Yes! That's us. Next year, my rising 7th grader is doing: Omnibus 1 Art of PS - Alg 1 and one more course (number theory or probability) I'm most excited about this! Middle School Math is officially being farmed out! McHenry Science (his choice) French (with our family) I have some odds and sods that I'll throw in (like finishing up last year's MCTLA grammar/vocab and doing a Greek/Latin root program) but I've significantly reduced the breadth of our hs'ing adventure and aiming for depth across fewer subjects. My intent is to leave room for art, guitar and self-directed reading. Fingers crossed! Warmly, Tricia

Wow, I read through that post and the comments . . . and I have a better appreciation for why people in my outside-the-church community might think I'm a complete nut-job. Homeschooling for us has always been about academics and flexibility of scheduling, esp. when my Mr. worked long stretches away from home in the oil&gas industry and then would be home for long stretches. This comment caught my eye: " Most of life is figuring out HOW TO NAVIGATE! How to win people over – how to influence people to go your way – how to get along with people who are different – how to convince someone to give you more time – how to charm your way past the door. I can guarantee you that the average public schooler is far more adept at all of those things than the smartest homeschooled kid could ever dream of being" and I have to say, I honestly and truly believe the author is correct in this assessment. It really doesn't matter how bright or academically capable a child is . . . if said child matures into an adult who can't understand these social dynamics, then it matter little what sort of academic foundation he stands on. I cross paths with many homeschoolers who don't take the above into consideration. I often wonder if "Christian homeschooler rebellion" is more just trying out life that was held from them for many years than heart-level, leaving the faith sorta rebellion. Warmly, Tricia

My children enjoyed a certain amount of "cocooning" in their preschool years and early elementary days. As they grew older, I felt it was my responsibility to start pulling off the protective layers of those early years. It was a many-paged manifesto that I found linked to Ann Voskamp's blog, A Holy Experience, that got me thinking about what I wanted for my children in terms of homeschooling and doing real life. (Voskamp isn't the author of the essay and I don't know if she still has it linked to her page.) The essay was (imho) an honest assessment of the Christian homeschooling community and the importance of grace and humility when parenting/schooling children into highschool. Someone might be able to link that here. Warmly, Tricia

http://www.childrensministrywarehouse.net/2007/04/curriculum_over.html I often turn to this for ideas! T

Cindy in C-Ville has the magical recipe you seek.

Hivers, I live in this crazy land lodged between extreme unschoolers and an extreme WTM'er. (Love to Colleen in NS!) When I chat with Colleen, I'm inspired. When I chat with my unschooly friends, I'm inspired. I'm not sure if it's possible to live in the radical middle of the homeschooling world, but here's my attempt at a plan that offers rigour on the one hand, and room for independant learning on the other. For my rising 7th: Math: Art of Problem Solving - Algebra 1, Number Theory, Probability History: Omnibus 1 Grammar: MCTLA (grammar & vocab portions) French: (haven't decided on a program yet) Science: Ellen McHenry's Botany for the fall. DS spends 15 hours a week paddle training, which means up at 5:15am 4x a week, so he often naps in the afternoon. I would like him to have 4 hours a day of proper school, M-Th and then we'll do some art classes on Friday. I purchased The Lost Tools of Writing . . . it's a rich resource which I trust will help my teaching as I attempt to lead DS into "written output." Truthfully, I think LTofW is more of a teacher resource and I think I'll have more to offer once I make my way through it. Does this seem like a reasonable "middle land" plan? I'm not going for the gusto with this plan -- trying to find a happy balance between academic rigour and what I think needs to get put down for a firm foundation and his need to be a kid and take some of the lead in terms of what interests him. Am I living in a fantasy land to think that my son and I can "co-lead" his educational path? Warmly, Tricia

