Brenda in MA
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Posts posted by Brenda in MA
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is on the 2nd Memoria Press Henle I syllabus after using PL, LC I & LC II. We never used the DVDs, but the transition to Henle was quite easy. The Memoria Press guides move pretty slowly, but that pace has been great for my son. The only issue we had last year was that there is a bit of writing out answers required, and that was a little tedious for him at 10 yo. We solved that problem by using a white board to write out the answers if the assignment was long.
LC I & II cover quite a bit of bare bones grammar, so your dc won't see much new grammar for a while. What they will get from working through Henle from the beginning is more practice with what they've learned such that it begins to become more "automatic".
I've just purchased the Lingua Latina books to go along with Henle and give us more reading practice. So far, I think Henle is working out very well for us. My plan right now is to try and get through Henle 2 at home and then opt for an on-line course for the higher levels.
Brenda
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I also added in Critical Thinking in US History for a different twist. My main goal in dividing Core 100 up was to make it sync with Cores 3 & 4 that his younger brother was using, but I think it worked very well.
I know that some think the History of the US books aren't high school level, but the Sonlight notes add in more discussion and additional information. Between the Hakim books and the additional history-oriented literature from SL, I felt it was worthy of high school credit.
My son is more interested in math/science than history, so I decided that his history program should be more high interest. He was able to work on it independently, except that we discussed the History of the US readings with the Sonlight questions once/week. He did enjoy the Hakim books, and the publisher sells a book of multiple choice tests that I used to easily establish a grade for the course. I did substitute out some of the easier literature, and I used a Lightning Lit guide to supplement in some literature, short stories, and poetry in his 9th grade year.
I don't know anything about Notgrass, so can't help you there.
Brenda
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we are definitely in the midst of the mid-winter blahs and need a lift here.
Here are our three things...
First, my son passed his Eagle Scout board of review last week. It's been 6 long years of work, but it's paid off! We are all very excited for him.
Second, same son went on a retreat with the youth group at church. When another adult asked him why he goes on these retreats, he said that he enjoys sharing his faith with the younger high schoolers. Yeah!!!
Third, my younger son got a teddy bear this week on a spur of the moment trip to the store. It really warms my heart to see how he is still so innocent at 11 yo and is really enjoying the new bear.
Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
Brenda
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Stacey,
I've had issues on and off with ongoing sinuses infections. I also tried nasal steroids, nasal irrigation, allergy testing and the like and had no positive results. I stumbled upon something a few years back that has miraculously kept the condition under control.
That is really watching my oral health -- brushing teeth at least twice/day, flossing once/day, and using a mouthwash containing alcohol twice/day. I just buy the generic stuff at the supermarket, but something strong like Listerine would be similar. When I use the mouthwash, I swish it around for about 30 seconds and then gargle with it before spitting it out and rinsing. I don't know what it is about this treatment, but if I only use the mouthwash once/day or if I forget for a couple of days, I can feel the congestion coming back. I'm still more prone to sinus infections (requiring antibiotics to clear) after colds, but otherwise, my sinuses are generally clear.
I hope you can find a solution to this condition. For me, the on-going congestion some how effects my ability to sleep well, and then I feel lousy from exhaustion as well.
Has a doctor tried a course of antibiotics? If that helps the condition, it may be that he's got a sinus infection that isn't clearing on its own.
Just a few thoughts,
Brenda
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it's 7 DVDs and focuses specifically on the math he'll need to know for the SAT. My son used it this past fall before the PSAT, and it helped bring up his score a bit from the previous year's test. Dr. Mosely does a great job on the DVDs explaining the basics of SAT math and also discussing some test taking strategies that helped my son a lot.
http://www.chalkdust.com/satrev.html
Best wishes,
Brenda
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at a local school. I phoned the local high school and was told when to come in with a check and sign my son up for the test. The test is given in October, so usually sign-up is in September, but you might want to give a call to the guidance dept at your local school and ask them how/when to sign up.
We had no trouble signing up at the local high school, but I've read here that some folks do have trouble at their local high school so they might need to have their dc take the test at a local private school or Christian school.
One other thing to consider is that your child might need a photo ID for the PSAT. I don't think the College Board strictly requires one for the PSAT, but since my son was not a student at the school where he took the test, they asked for one. When they take the SAT, they will definitely need a photo ID. My ds used his passport. Sign up for the SAT is done on-line through CollegeBoard.com.
HTH,
Brenda
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by that I mean laying out a basic structure (intro, 3 body paragraphs, conclusion) and helping them brainstorm thesis statements and body paragraph ideas together with you in class.
Then send them home with a "skeleton" essay that includes a thesis statement and topic sentences for each of the body paragraphs. Give them general direction on what to put in the body paragraphs and where they should look for the information.
When they come back the next week, walk them through the process of writing a concluding paragraph.
