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Annabel Lee

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Posts posted by Annabel Lee

  1. Thank you all for the suggestions!  It will be our 20th wedding anniversary, and it holds special memories for us, as we spent our first anniversary there. It was a late honeymoon, too. We stayed in a hole-in-the-wall cheap hotel, went to the aquarium, visited restaurants and shops.

     

    We love the outdoors, nature, animals, hiking, adventure, history, good food, fishing, fresh seafood... the whole nine yards! We'll only have a few days, though, and our bodies aren't as young as we feel. As much as I want to think knee pain won't become an issue, depending on the activity and duration, they might. Ugh. My spirit is adventurous but the pain slows me down. My husband's are even worse. We're still up for being active, though, just in milder ways. If I could hang-glide over the bay and watch sea life from above, that would be really awesome.

     

    You've all given us great ideas. Thanks again!

  2. I just noticed that Singapore U.S. Ed. Challenging Word Problems are going out of print; Rainbow Resource is already out of most of them and I don't see them at all on the main SM site.  What is a fair price for them in like new cond. (no writing inside)?  Where should I look find price comparisons?

    Also, is this the right board for this question?  I can't post questions like this over in Classifieds, and this board seemed more appropriate than General or Chat for this question.  If I am wrong, I can move the post; just let me know.

    Thanks!

  3. Give me the good, the bad, & the ugly.  Some very good friends might form a high school co-op next year (unheard of in our tiny area, so a rare opportunity) based on classical/Christian education.  The conversation has suddenly shifted to a lot of favorable talk about Easy Peasy.  How does it compare to other homeschool curricula common to this board?  What are your experiences with it?

  4. I just posted another ad to remember how I got around it.  I've posted plenty on the forums over the years, so I'm not getting around the rules, to be clear.

     

    It still gives me the same message you're seeing, but underneath is the double post error in small print.  If you see that, try going to the main Classifieds section (it is directly above the main error, on my screen).  There I see my ad posted anyhow.

     

    ETA: This adds tedious steps and time to the process.  I wonder if there is a better way or if it can be fixed?

  5. Nevermind; I think I figured it out.  Is there a way to delete our own old ads or sold items?

     

    I managed to post about 4 classified ads, but now when I submit a for sale ad, it tells me at least 1 forum post is required before I may post a classified ad.  I've been on the forums since before it moved here (the old ones), and have plenty of posts; is there a way to get the system to allow me to post there?
    Thanks!

  6. My printer is a dud (HP4620).  It is the source of much frustration and I am done with it, however, I am not ready try a laser printer.  I need an all-in-one inkjet printer/copier/fax/scanner that prints and copies FAST, single or double-sided, allows me to adjust quality level and color or B & W easily, includes a zoom in/out feature, with a working wireless connection, that works well with paper or cardstock,... am I forgetting anything?

     

    My kids also need their own laptop to work on.  I don't want to spend too much, but I want it to last more than just a couple years.  They'll need something more durable than my thin Asus.  We've never used Apple before (except ipod or ipad) and I don't have time to figure out a whole new system right now. 

     

    Suggestions?

     

  7. My son has worked hard and covered a lot of ground this summer, determined to make it happen.  In addition to continuing math at home, he went to a tutor for some intense catch-up.  The tutor had to go back to work full-time, so today I gave my son a Saxon placement test on which he tested into Algebra 1.  There are some gaps, but I think we can manage.

     

    Now I just have to decide between Saxon and Jacob's.  I have some local hs friends urging me to use Saxon (3rd ed. sequence) so that Geometry would be integrated over the years in order to move forward quicker.  There are many positive online reviews, but on the other hand, I keep seeing reviews stating it does not teach the big picture, that students won't have a deeper understanding, only how to apply memorized formulas without knowing why they work.  Is this true?  Any thoughts, experience, comments on that?

     

    I called Veritas Press to inquire about their upper math sequence, and was told that at Alg. 1, avg. students may stay on the Saxon track and more astute students may opt for Jacob's.  I am paraphrasing by using the "track" phrase, but the idea that Jacob's is slightly higher level was conveyed.  I read about Jacob's Alg. yielding a fuller understanding, a better grasp on math.  How do the two compare?

    Thanks so much for all the help!

