Question regarding post-count and dealers

[Sebastian (a lady)]

This sounds a little like what I've seen in blog posts from people who do reviews for The Old Schoolhouse. This is a style of review that I have often enjoyed. Not necessarily a review that says that something is the miracle cure or worthless drivel, but rather, here's where we were, here's how this helped or didn't help.

 

I found when I was reading posts here about beginning algebra that I really had to pay attention to the background of the poster. Where they working with an older student playing catch up or a younger student working on an accelarated level. Where they taking the next logical step or trying to find something that would finally click. So I do like the idea of having more background info on the situation that the reviewer or the student is in.

[coffeefreak]

One thing to remember about this forum...it is honestly and truly a working forum.

 

It is very busy here and threads get buried after a few weeks of inactivity. So, if you are posting on things from last September, that are not relevant to current discussions or is not a sincere rejuvenation....it gets annoying to people who are live members. The falsely rejuvenated posts become a bunch of clutter as they fill the active, up front pages. It makes real members feel 'used' when they contribute to a post that they don't realize was only resurrected to up some one's post count until after the fact. The purpose of requiring 50 posts, is so that a person can become a valid, contributing member instead of just using this for a 'for sale' board. There are other websites for that..Homeschool Classifieds is great.

 

So, welcome....please feel free to post, but please contribute sincerely. You may find that there is a wealth of information and comradery here that you won't be able to find anywhere else!

 

:iagree:

Great post Tap!

[coffeefreak]

I like the idea of a sub forum for homeschooling/non curriculum discussions. I don't know how I feel about curriculum reviews. I get more from the discourse on the Curriculum board than I do from reviews. The reviews always feel stilted and fake (I read them on blogs and in magazines). Once you "get to know" people here, the advice feels more personal. You can ask specific questions, compare kids and go there. On the other hand, the MFW boards have a "Best of" archive where they take old threads and categorize them. It was very helpful to me when I was looking to buy.

 

As for Dealers on the for sale boards, I'm frustrated.:angry: It has become IMPOSSIBLE to search over there, and as soon as I post something FS, it gets buried! Maybe it's me, but I thought you were supposed to list everything together. Maybe splitting your subjects up if you have a lot to sell, but using one thread to list all your stuff. Was I wrong?

 

Dorinda

[Tap]

I like the idea of a sub forum for homeschooling/non curriculum discussions. I don't know how I feel about curriculum reviews. I get more from the discourse on the Curriculum board than I do from reviews. The reviews always feel stilted and fake (I read them on blogs and in magazines). Once you "get to know" people here, the advice feels more personal. You can ask specific questions, compare kids and go there. On the other hand, the MFW boards have a "Best of" archive where they take old threads and categorize them. It was very helpful to me when I was looking to buy.

 

As for Dealers on the for sale boards, I'm frustrated.:angry: It has become IMPOSSIBLE to search over there, and as soon as I post something FS, it gets buried! Maybe it's me, but I thought you were supposed to list everything together. Maybe splitting your subjects up if you have a lot to sell, but using one thread to list all your stuff. Was I wrong?

 

Dorinda

 

I don't mean for it to be a replacement but more of a supplement to the current board.

 

One of the things that I haven't liked about the way some curriculum reviews are presented, is that you don't know how long the person used it. For example, we have used TT for Alg 1(7th gr), Alg 2(8th gr), Geometry(9th gr) with ds15. He was able to go straight into a public highschool honors pre-calc (10th gr)and then tested firmly into college level calculus in college at 15yo. He is a smart kid, but not a genius. It was the program that taught him the skills. In the 7th-9th, he did fabulous on the assesment tests he encountered, each year being different tests. It has not only seemed to be a great program for him, it has consistantly proven to be a great program in our homeschool. He loved that he was able to be completely independent of me with the solutions dvd.

 

People say it doesn't have the rigor of other programs, but ds has done fine in every class that requires the math from his honors calc to his honors chemistry. He plans on being a math/chemistry major in college and so far, he has had the complete support of his teachers. So, it may not have the rigor that other programs do, but it is definitely rigorous enough to have gotten him this far already!

 

If you look at the reveiws of TT, many people speak negatively of it. After some investigating, I have found that some never used it, they are only speaking of what they have heard; others have used it but just didn't like a particular feature (maybe thier child needed more problems). They don't always quantify why they didn't like it, they just say "we used it and didn't like it". They don't say, we only used it for 2 weeks and ditched it.

