I put the week of Sep 7th but I don't even want to start then...I feel like October... We will start by the first week of Sep but I just finished up having a super busy July and we are having a FANTASTIC summer in the NW (okay 106+ temp is not that great) so I want to totally relax now.

It coordinates SOTW with King Fisher and other books.

:lurk5:

I had a missing item. I called; they sent. Lickity split.

I appreciate everybody's perspective. I think I'll let them decide how they want to keep track of their progress. They won't touch my computer though:glare:.

That might be the best way. I am feeling that it will be hard to let them do this because I am a control freak :glare:, but I guess it's good practice for them and me!

bump

to take over their own planning? THose of you who use this program, how doe you get your kids to be responsible for their week of work (besides using the calendar that can be printed)?

:iagree: I just imported 5 lesson plans that I do not need to type out myself. It has taken me time to figure out this program but I keep chugging and loving all that it does.

I took both Jazz and Ballroom dance in college. If it's good enough for a university it should be good enough for HS.

because I din't discover it until then. Anyway, I know that we've been using it for over 4 years and really like it. I personally have learned a lot because I too am a math person and did not know much grammar (actually, very little).

My husband and I wanted to make sure we preserved our children's innocence as long as possible and that was the extent of our plan. We've done a decent job of that. I am not the kind of person who had the vaguest idea of what being a parent would be like. My first child came home with us and then I asked my self "holy moly, what now?" I just learn as I go... I don't mind being like my mother in some ways and do try to avoid other parts of her parenting style. But, since she was a single parent, and I am not (thank you Lord!), our styles would naturally differ. I do wish I was a little more spontaneous, but I notice that as my kids get older I find it easier to be so. Anyway, I put down roll with the punches, but I would also answer, learn from my mistakes and make adjustments.

I don't know where you live but here in my corner of Washington the kids don't get science and history every day. I'd be surprised if they got it once a week - they are always busy trying to teach to our standardized test. That being said, have you tried teaching your one year of science in a semester (so every day) then teaching your history for the next semester? I personally teach science and history on TTh. It breaks up the week and I won't schedule as many other subjects on those days.

I can barely stand it! Tomorrow it ends, officially. Math (I will never let them skip that again over the summer.) and vocabulary and, of course, a good book or two over the summer will be their only school work.

Try Biblioplan- They give a list of resources that can be used by middle school students that you can purchase (some "spines") or borrow from the library.

:001_huh: Wow! I am cheap! I charge my friend $150/month (she pays all the books, etc of course). I have a Master's in Teaching, too! Ha! I haven't brought myself to calculate how much I make an hour. But my friend is recently divorced (not her initiation), and she works for a non-profit.

Well this sounds just like my current situation. My other child didn't come to me with much reading under his belt even though he's in 7th grade. I was shocked at how minimal his vocabulary is/was. He is a good boy, just not used to having to work on his own and read a lot. Though his mother does want the best for him she doesn't always provide the right environment (though nothing harmful)- - I have had to get angry at her to change the way she did things at home with him. I did say I would homeschool him again next year while he's in 8th grade. High school years - I doubt it. I have found that though I thought I was getting a child who was at the same grade level as my oldest he really is one to two grade levels behind and therefore takes a lot more of my time. The benefit of homeschooling another child is that it keeps me on task a little better than without him. I am task oriented as it is but this ramps it up a notch.

When I went to Penang (over 17 years ago - yikes I hate thinking I am that old) I took a ferry. Do they still operate? BTW - I am totally envious of your move. How did you decide you wanted to move to a very different country (with yummy food I might add)?

but they have to write about three paragraphs on additional readings (usually once per week).

I have a student I am sure reads below grade level.:bigear:

It might be a bit harsh but you can let him know that he is welcome to repeat the class. This is a sad situation. My daughter did it in 2nd grade and I made her write out "I will not cheat" a few dozen times (It's different for a 12 year old.). Unfortunately, because she has also lied as an older child she knows I am easy to question her integrity. She is getting better. It may help him to know how this kind of behavior can manifest in adult life. You know, if you think you can get away with it on tests then maybe on taxes, or engineering computations, or plagerism, etc. I look forward to other responses/advice.

I do believe there are some curriculums/schools/parents/teachers that spoon feed kids and ask for very little independent thought or initiative from the student. So I think it's important that your curriculum (and you) teach a child to think. On the other hand, I do believe there are multiple intelligences and each child is gifted in at least one (though it may not be "academic").

Their early years would have been a lot more boring (probably more to me, LOL!). I did not do SS, just history and geography (big diff IMO). And I thought it was good to expose my kids to scientific terms so they're familiar with them. I am not a "nature study" type (but we did do that) but I am a physics/chemistry watch action/reaction type. This I think was fun for the kiddos.

As long as their temperatures are manageable, and they are not vomiting, I make my kids do their school work. I tell them that in the business world you work when you don't feel too great, so they had to practice now. BTW I wasn't (and I don't think anyone else was either) critisizing you. Just offering different perspectives. It sounds as if you're in a "low biorhythm" time of life. The great news is that life will get easier again. ;)

KISS (Keep it simple silly). There is nothing wrong with having your family as your ministry for a season. Regroup and relax. There is less likely to be illness when folks are not run ragged. DO you take time for you? Do you exercise and have a time of quiet for prayer and scripture reading?