Thank you! So far I have only looked at Rutgers requirements because it's close to home. Maybe I will hold off on health to make a little more time for everything else. I guessing easy electives might be something to do in the summer.

You're right I should add this in. I was thinking next year to start a foreign language. I am worried about his study skills and being able to handle everything. But I'm looking at Homeschool Spanish Academy and hopefully he will like their trial class and think it's fun. I am thinking with VideoText he will get through precalc earlier than the 4 years. Would precalc be enough exposure?

Great, thank you!

That's fabulous feedback! :hurray:

Please critique my son's 9th grade so far. I am overthinking this high school thing way too much at the moment. 1 credit English - IEW C then something else depending on how long this takes him, Literary Lesson Through Lord of the Rings, which covers vocab and grammar too. 1 credit Biology - FundaFunda 1 credit Algebra I - VideoText 1 credit World Geography - Oak Meadow 0.5 credits - Python programming - FundaFunda 0.5 Health 0.5 PE - not sure what to do for this and waiting on doctors to clear him for gym due to some health issues. 0.5 Logic- Art of Argument 0.5 Financial Literacy - not sure what we are using yet. NJ requirements are now that freshmen take this. I don't even understand yet if I need to follow state requirements for graduation, but this class sounds like a good thing to do. For extra curiculars, he is doing a VEX robotics club and a monthly science club. He is happiest when he is building robots or crazy lego things, so I'm guessing he is bound for engineering or computer science. Any suggestions to stay on track for either of those majors? Thanks so much for any help.

I have the 2006 OM World Geography. I'm hoping being over 10 years old won't be an issue. Are there different book journal selections in the more recent edition? I have: An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance by Laurie Garrett Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27,1883 by Simon Wincester A Crack in the Edge of the World: America and the Great California Earthquake by Simon Wincester The Years of Rice and Salt, Kim Stanley Robinson I see other recommendations here http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/393103-oak-meadow-world-geography-book-journal-choices/ but just wanted to see if there are newer ones listed.

No, he's ok with adults. I think it's just an issue of he likes to figure things out and if it takes all day then that's ok with him. I actually got to use my favorite saying from here and asked him if one question on a 10 point quiz is really a hill worth dying on. :001_rolleyes:

I really wish I could sit in the room with him but I have a 10 and 7 year old and if I don't focus on them then 14yo can't focus because 7yo is annoying in a hyper spaz 7 kind of way. I have tried to stress hey the library is 5 minutes away, I can drop you off. Nope. This one class has a discussion board, so he wouldn't have to wait too long. Doesn't use it. Right now said darling is working on finishing this one problem from last week's homework b/c I am forcing him to. It's to draw simple molecules. I have shown him in the book where they are, pointed them out in the class video. He still said he didn't know where to find them. As soon as I get mean mom, he knows where to find them BUT he is typing out a picture of them like retro 90s computer art instead of just hand drawing it which would take all of 2 minutes. I'm still waiting for a magical mentor to appear....

haha I already guilt tripped him that I'm paying these people to help him, but I didn't think about asking him to pay me back. I think I may give it a try.

I'm really trying to stress to my 14yo that it's ok to skip a problem on a test or guess if he has been trying to figure it out for an hour or ask a teacher in an online class for help if he is a week behind in homework and stuck on something, but he seems to think he has to reinvent the wheel and is dead set against asking for help. So far we are only doing 2 subjects and he's falling behind. I am hesitant to add in the rest of his classes until he is more efficient. Any advice?

This is a great idea! I was hoping to add Intro to Engineering using a textbook as a half credit, but I like your way better. Thanks for the lead on the Great Courses, I'll look into it. He was so excited by his first session and was like, "How do I make every day Vex Club?" A local library is doing First this year. Do you think 2 clubs is overkill?

So I guess my thinking on this was backward. He says he wants to be a robotics engineer, so I was thinking that it would be a good thing for robotics to show up on his transcript as a class. I guess the benefit of not making it a class is to show he is doing those things anyway and has high interest? Or what is the logic here? Thanks!

ok extra-curricular vs credit. I have something new to look into. Thanks

Yes *sigh* I was really thinking this kid had issues with processing speed. Well, he does overthink some problems, but his work that needed to be done on the laptop was taking waaaaay longer due to YouTube. Now I use OpenDNS and can block it during the day if needed.

DS is participating in a VEX robotics club this year. Classes are 2.5 hours a week, for 6 months. I don't think there will be homework, but he does have to attend a competition day to observe. They are building and learning to program RobotC. Is that enough for a credit?

Yes, it is. So my DS being 14 I'm not sure if I should wait a year or not.

My son has a 19 degree curve and is being referred to ortho. He reads a lot in bed and work on the laptop on the couch. He looks smooshed and crooked and I'm sure that's not the best. What's a good pillow or support for sitting up in bed and reading? Would one of those pillows that looks like a chair back, "the husband" be good?

changed my mind

His handwriting is uneven and labored. It gets in the way of expressing himself. He was seen by a vision therapist and she said his issue is not visual and is probably dysgraphia. We had a gap in our health insurance and are just now catching up on some appointments. I don't know yet when this guy will try out DE, but I would really like to get him a full learning or OT eval and it's on the long list of referrals to ask for.

Great point about putting this in his own words. I will mention this when I share the video with my son.

Ok, if your son can type out a mini essay with an accompanying graph, I will take his word for it. Thanks! PS would you like to homeschool my teenager?

Crash Course has a Study Skills playlist and I'm watching the first one on taking notes: In it Thomas Frank, who apparently knows a lot about studying, shows the reasons why taking notes via computer vs handwriting them will mean you retain less. 14-year-old DS doesn't like to write, but is happy to use google docs. I think I might cause a meltdown if I insist on hand writing notes. It is really so bad to type up notes?

Would an older teacher's guide work for Oak Meadow World History 2016?

Block, change number, think about getting a restraining order if he finds a way to contact you again. "just to connect" he is "hoovering" a funny term for trying to suck you back in. I have recently found some really helpful YT channels about dealing with narcissists and the psychology their tricks. One is them is called Thrive After Abuse. maybe you could benefit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkUVh2cwep3jCYwDjE689Wg

I think the Edison robot is a good choice too.