That TAG system is AWESOME. My 4yo loves it! He uses it all the time. I just got one for my niece for her birthday and she loves it too. I am getting them for my other two nieces and my nephew for christmas. Make sure you get the carrying case (and I also love the headphones...ahhhh....quiet).

I want a big map to hang on the wall that we can color on. I already have the typical laminated wall map. But we are getting ready to start our new geography book...it is a pretty traditional text with all the physical geography plus some history, culture, etc. I thought it would be fun to have a huge wall map that we could color in as we study each country, continent, etc. Any ideas??

I checked out their website and a teacher in this style is not nearby so I was wondering about their DVDs? Have you seen them? Are they good?

Thank you all for the great advice. I still am not sure what to do. I wish he could see both teachers but the university program won't allow it. If we use any other teacher outside the program then they won't let him stay in. Something about conflicting teaching styles. :( I guess we will keep praying about it for now.

Oh, I get it, you are talking about his other fight. I thought you meant the one where he got his butt kicked by Ephrain Escudero. I think it sucks that he is even on TV. That guy is a loose cannon and not even that great a fighter.

The Junie fight was already on last week. Tonight is Fight for the Troops. Do you want to know what happened with Junie? :D The finale is this Saturday on Spike. I am waiting for the big Noguiera vs. Mir fight on Dec 27th!!!!

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

When we lived in NC we had a wonderful piano teacher. Kyle loved her and he learned a lot and at his last recital he played three songs from Phantom of the Opera! Then we moved. Someone here recommended this prestigious "Piano Academy" at the local university. Kyle auditioned and won a coveted spot in the class. I was such a proud momma even though it costs a fortune. He hates it. He has been in it for 5 months and he fights me about practicing nearly every day. His teachers are pleasant but strict and very...ummm...particular about how things are done. ;) His previous teacher taught him theory while learning songs so every week he could easily have 10 different songs he was working on and he practiced an hour a day and he loved it. Now his practice and classes consist mostly of theory and technique. He drills, and drills, and drills....scales, cadences, triads, and a whole bunch of other stuff I am not familiar with. But very few actual songs. Not to mention we have to drive quite a ways twice a week. He is now talking about quitting which breaks my heart. I am not going to let him, of course, but I know that he is losing his love for it. So a friend recommended a new piano teacher. We met her yesterday. She is a singer, songwriter and musician. She only takes students who already know how to read music, notes, time signatures, and what-not, because she teaches them to play primarily using chords once they know how to read music. The good: he will learn more songs right off the bat. He really wants to use his music to worship God, play in church, for family, etc. He will most likely not be a concert pianist for a career. She loves the Lord and is the worship leader at her church. The bad: very little theory. Is that bad? I am not sure. I don't play, so will I damage him for life if he moves into playing with chords? He wants to play songs by Mercy Me and Casting Crowns, not Beethoven. Am I a sell-out if I let him switch? Am I taking the easy road? Caving in? I just want him to love it again like he used to......:confused:

5.06 and i did the worst on RIGHT ANGLES of all things! Sheesh.

:iagree:

Valium. :D

I hear ya...the one thing that has caused me to actually get certain subjects done this year as opposed to previous years is that I did all my lesson planning including copying and gathering of materials over the summer so now every subject, every day is pick and go. I have not done this before and I can tell you that plenty of things did not get done in the past and they are getting done now. :D

:iagree: I was going to post the same links!

I do copywork until 4th grade then use Phonetic Zoo.

Do you think it's good or bad? Why? Tenure does nothing more than protect lazy teachers. If you are a good teacher you don't need tenure to protect you and yes, I know first hand...I taught high school for 12 years and am currently in administration. Do you believe it impacts the quality of K-12 public schooling? If yes, positively or negatively? The effect on education is extremely negative. Lazy, inept teachers get all the choice classes and get away with doing nothing. In the typical school district, a tenured teacher would have to do something extreme, like have sex with a student, before you would get fired. Do you have any thoughts on merit pay for teachers, either as an addition or a replacement for the tenure system? You'd have to define merit pay a little more. I do believe in yearly raises but I do think performance should factor more and not simply longevity. Did tenure in any way play a part in your decision to homeschool your children? Not directly. I just would never send my child to public school. And I know that seems strange since I work in public schools but it is BECAUSE I work in public schools that my children will never darken their doorstep.

It hardly hurt at all...a momentary pinch...that's it. I was really surprised how easy it was. Come on...you've been through child birth...you can handle it! :D

Nakia you are TOTALLY cool enough for it!!! Go for it girl! I had one on the left side. I took it out when I got this "professional" job. :D I LOVED IT. It didn't even hurt that bad to get it. I changed from the "starter stud" they used to a smaller cute one about a week after they did it (I actually went back in and had them change it though). You can get clear studs that hide it better but if you leave it out it will close up quickly.

Me too!

I can only say what we are using for this stage: 5th grade: Famous Men of Greece, Rome 6th grade: Famous Men of Middle Ages, Renaissance, Modern Times 7th and 8th grade: A History of US (Hakim) We use the study guides that go along with each of these as well.

That movie was a STITCH!!! The hamster is the best character! Definitely a must see.

I have both on CD-ROM. EIC gives you some writing and tells you that there are X number of mistakes. You have to find them and tell what KIND of mistake it is (grammar, spelling, usage, etc.). They are both AWESOME!!

Hickory, NC is an AWESOME place! I agree with NC, great place to live...stay far, far away from Michigan. :D

My dh just told me that at the WalMart he works at, yesterday a customer got mad at an employee and spit in his face and punched him in the stomach. Another woman in a dispute over an item, threw it at an employee and hit her in the face. I am just glad my dh works afternoons and didn't have to be a part of it. If they ever asked him to work Black Friday during the day, he would call in sick. People disgust me.

It's a great choice. IEW has my ds writing like this after only a few lessons! I PROMISE they are not paying me to say that either! :D It is a GREAT program.

And, of course, there was the shooting at a Toys R Us today that left two people dead. :banghead: