Thanks, everyone. I think what I am going to do is have him finish MUS arithmetic, then have him do a couple Beast Academy books before moving him into AoPS PreAlgebra. Thanks for being a sounding board!

Hi all, I need help cutting down on busy work for my 10 year old. What should I cut? What is redundant? What would you keep (or add)? Math U See (epsilon)- 1 sheet daily Mad Minute (1 minute fact review) 6 Mental Math problems (singapore) daily 1 Process Skill problem (singapore) daily I want to add in Beast Academy. That feels like it will be too much. What can I take out? Thanks so much in advance!! Jennifer

Hi all, We are currently reading Pearl S. Buck's Story Bible. It is exactly what I was looking for in a children's Bible: no-pictures, clear, beautiful language, no interpretation (the text speaks for itself). I would love to find something similar for the Qur'an. Does anyone know if such a thing exists? All I can find are cartoon-y collections of stories, and I am too unfamiliar with the Qur'an to really know what I am looking at. I understand that it is considered ideal to read the Qur'an in the original Arabic, and that there are only one or two authorized English translations. Perhaps this tighter approach to their scriptures prevents a children's version in the vein of Buck's? Anyway, would love to be pointed toward such a thing if it *does* exist. TIA!! Jennifer

Thanks so much! This is very helpful!! I think I'll go with Process Skills. I have one child in MUS Alpha (addition/sub), one in Gamma (multiplication) and one in Epsilon (fractions). Anyone know what grade level I should get of Process Skills for each? Jennifer

HI all, I'm looking at supplementing our MUS with either Singapore's Challenging Word Problems or Process Skills in Problem Solving. What are the differences between the two? Should I do both? Thanks! Jennifer

LOL! I appreciate all your input. This last made me laugh, because that's probably true! :) Which is also why I need a voice of reason sometimes...

He uses Dragon, mostly, which is a relief to both of us. :) I'll take a look at the video. Thanks! Jennifer

Hi all, I like aspects of all three of these approaches: CAP Writing & Rhetoric (only seen samples), IEW SWI-A & Bravewriter. My 12yo ds with dysgraphia worked with IEW about 2 years ago before his diagnosis. We switched to Bravewriter a year ago, and daily freewrites have been really helpful with lowering his anxiety around writing, but I'm ready to take the next babystep. I think he would find IEW more do-able now that he's older than he did 2 years ago. I'm also really curious about CAP W&R. Both programs seem to be structured and to build upon previous lessons, and I don't *think* they overlap. Blending them might help give him more tools? Has anyone blended all three? What does it look like? I'm wondering if alternating lessons between IEW and CAP and then taking a freewrite through the topic funnel, etc (ala Bravewriter) would be good (nice variety), but would it be horribly confusing? Also, we currently do Arrow with a little bit of reading from MCT thrown in. Thinking I might add Fix-it back into the mix. My kids always do a little bit of grammar and a little bit of writing daily. So, rotating through things wouldn't add to the work load, it would be that we would have more in the rotation. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance! Jennifer

We were doing IEW and fix-it before his diagnosis. I found Bravewriter during his testing, and daily freewriting for a year (never editing) has been good for his anxiety. Periodically, I would try to take the next step, and we were only successful once, last summer. I think IEW would be good to return to. I also like the look of CAP. Would it be crazy to combine all three?? I'll start another thread... Thanks! Jennifer

Hi all, My 12 yo ds has dysgraphia, and it is the kind where it is hard for him to put thoughts on paper. We have been doing Bravewriter with great success. I won't abandon it completely, but I'm needing more guidance or we'll be stuck doing freewrites for months on end (which is what we've been doing since August when I felt like he was ready for the next step beyond just freewriting). I'm looking at CAP Writing and Rhetoric. We'd start with the first book (grade 3/4) Fables. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with this writing curriculum with a dysgraphic, little bit older student? TIA! Jennifer

