RE the PAH CS class: I have not taken the class, but I just had a review from a friend I know IRL. She said that the class is mostly run by TAs. She also mentioned that class was often canceled at the very last minute, etc. (Basically, it wasn't the most professionally run class in the world. She also questioned the quality for the price.). Another friend I know IRL had a student who took the class years ago. She had mostly positive feedback.

I know this is an old thread, but I am replying in hopes that you can share some more information on possible alternatives to edhesive or updated reviews. Thanks!

So, hopefully this isn't TMI.... 🙂 However, I have been suffering from some issues due to uterine fibroids for several years now. (Since about 2017). The doctor has prescribed various prescriptions in an attempt to help me, and we have also done two polypectomies. (I have some polyps too that we thought might be causing too much blood loss.). He doesn't think that I would be a good candidate for an ablation, because he thinks that will not totally solve the problem due to where the fibroids are. He pushed heavily to do a partial hysterectomy (leave my ovaries), but I was reluctant to get the surgery because I am afraid that it will mess with my hormone levels and cause a whole host of other issues. I've been trying some other dietary things in a hope that I can make it to menopause. I don't touch alcohol anymore because I have heard that that can agrivate/make things worse. I take a lot of vitamin D too. (Read a pubmed study where that and green tea helped fibroids). I am in the process of trying to lower my bodyfat percentage. (I've heard that high body fat can affect estrogen, etc.). My doctor was sort of like, "OK, you can try those things, but I will see you in a few months when you ask for your hysterectomy." (He didn't really say those words. He was much more polite. That was just his attitude--He was of the opinion that this was going to be a necessary surgery and that he was just giving me some time to come to that conclusion myself.) HOWEVER, things have recently gone from bad to worse! I've gotten to the point where I am having trouble coping for a week out of every month and where I am pretty sure I ought to be in the ER during that week. I honestly can't even leave my house. I am really sad because I have been training for an endurance bike race for several months, and I just realized that I am probably not going to be able to do it because of the week it happens to fall on. 😞 Anyways, all this to say: what should I do? is there something more natural I can try to avoid surgery? Is the doctor right in that I should just get this procedure?

I have not used the new version, but maybe: Analytical Grammar Level 4: Phrases and Clauses might work for you. https://analyticalgrammar.com/levels/level-4/ It sounds like this is exactly what you want to cover. ETA: Actually, now that I look at the samples, I am thinking you might want to start with Level 2. Fix-It grammar covers a lot more and starts from the beginning. So I would say no to that (for what you are looking for). And same thing with Compass Classroom. Maybe the Kilagallon books for help with writing???

Yes! That sums up my feelings exactly. Thank you for understanding and thank you for this thread!

Goodness, I love this thread. I have to tell you that I know it is only April, but I feel like 2023 is going to be a great year. My husband and I have made some really positive changes, and I feel like this is only the beginning. Powersheets Planners: (Journaling / planning tool.) I've used power sheets before, but I stopped for some unknown reason. This year I made the investment to re-start Powersheets again and the systems has really helped me mentally. I know that I have limited time, energy, and money---so it helps me not to just go through life on "autopilot" but instead invest my resources where they will matter the most. I am still not getting done everything done that I want to do...but I no longer have guilt about what I can't get done. I tell myself..."not yet" and I know deep down inside that I am doing what matters most and being intentional about the seeds I plant in my garden. 🙂 All of the other things I list below have really happened because I have been using Powersheets to plan my year and make some slow gentle changes for the better... Oh yeah, and because I read the book... Tiny Habits: I read Atomic Habits awhile back, which I really liked. But I also read the book Tiny Habits. I've implemented a lot of these steps when it comes to making some healthy changes in my life. I now understand the science of behavior change and I put it into action whenever I need to make a change in my life. Saying YES Health and Fitness: Of course taking control of your health makes you feel better physically, but I never expected how much better it has made me feel mentally! I now lift with HEAVY weights (goal = 5 days per week for about 1.5 hours per day), and I try to ride at least 30 miles per week on my bike. I try to drink at least 90oz of water per day. I also count macros (most days) so that I can make sure I eat enough protein but don't overeat. All of these things have helped me to build muscle and reduce my overall body fat. I still have a long way to go, but I can't tell you how much better I feel in all respects. I feel like an athlete now! I sleep WONDERFULLY. I no longer have aches and pains. I have so much energy. I can just DO things and feel great. I love going out in the sunshine and riding my bike as fast as I can. Life just feels easier when I am healthy. I also feel good in my own skin. BTW--my biggest inspirations have been Joan MacDonald https://www.instagram.com/trainwithjoan/ and Julia Linn https://www.instagram.com/dolphinine/ and https://www.instagram.com/this.phoenix.rising/ They all made huge changes in their lives, and that inspired me to make healthy changes too. Not just "lose a few pounds" and call it good, but choosing to be in the best shape of your life so you can live your best life.) Saying NO to Drinking: Huge mental changes for the positive here! A glass of wine to deal with stress was becoming a habit in my life, and I wasn't happy about that. And I learned that alcohol, even in very small amounts, makes it harder to deal with everyday stressors...not easier! It also ages the body and causes inflammation---which in turn leads to BAD results mentally. Reading the book This Naked Mind helped me make some positive changes here. Once again, I am so much happier. Saying NO to Children's Ministry: I was running children's ministry at my church, and it was causing me a LOT of stress and taking up a lot of my time. (I posted about it awhile back if some of you remember.). I was carrying around a lot of guilt about quitting, but I worked up the courage to step down. I felt trapped. I still volunteer to teach the children, but saying no to running the thing has really felt like a burden released. I can now serve God and my church in other ways. It might sound like a small thing here, but this was a HUGE change for me. My husband making some changes in his business: He has a pretty toxic business partner, and we both felt "trapped" in the situation. (Especially because he is main income provider for our family.) We were scared to make a change, you know? This year we decided that while we don't have control of a lot of things, we can make some choices about SOME things. And this was one of them! We still aren't out of the woods yet, and things can be really scary sometimes, but we at least know that we are trying our best to improve our situation! ETA: I forgot one! Going to the hair salon: This might sound dumb...but it did make me feel better! For the longest time, I cut and dyed my own hair (and everyone else's hair at my house) to save money. It looked.....um...OK. I finally went to an actual salon to get my hair cut, and it made me feel so much better mentally. I look forward to getting out of the house and being pampered a bit. Again, it might sound dumb or vain, but it did help me feel better mentally! 🙂