I remember feeling unsure how to begin an essay in high school, and once the teacher talked me through the process of coming up with an outline, I was able to fill in the details and flush out the content. After receiving this type of help several times, I got the hang of structuring the essay myself.
If this type of methodology isn't enough detail for the students, you may have to go back a bit and show them how to outline from a source and write from that outline.
Best wishes with your noble task,
Brenda
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my oldest is a junior this year, and we're slowly moving towards him taking almost all outside/on-line classes, and I'm finding that to be a big relief for me and a nice motivating factor for him.
Last year and this past fall, I have found it hard to be excited about teaching him certain subjects. I've been frustrated with his lack of interest and motivation. This year, I've really found the on-line courses to be a God send because the demands and deadlines are someone elses.
I also have a younger son (6th grade) who will be approaching high school, and like you, I also feel like we will definitely do some things differently with him. I am looking forward to revisiting certain things and doing some new things as well.
I've been feeling a lot of stress and a bit depressed this past year, and I think that besides being hormonal, a lot of it has been worry over how this oldest ds will "launch". Homeschooling high school has so many rewards, but there's this big "invisible" responsibility that you feel where you want so terribly to make sure you don't let anyone down. I feel like lots of prayer, suppport, and blind trudging has gotten me through.
So... you're not alone, and I don't think what you're feeling is odd at all.
Brenda
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when they were younger. One organization I found helpful was Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics.
I'll pray that your little one feels better soon.
Brenda
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that doesn't mean that she has to read every book they schedule. You also don't have to use SL's LA guide or plans.
My son used SL100 for 8th & 9th grades. We used some of the
readers for his literature credit, but I eliminated a lot and
add a few others.
We used spark notes (on-line) to aid in the discussion. I've
also used FES/Follet's "Novel units" literature guides for several
books. I only bought the student book, which came with basic
comprehension questions, vocabulary worksheets, quizzes, and
tests. A few of them had some suggested writing assignments.
Lightning Lit guides are another idea. You could get one of the
American Lit guides (to roughly match Core 100) and do it
over a year.
Hope you can find something that works!
Brenda
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and took a break from regular math a few weeks before the PSAT. During that time, ds watched the Chalkdust DVDs and did practice PSAT & SAT math questions from test prep books. I didn't award any "credit" for doing these either.
I don't think these would be as valuable when spread out over several months. The idea is not so much for these DVDs to "teach" the math as to review all the math topics the student will need to know for the test and also to discuss some strategies for answering SAT-type math questions.
Brenda
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I split the points up for each part of the essay -- introduction, 3 body paragraphs, and conclusion -- each worth 20 points. Then in each section, I have specific things that are required, like: thesis statement in introductory paragraph, transitions between paragraphs, conclusion sentences, quotes from the literature to support the arguments in each body paragraph.
I have a separate series of points for more "mechanics" types of things -- like punctuation, over use of particular words, passive voice, capitalization, awkward wording, spelling errors, too many simple sentence structures, etc. Out of a total of 50 points, I take of 1 - 2 points per error, depending upon severity -- for example, a simple misspelling would be -1, and overuse of the passive voice after I've repeatedly reminded the student about this would be -2 per instance.
HTH,
Brenda
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When you do Latin I & II, do you completely finish the Henle 1 book before beginning Latin II? I thought I've heard of some folks doing Henle 1 up through unit 7 or 8 and then moving to Henle 2.
We will probably proceed as you've described. I'd like to see my son transition to an on-line course eventually, but I don't think he'll be ready for that very soon (he's only 11 yo now). Ds is just finishing unit 3 in Henle, and it's going pretty well at home. I need to get Lingua Latina soon. Did you have a particular schedule for using LL?
Brenda
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Hi Lora,
All I can say is keep supporting him the best you can and wait awhile. Two years ago, I could have described my son as you described yours. He has come so far in the last two years, that I can't believe it. He's 16.5 yo now, a junior, and his ability to motivate himself and plan ahead is finally taking route.
I attribute the changes to both maturity and a few other small things. We tried to talk to him about college at the beginning of his sophomore year because we wanted to impress upon him how colleges would look at his grades. We also wanted to help him start to get some idea of what he might want to pursue in college so we could guide him to take the right high school courses. He wasn't interested in the discussion. Then he took the PSAT, and he started to receive some literature from colleges. Those little pieces of mail helped him to realize that the end of high school wasn't that far off, and he better start thinking about his future. Also, he went to a 2-week technical camp last summer at a local university, and that really helped him to see what kind of work a technical career might mean for him.
My son took all of his classes at home through his sophomore year, but our relationship suffered a bit because he was somewhat resistant to my instruction as that year went on, and I was getting really tired of trying to "pull" him along. So this year, his junior year, I signed him up for two on-line classes. The outside instruction and schedules have helped him step up quite a bit. He enjoys the interaction with the different teachers and students, and when he has deadlines, I can support him instead of being the "bad guy".
