This is how we are using it. My dc's are taking their first Coursera class. Cryptography 1. They have never done an outside course before, so the opportunity is free and easy for me. For ds he is having to work. The schedule is what it is. The topic fascinates him so he keeps going but it is hard and time consuming. He will get a certificate at the end because he is handing his work in etc. I will put it on his transcript in some form. Dd is enjoying it overall. This is my math loving but computer hating child. It has given her confidence with computers. She might be willing to do a programming course later. Yeah! Doing the work, certificate, etc. She just found a Greek lit course for the fall on Coursera. It goes well with our plans so will be added in. Lectures and schedule for free is a great deal. They also have links to the books for free, so I am actually saving money from my original plans. If we don't like it back to the original plan. If she earns the certificate we have a bit of outside validation so a bonus. The possibilities with how to use this are numerous. I think it comes down to what you need it to do.

We have only recently signed up for Alcumus. I can only answer in regards to what I have observed but hopefully it will be helpful. Both dc's are signed up. Ds had a gap in Algebra that I couldn't quite spot. I was hoping Alcumus would identify it and then correct it through the videos. Khan did not help plus he wouldn't watch them. To make a long story short it worked great and currently in Algebra II. Dd signed up for fun and because of sibling rivalry if she is honest. She is currently taking Calculus with ease. That is the background. Now for the results. Both signed up at the same time and have "played" approximately the same amount of time. There are graphs which show what sections have been completed. Alcumus has concentrated ds in pre algebra which is honestly very appropriate. He has completed a bit in other sections. On the other hand dd is relatively equal in all sections. Slightly heavier in prealgebra topics but has not covered nearly as much pre algebra as ds. For number theory etc. she is close to halfway donewith ds not even a quarter way. The system appears in their cases to be giving problems according to ability. I would definately let her practice with Alcumus. I still can't believe how quickly it identified what was confusing ds. The system suggests videos with every missed problem. As soon as he watched them he answered a couple of related problems and quickly seemed to move on to new material. I hope this answers some of your questions.

My ds is a bit younger but has expressed some similar concerns. I don't think it is at all unusual.

We recently started EIL II with dd and she loves it! Like your daughter she has always been fairly independent and quite well read. We skipped volume I because she had read all the books already and was not interested in a year of repeats. This program has been perfect for her. Enough direction so she stays on track. Two completed papers a month. Between 2 and 4 novels a month to read with the honors suggestions. Several have been on the kindle for free. :) It is very easy to just do various units so I plan to get the rest of the books and use them by individual unit as opposed to the each course as a whole. The Windows to the World does look good and I plan to use it with ds. Dd had already done many of the short stories and was able to look at a copy of the curriculum. She felt pretty confident about skipping it. Since your daughter is younger then dd I would probably go through it first. We had a few terminology/program type questions at the beganning which may not have existed if we had used the earlier programs first. She actually figured some of it out with the Economics Based Writing Lessons book which she is also doing.

The Olsen's grocery stores in Traverse City have their own buffalo. They probably have other outlets if TC isn't convenient I would contact them.

My favorite popular book so far this year is "The Secret Keeper" by Kate Morton. Happy reading!

I finished "The Heart of Darkness" last night. It definately is not a bad as my memories of it! I still find it very disturbing, so much death and destruction. I know why I didn't like it in high school at least. Oddly enough Dd really enjoyed it. I have moved on to "Things Fall Apart". I am only through the first dozen pages so no real opinions so far. I also finished "The Neighbor" by Lisa Gardner. It was one where everything changed very dramatically at the end. Nothing was as expected.

Praying

I am working on the same project with the AP exam in mind. Not an easy project! I have gone through Ms Effie's list of everything that has appeared on the AP exam since the 70's and highlighted the past 4 years. Almost all contemporary books that I have never read. :( I have also been through every online AP Syllabus I can find. Life of Pi, The Kite Runner, and Things Fall Apart all appear to be front runners in that criteria. Books by Margaret Atwood are also popular. I am planning to read these in the next few weeks to see if they are good choices for dd. Sorry I don't have any great recommendations but I will be following this thread!

I am not from there but years ago attended a small Christian conference in St. Augustine. Lots of really nice and helpful people. A friend also recently moved to Amelia Island area. She no longer does home ed but has been shocked at how many people she meets. Has commented that it would be easy to start again... I would contact the Florida Parent Educators Association and get the area contact person's info.