You pretty much read my mind with the Analytical Grammar class. I am going to look at some samples and decide if that would actually help her. I think the main thing I want her to work on is mechanics / English usage. And I am not sure that AG would accomplish this. I will look at some more samples and see.... I like your idea with the Cornell notes. Maybe she could do that with her Thinkwell course? They provide typed notes, but maybe a paragraph summary could be added to the end of each class? The trouble I have with my daughter is that I know if I give her such an assignment she will give me the shortest most succinct paragraph possible. (Imagine like 3-4 sentences). Then I am always left wondering if it is "complete" enough, etc. I am constantly telling her to give me "more"--but I have realized that that isn't enough direction for her. She tends to do well when people give her very specific guidelines to follow in her writing. She will follow those to the letter, but then she will not give any more! 😉 (She actually did really well with the IEW checklists when she was younger because the expectations were clearly laid out. Open ended summary paragraphs? Not so much.). The How to Read a Book Class is not actually based on the Adler book. (I know! It confused me too!) It is actually a class where you JUST read a very short list of books (and some myths and fairy tales) and then watch a recording where Angelina Stratford discusses them. (Recording because I would have her do the self-paced class so she didn't have to stress about due dates conflicting with debate tournaments. We also mountain bike which requires a lot of travel.). There is no output other than the reading. Here is the book list and description: https://houseofhumaneletters.com/how-to-read/ And yes, Connie is a fabulous teacher. (Thank you, Connie, if you are reading this.). The only problem is that her classes take a LOOOOOOOOT of hours to complete outside of class. It is hard to balance her classes if you are taking other rigoursou classes the same year. My daughter did not take her Advanced Honors Chem class, but did take her Honors Chem Class. We did the self-paced option and it workout fabulously for this particular student. I was worried that I would have trouble grading it on my own, but I have had no problems. That is why I am sad that I don't think I will be able to fit in the organic chemistry class. I really need a high school level class that is asynchronous, that is NOT Bio/Physics/Chem.

Thanks again for all of the feedback! Science: I am still searching for a science class for my daughter. Really, she has had the "big three" science classes at a high school level (Biology, Physics, and Chemistry). I am nervous about signing her up for an AP or DE class because her executive functioning skills are not the strongest. However, I will look at AP Environmental Science (mentioned above). How difficult is that class compared to other AP classes? I see it is offered at AIM and PA Homeschoolers---any idea who is the better teacher? English: A couple of you mentioned teaching grammar myself to lighten her load. Again, I have a very busy year coming up. What grammar program would BEST prepare her to do well on the SAT/ACT English program and also help her with her writing in general? I'm looking at Easy Grammar and Analytical Grammar. I think I could do an "assign and check" approach with both of those and not have the additional online class. She is also currently going through the Kahn academy SAT class. Computer Science: The PA homeschooler site says that students should be prepared to spend 10 hours per week outside class. Would you say that is accurate? (This is the Rebekah Lang class.).

