Abbeygurl4
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Posts posted by Abbeygurl4
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I can't say enough about Brave Writer online classes. I thought my ds would never learn to write. We failed with IEW, WWE/WWS and various others until I just gave up. Just for the heck of it I signed him up for Kids Write Intermediate at Brave Writer and he just blossomed! Monday starts his last week in the class and he asked me to sign him up for another! That's a big deal for him. I never knew he had such a great writing voice until Julie at BW gently guided him through the writing process and showed him that writing could be fun and not a chore.
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My 9th grade dd is using distance learning with Derek Owens. All of the videos are pre-recorded on the internet. Once you've registered, you get access to everything for that course. This has worked beautifully for my dd. She has done very well with this approach. She downloads the homework pages and tests, completes them, scans & emails, then Derek grades it and returns with a grade. She also emails occasionally with questions and usually gets a response back in 24-48 hrs. That has been a load off of me because I think geometry is the trickiest math to grade. There might be more than one way to approach a proof and I'm not sure I would always discern those possibilities. I pay $58 per month for his services and it has been worth every cent to me. He is a very gifted teacher. We also bought his physical science program, and have been equally pleased.
Here's the link: http://www.derekowens.com/
HTH,
Jennifer
I totally agree with Jennifer! Derek Owens is awesome! My ds used Saxon through 8/7 and barely retained anything. Somehow, the way Derek explains things just clicks with my ds. It's worth every penny.
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I agree with the Julies, it's a little light. My son is an avid reader and history buff, so we added Spielvogel's Western Civ.
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Well, I ordered from 39dollarglasses! We shall see!
I went to America's Best for an eye exam and almost bought glasses. They came to nearly $500!! I just couldn't pay that so I took my rx and left. I got online and checked 39dollar and Warby Parker and ended up with 39dollar because of the frames I liked. I got Varilux hd lenses with Transitions and anti-glare for less than half of the glasses store. I hope I like them!
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Derek is very easy going and accommodating. My ds hasn't needed extra help, but I think the way it's all set up has allowed me to look over the notes and and solutions so that I could help him myself.
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this isn't about "stuff". Your dgd is unhappy within herself and who she is and is looking for "stuff" to make her happy.
eta: it might not be emma's "stuff" she's jealous of, but parents who have time to bestow upon her. (and she is equating that with "stuff".)
I never thought of it that way. You may be right.
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What are your granddaughter's parents doing to help her understand that this is not acceptable behavior?
My dd, K, is divorced from the father. He isn't in the picture at all. K is aware of gdd's jealousy to some degree, but I don't think she understands how bad it is. She doesn't see it like I do because it happens when dd isn't there. My 22 yo dd (her aunt) has been talking to gdd trying to talk to her to understand that she's loved a lot and that it hurts Emma when she gets jealous and angry.
It's just a tough situation. I love gdd, but I still have my own kids that I need to take care of. K is overly sensitive to criticism so I hate having to tell her anything negative about her kids. They are good kids and gdd and Emma are best friends, but when that jealousy strikes she just lashes out.
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A $4 media mail package turned into a $12.87 package because flash cards along with the foreign language curriculum aren't media.
I am so flipping angry right now.
The wonderful (sarcasm there) man at the post office said I'm not allowed to put the post-it note thanking the buyer for the purchase. No notes, no letters. "That's the regulation, Dear. (DEAR )(*&*^%)" I said, "That doesn't mean it's right."
So, be warned. I learned the very, very hard way.
I was going to post about this same issue! Every time I've mailed something media rate I get the third degree. The last time I went the guy was a real jerk! I had a heavy package and I leaned it on the edge of the counter and he said "I didn't call you up here. I'm not taking anyone right now". I really wanted to say, "Hello mister, I don't think you should bite the hand that feeds you." I just said I was sorry and backed up.
It's just getting ridiculous at the PO.
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I have a granddaughter who is 11, my daughter is 10 and my grandson is 9. I have a really hard time balancing being a mom of a young child and also a grandma. DD is the youngest of 6. My others are 14, 22, 25, 28, and 30. I was never in a position to spoil my older 4 but the younger 2, especially my youngest, I've been able to do a little more for. Things were tough for a long time but the past few years have been a little better financially and we've had a little more discretionary funds.
My problem is that my granddaughter is constantly jealous of my daughter. Emma (my dd) is to the point where she hides things that she gets even if she pays for them herself because my grand dd gets so jealous. I just can't buy 3 of everything ( I can't get something for grand dd and not grand ds too) that I get for Emma because I can't afford that. Emma never brags about her stuff and she always shares but grand dd ends up upset. It's never big things either. I do pick up stuff for grand dd and grand ds occasionally, but it doesn't seem to matter she wants what Emma gets. Emma is to the point that she feels guilty when she gets anything from anyone.
I don't know what to do.
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5 days. Okay.
