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Returning to homeschooling after 4 years need some advice


Tina K
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Hello,

 

We've decided to homeschool my son who is 14, he is the youngest of 4, the other three are girls 2 will stay in school at this point & 1 has graduated. He completed the 7th grade this past year so according to his age he is already a year behind.

 

I had him take the Saxon placement test and I should place him in 7/6 but I'm going to put him in 8/7 instead & get a math computer game for reveiw. If he completes the 8/7 will he still need to take Algebra 1/2 before Algebra 1? He is very aware that he is already a year behind based on his age and he doesn't like math and is very touchy if I tell him he's behind in it which is why I decided to go with 8/7. Any other ideas on how to handle the fact that he's behind in math?

 

I was also considering TOG YR 1, however, this year I won't have a lot of teacher time and was wondering if we could do it and just accept that we won't be able to fully use the program this year, we'll be returning to YR 1 in his senior year. I used TOG a little bit before I put them in school so it's not comletely new to me. My other option is to try and beef up SOTW however, I won't have a lot of time to track down books at the library so I was going to buy all the TOG YR 1 D books. My other concern with SOTW is that it would be to easy for him as his reading level is just fine. Any other ideas?

 

He is also struggling with writing and grammar and I was considering using R&S 5 for grammar and TOG for the writing assignments. I was going to use the Vocabulary books suggested in WTM starting with A and trying to get through C.

 

I'm planning to use Rosetta Stone for Spanish and just forget about Latin for now. For science I was going to get some of the physics kits that are recommended in the WTM and not even worry about a text this year. He told me he likes to do chemistry and physics.

 

A bit about our situation, I'm finishing my masters, I'll be done Oct 15th, and studying to take my CPA exams which is why I won't have a lot of teacher time this year. However, once that has been accomplished I work a bunch of hours for 12 weeks during tax season and then the rest of the year I work 4 days a week and some of that can be done from home.

 

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated. I really do not want to use a traditional textbook approach even though my time is limited. Any tips from anyone who homeschools in SC would also be appreciated as I have not homeschooled in SC (we've lived here a little over 1 yr).

 

Thanks in advance for all your help.

 

Tina

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I had him take the Saxon placement test and I should place him in 7/6 but I'm going to put him in 8/7 instead & get a math computer game for reveiw. If he completes the 8/7 will he still need to take Algebra 1/2 before Algebra 1? He is very aware that he is already a year behind based on his age and he doesn't like math and is very touchy if I tell him he's behind in it which is why I decided to go with 8/7. Any other ideas on how to handle the fact that he's behind in math?

 

What did he miss on the Saxon placement test? If he was on the line or most of his mistakes were computational (knows the theory but made silly addition/subtraction/multiplication errors), then perhaps 8/7 is ok, but if he placed SOLIDLY in 7/6 or his errors were in theory (not knowing the WHY or not being able to execute the how correctly), you might be setting him up for failure with 8/7. Just my humble opinion.

 

If he does well in 8/7, he should be able to go directly to Algebra 1. Likewise, if he does well in 7/6, he could do Algebra 1/2 (OR 8/7), and then Algebra 1.

 

I would have him starting his math now & working on it an hour every day. If he is in the proper level, it shouldn't be a struggle at the beginning (and this will give him some confidence). That will give you some head start on the school year.

 

I have no advice on the other stuff. Good luck! :grouphug:

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Hello,

 

We've decided to homeschool my son who is 14, he is the youngest of 4, the other three are girls 2 will stay in school at this point & 1 has graduated. He completed the 7th grade this past year so according to his age he is already a year behind.

 

I had him take the Saxon placement test and I should place him in 7/6 but I'm going to put him in 8/7 instead & get a math computer game for reveiw. If he completes the 8/7 will he still need to take Algebra 1/2 before Algebra 1? He is very aware that he is already a year behind based on his age and he doesn't like math and is very touchy if I tell him he's behind in it which is why I decided to go with 8/7. Any other ideas on how to handle the fact that he's behind in math?

 

I was also considering TOG YR 1, however, this year I won't have a lot of teacher time and was wondering if we could do it and just accept that we won't be able to fully use the program this year, we'll be returning to YR 1 in his senior year. I used TOG a little bit before I put them in school so it's not comletely new to me. My other option is to try and beef up SOTW however, I won't have a lot of time to track down books at the library so I was going to buy all the TOG YR 1 D books. My other concern with SOTW is that it would be to easy for him as his reading level is just fine. Any other ideas?

 

He is also struggling with writing and grammar and I was considering using R&S 5 for grammar and TOG for the writing assignments. I was going to use the Vocabulary books suggested in WTM starting with A and trying to get through C.

 

I'm planning to use Rosetta Stone for Spanish and just forget about Latin for now. For science I was going to get some of the physics kits that are recommended in the WTM and not even worry about a text this year. He told me he likes to do chemistry and physics.

 

A bit about our situation, I'm finishing my masters, I'll be done Oct 15th, and studying to take my CPA exams which is why I won't have a lot of teacher time this year. However, once that has been accomplished I work a bunch of hours for 12 weeks during tax season and then the rest of the year I work 4 days a week and some of that can be done from home.

 

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated. I really do not want to use a traditional textbook approach even though my time is limited. Any tips from anyone who homeschools in SC would also be appreciated as I have not homeschooled in SC (we've lived here a little over 1 yr).

 

Thanks in advance for all your help.

 

Tina

Why is he a year behind?

 

I wouldn't skip the Saxon text he placed into. He'd still have time, in four years (because you could graduate him in four years, regardless of what his current grade level is in school, making up for the "lost" year; IOW, this year he'd be a freshman), he can still do Algebra 1 and 2: 76, 87, Alg. 1, Alg. 2. You might consider Saxon Teacher or other video instruction, as well.

 

I'd do Easy Grammar Plus instead of R&S, if all you want is the grammar. Then you could sign him up with WriteGuide, which is an on-line writing course.

 

Are you including literature in your history? Otherwise, you need something for that. You could consider Smarr Publishers.

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