ASD & DYS Mum

Okay, I'm on the hunt for an electronic planner/organizer/grade-keeping/transcript-making program. I know of several things I can mix and match, but I'm looking for something like Homeschool Tracker or Edu-Track. Both of those don't "excite" me, though, as I'm used to my DH's programming in Access with Visual Basic. The two programs just look "cheap" and a bit "clunky".

Has anyone used either of those two, or something better/different? Can you give me some input? I'm running a PC with XP. I'm looking for something customizeable that can carry us through middle and high school courses (with some possible college dual-credit courses).

I may just end up using an Access template database and having my DH tweak it for my needs/wants. I just don't want to bug him if I can help it. I already do that with our co-op's database.

TIA!

Hi! I'm a homeschooling mom in the U.S. However, I see the GCSE mentioned on the forum several times. I recently purchased some *great* GCSE "revision guide" books from Coordination Group Publications Ltd. They are wonderful, and have a lot of info for my son to study (he's 10).

I'm just wondering what exactly the GCSE is, and at what age you take it. Is it like a secondary school completion exam? Or one to apply to colleges? (Like our ACT & SAT.)

I was also curious why the books are called "revision guides". Here is one I purchased:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1841467006

TIA! I know I can look this up on the 'net, but I'd rather hear it from real people. So please don't tell me to "Google it".

This is for the "regulars" here at the Y!A HS'ing forum (the ones who are HS'ing, not the trolls!)...

Would you like to be part of a Yahoo Group with others here?

I own and/or moderate several Yahoo Groups. There are times when I'm reading and posting here, where I'd love to have more discussion (and it's hard to put in Q & A form) here with others.

Since I just passed my one-year Y!A anniversary, I feel like I know so many of you already (from reading your Q & A's). I know many of you are most likely on too many 'net boards anyway ;-)...but if there's a handful interested, I'd offer to moderate the group. It'd be invitation only, and not listed in the Y!G directory.

LMK!

I'm a moderator (with only member and message approval capability) on a list where the list owner has gone AWOL. I've sent her countless emails. I know she's still on Yahoo, b/c her IM smiley is "on" a lot of times.

I cannot change settings, or delete the group. I started a new "sister group" on my own so members could actually do things they need to do, and I have full control.

The issue I'm having is that I get several membership requests per day on the old board. Each time I have to send them a message and direct them to the new group. It's getting old.

Because there are constant pending memberships, the group will not die on it's own (where Yahoo closes it do to inactivity).

HELP!?!?!?!

Has this happened to you?

I just saw that someone (BJ) copied and pasted my exact answer to this question:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=200803...

I reported him, but what else should I do? He does not accept email, so I can't write him about it.

To homeschooling parents & students - I was curious if you're giving the "report it" buttons a lot of use lately. It seems this week the anti-HS'ing trolls are out in full force. They are not answering legitimate questions and instead are ranting their opinions about how "awful" HS'ing is and how it's the worst possible thing...yadda yadda.

I know I have ;-) I think others must be also, because I'm noticing a lot of answers disappearing. Please make sure to report these people so we can weed them out of our forum.

I'd like to get a list of middle school literature curricula. I have all the other strands of language arts: grammar, spelling, composition, and vocabulary figured out for fall. Now I'm on a hunt for literature and *only* literature (no other strands thrown in).

Can you tell me what you use for middle school lit? Thanks!

http://www.crosswalk.com/movies/11570710/

This review was posted on one of my HS'ing Yahoo Groups. Take special notice of this comment under "Cautions":

** Worldview: Homeschoolers are narrow-minded, fear-based, fun-and-imagination squelchers.

So, what's your take on the mention of HS'ing? How does it make you feel?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 11, 2008

hmclean@cde.ca.gov

SCHOOLS CHIEF JACK O'CONNELL ISSUES STATEMENT REGARDING HOME SCHOOLING IN CALIFORNIA

SACRAMENTO - State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Jack O'Connell announced today that the California Department of Education has completed a legal review of the February 28 California Court of Appeal ruling regarding home schooling. O'Connell issued the following statement:

"I have reviewed this case, and I want to assure parents

that chose to home school that California Department of Education policy will not change in any way as a result of this ruling. Parents still have the right to home school in our state.

"Every child in our state has a legal right to get an education, and I want every child to get an education that will prepare them for success in college and the world of work in the challenging global economy.

"As the head of California's public school system, I hope that every parent would want to send...

If someone reports your answer, are you then blocked from reading the question and any other answers?

I know it takes two to report.

I had someone email me a very abusive email message and I think they reported me. I cannot read the Q or A's now.

TIA!

I just rec'd an awfully verbal abusive email from a Y!A member. How do I report it? It's not like a Q or A that you can click on "report".

This was really awful.

Thanks!

I thought it would be fun to see everyone's top 5 "gadgets" you can't do without when homeschooling. Here's my list:

1. large paper cutter

2. electric pencil sharpener

3. high-quality three-hole punch

4. laminator

5. comb binding machine

What are your top five?

I've looked for this on Y!A but can't find it.

Is it possible to report abusive private messages from a member??? I rec'd two of them today.

TIA!

Some moderators of one of the groups I own and I are having a discussion about the moderation of new members.

If you have the settings to moderate only new members, does Yahoo eventually unmoderate new members after a certain time or number of posts, or do you, as a mod/owner, have to manually change them at some point?

I've always had to do the latter (been on the groups since they began and own/mod several), but yet other mods are saying their new members get changed w/o them doing anything.

TIA for any help you can shed on this!

Yesterday and this morning, I checked the top 10 answerers list in my "top contributor" category. It said I had 55 best answers (and 8th place), when previously I was at 135 (4th). Then this afternoon, I have 138 and I'm back at 4th place. I only rec'd one new best answer today. What's up?

Can you lose your top ten answerer spot by being inactive for awhile, like you can with top contributor status? I understand others may bypass you for number of best answers, but how in the world could it have changed so much - down the first time, and then back up???

We've participated in the Pizza Hut Book IT! program every year we've HS'ed. They now have an easy online registration form for individuals to sign up to participate.

See this link:

http://www.bookitprogram.com/enrollment/homeschool...

Our young (~4 mo) leopard gecko had some unshed skin left on two feet. Since she's so young and the skin is thin, we didn't see it until a few toes were swollen, pink, and purple.

We looked it up in a care book and used the method of putting her on wet paper towels for about 15 minutes, then putting antibiodic ointment on them. Then we gently rubbed off the skin. That was yesterday.

Today her feet/toes are still an overall purple color, but they are no longer pink nor swollen.

How long do you think it will take for her feet to look "normal"? Should we reapply the ointment today?

Thank you.

**Serious answers only please**

I'm hoping someone can give me input about hotels in the Mammoth Cave (KY) area. I've read online reviews but there are stark differences between them and many are outdated.

Can you give me any input about the best CHAIN hotels/motels in the area?

TIA!

We purchased the board game "Touche'" today at a thrift store and the directions are missing. We searched the 'net and can't find them.

The parent company is Gabriel and the subsidiary company is Gilbert. It was published in 1977.

Here is a photo of the game:

http://www.abstractstrategy.com/touche.html

For now we're just making up our own rules to get four in a row!