Audio books. My son doing Barton level 3 is also doing the Explode the code books.(nice supplemental phonics) science videos Time to invent - http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/time-to-invent/ Go to your local bookstore and look at teaching workbooks if you want Critical Thinking activities k-3 (my kids love this!) - http://www.amazon.com/Critical-Thinking-Activities-Pattterns-Imagery/dp/0866514716 Critical thinking company - Mind Benders verbal Look at Critical Thinking company for other educational level appropriate workbooks

Take algebra WHEN READY! - not just ready to do an easy algebra program, but ready to tackle tough problems and to think. 1st son - algebra in 6th grade (probably should have started sooner, but it never occurred to me) - math geek 2nd son - algebra in 7th -8th 3rd - daughter - probably in 8th, maybe into 9th 4th son - on track to start early like 6th or 7th I would have no problem postponing until high school if needed. On the other hand, I wouldn't postpone, just because it was done that way in past.

I've done both IEW and Brave Writer. IEW - formulaic; helps teach the structure; I would highly recommend the teacher material alongside anything you buy. It does have very good resale value if that helps. Many people like to say that Brave Writer is better for more "natural" writers, but I'm not sure that I agree. I think it's great for natural writers, but it has been awesome for my dyslexic, dysgraphic, STEM, math-loving kid. "I" as a STEM inclined mom can not do justice to teaching the Writer's Jungle myself because writing is not natural to me. It has been fantastic to take many of the family classes and my high schooler (who started with IEW and did well) has done great with Brave Writer. It has helped him find his "voice". His writing is unmistakeably HIS. The teachers at Brave Writer have helped him pull out personal experience and better details without telling him how or what to write. As far as grammar is concerned, I've used many programs including Fix-It, but I've come full-circle to thinking that the Brave Writer/Charlotte Mason way of copywork/dictation is the best for my family. I teach grammar specifics as we get to it in copywork (and in their writing). My oldest did tons of copywork to work on letter formation and handwriting since he's severely dysgraphic. It is amazing how much grammar he learned naturally as I did copywork with him for the purpose of teaching handwriting.l

The price is similar to what Brave Writer charges for similar items. The wand and arrow are $10 per issue. This seems to fit between them and be $79 for 10 lessons.

It sounds like more than just speech problems. If she's asking what things mean, but not increasing in her vocabulary, then it's much more than just articulation. You should have some homework to do as well as working with the therapist. I'd probably pursue both a better speech evaluation as well as evaluation for learning disabilities.

Congratulations!!!

I replied on your other thread, but I'd do as hard of problems as you can do in AoPS. The lessons in the chapters start extremely easy, but build up to very difficult so I wouldn't skip the teaching. The bulk of the problems are at the end of the chapters. Many very good students skip the challenging problems as the are VERY challenging, but doing the problems in order teaches you skills needed for the more challenging problems. The answer to your question is not a simple - do these problems. If you want to supplement with AoPS, get a book at try it out. You can skip the easy problems if too easy, and just move on to the harder problems. Also, you might try out Alcumus which is the free online learning system.

What diagnostic test are challenging? or What level are you considering starting at? For a 7th grader, I'd still think about Intro. to Algebra unless his algebra background is very advanced. I'd do both the lessons as well as the review problems. If these are on the easy side, then your student will move through it quickly, If it's challenging, take it slower.

As a STEM mom, "I" cannot do justice teaching the Writer's Jungle or the Bravewriter way. However with the handholding of some of their family classes, it has worked well at my home. Also, as I said, my STEM high school boy has done better with Bravewriter than anything else. As I said, I like what they draw out of him for his writing. Many programs will say "give more details", but don't really show how to do this. My all facts, no fluff boy will say "I gave details". Bravewriter is also very good at giving positive feedback. Here's a sample of some of the comments (he was writing about his favorite passion - math!): Good! Now let's make this personal. How does this tension affect you in particular? Think about you bodily sensations - was your breath coming in shallow spurts, or were your hands sweaty? Did you look at the other contestants and wonder if you were evenly matched? Were they sizing you up as well? <--How do you know? <--This would be a good place to give us a glimpse inside your mind - what were you thinking? Did you know the answers also? Were you wondering how they could get them so fast? <--Do you remember what the question was? It would be interesting to include that information here, or at least part of it. <--Great job being specific! As you explore how to convey emotions,you want to think about painting a picture with words, the same way you did in your images in the Powerful Association exercise. (I gave you a few prompts in the text above where additional details could be added to create an image for the reader). You're on the right track! See if you can expand some of this content to make it present to the reader. My high school son has taken a couple of online high school classes from Bravewriter as well as used them for one-on-one coaching for a personal essay he had to write. The writing is unmistakably HIS writing and they don't try to make him sound like someone else. He's learned both how to structure writing as well as the very difficult task of drawing words and images out of him into his writing;