I am mainly posting in order to find the thread easily later. :) My copy of "If on a Winter's Night ...." arrived in just four days. It certainly paid to put it on Dd's card. ;) We couldn't beleive something arrived that quickly. We are still waiting on requests from April. Oddly enough I pulled SWB's book out last week to look up Heart of Darkness and opened to the page for this book. Looking forward to it. I just started "Heart of Darkness" with dd. It has always been my most disliked "important" book. I read it in high school and hated it. I wanted to read SWB's summary before I started. I am not far but like it more than I thought possible. :lol: I have been dreading this book so it has been a pleasant surprise.

This one sounds good. I just checked my libraries to request it. Not one seems to have it! I suspect it will become a bit more popular now! :lol:

Rubbing alcohol works fairly well with ds and he stinks! ;)

Praying :grouphug:

I have finished a few quick reads. Lovely in Her Bones by Sharyn McCrumb--In this book Elizabth MacPherson goes on her first archaeological dig. Midnight Awakening by Lara Adrian--the third book in the Midnight Breed series. Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo--I couldn't resist the title. Almost done and enjoyable. After a bitter divorce the main character, an Austen scholar, travels to England in search of the start of a new life.

Glad you are back. You were missed!

I was expecting a list showing more current international authors. You can tell I have been buried AP Lit planning. :lol: The classics will just happen over the next couple of years with the curriculum we are using. My problem is picking the more modern stuff for extra reading. Our favorite choices seem to appear once while others have repeated, in some cases several times. Dd spent hours last night trying to decide on her "plan" so I was hoping for direction when I read that list!

People in the UK really like Lucky Charms and Captain Crunch as "American Presents" but stores selling them are opening all over this year. Reeses peanut butter cups and Butterscotch chips are a curiosity too.

Dave Ramsey has a series of books that we used.

Dd just gave me her list so I could update for her. 38) Walden by Henry David Thoreau 39) The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde 40) The Moonspinners by Mary Stewart 41) I am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley 42) City of Bones by Cassandra Clare 43) The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 44) Theodore Boone:The Accused by John Grisham 45) Beowulf:An Anglo Saxon Epic Poem by John Hall 46) Thrones, Dominations by Jill Paton Walsh 47) Speaking from Among the Bones by Alan Bradley 48) Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde 49) Destination Unknown by Agatha Christie 50) Manalive by G.K. Chesterton 51) The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart

Yes, I am! :) To be honest I love babies and celebrate most. Will and Kate seem to truly be in love and are looking forward to raising their family. For celebs they are "good" people. Glad that since dd really enjoys Kate news, fashion, etc.that the choices are overall positive.

Stacia-- I hate to sound discouraging but I am not sure that he would like them because my ds definately would not! He has not tried Flavia but I could imagine him liking her. These are probably a bit too feminine without the humour. The girl here is very bright and changes her entire future by having a fabulous work ethic and a caring personality. Kitchen maid to Cambridge back then. I don't want to do a spoiler for anyone but a definate romance strain to the storyline. Great for dd not so much ds. Now if you want him to read it to put a bit of a human face to England during WWI this might be an good way with easy reading. Rather like Lord Peter Wimsey and the horrors he suffered with more detail given.

We use Laura Berquist's "The Harp and Laurel Wreath" poetry and dictation for the classical curriculum. When I first bought it they were quite young and I wasn't that thrilled with it but it now rates as one of the most consistently used books on my shelf. We also used a series for literary analysis in general by McDonald they were cheap maybe $5 each at Rainbow. The only one I can find is Literary Genres. Easy workbook style series.

Maisie Dobbs by Violet Winspear is my new favorite find. I just finished the first and it was a perfect fit for dd. Completely different but very much another Flavia type of book. Adult book suitable for younger. Honestly reminded me of a more troubled Cherry Ames. Some of the WWI descriptions were very sad but imagination was needed to fill in many bits. So sad without being too detailed. Thank you to whoever recommended this as a good series for dd. I know she will enjoy them.

I know! It happened overnight. I keep looking at size 12 feet thinking he was the size of one of his feet (roughly) when he was born! He is now officially the tallest male in my family. Dh has been in shock for six months or so. :lol: