If you're thinking of attending the Midwest Homeschool Convention in Cincinnati (or planning on it), you're welcome to join our Social Group, Midwest Homeschool Convention http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/groups/164-midwest-homeschool-convention/

Is this the one you're looking for? http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Rhetoric-Book-Narrative-Teachers/dp/1600512364/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1410805819&sr=8-3&keywords=writing+%26+rhetoric+book+3+teacher

Pinterest is a bookmarking website where you can keep your own bookmarks and view & search for other people's bookmarks. They lead back to the site where the picture was found (kind of like posting a hotlink here to a youtube video, except all the links are kept on one website). The only times those links do not work correctly is if the site/page no longer exists, or if the person linked not to the entire page where the picture was found, but to the picture alone (which can also be done through other bookmarking methods).

What about those ecards things that are made with a stock image & you add your own text? Like this: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/463070-weight-loss-funnies/?p=4819106

No, it's not a co-op either. Ellie's right, it's not a support group and not a co-op (a co-op is mostly parent-run, with a sometimes/occasional paid teacher, but not a drop-off or hands-off [at class, not at home]). I can't think of the right term at the moment. We have a few of them around here. It's like going to school, except maybe once, twice, three times a week, depending on how it's run or how many classes you sign up for. Typically a jr. high/high school thing with homework to go with it on the days off. This is one in my area.

:iagree: I have read about 3 issues of HEM (maybe more?), and I found it to be: 1. Mostly unschooling 2. Antagonistic toward traditional/organized/parent-led homeschooling 3. Full of spelling/grammar errors. I had an old issue from a few years ago and don't recall these kinds of errors. Then several months ago I picked up a copy from my library. The editorial indicated that they were just getting the magazine back into print after a period of time out of print. I thought maybe they were still finding their spelling/grammar groove (that one had a lot of errors). The next issue was just as bad.

This is similar to saying "I can't imagine homeschooling my own child. I'm not qualified. I wouldn't be able to do as good of a job as a trained teacher/professional." I administer my own kids' standardized tests (it's allowed here). It is not difficult to not cheat, even accidentally. And in regard to some of the other posts regarding helping students, the test I use, and I'm sure this is standard, allows the administrator to help students with technical aspects of the test (not content). That would be things like filling in bubbles correctly (inside the lines, dark enough, etc), writing their name, and so on. I have copies of our tests (it instructs me to make copies), but I don't have a copy of the instructions. I'm pretty sure there was something about helping with technical aspects of the questions, as well. I can't recall what that was, but I do follow the instructions closely and do not give my kids hints as to how they should answer.

Any national requirements have nothing to do with Colorado's homeschool law. This is very similar to Ohio's list of required academics. So whether the curriculum is "behind" or not is irrelevant, as a comparison to any national requirements (I assume you mean Common Core?) is not required for homeschooling in CO. And it certainly would not "require" cheating.

That book--How the States Got Their Shape--is fascinating. The TV series is excellent also.

Computer programming is also math-based. My first programming course was not, but the next one was. Another field that may require math, depending on the job position: insurance. Dh is in this field. He majored/minored in computer science/music and has a strong background in math. He uses math a lot in his job. He frequently does computer programming/IT-type work in his job, although it's not really part of his job description. It just helps him a lot. Very recently, his company had him do a programming job relevant to his department that they would normally outsource to their programming/IT dept (not outsourcing outside the company), but they needed to get it done quickly and also didn't have money in the budget to designate/outsource the job to IT (they do track it in that way).

I haven't reached the end of the thread yet, so someone else may have mentioned this...have your child keep the tally of points when you play a game. Show him/her how to make tally marks, groups of 5 tally marks, sets of 2 5's, line up the sets of 5 (10), count by 10's, etc... She will start to see that |||| | is 6, |||| || is 7, |||| ||| is 8, etc.

To expand on/add to my previous post, partly so I can come back and refer to it so I remember what my plan is... I need to get her caught up/excelling in math, so here's the order: SM 4A textbook & workbook, concurrent with Key to Fractions book 3 (2 is done). Key to Decimals book 1 SM 4B textbook & workbook Key to Fractions book 4 SM 5A textbook & workbook Key to Decimals book 2 Key to Percents book 1 SM 5B textbook & workbook Key to Percents book 2 I don't know how much of this she can get done in a year; it's a lot. We go year-round now, mostly math & LA in the summer, so that will help. I love, love, love the Key to books. They're not difficult, but it teaches the material thoroughly.

Media Mail can be tracked.

You'd probably need to ask your county board/ESC (educational service center). You could ask your school district, but I'd ask the county. Either way, everyone needs to send their NOI to their school district.