Most definitely in the "supportive curiosity" realm . . . I'm not defensive when it comes to people asking me about homeschooling and even if he were challenging me about our educational choices, I would be apt to listen to him and figure out how I could ensure rigour across the math and science spectrum. A PhD in math does bring some meat to the conversation. He has valid and legitimate questions about how a homeschooling environment can meet the rigour of his public school experience. I think all of us have a slice of brilliance . . . but I don't believe that experience as a mother translates into exceptional math teaching. I need a plan of attack that we can implement in our home, if we decide to have our children at home during the highschool years. Warmly, Tricia

Hivers, you've outdone yourselves for me, once again. Thank you for your calm, reassuring comments. I rarely give a second thought to what people think of homeschooling, but every now again, a person who I respect and admire wonders what it will look like and quite frankly, so do I. I'm not uber-bright, and not very motivated when it comes to upper-level math and science. I did tell my brainy friend about the AofPS program which is what my oldest will do in the fall. Even that didn't quite satisfy him . . . his comment was that upper-level math can have many answers that are all perfectly correct and look really different, especially with algebra. Since thinking about math gives me hives, I'm glad to hear that some of you have no trouble out-sourcing. I will most definitely outsource math and science will undoubtedly be student-led. I am keenly aware of my own limitations. Thanks for the input and kind comments. Warmly, Tricia

Hello Hivers of High Schoolers: We have an exceptionally bright young adult in our midst at church . . . he is finishing up a PhD in mathematics and I respect his opinion as an academic. He's level and bright. His question to me: how can a mother with no upper level math or science prepare her children for university science? I don't know the answer to that. Do your children study at home, independantly, are they checking in with online classes? How do you work at meeting the requirements of first year university math and science study in a home-school environment? Warmly, Tricia

Hello Hivers: Could someone with some tech ability help me get SOTW 3 off my computer and onto a cd. We're taking a drive this weekend and I want to listen to our history. Error: File cannot be retrieved. CD is preventing you from copying this file. TIA, Tricia

Yes, this! If they didn't complain so much about it, I might let them be finished with piano. The more they complain about this very small slice of life that they have to do but don't enjoy, the more I insist. OTOH, playing the stubborn game isn't doing anyone any good around here. T

What I can't understand is he can do long division all the ways except the "regular" way. I've had him watch Khan Academy, we've done different worksheets, used the manipulatives. I thought end of 5th grade was when kids should know how to do long division?!?!?! T

My Middle Mr is making me lose my mind. He can do long division the short way, like this: and he can do long division the really long way: 5 into 693 . . . he'll do the side calculations but for the very life of me, I can't get him to do the regular long divison. Then, to make me extra crazy, he does this number segmenting thing in his head and is 90% correct with his mental calculations. I can't figure out if he just doesn't want to use his pencil or what my be the problem. Would it worry you if your child couldn't or won't get the answer in the standard long division method? Warmly, Tricia

Hi there, I've started all my kids at MEP 3 after a few years of Miquon and playing around with math. Yes, I think you can start your child at whichever level matches your child's ability. Some folks completely disagree with me on this . . . but I think just doing the MEP worksheets isn't super-effective. As we carried into MEP 5/6, the TM gave all sorts of teaching hints, proper math vocabularly used, extension questions for capable students and explanations/examples to use before the worksheets. I think the flavour of MEP is definitely enhanced by using the TM. Warmly, Tricia

These words break my heart . . . I can't think of anything that would make me feel more insecure than being a younger brother to our oldest. I need to figure out how to parent my middle so that he can thrive, independant of the constant comparison. Since this book come so highly recommended by you, I might see if I can purchase it this weekend. Thank you for your kindness and insight. Warmly, T

De-Nile's not just a river, is it? I often, regularly, daily feel like "an explosion-waiting-to-happen" and when I do explode, I ooze and melt and my brain flows right out my nose. It's never pretty. I hate that. I feel like my inability to control my emotional place scars my kids and changes the fibre of their lovely little beings. I guess self-care is important and I've not been managing that all so super well lately. Thanks for your words. . . . and thank you, Hivers. I feel a bit better . . . I'm reminded of a lesson I already learned but seemed to have forgotten: Change begins with me. Warmly, Tricia

