I am not really settled in keeping just with Rod and Staff all the way up. I do not love the writing in it, though I do like the grammar, but would rather skip the writing and do something else, I think. Probably for both older ds and dd next year. I have a bit of trouble working in much writing across the curriculum. I need a bit more help...writing prompts, how to help the students grow in their writing, how to start off easy get harder, how to do this with a baby and toddler:)....

Rod and staff grammar seems to be going well for the oldest 2 (currently 4th and 6 grades). I guess for them I want some writing for next year for 5th and 7th grades. The oldest does well with narration and I have worked with him some with outlining. He just has a very hard time getting his good thoughts onto paper, or copywork, or any type of writing. Since he would be in 7th grade and can orally summarize nicely, I thought maybe WWS might work. It looked more guided than MP classical composition and no videos like IEW. Jump in is another option to or LLATL. This boy is super adverse to anything that even hints at cute, silly, sports,....We are a rural, conservative family that is sports challenged....at least about 1/2 of us are. He likes history and science based stuff. Father is an engineer and cousins farm. He has driven lawn mowers ect.... My thoughts for oldest for this current year 6th to finish it out Continue Rod and Staff 5 (I teach it and do not assign all the written exercises. He is learning grammar and it is not too hard for him and he likes the subjects of the sentences (Bible, nature,farm).) Assign some copywork like 10-15 min a day from the Bible or current literature book Have him write 1 journal entry a week on whatever topic he wishes. Minimum or 4 sentences required. Also good effort at spelling and mechanics required or a rewrite. I know what he can do.... Attempt 1 written summery of science or History a week with an outline. I will have to do this with him. Maybe I will add sister in on this.

Green bean. Can you elaborate? Also the oldest child seriously dislikes video instruction....are there any alternatives to the videos? Im looking at Writing with skill now too. Any thoughts here?

I do not feel like I know what I want for language arts! Over lthe last 7 years, we have used Language Lessons for Today (MFW), some of the original Emma Seral book, some of Abeka mostly 1-3, some Writing Strands with their Grandmother(The original spiral bound ones very sporadically) Bit of analytical grammar some Rod and Staff. My oldest is likely dyslexic and truly Hates writing. We work on the attitude, but he feels bad at it and it's HARD. The next a girl will write little journal entries and notes and enjoy it and does not mind the diagramming and copying from Rod and Staff. We do oral narration daily, but have not gotten into much written narration yet. I think dd 9 would do fine with it but ds 11 needs lots of scaffolding to accomplish it, but his oral narration skills are good. My goals are a solid diagramming knowledge of parts of speech and how they work (I took Greek in college and this was so useful) and to be able to write interesting, cohesive sentences, paragraphs, and essays. I have looked at Continuing with Rod and Staff Going back to Language Lessons for Today which we used lots of Analytical Grammar (and what for writing?) Trying out Writing with Ease and First language lessons for ds 6 and maybe dd 9 Just doing all of Abeka language 2 with ds 6 as he is using it for phonics....I think the language is weak here though. Using Memoria Press classical composition just for dd 9 (ds really hated it for the week we tried it this year. I have it. And liked it...) Cottage press? Perhaps primer for ds 7 or fable and song for dd then 10 Learning Language Arts through lit particularly for dyslexic ds 11 or just keep him in rod and staff? Jump In next year for dyslexic ds then 12 IEW for ds then 12? This looks so expensive and combersome....and we will have a baby #6.... This is (mostly) for next year for children who will be 12, 10, and 7. Though perhaps this year too. Anyone want to compare these, give pros and cons....any thoughts? Thanks;)

