CWP is challenging. The bar model approach is really powerful but it takes a lot of practice. Going back to 3 should be a good starting point. The Process Skills books that LatinTeach linked are excellent as well for setting up the bar models.

I was that kid. Chose a state school over Wellesley. Did end up completing undergrad without loans. The marriage is at 20 years next year and we waited to marry until after I graduated from undergrad. It's definitely appropriate to have conversations. What are your reasons for your decisions? Have you considered what it will be like / what you'll do if the relationship ends? Be very careful. My relationship with my family is rocky as it is. Had there been any ultimatums or lack of respect for my decision, there wouldn't be a relationship with them. It is true that many relationships that are started when young don't work out...especially if there isn't an effort made to grow together. It can also be wonderful. Dh and I have been together since we met in 1989 when I was 16 and he was 18. I did follow him to college....but he wasn't the only reason for my decisions and that was also important.

(Hugs) It really does suck. My son is allergic to dairy and it's more frustrating and trickier to avoid for us than his nut allergy. There have been a number of threads over the years about allergies...check for tag "food allergy". First recommendation....carry your medications if you have them. For my son, it's the epi pen, Benadryl, and an oral steroid. They're with him at all times. Sign up with http://www.foodallergy.org/ for recall information. For margarine, butter replacement, Earth Balance is good. You can find it in cubes for baking. Enjoy Life does safe chocolate chips and candy bars (dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and krispie bars). Namaste does mixes including a really great brownie mix. Cheese you're out of luck with. Daiya is worth trying and my son enjoys it, but it isn't a good substitute in my opinion. Depending on how severe your allergy is, I wouldn't eat food prepared by others unless they know food allergies. We're still pretty hesitant about restaurants. Read labels regularly. Food production can change. Watch for hidden dairy in breads. Sorry. Allergies suck. (Namaste brownies are really tasty though.)

(Hugs) I'm sure it's scary. If it were a serious concern, they'd be doing a biopsy or lumpectomy quickly. 6 months isn't long. Don't miss that appointment, but don't panic unless you see other issues.

For talent searches, you don't have to test only in ones in your area. Duke is the one that's our area, but my son took the SCAT in 2nd to qualify for JHU-CTY courses (and took one of their Young Reader's Courses... good, but they were changing software at the time and he didn't get as much additional time online as I'd have liked with chat features). He's also qualified with Northwestern NUMATS although he hasn't taken courses from them. Testing really depends on your purpose for testing. If it's to qualify for a program, use the test they want (SCAT or Explore or SAT/ACT at higher levels). If you're testing for your knowledge - test depending on what you're trying to find out (so possibly individual test or out of level test). If it's to meet the needs of a state's requirements, you may want the minimum needed. If you're trying to do multiple things at once (as it sounds like you may be), that's where it gets trickier. I also found that when we were getting started homeschooling, I was struggling with figuring out WHY I was testing and what I was looking for. I found SCAT results to be useless, other than knowing that my son could test in a setting outside the home. Explore test results are more useful through NUMATS than through Duke. NUMATS gives in their toolbox a much more useful comparison of test scores for all test takers. For individual tests, I liked the ITBS score reports better than CAT score reports. We did on level CAT one year, out of level CAT next year, on level ITBS, then just Explore and haven't looked back. The ITBS and CAT were useful for me to get confirmation that places I was seeing weaknesses were places that our son had weaknesses. It gave me more confidence to make changes. Based on your first post, if I were making suggestions, I'd say, look at CTY courses and family programs (they have some cool family programs). If you think you'll use any of them, do the SCAT this fall or spring. You do NOT get anything useful - just qualification. If you're not going to do CTY programs, take the Explore in Jan through NUMATS. If you need a test for PA, try to give the ITBS and I'd go on level. That lets you see how she does with a standardized test (and if you can administer it, you can see any missed questions). Then with the results, you'll get a comparison with other similar age kids. Doing the Explore in addition lets you see how she does in a standardized setting which can also be useful. (or... since she's rising 3rd... hold off on Explore until next year when she's in 4th). To see where she's truly at, I think you'd need an individual achievement test - something like Woodcock Johnson. I haven't found any of the testing to tell me that for my son. HTH some... good luck!

