Oh!! I like that idea!! Thanks!!! :D

I'll be there on Friday! (Saturdays are too crowded for me!)

I will certainly look into Aleks -- someone else recommended it as well. Does it cover the entire upper level math sequence? (She's currently halfway through her review of TT PreAlgebra and needs to go through Algebra 2 by the spring, so she can re-take the math placement test at the cc)

We have the following rules for our oldest re. driving: No more than 1 person in the car who's under 18 as well. No cell phone usage while driving. She's to have it with her, if she needs it, but it's to be turned off while she's driving. She has to be home by midnight (so far, the latest she's been out is 11, but midnight is our cut-off).

Thanks for the reassurances everyone!! I'm going to continue with TT! He *does* love it! I'll still be on the lookout for something extra as a supplement, and perhaps something for my oldest, at our homeschool convention next week!

Oh! I forgot...another reason that I'm looking for reassurance and / or questioning TT is because my oldest daughter (who'll be in 12th grade this fall) used TT from Algebra 1 on and failed the math placement test at the community college this past April! She used TT Algebra 1 and Geometry and was halfway through Algebra 2 when she took her placement test and she tested into PreAlgebra -- and she can't take developmental math as a homeschooler...so she's re-doing all the TT textbooks now (from PreAlgebra through Algebra 2) and she's going to try the placement test again in the spring -- so this fall, she's taking Psychology and English Literature at the community college, because she couldn't pass the placement test to get into any of the math or lab science classes. That means that her dream of going off to college after hs graduation can't happen! (Her favorite college wanted her to take English - which she took this past year - history - which she took this past year - math and a lab science at the community college and that can't happen!!) Math hasn't been her best subject either, so we've been looking at *her* as the one with the problem, but, after what I've read about TT on this forum, I'm wondering if it's the *curriculum* and, if it is, I certainly don't want to put my son on the same path! If it's not the curriculum, and my son will do fine with TT, then let me know that, too! I hope that adds more clarification -- and if anyone has any ideas for my oldest daughter -- who's trying to get from her current PreAlgebra level to a past Algebra 2 level for the community college, please let me know! (Even her SAT math score didn't help! She needed a 500 on the math section to skip the math placement test at the cc and she scored a 440) Thanks again!!

This would be for my oldest son, who'll be 14 tomorrow, and will be a 9th grader in the fall. He's finishing up Teaching Textbooks PreAlgebra, and doing very well, after using Math-U-See since Kindergarten. (I switched from MUS to TT because *I* was lost! Math was my worst subject in school and I never made it past Algebra I myself) He likes math, but he needs a program that moves s-l-o-w-l-y, so he can grasp each concept, with lots of built-in review, so he doesn't forget what he's already learned. He also has Asperger's Syndrome / high functioning autism. He's thrilled with TT, but I've read many reviews on this site that say that TT isn't rigorous enough for a college-bound student. My son is planning on college, but, so far, he's planning on majoring in either art or architecture -- something along those lines, as, to him, architecture *is* art -- just drawing buildings instead of other things. :) And I want to make sure that, if he continues TT through PreCalculus (which he's on track to complete by the end of 12th grade) that he'll be prepared enough to score well on the SAT and pass any math placement tests at college that he might need. Should I stick with TT or try something else? Please keep in mind that I would need something that is very parent-friendly, as my math skills are weak (as I pointed out above) and preferrably something that won't break our bank account, as my hubby is self-employed! Thanks in advance!

That makes me so mad!!!! I pulled my youngest daughter out of Kindergarten because of the way she was treated, not only by the other students but by the teachers as well. (She also has autism) For instance...My daughter isn't potty trained and she had a messy pull up. The teacher took my daughter and locked her in the bathroom for 30 minutes before calling in the nurse to change the pull up because "changing pull ups isn't in my job description". Then they removed her from her mainstream Kindergarten class due to "behavior issues" and they told me that she could no longer attend. After fighting with the county's school system, and having countless IEP meetings, and even consulting a lawyer, we decided that she'd be better off at home and pulled her out. This one particular elementary school had 5 special needs children start Kindergarten this year. Only 1 is left. The others have either moved to another school district or they're homeschooling. That speaks volumes to me!

Happy Birthday, Jeffrey!! My oldest son will be 14 tomorrow!!! :D They grow up wayyyy too fast, don't they?

Exciting plans here! My oldest son's baseball team is having a team party tomorrow, so I'm making 72 cupcakes today! And Monday will be his 14th birthday, so we're having a big cookout. I'm off to bake... :)

My oldest is a voracious reader - and she's a natural speller. My third child is an excellent speller, and reads well, but he's not what I would call voracious...at least not yet!

Thank you everyone! :) I'll make it a point to look for Draw Squad at our homeschool convention, which is in less than 2 weeks. Has anyone used Visual Manna's Master Drawing? That's another one that may work for him, but I'd love to hear from anyone who's used it.

It probably would've been fine with younger students, but my boys were bored to tears. It was very scripted .. sort of the way Saxon Math is. And the questions were wayyy too simple for my boys (3rd & 8th grade, btw). So even though the grades listed on the curriculum matched, it just wasn't a good fit. It probably would've worked well in 1st or 2nd grade...no higher than 3rd grade.

Welcome!! I'm homeschooling 4 children as well, 2 with special needs (1 with Asperger's and 1 with Autism). The folks here are wonderful and have been a great resource for me!

