Roses and Opportunities!

A DOUBLE BLESSING WAS AROUND THE CORNER

Well with all the moving, changing of curriculum, changing, and mayhem in this working parent's household. Things are about to get even more exciting!

JOB CHANGES FOR MOM and DAD and ROSE

My husband got a new job. He was recently laid off, well it took him about three weeks to find another awesome position. My daughter Rose was also supposed to transition to a new job with my husband's old company. That didn't work out with the recent contract cut backs. However, Rose, found another job using a head hunting service that contacted her in the past. It took them 2 weeks to find her a position with a great raise and wonderful company. As for me, I'd stopped seeking new employment and was just waiting until later this year when this contract ends to find something, BUT, a great opportunity with longevity fell in my lap. Now, WE ALL HAVE NEW JOBS!

HOW WILL THESE CHANGES AFFECT MY HOMESCHOOLING and WORKING?

Well, it takes awhile for us to train up on our new positions and be able to use the flexibility that comes with being in the Info Tech field. So, I had to change my kid's homeschool schedule around a bit.

A EUREKA MOMENT

After 1.5 years of Algebra 1 I have finally figured out something about Speed Racer. He likes an audience for Math and Writing. He does best when I give him the problems to work out on the dry erase board, we check it, if it's wrong, he tries to fix it, then we watch the Saxon video if it is still wrong or he doesn't understand.

Wow! He wants 'interactive' math even though he could absorb it on his own.

So we've worked our schedule around supporting his Math and Writing learning opportunities.

SPEED RACER's NEW SCHEDULE
13 yrs old

10am to 2:30pm (Independent Work Online) - Finish all online Acellus Classes (College Math Review, English, Psychology, Geography, US History) * No books are included with these courses or homework

Geometry and Algebra 1 independent with CTCMath

Humanities, Philosophy and Sociology with Study.com 

 Note: Sometimes he doesn't finish all of the courses or lessons for that day, but I can check his status during my lunch break via the mobile app provided by Acellus.

3:30pm-5pm - Algebra 1 Workbook: No Nonsense Algebra Review WORKBOOK - we do it together and it reviews Algebra facts.

8:30pm-9pm - Algebra 1 Saxon Math (has Geometry Review and Algebra) with Dive & Mom work with Speed Racer


CURRICULUM MOVED til SUMMER
Since we are running behind, I am moving some curriculum to the summer.

Writing
CLEP study (we are still trying to assess what test Speed Racer is most ready for).
Grammar Practice
Basic Math Practice
Python Programming
Logic

TIGER LILLY
16 yrs old

10am to 2:30pm - (8 week courses Online College Classes with UMUC.edu ends May 7th)
Foundations of Information Sys
Enterprise Architecture
Telecommunications in Info Sys

10am to 2:30pm 
Micro Business Homeschool Curriculum
Blender design with Udemy
C# programming with YouthDigital
Building Wordpress Website for her Art Business

Algebra 1 with My Youngest Son Is Killing Me

My 13 yr old SPEED RACER is killing me with his nemesis ALGEBRA.

I mean it. I am literally in the mood to throw it out of our curriculum. I mean, he did get a C in the class last year.

Maybe, making him retake Algebra 1 this year was a torturous mistake for me.

We have TRIED EVERYTHING! 

Abeka Algebra 1, he did last year, got BARELY a C. So I figured, no problem, we'll just do it this year, but use SAXON. Well, he cheated the first part of the year by using a calculator, sneaking the answer key. So...we restarted the SAXON, and I changed his entire curriculum to ACELLUS because with my new job, I didn't have time to sit with him and go over every problem and subject.

THEN...the MATH breakdown. He was stuck at C and D level with ACELLUS and SAXON. What the heck!!

BUT I WON'T GIVE UP.

Now with SAXON, we practice with CTCMATH, which he is doing great with. Problem is, when he WRITES the MATH PROBLEMS, he misses key steps.

IN COMES this great book, No-Nonsense Algebra. Thank GOD!

The reason I haven't hired a TUTOR is because the boy simply hates PRACTICING his math. It's not that he can't grasp the concepts, he is just too insistent on not doing the work. Ugh!

For just $21 it comes with problems and videos. We are using this along with SAXON. 

It's going to be a long summer.

My 13yr old Makes his Own Money by doing Surveys?! And More

Yes, my 13 year old got his allowance taken from him and what did he do? Innovate! He started doing surveys, playing games, and earning money through gift cards to create an allowance he could do from home.



Mobile Performance Meter is his current favorite. I have him trying one app at a time with out supervision to see if it actually works.


Now he wants to do the following:

1) Do DROP SHIPPING business online using a business EBAY account to sell items he finds for cheaper at other websites.

2) YOUTUBE CHANNEL he is trying to figure out what would gain him more followers overtime.

3) BLOG in his journey to find a business where he, as a teenager, can make passive income.

4) APP referral business to continue what he is doing.

5) TWITCH and YOUTUBE gameplay business.

MY 16 YEAR OLD has her two business ideas

1) ART BIZ, selling her art online

2) T-SHIRT ART BIZ, selling her art designs on create on demand