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ereks mom

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Everything posted by ereks mom

  1. Yes, I can relate, and I felt exactly the way the OP feels while my DC we're growing up. And when my firstborn went away to college, I dealt with clinical depression for months. The sweet ladies on the WTM board helped me get through it. Many encouraged me when I would post on the boards, and several sent me PMs just to ask how I was doing or to say they were praying for me. That was almost 8 years ago. My firstborn completed college (honor grad, yea!!), got a job, and got married to a wonderful girl whom we love dearly. They just celebrated their third anniversary last week. :) Now there are hints that they might be starting their own family soon. YEA! GRANDBABIES! My younger/youngest child is in college now and will graduate next May (4.0 cumulative GPA so far). She has lots of friends and a delightful boyfriend, and I expect that they will get engaged within a year from now and marry within a year after that. It's so satisfying when you get to this stage and you're able to look back on all the tough things you went through with them--2:00 AM feedings, potty training, long division, broken bones, broken hearts--and realize that you weathered the storms and not only survived, but THRIVED! From this perspective, you get to see that there were more successes than failures, more good times than bad. And you realize that you had a part in shaping your child into who he/she has become, so you feel PROUD, and also BLESSED. It was hard when I began to realize that my babies weren't babies any more, but now I have (mostly) learned to embrace the changes. They are bittersweet, but they bring new blessings I could never see from the other side of them. I definitely miss my children being babies, toddlers, preschoolers, etc. But I love where they are in life now because our bond has strengthened over the years, and now I'm not just their MOTHER, I am also their FRIEND. Best wishes and many blessings to you OP, as you travel this path.
  2. I think I've decided that I want to use Apologia Young Explorers Chemistry & Physics with my group of 5 girls who are all working on about 7th grade level. I think this book will be exactly right for their reading abilities, but to enhance their interest, I would like to purchase a fairly inexpensive chemistry set to supplement/substitute with experiments using real chemicals. (Read: They'll be more interested if they get to make something dramatic happen--a flash, a pop, or color change--by mixing some stuff together.) Do you know of adecent quality chemistry set that would pair well with this Apologia text?
  3. I've used it before and actually still have it on my shelf. I'm thinking it will be too difficult for most of my girls, but I'll keep it on my short list.
  4. I looked at it, and unfortunately, the chemistry and the physics are separate programs. The grammar stage chemistry looks more on their level than the logic stage chemistry, but they're actually probably somewhere in between. :(
  5. I've never been a fan of ABeka, and I think the 9th grade text will be WAY too much for these girls. One is an 11 year old, technically a 6th grader, but can probably manage 7th grade level with my help. The others are older but also working at about 7th grade level. I will look at the AOP materials you suggested. Thanks!
  6. For those who don't 'know' me... I have 5 teen & preteen girls (ages, 11-17), all working at about 7th grade level. None of these girls is my own child; they are children of friends and friends-of-friends. Most came to me because they are struggling learners who could not keep up in PS. Only the youngest is likely to go to college, although the others will likely attend vocational-technical school. I want to do middle school level integrated chemistry and physics. Here are our absolutely must-have requirements for a science program: a lab component with a lab supply kit available for purchase at Home Science Tools or a similar company (I do NOT have time to put a kit together myself.) chapter or unit tests accompanying notebooking & lapbooking resources NOT computer-based, although some videos to view during class time would be good affordable preferably Christian, but will consider secular Here are some of the programs I've looked at: Apologia Exploring Creation with Chemistry & Physics -- This is the current front-runner. I am somewhat concerned that although it will be perfect as far as difficulty, it will seem a little too juvenile for my oldest students. Also, there are not really tests, but there are What Do You Remember? pages. ACS Middle School Chemistry -- It's chemistry only (no physics :(), and I didn't see any quizzes or tests. Also, I would have to search out suppliers in order to put together a lab kit. Focus on Middle School Chemistry, Physics -- PRICEY, and I read less-than-glowing reviews about missing topics (states of matter, electron shells, etc). Ellen McHenry's Elements -- No tests & no physics :( Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum (PAC) Integrated Physics and Chemistry -- No labs :( (And it looks a little dry--and maybe even too 'lite' to me. :ohmy:) Rainbow Science -- I tried to use it several years ago with my own child & abandoned it after a couple of chapters. I decided to consider it again for my current students, but I'm not excited about the prospect. :p CPO Physical Science -- Lab kit is WAY, WAY too pricey, but the alternative is to put a kit together myself. Exploration Education Physical Science -- computer (CD) based Conceptual Physical Science: Explorations -- far too difficult for my students God's Design for Science -- I used it a few years ago and was NOT impressed. Also, I would have to put together a lab kit. I'm listening! :bigear: Thanks.
