Myra Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Every year at this time, I start to get the "almost the end of the year" blues! I see only a few more months to go and start worrying about what I should have, could have, would have covered this year ...if only I had more time! So what are you worrying about finishing (or even starting!) in the remainder of this school year? Me - well, I'm worrying about my junior's upcoming May SAT exams and his June Subject Exams (US History & Math II)...... Myra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 - Yet AGAIN we have failed to heavily work on writing for both DSs as I'd planned ... very big sigh of disappointment and frustration... - I finally just dropped the Medieval World History out of our schedule since we just weren't getting to it (fortunately we have plenty of Social Studies credits already so it was only another elective) -- that's actually been a relief! - We've missed deadlines for some potential scholarship applications for gr. 12 DS ...ug... - Plus I am scrambling to meet the deadlines for his graduation ceremony ...panic... - AND we have yet to have his senior pictures taken ...sigh... However, it is very bad for me to focus on my failures, so to balance that what I HAVE achieved this year: - very good relationship with both DSs -- we really ENJOY time together! :D - gr. 12 DS is succeeding very well with his first dual-credit class at community college this year (I had to gently keep pushing him to encourage him into it at the start of the school year) - I made a very good choice in switching us from Apologia science to Conceptual Chemistry and Conceptual Physics - I also did a good job of matching up what to do for Economics - while it is going VERY slowly -- and will take us well into summer to finish -- my choice to slow down and repeat sections of Algebra 2 for math-struggler DS has been a good one - I co-organized a VERY successful and well-attended all-day "careers-speakers-plus" event for homeschoolers in our area - DSs will both earn a Varsity letter for playing tennis with local public high school team (this is their 3rd year, 1st as Varsity, and they are playing well!) - both DSs enjoyed and did very well as part of Youth & Gov't this year (I was co-advisor to their delegation) - yet again, I hosted out-of-town family and friends for 3 weeks at Christmas -- my entire holiday break between semesters - I am keeping up with my Bible Study Fellowship class on the book of Isaiah (lasts the same length as the school year) -- takes me about 4 hours per week - I have kept up my little patch up wildflowers and vegetables, and am now enjoying blossoms every time I go in and out the front door! :) Okay, Myra, YOUR turn -- I want to hear about your successes this year, too! ;) Warmest regards, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam L in Mid Tenn Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 I actually got on the computer to start a similar thread. I'm glad I am not the only one struggling right now. My brain is a bit mish/mash at the moment. I'm overtired, overworked, overwhelmed. The house is a mess. Laundry is piled up. Dishes are piled up. I'm not sure if we have enough food in the pantry for meals today. I'm freezing my behind off. I have a headache. And, am just generally in a terrible mood.:tongue_smilie: I'm off work all week!:D... And was looking forward to a "good" school week here at home. It could still happen. After all it is only Monday. We had two days of being sick last week and I worked two days. So only two days of my lesson plan for last week was done. One son got sick yesterday and he is missing lessons today. I plan on him being sick again tomorrow. It is already after 1pm and I still am in my pajamas.:001_huh: Did I mention I have a headache? I want to just quit school. I want to quit. Yet again..... I want to buckle down and push, push, push. I wanted to have fun this last semester of homeschooling my 17 yod. I don't think we've had ONE good school session together in over a month! We will not finish everything I had hoped to finish. We've spent a couple of hours today going over all the finances for her college in the fall... and are short several THOUSAND dollars. We may have to do some student loans.... which we DO NOT want to do. All that being said.... the kids will finish several books and subjects early.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myra Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 (edited) Okay,Lori - You got me. It's easy to forget with the panic setting in! I do have successes this year, right?? Let's see... My oldest used the IEW High School Intensive this year and that, along with getting him his own laptop, has made writing finally click with my junior! Not only his he writing but he is also revising, editing, and actually using literary terms to discuss his essays! I'm not saying that he's up to snuff yet - but....what a turn around! My freshman has finally found his niche - History. He just loves history and is reading non-stop - both textbooks and historical fiction. I am thrilled when he starts conversations connecting current events with historical events he just read about. And even though he hates Biology, you should have heard him talking the oral surgeon during his pre-wisdom teeth removal office visit. He was talking about ATP, bacteria, anathesia's & the nervous system. Where did that all come from? He's the child that sets a timer each day for each subject so that he doesn't work even a minute longer than required! (Did you know that the average Teaching Company videos go 19 seconds longer than the stated 30 minute lecture!) And my boys finished the National Latin Exam III in 15 minutes - both stating that the exams are getting easier each year. (Of course, we haven't got the results back yet!) Both of my boys are doing a semester internship with a local organic farm. Right now they are helping build a new greenhouse that's half under ground with pipes of warm water running under the plant beds and they aren't grumbling but actually looking forward to their 5 hours each week! But I'm still a worrier. A lot of ....what ifs.....but thanks for reminding me to