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Heather in VA

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Posts posted by Heather in VA

    Need a math recommendation

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    Thanks Lori for reminding me about Lial's Algebra. I've never used her books but I have a copy of Basic College Math and like the layout. I was able to find one on Amazon, the version they use in Jann's class, for $5.14 which included shipping so I ordered that just to take a look. For that price it will be worth it even if I just use it to supplement something else. I'm going to review these other options as well. Choosing math for this kid drives me crazy. We just don't think the same way. I want to use AOPS LOL. 

    • Haha 1

    8 top private DC high schools drop APs

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    On 6/19/2018 at 5:58 PM, 8FillTheHeart said:

    I think there is a huge difference between no standardized test scores and no APs.  I don't know of any school where homeschoolers can apply test optional, so SAT/ACT scores are pretty much a given.  I think that those scores carry FAR more weight than most of us recognize.  

    FWIW, I don't think it is a **huge risk** to apply without APs.  Is it **a** risk?  Maybe.  It depends on the school.  For the vast majority of schools, I don't think it is a risk as long as the student has SAT/ACT scores in the mid-50% range for the school and the student has a transcript demonstrating all their required courses for admission have been taken.  Having students take 2 subject tests can cover other bases as well.  (Some schools even give college credit for certain subject test scores.)

    My kids have taken a grand total of 3 APs. Youngest ds took 2 and oldest dd took 1.  My kids in general have taken a mixture of either none, 1 or 2, or quite a few DE courses, depending on the individual and what they wanted to do.  Most of their courses have not been outsourced.  My older kids had their ACT scores and 1 or 2 outside classes.  My current college kid had 1 subject outsourced, 2 subject test scores, 1 SAT score (she only took it once), no AP courses at all, and 1 DE course spring of sr  yr.  Almost all of her courses were done at home.  She was accepted everywhere, including Rochester. (and no, I do not believe Russian which was taught by an outside teacher somehow erased all doubts about all coursework completed at home.  I think her SAT and subject test scores did.)

    ETA: For us, it is worth doing what we want to do at home and accepting the consequences of those choices.  

     

    Just an FYI - I found out a couple of weeks ago that James Madison University (in VA) is now fully test optional, even for homeschoolers. I talked with the recruiter for a little while and she expects this trend to increase. I was flabbergasted. I never expected a major, secular university to go that route. Now if UVA ever went test optional (even for public school) we would know hell had frozen over :-). 

    • Like 2

    Need a math recommendation

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    Math is a struggle for my youngest. She has executive processing issues. But it's been coming along over the years and now she's ready for Algebra. I can't use the programs I have in the past because they just won't work with her. She needs to read the explanations in order to understand. Oral instruction isn't very useful at all so I have found video programs to be pointless, especially if they don't have a full textbook along side. I am capable of teaching the math but I've found that it's most effective if she reads a lesson and does some problems and then I come in and help when I see where her mistakes or misunderstanding are. So far the programs that have worked best for her are R&S Math and Teaching Textbooks. She used TT last year (pre-algebra) but didn't watch the videos. We could continue but I feel like she's capable of more challenge as long as I find the right way to teach her. It's not a matter of her being "bad" at math, but more that she needs to be taught in the way that helps her understand the best. For the summer we are lightly going through Horizons Pre-algebra just to help make sure she doesn't forget and she's doing fine with that but so far it's all material she's learned before. I know they have an Algebra 1 but since that's all they have I'd rather find one path (if possible) and stick with it at least until Pre-Calc. If we have to change for Pre-calc that's fine but I'd rather find something for Alg1, Geo, and Alg2 so each year I'm not trying something new and hoping it isn't a bust. 

    Right now my forerunner is Fresh Approach. I like the uncluttered, straightforward layout of the text and the explanations seem clear. But I worry about something I don't know much about. Is it comprehensive enough? Does it cover what we need etc? 

    Thoughts? Recommendations? 

    On the hunt for a good high school geography program...

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    I figure maybe 3rd time's a charm. I have graduated two without being able to find anything I like so now that my last is coming up to high school I was hoping there is something out there. I don't need history. We have that. Geography will be an elective. I want physical and cultural geography. At this point I'm ready to give up on the idea of finding something I really like and going with BJU or other straight textbook option. Anyone have an experience with those?

     

    Thanks

    No Outsourcing, and Now potentially no DE - WWYD? Graduate Early?

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    Have you considered online dual enrollment? My daughter got a lot of general ed credits out of the way doing that. There are some very cheap options out there. Also, check into the colleges your student is ultimately hoping to attend. In our area the SAT/GPA scholarships are only available to freshman. By that they mean kids who have not attended college after graduation. You can have as many college credits as you want but it you attended college after graduation then you are no longer eligible. This includes CC. So what seems like a cheaper option can really be more costly. 

     

    My middle daughter graduated at 16. She turned 17 that summer and went away to college. I don't know many kids who could handle it. She did but I also knew she could. She is now a sophomore double majoring in psychology and chemistry. 

    I just realized I don't know what I'm going to use at all next year EEK!!

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    Thanks for the sympathy. I have to say that the convention visit was far more successful than I expected. I took my daughter and let her decide on a lot of things. She chose Biblioplan's Remember the Days Year 2 book which really surprised me. We've been using BP for several years but the Remember the Days book is new and we haven't used it. I was going to take this year off of BP before starting high school because their companion is really hefty and I wanted to save it for high school. I told her to pick any history she wanted (except ancients since we did that last year). She loved the RTD book. She chose two literature guides from MP (Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight) and started making a list of other books she wants to read from the time period. So yippee.

     

    She chose Fresh Approach Algebra which I told her we could start after we do some review at the beginning of the year. It's the first math book she's asked for so I'm going to say yes LOL.