  7. I finally settled on: Holt Literature & Language Arts (http://hlla.hrw.com/hlla/chapter.jsp?Grade=6) supplemented with the Holt Handbook (https://tusd.haikulearning.com/abruner/6corehonors/cms_page/view/11892145). Thanks, everyone, for helping me think this through. :)
  8. Thank you for this! I had already saved several PDF files of the Holt materials I found online, and they look good. I already own several levels of the Interactive Readers. I need to get the textbook so I can see the grammar, vocab, and writing, too.
  9. I will be teaching a group of 5 students, but I plan to purchase only one set of supplies, and we'll all do the labs together, unless there are some labs that would work best if each student had her own supplies. Can you give me a ballpark idea of how much it will cost to buy ALL the lab supplies, including all the common household items? Thank you!
  10. Yes, either way, she would be in TT Pre-Algebra next year. I'm realizing that it would be pointless to put her in BJU for just one year. It seemed like a good idea when it first came to me! ;) But I think that for the sake of continuity, I would rather just start her in TT7 for the upcoming year, since that's what we'll be using beyond that.
  11. I'm thinking along those lines as well. Since I have TT6 and TT7, I am leaning towards starting her in TT7 and referring back to TT6 if she needs extra work on any of the topics. I think that it would work well for her to be a grade ahead, so if we hit any snags along the way, we can move slowly and not "get behind." Thanks for your input.
  12. Since she just completed ABeka Arithmetic 5, I first gave her the TT6 placement test. She flew through that and missed 6 problems, all having to do with fractions, decimals, or percents. On two problems she forgot to line up decimals when she added or subtracted. On another problem (3/10 + 6/10 - 2/10), she didn't notice the subtraction sign, so she added (correctly) all three fractions. She didn't know how to write a fraction as a percent or vice-versa, and she had trouble comparing two fractions (<, >, or =). So I gave her the TT7 placement test, and she again missed 6 problems. Two of those were comparing fractions one was adding fractions, and one was dividing fractions. Of the other two she missed, one was finding the radius of a circle, given the diameter, and the other was a word problem (she multiplied when she should've divided). I didn't give her the TT Pre-Algebra placement test because I'm not comfortable jumping her TWO years ahead of grade level. There's a lot of good review of basic math in TT7.
  13. For several reasons (that I won't go into here), I do not like ABeka math except for their 7th grade Basic Mathematics, which I like to use with my high school juniors or seniors who will not be attending college and need a thorough review of math before going to tech school or entering the job market. I wasn't sure what it meant that her results on the TT6 and TT7 placement tests were so nearly the same. I was hoping for insight into that from others who might have had the same thing happen.
