I want to try to add in some updates on my older children too! This blog is sort of a record of our homeschooling, but it's also a way for my family and friends to keep in touch with what's going on with us. I also hope it will be a place others can come to check out what we're doing to get some ideas for themselves, or help.
Math:
Math has been ..painful!! We were trying Life of Fred for this school year, but very quickly, went back to Saxon. We stared using Saxon our second year of homeschooling. The first year we did a lot of review. Then year three I had this brilliant idea to switch both big kids to Math U See! NOT A GOOD IDEA!! It was for Abby, but not Nick. The video component - in his mind - "a waste of time". Our daughter really likes it though. Nick is a no -nonsense, just give me the work - kid. So, then we tried Life of Fred.. wasn't working. Both kids enjoyed the story, but the math.. too different from what they were used to and I didn't want to back track. So, back to Math U See for miss Abby and Saxon for Nick. They were both in public school until we took them out four years ago.
In the picture above, my oldest, Nick, is taking a math placement test for a new math we were thinking of trying out. We were thinking of using Teaching Textbooks. I know many people really like it. He took the test, did fine, then viewed a sample lesson online, but as he was viewing the course sample, I realized I didn't think it was going to work for him after all. I thought maybe it would be a good one for him. He has viewed the sample before, but it's been a while. As he was watching it, I could tell he was not into it. It seems very interesting and would keep a student involved, but it just doesn't seem a good match for him. He is currently taking a free online Biology class and enjoying it. They also have the math. They don't have the level he's doing now, but they have the next level up. We have to have the book for it, but he'll be taught online vs. teaching himself. He will also take the tests online as well. So.. we are going to stay with Saxon. The free online class is from virtualhomeschoolgroup. He can start any time with the at your own pace one, or I think the new classes will begin in August.. the 27th.
Science:
Science was not going so great this year either. He was doing it, but the interest wasn't there like in the past. So, one day I was looking into something, I can't even remember what it was, but it was for him. Then I remembered that MFW had told me about the online homeschool group and I've seen it mentioned in the Yahoo and facebook groups I belong to for MFW. So, I posted a message on the Facebook group for High school.. I actually found it before someone posted it. We got him signed up right away! So far he's liking it! He had his first test.. only one wrong!! YEAH!! I do pray the rest will go well too. I'm waiting to see the lab parts. It'll be interesting how they do that!
Reading the Illiad:
When he first opened this book he complained about how long the chapters are! I gave him an assignment to do - write a commentary for each chapter. BUT.. I didn't add that in this week, why? Because there were questions he had to answer. Come to think of it..I haven't seen those though!! I will need to ask where they are tomorrow. He actually didn't have to write a commentary. I meant for him to tape one. We'll go over that tomorrow too!
Rick Warren's the Purpose Driven Life:
He only complained a little the first day. I don't think he minds it now. He would say he does though. He's been going through this "no religion" phase. I've told him and he knows, we don't practice a religion, but we grow in a relationship with Christ. He of course has an argument for that - it's Christianity and that's a religion. He's a smart one... that can be quite a challenge.
I'm not going to go though everything he does. He does't complain about most of his work. He's an extremely fast reader, although he's not as fast as he claims to be! What do I mean by this? He claims he gets his reading done, when I've asked if it's all done. I have no real way of knowing what he's actually read. I said to him today "I may not really know if you've read everything you've been assigned, but some day you will realize you should do what you are assigned! I will admit, there were things I was assigned to read in high school.. and college.. I only read what I had to and skimmed the rest. NOT ALL OF IT!! But some things. So, I do know how that goes. I also know that sometimes if you do that, you miss very important information and it only costs you more time and sometimes a good grade, if you don't do it.
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