Thank you very much, Spycar, for weighing in. MEP is tricky and that trickiness makes me crazy. Only 100 lessons left of MEP 6 and then, he's on to the next thing. (I think the next thing is Khan Academy - the pre-algebra section and then on to The Art of Problem Solving). Warmly, Tricia

Thank you, Ladies. I had to call in my mathy prof friend who helped me with this. You're both right! Thank you! Tricia I guess I see what they're doing, but it does seem like a weird way to show it. I'm not sure why they don't just say: 5 cm / 500 = 0.01 cm, which is equal to 0.1 mm 1.5 cm / 500 = 0.003 cm, which is equal to 0.03 mm Do the answers make sense at least? If not, let me know. Now, I *think* what they're trying to do is to split up the dividing by 500 into steps, so that it can be done more easily without a calculator: They start with the number you were given, divide it by 10, then divide it by 10 again, and then divide it by 5. (So, overall, they've divided by 500.) So, for the length, what they're saying with each of their equals signs is: * 5 cm divided by 500 is the same as 5 mm divided by 50 (because going from 5 cm to 5 mm is dividing by 10, so we still have to divide by another 50) * 5mm divided by 50 is the same as 0.5 mm divided by 5 (because going from 5 mm to 0.5 mm is dividing by 10, so we still have to divide by another 5) * Finally, 0.5 mm divided by 5 equals 0.1 mm.

Howdy Hivers: I'm struggling with a particular math question. Would somebody please help me? Student is given an image of a "lonitudinal section of a bacterium" -- 5 cm long by 1.5 cm wide and is told that the image enlarged --- Scale 500:1. We are to find the real life measurement of the enlargement. Teacher Manual says this: In real life, the bacterium is: Length = 5 cm ./. 500 = 5 mm ./. 50 = 0.5 mm ./. 5 = 0.1 mm Width = 1.5 cm ./. 500 = 1.5 mm ./. 50 = 0.15 mm ./. 5 = 0.03 mm I don't understand. I don't even have an intelligent question to ask about what I don't understand. sigh. Spycar? If you use MEP, this is Q.2 on pg 49, YR 6. Thank you, Tricia

Adam's first post on the WTM forums made me right out loud cackle. Way to cannon-ball into the deep end, Adam! Make a splash. Let people know you're here! :) In response to your question: It's a myth to think that children need 25 other children their own age, all day long, to be adequately "socialized". Do you want your child to be in such an unnatural environment 8 hours of the day? Admittedly, it sometimes takes homeschooled children a few extra years to become a bit more savvy in the social arena, but I don't consider that a bad thing. Schooled children learn quickly to stay in line, shut-up and march to the beat of the one adult's drum. I never wanted that for my children. My kids are now 12, 10 and 7 and I don't see them as being socially awkward. They are very active in sports, church, community and they have many opportunities to broaden their social spectrum. Do I think some homeschooled kids are socially awkward? Of course I do. You've probably never met a socially awkward public schooler, right? :D All the best, and I hope the Hive doesn't chew you up -- after all, we enjoy our deck-time over here and a big splash can be irksome. Sorta, umm, well, socially awkward?! (Just giving you a little teasing!) Warmly, Tricia

My boys are 12 & 10, the oldest naturally driven and the youngest, not so much. I've been preaching internal motivation for years and seeing very little by way of results . . . until just recently. I would rather they produce a smidge of good work with motivation coming from within, than a whole load of mama-motivated work. I have to repeat the mantra all-day-every-day that a thin slice of true learning is more effectively stored in the gray area than a thick slice of "do it because I said so" learning. It's a tough walk. T

I couldn't agree more . . . the only difference between your situation and mine is we've put some distance between ourselves and the family member who operates in this land. It's very difficult to forge sibling relationship when one sibling enjoys/promotes/encourages the sibling favoritism instead of drawing a line in the sand and deciding not to walk in the toxic sludge of favored child. It used to bother us. Now, we just grieve the lack of sibling relationship and do our best to love the toxic member, albeit from arm's length. Many days, we contemplate cutting the cord and giving up on any sort of relationship with any of them, but then, family is family and the only path to reconcilation is an open heart. sigh. T

Many thanks. Much appreciated. Tricia

I would love to be debt-free on my primary residence, however, we're a long ways away from that. Worthwhile debt is leveraged money I don't pay for every month. T

:bigear: I just posted to my facebook page that I wish Khan Academy would develop a tidy and free curriculum to partner with his amazing videos. T

I jumped on the MCT bandwagon because (a) our LA study was all. over. the. map and (b) the smartie-pants on this board were all over MCT LA. We've been working our way through Grammar Town and Voyage with the Peachey Men (age 10 & 12) and we're all enjoying ourselves. Studying grammar with MCT LA feels like we're putting a colourful puzzle together . . . and the kids ask for more. My oldest did CLE 5 last year - he toiled and slogged and got it done but wasn't overly inspired and though he did very well on the end-of-year CAT, his love of language certainly didn't blossom. I've got my toes and fingers crossed that MCT LA will do both . . . inspire language learning and cover all the bases of necessary grammar learning. Onward! Tricia

Hi Bill, Yes, it's true about MEP and noodles --- I often feel immensely inadequate to do the math bit. MEP 6 is already giving me a run for my money and we're not even 30 lessons in. Math is always on my mind. I have this idea that a teacher should be a few steps ahead and be able to see the coming mathematical landscape. Sadly, I don't. It's true that MEP doesn't have a set "math path" for each question. Often, three of four different solutions are offered, with the hope that the student would dig out each different path. It often makes sense to me, but somedays, the digging is long and tedious. [a wee little party never hurt anyone, 'specially after five straight days of rain!] T