If I thought my kids would benefit and it wouldn't have deleterious effects on them or me, then I'd join. I was part of one co-op that I was required to stay. I didn't socialize with the other moms, just did my own work. However, listening to them complain week after week, was making me grumpy by the time we came home. "Mom" was much happier when we quit which makes the entire family happier.

I would also suggest MEP or Zaccarro.

My son has considered doing this for AoPS precalc - not sure if it's a good choice or not, maybe I should email AoPS my question directly.

I charge $20/hour - you come to my home. I know others charge more in my area.

Everyone is different in what they like. My STEM student has tried several things including IEW and likes Bravewriter classes. He says he still doesn't like writing, but he likes the Bravewriter way better than anything else. I like what he's actually written in Bravewriter classes which has been better writing than anything else.

I generally do both the teaching and exercises on one day and take several days to do the chapter review. If the material is on the easy side, then you could run through it more quickly - this is what I've done with some student I tutor. I've taken students that have "completed" algebra and started them in the prealgebra book. The first few lessons go quickly but the have quickly slowed down.

They are very different products. I would describe Teaching the Classics as directed at the parent and giving you the tools to carry on literature discussions with your child. Windows to the World is step by step lessons for literary analysis.

The majority of AoPS students are public/private school students that take their classes afterschool. In the past homeschool students have only been 5% of the AoPS student population, I'm not sure if that has changed. I wouldn't be surprised if more homeschoolers were in the introductory classes.

I have a hard time seeing spelling programs translate into my kids writing. I have three kids that are dyslexic and dysgraphic. My oldest dysgraphic son learned almost all spelling by copywork - it also taught him a ton of grammar naturally. I was slow to start my daughter on copywork, but it is really helping her spelling now.

Middle school 6-8 Jr. High 7-9 These terms are often used interchangably to mean the years before high school. If you are using them for younger ages, then it may be common for your area, but outside the national norm.

The Barton app has been a tremendous help at my home. My daughter had slowed way down having to use the tiles and we weren't progressing very fast. When we moved over to using the app, she was much less resistant to doing Barton and we progressed much faster. My 8 year old is enjoying the app now, but he doesn't have as many tiles to keep up with.

I agree about not skipping AoPS prealgebra. (The online tests are deceptively easy). If preA is easy, you can whiz through the chapters and just do the hard problems at the end of the chapter, but I suspect you'll find some challenge there. Don't worry about the speed through the program - go as fast or as slow as needed.

Take a deep breath - you have not failed her. Keep teaching her math with the best program for you. If Forester is working then I see no reason to change. I still don't know you daughter's grade, but the only reason to take the PSAT is practice and to qualify for National Merit. There are lots of other ways to get practice and it doesn't sound like you're competing for NM. I agree with the others about looking at the ACT - it might be better suited for your daughter. Most all colleges will take either SAT or ACT. Julie

Many of us went from SM5 or SM6 to AoPS Algebra before their prealgebra book came out. It's not a path I'd necessarily recommend except for a very strong math student. I'd tend to do AoPS prealgebra (even if you move through it quickly) before doing the algebra book. The prealgebra book also has some beginning counting, statistics, number theory, and geometry which is not in the algebra book.

My son used Notibility a lot and I scribed everything. Since we homeschool, I didn't have to deal with extra worksheets that I felt were extraneous. We did much of the work orally. He continued to do "writing" practice daily - lots of copywork (helped teach him a lot of grammar naturally). He was very slow to learn to type. Last year (9th grade) he did vision therapy for both convergence insufficiency and dysgraphia (he a very poor perspective of where things are in space which made consistent writing very difficult). It was amazing what VT did for his writing. For the first time in his life he picked up a pen and started writing on his own. This year he's doing almost all his writing, though slowly. It is very hard to do a essay or anything that requires a chunk of writing. He's tried graphic organizers and dictation programs without much success.

Whatever you do, I'd make sure you challenge her. If you move to a curriculum that is "easy" for where she's at, it won't do her any good.