Some of us are just homebodies ;)

Bob Jones has a history of racial discrimination that really makes me not want to give them any of my money. Yes, some of the fees you pay to any company for testing will go for their profit. We were debating whether we'd have to use them for testing when I was able to find some other places instead.

And in the importance of showing work clearly, the first Mars rover was lost because of a unit conversion error. Lots of articles about this. Here's one http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2010/11/1110mars-climate-observer-report/

If you don't want to support BJU, there are some places in NC where you can order tests. I've used both Bayside (TerraNova, although when I used them it was only the CAT) and Triangle (ITBS).

That is neat!

And since I need students to be able to do algebraic manipulation on their own (it's part of what my classes are about), I don't allow calculators that show answers like that. The Casios in particular are ones I don't allow. The printed sheets are useful as references, but making your own sheet with things you keep looking up is going to be best. You want to get to a point where you can reproduce your sheet or any part of it you need on a test. In trig & calculus, I'd keep a sheet in the front of my notebook with the unit circle and some basic trig identities. On tests, I could resketch what I needed. If you know the text you'll be using, if it's published by Pearson, you may find it with the InterAct software and you could start reviewing by working some problems. See where you look things up and then those things go on your review sheet. Then make notecards or whatever you need to memorize formulas (quadratic formula for instance).

Some students will try to multi-task in class and miss large parts of class. Laptops can also be a major distraction to students sitting behind the one with the open laptop. So those are some of the reasons laptops or similar electronic note taking systems wouldn't be allowed. Recording can make students uncomfortable asking questions if they're being recorded. Instructor policies are typically made after having problems with a student. Avoid that problem in the future by not allowing the behavior. It can be a frustration for the student who wouldn't be a problem, but we have to teach everyone. Disability services are different and accommodations will be allowed, but for instance working with a laptop, my request would be to sit in the back of the room so other students don't see the screen. It's really tricky to take notes for math on a computer for students at a basic level of math anyway.

Strongly agree with regentrude.

Love it!

Got one earlier today...first time I've had them....

Envious here but happy for you guys!

You can also try calling the bookstore and seeing if they know how financial aid works with the bookstore. As some others have said, our cc students can get temporary loans to use at the bookstore until financial aid comes in.

And this is a GREAT technique as you're learning how to solve literal equations or formulas for a given variable. I'll show a problem with only one variable (like solve 3x - 5 = 6) on one side of the board and a formula (like Solve ax + b = c for x) on the other side of the board, and we'll do one step at a time with each problem... see how they're the same problem, but one has numbers and one has constants (or variables we're treating as constants). The goal, of course, is to not need to put the numbers in, but as you're learning, it can be a useful help.

One is simply a thank you card, handwritten, that expresses your appreciation and tells how much he's helped you. I treasure notes like that that I've gotten from students. You could also make a donation in his honor somewhere....

I've reported it before. Go for it.

Yup...although key could have distributed and cleared parentheses. Depends on what you'll be doing which form is more useful. So also n= rm + pm

If it's a mole, having it checked by a dermatologist is a good idea. Dark moles on palms and soles of the feet are potentially dangerous ones that can change rapidly. Removal is safest.

Personally, if I have a book I want to be sure I keep, I have a hard copy. Ebooks are only good as long as the software is there. I've got old papers and files still on some 5 1/4 floppies somewhere in the closet. Storage matters! That said, I like my kindle touch and I'm happy with ds's kindle paperwhite. I've also got the kindle ap on the iPad. I don't see amazon going anywhere in upcoming years and I expect they'll support the kindle for quite a while. But....anything you want to be sure you have....get the hard copy. Sorry for your frustration with the nook. I'd be absolutely fuming. There are ways to back up the kindle so you could store your Gutenberg downloads on your computer as a backup and if something like this happened, you can restore.

In the other thread, I think John may still be looking for a screenshot of when it happens....