look at the positive side, too! Myra Edited March 28, 2011 by Myra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 I'm not panicking, not enough energy to!! Ds is 21 y/o, still haven't done senior pics.... he had braces as a senior and didn't want to. Dh took some with his camera (casual ones) and we got black & white 8 x 10's at WalMart, they look good and more like him. Pam, do take a few days off to catch up housework w/kid's help and do some fun things together!!! You'll feel so much better next week! I was just thinking today, can we just stop??? Ugh....... How on earth are we going to add SAT prep to her very full day? After this year, it is official that I don't like chemistry, and history does get old. Algebra, don't like, don't hate. Spanish is awful to do at home (well it depends how you look at it, it would be worse at school because we can slow it down to actually learn it, but we miss the Spanish teacher). Dd is watching Spanish Sesame Street and such to make up for no one to talk with her. Our very big find is the Scott Foresman Lit. Love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Math. I am always worried about finishing math. I mapped out how many lessons we had left and how many days we had to do the lessons and panicked so badly this weekend (even though things didn't fit too badly) that my husband had to take me for a walk. Sigh. -Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jibaker103 Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 I am also panicked about math. Ds dropped Algebra 1 halfway through to go back and remediate Pre-Algebra (fractions, decimals, and percents) for the spring semester. I would like to start Algebra 1 again in the summer. Hopefully with this plan he will be no more than 1 semester behind for 10th grade! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 You know, I have been so stupid. I can't believe how little schoolwork we have managed to get done these last two weeks. My son just wants to play endless computer games. Every time I take my eyes off him he has stopped doing whatever schoolwork he is supposed to be doing and is "taking a break because I am so tired". I have been completely unmotivated, too, so that hasn't helped. But I suddenly realized why! My son returned from a month in Japan at the beginning of Feb., so the earthquake/tsunami/reactors problems have hit him hard. No wonder he isn't concentrating well and just wants to escape and not think... I, too, have been trying not to think about it and that is probably why I didn't make the connection. I am very stupid. Ug. Lori - thank you for getting me thinking about our successes instead of our bad spots (I refuse to call them failures). We have had many - first CC classes and great improvements in writing, among others. -Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Our younger DS has *always* struggled with math, and was about 2 grades behind for all of elementary grades, finally catching up about grade 7. He did Algebra 1 (Jacobs) in 9th grade, but... I could tell he didn't really *get it*. So... sigh... I had him redo Algebra 1 (MUS) for the first half of 10th grade, and we settled for MUS Geometry in the 2nd semester just to be able to complete both. It was worth it, though, because there is NO point in moving on to Algebra 2 (which goes further/deeper on many of the same topics) if you didn't get the Algebra 1. DS is doing MUS Algebra 2 this year (11th gr.). With *multiple* times of slowing down, reviewing, re-doing. We just finished the halfway point of the program at the end of the 3rd quarter. We will be doing math all summer at this rate. AND with a very gentle "lite" Algebra 2 program. Oh well. This is the method and the rate and the amount at which he can *get it.* No point in panicking. We are going at the pace he can learn at -- and frankly, I'm amazed he is doing so well with Algebra 2, because it is SO abstract and does not connect with his visual-spatial (right brain) type of thinking and processing! So, I've decided to focus on being grateful and not worry about how long this takes him. :) Our plan is to do a Consumer Math next year to make sure he really grasps the real life applications he will really use -- income tax forms, mortgages and interest rates, budgets, etc. He will have genuinely earned his 4 credits of math by graduation, and hopefully he will have even more brain maturity in those areas by the time he might need to take math for any post-high school education. BEST of luck in your math journey! Warmest regards, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Lori - thank you for getting me thinking about our successes instead of our bad spots (I refuse to call them failures). We have had many - first CC classes and great improvements in writing, among others. -Nan Yes... not failures at all -- more like detours! What's that old saying: "Man proposes, but God disposes." I think sometimes we homeschool moms make plans and schedules that are unrealistic and so feel like "failures" when we don't check off all those boxes we planned on. I'm really working on trying to see how the Lord would have our DSs take flight and be supportive of that -- which more and more, means letting go of my nice, neat little 4-year homeschool plans and credits. :) And, I have to add, I think your children are absolutely AMAZING! To travel solo around the world when so young... good grief, what is getting a math program done at an arbitrary time frame of May or June compared to ALL the experiences, learning, and skills they have gained from such wonderful opportunities! [And just to compare: My younger DS has *always* just wanted to play video games all the time -- and does not have any excuse of post-traumatic stress or sympathy! ;)] Hugs, Lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jibaker103 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Our younger DS has *always* struggled with math, and was about 2 grades behind for all of elementary grades, finally catching up about grade 7. He did Algebra 1 (Jacobs) in 9th grade, but... I could tell he didn't really *get it*. So... sigh... I had him redo Algebra 1 (MUS) for the first half of 10th grade, and we settled for MUS Geometry in the 2nd semester just to be able to complete both. It was worth it, though, because there is NO point in moving on to Algebra 2 (which goes further/deeper on many of the same topics) if you didn't get the Algebra 1. DS is doing MUS Algebra 2 this year (11th gr.). With *multiple* times of slowing down, reviewing, re-doing. We just finished the halfway point of the program at the end of the 3rd quarter. We will be doing math all summer at this rate. AND with a very gentle "lite" Algebra 2 program. Oh well. This is the method and the rate and the amount at which he can *get it.