My suggestion is to rent a car in Tel Aviv and then drive to Tiberius. It's a moderate size city and has a good mix of modern hotels and little B&B type places and good restaurants. From there you can skip over to Capernaum (good reconstructed Synagogue and St. Peter's House). There are a lot of kibbutz's in that area, too. You can also drive up to Nazareth, which in the downtown area is a good representative of a what a "good" Arab town is like (the population is 100% ethnically Palestinian, but they are technically Israeli Arabs). The Church of the Annunciation is there, obviously, but there is also a nice suq and a modern shopping district.
From Tiberius you can drive down to Jerusalem, either going down by Jericho or through Samaria. West Jerusalem has the pricey and fancy hotels, but West Jerusalem is where most of the bombing attacks take place. If you think about it, it makes (logical) sense: since the Israeli army has mandatory conscription the bombers hit the places where Israeli young people are apt to hang out, buses, nightclubs, coffee shops, etc. The terrorists won't risk bombing someplace where their own cousin might be, kwim? East Jerusalem is pretty economically depressed, though there are some nice parts. That's why my suggestion is to stay in a nice place in the Old City which employs Palestinians. I stayed here once: http://www.luth-gues...-jerusalem.com/ and it was very nice and pretty quiet. I could hear the morning call for prayer, but that's something that you'll get pretty much everywhere.
The nice thing about a place like that is that you are in walking distance of the major Jerusalem sites (the Wailing Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre are literally a 5 min walk away) and you can easily move from East to West Jerusalem. The employees there will be able to tell you what restaurants and shops in West Jerusalem they would recommend (and would be safe), and also what shops in the suq in the Old City they recommend (but they might just recommend the shops owned by their cousin or uncle, so use your judgment).
From Jerusalem you can make day trips to Bethlehem and the Dead Sea. Though the Dead Sea would be an all-day thing, but there's spas there!
You are making me want to go back. I miss it so much.
Wow, great info! Should we try to extend the trip to maybe 8-10 days? I'm starting to think that 5 days isn't enough.
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I agree that you should go up to the Galilee area, or, as the local call it, Kinnerat. Very pretty and very safe.
Tel Aviv, imo, is an overpriced knockoff of a cheap European city. I mean, if your idea of vacation is spending the day at the beach and the night at a nightclub, Tel Aviv is fine. But there are better, and less expensive, places to do that sort of thing in the world.
In the Galilee area you could visit a kibbutz. They're everywhere, but the one's up there are generally more open to tourists.
The Golan heights is very nice, but a bit rural. Dan is amazing.
If you are hitting a lot of the national parks there is a pass you can buy that gets you admission to all of them.
For Jerusalem - you can stay on the West side in a (Jewish-run) hotel, or you can grab a reputable hostel in the Armenian or Christian Quarter in the Old City. The Lutheran one is very nice and very safe. Much more authentic, if that's your thing.
If you do much around the Old City, like go down to the Wailing Wall or go to any of the Christian sites in the area, make sure you pack a "modesty kit." This mean shoulders and knees covered. It's best if your shirt reaches your elbows and you wear full length khaki pants. Skirts aren't terribly necessary, but they are appreciated. I knew some girls who liked to stuff a "sarong" type wrap or quick pull-on skirt in their backpack for situations where they felt they needed more.
If you are going on your own, be aware that some sites require you to have a certified tour guide with you.
The inter-city buses are safe and reliable. But they aren't really set up to hit the tourist routes. Renting a car is a fine alternative. Most road signs are in English.
Getting to Bethlehem can be tricky, depending on what's happening at the time you're there. The Christian Information Center (http://www.cicts.org/) right inside Jaffa gate should be able to give up-to-date instructions on how to go.
The Dead Sea should be on everyone's bucket list. It'll be gone in a century.
If you really want to see the Red Sea you can go down to Eilat. But there's not much to do there but party, so if that's not your thing I wouldn't spend the time trying to get down there.
Wow! Thanks for all the info!
Nothing about the trip is set in stone yet. It's just my sister and me and we will be there about 5 days so I want to pack in as much as possible. I love ALL foreign countries and their cultures so I want to experience as much as I can. Food, music, sights, museums, etc . The Dead Sea is at the top of my list for sure.
I was thinking of staying somewhere that was central to the sights we want to see. I don't know what those sights are yet since we just decided to go last night. (-;
I would stay anywhere as long as it's safe and fairly bug free. My sister, who is paying for everything, likes top end hotels. However, she will try anything I want her to, so that's why I'm doing the planning.
I am open to ALL suggestions so please give me all ya got!
I just can't believe that I'm going to be walking on the same ground as David and Solomon and Herod and Jesus! It's mind boggling to me!
