This looks promising!

I think she wants to study formal logic because she found that she enjoys those elements of Geometry and Algebra. But I doubt she wants symbolic logic. She's a word girl! So Memoria Press Traditional Logic I and II would do that? I'll check them out. Anyone have any feedback on CAP's Discovery of Deduction? Or Nance's Introductory or Intermediate Logic? I can't really tell which would be appropriate from online samples. Thanks (again)!

The recent thread on self ed has encouraged me to do more. (Yay! and Eek!) I've come far in history and literature by teaching with Tapestry of Grace for the last 6.5 yrs and becoming addicted to the Teaching Co. courses. (Thanks to all you pushers out there.) My most pressing need for self ed is in Spanish. I tried to keep slightly ahead of my oldest dd in Latin when she started last year. Within three months, she had caught up and passed me. I can understand concepts, grammar, etc., but I just haven't had the time to devote to vocab and chart memorization. I had learned another language (not Spanish or Latin) in high school then spent several years in a country where that language is spoken -- I eventually earned a Rotary scholarship and spent a year at a university in that country where I matriculated as a regular student and didn't have to take any "X" as foreign language courses. So I get how to tackle learning another language. I have been teaching my younger two children Spanish this year. I mean, how can I mess up an intro year of elementary Spanish? I've spent enough time in Spanish-speaking countries that I'd picked up a lot of basic vocab -- what I call "taxi cab Spanish" because I can ask how to get places, bargain for prices, etc. But I want to really learn Spanish for myself to stay ahead of the younger two and not get in the way of my oldest dd who will be doing Spanish I next year for high school. I checked into opencourseware. MIT has a Spanish I course all laid out using Destinos. But I can't find any answer keys to check my work. Also, there isn't an opportunity for feedback when I speak. I know that at some point I'll need to find a native speaker to converse with. But for now, I think practicing with audio would be sufficient. I can't commit to an interactive online class or to a community college live class right now. I need to work at my own pace whevever I carve out the time. So, does anything exist out there for me? I like the Destinos concept but don't know if I could truly do it without a teacher. Has anyone done so? I very much like Puntos de partida and have a used text. But it's not geared toward self ed. Oldest dd will use So You Really Want to Learn Spanish I next year. Would that be enough for me to do it ahead of time? Or, has anyone used something like Tell Me More for self ed with any success? Sorry for the ramble. I've thought myself into circles over this ... obviously, I'm still loopy!

Dd did the Art of Argument in 8th grade at co-op. They covered it rather quickly but dd did very well with the discussions and assignments. I dropped the logic ball in 9th grade. She is doing integrated algebra 2 and geometry for math. (She alternates lessons from each and will complete both texts over two years.) She enjoys the mental challenge the geometry proofs give her. They don't come very easily, but she loves the challenge of working at it until she unravels it. She has expressed a strong interest in doing formal logic as an elective next year in 10th grade. Have any of you had experience with any of the logic programs out there with a high schooler? I want it to be challenging enough to engage her, but it also needs to be introductory as far as formal logic goes. Let me also mention that I've never had a logic course in my life. So whatever we choose has to be relatively easy for me to teach/administer. I am up to my neck in self-teaching myself several other subjects just to keep up so I cannot take on trying to master formal logic myself and then teach it to her. I am confident that I can understand concepts, but I definitely need a strong teaching program with a lot of teacher hand holding. So, once again, I am asking for some BTDT advice!!! Many thanks,

He would be playing outdoors and probably with friends. His friends have a variety of equipment -- but his friends are all older than he is. I want him to enjoy himself doing gung-ho boy stuff, but I don't want him over-armed for his age. Since he is younger and this is our first entre into airsoft, we don't want to spend a huge amount -- especially since I want to be sure to get adequate helmet/face shield protection. Thanks for checking with your son!