  14. Next school year, I will be teaching my 11 year old niece, who just completed 5th grade at the all-ABeka Christian school she has attended since PreK. Math is probably her best/favorite subject, and she has always had A's in math on her report card. I don't want to use the ABeka Math she's already familiar with, and I'm trying to decide whether to use BJU Math or Teaching Textbooks for her. If I use BJU, I'll use Math 6, but I'm not sure which level of Teaching Textbooks would be best. How accurate are the TT placement tests? I gave her the placement tests for TT Math 6 and TT Math 7, and she completed each one (30 problems, including 2 word problems) very quickly and scored about the same on each. She completed the Math 6 test in under 15 minutes and missed three on Section 1 and three on Section 2. She completed the Math 7 test in about 20 minutes and missed two on Section 1 and four on Section 2. According to the scoring instructions, students are ready for a particular level if they miss no more than 5 on Section 1 and no more than 7 on Section 2 on the placement test. So if I go with Teaching Textbooks, I'm not sure which way to go! What do you think? TT Math 6 or TT Math 7? Or just go with BJU Math 6? I've narrowed my choices down to these three, and I've included a poll with only those options, so please vote! FWIW, I already own a set of each: BJU Math 6, TT Math 6, and TT Math 7. I love BJU through grade 6, and I love Teaching Textbooks for grades 7 and up. Since she's right on the cusp, I'm just not sure what to do.
  15. Next school year, I will be teaching my 11 year old niece, who just completed 5th grade at the all-ABeka Christian school she has attended since PreK. Math is probably her best/favorite subject, and she has always had A's in math on her report card. I don't want to use the ABeka Math she's already familiar with, and I'm trying to decide whether to use BJU Math or Teaching Textbooks for her. If I use BJU, I'll use Math 6, but I'm not sure which level of Teaching Textbooks would be best. How accurate are the TT placement tests? I gave her the placement tests for TT Math 6 and TT Math 7, and she completed each one (30 problems, including 2 word problems) very quickly and scored about the same on each. She completed the Math 6 test in under 15 minutes and missed three on Section 1 and three on Section 2. She completed the Math 7 test in about 20 minutes and missed two on Section 1 and four on Section 2. According to the scoring instructions, students are ready for a particular level if they miss no more than 5 on Section 1 and no more than 7 on Section 2 on the placement test. So if I go with Teaching Textbooks, I'm not sure which way to go! What do you think? TT Math 6 or TT Math 7? Or just go with BJU Math 6? I've narrowed my choices down to these three, and I've included a poll with only those options, so please vote! FWIW, I already own a set of each: BJU Math 6, TT Math 6, and TT Math 7. I love BJU through grade 6, and I love Teaching Textbooks for grades 7 and up. Since she's right on the cusp, I'm just not sure what to do.
  16. Wait! I only read the first paragraph, and I just needed to say that I do NOT want it to be independent! I will continue to teach every lesson, just as I always have. I just need a different format that is a little less work for me. Just wanted to clarify that. Now, off to read the rest of your post! :) Thanks so much for responding!
  17. I've looked at MBtP and it's too pricey for us, and the online component will not be a good fit. I teach 5 girls and computer access would be a problem with so many students. Also, we would have trouble getting enough copies of books from our small town library. FWIW, my own children are adults, graduated from our homeschool program. Now I teach struggling learners who are the children of friends (and friends of friends). We meet daily at my husband's office and we have school in his conference room/classroom. Anyway, all that to say that I need a textbook program, not an online program. Thanks for the input!
  18. We've been using living books that go along with our history studies, but now we need something that is less time-intensive for me and more straight-forward for the girls. They are asking for short stories instead of novels, and they like workbooks. So I'm looking for a textbook/anthology + workbook/worksheet format, 6th or 7th grade level. (And we will supplement with a few novels also because I just can't let that go entirely!) I've been googling and looking on Amazon and reading reviews...and my head is spinning! Please help me figure this out! Here are my must-haves for a textbook literature and language arts program: affordable -- I'm actually looking at previous editions so I can get everything cheaper. (Trouble is, sometimes the TE's and workbooks that go with a particular OOP student text aren't easy to find.) grammar & vocabulary included in the main textbook (or at least in a supplementary workbook) -- preferably based on the reading selections in the textbook MAJOR (primary) emphasis on vocabulary & writing, secondary emphasis on reading skills/literary analysis/elements/devices (theme, setting, character, plot, figurative language, foreshadowing, alliteration, hyperbole, etc.) step by step writing instruction with rubrics/checklists for the student good quality stories, preferably "classic" short stories or excerpt of literature by well-known authors (think: Ray Bradbury, O. Henry, Edgar Allan Poe, etc.) I've been looking at the previous editions of these programs: BJU Explorations in Literature, MacMillan-McGraw Hill Treasures, Prentice Hall Timeless Voices Timeless Themes, Holt Elements of Literature, Glencoe Writer's Choice, and others. Which of these would you recommend? Or feel free to suggest another. ETA: As I am thinking this through, I am realizing that I am not seeking a literature program. I am looking for a writing program that incorporates literature, vocabulary, and grammar. Also, I do not want an independent program. I will be teaching the lessons each day and assigning some homework to be done independently at home. For the record, my students are NOT my personal children. They are teen & preteen girls (5 of them), children of friends (or friends of friends). I try to keep costs low because the majority of my students are from single parent homes. Mosdos literature has been suggested, but it is not in our price range.
