Great job!

You could check in the student handbook. It may be online... It may have campus security's phone number.

I think that Level 2 didn't have the same issues/license agreement as Level 3 (current version). The license does state that resale is not permitted. They also only allow installation twice (I think). I'm not sure you could have it on multiple computers at the same house even....

Can't insert anything into it. You can rip a DVD or a CD and then using iTunes, put in on the iPad. I had food poisoning in December. NOT fun days. When recovering, I spent a lot of time lying in bed. Too tired to sit up (or slouch) at my desk on my laptop. I could surf on the iPad in bed - and I ended up watching a streaming movie from Netflix. Nice. When my son is at a class, I can surf (if there's free internet access) or read a book I have on the Kindle ap. I can also play a game (like Angry Birds or Nonograms or Fairy Cubes). I can listen to music we have downloaded through our iTunes library. I bring the iPad to the kitchen when cooking to have the music. It is by no means as convenient as a computer. Typing on it really stinks. But it is neat to have. At this point though, if you don't urgently want one... wait until the next iteration comes out :)

If you have Word, you can do quite a bit with Equation Editor. You can get MathType if you need more (like color).

We also do the tests and I have the Teacher's Guide. If I just had the MPaH text and activity book, I'd have been really disappointed in the program. The Teacher's Guide gives suggestions for additional experiments, books to add in, and questions to ask. The homework gives a bit more application and practice from the text & activity book. The HOTS is pretty impressive. And then when I give my son the tests, sometimes I wonder if I'd score as high as he does... We also do quite a bit of outside reading on the topic that's covered (right now it's bacteria, germs, viruses... so he just read about MRSA and other superbugs). We'll continue to do more reading and finish up the experiments in the activity book, then he'll do the HW, HOTS, and then the test. It feels like Singapore math does to me... but again... I really think that all the components are needed (and for me, I need the Teachers' Guide and the Tests). I think a lot of the thinking is in the HOTS in the program. The TG gives more of how a classroom might approach the material. That helps a lot too.

Snipped bits so this is mainly what I'm responding to... I teach math at the cc. Have for about 14 years now. Up through Calculus - but generally lower-level courses. I WANT (oh so badly) my students to understand WHY things work. I'll settle for them being able to do problems. Understanding why really helps with any memorization - it also keeps the math from being simply "rote learning". If you look at Bloom's Taxonomy, memorization would be in the lowest level. It's also foundational. When my son was about 2 or 3 years old, I was teaching a course where students were supposed to know geometry formulas. I reminded them they needed to memorize the formulas. Many students don't (whether it's because they think I'm lying to them when I tell them what they need to do or if it's just because they think they can still pass... I don't know). I got my son to just be able to repeat after me... so he could tell me (at age 3) that the area of a circle was "pi r squared". Now he had ABSOLUTELY no idea what that meant.... but he knew the formula for area of a circle. We still aren't to area in his math - but he has that formula memorized. He'll understand area in a while... but he does have some basic knowledge. And he WON'T be one of my students who's returning to school who doesn't know basic facts. Right now I've got him memorizing conversions between the US and metric system (2.54cm=1in. etc). He's not using unit conversions yet (although as he's had interest, I have shown him some), but when he gets there, he'll be able to focus on the concept since he already will have the memorization. So yes, understanding is the goal. Memorization alone is useless (or mostly). BUT... while you're waiting for understanding (either by developmental readiness or just by not introducing topics yet), I see no harm being done by memorizing things that will be needed later. I say, your daughter is 4. If she's interested in memorizing... go for it! (I tried to get my son to memorize the quadratic formula at 5... didn't work. But he would stop repeating me when I started reciting it, so it did have some benefits!)

One thing I've done with my son is to use manipulatives when starting a concept if he seems to have ANY struggling with it. So for instance when we did subtraction with borrowing, I illustrated it with the manipulatives, wrote the "traditional" math on a piece of paper for him to see, then had him try some problems. The first day, he just did the problems using the manipulatives with no writing at all (base 10 blocks). The second day I had him do a few problems with the manipulatives, then write the math as well based on his physical work. The third day I had him try just the writing... and we were quickly back to the blocks :) Then he started getting it. If he gets a problem wrong and it seems to be a conceptual error - it's back to the hands-on where he demonstrates it to me. Then he can write. I really really like using manipulatives at the early levels to really get a better understanding of what the abstraction of the numbers means.

Last week I had my WWE workbook cut apart and bound at a Staples. This'll make the next level work SO much easier. I never would have thought of having it done (or thought that it COULD be done) were it not for having read about it here. I've found a couple of useful programs from being here as well. I'm very grateful for the boards - and the posters!

I don't know if this is addressed later in the thread... but I disagree. Our card catalog is on the computer system. The branches have some computers that are card catalog only. There are now many computers that people can sign up to use. For some people, this may be their only computer access. If my son is looking up something in the card catalog, I'd rather he not be right next to an adult surfing. The computers in the kids areas are for kids (although I have been able to look for books for my son on them on occasion). Our branch also has gaming systems (Wii & XBox, I believe) for kids to play on at the library. I'm not as fond of this, but the library is more than just books and print media. And if kids are hanging out at the library, the library is still able to show that it's being used - thus keeping it funded well. We don't have issues of our library not having enough resources as a general rule. My pet peeve even more is people talking on their phones IN the library.

I have a vague memory of eating at one when I was about 5 or 6. Don't remember what part of the country though... With the anniversary of the Challenger explosion, our paper has had articles about Ronald McNair since he's from SC. I'm so glad that much has changed. The racism isn't generally as overt as it used to be. It's really still there in a lot of ways though... but I like to think we'll continue to make progress.