Has anyone used either one of these art curriculums? Draw Today is in the Sonlight catalog and Drawing Basics is Thomas Kinkade's program that's sold by Alpha Omega. This would be for my oldest son, who's turning 14 on Monday and will be a 9th grader this fall. He LOVES art, and he wants to major in art in college and, now that he's reaching the high school level, he really wants to improve his drawing skills. I also know that he'll have to start keeping a portfolio for college admissions. I have no artistic ability whatsoever, so I want something with a DVD base to offer him that visual instruction component. If anyone has any other suggestions, please offer them as well! Thanks!

Here are the two new things we're trying that I'm hoping for success with: Rosetta Stone Spanish Draw Today Art Curriculum Everything else on our list has been used before by someone in the family! (That's the advantage of having 13+ years of homeschooling under our belts!)

My children love art! We've had wonderful success with the How Great Thou Art books. We've used Baby Lamb's Book of Art, Feed My Sheep, Book of Many Colors, I Can Do All Things -- and probably a few more I've forgotten to mention and they've loved all of them Another hit with my oldest son, who loves to draw, are the Let's Draw book series (I think that's the name!) There are rainforest animals, insects, dinosaurs, race cars, etc. -- I think there are 10 books in all.

I agree with the above poster! We're in a rural area -- no cable and a 45 minute drive to Wal-Mart -- and my children are each others' best friends! My 8 year old and 14 year old are practically inseparable and my 6 year old worships the ground her 17 year old sister walks on! :) They play outside ALOT - hiking, fishing, camping, basketball, etc. For 'outside the home' activities, my 14 year old plays baseball for the county and it's, luckily, very popular around here, so most of his friends are on his baseball team. My 17 year old drives an hour each way to take classes, two days a week, at the community college and that's where she's made friends her own age (she hangs out in the student lounge between classes) My 8 year old and 17 year old also take Tae Kwon Do lessons (thankfully, it's only a 20 minute drive there!) 3 nights a week and have made a lot of friends, even though there are only 25 students in the entire school. We take our 6 year old to gymnastics on Saturday mornings - a 45 minute drive - and she really enjoys it (she has autism and it's a gymnastics class for children with special needs, so it's therapeutic, too!)

Here's mine! 9th Grade English - Smarr's Introduction to Literature Math - Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1 Science - Apologia Biology Foreign Language - The Learnables First Year Spanish History - BJU Geography Art - Draw Today

Winners: Teaching Textbooks PreAlgebra & Geometry Story of the World Volume 3 Sonlight Core K & Core 3 How Great Thou Art I Can Do All Things Natural Speller Apologia Physical Science & Physics Handwriting Without Tears Letters & Numbers for Me & Cursive Handwriting Losers: Easy Grammar 3 Developing Critical Thinking Through Science

I have a wide mix of ages, but here they are! 12th Grader English - Survey of English Literature (community college class) Math - Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2 Science - Apologia Marine Biology Foreign Language - Rosetta Stone Spanish Level 2 British History - Fraser's The Story of Britain Electives - Psychology (Fall) & Sociology (Spring) (community college classes) 9th Grader English - Smarr's Introduction to Literature Math - Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1 Science - Apologia Biology Foreign Language - The Learnables First Year Spanish History - BJU Geography Art - Draw Today 4th Grader English - Rod & Staff English 4 / Natural Speller / Handwriting Without Tears Cursive Success Math - Teaching Textbooks Math 5 Science - Apologia Zoology 1 History - Sonlight Core 4 w/ Story of the World Volume 4 Art - How Great Thou Art's I Can Do All Things 1st Grader English - Sing Spell Read & Write / Explode the Code 1 - 2 - 3 / Handwriting Without Tears My Printing Book Math - Math-U-See Alpha Science - BJU Science 1 History - BJU Heritage Studies 1 Art - Abeka Art Projects 1

I'm homeschooling 2 children on the autism spectrum. 14 year old ds w/ Asperger's -- These are his favorites: Sonlight, Handwriting Without Tears (when he was younger), Math-U-See (when he was younger), Teaching Textbooks (switched this past year and absolutely loves it!), How Great Thou Art, the Story of the World books (when he was younger), Alpha Phonics (how he learned to read!), Natural Speller (a lifesaver!), and Apologia Science 6 year old dd w/ Autism -- We're just finishing Kindergarten, so it's not a long list yet! -- Math-U-See, Sing, Spell, Read & Write, Explode the Code, Sonlight, Handwriting Without Tears

We've limited each child to one activity, which helps on the driving as well as keeping up with their schoolwork. My oldest does Tae Kwon Do 5 days a week (but she has her own car and a driver's license, so that helps!) My second plays baseball, but my husband is the assistant coach, so he's the one who plays chauffer there! My third does Tae Kwon Do as well, but only 3 days a week (and his sister takes him to and from) My youngest does gymnastics on Saturday mornings, so that's not too bad, as it's only one day a week.

We take a few weeks off in the summer (this year, it's from the middle of July through the end of August), but I wouldn't take an entire summer off! I'd never get my kids back to the table if I did that!! My oldest, however, will be schooling all summer -- she's getting ready for a pre-calculus class at the community college and she wants her math skills to be sharp, so she's reviewing all of the math books she's completed since 8th grade to get ready for it! ;)

My oldest babysits regularly and works in the nursery at church 2-3 times a week and she earns $10 an hour. I would consider looking for a younger girl (11-12-13) who might be willing to work for less $$ and who'd be more of a mother's helper (i.e., you're there in case anything happens, but she's there to play with the children). When you start hiring teenagers, they're more expensive! ;)