Khan Academy

Not only does this tutorial web database instruct and cover a myriad of topics, it also keeps at bay any boredom I may have whilst at home before school.

Here's a link to the site:
http://www.khanacademy.org/

I highly recommend it. Thus far I've watched a lot of the algebra videos and a few of the biology ones because I'm taking both of those this year. I just think it's genius that this guy can teach in four minuets what classroom teachers teach in a week of classes. Learning does not need to be painful or daunting. It all depends on how you get the information. A lot of young people assume that because they don't get math the first time every time, that they're stupid or bad at math. They write themselves off as math haters and rightbrainers. I divulge, I used to be the epitome of a math hater. I claimed it just didn't settle with me and that my brain didn't work like that. Of course, a lot of my eighth grade math was spent by me writing my novel under the desk, but that's a different story.

Anyways, I've always thought I "sucked" at math. That is, until I was homeschooled and was able to take math at my own speed on a one to one level. I excelled. As soon as I went back to school, I went headfirst into a math class and came out at the top of the class with straight A's. It's not because I took a math pill, or went to a gazillion summer camps or highered a tutor. It was because I allowed myself to think about math at my own pace and ask as many questions as I needed. Now, as I watch these videos on algebra at the Kahn Academy site, I find myself understanding most everything with ease and eagerness.

If you let yourself be good at something, then you will be good at it. And you will surprise yourself. Well, that's my soapbox session for this morning.