Yes, yes, yes to all the preceding posts. I was just trying to write an email just like you are all suggesting, although I think I will try to keep it a little more informal in tone. These suggestions are wonderful and I will use them as a checklist ot make sure I have not forgotten anything. I agree with going the "I must be confused" route.
snowgirl, the problem we face is that I work full time (although I'm not getting much done today) and the kids are at two different schools. So we don't get home until 4, and bedtime is 8-ish (early risers). I do piano with both kids and my younger son isn't too great at occupying himself. I also have a young dog that needs to be exercised. So I was really in hopes that I would not have to provide a complete year's worth of math at home. I'm not averse to doing my part, really!
If they would allow a private tutor on site after school hours (instead of the two hours he spend in after school care), that would work. As would allowing him to take the EPGY course during school. Actually, now that I think of it - he wouldn't need much help with that, would he? He could view the lesson with headphones while I did piano with his brother? That's how EPGY works, right?
That's the whole beauty of EPGY. We're still relatively new to it, but I'm pleased so far. Sometimes I have to step in and try to teach something that a lecture didn't make clear (just as I might with homework from school), and I also use the videos at Khan Academy if I need help. Plus DH does a better job of explaining if he's around, especially on the weekend. But I too struggle with the time that teaching something outside of school takes - I feel your pain. I have lots of workbooks/curricula on the shelf collecting dust because I don't have time to do it (we have six kids ages 1-9). And with piano, one of my kids still needs me to sit with him, mostly that's a discipline issue but that's the only way I can get him to practice (otherwise he pretends LOL/grrrr). EPGY is in 20-minute segments; often they'll do more than one session but all I ask is that they get one session done per day. In the beginning, it make take a little help from you to get acclimated to maneuvering around the window on the computer. But my dd9 rarely asks for help anymore with that - she even knows her log-in numbers by heart. I believe the program recommends doing one 20-minute session 4 or 5 times per week in order to get through a whole year's worth of math in a year. My kids do more than that, but I started them back at their actual grade levels to make sure we fill in any holes in their knowledge (this seems especially true with geometry for some reason, as well as simultaneous equations). So, to answer your question, yes he could do that with headphones while the other one plays piano, with little to no help from you (it helps for you to be nearby, so he can ask you for help if he needs it, just a bit here and there. and then you can go back to the piano...). Heck my kids do EPGY without headphones while someone else is playing piano and general mayhem prevails LOL....
ETA: yeah, what Val said too!
ETA: someone is often doing EPGY right here in the kitchen while I'm making dinner. I think that's a fine thing to do, especially since you're pressed for time.