The key for me making the American simultaneously with ancients work is to have the kids do it independently! I tried reading it aloud to the 1st grader and it didn't happen....now his 4th grade sister is reading Star Spangled Story aloud to him. It is very different than the books she will read with SCM early America in a few years and the 2 of them love doing the projects together. They are reading book 1 this year and book 2 during Rome next year. They do it like 2 days a week. My older boy does not love text books so I have various books scheduled for him to re as d on his own and he tells me about them sometimes. I do not count it as our "main" history and am aiming just for exposure. The kids do choose to put it in their book of centuries pretty often though. They have 2 required entries per week (just the older 2) and do not like to put in the Ancient Greek stuff as much as American History or Bible.....so far the Greeks are not their heroes;) I really like the variety. Last year I was not as organized and just the older 2 read a lot about the pilgrims mostly. I really want history to become something they think is interesting and will continue to read about as they become adults. So Egypt, Greece and Rome and the Bible are foundational, but I do not expect love for history to come from the 1st 3....I did not love learning about these until I was in college. I do want a foundation though. American History is really more *fun* at least for these children so the love is growing there. It isn't like they dislike reading about Greece, but they get frustrated by the idolatry and cultures like Sparta that are so different from their own. I think they will appreciate some of Paul's letters more next year with this bit of background though. I really like the Ancient Egypt spine that Simply Charlotte Mason uses. It includes some fascinating stuff about ancient China and India that made for some great side trips last year.

I just answered this above. I can't figure out how to tag you...

@Lovinglife123 Yes ancients for 3 yrs but since the readings are liteish (appropriately so imho;) I am having my kids independently read landmark books or Notgrass texts spread over the 3 ancient years to get that CM extra history strand and mostly some more exposure to American history. We are dropping the American strand though for Middle ages (and the last 2). I absolutely LOVE the middle ages unit! We've done it 1x already. I didn't like ancients for 3 yrs either until I added in 2-3 days a week of American readings for my kids. Now I am really enjoying it and the kids seem to be too...especially this Bible readings. I have not found another preplanned curriculum where I like all the books. Also I appreciate the geography. The kids do not like the map drill, but I think they are learning and the literature choices are good. I mostly have bought them all.

I am reading the Story of the Greeks aloud now as part of Simply Charlotte Mason's Joshua-malachi and ancient Greece study. My kids are 11, 9, 6, and younger. The 3 older listen and the 2 oldest really do like it. It is almost over the 6 yr olds head especially if listening conditions are not ideal. It has just the right amount of mythology and not too much violence. They do like the little cousin book better but who doesn't enjoy historical fiction? Incedently, I really like the SCM history guides. They can be done on their own or added on to if you want more! Not too hard for a busy time and keep us all together. Add to them in a less busy season!

I will take a closer look at this too. Thanks. I'm afraid it may go too fast for a 4.5 yr old. MWC k is so gentle... I thought it might be fine for preK The 1st is totally perfect for my 1st grader for whom math comes a bit hard. He is learning, enjoying it mostly, and it's not too hard!

Thanks. I actually have seen Kindergarten MWC. I started it with her older brother, then went with RightStart A for him, but now he is doing MWC 1st and it is about perfect. I just want something exploratory for his little sister. I think that since she is young I'll kind of try both MWC and Miquon. Like each 2-3 days a week and do more of the one she clicks better with;) Or pause one when it gets too hard.....

That is good to know too. Thank you. I am not dismissing CSMP. I did look at it a bit. I just have a lot of trouble with digital stuff. I don't have a good way to read it well online or to print it off...

We've changed it all!....well almost 1st Grade We are using Math with Confidence 1 instead of RightStart B. It's going very well now. We also went from AAR to Abeka phonics. This is a good fit too. Also Abeka cursive dropped in favor of BJU handwriting 1....perfect now;) 4th Grade We dropped RightStart E in favor of Math Mammoth 4....It's taking a long time still, but I think we're getting somewhere. She is taking ownership. Also we dropped Language Lessons for Today and Memoria Press Fable (incedently I like this program) in favor of Rod and Staff English 4. It is happening every day now! 6th grade is simular to 4th We went from RightStart G to Math Mammoth 6 and dropped Language Lessons for Today and Memoria Press Fable in favor of Rod and Staff English 5. It's going;) Merry Christmas all!

I really like how RightStart A does place value. All 3 I have so far taught really got it. How does Miquon do on place value? I understand the love hate relationship with RightStart. I really like A and B and sort of C. I do not think D, E, and F have enough time or practice on some concepts. Also, I think procedural fluency with long multiplication and division are important and somewhat neglected... Mostly it was great for my oldest though. I did like the fraction teaching?! However G was not a good fit for him...to much drawing that took him forever and he hated. I think Math mammoth is better for now for those older 2. (Dd totally did not get RightStarts multiplication algorithm presentation....not sure the hang up here....She understands it. We've done that over and over and....She just constantly messes it up!) I just want something fun for preK, K and maybe 1 before math mammoth. Place value and number sense and fun (as in engaging/ interesting) are my goals;) Thanks so much for the review.