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Lucky, lucky you! I lived for a few months in the Golan Heights, and it is a beautiful area. With Tiberius as your base you could see the Sea of Galilee and take a day trip tour of the north. If you go to Haifa, visit the Bahai temple and gardens. I liked Akko a lot. From Jerusalem, you should also go to the Dead Sea and Masada. Personally, if I was travelling without children I'd move around, rather than stay in one place - Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Tiberius, perhaps. Try to stay in a kibbutz guesthouse and take a tour of a kibbutz.
Thanks for the advice. You are so lucky to have lived there for a time! It will just be my sister and myself, no kids. She is paying for me because there is no way I can afford to travel.
We will be there for about 5 days and I was thinking of staying in Jerusalem. I don't really know much about Israel and I want to pack as much into these 5 days as I can. Is Tiberius closer to more things?
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My sister and I are going to Israel!!!!!! She's always wanted to go so we are!! What are must-not-miss things we should see and do???? There is so much to choose from and I don't want to miss out. We were thinking of staying in either Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. I just can't believe it.
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Well, I called a piano guy. He says around $95 but he won't know until he gets here.
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Oh, another question ...
Some places send you right over to their eyewear store after the exam and just assume you are buying glasses from them. How do I just get an exam and rx without buying glasses from them?
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I like 39dollarglasses. I have a coupon code (Winter15) that gives $15 off each pair of glasses.
I've used zenni optical and the glasses were fine, but it took almost a month for my glasses to arrive.
I've looked at them. I like that they let you upload a picture so you can try the glasses on.
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Also, if I don't like the way glasses feel on my nose, would plastic be better since they don't have those nose feet things?
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WarbyParker.com
Excellent customer service and their glasses are stylish and cheap (about $99-140 a pair including lenses.) They will send you 5 pair at a time to try on at home and shipping is free both ways.
That's pretty cool, 5 glasses to try!
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zennioptical.com
We use them ALL the time! Fantastic. :)
Great! I'm checking them out right now. Thanks!
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I'm getting ready to order from zennioptical. My progressive lens bifocals have been running close to $600 out of pocket each year, and I can't swing that anymore. (FWIW, I checked pricing at all my local optometry places, including Walmart, and for mine the price was always that horrible.) I'm a little nervous about ordering online, but I used my daughter for a guinea pig first and we are extremely pleased with her glasses from zenni. Locally, we paid ~$200 for her last pair. zenni price was $34 delivered, and she likes the style more. My glasses from zenni will be $68 - including lighter titanium frames because I hate the weight - and with the potential savings from now on, I am willing to give them a try!
Wow! Good deal!
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I need glasses. I'm almost 49 and I probably need bifocals. I've gotten glasses twice in the past 10 years or so and the rx has been wrong both times and I end up not wearing them. Also, I hate the way glasses feel on my face. I've tried contacts but they always feel like I have an eyelash in my eye. My eyes are worse now and I keep putting off going to the eye doctor because we don't have vision insurance.
What is the cheapest and best way for me to get glasses that work?
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Thank you for the information. I really know nothing about pianos. At least I have some idea now!
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Well ....
Any Ohio people out there know how much piano tuning might be? :confused1:
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Can anyone tell me approximately how much tuning would cost for a baby grand piano that hasn't been tuned in over 5 years and has a couple of sticky keys? I just need a ballpark figure because I have no experience with piano tuning.
Thanks.
High School Writing...I'm failing my son miserably on this one...help...
in High School and Self-Education Board
Posted
I've used everything you mentioned and was paralyzed just like you. I actually didn't make him do any real writing assignments for the past few years because I just couldn't figure out what to make him write.
Anyways, I finally bought Brave Writer and BW Help For High School. I sat down, read it, emailed Julie at BW for help and my ds is writing! I was able to put him in a BW online class called Kids Write Intermediate, but it just covers what's in the last couple chapters of BW and the first few in Help For High School. I just needed extra handholding and I wanted feedback from a neutral party. BW really makes a lot of sense if you read it and use it. She also has a section in the back to help schedule writing assignments. You can get back issues of BW's Boomerang which is a months worth of LA and literary analysis from homeschoolbuyerscoop.com, 5 for 24.95. You can download a free issue from the BW website, just make sure you read how to use it because it looks deceptively lacking but it's a great resource.
I could never get my head around WWS, Classical Comp, IEW, Writing Strands and so forth. Brave Writer just makes sense to me and has help simplify school and has kept ds from hating writing.
What is the Boomerang?
The Boomerang is a monthly digital downloadable product that features copywork and dictation passages from a specific read aloud novel. You may download a sample issue to view (and use!) by clicking on the “Download a Sample†button on the right.
It is the indispensable tool for Brave Writer parents who want to teach language arts in a natural, literature-bathed context, using copywork and dictation. It is a language arts resource that equips you, the homeschooling parent, to fulfill your best intentions related to:
The practices of copywork and dictation teach your children the fundamentals of written communication. These practices naturally facilitate the development of accurate mechanics in the context of quality literature (the best words, in the best style, accurately edited).