You might also check books at a neighboring county library and just use them in the library...

My mother was the financial planner for my grandmother (after Grandma's paid planner had her in mainly stocks when she was in her late 80s). :glare: Mom speaks highly of Vanguard so you may be able to get some information from them. I don't know if you have access to USAA through your son's service or prior family service, but they are generally an excellent company as well. I agree with prior posters - flat fee service for financial planner.

I figure if there are two workshops I REALLY want to go to at the same time, I send my husband to one and go to the other :) Our son can pick which one he wants to attends.

:iagree: Much easier than many of the manuals!

My orders have arrived pretty quickly. I've also gotten quick replies to emails, so if you get concerned, send an email. I've been pleased with the company. And I'm very happy with the curriculum.

Us too. Just got hotel reservations last night - and it was TOUGH. All the ones through the convention are full. We went to a different hotel & got the last room with two double beds (so at least we don't all have to sleep in a king). I want the workshop schedule with times!

I teach what is effectively algebra I and II at the community college. We do allow calculators. My preference would be that students would have a solid foundation in basic arithmetic so it would be okay to use the calculator as a tool when solving word problems, to check answers to more complicated equations by evaluation, and to investigate behavior with tables or graphs or to see how exponential growth actually grows (for instance). I'll probably let my son use a calculator and watch him to see if he's using it effectively. If I see him using the calculator to multiply two single digit numbers, he'll lose it for a long long time. (Many of my students can't do basic arithmetic without the calculator.)

We used Typing Instructor for Kids (started last year, did more this year). It seems pretty limited to me. I think it was a really good introduction for my son - starting at age 7. At age 10, I'd be going with Typing Instructor (even not having seen it). After my son worked through TIfK a couple of times, I got a version of Mavis Beacon and he's working through it now. The challenge is definitely higher. He uses capitals more regularly than he was and he's learning 10-key too.

I'd imagine if you have an office supply store (Staples, OfficeMax, OfficeDepot) they'll have some supplies. Rainbow Resource has a very impressive set of school supplies in addition to a ridiculous amount of curriculum. I've avoided getting their catalog because I end up buying too much if I just look. :)

It's definitely something you can do. The first year really felt out of control to me. I got more in control as time went on, although I continue to fine tune and make changes. I started researching homeschooling when my son was in Kindergarten (probably in October). I think we made the decision firmly in December or January. Then I had to figure out curriculum! The Donna Young site has good information. First thing to do is be sure what your state law is. There are certain subjects we're required to cover in the year. We need to join an organization but we don't have to test. Then think about what approach you'll be taking. Are you going to follow WTM very closely? Are you thinking of unschooling? In many ways, the approach to homeschool will help drive curriculum choice. Once you know the subjects you'll cover & a bit of the approach you'll use (for the first part of the first year at least... plans change!), start picking curriculum. Some people like the boxed curriculum, some people like to pick & choose. This board has been amazingly wonderful for me for picking things. Be aware that you may have to make changes based on how your children learn. We switched spelling programs when my son was in 2nd grade. I'd already bought spelling for 3rd grade, so I was frustrated, but the switch has helped him learn SO much better. I keep a spreadsheet where I put in tentative curriculum/subject plans for future years. It helps me organize my thinking. Of course, last week I decided that we'll start world history next year instead of in 5th grade, so now I need to pick resources. I'm attending a homeschool conference so I can look at some stuff rather than buying sight unseen. We'll see how it goes. Sometimes I feel like I have things well planned out; other times I'm hanging off a cliff by my fingernails. Just do your best, try not to get overwhelmed (much easier said than done), and enjoy the journey!

We'll be going & I'm in a similar boat. I believe they'll update the times as the conference gets closer. Are you on their email list? If so, I think they'll send an email and link when the times are set. I'm getting a list of materials I want to see in the convention hall and questions I want to ask. I'm also picking the sessions I most want to go to. If I want to attend two workshops at the same time, I'll send my husband to one and tell him to take good notes :) From what I've read, no charge for any workshops. I think they will be first come first serve, so if there's something you really want, get there early-ish.

No offense taken here :) Had you said you were sending nuts anyway, I'd have taken offense! I think the poster who said you just don't understand food allergies is correct. I know that one moms group I was active in when my son was young had a park meetup and asked that everyone refrain from eating or bringing anything with peanuts. At that time, I didn't understand the terror that can come from food allergies. I was eating peanut butter and wasn't willing not to eat it, so we didn't go to that meeting. Now I understand. :glare: The more people who do learn about allergies - ask questions rather than dismiss our concerns - the greater my son's chance is to avoid a reaction. There are a lot of hypotheses about why the increase in allergens. There's also work on treatment (fingers crossed!). Right now there isn't anything other than avoidance.

:iagree: We aren't sure about contact anaphylaxis, but the allergies ds has are really scary. His allergies are why we started considering homeschooling. I worry about college. I don't see how he can live in a dorm. He'll have to do all his own cooking and that's tough the first few years of school. We're working on branching out. We're planning on staying in a hotel for the homeschool convention. It's still scary - and I noted where the hospital is - we'll be near it. I'm unsure how we'll handle meals, but my husband will take care of that planning. I would hope that in high school I'd be able to let my son go on a trip like the one mentioned. He will need to learn how to take care of himself and his allergies. I'm afraid that I won't be able to. Allergies suck.

I haven't heard of the comic before. Neat :) I can relate to the tub....