* No point in panicking. We are going at the pace he can learn at -- and frankly, I'm amazed he is doing so well with Algebra 2, because it is SO abstract and does not connect with his visual-spatial (right brain) type of thinking and processing! So, I've decided to focus on being grateful and not worry about how long this takes him. :) Our plan is to do a Consumer Math next year to make sure he really grasps the real life applications he will really use -- income tax forms, mortgages and interest rates, budgets, etc. He will have genuinely earned his 4 credits of math by graduation, and hopefully he will have even more brain maturity in those areas by the time he might need to take math for any post-high school education. BEST of luck in your math journey! Warmest regards, Lori D. Thank you so much for the encouragment and the reassurance that it will all work out Lori. I've been so worried about it that I have started dreaming of algebraic expressions:001_huh::lol: May I ask what your gentle "lite" Algebra 2 program is? Also, what will you use for Consumer Math? Last but not least, how will you reflect 4 credits of math on his transcript? I guess I'm still worrying, I need to take up meditation.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 May I ask what your gentle "lite" Algebra 2 program is? MUS Algebra 2 (since MUS is really the only math program DS has connected with at all, and I consider it "lite" because it does not go into the depth of other Algebra 2 programs -- such as older DS's Foerster Alg. 2 :eek:) what will you use for Consumer Math? ABEKA Consumer Math (since we already have an old used copy) how will you reflect 4 credits of math on his transcript? I do the transcript by subject, not by grade or year: MATH 1 credit = Algebra 1 1 credit = Geometry 1 credit = Algebra 2 1 credit = Consumer Math TOTAL = 4 credits cheers! Warmest regards, Lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jibaker103 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Thank you Lori! I have appreciated all of your insightful posts since joining this board in 2009!!!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myra Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 (edited) Another gentle Algebra review is "Real World Algebra" by Edward Zaccaro (Hickory Grove Press). I've used to supplement by younger son's Algebra I as he could "do" the math, but I wasn't sure he was getting the "why" so he needed some time to process the concepts. Don't be fooled how simple the lessons are explained - the work really teaches the most basic algebra and the excercises make sure the concept is mastered. But it is not a stand alone program. I did this in Grade 8. Myra Edited March 29, 2011 by Myra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 In my family, we say, "The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft aglay," which I"m sure doesn't match the original quote since my father is known for mangling things (we cast asparagas in my family), but gets the idea across. In Jan, when my son was in Japan, it became obvious by his emails that he was growing up much faster than I had anticipated. I scrapped all my high school plans and redid them. It was sad but exhilerating. I have never managed to keep to any of the plans I so carefully and timeconsumingly made, but this was especially drastic. The plan itself went very fast but then I spent the rest of the month figuring out how to teach the study skills my son would need to carry out the plan. Then he came home, had Feb break, we had a good week where we got a lot done, then had a weird week where his brothers were home from college and I was busy with my parents, then had another weird week while we recovered from all the interruptions of the week before, and then Japan. So far, my new plan has not exactly been going swimmingly and with all the peacewalking and vacationing and recovering and now probably more vacationing, I'm beginning to wonder if we'll be able to finish those precalc sections even if we do math through the summer. The problem with not finishing them is that then when he starts math at the CC in the fall, he will have to start with precalc 2 and then he will be on a fall-second half of year long course, spring-first half schedule, which might not be possible. I am trying to focus on my painting and my parents and my sisters baby and the dog, and not so much on my son and feeling very two-minded about it. -Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jibaker103 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Another gentle Algebra review is "Real World Algebra" by Edward Zaccaro (Hickory Grove Press). I've used to supplement by younger son's Algebra I as he could "do" the math, but I wasn't sure he was getting the "why" so he needed some time to process the concepts. Don't be fooled how simple the lessons are explained - the work really teaches the most basic algebra and the excercises make sure the concept is mastered. But it is not a stand alone program. I did this in Grade 8. Myra Thank you for this recommendation Myra, I will check it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Hisglory Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 My DD is writing a book for her senior english credit and it is a long one. She should have been editing it by now but is still writing. It is hard to rush her because it is her book out of her amazing imagination but....we need to wrap it up. I am just hoping she finishes by her graduation day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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