We are OK with this, but I am pretty clueless. Can any of you give me some advice or suggestions on: type of gun (pistol, rifle, whatever)? Spring, gas, or electric-powered? where to shop for one? safety equipment needed? (I am planning on at least a full face shield or helmet, I think) Thanks! Monica

OK, now I see someone out there needs to write a biology curriculum integrating Star Wars AND Star Trek. My son would fall all over himself to do his schoolwork then!!! :lol:

Thanks, Colleen. My dd is in her second year of Latin studies this year. She has developed a thorough system of making and reviewing her vocab flash card. She does the same for conjugation and declension charts. I think that all that groundwork will help her tackle a modern language, too. You're absolutely correct that mastering all that vocab is key!!! Thanks!

My oldest dd will start this soon. I just got it in my hands over the weekend. For those of you who have used this for high school, how have you paced it? If it is equivalent to a year of introductory Spanish, it seems you would only do an exercise or two each day. That doesn't seem like enough to award a full credit. Have you moved at a faster pace and been able to actual learn it? Or do you supplement? Thanks,

Sometimes the answers to the accountability questions aren't obvious in the readings either. I don't worry too much about it. I just socratically question them piece together the bits of information they did note. If we can't get there that way, we might go back and check the resource. Or, I might just provide the information in a mini-lecture. It all depends on how much time we have and how many rabbit trails we may have explored during the discussion already. Also, the TOG authors did make a concerted effort to be sure that the answers can be found in the primary recommended resources. However, I've found that occasionally that's not the case. I don't worry too much about that either. What I do insist upon is that my D or R student take the initiative to try and find an alternate source of information if there are questions they can't answer from the reading. The weekly links on the TOG website are helpful for that. For a quick check, we also use World Book Enclyclopedia on CD for some things. If they still can't find some sort of answer, I tell them that we'll cover it during discussion. Enjoy,

So what does anyone suggest for supplementing Apologia Biology? The Apologia texts work well for my oldest dd. She has loved all of her previous science courses, but isn't feeling that love for biology. Neither of us want to get rid of the Apologia text, but I am willing to supplement. Even if you can't recommend a specific title, I'd sure appreciate suggestions on which specific topics need supplementation. Thanks!!!

I've looked at Breaking the Barrier and Galore Park's SYRWTL Spanish. They seem to meet our needs for emphasis on parts to whole, vocab, grammar, as well as written largely to the student. However, I can't tell if BTB offers any translation exercises -- either sentences or more substantial readings. I see that SYRWTL does sentence translations, but can't tell if there are any more substantial readings to work through at the beginning level. Can anyone provide any insight on at least these aspects? Thanks,

Weird question, I know. Dd is in her second year of Latin studies with Classical Academic Press' Latin Alive and is thriving. Does anyone know if there is a high school level Spanish program out there with a similar approach? (parts to whole, vocab/grammar focus, engaging readings/translation work, teaching DVDs directed to the student) I know only a bit of Spanish (learned while teaching Spanish for Children A to younger kids and traveling in Guatemala and Mexico). So dd needs something faily independent for at least Spanish I and maybe II. (I realize she'll need either a comm coll class or some other outside class to go beyond that since I'm not proficient in Spanish. She really does NOT want to do an online class --otherwise I would have jumped at La Clase Divertida online classes.) Thanks, or should I say, Gracias,

I love this!

Ah, come on -- no one has ever taught home ec to their high schoolers? :bigear:

I'm trying to plan out a home econ elective for next year. I would like to cover the following main topics: Nutrition, Food Prep, Food Safety, Menu Planning Sewing Skills Child Care & Development Personal Finance After searching the boards, I see several older posts about preplanned curriculum possibilities: 1. CLE Home Economics Lightunits 2. Alpha Omega Family & Consumer Science Lifepacs or SOS computer-based 3. Training Our Daughters to be Keepers at Home (sort of preplanned) 4. Foundations in Personal Finance (Dave Ramsey) I've already realized that the Personal Finance portion really should get its own half-credit elective sometime during high school. I've waded through the Training our Daughters book and looked at the lessons that apply to the concepts I want to cover. So much of what is there for food and nutrition is tied to Sue Gregg's cookbooks. I've never seen or used them so am not really sure they will adequately cover the learning topics. I have no doubt they would provide plenty of recipes with which to practice -- but I see much of the actual cooking as supplemental while I want to count the reading and learning about concepts and disciplines for credit. The sewing portions seem fine but I'd find my own patterns to apply the principles. I'm not sure the child care and development really does what I want . I've never really used workbook-type things. That's what CLE and Alpha Omega look like. But I'm willing to go there if they cover the material well. Has anyone actually used any of these things for a high school elective credit? What are the pluses and minuses you saw? Again, I am looking for something that will help me teach the concepts in a substantial way. I don't want to spend the time and effort needed to write my own program -- I do too much of that with other subjects. I do want substance, not fluff, however. Any words of wisdom out there? Any experiences, good or bad, with approaches to home ec? Many thanks,

Dd is doing an Algebra 2 course concurrently with a Geometry course alternating lessons either daily or weekly. She will do this over two years so each year will be one credit of math. This was her choice since she loved algebra 1 last year and wanted to continue with alg 2. But she also recognized that if she devotes a whole year to geometry, there won't be much if any review of algebra 2 before she does precalc. (Her words: "It'll leak out of my head, Mom." She's right!) But what do I call the credits? I've pondered assigning credits as follows, but it looks weak and cumbersome: 9th grade -- 0.5 credit Algebra 2 A; 0.5 credit Geometry A 10th grade -- 0.5 credit Algebra 2 B; 0.5 credit Geometry B Any bright ideas? TIA!

:iagree:Here, too, with my 14-yo R daughter.

I got the 2012 calendar last year in November at 5 Below for $5! I then put it on my Christmas list for my kids, snuck the calendar I bought to my husband for hiding, and he told the child who wanted to get it for me that he ordered it online. Viola! A perfect, inexpensive Christmas gift for me! I have been taking the images that correspond to whatever we are studying in history and tacking them up on our bulletin board. It's fun to rotate.

TOG

This is excellent insight!

:iagree:, too. As a matter of fact, this is skill a rhetoric student very much needs. Being accountable for filling in the blanks in their own learning is imperative. My oldest is doing R work for the first time this year and we've been dealing with this very issue. Last week she came downstairs with a gleam in her eye to tell me she couldn't find something in her print resources but she checked World Book and the Tapestry links and found it. She was thrilled with herself! (Yay!)

I'm thoroughly enjoying these heartfelt recommendations, ladies. Thanks! It IS exciting to see my oldest child growing into an independent, thinking young woman. Resisting the temptation to get in her way by helicoptering is tough. Personally, I'm thrilled to finally be able to teach at the high school level, so I want to make sure my zeal doesn't mess it all up! Any additional thoughts, suggestions, etc. will be much appreciated.

I voted standard because there are A LOT of pages! If you use thicker protectors, your binders will be even thicker and heavier. I used to use pg protectors but actually took them all off on my last rotation so I could write right on my TOG pgs easier. I make notes on my pages, underline key points in discussion guides, mark which books I own and which are at the library, makes notes if what tweaking I did so I had it for the next rotation, and generally make it my own.

My 9th grade dd has finally shiwn some passion for what she wants to study after high school (yippee!). She wants to prepare to do mission work with children or moms with children. Although that is still rather vague, this is huge progress for her. We agree that she should pursue a 4-year degree of some sort -- but that's about as far as we have gotten. There are a few colleges out there with degrees in missions or missionary studies, but there are not many and they vary widely. Hence my post ... do any of you have experience with or suggestions for preparing for missions work? I am seeking input for what high school courses and experiences would be valuable as well as any suggestions for possible colleges and degree programs. We are planning on several short term mission trips before she graduates in addition to her local volunteer work. She is doing Latin 2 this year and then will do 3 yrs of a modern language. We use TOG so she is getting a good basis in history and Bible. I know that there are quite a few of you who are homeschooling while you work on the mission field. So I figure this is a greaf place to ask for input! Thanks!