A few years ago, I gave myself permission to splurge on Brave Writer classes and not worry about the cost. Of course I don't recommend spending money you don't have, but it's been one of the best decisions I've made. I tend to homeschool cheaply and until I outsource AP classes, I haven't spend too much on the rest of my curriculum. Classes we've done: High school - 2 students have done both Kidswriter Int. and Expository Essay; One has done MLA Reseasrch Essay this year and the other will probably do it next year. Family classes - (lots of fun for my family) Kidswriter Basic (the first class we did), Just So Poetry, Groovy Grammar, Playing with Poetry, Family Shakepeare My daughter (fiction writer lover middle schooler) has done Writing your own Short Story and Writing your own Greek Myth. We did one month of Boomerang club and will likely do a couple of months next year. I've wanted to do some literary analysis, but it hasn't worked out this year. I've also wanted to do the high school poetry and high school Shakespeare, but the timing hasn't worked. I really wish I could put my oldest dysgraphic son in the Advanced Writing class next fall, but I think it'd kill him with an already heavy schedule. In addition, my oldest has done private tutoring through Brave Writer for one personal essay. He could now do it on his own, but at that point in his life he still need a bunch of hand-holding. We had one teacher, in one class, that gave great feedback, but I was unhappy at the speed at which she responded (not horribly slow, but when you are waiting on feedback on part 1 to do part 2, then you need it quickly). Otherwise, all the feedback has been fantastic as well as the speed of responses. When we've asked for extra help, the teachers have gone over and above at giving information and helping. They've helped with both my student's questions as well as my mom questions. I find the feedback both positive and encouraging as well as constructive. Seeing the feedback on other student's writing as well makes me realize how great the feedback is to everyone as any level of writing. They meet the student where they are and take them to the next step (or next several steps). ... and the improvement carries over into all the rest of my kid's writing. By the way, my two oldest are STEM kids--one severely dysgraphic, one at which words come easily. My middle schooler has learning disabilities as well, but loves to write. My little guy has enjoyed tagging along in some of the family classes and will take his first kid's class this year. I'm a mom that understands the mechanics of writing, but in no way shape or form can I give feedback on how to improve the writing. ...can you tell I've enjoyed our Brave Writer experience? (edited for spelling)

No I do not feel that Brave Writer is light. I just feel like it's not unexpected for high school English courses to be a lot of work including both writing and literature. I do think that the Center for Lit - literature only class is "light" for a full credit and I lump their credit with Brave Writer classes to round out my credit. Some of the Brave Writer classes can be a significant chunk of work and well worth a 1/4 credit.

Actually, Brave Writer has a 4 week ACT/SAT class that is in May (and other months). I was thinking of the college essay class which is usually in Sept.

Brave Writer will issue a transcript with grade for all of the high school classes. A 4-6 week class is listed as a 1/4 credit class by them. Personally, I lump our lit class (1 credit), 2 Brave Writer classes (1/4 credit each) and some other English from home all into one English credit.

If you aren't doing the read-alouds as a family, consider adding some in as readers if the reading level is appropriate - there are lots of good books there.

Looking at your link, it looks like you are doing a lot of history. I would give yourself permission to cut back and keep whatever works for you. You can keep doing the SL readers without the cores if you wish. I like to do my main history together with my younger kids. I tend to pick a core to read the history from and then the rest of the readers for my kids may or may not match. You don't have to do all of the history and read-alouds - pick what looks most interesting to you as that will often be the most interesting to the kids as well.

I know Bravewriter offers one about September - haven't done it, but have heard good things about it and I like all their other classes.

Thanks.

My question is about virtual school options, not the lack of parental support. She has the opportunity to meet with a tutor multiple times a week so the tutor "should" be able to provide the framework she needs to meet her goal if she is motivated to learn.

I do not know the child's level of motivation. The mom's support is poor. From what I understand it might work if she has someone (tutor, grandparent, etc) overseeing the planning of workload.

The request for suggestions has come from Dad and Grandparents. The girl lives with mom who is not much help. She has in the past had twice weekly tutoring sessions so this tutor could be the person to oversee the work. I've told them flatly, that if the girl is not motivated to do work, then nothing is going to work. They would like some sort of online virtual school that can be loosely overseen by some adult. Hopefully the child will be motivated to do the work. KY homeschoolers can sign up for Florida Virtual School at a significantly reduced price (through the KY schools) so this might be her best option. I am interested in any other options I can pass along.