This is admittedly kind of a spin off of my K math thread. I have used and know RightStart. I do not know Miquon. Can anyone compare the 2? Or fill me in on some of the miquon philosophy Or how it works out practically ? I am intrigued by it for a child who is interested in numbers.

I am kinda leaning toward miquon and math with Confidence K right now. I am not sure which though. I do think she would like either likely. She likes interaction with me and may like playing around with math too;) Any reviews of Miquon? I know the least about that one.

I would save AAR 4 for later I think. I did it with my dd years ago in K or 1st maybe? She reads fine today, but I'm pretty sure she has forgotten it all and certainly applies none to spelling! I also have reminded her about multisyllabic words many times since then both for reading and spelling ...

What is CSMP? Somehow I am unfamiliar with that abrievation.

Miquon is recommended for 1st grade at Rainbow resource. Would it be to hard for a 4.5 yr old to start? I was looking at K programs....I like the play aspect of it though. Xahm thanks for your thoughts too. Kate Snows stuff is good, it is just kind of slow maybe at least the K level? But that could be good for a 4 yr old. It's been a long time since I looked at MEP.

Hmmm then I'd need to buy cuisenere (sp) rods right? Not sure this is a problem, but we've got lots of manipulatives....

Ok I'm not new to this, but I'm working on a large family rhythm. I have taught Kindergarten math 3 times mostly using RightStart A e2. I have a 3.5 year old who is flying through Kate Snows preschool book. She listened in on RightStart A last year and evidently learned lots... She loves to do school, but I do not want to push. I am thinking of starting a kindergarten book slowly next fall when she is 4.5. We are having a baby in the summer. Then there will be 6 kids. I used RightStart for years, but switched the oldest 2 into math mammoth for 4 and 6th this year. It's going well. 3rd ds is doing Math with Confidence 1. It is perfect for him. However RightStart A worked for him last year when Kate Snows kindergarten book did not. He needed all the explicit number sense and place value work. Like it took months to recognize 8 as 5 and 3 and 7 as 5 and 2 and remember that he had 10 fingers even? Like I said, we got over that hump and math with Confidence 1 is perfect and not hard for him at all. This current 3 year old is my first to like numbers as a toddler....what would you do next year? If it is not planned, I do not get to it.... I've thought about RightStart A again or Math with Confidence K. I will probably have her do math mammoth for 1st grade unless I decide I love math with Confidence more as her brother goes through it...I am open to other ideas though...send me all thoughts....especially large family ones;) Oh, and I do like math;)

I used little Seedlings press 1st book. It is super slow with like 6-7? Pages per letter and only going into short vowel words even by the end. Their 2nd book is fast. It is thinner than the 1st book and covers EVERYTHING else. We went from little Seedlings press 1st book to Abeka 1st grade and it has worked well. My ds was not ready for anything beyond short vowles last year and benefited from the ear and tongue training little Seedlings press included. Yes I could have done it myself but not with everything else on my plate now.

I have Wee Folk Art. I am going to do in next year when my girl is 4. I think 4 or even 5 is a bit better for all the activities. I have done it before...love it. I also really like A Year of Playing Skillfully. Some people do not. It is definitely open ended play centered. I do not love all the language and literacy options either, but it is fun and what I'm pulling from when I can for dd3 right now. I have also used it before.

That is interesting to hear about the reading curriculum. What kind of stories are in it?

I've looked at it and almost used it at least 2x. I somehow just do not love her book choices...but that is so individual. The only book choices I consistently have liked are the history and science guides and from Simply charlotte Mason. I do like the layout of HOD and how it promotes independence in the later grades. There is A LOT more hand holding there then in the SCM guides. I really wanted to use Creation to Christ this year (and have it for sale on homeschool classifieds BTW;), but somehow couldn't. I do think there is some unnessary busy work in it. I was planning to cut some, but it really looked good. Somehow I just didn't like some of the book choices...a bit pushy maybe....I don't know. I do not like beautiful feets book choices altogether either. Maybe someday I will Wright out our Year HOD style using books I choose;) I do like the layout and her English and writing ideas....

What levels have you used....just curious.