Oh crud, you are right. Website says: "Time commitment is roughly 8-10 hours per week but that will vary greatly depending upon a student’s abilities and working speed." She does not have that kind of time. Now I have to figure out a science. UGH! She has had Miller-levine text based Biology (mama taught), Clover Creek Physics (but she got a B in 8th grade...it was a bad year), Honors Clover Valley Chemistry (getting an A and doing really, really well). I don't feel that she is ready for an AP science or DE--- and I am hoping to find something asynchronous because debate takes a lot of travel/days off school. Is there an asynchrouns environmental science or earth science? Or some other science that she could take? Do I have her re-take physics since she got a B in it the first time? Also, I wish that I could buy you all a hot steamy cup of coffee or tea and thank you for your help with this. I feel like I know each and every one of you (and even your kids) as I have watched your homeschool over the years. So thank you for taking the time to help me. I am very grateful!

I did map out a schedule. The thing is, I am terrible at estimating the time things will take. 🙂. The red blocks are online classes, the green blocks are just estimated time outside of classes.

I actually have the CLEP test for Government in the back of my mind. I am thinking that I might have her to do the thinkwell course and try to self study for the CLEP in Gov at the end of the year. (CLEP seems a LOT easier than AP classes, and may give us equal credit depending on where she goes to school.). She is trying to self study for the American History CLEP right now.

Yes, there is a class portion of it. There are also tournaments and speaking competitions. It seems that about half of the parents count it as a credit (usually in English) and half just call it an EC. I could really do either, I guess! Regardless, it is a LOT of work and a LOT of hours---but she loves it. 😉

Yes, she is on sabbatical next year. The class sessions are discussion based and meet twice per week. Students read books and then talk about them together. She sometimes shows YouTube videos showing them certain skills (like MLA formatting for a quote, as an example). This worked well for my older son who likes to discuss what he reads. My daughter mostly doesn't participate very often. She is quieter, and just doesn't enjoy talking about literature...or even thinking about literature to be honest! 🙂 So I am not sure if she is getting as much out of the classes since she is more passively participating. (Maybe she is! It is so hard to tell!) Homework is lighter. A typical day might look like this: Reread the explanation of a particular literary device from "The Elements of Rhetoric and Composition". Then answer the questions in a document/worksheet (not graded, but discussed in class next time they meet). Read one chapter from a selection of literature. She provides study questions, but you don't have to fill them out. However, you should be prepared to talk about them in class. There is usually one essay per major book read in the class. (They also do one for either the poetry or short story unit too.). Students can turn in rough drafts and she gives feedback on them, and they have a chance to fix these and re-submit. (Most teachers don't do this because it creates a lot of extra grading, but I think it is really valuable because that is how you learn to become a better writer.). Her feedback is always supportive and positive. She is NOT a "red pen" grader.

All of the AP Government classes that I have ever heard of are full year classes not single semesters. And actually, I would say that they are one of the more work-intensive and difficult of the AP classes. We just finished up the AIM AP Gov class last year, which is supposedly less work than the PA Homeschool classes, and it averaged at least 2+ hours of work per day. And that does not include extra time spent self-studying and practicing the FRQs. My friend (and poster on this board) is taking an AP Gov class through PA homeschoolers and she is spending even more time on it. Most of the AP Gov work required reading very difficult primary source documents and doing a lot of writing about these documents. I know my daughter would is not ready for an AP class. I think the thinkwell class is going to be right up her alley because it is lecture based, which she does better with than a textbook. Plus, the output looks light which will help with her other school subjects. I will look into the computer science classes. I am trying to lead her towards those AOPS classes, but she thinks they are going to be too hard. She took a few of their math classes, and didn't like the heavy schedules.

OK, that is good feedback! So your advice is to drop the literature. My local friend told me the same thing. 🙂 I am going to have to outsource grammar even if it is easy to teach. I am actually very nervous about next year because my time is going to be VERY limited. I am out of the house two weekdays, plus I have a 4th grader who has a very mama-intensive class load, plus I have a 11th grader who is taking all of his classes at the local college (but can't yet drive!)---so I will be doing a lot of back and forth trips for him. 😳 So I am thinking that I am going to have to find someone else to teach this just so we don't fall too far behind.

She just finished a year at Integritas. My son has taken two classes at Integritas, so I am very familiar. But in both cases, my kids have probably spent about 20 mins per day on the class (if that!). Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Cindy, and I have sent a lot of people her way. And her classes work well for a STEM focused kid because they are so light....but I think we may need more this next year.