So, I guess I don't have the magic answer, but I think that maturity will help matters a bit. If your dd is college bound, perhaps your son could tag along on a campus visit or two. Maybe putting his feet to the pavement would help him see where he might want to go.
HTH,
Brenda
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I want my children to understand the world both longitudinally (over time) and latitudinally (over cultures). To that end I have them learning both Latin and Spanish.
So far my eldest (15) is in Latin III and at this point is thinking about taking a classics degree. My youngest (13) is just finishing up Latin I.
Moira,
Are your dds taking Latin I & III through an on-line course? Also, how and when did you introduce Spanish? I have a current 6th grader who is using Henle I now, and I'm trying to figure out exactly how far I want him to go with Latin. I'd like to see him fluent with Latin by the time high school is done, but I'd also like him to learn Spanish, and I'm not sure how to fit it all in.
TIA,
Brenda
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the following:
History/Lit - Sonlight Core 6
Writing - IEW Ancient & Medieval Lesson Plans
Math - Saxon 87
Science - Rainbow Science
Latin - Henle 1
Art - Atelier, Level 4
Music - Lingua Angelica
Religion - Mother of Divine Grace 6th grade syllabus
We are Catholic too, and we have enjoyed Core 6 so far. We are just getting to the Middle Ages, and I will be making some changes/substitutions to the history and reading as we approach the Reformation to give the study a more Catholic perspective. We just finished the Mary Fabian Windeat book on St. Benedict, which was terrific.
Brenda
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Brigid,
I also have used Spark notes on-line literature guides for discussion purposes, for quizzes, and for writing assignments.
This year, I bought a few "Novel Units" guides from Follett. They have student and teacher guides. I found that I really only used the student guide for the vocabulary sheets, comprehension questions, quizzes, and tests. The content of the guides satisfied me, but I did find that the comprehension questions were pretty straight forward and didn't require much deep thought. Using the tests from the booklet saved me a lot of time.
http://www.fes.follett.com/brand_new_books/literatureGuides.cfm
HTH,
Brenda
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Luanne,
I would at least talk to the folks at the cc. Perhaps they have scholarships or know of low cost programs that might be of help. I don't see the harm in asking.
Brenda
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Pam,
I have the same feelings as Anne somewhat. I do think that after another Algebra 1 & Geometry, your child could use Saxon Algebra 2, but the method of teaching is so very different. The teaching in Saxon is the incremental approach vs. the more topical approach in Chalkdust. If your son is used to the topical approach, and likes it, he will be in for a big change.
My son used Saxon through the first half of Advanced Math, and then we switched to Chalkdust Precalc. While Saxon did an OK job, we both like Chalkdust much better because it is much more visually oriented, at least at the PreCalc level. The graphing calculator is used heavily, and I think that's a good thing for some learners because seeing the functions graphed helps them to understand the meaning of solving an equation better. Chalkdust also has many more real-world application problems which are important in keeping my son's interest, since math isn't his favorite subject.
If you're looking to save money, and your son isn't using the DVDs with Chalkdust, perhaps you could just buy the book? When I was looking at the PreCalc, I was able to find a used copy of a previous edition of the book on half.com for $10. We did end up getting the DVDs and the newer book, but at that point, I knew what I was getting.
HTH,
Brenda
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If you like the Classical bent, then Mother of Divine Grace would be a good choice. Other popular Catholic programs would be Kolbe and Seton. If you are more relaxed, you might enjoy Catholic Heritage Curricula. Calvert is a popular secular choice.
Are you aware that there is a Yahoo group with over 750 members specifically for Catholic users of Sonlight? If you like SL, but would like to make it more Catholic, then you could get suggestions for Catholic additions/substitutions to SL. You can find the home page at groups.yahoo.com/group/SL-Catholic.
HTH,
Brenda
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it's a textbook, but he finds it fairly interesting. Since his passions lie elsewhere, I'm considering this course a part of his basic education, and I was looking for something decent and easy for him to do, so I didn't spend a lot of time looking. It was recommended by someone here, but I don't remember who.
If you go to http://www.greatsource.com and search in the title box for "American Government", you should be able to find it. It's a one semester course.
Brenda
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He has a new book out about public speaking. It's available at his web site.
He is a retired Naval officer, and both my son and I enjoyed his presentation.
HTH,
Brenda
Starting Henle Latin I after LCII question...
in High School and Self-Education Board
Posted
I'd suggest the Mother of Divine Grace Syllabus. You can get one that covers the first 7 units of Henle (1 high school credit), and it comes with quizzes, too. The Memoria Press syllabi would be too slow for high school (IMHO).
I've got several friends with high schoolers who are successfully using the MODG syllabi with Henle.
The MODG syllabi are available here: http://www.adoremusbooks.com.
HTH,
Brenda