This afternoon my daughter finished ninth grade with flying colors!  She had finished Algebra I and Biology I in May. Latin III is still a work in progress but that's okay. She completed Dialectic history and Rhetoric government (studying primary source documents like Declaration of the Rights of Man, Code Napoleon, Alex Toqueville's Democracy in America all the way to Plessy v. Ferguson) and philosophy in June.  Whew! Today she completed Rhetoric literature. This year she studied all the major poets, Pride and Prejudice, Faust, Les Miserables, The Scarlet Letter, Billy Budd, Uncle Tom's Cabin, and Crime and Punishment among other famous works. 

     I asked her how it felt to be DONE instead of merely giving up. She got a big smile on her face and said it felt GREAT!  She also said she learned A LOT!  At the beginning of the year, we struggled with how much Rhetoric courses to take.  After analyzing the books, we finally decided to remain at Dialectic level for history but move up to Rhetoric for everything else.  Quite frankly, the TOG coursework for Rhetoric Redesign is college level. You should see the history books...they are collegiate type books!  We decided to save them for when we come back to Year 1 in another year and my son can join us in Rhetoric history, literature, government and philosophy. That way I can be deluged with all Rhetoric reading and lesson preparation without being torn away to figure out Dialectic. We had no idea if we'd understand, much less survive Rhetoric literature, government and philosophy.  The teaching notes and student questions far surpass anything I studied in high school honors classes. They are collegiate.  Throughout the year I guided her with anything she needed help with and by mid-year she became quite independent in her work. It is a growing process.  Her reading speed is not fast but she understood much of what she read.  Therefore, to help her get through the literature books, I finally subscribed to Audible.  It's an extra expense but well worth it.  I am so thankful that my husband agrees with me that the kids' education is paramount. We focus our budget on that and if need be, do without other things.  The audible was wonderful in helping my daughter get through her books. I also purchased an Ipod so we could download the books for her to listen to on the road.  We go to Colonial Williamsburg a lot (as if you didn't know) and that is a 2.5 hour drive one way in good traffic. She has difficulty focusing and the Ipod on our last drive down worked like a charm!

     Now we are focusing entirely on our Year 3 Unit 4 Celebration which will be on Saturday.  We are having fun preparing and planning.  I am stuck on one point but I'm sure I'll figure it out. It will be easier to focus on the UC with the school lessons behind us. By the way, my son has been finished with seventh grade for weeks!