Thank you, FairFarmHand . . . and I love your Covey siggy. I've noticed it before and truthfully, I should have than stencilled on the wall somewhere. I move quickly, think quickly, react quickly and my Middle doesn't do anything quickly. I like Leman books, so I'll look that up. Warmly, T

Yes, Lisa and thank you. I agree with everything you wrote, especially the "remove the emotions" bit. It's hard knowing what to do and then not doing it. I know I'm the problem -- I have to change my interactions with him. I'm a pretty kind mama so I know when I've blown my stack more than a couple times in the run of a few months, then I've got to step back and evaluate my teaching, my expectations, my list of daily living etc etc. Warmly, Tricia

Thank you for chiming in. I try not to be a Needy Boardie Lady, but gracious, it's been tricky around here. What I highlighted in your response makes perfect sense to me. I worry over math - I know I project my math-anxiety onto Middle. This is another spot of frustration. Oldest is bright and can do things, after one explanation or no explanation, even. Middle needs a deep, repetitive path to remember bits . . . this is where I get frustrated. In my brain, the comparison is right there: (how could this be so easy with Oldest and so. very. painful. with you) -- I don't say these things out loud, but he knows I'm frustrated and then responds with insecurity. Ahhhh -- I want to be better for my kids. Warmly, Tricia

It's dreamy until I realize oldest is parenting me. :) Truthfully, it's nothing we've done or didn't do. Some kids just seem to be driven and do whatever it takes to make life work. I admire my son. Isn't that wonky? I admire both of them - Middle has relational, soft skills that will take him far in life. Daily living and daily school is tricky. Warmly, Tricia

If I had Colleen in NS's responding skills, I'll make this one long post. sigh, I don't. I'll just do this the old-fashioned way. Thank you for your helpful comments. I think I'm the problem. (Jean will laugh at this). I wasn't pulled together at 12. Truthfully, my oldest is more pulled together than I am at 37 and it's true what you've all said or alluded to . . . Middle Mr is the norm, oldest Mr is not. I think what happens is I get lazy . . . thinking my Middle can take care of business like the older. Thank you for kindly reminding me that Middle is allowed to work out his kinks in his own time. I've had to be really proactice with myself about getting centered when it comes to making my life work. It makes sense that some of my kids will turn out like me. (sigh). Warmly, Tricia

You know, if we could bang this out via Hive-Therapy, if would save me alot of time and energy. :) Love to you, Jean.

Yes, I connect with this. It's easier to blame myself than to hold people accountable for their actions or words. Don't want the conflict, thank you very much.

Hivers, I'm not sure is this is a "help me" post or a "listen to me whine" post or if I'm fishing for some "just need to know I'm not the only one" responses. I have a driven, self-motivated oldest son. He's 12 and can mostly take care of his life. For ie, when he has early morning paddle practice, he can set his own alarm, get brekkie and get out the door at 5:40am, bike to practice, bike home, get second brekkie and start math with no input from me. He does school on his own accord and I don't have to keep at him. Enter stage right, second son. 17 months younger and mostly unmotivated, a bit insecure. School doesn't come as easily for him and it does my older. I find myself frustrated, often -- for ie, yesterday, we had a marathon math session which ended in tears, a painful piano practice and then a messy room tidy-up that almost brought me to tears, seeing that we just did a HUGE spring purge and tidy two weeks ago. It seems to me that I parent from a place of frustration when it comes to my middle Mr and I can see that I'm only increasing his insecurity. First son is innately organized and focused. Second son (more like me) is uber-relational, engaging but can't get himself centered. How can I teach my son centering techniques without the slime or shame that I usually fall into . . . everyday that unfolds like yesterday feels like another $5000 added to the therapy bill that I've promised to pay for my kids. You know, I am their mother. I don't expect them not to have some crazy that needs to get worked out. Warmly, Tricia

Thank you, Hivers. I'll check out these resources. And now seems like the right time to confess that here I am, age 37, with an undergrad and course work for a Master's degree complete in *history* and I'd never heard about Jason and the Golden Fleece until . . . last week. I wonder if there will come a point when I won't be surprised at how little I know about anything. Warmly, Tricia