Hello-- My middle daughter (rising 10th grader) plans to major in computer engineering or computer information systems with the goal of getting a job in the cyber security field. She excels at math, but language based subjects are not her strong suit. She could use some help with writing. THAT BEING SAID... 🙂 My goal next year is to REALLY focus on writing. Even though language based subjects are a weak spot for her, I really hope that I can help her grow in this area as much as possible. She is also motivated because she competes on the debate team, and she hopes that by learning to WRITE better, she will be able to SPEAK more persuasively at tournaments. I gave her the placement test at The Well Trained Mind, and they have placed her in their Rhetoric I class. They also said that she might benefit from some grammar instruction. (Although, their grammar classes are mostly filled with middle school students.) And finally, I am thinking that she might do well in the self-paced "how to read a book" class taught by the House of the Humane Letters to encourage her to think more deeply as she reads. Plus, the English classes at the well trained mind don't include any literature. So this is what I am thinking for her 10th grade year: As you can see, she would be taking 1 semester of Grammar 1 in the summer, Grammar 2 in the fall, and Grammar 3 in the spring semester. (And maybe Grammar 4 next summer if I can talk her into it.). My questions are: 1). Do you think the proposed schedule (above) sounds too ambitious? Math, Lit, Organic Chemistry, Government, and Computer Science will all be self-paced classes with flexible due dates. Rhetoric I, Grammar, and Speech and Debate will all have firm due dates. The "think well" Government class and the Literature class are very light on output IMHO. 2) Do you think that having a student take Grammar in high school will look bad on the transcripts? Is it seen as remedial? Also, what about having a literature class that is called "How to read a book"? Thanks in advance for your help!

This is an old post, but I am REALLY hoping I can find some reviews online. Anyone ever take the Rhetoric I class with the WTMA? I am also looking for reviews of the teacher Ms. Margaret Stickler.

Use this thread to post your plans, questions, and suggestions for your rising 4th grader.

I really like Quark chronicles. I think they are brilliant. I would LOVE it if they came up with an audiobook. That would make it near perfect. I also really like their English Lessons through Literature. (We used the older versions.). The rest of Barefoot is just fine. Personally, we never used the complete curriculum because it felt overwhelming for me. I am not someone who is good at picking and choosing parts of a curriculum to use. It leaves me with feelings of guilt like I am not doing enough...or I try to cram too much in my day and end up stressed. That has more to do with my personality and less to do with the actual lesson plans though.

I am always glad when you post! So please do! Do you have any samples of the lectures?

Hello Everyone, I am trying to compare the two biology classes. Can anyone please review either one? FYI...My daughter has dyslexia, but LOVES math and physical sciences. Biology tends to be a little tricky for her because there is often less math involved and more vocabulary to learn.

My daughter says that it varies on the day, but she would estimate about 45-60 mins a day. She makes her own schedule using the weekly checklists. Some of the videos are short, but some can be longer.

Hi There, I just wanted to chime in and give a RAVE review of the asynchronous Clover Valley class. I haven't seen very many reviews of the asynchronous parent-graded CV Chem class, so I wanted to share that it is working out really well for us. Previously we did the online class with my oldest son, but this year I opted to do the parent graded version and I am SO glad I did. My daughter is headed into a STEM field (computer science), so I needed a strong Chemistry class. Pros: Connie makes it easy to grade: I know next to nothing about Chemistry, and I am doing just fine grading the homework and tests. The solutions are very detailed, and I have had no trouble figuring things out based only on my limited knowledge of chemistry. (I basically taught my own kids in middle school. THAT is the extent of my knowledge). There were a couple of times that my daughter needed some extra help, but I made her go back and re-watch the videos / re-read the book and suddenly she understood. Freedom of Schedule: Previously, my son took the Advanced Honors Chem class (live, teacher graded). We have a pretty busy schedule with speech and debate and mountain biking that requires travel. The Sunday due dates in the live class nearly killed my son. Connie is very accommodating, but it was still a tough year. Having flexibility has made my daughters year SO much more peaceful. She works diligently and consistently. But if she is super busy with travel or other activities, we do not have to stress or go without sleep just to meet a deadline. Peace = Good Working towards Mastery: Because I am grading, I tend to keep a better eye on areas where she seems to have a weak understanding. I will make her go back and re-do homework or re-watch videos / re-read topics when she has a weak understanding. We wouldn't have had time to do that with the online class. I've been able to teach to mastery, and I think she has a REALLY strong Chemistry foundation.

Those are just the first two semesters (fall and spring). Sorry. I should have been more clear. That is what she might take next year or spread out over two years. (Just one option we are considering.) BUT--I am not sure if she has enough science credits as is. Can I pull a Biology class up from 7th grade? It was high school level IMHO. She actually went through all of the chapters of Miller Levine, took tests, did homework, did labs, etc.