    • Like 1
  8. Not sure about rhetoric level but I think Paula's Archives is still up for SOTW. You might be able to use the topics listed for elementary to help with the relative rhetoric level.

     

    http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/SOTWmenu.htm

     

    Are you able to open that page?  I get a "Problem loading page" message which reads:

    Server not found

     

    Firefox can't find the server at www.redshift.com.

     

        Check the address for typing errors such as ww.example.com instead of www.example.com

        If you are unable to load any pages, check your computer's network connection.

        If your computer or network is protected by a firewall or proxy, make sure that Firefox is permitted to access the Web.

     

    I turned off AdBlocker just for that site, but it still won't load.  :/  I wonder if it's a problem specific to my system.  I couldn't access some of Donna Young's high school forms last week, either.

  9. I'd like to correlate a 4-yr. WTM Great Books study with Christian Bible study, doctrine, and theology.  Before I unwittingly reinvent the wheel, has this already been done?

     

    I'd love to make a plan that completely follows TWTM, utilizes SWB's HotAW or Western Civilization (Spielvogel) as the main history thread, but adds something to link Biblical history to it and Bible study (with lessons, commentary, not just a reading list of chapters/verses) as well, such as any of the following:  Just the Bible section of MFW AHL (covers O.T. only, but same type of plan could be created for N.T.), TruthQuest guides, MOH, BP Companion, 100 Most Important Events in Christian History, Trial & Triumph, Foxe's Book of Martyrs, Greenleaf Guides, History Lives Chronicles, etc.

    I realize TOG, MFW, VP, and BP all do this (to various extents), but I really want to stick with a base consisting of the WTM plan just as it is in the book.  I don't want to lose the free-flowing nature of it (i.e., the parts where the student chooses which points were most important or interesting, then chooses which to research further) by going with a program which has all of that assigned.

     

    I tried looking for correlations on the Paula's Archives of Homeschool Advice which used to be on redshift dot com but doesn't seem to exist any longer. :(  Where did that go?  It was such a gem.

     

    Back to my point, has anyone added a "Bible strand" to TWTM Rhetoric stage history, and more specifically, to either History of the Ancient World or Western Civilization?

  10. [i just posted an update below with some good news & a new question.  He's got his confidence as a student back!  Yeah!  :)  ]

    I have one dc that is, by age/grade level, going into 9th gr. next year, who is finishing a combo of Abeka/Horizons 6 math right now.  That he is behind is only due to not having been exposed to the material - no LDs or other issues involved (he's doing 2+ lessons/day, understands quickly - a forray into a PS where he learned nothing new in math & other life circumstances have caused this situation).  How would you proceed?  We are working on math through this summer & willing to continue doing so in future years.

     

    If I let him do TT Pre-Alg., he would only have about 3 chapters of Pre-Alg. to cover topics not presented in his current 6th gr. level books, and then he could move on to Alg. 1 in the fall.  This is the "feel-good" option.  He would get to "catch up" finally and not feel like he is continuing in catch-up mode - this would be a huge relief and confidence booster for him.  He does not like math and just wants to do whatever will get it done as quickly as possible.  TT allows that.

     

    On the other hand, the content is more important to me than the level or title on the cover.  My math shortcomings are legion, so I look at texts that offer video options, clear TMs, or online courses - TT looks appealing for that reason.  Even still, I'm willing to wrestle through and learn ahead of him if it means he could get a deeper or more thorough understanding.  Online courses with a pre-set pace would mean no longer doubling up when the work is easy or skimming through things he already knows, though.

     

    I'm very much considering & would like your opinion/suggestions on:
    Saxon (by Saxon Publishers, slightly older editions) - ...but I don't want him to have the same struggles I had with it as a teen; how would I get him to see the bigger picture with such tiny, "incremental" presentations?  Because of our late start, should I be concerned about where this will put him when it's time for PSAT and SAT/ACT?

     

    TT - Too easy for him, vs. accessible for him?  What are SAT/ACT scores like with this?  What is college math like for kids who've used this?  Which supplements, if any, are recommended to make sure his skills transfer to other formats?

