If so, what do you think? Is it accurate and worth using for middle school? I'd love to hear your comments. Here's the link. Thanks!

scan the info on the back and send it to me. I *have* all the cards, but *this* one is hiding somewhere just when I need it! Feel free to PM me about it. Many thanks!

I have a 6th grade student with apparent dysgraphia. She is a good student, studies well, attentive, but her handwriting (the only sign of dysgraphia that she has) is almost indecipherable. Sometimes when she takes more time, it is legible. But usually it literally looks like chicken scratches. She says she has always had this problem. But when she intentionally takes time, the writing is much better. In class, I've notice her talking notes by using her binder as a back, leaning it against the nearest edge of the desk for support, and writing while leaning back in the seat, if you can imagine my description. I always tell her to sit up and lean more over her paper. Slouchy seating usually results in sloppy writing, imo. So, if you have a child with apparent dysgraphia, what techniques have you found to help his handwriting? Thanks!

Link would be appreciated! Thanks!

My cousin is using this weight loss product with great success and told me about it. I've asked what's in the product but she's not answered yet. All I can find online are testimonials but not what the product consists of. If you've used this or know anything about it, please let me know! Thanks!

My 7th graders need practice, practice, practice to recognize the difference in active / passive voice verbs. I know once it clicks, they will have it. But it sometimes takes multiple practice sentences to arrive at the click. If you've found a good online free source, please post or link. Thanks!

I love Pilgrim's Progress! I teach it to 7th graders every year and use Pilgrim's Progress in Today's English. It is not unabridged but it hits most everything in an accessible way for a 7th grader. What edition were you using? It's not a bad idea to find the most accessible edition and then work your way up, if you need to.

Like I said, she seemed to want to do all the talking. Too much so. In fact, she seemed to roll over Diane as she asked, or tried to ask, some questions. Interrupted, and rather monopolized the interview even though it was about her, if you know what I mean. I also thought she did some backtracking. I guess that I was a bit put off considering that I thought her trained profession would have made her a better speaker. I wanted to read the book . . . until I heard the interview. Maybe she made me think that she was really full of herself. ~Just my take on it . . .

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I'm typing notes for my 8th grade grammar class (the lesson is on writing an appealing title for a story) and want to include some examples of book titles they might be familiar with. Any ideas of some --preferably from middle / upper school literature-- that would fit these categories below? 1) It may have rhyming words or alliteration. 2) It may make an unusual statement. 3) It may raise a question. Thanks!

My first, and last, impression of her on DR's show was that she talks too much. And she likes to talk. I was a bit put off because of that. You have a good point about her writing the book while her girls are still young.

Is it worth the read? I was interested, still am --kind of--, but after reading a number of articles and listening to her interview on the Diane Rehm show, I'm not sure how much more there would be to the book. If you've read it, please let me know if it's worth the read. Thanks!

Exactly what my dh said, Michelle! Er, SolaMichella!

He's decided to do nothing. Since we only have the opportunity to worship with "our" home congregation every 5th Sunday beginning in May, we just plain won't be there. Dh said he plans to go to "our" church then as usual. And leave the ball in the minister's court. He said that the minister will have to be the one to initiate the next (if there is one) move. The church he supplies is in another county and nobody from "our" church comes there. And since dh is off of the session, he will not be involved in any meetings at all. In other words, out of current circumstances, we are taken out of the picture. Dh said he considered talking to another elder on the session who has been nothing but supportive of dh (at least to his face--with all that's happened, you wonder how much is said behind your back, but you have to go with what you actually know). But dh has decided against that for now. Even though the minister said "everyone is the church," we know that just has to be an outright exaggeration because it is highly unlikely that this minister has canvased the congregation. Dh said that there are only four times that he has differed with the minister and that he did so legitimately. Two times were about a violation of the Book of Order, once when he was asked to do one of the tasks the minister was to do himself, and another when he was asked point-blank about his opinion. The last he was not going to say anything about until another elder asked him for his opinion which he could either lie about or answer honestly. He chose the latter. Choosing to sit on it and remain quiet about it is not going to be easy for me. But at least we won't be going there until at least May, and then only one Sunday. His character makes it easier for him to sit on it. I want to strike out. But I'll have to honor dh's wishes. Both of us are still completely baffled because it came so much out of the blue. But I suspect that things aren't going well for him within the church and he needs a scapegoat. One reason I think things aren't going well for him is his 6-7 minute sermons (hard to believe, I know, but it's true), plus the fact that in this older congregation, there have been a high number of deaths in his four years. In all but one, maybe two, he has not been asked to preach the funeral. He's been part of the service, but only did a prayer. I have enough going on with school to keep my mind occupied there rather than mulling over this. And I think in the Lord's providence, he's put us physically away from "our" church for the time being. Still, being raked through the mud is difficult to deal with. Even not guilty of things (and you never deal with any issue in perfect appropriateness), you still come but dirt on you when you're raked through the mud. Here's to an interesting year. :confused:

Mary, dh was a PCA pastor for fifteen years before we moved. So we're very familiar with the governmental structure. As far as we know right now, he is acting alone. He did not say he was calling on behalf of the session. Strange.

Although we are members, and rather active until the last couple of years, dh has been the pulpit supply since March for another little church in our denomination. We've only been back for probably six times and the last was in November, so it's not like we are even THERE! Dh rotated off the session at the end of December, so again, it's not like he going to be seeing him in session meetings. The minister accused dh of being divisive and "the whole church thinks he should go." Either the congregation is completely hypocritical or this minister is off his rocker. We have friends there (who we've not talked to ... yet... about this) who have never given any indication that they feel that way. I wonder what they would have to say about his sweeping generalization of "the whole church"? And about his threat to complain to presbytery, if he knew the Book of Order, he'd know that this was would be a sessional complaint, not a presbytery complaint. I don't know why it's come up now unless he's just been stewing over something and it's come to blows. We've not felt he's been a faithful minister in his four years for different reasons. Primarily, his six to seven minute sermons and pushing many of his responsibilities off on other people. But we've not "threatened to complain to Presbytery" about him. Go figure. I wonder if things are falling apart for him and he's looking for a scapegoat. Even though we aren't even there! Baffled.

he would file a complaint with Presbytery (PCUSA). Can you believe it? I'm shocked. Since last year, dh has been serving as a pulpit supply in another church. So it's not like we've been there much. I guess we've not been there six times since March. And the last time was the end of November. The minister and dh have never (in the four years he has been there) seen eye to eye on some things, but you don't tell someone, threaten actually, to leave the church. I tried to post the whole story but it was too long. Have you ever in your life heard of such? This man is mid-50s, been here four years, previously spent 11 years as Army chaplain. I think he's lost his mind. Just had to get this off my chest.

This number changes often it seems, so I'm never sure. And I've not found any easy online answer. Wiki says 45, but I don't like to rely on Wiki information. Anyone? Thanks!

I use The Weather Channel, our local TV weather, and NOAA National Weather Service. Just wondering what you've found that is the most spot-on. Thanks!

Please see / vote / comment on this thread on the logic stage challenge board. Thanks!

Is it reasonable or unreasonable to expect a logic stage-er to complete one SOTW chapter in one day? Particularly, is it reasonable to have a 6th grader read an entire chapter from SOTW 2 and complete the review questions in one day/night? For ease on my part to view answers, please use the poll attached. If I want to complete all of the chapters in one regular school year, it seems this schedule is the only alternative. I'm finding it difficult to omit chapters. Thanks!

The Firm Express is really new -- 20 minutes for a full workout. They say you can do it just 3 times a week. I wonder....... Results? Pros / Cons? Did you continue it on a regular basis? Thanks!

Island of the World by Michael D. O'Brien is so good and so real you will likely be tempted to google the protagonist's name to check his authenticity. This book sticks with you like a shadow while your reading it and long after you are finished. Island is life changing, or at least it was for me. Some described it as a walk of crucifixion and resurrection. So true. Don't let the daunting 800+ pages keep you from picking this book up. Thirty pages in, and you're hooked. For more, read the first chapter online here. Simply go to right sidebar, look in the green Kindle box and click gray bar at the bottom "Read first chapter FREE." More thoughts on Island here.

Can you provide a link, Kai? Thanks!

Lurking....same question here. Would love for SWB to chime in! I didn't use SOTW for my own kids because they were in high school when it came out. But now that I'm teaching 6,7, and 8th grades in a private school, I use it. And love it. So do the kids. I'm now the scope and sequence coordinator for the school and will be writing / evaluating S&S and choosing curriculum for everything. I would love to have a seamless transition to a meaty, chronological history like SOTW. Using Spielvogel's Western Civ is too much of a jump for these kids, but his World History: The Human Odyssey looks pretty good. Any suggestions anyone?