I am so sorry for your loss. I'm not sure how old your kids are, but I lost my dad when my kids were 5 1/2, almost 4, 2 1/2, and 9 months. It was a heartbreaking loss, and it took us by surprise. They were very close with their Grandpa - especially the two oldest. After my own initial shock (I didn't even realize I was in shock), I just sat down and told them what had happened (he died a natural death, but it was unexpected). They asked questions, and I tried to answer the best and most straightforward that I could. And I kept the conversation open. I did not try to hide my own grief -

We had the same issue. We opted for Rod & Staff (the first year transition was horrible). My 9th grader is now in R&S 9/10 and I have two middle schoolers in R&S 6 & 7, plus a grammar kiddo in FLL4. I'm curious scope and sequence-wise, what will be the best transition back. R&S has been very thorough, but oh goodness...I would love to be back with a SWB product.

After consuming Watership Down chapter by chapter, I feared I might scratch my eyes out trying to drag myself through the thornbushes of The Road from Coorain. After following humble Hazel, it was a rough transition to following a self-focused, ungrateful, complainer, who spends the latter half of the book deconstructing her mother. At first, I thought the long drawn-out set up in the first chapter was so that I could deeply appreciate the character of Conway’s mother making a life for their family in the outback. It almost worked up to that point. Instead, Conway sets up her mother at th

My son is taking Biology with Mrs. Upperman this year. He is enjoying the class, and has learned a LOT. He's in the delayed section (recorded), but she has been very accessible and helpful, and it has been a great experience. I highly recommend it, and hope my younger kiddos will have the same opportunity when they get to high school.

WMA- You are right. My son just clarified that they are not optional, but that they account for a higher percentage of the participation grade for the delayed course than for the live course. Thanks for pointing that out.

I went back and forth about doing that too. We start school at 8 am, so it wouldn't be a huge stretch, but at the time he had Rhetoric at 8, followed by precalculus, and he really prefers to work on math lessons in the morning. The delayed course has taken a bit of the time pressure off of him, which I appreciate, though I'm sure he would enjoy actually being in the live class (the early start, not so much). :)

Teachermom, hopefully someone with all their classes at WTMA will respond, but since no one has so far, I thought our experience might be helpful. My 9th grade son does not have all his online classes with WTMA but he is in the Biology class and has a somewhat similar load. He is taking Biology at WTMA, and through Veritas Press he is taking Omnibus IV Primary and Secondary (Ancient History, Ancient Lit and Theology), and Precalculus. He is doing Latin and Grammar at home. When he started the year he was also in Rhetoric I at WTMA - and that proved to be too much. So we dropped it and

Skimomma-One thing you could consider if you are concerned about your child's ability to keep up is signing up for the delayed section. We had to do that because of the time the class is offered (we're in California), however it turned out to be a blessing (especially the first few weeks) because there is a slight extension on due dates for the delayed section. One caveat is that the participation grade is largely dependent on the discussion board posts. I believe they are extra credit for the live classes - so they would be optional if you took that route. On another note, one big plus ab

I read Watership Down for the first time in high school, and I considered it my favorite book. I even named one of my market sheep “Frith†– irony I didn’t recognize at the time. I felt some hesitation about rereading the story because I have reread books that I loved as a kid, and been rather disappointed in my young-self afterward. Not so with Watership Down. It’s an epic journey (a few years might not seem to qualify as epic at first glance, but in the three-year lifespan of a rabbit it is), and this epic is complete with lapine mythology and it own lapine bard

Yes, Hannah. Two and three are both posted. I just checked, but the Inferno discussion has not yet posted. The historical perspective on each book has been fantastic.

I just wanted to add, that the most on-point description I have read describing that transition from not knowing death to knowing death is written at the end of chapter XXXVI in Anne of Green Gables, when Montgomery prepares the reader for Matthew's death. "Anne always remembered the silvery, peaceful beauty and fragrant calm of that night. It was the last night before sorrow touched her life; and no life is ever quite the same again when once that cold, sanctifying touch has been laid upon it."

I will admit that my first read through Gilgamesh was not particularly careful. I felt contempt for the hero, and hoped not to find much to relate to in his character or journey. I read it from the outside looking in; from an opposing worldview and morality. I was surprised this week when I revisited my snarky annotations and ran head-first into a part of Gilgamesh’s journey that resonated with me. It begins in Book VIII, when for the first time Gilgamesh meets the circumstance he cannot control– the loss of Enkidu, or more specifically, what the loss of Enkidu reveals about his own co

Hi RootAnn. I am signed up too, and have also started reading. I know I'll feel squeezed during the school year. I WISH I could attend the live class, but it falls at the same time that I'll be driving three of my kiddos to youth group. I've now read and annotated the first three books. I'm not fast either. Thankfully for me, only three of the assigned books will be first time reads for me. I was disappointed that I did not enjoy reading Gilgamesh :huh: - I kept thinking a very unsophisticated "ewww," especially reading some of the end notes. I found it easy enough to understand,

I have the same understanding as Linda. I also have both curricula on hand (8/7 homeschool Third edition and Algebra 1/2 Third edition). 8/7 continues to drill basic math facts and has daily mental math, whereas those are dropped from Algebra 1/2. My oldest son is in 6th grade and went from 7/6 last year to Algebra 1/2 this year - he is very math-minded. My second son, who is not as math-minded will probably do 8/7 instead of Algebra 1/2, because I imagine he will need the continued practice with drills and mental math that my oldest does not require. The 8/7 book has the same layout

I have used Saxon for all four of my kids. I have started each in Saxon 1 in Kindergarten. My oldest is now in Algebra 1/2 in 6th grade.