    Jacob's Elem. Alg. - is there a Pre-Alg. by Jacob's?  If not, which Pre-Alg. generally goes well before it?  Which edition of Jacob's Geometry should I look for (I've noticed there was a recent change and people liked one of the previous eds.)?  It also doesn't have an Alg. 2, right?  I see that Veritas Press uses Foerster's Alg. 2/Trig. after Jacob's.

     

    LOF/Zaccaro: I love the idea of these, but I'm not sure how NCAA would feel about it.  I've used both, only as supplements, in earlier levels and like them a lot.  I don't know how this dc would do with these as the primary course materials... we might not know until we try.  Currently, there are a few topics he continues to have not mastered well after initial presentation, and I wouldn't have known that except for the constant review problems in Abeka.

     

    Abeka: ???  I've read mixed reviews for its upper math.  They have videos, which would be good in our situation, but what has been your experience or impression?

    Horizons: Teacher's Manuals are almost of no help, which is how we ended up adding Abeka to Horizons.  Also, we'd have to switch after a certain point because Horizons only goes to Alg. 1, right?  Am I right in thinking it's not advisable to plan on switching after Pre-Alg. (unless multiple curricula make up a smooth progression, such as Jacob's & Foerster's), or is that bunk?

     

    VideoText: They do all of Algebra first and then geometry, right?  Or do they integrate it like Saxon?  Do they have all of it done & available yet?  I haven't seen many reviews for this.  Is it kind of like TT (video instruction) but a bit harder?  Do VT students have any difficulty transferring learned skills to other formats?

    Lial's: BCM seems too easy for him save just a few concepts.  Pre-A. would be a challenge, so he would not be ready to start Alg. 1 in the fall with this.  (Again, I place different importance on the title of the book than he does... it does matter to him.)   Jann in TX offers online help for this and I have some DVTs.  I've seen references (not in relation to Lial's) to "constructivism" in math, or "constructivist math"; I'm not sure what that means.  Does Lial's fit under that descriptor?  How do you know which problems to do, and is there a schedule?  Other than the main text, which other pieces might be helpful?

     

    ChalkDust, ThinkWell, KineticBooks, TabletClass, CTC math, Derek Owens, Dolciani, BJU:  All are available to be taught online or via videos, but I'm not sure how to compare.  Does DO use Dolciani?  What are your experiences with these?

     

    What do you suggest for a child in my son's situation?

  11. ...Susan Wise Bauer suggested Rod & Staff 6 for 5th grade after the First Language Lessons...

     

    She did?  Was this in TWTM or somewhere else?  Do you know where I can read/hear SWB's advice on this?  This would be such great news as I've got a dc finishing up FLL4 as well.  She's older, but we had to backtrack due to lack of grammar in school before homeschooling, so it would be a big confidence booster to be able to skip a level.

  12. When planning what to use for my high schooler, how can I know what will be approved?  Is there still no way to know?  I ask because in reading through this thread, I see that certain courses/vendors are or are not pre-approved.  Where and how do I find out if what I want to use for high school will be approved?  When I asked a similar question last year, the answer was that there is no solid way to know.  Has anything changed since?

     

    Ugh, I'm not looking forward to this process.

  13. For years, I've wanted to get some yoga ball chairs for use during school time.  I tried regular yoga balls, but they roll out from under the kids and one rolled right into the front of the wood stove, where it met its end.  I want some that are on some kind of fixed (or wheeled) base, as pictured in my amazon link below.  I don't want to spend the money just to discover what I ordered is poor quality, will pop or deflate easily, fall apart, etc.  Can anyone recommend a good one to buy (or any to stay away from)?

     

    If you don't want to click the link but want to see what I mean, just enter "yoga ball chairs" into the "all departments" search bar on amazon.
    http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=yoga+ball+chairs

     

     

    ETA: A bit of googling turned up a yoga ball chair review site which lists the top 5 rated ones, for anyone else interested: http://www.yogaballchairs.com/shop/ball-chair-reviews/

     

     

  14. If they've never read Tolkien before, let them experience the wonder & enjoyment during their first read.  I asked this very question some time ago, and, after pondering Lori D.'s advice,  I decided that turning it into a formal lit. study would be akin to making them stop to take extensive notes on a first trip to Disney.  Since your kids are older than mine when we began, tying some parts to literature study seems like it might be OK.  If they become fascinated about anything particular, I'd put any planned lessons on hold in order to let the child follow that path.  You can always pick up the lessons where you left off when their self-directed extended learning, reading, or researching comes to a lull.  I really suggest simply reading it for enjoyment, though.  You might find yourself and your children doing extended discovery/learning without it being assigned at all. :)

  15. I have some more questions on this topic so I'm posting it in this thread to keep the information together.

     

    First, thank you Sue, for so generously sharing advice, help, and more.