They are looking for online options that everything can be taken through - similar to Florida virtual school.

I'm asking for a friend who is looking for a packaged compete curriculum for her granddaughter. The big problem is that the parent is not motivated to make the daughter work and I"m not sure the daughter has the self-motivation to get it done. She's 15 and maybe at an 8th grade level. I can think of oniine providers for specific subjects (for instance Derek Owens for math), but they are asking for ideas for online accountability as a package deal rather than just individual subjects. I'd like any recommendations: online, dvd, package or individual subjects. No one really knows where this girl is academicall, though she used to work regularly with a tutor..

I struggle with the same issues. I knew I needed to push my oldest this year to a higher standard and some outside accountability, but it was a stressful fall. He has fallen more into a routine this winter/spring. I didn't know it would cause so much stress, but I think we are past that now. I am trying to figure out how to pare down his schedule next year to the things he really wants/needs to study and get rid of the other stuff. I want to allow him to pursue his passions in academics, but not at the expensive of having a life outside of school. I think we'll be better off next year for him. I'm worried that I might be pushing my second son too much next year. I know what I want to sign him up for and I think he can do it in a reasonable amount of time. He's a different kid and is more efficient in getting work done. Hope I'm not overestimating his abilities and pushing too far.

My son is doing Derek Owen's physics and I'm very pleased so far. It is a solid trig-based physics course.

I don't have any problem with how DO does things. The classes were originally based on certain books, but no longer look like that book. They are DO classes and teach what is typically taught at different levels of math. I might "teach" algebra 2 from different books to different kids, but ultimately I know what I want to teach and have a standard that must be met. I think of DO as the same way - he knows what material he needs to cover, how he teaches it and has practice problems and homework that meet those goals. His classes no longer look like the book they were originally based on other than it's the same topic.

I think it is okay to quit things. If he has made a commitment, then it needs to be followed through before quitting. If you think he just needs to be pushed through a low spell, I'd push for awhile. Sometimes when you give them permission to back off, they will forever quit; other times they will back off some, but keep going at some level. Eventually you have to let them start making some of their own decisions. Sometimes a parent just needs to say this is a parent decision and you have to do it. The end. If you need it for a fine arts credit, I'd definitely finish that out before quitting.

I probably wouldn't use Beast in a co-op setting either. I'd look at MOEMs (haven't used), Zaccarro books, or elementary math circle materials.

Congratulations. My son has extended time as well. He does not have an IEP or 504. We just turned in his learning disability testing results as well as a summary of home accommodations through the years. Make sure your daughter understands how the extended time works for the ACT. The total time is extended but has to be managed by the student. Basically has time and a half. If she takes double time on the initial portions of the test she'll run out of time for the end. I had my son take some practice tests with unlimited time, but timed to find out how much time he'd "like". From there we planned a strategy to manage his time for the test.

Thanks for bumping this thread again this year. I don't remember it originally, but I know I found it last year and made some decisions (which have been good) based on it. I am now reminded of things I want to do with my younger kids. Also, I have just bought Corbett. I'm not sure yet if it will be for me or for my senior next year who likes to think.

I don't remember if they offered just a fall option this year or not. If they don't, then send them an email explaining what you want -- they have been very responsive to working with what I have requested.

I don't find the explanations in NEM to be as good as in the primary series. I also don't like that so many of the problems are set up where they expect calculator usage (calculate to so many decimals) when it would be just as easy to set up a problem without crazy numbers. I like the geometry chapters better than the algebra chapters.

Locally, there is not anything taught in Algebra 2 classes that isn't covered in the Intro book except a little bit of matrices and ellipes/hyperbolas. Local precalc classes covers the main topics of both the Intermediate book as well as the precalc book.

A "typical" precalculus course covers college alegbra and trig. This is some of the material in the two AoPS books. The AoPS books go deeper and further than what is typically taught. I would not try to combine the AoPS Intermediate Algebra and Precalculus books into one year for most students and I'd be hesitant to do much of the AoPS precalculus book without having done a chunk of the Intermediate Algebra book. My oldest did the AoPS books, my second son will go with a solid but not quite as rigorous precalculus.

To clarify what I meant, don't get just the teacher notebook without also the teacher dvds. Some people go completely without the teacher training, and only purchase the student levels. I'd recommend the teacher training if you'll bother doing it, but many find the student dvds sufficient.