 

I have responded to a few posts over the years about TT, but I don't type all this out, every time! I am one of the people who withhold information, not out of malice, just to save time and effort. I don't like rehashing the same topic every 3mths.

 

That is why I would love a more formal place to look for reviews, and to have all of the quantifing information in one place. Then I could come to the curricululm board with a more thought out question, and hopefully garner better information from it.

 

I believe there is a website dedicated to reviews, and I can understand why SWB wouldn't want to reinvent the wheel. BUt I would love to have the same information presented by names of people I trust, and know have similar styles or philosophies.

[coffeefreak]

I don't mean for it to be a replacement but more of a supplement to the current board.

 

One of the things that I haven't liked about the way some curriculum reviews are presented, is that you don't know how long the person used it. For example, we have used TT for Alg 1(7th gr), Alg 2(8th gr), Geometry(9th gr) with ds15. He was able to go straight into a public highschool honors pre-calc (10th gr)and then tested firmly into college level calculus in college at 15yo. He is a smart kid, but not a genius. It was the program that taught him the skills. In the 7th-9th, he did fabulous on the assesment tests he encountered, each year being different tests. It has not only seemed to be a great program for him, it has consistantly proven to be a great program in our homeschool. He loved that he was able to be completely independent of me with the solutions dvd.

 

People say it doesn't have the rigor of other programs, but ds has done fine in every class that requires the math from his honors calc to his honors chemistry. He plans on being a math/chemistry major in college and so far, he has had the complete support of his teachers. So, it may not have the rigor that other programs do, but it is definitely rigorous enough to have gotten him this far already!

 

If you look at the reveiws of TT, many people speak negatively of it. After some investigating, I have found that some never used it, they are only speaking of what they have heard; others have used it but just didn't like a particular feature (maybe thier child needed more problems). They don't always quantify why they didn't like it, they just say "we used it and didn't like it". They don't say, we only used it for 2 weeks and ditched it.

 

I have responded to a few posts over the years about TT, but I don't type all this out, every time! I am one of the people who withhold information, not out of malice, just to save time and effort. I don't like rehashing the same topic every 3mths.

 

That is why I would love a more formal place to look for reviews, and to have all of the quantifing information in one place. Then I could come to the curricululm board with a more thought out question, and hopefully garner better information from it.

 

I believe there is a website dedicated to reviews, and I can understand why SWB wouldn't want to reinvent the wheel. BUt I would love to have the same information presented by names of people I trust, and know have similar styles or philosophies.

 

AHA! I like your thinking! You're so right. I have also noticed the curriculum board recommendations shift with the seasons and the tides.:lol: You can totally tell what the "Curriculum d'jour" is by who posts and what they post. A Review sub-board would really help in that regard!

 

I too find it odd when people post on curriculum they have never used. I think they should say why they never used it, but leave it at that! For example, I don't remark on TOG threads, because I've never tried it. However, if someone asks me why I've never tried it, I'll tell them! I guess I just believe in fair reporting.

:D

[Lovedtodeath]

Maybe it's me, but I thought you were supposed to list everything together. Maybe splitting your subjects up if you have a lot to sell, but using one thread to list all your stuff. Was I wrong?

 

Oops! I thought it was easier to find something you wanted if it was in the title.:blushing: I haven't sold very much though, so I suppose I am safe from your wrath.:D

[coffeefreak]

Oops! I thought it was easier to find something you wanted if it was in the title.:blushing: I haven't sold very much though, so I suppose I am safe from your wrath.:D

 

:lol:

You, most definitely are safe. Not that my wrath means much.

 

Actually, it is easier, but I suppose if you have a lot to list, it won't all fit. I rarely have so much I can't list the abbreviations in the title. That might all change now that my youngest is going into 2nd.:crying: I'm selling things off as I go. Good for my pocketbook, sad for my soul. *SIGH*

[Donna A.]

Interesting thread! Tap, Tap, you've posted some great ideas in here.

 

When I have a big stack of curriculum to sell, I try to separate it either by subject or by publisher and then list as much as I have in that category together in one post. At least that's what I did this last time, and it worked fairly well. My intent was to make it easy for people to find when they did a search, but not hog up the board, either. I sold a big chunk of it right away. But then, I think the time of year plays a big part, too.

 

I'm certainly not a dealer or bookseller, but I could play one IRL with the amount of stuff I have down there. :001_huh: Matter of fact, dh has lovingly teased me about being able to open my own curriculum store one of these days. I'm not so sure that's a good thing. :tongue_smilie: It just comes from nearly 10 years' worth of accumulation and trying different things with different children.