Hi Bill, I'm one of those gals who started out with MEP because it was "free" and yes, we like it, use it exclusively and have been pleased with the results. Could you expand on your comment above? I'm knee-deep in YR 6 and I'm perfectly embarassed at just how little I know about math. I wonder if I'm doing my boys a disservice b/c I can't see the bigger math picture. Dreaming post YR 6 since I'll be inviting a DVD math prof into our home! :) T

Hello Hivers: Familiar with that old Kenny Rogers country hit -- "you gotta know when to hold em, know when to fold em, know when to walk away and know when to run?" After I'm done teaching MEP Yr 6, I'm "folding and running" from math teaching and I'd like a DVD professor to take over math. [Yes, I already day-dream of the day when math teaching is forever off my radar!) Does anyone have any program suggestions that you've used and have given results? If we're going to continue homeschooling into highschool [which is still completely undecided at this point], I'm certain that my math abilities will not sustain my children for the duration. Thoughts? Warmly, Tricia

I'm with you -- totally blew my stack yesterday. It was awful. In the moment of the yuck/slime/outright disgusting behaviour, I forgot all of my best parenting strategies and walked right into R.E.A.C.T.I.O.N. My dear friend/spiritual mama, who has raised three men into adulthood told me that was the first of 1000 eruptions before they leave home and that I should dust myself off and keep on plugging. You aren't alone. We're with you. Warmly, T

Yes. I'm much more interested in the "others" than I am the "church-ies" though I love my church and pour all sorts of energy into our community. There is something very special about staying in the game with people who really challenge my thinking and force me back to the scriptures, over and over again. I love connecting in meaningful ways with people who don't think like I think. Yes, I love the "others" -- T

Hi Amy, I get your situation -- I'm living in it with you. Heading into year 7 with almost 12 and 10 year old boys and 7 year old girl. The problem with this year . . . my olders have been in a full day paddling program all summer. They love it -- love friends all day, love the exercise, the play, the fun. The big boys and I are dreading fall. I don't want them in ps, yet but I've got no energy for hs'ing. My schoolroom isn't tidy or organized [thankfully, I did buy the curriculum bits and it's mostly here]. Like you, I've enjoyed headspace, time for me, time to be Tricia and I don't know how to feel balanced with myself in the midst of homeschooling. I feel like my life shrinks and I beat a well-worn path between schoolroom/kitchen/laundrypile. Trust you find the umph you need to feel ok -- whether that's ps or hs. Warmly, Tricia

If you embrace the Classical approach, I recommend The Tree of Life School and Bookstore. http://www.treeoflifeathome.com/

Shock and Awe. I'm sorry you've been put in this awful position. T

I'm a proud Mama to a Miele . . . that girl can suck! I love her! $400 - I bought the low-end variety which is great for non-carpeted flooring! If you have tons of wall-to-wall carpet, I'd buy a mid-range Miele. It's hard to spend so much money on a vaccuum cleaner, but finally, after my 4th piece of useless landfill sketch (at 100 - 175 each), I decided I would just buy something of quality. Warmly, Tricia

Our kids will all have piano lessons until they return to public school. I see it as part of their overall education. Yes, piano is mandatory at our house.

Hi SaDonna, We use MEP as our stand-alone curriculum. My middle Mr did a timed mult/div sheet every day, but only because he enjoyed doing it. Are you asking if we think using MEP is useful as a supplement? Truthfully, I think you could find better "supplement to a spine" extra math than MEP. The MEP teacher manual builds skill upon skill in a very strategic way, and often, the skills needed to teach inequalities/long division/fractions/place value show up in the TM and the subsequent questions in the TM that don't appear in the student workbook for a few more weeks of work. I wouldn't say MEP is strong as a supplement. Sure, if you want to use their practice sheets, fill your boots, but I wouldn't taste the flavour of the program, savour the smart mathy bits, smile at what my kids can accomplish in a mathematical way by simply using the worksheets at my leisure. How do we use MEP? I print out the TM/worksheets [and class sheets, though they are a bit redundant]. I read through the TM for a week of lessons [i'm forced to now, b/c sometimes I have to pop over to the MEP yahoo page and ask for "math language" to explain what I'm trying to explain], prepare the kids notebooks with any extra questions that need to be worked out, teach the TM and then they practice doing the material on the worksheet. We use Day 5 as a "quiz" . . . I don't see MEP as an independant, work-alone math program. Sometimes in the meaty portions of the program, I might spend 45 minutes with each Mr and then another 15+ min correcting the worksheet and figuring out where things went wrong. My best advice for people wondering about MEP is "do it all the way, or not at all." It's a rich math curriculum but skimming off the top doesn't really give a true reflection of the MEP math journey and the joy of working with numbers in a way that MEP promotes. I would parallel it to using the SWR spelling lists but not teaching the phonograms. :o [why would I know something about that??] Warmly, Tricia

So very pretty! My gracious! Love love love this, 'cept my manly men might not be so thrilled. :001_smile: T

Wow! What an inspired space! Way to go!

Oh Hivers, how I do love thee . . . when you recommend products like McHenry's curriculum. I jumped in waist deep and bought The Brain, Carbon Chem and Mapping the World with Art. When folks here say these are lovely resources, they really mean it. I did a quick overview of the CD's and I felt a wee little twinge of fall excitement. Now that I see Bravewriter and MCT conversations dovetailing on this forum, I mostly want to jump around and do a funny jig! Warmly, Tricia (who doesn't represent McHenry, Bravewriter or MCT in any possible way!)