When I did my student teaching for my credential, I had to do 3 lesson plans for formal submission. They had to be typed, in a certain format, clearly state the objectives I would cover, describe how I would teach the topic (including examples), and describe how I'd assess student learning (including examples). For an hour-long class, it took me well over two hours to write the dratted plans up. We had to keep written lesson plans (although not to the same degree of detail) at the school at all times and occasionally these were viewed. I think as a homeschooler my documentation doesn't have to be nearly as much as if I were teaching public school. But if anyone ever checks my documentation, I can overwhelm them with paper and edu-speak :D

I have some fun looking at the diagrammed sentences in Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog. If your library has it, it may be fun to check out.

You can also often find good explanations at purplemath. Here's hers on LCM and GCF. Prime factorization is really neat for a bunch of things and understanding how it works with LCM can help with work with rational expressions later on (where numerator and denominator are polynomials in algebra). The way I often explain it is by looking at what factors are missing. For two numbers to have the same denominator, they have to have the same factors. Your first denominator is 32. It's missing the 3 that is a factor of your other denominator, so you need to put that in. You'll also need to multiply the numerator by 3 since you have to do the same to the top as to the bottom (multiply by the number 1). The second denominator is 24. It's missing two 2s that are in 32, so you need to put them in. Multiply top and bottom by 2*2. The illustrations on purplemath may help too.

First, be careful with PEMDAS. Be sure to break it as P / E / MD / AS because multiplication and division are equal operations; if division comes before multiplication, you divide first. As for solving equations, the analogy I use is getting dressed and undressed. You put on socks before you put on shoes, but you can't take off your socks until you've taken off your shoes. You undo the operations in reverse order. So move terms first (addition property of equality) since that was what was done last by order of ops.

We're using the Write Source books. Having the Teacher's Guide (pricey!) has been helpful this year. May be worth a look. I'm not sure if I like it enough (or if I'm using it enough) to continue with it next year, but it is a good program - just maybe not the best fit for us.

I'm missing 3 teeth. One of the 4 center teeth on the lower jaw - orthodontia pulled the teeth together and there's no gap. Unfortunately two are upper - right next to the front teeth. I made a great bunny for Halloween. Orthodontia (lots and lots of it) gave me space for the teeth; a flipper gave me fake teeth through high school; then I had temporary bridges (permanent but attached to the back of the teeth on either side). Those lasted about a decade before popping off pretty regularly. At that point I went to permanent bridges rather than implants. Be sure to get people you can really trust for the dentistry. I've had dentists I absolutely hated and now I'm grateful to have a wonderful dentist. It's been manageable, but expensive. Sorry I don't have a better story for you, but good luck!

If you're going with math manipulatives, fraction circles are good to have as well. We haven't "officially" discussed fractions, but from playing around with these starting at about age 3, my son was able to say that 18/4 was 4 1/2. He said it was because of using the fraction circles. Rosetta Stone has worked well with us this year (started at almost age 7) but I don't know that it would have worked very well much earlier.

My son took the SCAT last week and from looking on the website, he qualified (by 1 point on each test) for the CTY programs :D Now comes the challenge of trying not to push him too hard as a result and keep everything in perspective. But I'm excited. In some ways it's a confirmation that we're doing the right thing by homeschooling since there isn't gifted pull out in our district until after 3rd grade and then unfortunately it doesn't sound like true gifted programs.

My first sunburn was before I was one year old (father stationed in Hawaii). I am under 40 and see a dermatologist annually for the full-body check. I've had one mole removed that was pre-cancerous. Check especially any moles on your palms or soles of your feet. Any there can switch to cancerous very quickly. Seeing a dermatologist seems easier than seeing my regular doctor - and skin cancers are relatively easy to treat if you catch them early, so if you're fair-skinned and have a history of burns, get a dermatologist and see them annually!

We did US edition for 1 and are using Standards for 2. I'm very happy with the Standards edition. I'm using the US IP (very good) and also have the standards Extra Practice. Extra Practice is one book for both A and B books. Level is very much on the workbook level, but I didn't feel that there was enough extra practice (drill) in 1, so I bought the Extra Practice book for 2. I keep debating whether I'll buy it for 3, but I will definitely get IP for 3. Even though it doesn't match up exactly, the main topics are still there and the IP gives good extra brain stretching. If you're able to find CWP anywhere, I'd definitely grab them. They're excellent (and tough). The iExcel books are also really good to get for showing the bar models and how they work with basic arithmetic.

I have my son do the parts on the writing sections that he can (where they work on pronunciation). On some of the initial sections, I had him tell me what letters and I typed them. I'm going to let him just skip them for now - they get really tough once you're past the first page of the first level. If he were older (like 4th grade and up), I think I'd have him do the writing, but for now I'm okay with him skipping the writing sections (once he does the pronunciation parts on his own).

The iExcel books do a good job of showing the bar model - starting in 1 with problems that just have the bar model for the arithmetic statement: like 8 + 2 instead of as a word problem. Book 2 gets into multiplication and division. I've found these to be very helpful with the models (and then with CWP).

I find the lanolin works best if you keep it in your pocket for 10-15 min to get it warm. Then it spreads easily. Cabbage leaves didn't do anything for me. I was in PAIN at first. I don't have any suggestions (other than warming up lanolin - and it also works great for dry skin in the winter), but despite having cracked nipples when I nursed at first, we were very successful over the long run and although the first couple months were dreadful, then nursing became very easy. And my son's dairy allergy made me very glad I had nursed! La Leche League may be very helpful for support and advice (depending on your part of the country). Good luck to her!