A quote from my local person: The law has changed concerning who local school residents should notify. House Bill 59,Page 1361;Sec A,2 http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText130/130_HB_59_EN_N.pdf _________________________ That section states: Excuses from future attendance at or past absence from school or a special education program may be granted for the causes, by the authorities, and under the following conditions: (A) The superintendent of the city or exempted village school district or the educational service center in which the child resides may excuse the child from attendance for any part of the remainder of the current school year upon satisfactory showing of either of the following facts: (2) That the child is being instructed at home by a person qualified to teach the branches in which instruction is required, and such additional branches, as the advancement and needs of the child may, in the opinion of such superintendent, require. In each such case the issuing superintendent shall file in his the superintendent's office, with a copy of the excuse, papers showing how the inability of the child to attend school or a special education program or the qualifications of the person instructing the child at home were determined. All such excuses shall become void and subject to recall upon the removal of the disability of the child or the cessation of proper home instruction; and thereupon the child or the child's parents may be proceeded against after due notice whether such excuse be recalled or not. __________________________________ I believe the phrases crossed out are what was removed, and the underlined has been added. I think what this means is that it makes it the responsibility of every school district to issue excusals. They can contract out the review of the paperwork to the ESC if they want, but they still have to do the excusal themselves.

You can do it any time during the summer. Some districts, like cintinative said, have a date/time period that they prefer, but you are not obligated by law to notify by their date. As far as after the school year starts--I don't know the law about that. It would probably follow the truancy law, which I think is 10 days...so you should get your notification to them within 10 days of the start of school. I've heard that there are some districts whose office staff takes a month off in the summer, so there might not be anyone to reply to your notification if you send it in early--I don't know if they have someone checking the mail for things like this. It could depend on the size of the district. I can imagine that perhaps very small towns might operate this way (?). I need to send mine in still--I need my excusal/acknowledgment letter to show to my library to get my teacher card renewed for next school year. Our library teacher's cards (we have fantastic teacher benefits in this library system) expire each year on August 15.

Our local rep (the one on our county ed board) says that to cover yourself, you should still send your letter to your school district/superintendent, as this is what the law requires. Most counties who have a contract with the school systems will of course process your notification correctly, and you will still get your excusal letter from your school district. But--if someone doesn't do their job correctly, or something gets misplaced, lost in the mail, etc...you should have your postal receipt showing that you sent it to the correct person.

In the early levels we didn't need the textbook, but in the upper levels we do. I try to encourage dc to work on their own, including the textbook, so they really need it for the teaching material. I assist if they get stuck.

I teach directly from the TB (no HIG), then have them do the workbook after. We use CWP, IP, & Extra Practice, but not all in one year (learned the hard way that that's way too much). Over the years we've done the extra books in various ways--from doing TB, WB, and extra books concurrently, without worrying about whether the topics being worked on in the extra books lined up precisely with the TB/WB; to doing extra books after the TB/WB is complete.

I really don't like it when conventions or other big annual multi-day events do not have their date for the following year out immediately after the current year's event. People need to plan for time off way in advance...vacation time, other scheduling conflicts, etc. I have 1 conference & a vacation planned for 2015, and I'm waiting to hear the dates for another conference. Dh has a seminar he's going to in 2015 as well; I'm pretty sure he has the date for that already.

Oh, you're right...I found the date elsewhere and then didn't notice the year.

From TTD's website: Matter of fact, our largest fan-base is actually from Atlanta, so in 2015, we have decided to come to you with the partnership of Georgia Home Educators Association (GHEA). In Atlanta, not only will a portion of every family registration go towards missions, but we will also donate money to GHEA to help them in protecting and supporting Georgia homeschooling rights. GHEA's website has their convention listed as June 5-7 (edit--that was 2014). TTD's convention is in April 2015. So what would this partnership mean? Is it just a financial partnership with a donation going to GHEA? It may have nothing to do with GHEA's convention. I notice that TTD's convention in Ohio is partnered with CHEO, which in the past has suffered attendance-wise after the Midwest Homeschool Convention (now GHC-Cincinnati Homeschool Convention) really got rolling, to the extent that they moved from Columbus to northern Ohio. In this case, partnering with TTD probably means that the TTD convention is the CHEO convention also, although I haven't looked it up on CHEO's website to confirm. Edited to add: I don't see CHEO's 2015 convention date on their site.

I don't remember what Singapore's way of explaining division is or how it's different than any other way. (refresh my memory?) Dd10 is in 4A right now, which has long division. I had already begun to teach her how to do long division before we got to this book, so I don't know how throroughly this level teaches it. I'm pretty sure it does go step-by-step...she just had some long division yesterday. Edit: it does show how to do it, but not as explicitly/detailed as I explain it to her.

I understood that the letter you got was from the county and not the superindendent. I was really referring to your mention that you have your receipt of having sent your notification and I inferred from what you said that that was enough, that you did not need anything else from them.

According to the Ohio Revised Code, the superindendent must notify the parent in writing that the child is excused from school attendance. So yes, they do have to issue an excusal.