Oh my! I just realized I never replied to this. Thanks SO much to you all. I shared some with my son and we are now doing all problems. It's a lot of work, but comforting to hear of all the kids doing so well after using it. Thanks so much for sharing your insight and giving me some peace:)

Hello Ladies! I've been offline here for a while but have a math qu and you guys are always so wise and helpful:) Ds just started 7th grade and has seemed serious about a potential engineering degree. We switched to Saxon math(8/7) from Math-U-See. I like it, but ds is already complaining about doing all the review of stuff he knows. Is it really necessary to do ALL the problems. We just started, but so far I've cut the warm-up math facts in 1/2, and I've scanned review qu and nixed 5-6 if they're problems I know he's strong in. Just wondering what others have done and still come out with a successful math student:) Thx for any input!

Best wishes in your new phase:)

Interesting. My dd also started high school this year after always homeschooling. It's a strong private school, but maybe this would motivate her for some extracurticulars I'd like her to spend more time on....

Could any of her books be listened to(you reading or audio book) during meals?

My dd is a freshman at a private, rigorous high school. We used MUS and she completed most of Algebra in 8th(I ler her stop because I planned to have her re-take as a freshman to make sure she was solid in how they taught). All that to say that her school gives the option sophomore year of doubling up on Geometry/Algebra II. That's the only year they can double up. I don't see her going into a math/science field, but may encourage her to do this just in case. If she ends up not needing the extra math, she'll have the option of no math senior year. Just a thought:) I agree that I wouldn't move on without a solid foundation. Another option would be to work through summers, if you determined another year of math was necessary. You may not:)

In conservative homeschool circles/curriculum it seems that everyone is young earth. My husband and I are conservative evangelicals(hubby has a nearly completed PhD in theology) and we believe/teach that God created the world but there is no way to know how old the earth is. We have a friend who is a physicist(retired professor from Univ. of Chicago). He's a conservative evangelical, very studied in science/physics and says there's no way to know. If you pinned him to a wall he would choose old earth just because more science has been done in that area...but says it could very well be young earth if more science was studied w/out the old earth bias. It's not popular to be a young earth creationist in a university...you could lose your job. This article is long but VERY helpful. It's by Sonlight Curriculum's former owner(spouse of current owner). He explains in some detail how you can believe old earth and be a Christian and how that is still supported by the Bible: http://www.sonlight.com/young-or-old-earth.html. Also, though we are very conservative in our evangelical views and Ken Ham(Answers in Genesis) is a popular figure in conservative circles I will not read his materials to my kids. Ken Ham has no advanced studies in theology OR science, but is condescending of people who view old earth as a plausible option. We visited his creation museum and thought there is no way we could ever bring a non-Christian there. Anybody who is studied in science and is told that you HAVE to believe young earth to be a Christian is most likely going to rebel against the idea of the plausibility of Christianity. Very sad that people are probably drawn AWAY from the Lord by views from an 'expert' that are not even necessarily biblical. Just my .O2:) Blessings, Gina

I was going to suggest Jump in, too:)

I agree those who mentioned SCM...Simply Charlotte Mason art portfolios are beautiful, simple to use, and cost effective:)

Just saw this. Prayers to you for God to give you all strength and healing.

Just wanted to note that some people who want to complete ancients in one year and use SCM skip their Bible readings (can sub in your own). It's neat how ancient history is tied into the OT...why it takes 3 years to complete ancients! But if you didn't want to spend that long, you can complete ancients in 3 years if you just do the history/geography assignments. And I agree that it's not difficult to sub out books (but of course that's taking away some from the ease of the family guides:)

It's what we use for grammar. I like that it's rigorous and gets the job done w/o spending years on formal grammar. It is pricey, but when you consider it's used for 3 years and the teacher edition can be used w/multiple kids and then resold I don't think it's TOO bad:) Cons....boring for my dd. I'm not sure what else we'd use. If I had it to do over I'd look at Our Mother Tongue, but she's almost done w/it and since I own it and ds is doing well w/JAG we'll probably just plug away:) Oh, and I think it does say no photocopying on every page!

