Hah! Nice.

Hah ... as a teen, my mother always would threaten to call an archaeologist to investigate my room, she said she was sure there was a buried city in there somewhere.

Sounds like they're using the Chicago Math series, which is set up that way. I'd actually, though, recommend just starting precalculus and planning on being able to take it nice and easy and take 3 semesters. A lot of people feel rushed towards the end of precalculus and start thinking about which chapters they need to skip.

Another really interesting thing on the subject of speciation -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_species

Super! And it's awesome that she's willing to check your writing and proofread it. I have a friend who corrects mine :D

Absolutely safe. Might taste a bit blah. If they taste yucky, don't drink them. The flavor in things like that will go long before the safety goes.

Darn it, my mother's been on the lookout on craigslist for a rooster, and speckled sussex would be ideal, but you're just a bit too far from Ithaca :P

This. If you start with beginning algebra it'll take (usually) 4 semesters to get through precalculus. If you CAN do this, I would.

What the HELL?! What the BLOODY HELL?! Was she STONED? Or is she just that **** stupid?? Yes, she ought to be banned. But more than that she ought to be investigated for brain damage.

If you are feeling good and enthusiastic most of the time, continue what you are doing. If you are feeling drained or unhappy, change. I know it sounds oversimple -- but really, you're not trying to be a pro bodybuilder. You're trying to be a healthy woman who does activities she enjoys. Right?

Yes. Hitting/Verbal abuse is the no-go line for me.

100% agree. They give you problems that you can solve another way at first, so that you can check your answers easily and the numbers are small -- but you should practice the procedure as well.

If he has already covered and understood significant portions of chapters 6 + 7 I might eliminate many of the more basic questions that still require time -- however, if he didn't understand them then I would definitely repeat them now. I looked up the table of contents for the 5th edition from Pearson's website. Out of 9, I wouldn't have any issue skipping 9.3, 9.4, and 9.5. They'll be covered in precalculus and are less foundational anyway -- they come up less often in future math. (jmo) I really wouldn't want to skip 9.1 and 9.2 though, because the distance formula is absolutely necessary, and the parabolas will really help in understanding what's actually going on with quadratics. However, I'd try very, very hard to get as far through chapters 10 and 11 as possible after that.

Bethany, I really thank you for posting this. It's not just abortion -- but when we're talking about any sin in general, we shouldn't assume that none of the group has done things which deeply trouble them -- you never know what your friends are going through. And if people are casually denigrating anyone who would even consider doing a specific thing that I also did -- well, I feel even less able to discuss it at all now.

The multiplication method that Everyday Math teaches is the lattice method. Both Everyday Math and the Chicago Math series are from the same university, but they're quite different. I've only used the Transition Math book (in an older edition) but it was quite serviceable.

Hurrah!

I'd go left to right. It makes more sense to me that way.

Well, my personal recommendation would be to announce you will do n labs and keep the best n-2 or n-3 lab reports. This will allow the people who are trying hard to be up to an A/B after a few messups. I'd also write up your own version of the lab report showing what it SHOULD have looked like and distribute it to them.

I think the C and P will help especially if he goes into any sort of research-based career. I also would do it shortly before statistics -- you may find that he is able to speed through the probability chapters in the statistics text.

If at all possible I would send someone in the family down to help her out rather than have her leave.

I was just coming in to mention that one. We watched it when I took German Film and I recommend it highly.

I love it too. Trying to get back into the groove, it's so easy to put it off.

Yep.

Teaching Textbooks. Gets frequently critiqued for being too "light". Honestly I would agree that often a light-ish program followed by a more serious program is just fine for youngers.