You can do searches for Singapore and find lots of discussion about it and its components. You definitely need both the textbook and the workbook. I like the Home Instructor Guides. I teach math at the cc and still find useful ideas in the HiG. The Extra Practice book is completely optional. We're using it in 2A and 2B because I ended up buying lots of extra workbooks to supplement (drill) with 1B in particular. It has problems that are at the same difficulty level as the Workbook. I also like the Intensive Practice books. They are at a higher difficulty level than the text. So definites: Textbook and Workbook (for each level A, B that you're teaching). I like the Standards Edition instead of the US Edition. It has the same material but adds in some extras. Optional: Home Instructor Guide (for each level A, B), Extra Practice (for the year: 1), Intensive Practice (for each level, A, B).

I recommend purplemath to my students for extra help/explanations. On her lessons page, she has "Solving Word Problems" (towards bottom of page). This should help with how to get tables/set up/etc. Good luck! (And nifty... she's got a forum now too!)

Depending on how out there your mom wants to get, I've done a few projects from Creepy Cute Crochet (Day of Dead bride & groom, zombie, and working on trojan). They work well with my family. 63 Easy-to-Crochet Pattern Stitches is an afghan book, but it was making this afghan that really taught me a bunch of different stitches and made me comfortable branching out into other projects. This afghan book has a really tough Noah's Ark afghan (p88-95). Crocheting all the animals also taught me a lot (and my son loves it). Amigurumi! is a neat book for making some stuffed animals (and a few other odds and ends). I adapted a couple of the patterns to make a tiger for my son, but that's been my toughest project yet.

They've had 2 seasons of a show on HBO as well. Netflix has the discs and they're fun. (New Zealanders move to New York to get their band to take off.) "I'm the hip-hop-po-potumus; my rhymes are bottomless...." "Ain't no party like my Nana's tea party; hey, ho" :D

I'd be more concerned about the grade for a high school course than for one that won't end up on a transcript for college. So for the younger ones, I'd be okay with them keeping a low grade. It may be worthwhile to correct all tests anyway (open book) so the kids get the correct answer while doing the work themselves. If you're looking to raise the grade, I have (with some college students I teach at a cc) on rare occasions let them correct their test at home (open book), rework the problem and have it completely correct and gain back half credit on the problem. They also have to find where they went wrong initially. Hang in there. I'd be really frustrated.

Enjoyed it. Thanks! :D I foresee a fire drill in our future...

For skip counting, watching the Schoolhouse Rock multiplication songs was great :) I realized about the time my son was 4 that we only had digital clocks in our house. We got rid of one in the living room and put an analog clock in its place. That has helped some, although I still think I should get rid of more of the digital clocks so he has to use the analog to tell time.

There's always things to learn. I taught myself to crochet. Took me 10 years since none of the dratted books really explained how to do a slip knot, but I have quite the sense of accomplishment for doing it entirely myself. I get into a topic for a while and read everything I can about it. Not part of a job in any way, but still learning, challenging, and entertaining. I used my research and organizational abilities when I did research on homeschooling and made the decision. Many jobs will still have things your daughter can learn. I think the average now is that people switch jobs every ten years. I teach at the community college here and even though I'm teaching the same course I've taught for 13 years now (eek - time flies), I'm still learning new ways to convey the material to my students.

Also free in SC through ETV website. The Planet Earth BBC series is on Discovery Streaming... but it's the Sigorney Weaver narration rather than Attenborough :( But they do have teacher notes... With Bill Nye on Streaming... I'm only finding his newer stuff - no Science Guy videos.

I teach at a CC. Different state, so you'll have slightly different hierarchies, but given the situtation you've described, I'd recommend your daughter talking to the department chair. You do not want to jump levels, but I don't think anything will be gained by talking with the professor. You and your daughter may want to role play some and have her rehearse what she wants to say and you may want to consider what a "good" outcome will be. If the decision is to withdraw from the class entirely, you may have enough grounds to get a partial refund or the money credited to take another course, but that'll be a decision for a dean (often Dean of Student Services, but department chair or advisor may be able to recommend who to talk with). Whatever you do, do not get involved yourself. Be helpful and encouraging to your daughter, drive her to campus and hang out somewhere else, but if she's old enough to take college classes, she's old enough to handle the fall out (with a lot of support from you on the sidelines). The person who said she'd be tempted to go "mama bear" on the instructor... really really really bad idea. Really bad. It does sound like this instructor is one who just isn't good. They are out there and learning how to deal with poor instruction is a part of college. I would definitely say the things you list rise to the level of a formal complaint and I'd encourage your daughter to speak with the department chair and then she may want to move along to a dean. Check the college catalog/handbook for "Greivance Procedure". Good luck to both of you!

My son has the yellow sportsband from here. I think we got it a bit over a year ago. He wears it every time he leaves the house. It has his allergens and contact info for us. We also have a metal bracelet for swimming.

I find the "I statements" most useful with my husband when we're having a charged discussion (or a fight). It's really funny when I'm trying to rephrase my statements and what I want to say is "I think you're being a jerk right now" and I have to recognize how that isn't a helpful thing to say. :D Taking that time to rephrase and think about what is coming out of my mouth does seem to help my message be heard. I think there are absolutes where you'd want to use the "you language" and I sure tell my son, "You need to go wash your hands." But I think the point is in your title "during disputes". Flushing the toilet isn't a dispute. It's tough to be aware of what you're saying and to rephrase, but overall I think it does help. I haven't seen any signs of it leading to more egocentrism. We've also taught our son to use "I language" more when expressing things to us and I find I listen and hear his requests more clearly when he does. He comes across much less whiny and more reasonable.