A Plantation Homeschool

Today dd#1 turns 16.  It is so amazing how the years have flown by!  I still haven't the nerve to let her drive yet.  I was not as scared with my ds starting to drive as I am with my dd.  Have others felt this way with their daughters?   We are "caked" out.  Saturday I gave her a big party with her friends, so there was one big cake with leftovers.  Last night the youth at church gave her another little party with a big cake left over.  We are swimming in cake!  Alas, they are not home made,  so at least I'm not as likely to eat as much! 

I thought I might give a little review on the books I used last year with my dc.  It seems that the biggest hits as usual were simply the novels that they read.  I've tried both a Charlotte Mason approach and a Classical approach, but school is school to my dc.  They prefer to do their "own thing".  I guess this is simply the foolishness of children.   They prefer to eat cake instead of their veggies.  No wonder the Lord has made "parents" as the authority figures in children's lives.   Well here are some thoughts:

Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings.  I enjoyed reading the author's "take" on each chapter, but the rest of the book was too work booky for us.  I sold it.

Paradigm's Integrated Physics and Chemistry.   The reading portion of the program was great, but then again these were too work booky for us too.   I still may use it with my younger dd, but we'll definitely skip the workbook portion.

Math Relief Videos:   My dd didn't get very far with these.  I felt that the videos dragged too much.  They are very thorough, but the approach just didn't work with my dd.  I'm using a different Algebra 1 program this coming school year.

Italian Now!  I think that my dd is doing well with this book.  We will continue with it and supplement with various cheap Italian software.  I'm hoping to get Rocket Italian as a download.   I heard the samples and the speakers speak slow enough for me to "get it".  This will be a big plus for dd.  I can't afford Rosetta Stone.  However I might check out e-bay. 

Susan Wise Bauer's Ancient History of the World.   My dd didn't enjoy this book, but I like it.  So I'll at least keep it for me to read. 

Well, I may continue this another day.  I'm having computer difficulties. 

Blessings,

Jan

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by a1health
Jan,
Happy Belated Birthday to your daughter!
Blessings,
~Farrah

Thursday, October 2, 2008 - Write more!

Posted by Lorna
I love your blog.
Thank you for sharing what has worked for you over the past year. It is a great help.