I felt that my ds did a year's worth of work, so I gave a full credit. Those PAHomeschooler classes are a lot of work! They are certainly more than a semester's-worth. If you are reluctant to give a full credit, but you're on the fence -- assign or line up a little more work to tip the scale. My ds participated in a week-long TeenPact class the year he took government, so I "tacked that on" to my mental .5/1.0 credit calculation. You could add in working on a pres/congressional campaign. ;) For econ, you could expand the class to include self-study of micro-economics, in the month or two after PAHomeschooler assignments have concluded. Best, ~Brigid

That is absolutely wonderful! Thanks for sharing the news! :)

If you are looking for a semester class -- and are interested in an online option, IEW is offering new semester-long classes online (although you may have to sign up for two semesters -- it's unclear to me from the website info). It looks like two of the three classes are full -- so you'd better hurry, if you are interested. Here is the link: IEW Online. ;) Best, ~Brigid

That's very helpful. Thank you! If you have any observations that you'd care to share about the Congressional Service Award, I'd really appreciate it! It looks like another great option for our group. Best, ~Brigid

I'm involved in a local homeschool group that is considering getting involved with The President's Volunteer Service Award, and I wondered if anyone had any experience with this? Thanks for any info you can share about your experiences. ~Brigid

:iagree:

If your kids are taking a class outside the home, some upper level math classes may require a calculator -- and a specific one. Both my ds's took precalc and calc at the local CC, and a specific calculator was required. There were no exceptions. They had to have a TI-83 for precalc and a TI-89 for calc. All their CC math tests were broken into two parts -- one part with a calculator, the other without. :) Best, ~Brigid

I weight grades using the same standard/honors/AP/CC scale used by the public and private schools in our area. On the transcript I show yearly weighted and unweighted grades, and I include the grading and weighting scales I used to compute grades/weights. :)

These two sites have some interesting teaching materials: The Writing Company Social Studies School Service . . . and no "teacher" hoops to jump through when ordering. I like that. ;)

Perhaps as your son has moved into more advanced math, he is rusty on what he hasn't practiced for a while. In our case, geometry was the culprit. As you said, looking at what was missed is a great idea. When it comes to the PSAT, it is such a short test, every missed question has a big impact on the score. Best of luck! :)

If your kids are thinking about AP classes in the high school years, practicing writing in pen -- with tidy "cross-throughs" -- is a good idea. AP exam essays must be completed in pen. For AP English, that's three essays @ 40 minutes each, in pen. ;)

If you are interested in outsourcing the biology lab when you get to Raleigh, I can suggest an inexpensive class, with a wonderful instructor (a mom with a graduated homeschooler). :) The instructor uses the Apologia text, though. My two boys did not find Apologia to be dry. They thought just the opposite. They felt like Jay Wile was having a conversation with them. Good luck in choosing. It's hard when you can't lay everything out in front of you. And even then, it's hard to know. ;) When you get to Raleigh, pm me! Best, ~Brigid

First, don't panic. If your two are going into 9th and 10th, you are just fine. You have four years for one, and three for the other. That's plenty of time! Science labs are a lot more fun -- and in our experience, they get DONE with greater regularity -- when there is more that one student performing the experiment. If you are going to be doing science at home, I suggest you put your two boys on the same science track in high school if you can. Unless they are in very different places, academically, they will probably find the labs much more enjoyable, they will be able to quiz each other before the tests, you will save $ on the shared resources, and you will save time stewarding the schoolwork. Sounds like a recipe for success to me! Julie posted a great list of curricula. You do want to align chemistry and physics with your kids' math track. Biology (with no math requirement) would be a great place to begin. We found the Apologia text, tests, and labs to be very homeschool friendly. Many of the other homeschool science curricula that offer multi-year science courses would work well too. Knowing what hasn't worked for you -- look for what you think will work for your family. (Do you have a homeschool store close by, where you can go look at the materials -- that would help.) What your science track looks like in high school doesn't have to align with what others are doing -- just with what your family needs and can successfully implement. Best of luck! :) ~Brigid

My aerospace engineer laughed. And understood it. That brought a smile to the face of his clueless poet-mother. ;)

We took an unconventional route. I bought the Sparknotes English Vocabulary Flashcards, and assigned a certain number a week. There are 1000 small flashcards that include a definition, and the word used in a sentence (so the context). The words are SAT-type vocabulary words. One drawback is that the cards do not include the phonetic pronunciation (and beware of tipping the box over ;)). I gave a vocab quiz each week on ten of the assigned words. Define. Use in a sentence. It was simple, and worked really well for us. Best, ~Brigid

Cindy - tried to pm you, but your box is full. ;)

I share your pain. Publishers and college bookstores have found ways to package texts so you have to purchase a "customized" version. :( My guys have had some classes where the instructor has said on day one "you don't have to buy the most current book" -- or has said s/he isn't going to use the webassign code for online homework. So if you can hold off "breaking the seal" or writing a name in the text -- you might, in some classes, have cheaper options. Best, ~Brigid

Nothing is set in stone. I've gotten misinformation/incomplete information from WT personnel before. I think we all should continue to pursue dual enrollment. From what I understand, CCs across the state are handling the legislative changes differently. WT has always seemed to take the narrow road. Perhaps the option to pay for classes will open up. Not the best choice -- but at least some choice. Good luck! :)

It came from a Wake Tech guidance advisor. :(

I had the pleasure of meeting Cindy in C-ville! :001_smile: Yay! I hope I get to know her better now that she's moved to NC!

Exactly! CC has been just one of many options in high school -- but a very valuable option. I hope that others have the choice. In our area, I think that it has just come down to the legislature pulling the funding for the program. I have always been willing to pay for the classes -- but it appears that the local CC is choosing not to provide that option. :001_unsure:

Hi everyone - I'm curious if you are seeing changes in the the dual enrollment/community college options in your area. It is looking like dual enrollment may be eliminated altogether in North Carolina beginning next spring. The latest information is that students in my area of NC won't have the option to take CC classes, even if we wish to pay for them. Is this happening in other areas of the country? It's such a disappointment, because CC classes have been an important part of the class "mix" for us in high school -- especially in 11th and 12th. My younger ds is a rising senior, so it won't affect him all that much. But it removes a valuable option for others who will be homeschooling in the high school years. How are CC options changing in other states/regions? Any alternate suggestions for homeschoolers who want the the transcript and transferability that local CCs offer? Thanks!

The Spanish teachers who have taught in our co-op have used Realidades. :) There are textbooks and corresponding workbooks. I have always been able to find relatively inexpensive, used copies online.