

Sure. Plenty of hs'ers have done that and been fine. However... my professional specialty is foreign language acquisition, so I can tell you that ANY foreign language exposure when one is young (especially age 12 and under) helps tremendously when learning a foreign language later in life. Even if you just do something for 30 mins a week, that's going to be way better than nothing at all. I can definitely recommend some inexpensive and even free resources that you might use. But in answer to your original question... yes.

I have been homeschooling for around 10 years, so I've definitely found my "groove". And combining isn't it. I combine for some subjects (mostly artist study, composer study, things like that) but definitely not for history or science. My kids aren't even on the same history rotation (nor are they all even on the same rotation schedule). What I am talking about is whole-family combining. I combine two or three kids at any chance I get (and, actually, for a LOT of subjects, my kids do work in pairs.) But I just can't combine everyone. It drives me crazy. Is anyone else out there like this?

Could you please elaborate on the bolded? Thank you very much for the kind offer but I am not currently looking to use the product. I just wanted to hear a bit about it. But thank you! :001_smile: Thank you.

:iagree: If he's OK with it, I would say to go with the Japanese as your main foreign language, but continue light Latin on the side or as you have time.

:iagree: Normally I take things at face value, but that thought has definitely crossed my mind before. It just seems so... suspicious. When I read that site (which happens as rarely as possible), it feels too awful to actually be true. So maybe it isn't.

Age?