     

    I scored a full set of R&S Grammar 6 (text, teacher, workbook, and tests) in practically new condition for $20 at the used curriculum sale and she decided she wanted to do Essentials in Writing. I got grade 9. I'm not in love with it but I don't hate it either. She does well with explicit instructions and I think it will be good for this year along with writing in R&S. 

     

    I didn't get it while I was there but I'm probably going to get Art of Argument at some point as well. 

     

    At least I don't feel quite as unplanned LOL. 

     

    • Like 6

    I just realized I don't know what I'm going to use at all next year EEK!!

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    I'm going to a  homeschool convention this weekend. I haven't gone in a while and thought it would be fun to look around. So yesterday I sat down and decided to make a list of things I need to decide on so it could be a more useful trip. I realized I have only made a 100% sure decision on ONE THING!! That's no good at all! Now this trip is less fun and more work LOL. I'd love to hear ideas on things to look at. Sometimes I feel like Ive been doing this so long nothing is new and interesting but the student I have left at home is so different from my other two I am starting from scratch curriculum-wise. 

     

    My plan so far:

     

    100% sure - using Guest Hollow for science. 

    80 - 90% sure - AOPS Pre-Algebra. We used Derek Owens Pre-Algebra this year and she needs one more go-around before Algebra so I thought this would step it up a bit (we liked DO though). But I'm worried about it and open to other options.

     

    50% sure - taking a break from a 4 year cycle for a year of American using CLE's 8th grade with Sonlight 100 book list. I'm not against this idea but don't love it. 

     

    the rest - no real clue. waiting for samples on the new Grammar for a Well-trained mind but not sure on that. No ideas for writing. Need to step up literature studies. Not sure if we will start a language. 

     

    Geez - time to get in gear LOL

    Heart of Dakota Missions to Moderns

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    Thanks momtofive - Do you have high schoolers using HOD now as well? My older two are in college so this is my last one (rising 8th grade) and we are considering a departure from what I've been using for history/literature for several years even though I like it a lot. There is something about this HOD guide that just looks excellent. We would probably use the Presidents Study but not the science. We have Guest Hollow Physics planned and if I divert from that there will be mutiny LOL. 

     

    HOD is going to be at our convention in early June so I'm going to get to see it before making a decision but I really like what I'm seeing so far. 

    Heart of Dakota Missions to Moderns

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    We've used it! :) We found it very interesting. It covers historical events very well, including missions, but not focused solely on it. Missions to Modern Marvels, just states the time frame being studied....modern times.

     

    Was it your first time using HOD? What did you like about it and what, if anything did you like the least? Did you find it flowed well? How about the recommended extension readers? Did they relate to the history topics currently being studied or were they just of the time period? I've never used HOD and I'm considering it for next year so any info would be great. 

    Can you PLEASE recommend a history program for us?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    How about BiblioPlan? For 5th and 4th you could use Remember the Days as your spine and then add whatever you'd like as far as maps, written questions etc. They have those in ebook form as well as print so if you want to save money you can buy just one ebook and print for both kids. The Family guide gives lots of literature options but you don't have to use them or you can - whatever fits your budget, or library, or interest level. The author is Protestant but it is very even handed. I know it is used by many Catholics

    SOTW with 5th-8th grade?

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    JMO: While SOTW vol. 4, and probably vol. 3, will work for gr. 5-8, I would look for a separate spine for Ancients and Medieval for gr. 5-8, as content and writing level of SOTW vol. 1 and 2 are really geared for gr. 1-4. Here are a few Christian-based ideas for your gr. 5-8 for Medieval year:

     

    - Biblioplan Family Guide: Medieval (400AD-1600AD)

    (includes writing options, crafts/games/activities, memory work, suggestions for optional outside resources to go with choice of "spine" text)

    - Mystery of History, vol. 2 - Early Church and Middle Ages

    - TruthQuest: Middle Ages (500AD to 1400AD)

    - Trisms: Expansion of Civilization (500BC to 1500AD)

    - Streams of Civilization, vol. 1 and vol. 2 (portions that match up with middle ages)

     

    I also want to mention that Biblioplan now has two levels of spine texts for their program. The older level (probably 7th and up - I used it for high school) is called the Companion. All 4 years are available.  The younger level (elementary and early middle school) is called Remember the Days. It is currently available for year 2 and 3 with year 4 due out in January 2018 and year 1 in January 2019. The new Remember the Days book looks excellent both for younger kids and for bridging that gap between SOTW level and a full Companion or high school text. Just as with the Companion there are available options like written questions (called Cool History), crafts, memory work etc). 

    • Like 1

    What chemistry should a student take who is considering a career in nursing

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    My daughter is about to graduate with a BSN. Her chemistry courses in college were specifically for nursing majors and also not something you could test out of with an AP exam or anything like that. When we were asking similar questions we were HIGHLY encouraged to have her do Anatomy and Physiology in high school. It is the first major course that nurses hit and is a weed out. There is so much memorization and detail that kids with little or no previous exposure are often overwhelmed. So we did it. I got a college level A&P text, anatomy coloring book, and flashcards. She aced A&P when she got to college while many of her friends were playing catch up. 

    • Like 7

    Math books with excellent explanations

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    The best text for a mathematician (expert) is not going to be the same as the best text for a student (novice).  Most students, especially when they first encounter a concept, need help connecting the dots.  They simply can't extract the same information that an expert would.

     

    I suspect that what you're calling "spoon-feeding" is what I refer to as "communication."

     

    I agree with this so I guess by this definition I want spoon-feeding. I don't think that is the same thing as not requiring the student to think.

    • Like 1
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