Hi all, My 11.5 yo is a very reluctant writer and has been diagnosed with dysgraphia (thought-generation variety). We have been using Bravewriter with a lot of success. He recently drafted about three paragraphs through voice recognition software about a trip to Mars. We were able to edit it together into a nice little story. This was huge progress for him, and I definitely credit Bravewriter for this. Basically, right now, I have him freewrite daily using the voice-to-text on our tablet, and then we choose one of those freewrites after a couple weeks to edit. His anxiety about writing is lessening, and I want to keep that on track, but at the same time, I would like to look forward from here. As much as I love Bravewriter, I'm not sure I can keep the way forward in my head using strictly Bravewriter. I'd like to supplement. I was looking at Writeshop, and was wondering if anyone has any opinions about it regarding *really* reluctant and dysgraphic writers. Writeshop reminded me of All About Spelling, in that it is all scripted and you have all the materials you need. I *love* All About Spelling and All About Reading for those very reasons. I am wondering: a) Would Writeshop I be a good fit for my son? Or would it cause him to regress?? b) Is it really easy to use? Or is there a lot of busywork or materials that I would have to scrounge up and make? c) any other suggestions on programs would be welcome... Thanks so much in advance! Jennifer

Hi all, There was recently a story on NPR about Aaron Carapella who has created maps showing where different indigenous people were living and using their names for themselves in the US, Canada and Mexico: http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2014/06/24/323665644/the-map-of-native-american-tribes-youve-never-seen-before. I contacted him about getting a digital copy and this is the link he sent me: http://tribalnationsmaps.com/digital-download/ Digital sets are only $20 This is something I'm hugely interested in for our history studies and I thought I would share. Jennifer

Detectives in Togas?

The Ratio cookbook is interesting

Hi all, I used the OPGTTR for my two older boys, and I drug them both through it the entire way. I did the AAR Pre-Reading book with my 5yo daughter (because I don't think OPGTTR does a good job with letter sounds in those first couple dozen lessons) and she really enjoyed it. I have been hesitant to start AAR 1 because it is another expensive investment and she is my last child. Plus, I know OPGTTR works... it's just hard to get through lessons... like pulling teeth. But... she's also my last, and I *know* without a doubt that OPGTTR is no fun, so why not switch to something fun. I'm concerned that all the levels aren't out yet, too, though, and what if at the end, It's not a complete reading program? What would you do?

Hi all, We tried Duolingo this morning, but it wasn't as independent as I had hoped. My 5 yo is definitely not ready for it, though I think my olders will be able to use it after they get used to it since they can read. Is there a good tablet app out there that doesn't require reading and is geared toward the kindergartener? TIA! Jennifer

Over the past year, I had reached the point of hissy fits (both of us) with my (now) 11yo. I thought it was just laziness, but when it reached the point that my closest homeschooling friend and confidant began telling me that she was watching my relationship with my son deteriorating, we decided to consult a psychologist we trust. My son just completed 10 2hr sessions of exhaustive testing and came away with a diagnosis of dysgraphia and ADHD, though he is highly intelligent. I *never *would have thought we'd find ourselves in this position. He's starting medication this Friday, which he is very excited about. My point isn't that this is your situation, but just to consider it : sometimes it is laziness, but sometimes it's not. If you find you've tried "everything" and you're still dragging him along, there might be something else going on. ... Because I could have written your post myself six months ago.

I have this reaction. I have switched to a sunrise alarm clock. It uses light to wake you up slowly over 30 minutes, and then there is a chime when it is time to get up. So if you want to wake up at 6, the light starts warming at 5:30. It is so dim when it starts that it is not at all jolting, and the gradual lightening is really like a sunrise. I no longer have headaches when I wake up.

Yes, you have the idea, Susie! I'm not anti-Christian at all, and I'm sure there are many good Christian books that fit the bill. What I am *not* wanting is the salvation path version of Christianity (Jesus in the manger stories) or commercial stories. Christmas Carol is a good one, but I am holding off a few more years on that one. My kiddos aren't ready for the language style of it. I'm looking more for picture books, I think.

Hi all, I am looking for "Christmas"/Solstice read-aloud suggestions for ages 5-11. Anything that emphasizes giving of self rather than receiving, and Light/Hope/Spirit shining in Darkness, social justice, multicultural. There are so many holiday stories that it is hard to weed through them all to find these themes. I'm really trying to avoid the nativity stories and the commercial Rudolph/Santa/Frosty ones as well. Any suggestions? TIA!! Jennifer

We are in the middle of long division with my 11yo ADHD son. He really struggled with the concept, too, at first. We use MUS Delta, and I found the manipulatives very helpful. He is doing very well after working with the manipulatives for a couple weeks. Basically, we worked with the MUS Decimal street and the base ten blocks. I have the decimal street poster covered in contact paper so that we can use dry erase markers on it. We built the dividend with the blocks, and then drew a division bracket around the blocks in dry erase. For the divisor, we used paper cups. We talked in terms of cookies (the dividend) and the people receiving the cookies (the divisor). The cups we very helpful in getting the idea that they were really receiving something. It was much less abstract. And we worked the problems out right there on the poster. The people (the cups, the divisor) visits the *first house* on the street for cookies, whatever ever that is, the hundreds house, or the tens...divides what they have if you can, or if not, combines with the next house. He's no longer using the manipulatives. He gives them up as soon as he can, because they are a pain once he gets it--- so they never become a crutch. HTH, Jennifer