I understand the fear...my oldest is in 8th this year, too!!! I hope others w/older kids will chime in, but I can share a bit of what helped to calm me some:) 1) Standardized Tests. I'm assuming you don't have a homeschool coop that offers these? We occasionally do them w/ours for the practice. If you don't have that option, if you or hubby have a college degree you can administer the Iowa Test of Basic Skills at home (can purchase from BJU press). I bought the Spectrum practice booklet and it's very helpful...filling in the circles and getting a feel for the types of questions. Also, in a year or two (not sure what age is recommended!) you can check w/private and public high schools and see if they let homeschoolers take the PSAT, which would be good practice for the SAT. 2) If you don't have a good homeschool coop for outside classes, I'd look into video classes at first, then Jr./Sr. year she could take community college classes. Where we live we have a community college and a private 4-yr. college that offer dual credit classes to homeschoolers for just $100ish per credit hour. 3) Science. Does Landry Academy come to your area? They put on 1 or 2 day? science intensives in our area doing the labs for Apologia sciences. I don't know if this helps, but if we homeschooled high school (dd actually just decided to go to private school for high school), I planned to use My Fathers World. I liked that Bible/History/English were laid out for a full credit each and written to the student. They also have schedules/other courses to plan out your whole high school curriculum. I don't know if all that helps any, but you can do this, especially w/a self motivated learner! Blessings, Gina

I've organized co-ops/fieldtrip groups before and I like to start mentioning about now because some people are making commitments soon for next year involving other coops/groups. However, if the time commitment is minimal, I wouldn't worry about it:)

I do what @alef does w/my 8th graders math grade. For any test problem she misses, I let her go back and correct it and if she gets it right I give her 1/2 credit. I don't know if that's typical, but I know school's give opportunities for extra credit, so why can't I? :)

If you don't mind a 6yr history cycle: http://simplycharlottemason.com/planning/curriculum-guide/ The guidebook is very mom friendly (and cheap!) It takes 3 years to get through ancients because the OT is covered at same time. Great program!

Thanks to you both:) I figure if I get a positive response on this tough board, it will probably be o.k.! Thanks, Lori...it is quite an adventure! I've always been 'homeschool all the way' but we all have peace now:) Thanks again, ladies!!!

Hi Ladies, We've actually just decided to send dd to a private Christian h.s. next year. I would love some input on math. She is in 8th and doing well w/MUS Alg. 1. However, both she and I would like her to re-take Alg. 1 as a freshman, as long as there are no long-term negative consequences:) The reason we'd like to do this is because it's a challenging school and I know it will be an adjustment after always homeschooling. The school also teaches Physics to freshman, which is a challenging class. We just think that re-taking Alg. will give her a bit of breathing room:) Also, our state requires an Algebra exam that she'd need to take next year. If she jumps to Geometry, she'd also have to spend time reviewing Algebra...where if she takes the class at school the teacher will prepare her. I'd also like to spend my last two months with her doing other things...strengthening some writing and a couple other areas. The academic advisor at the school strongly encourages us to re-take Algebra (I hope there's no motive for higher test scores on the exam). No reason to assume that...but it crossed my mind:) I don't see dd going into a math/science field. She loves animals and wanted to be a vet when younger, but seems pretty certain she doesn't want to do that now (doesn't want that much schooling or to do operations). So, if you're still w/me....will she be harmed getting into vet school if she changes her mind? The advisor says no...that she can do the math in college. Anyone with personal experience out there? Thanks so much!!! Blessings, Gina P.S. Oh, another reason I thought it might be good to re-take is that Alg. 2 might be easier if she learns Alg. 1 how the school teaches...but not sure if that's too relevant.....

I don't have much advice...mainly wanted to bump you up:) My oldest is only 8th and I haven't used Sonlight since K/1st. Just wanted to say that I love the looks of Lost Tools of Writing and will likely use that when my younger child is in middle school. Also, I'm not sure how teacher intensive the programs you mentioned are, but if you're trying to simplify and have things well covered, have you considered MFW's H.S. program? My dd is actually going to a private school for high school, but if she stayed home that's what I was going to use. It's all written to the student w/a full credit of History/Bible/English each year. Parents have a weekly meeting on Friday, and help as needed. Writing instruction, speech are all included, along w/suggestions for foreign language and I believe Science and other subject, all outlined w/credits. Anyway, I think it's very solid and simplifying. Hope you find a good fit!! Blessings, Gina

If it works I wouldn't switch. My oldest is 8th and we've always used MUS. The only person I know who has used only MUS and has college aged kids had success. Her oldest is a Physics major and had good test scores/scholarship offers. The only MUS complaint I heard her say was that the new Calculus program was just too confusing? For them. They ended up taking it at community college. She also recommended doing the Honors pages when they kick in as good test prep.

Hi All...anybody happen to know of any homeschool groups in Santa Teresa, NM? I have a friend moving there and she hasn't been able to find any. Please share if you happen to know of one:) Thanks!

I understand....two here also....11 and 14.

Crazy rules. Your son sounds like a real gem, I'm sure you're proud!! Hope you're feeling o.k. and thing like this don't keep happening.

I only count tests. I view homework as practice and they are required to correct most of it...so if they don't do it right it takes more time for corrections:)

I use AG in 6th/7th/8th. My eldest is 8th, but if I did any grammar in high school it would just be AG's High School Reinforcement...very light.