Yes, this is my experience. I don't frequent the forums unless it's to keep up with CLAA news. I rarely post but I do read Mr. Michael's postings every once in a while and find myself if not agreeing, then seeing the wisdom and benefit in what he is saying. Read what he says about education, especially for the Catholic. Think about the state of the world and what is most important. That sustains me through the difficulties of homeschooling even in general, of fighting the inertia that is my upbringing (very little religious instruction) and implementation of CLAA in the home. I also try not to take myself too seriously so I won't get offended. :001_smile: I suppose you could get the curriculum and move on - it's very inexpensive (as compared to other curriculum and packages), I just don't think one can be successful. Just my opinion there. :) I do believe one needs the grace of the Holy Spirit to get through such a challenging curriculum, and I can't say I'll be successful yet. I guess I have tried doing it my own way but I am seeing the wisdom and the fruit of following Mr. Michael's recommendations of scheduling and ordering the home around the LOTH. It's taken three years, it has taken me that long to do the things needed to really be able to focus on the studies, clear out the clutter, re-orient my thinking, etc. and I'm still a work in process. We don't yet do the LOTH proper by the Breviary. I thought I'd be further along by now. But we do say morning and evening prayer, we do say the Angelus, we are scheduled around the approximate time when we'd be doing the LOTH. I'm actually going to be doing the morning prayer portion of the LOTH on Fridays at my parish, so that is incentive to learn how to do it here at home. But we are always going the right direction, little by little. I think I let myself get wrapped up in thinking I had to be a Michaels clone within a few months of joining CLAA, and that put a lot of stress on me and my family. I've let that go, not going to the forums has helped, and taking a measured, balanced approach to the changes that needed to be made has been a benefit. It will take time! And honestly, I really don't think William Michaels is or was expecting what I placed on myself, he has posted on the forums that these changes will take time for most of the people who enroll. We've collectively, as Catholics, just lost the meaning and knowledge of the Catholic culture and restoring it will take time. I'm just the type that wants things done perfectly and want it done now. :D I'm not smart enough to know with certainty if anything is absolutely correct in any curriculum :). I'm taking the word of those much smarter than me who do post on the CLAA forums, and so far I personally haven't had a problem. We're very new into the program though (halfway through Catechism 1 and beginning Arithmetic and Grammar). I've heard there are problems with the Catechism courses but seriously he takes all the material, word by word, from the Baltimore Catechism. :confused: So not sure where that criticism is coming from? Maybe I should read up but I'm comfortable so far with what we're learning. I'm pretty sure that if you posted your thoughts on the CLAA forums, or maybe did a search, you would have your questions answered in a reasonable way. Maybe not the exact way you would prefer (I know I'd prefer some handholding, friendly emoticons, and loving words that's how I am) but I think you would be satisfied one way or another. :) No the tone of the lessons are not the same as the tone on the forums. The information is just put across factually, sometimes the questions in the tests will drive us crazy, you really have to know the material very well, inside and out, but you will get used to it. It's not about simply reading and regurgitating the material as presented back on the test. You will have to study and be able to think about the material in different ways than presented in the material. It's hard to get used to but you will get used to it. I think (at least in my case) I've gotten used to not thinking critically so at first it was a little difficult to think the material has been sufficiently studied only to find out at test-time we've only scratched the surface! But you will get used to it. The kids will get used to it. There are tears and frustration for everyone, and in those times we try to remember the scriptures that deal with gaining strength from Christ, the proverbs that deal with hard work. It makes passing those difficult tests such a celebration! I hope I've been of help. I usually don't spend this much time on the internet or inserting myself into "discussions" about CLAA but you seem like a seeker with a charitable heart so I wanted to try to help. Of all the years we've done CLAA so far this is shaping up to be the best, and I feel we're just getting started. I've listened, even when it's been painful, to Mr. Michael's recommendations and am putting them upon my heart and in practice, even though it's slower than I was hoping, maybe slower than other families, and maybe even than what Mr. Michaels would prefer, but I just keep pressing on. I'm hopeful about the future! It's been wonderful and I'm more at peace now than ever. Even with homeschooling. I'm not rushed, I'm not frantic, the house is clean and orderly, (well there's always loads of laundry on the furniture) okay, it's not perfect but I'm okay with where I'm at, it's more than I can say for my mental health a year or two ago, and more than I can say for many other homeschool moms who are overscheduled to the hilt. :001_huh: Good luck and God Bless.

Thanks all - this is very helpful. :001_smile:

Hello- You may have seen me asking about scheduling for another curriculum...sorry to be making others do my work!!! :glare: I was just wondering if anyone here could let me know how much time they schedule for HWT K&1. Thanks so much for anyone who can help!! :tongue_smilie:

Hi- I want to incorporate some "sex-ed", in a pure way, into our homeschool for my sons ages 7&5 - 1st and Kinder. It looks like Generations of Virtue would be a good comprehensive program - unless anyone here has had good results with other curriculums? I haven't ordered any curriculum yet, but was wondering if there were any GofV users here and if I could get an idea of how much time it will take during the week. I'm hoping to make my homeschool schedule soon, it's getting late, and I can't go through it (since I don't have it) to see how much of my week I have to schedule! Thanks for any help you can provide!

Thanks for the input! I'm thinking maybe using it for beginning learning and then moving on to something a little more challenging?

In researching typing programs, I stumbled upon this program which appears to be relatively new and also pretty effective. DIdn't find any discussion on this product or this topic, so was wondering if anyone else has used this or has any other recommendations? http://www.keyboardtownpals.com/ http://www.amazon.com/Keyboard-Town-Timed-tests-Techniques-Repetitive/dp/B001XUMK2C

It wasn't so much the curriculum but the speakers that confirmed, at least in my opinion, why I thought homeschooling was important. I looked through Rod & Staff, I saw Math U See and RightStart, which was great. It was very nice to see before buying, which I haven't done yet. I'm waffling now between Kolbe Academy and CLAA. If you live in the Portland Metro area, my SIL goes to Exodus, http://www.exodusbooks.com/, and the staff there are very knowledgeable of curriculums, and they have a used curriculum section.

Thank you so much for your answer - exactly what I was hoping I'd find...now I need to know what I can and what I maybe shouldn't substitute.....

Hi- Newbie here. HSing kindergarten-age DS this fall. Have already learned so much on this site! :) I plan on registering at some point with Kolbe Academy. Not sure if I'm going to formally register this fall, I do want to try to take it easy with K but since my son is already 6, loves "school" and is very inquisitive (if I say so myself, hee) he may take to the recommended core materials at Kolbe. Looking a little to the future, I have been reading how Rod and Staff is recommended, I did take a look at it at a recent HS conference and liked what I saw. I have 2 questions that I hope someone may answer.... Is Rod and Staff have overt doctrinal issues that *may* be problematic for Catholics? Does anyone know how it would compare with what Kolbe offers? Kolbe starts with Voyages in 3rd, MCP Phonics and McGuffey's Eclectic in K, Ignatius Speaks and Writes and MCP Phonics in 1st... Thanks.

It was great! So glad I went - I was still a little bit on the fence about homeschooling but this conference helped me make a commitment. It really was great to see the books - I heard from another attendee that there used to be more vendors, but to this newbie there seemed to be enough.