Yes, this is what I think, too, with regards to the options of approaches to spelling, and yet that is what the testing is showing, that neither is right. With all due respect to others who replied (not farrarwilliams in particular), I trust the psychologist we went to. She has a good reputation in town, she has been practicing for many years, decades actually, and I was very pleased with her method of testing. She tested him for only 2 hours at a time over a series of 6 or 7 weeks, so as not to test a tired child. We do not have her report in hand yet, but I have been speaking with her in the meantime about modifications. So, it is difficult for me to clarify *today* what she means because I am still trying to wrap my head around it myself. And at some point, you have to trust someone and you have to make a leap of faith. There's a lot of art mixed up with the science of learning. I have been down *lots* of rabbit holes. It all costs money. Sometimes there's no way to know that you have gone down the wrong path unless you've gone down it. Sometimes, it's nice and clear. Right now, the test results ring true. He has trouble with his memory, and he has trouble with phonemics/rules. So, I am looking for a spelling program that is different. He is stronger with regards to auditory.... I am wondering about the Phonetic Zoo. Any thoughts on the Phonetic Zoo?

Hi all, Realizing I should have probably posted here first: My son has just completed a lot of testing to pin down what is getting in his way of learning. Yesterday, I took in all of my curricula and showed it to the psychologist (who specializes in learning) so that she could help me see which parts fit his specific needs and which didn't. We are currently using All About Spelling (which I think is an awesome program), but it teaches in the exact opposite way of what he needs, according to the psychologist, and it was hard news for me. So, I am on the search for what *will* fit him. (This is not a slam on AAS, please don't post defending its merits.) He can't understand phonemes/phonograms. But he also has a hard time straight out memorizing anything. We tried Sequential Spelling several years ago without success. What other options are out there? Thanks, Jennifer

Hi all, My son has just completed a lot of testing to pin down what is getting in his way of learning. Yesterday, I took in all of my curricula and showed it to the psychologist (who specializes in learning) so that she could help me see which parts fit his specific needs and which didn't. We are currently using All About Spelling (which I think is an awesome program), but it teaches in the exact opposite way of what he needs, according to the psychologist, and it was hard news for me. So, I am on the search for what *will* fit him. (This is not a slam on AAS, please don't post defending its merits.) He can't understand phonemes/phonograms. But he also has a hard time straight out memorizing anything. We tried Sequential Spelling several years ago without success. What other options are out there? Thanks, Jennifer

Well... I've already been down all those roads, which we discussed extensively with the psychologist. He has asthma, environmental allergies, food allergies, and sensory issues (he can't stand to touch paper, for instance, which is.... limiting). He has been on restricted diets in the past (and less so currently), and though he no longer has anaphylactic reactions to egg and dairy, he still does to nuts/peanuts. He had a ruptured appendix at 18mo, and (I believe) proprioceptive issues stemming from that. He is currently on asthma medication and takes allergy shots. He's on Diane Craft's BOB vitamin regimen. ADHD wasn't on my radar because I personally didn't believe in it until 2 weeks ago when it slapped me in the face and his scores were so shockingly low. He also doesn't present ADHD in the typical manner. He is very impulsive, but he is not bouncing off the walls. It wasn't on my radar because I was blind to it. But... it explains a lot now that I understand what ADHD is and can look like--- particularly in my son. It's the missing piece I was looking for. He's 11, and I have been looking for answers through nutrition and sensory therapies since he was 3. They're not enough, or they are just plain too complicated for me to tweak and use effectively--- I don't know which. It often felt like I was seeing improvements because I wanted to see improvements. These things are all rabbit holes, and I've been down a lot of them. Considering I have tried the alternatives, read the books, gone to the seminars, switched curriculums for the last 8 years; it was time for professional help. We were very careful to find a private psychologist who didn't go after certain labels, and she gave him a huge battery of tests ranging from learning/academic abilities to emotional and psychological. I trust her. So, I should probably rephrase my subject, because meds aren't really in question at this point for me. Just which ones, what kinds, how they work, pros and cons.