If you do a search, there are some other people who have posted positive reviews of other courses through Udemy here on the WTM forums and there look to be hundreds of courses on that website that are cheap.

I don't think it is crazy. When looking for finances, sometimes you have to cast a wide net. You won't know until you try.

The reality of the fact that I'm going to be dropping my oldest off in a different state in a few days is beginning to set in. I'm not sure how I'll do - I'm sure his siblings will miss him.

I just had my computer programmer husband look at the web development course that is linked above. He thinks it looks very worthwhile and even if it's not, it's just a waste of $10.

We bought a color printer. :closedeyes:

I started with Sonlight with my oldest and still use most of it with my fourth child. It's nice to find a company that you think you like and purchase a package from them. As you go along, keep what you like and start replacing subjects that you want something different in. I now piecemeal everything for my older kids, but it was nice to simply use Sonlight to start. ... my other piece of advice to new homeschoolers is to give yourself permission to waste a little money (not too much). Just because you paid good money for some curriculum, you don't have to keep using it if it is obvious that is it not a good fit. I certainly don't recommend tossing out all your curriculum, but until you've used it you won't get the perfect fit in all subjects right at first.

Talk through the pros and cons and don't make a rushed decision. However, it does sound like she's ready for college.

VT was expensive and very worth it in my home. I would do your research and ask lots of questions if you are not sure.

I don't know which edition, but here's some questions that go with the book. http://www.tsowell.com/Questions.pdf

I think that a lot of how kids respond to a diagnosis is how it is presented and how parents talk about it. If you say we are going to find out what is wrong with you or why you can't do something, then it puts a negative spin on it. If you say we are going to learn more about how your brain works and how it works differently than many others, then it is more of finding out facts about yourself. If you say that you always suspected dyslexia, but simply did what was best for him at home and accommodated along the way, but now think a diagnosis would be helpful so that he is given the time or help needed in areas outside of home.

Where to go is also dependent on future goals. If he wants to go to college, then getting an evaluation done now would be very helpful as it will open any doors to accommodations that he will need in college. At home, you can keep plugging along and accommodating him any way he needs, but a formal eval might get him accommodations on college board testing as well as in college. I think a formal diagnosis is very helpful as it lays to rest a lot of questions your child may have about himself - why can I not do this as well as others?

LOVE Brave Writer - I've done lots of their classes. They are pricey, but worth every penny for me. What do you want to know?

I think just completing the Intro to algebra book is mostly algebra 2 and is more than kids locally get for algebra 2. The topics I'd consider adding if they are not covered in precalc are basic matrices, parabolas, ellipses, hyperbolas. I would not advise using the Intermediate book for an average kid. What I'd probably do is pick up a basic algebra 2 book and see if it covers anything you are not covering with AoPS.

As much as I don't like this requirement, I would not let it sway me too much. It's a project that might turn out fun or might be a pain, but like any school there will be some hoops you have to jump through (mostly for required classes). I would encourage my student not to let it take away from other things that are graded. I'd still consider the school, especially if they are giving good money.

I think Sonlight as a business used to be much more friendly and helpful. I don't like the direction they've gone.

I have no idea if this is common or not, but I say YUCK. Double yuck if expected to start on the early date. I'd find it very annoying to be expected to do a bunch of work for something that is "required", but essentially doesn't count for anything. What's the motivation to put your time into a bunch of research and group work if you have real classes and tests to study for?

Usborne has lots of science and history books.

Sure, I think they'd love to talk to a junior.

I share the expectations - whether it be a rubric or work all the problems until correct or whatever I'm expecting.

Sorry, we started with Center for LIt long before they added the writing.

I wouldn't worry about calling the course whatever you want. If you want to call it World History and then list in your course description what you actually did. We tended to do writing across the curriculum so it wasn't specifically for one course. As long as my kids did enough writing to satisfy me, I didn't worry about adding more just to round out a course.

You could certainly do an outside online course, but you could do something simpler at home. We did Mystery of History with discussion. You could simply get some teaching company lectures and watch them and discuss. You could do writing as part of your history or incorporate it as part of other subjects. Hillsdale has some online courses that are free.

I think Forester's is like any other math curriculum - many plug along without really understanding it and then suffer for it. If you son is struggling in chapter 1 of Derek Owen's algebra 2, then I'd suggest that you might need to back up farther. It is so important to have a solid algebra 1 base to be able to move ahead in any math or science. My understanding is that if you contact Derek Owens, he might be helpful in figuring out what your son struggles with and where he might best start. There is nothing that says you can't repeat a couple of subjects of algebra 1 and then move on.

high quality beach toys are ones that are not made for the beach.

My son did it in middle school - completed the adv. version on his own. I though it was good, but he has a big background in science and felt certain portions of the learning were "beneath him", but you had to answer everything to get to the next section. He did all of the projects and years later, we still have some of them around. Overall it was fun, he learned and I didn't have to do anything as mom.