There's an algebra review text by Sullivan that's designed for someone who needs a refresher before college algebra. It basically goes through beginning and intermediate algebra at lightning speed.

Our butcher animals get named things like "steak" "lamb chop" and our prize "hamburger king"

I'm not sure I'd count psychology as a science class. But as long as she's done biology and a physical science, she should be fine for most -- double-check before senior year, of course, but that's a few years off.

With *specific* respect to polio -- Although it is true that cases in the US have been extremely rare (which is why the IPV is currently recommended, as the more effective OPV has a small chance of the child catching polio from the vaccine), I would be reluctant to trust that it'll remain so -- witness the resurgence in Africa after cessation of vaccination. Although it's extremely likely that you're safe, I'd still *personally* recommend catching up teenagers, unless delay is caused by prior reactions or philosophical objections.

This part I would disagree -- I think that if a school can get them started on longer books via HP, they can then aim them towards LOTR/etc, whereas going directly to more difficult books with limited-reading students may be impossible.

Yes, especially at that age, but later. I wouldn't force him to wrestle a girl, though.

Well, that's what I meant by "all over the place" -- is that even the well-educated people here can make these mistakes :)

Which one? Rein in/holding the reins -- like a horse. Doesn't faze him -- phase is a different word.

I really think the "Is this a southern thing?" is not so much because "Southerners are uneducated" but because people are more likely to confuse words if they sound alike, and they sound more alike in the south. I usta see people write "usta" instead of "used to" in Wisconsin sometimes. (it's a long u) -- it's said that way and so someone who's writing phonetically will spell it that way.

This. Neither one can save the life of all animals. When you adopt from the no-kill shelter, you're opening a spot that could be used for an animal that would otherwise go to the kill shelter.

Motherboardbooks.com has a LOGO course intended for 3rd grade+ -- I haven't used it, but he might look into that.

Man, the error I've seen recently ALL over the place has been "reign in" or "holding the reigns" -- also "doesn't phase him"

You mentioned Saxon. If he gets frustrated and shuts down when being asked to do something he finds trivial or already knows how to do, I would strongly recommend against it. For math, if you decide to keep him out, I'd get him to look at the art of problem solving website -- there are samples -- pick the course he's in and see if that's something he's interested in. If he doesn't like that idea, there are other courses which are also far more suited to a strong and intuitive thinker. For science/social science, I'd see what HE is interested in ... you're trying to revive his interest in learning. He might like the idea of doing some APs so he can place out in college -- you don't have to stick to the state sequence. Some that are single-semester courses at the university are microecon, macroecon, american government, comparative government, human geography, environmental science.

They do pay a lot more attention to the external sources. And as a matter of fact, my brother got into an Ivy League school based on my mother's transcript with "Pass" for all grades and a year of state university. But his SATs were excellent and his external grades were very good. That's one reason I really wouldn't worry too much over the grades -- homeschool grading according to a syllabus in high school is really more for the student, imo.

Yes. And this is totally true. I also see no problem with "In my book, this is a B, but for the school's consumption this is an A because it would be an A in school." In one of my classes at undergrad, the professor would mark all papers -- then on the VERY BEST papers, those that were A+, he would re-mark as if in graduate school. The A went in the gradebook, but on the paper it would say "In graduate school, this would be a B+ paper, and here is what you need to do to have an A paper for graduate school. Nevertheless, this is very fine work for an undergraduate."

In addition to chemistry in the community, you might be interested in caveman chemistry, which is available free -- it's more of a history/chemistry appreciation course, but the book itself was extremely fun reading.

When you put her in TT, did you do a placement test? If she placed into TT4 and is doing well with it and learning, don't worry about it. She'll be okay. You want her in a math class where she can learn and understand what's going on, but she'd probably have placed into 3rd grade in a different program. If you didn't do a placement test but just ordered 4 because that's what the number said, I'd check the placement test now and make sure she's placed appropriately -- and then either start on the level she places into, or continue working on 4 if that's where she places. ETA: I would also notice that there are 120 lessons. At 36 done, you're 30% done with the year. Your dd's friend may be 50% through the year's curriculum or more. I'd work into and through the summer if necessary to keep her on track. If she does TT on level, she'll do Algebra in 9th grade, which is just right for satisfying high school graduation requirements for most universities.

Man, I just spent from Thanksgiving until 20th December doing a no-buy-clean-the-pantry month ... I'll join you next time, but right now I have about a week's worth of food before being down to flour-and-water tortillas :P

Hmm ... I should start going to Aldi again, I love pumpernickel.

Honestly if it's been weeks and the bone wasn't splinted straight in the first place there really isn't anything you can do. As she gets bigger it will get worse. You'd have to re-break the bone and set it properly to straighten it.

Yes, absolutely. I agree with your statements here. But it's essential to be wary because sometimes, people really DO just look at the numbers. One of the insurance companies a friend got required you to maintain a BMI under 23 -- if I had my insurance through them, I'd be out of luck. I've had my fat percent measured professionally, and in order to drop under a 23 BMI without losing muscle as well, I'd need to have an 8% body fat. As a woman, that ain't gonna happen. I also remember a thread here, possibly from last summer, where a woman had just been lectured by the pediatrician about her 'fat' child -- and she posted a picture of a very cute and in no way fat child, who was just lean and tall. Again, the doc only looked at the numbers.

It's also problematic because some people have much higher amounts of body fat than BMI shows. Really, you have to take your frame into account. If you're the type of person who has a very slim frame, even 24 may be high. If you're the type of person who has a very sturdy frame, even 20 may be low.

What do you need the transcript for? For something unofficial and with sub-high-school kids I'd honestly go with A-excellent, B-good, C-okay, D-marginal, F-duh, instead of worrying about making it fit a syllabus like high school.

Having looked at some of your other posts as well ... Since you already have the Keys, I would let her work through them first and then followup with Lial's rather than continuing to plow ahead on something that she's NOT getting. Being stuck on the same chapter since October (did I read you right?) would make me totally frustrated too. As a matter of fact, her brain may well have just gone into I'm never gonna get this shutdown mode. The other thing you might do is give this a rest, go ahead and do chapter 5 (I'm looking at the TOC from here: http://www.pearsonhighered.com/educator/product/Introductory-Algebra/9780321279217.page ) and then go back and start again on chapter 3. Chapters 5-8 don't really depend on chapters 3 and 4 -- the material needs to be taught, but the order may vary.

Toad in the hole.