     

    I've called NCAA a couple times now, trying to get a feel for how to plan for high school.  They do not seem to have any sort of "approved" or "disapproved" list of curriculum, resources, materials, or vendors at all, except that they won't approve Rosetta Stone and they won't approve a religious studies course focused on a single religion.  Their examples of religious course that would be approved were World Religions or Comparative Religious Studies (done neutrally or with secular texts).  They were not able to tell me whether anything from a list of curriculum I had prepared would or would not be approved.  She said one homeschooler could be using a course differently from the next person, so they review things on an individual basis.  She also kept repeating that as long as I do these 3 things it should be OK: fill out the Core Course Worksheets thoroughly, use high school level texts, and make sure those texts are "college prep".

    Now I have more questions.  What about texts or materials that cross multiple grade-levels, not just "high school"?  It seems the safest thing would be to use things that are clearly marked only for high school.  But, that eliminates a number of other resources, and I don't want to stuff my sons or my homeschooling into a box.  Is there a way to walk this fine line and be approved?  How do I determine if something is "college prep", and by whose standards?  What bar do I use to measure that?

     

    Do you know if the following would be NCAA approved (or denied)?
    -Teaching Textbooks, VideoText (or any others where instruction comes primarily from the video lecture)
    -Usage of free online college level courses (opencourseware, Coursera, etc.) for high school credit only (possibly a CLEP test, but maybe not)

    -Paid online courses such as WTM Academy, Landry Academy, The Potter's School, Derek Owens, Math classes with Jann in TX, Lukeion, Memoria Press, IEW, Center for Lit, etc.
    -MFW, HOD, SL, WP, & others similar
    -TOG; I wonder about approval because their publications are multi-level and not just for high school
    -MOH; I think it states it is for 5th - 8th grade but lists add-ons to make it appropriate for high school (I haven't looked closely, but wonder if the "5th - 8th" might garner disapproval, esp. if they don't read any further after seeing that
    -A 4-year world history rotation, ancient times through modern times, instead of the traditional U.S. high school social studies line-up, assuming I cover all my state requires as well (U.S. History, Econ., Gov., state studies...)

    -Courses taken outside the home but not at a local p.s. or college; paid group science classes that meet 2x/wk. or so, or private foreign language or music lessons, etc.
    -And finally, Bible; inductive study, New Testament studies, etc.  If they don't accept it, what do I do with it?  Not give credit?  Not list it on the transcript?  That seems silly.


     

     

  16. I just realized how old this post is; sorry about that.  It came up in one of my searches.  Thanks for taking the time to answer.

    Your reply makes me wonder 2 things: 1) It's often said Dolciani is best used by parents with a firm grasp on algebra.  Would the D.O. class be a good substitute in a case where the parent is learning alongside the student?  2) Do they use something different for Alg. II?

  17. We are currently going through the process now with my senior.  All we have left is to submit a final transcript in May/June, so we have everything else accepted & approved.  

     

    Some of our curriculum was Lightning Literature, Apologia sciences, Bob Jones math, various history (Glencoe, American Vision, Macgruders).  Courses were also taken at our local college for dual credit.  

     

    For outsourced classes, I listed myself as the teacher and the class teacher as the tutor because ultimately, as homeschoolers, we give the grades (except for the college courses).  I would only do one transcript.  Also, if you google 'NCAA American History' or 'NCAA Spanish III', you can sometimes get specific school information - class descriptions and possibly curriculum.  

     

    You are starting early, so you should feel good that you're on the ball!  

     

    Yay!  That's good news for me as well!

     

    As for "early" and "on the ball"... I wish I could internalize that; it feels so urgent!  I will have to be operating under these guidelines in August of next year, so I only have until then to learn how, apply that knowledge to my curriculum choices, get everything ordered (preferably by May-June at the latest), planned, and prepared.

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