Didn't pass.

This gives more info about the EXPLORE and testing. Right now they only have testing centers in Iowa listed. They say they post centers starting in September, so you'll probably have to wait a bit to see locations.

We used Island level in 3rd grade. We'll be starting Town with 4th. I'm also doing WWE and think it picks up some of the mechanics that aren't in MCT. I like diagramming. With Practice Island, I had my son draw arrows from each adjective and adverb pointing to the word they modified. I had him put prepositional phrases in parentheses and draw an arrow to what it modifies as well. I have Rex Barks (can get at amazon) for additional diagramming practice. I think the 4-level analysis is a great first step towards diagramming. Doing the analysis first leads right into a diagram. I do think indicating modifiers should be done with MCT but it isn't. My son was always pleased when I pulled out MCT last year. He's sad that Mud isn't in the next level.

You might see if you can get a follow-up appointment with the psychologist and come with a list of questions to ask. It seems like knowing the type of LD can help you do more research. I'd want to ask about what good coping techniques and strategies there are. Is the LD something that your son can have testing accommodations for? (Likely not an issue now, but you may want to be preparing with documentation for college testing.) If he's having trouble with moving from the written word to memory, what tools are there that will let him use auditory learning instead? Can he use books on tape instead of or in addition to texts? :grouphug: Good luck!

I started with Spelling Workout and used it for 1st and part of 2nd grade. My son wasn't retaining anything. We switched to All About Spelling (phonics based). It's helped my son significantly. The program that'll work best for you will depend on how your children learn. My son could whip through the worksheets but he needed more explicit instruction than the tips that were given with SWO. Looking at Rainbow Resource under spelling may give you an idea of different programs and their approaches to find what will be the best fit for you.

I'd recommend following directions about driving too! On Xanax, you shouldn't be driving. Xanax works nicely for me; does nothing for my husband. It also makes me pretty sleepy. Wellbutrin increased my anxiety significantly. I stopped it very quickly. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can also help give some coping mechanisms. Good for you for getting help. And if one medication doesn't work, try something else.

:grouphug:

They've successfully held great white sharks in captivity in recent years (helping young grow enough to be released back in the ocean). Unsure if they have any now or not... but I'd LOVE to see that! I'd go to Monterey... and then go on a whale watching tour or go kayaking on the bay.

Mind Benders are so expensive though! You can get the same type of puzzles (although quite a bit tougher) by buying a Dell Logic Puzzles book.

One of the best things I did was take digital clocks OUT of some rooms and put IN analog. Without that, I don't think my son would have learned analog time.

Their site is here (unsure if it's been posted earlier). The timeline is notebook paper size in height and then it unfolds. We'll probably store it in a notebook... I need more wall space (but then I put up bookshelves). You can see the dates in the center of the page (the line itself). The divisions are titled on the left and right of the page, then you have the horizontal bars all the way across the line. So if you wanted to put Columbus at 1492, you could put him in the people area for that time or in discoveries. They also have a prehistory timeline that can be bought separately. Not quite as nice, but it does take care of that pesky 6000BC issue :) I think the zoom in part of their site should help explain... although it's hard to read the divisions on the left & right.

I haven't used Saxon or even looked at it much. I am a strong proponent of drill - but drill to the point where a student has immediate recall of a problem ... not drill for the sake of drilling. With your example, I see 20 min of SM as "lecture/presentation of material", 15 min of Miquon is more exploration/play (an opportunity to learn the concepts or see the reasoning behind the concepts... LOVE how they do division!) and 10 min of word problems (translation between English/math; and just doing word problems!). It's not just the same type of problem being repeated. And even if you're doing the same skill in all the units, it's being seen in different situations.

I appreciated the thread. We are getting ready to start level 3. I cut apart the suffix tiles today and the lamination came off :( I checked on the level 4 prefixes, but they cut apart fine. Contacted AAS and they said they'll get me a new set of suffixes. It is noticeable! No problems with any of the prior tiles... I've been pleased with the company and with the program. Spelling Workout just wasn't a good fit for my son, but AAS has made a big difference.

Nifty!

The magnifying glass is nice! My husband hadn't known about it either. Thanks!

I keep moving to the top of the page accidentally. I'll have to try the magnifying glass. I loathe typing on the iPad. It's good for surfing though!

Glad it worked :)

The cartridge shouldn't bend. I bought my pens from JetPens. Here's the link to the Pelikan Jr. I believe when our pens shipped, there was a cardboard cartridge preventing the pen from closing. They've got a forum too. I'm sure you can get an answer there. Sorry & good luck!

When the pen arrives, there's generally a cardboard ring I think around the pen that prevents it from closing all the way and puncturing the ink cartridge. Check if there's anything removable around the pen. For the cartridge, the smaller part of the cartridge is what is punctured by the pen. You should be able to attach it even without closing the pen. There may be a piece of cardboard around the pen where it screws together that was there for shipping. And then our pens take a while to get the ink to start flowing. Mine sometimes leaks a little :glare: but I still enjoy using the pen.

I think you have to take the ring off. Then the cartridge should go on.

Not only that... but the protagonist is a woman who's handcuffed to the bed after her husband dies during a sex game. I read it in college and found it disturbing. I read The Stand in high school and enjoyed it (although it's still creepy). On Writing would be generally safe (apart from language) :D

Spelling. He tanks at recognizing which word in a list is misspelled.

First, :grouphug:. These are rough phases. And when you're not getting enough sleep, it's dreadful. Toss in pain, and I'd be doing well not to be yelling constantly at people. Second, I don't know your situation, but if you're hearing that you're not doing enough, would it be helpful to hear more specifically from people what they would want you to be doing? (And don't ask the people who aren't on a high priority.) Basically, can you triage your situation for a time? Fully take care of the most important stuff (in my house, that'd be the bills & paperwork and possibly some "me" time so I wasn't constantly yelling). Any projects (unless they were really urgent or part of me time would be dropped). Everyone can do their own laundry and apart from the pets, they should be able to feed themselves. Call it a cereal and fruit week :) And the opinions of people who say things aren't getting done can be used in setting your priorities (although for me, I think it'd likely only be my husband's opinion I'd take into account). :grouphug: Hang in there. And if you are doing your best, you're not a failure. :grouphug:

Last night I mentioned to my son that milk wasn't great for cats. He asked where I read it and when I said that I couldn't remember, his response was, "Unless you can cite your source, I can't believe that." :lol:

That's good to know. I'm really intrigued by AoPS and want to get my hands on some. I think I'll grab the Prealgebra book that's coming out. I just don't seem to be able to get my son as enthusiastic about math as I wish he were. Oh well.