  19. We've been using living books that go along with our history studies, but now we need something that is less time-intensive for me and more straight-forward for the girls. They are asking for short stories instead of novels, and they like workbooks. So I'm looking for a textbook/anthology + workbook/worksheet format, 6th or 7th grade level. (And we will supplement with a few novels also because I just can't let that go entirely!) I've been googling and looking on Amazon and reading reviews...and my head is spinning! Please help me figure this out! Here are my must-haves for a textbook literature and language arts program: affordable -- I'm actually looking at previous editions so I can get everything cheaper. (Trouble is, sometimes the TE's and workbooks that go with a particular OOP student text aren't easy to find.) grammar & vocabulary included in the main textbook (or at least in a supplementary workbook) -- preferably based on the reading selections in the textbook MAJOR (primary) emphasis on vocabulary & writing, secondary emphasis on reading skills/literary analysis/elements/devices (theme, setting, character, plot, figurative language, foreshadowing, alliteration, hyperbole, etc.) step by step writing instruction with rubrics/checklists for the student good quality stories, preferably "classic" short stories or excerpt of literature by well-known authors (think: Ray Bradbury, O. Henry, Edgar Allan Poe, etc.) I've been looking at the previous editions of these programs: BJU Explorations in Literature, MacMillan-McGraw Hill Treasures, Prentice Hall Timeless Voices Timeless Themes, Holt Elements of Literature, Glencoe Writer's Choice, and others. Which of these would you recommend? Or feel free to suggest another. ETA: As I am thinking this through, I am realizing that I am not seeking a literature program. I am looking for a writing program that incorporates literature, vocabulary, and grammar. Also, I do not want an independent program. I will be teaching the lessons each day and assigning some homework to be done independently at home. For the record, my students are NOT my personal children. They are teen & preteen girls (5 of them), children of friends (or friends of friends). I try to keep costs low because the majority of my students are from single parent homes. Mosdos literature has been suggested, but it is not in our price range.
  20. I'm about to be teaching my 6th grade niece also! She lived with us briefly when she was very young, but now lives with my sister (her grandmother). It will be an interesting situation for me when she joins my little class of teenage girls. Fortunately, she's very bright, while they are all struggling learners, so they will be using mostly the same books and materials. P.S. Since you mentioned that you don't know where to start in assessing her, I would suggest using some of the placement tests at publishers' websites: http://diagnostics.aceministries.com/ https://www.clp.org/store/by_grade/21 http://www.sonlight.com/homeschool/curriculum/placement-tests/
  21. Oops! This is just the TOC. I'll google some more and post when/if I find it.
  22. I poked around on google and found all of the Grade 9 workbook in one place here: https://d3jc3ahdjad7x7.cloudfront.net/xF24tbh3sjQs2VX1hb2DnFbM59Wtqv1xPikAwO3FweBC26nw.pdf and all of the Grade 6 workbook in one place here: http://images.pcmac.org/SiSFiles/Schools/AL/MontgomeryPublic/FloydMiddle/Uploads/DocumentsCategories/Documents/English%20Handbook.pdf
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