I see, ya I think she works hard. That was not what I meant. I was meaning she has chosen products that are expensive instead of providing materials that were good but less expensive.

Ya know, I get passionate about stuff. I am upset and feel the need to vent. I really do appreciate HOD and all they do. I guess I my frustration just needed to be let out here. I don't have anyone in real life that I can talk about this with. I want to use HOD. It has been a blessing in many ways. I feel sad that it is getting more and more schoolish as it gets into the older guides. I want my girls to have a CM education but I need it to be planned out. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the notebooking pages. I think they are beautiful. I want to use HOD all though my daughters schooling but I feel like it has changed and the cost has sky rocketed. Most of the programs were around $400 but then last year I spent around $800 (paying monthly) and I didn't even get everything. I am sorry for getting so worked up. It is easy to do when your not talking to people face to face.

I wish that this were a possibility. But Carrie has chosen books that are specific so I can't use old editions. I also can't resell my other years because I have already invested so much money in them and my next daughter in line is already using them. I am actually a queen at buying used, reselling to get what I need but the way the program is integrated together will make it really difficult, if not impossible to make a working option. For example, last year the Exploration Education Science program is woven in. It is part of the program and not cheap. It would be impossible to find all the parts and manuals for that program. A lot of her stuff is like this. Also, she uses a lot of books that can not be found at the library, even if you have a large system like I do. Also, since we are right at the top of her guides, there are no older used guides to purchase online. The saving money tricks just don't work with HOD.

I do feel she has led us to believe she is selling a CM curriculum. It is right on her website. Where did I say she hasn't worked hard? I know she spends and huge amount of time choosing and writing her guides.

I agree. The reason I don't post on HOD's board is because it is like this. I am astonished how whenever Carrie gives a new sneak peak, NO ONE says anything that questions her choices. It is all full of love and awe. I want to stay with HOD because we have used it for so long, but I am frustrated at her choices this upcoming year with literature, science etc... With her choices, the cost will be over $1000.

Actually I have. Are we only allowed to express thoughts that are positive? I am expressing my thoughts on HOD vs CM and the changes to the new HS guide that include books/materials/methods being used and the cost.

Not bashing, just dissecting. I mean we have used HOD for 4 years now and we are still using it. I love a lot about the program. I am just realizing that it isn't very CM. Handicrafts are actual skills. Woodworking, Sewing, painting (not the artistic kind), building a fire (I am thinking stuff like boy scouts would do) etc... The projects are not even actually artistic. I teach art, and have for a number of years. HOD projects are step by step and pretty useless. For instance a recent project in the Preparing Hearts manual while learning about the Star of David... Day 1 - In this unit you will be drawing and painting the Star of Bethlehem. On a 9"x12" sheet of paper, use a pencil to lightly draw a star that fills the paper. Erase the lines inside the star so that only the outline remains. Cut the star out. Lightly sketch a line around the outside of the star to make a border that you can paint on Day 2. Then, with your pencil sketch 5-10 shapes inside the star. Make sure none of the shapes touch one another. Day 2 - Take out your star from Day 1. Get blue and white paint, a think paintbrush, and a paper plate to mix paint. First, paint the outside border around the edge of the star with blue paint. Next, place blue paint on your mixing surface and add a little white paint. Paint 2 shapes in the middle of your star with the new color. Then, add a little more white paint to the previous color and paint 2 other shapes. Continue adding a little white paint at a time and painting shapes until they are all painted. Leave the space between shapes white. Day 3 - Take out your star. On the back, copy in cursive Luke 2:14. First of all the Day 1 instructions don't even make sense. What are they talking about paint shapes inside the star? Secondly, art concepts are not explored. There is no mention of shades or tints when you are mixing your two colors of paint you are allowed to have. Thirdly, there is no creativity. It is a step by step project. Art is an expression of oneself and ideas. This is an assignment. Art is very different. As I said, this is not a bashing thread, but you did ask.

Yes, I have been on a quest the last month to really understand CM's way of teaching and looking at all the available resources. My oldest daughter has been using HOD for a number of years and has loved it. This past year I used Preparing Hearts for His Glory and I think it is great in a lot of ways. I was saddened to find that I haven't enjoyed about 1/2 of it while loving the other half. I am realizing now it is because I really relate to the CM that is in it, but the other areas feel really poorly done. I am also upset and struggling with the fact that my high school daughter, who has done this program for about 4 years, will want to continue with the program next year. I feel sad that what has been revealed about the new guide is very schoolish and not CM at all. It is also crazy expensive. I believe it is going to be over $1000 for the new program. I feel like Carrie (the author) has led us to believe that she has a CM philosophy and we have gotten really deep into the program and it would be foolish and difficult to change my oldest now. I feel sad that Carrie has not worked hard to choose materials that keep the program reasonable. I mean I have 3 other children to home educate next year. I know this is rambling, I am just upset. I am still going to search for my younger kids and see what I can come up with. I may end up putting together my own thing. I just feel like I lean towards AO, then towards Charlotte Mason Help, then I think about Beautiful Feet... I am really unsure.

But the more I learn about Charlotte Mason and her ideas, the less I think there are any curriculum suppliers that are Charlotte Mason in nature. For instance, HOD has projects that are absolutely nothing like CM's ideas about Handicrafts. They really are silly useless projects, not projects that build up lifelong skills. I realize that the only thing about Heart of Dakota that is CMish are narration/dictation (for History only most of the time), a little bit of poetry study (although the poetry is not simply enjoyed, it is often used as a Language Arts assignment) and... well that is all I can think of. I guess the books are usually CMish. Is the only way to have a CM homeschool is to make it ourselves?

Actually your post really spoke to me! I am so glad you shared. I love the idea of a tiered approach. I feel like this might be what I am looking for. Thank you so much for sharing. I am going to use your ideas to help structure next years work. :)

I looked at Prepare and Pray. I really like the looks of it but not for a whole curricula. I am thinking of looking into the Webelos books for ideas for handicrafts for boys. Since I am single, I don't really want to join a Boy Scouts organization, but I like the idea of gaining the skills none the less.

This sounds really interesting. Thanks for sharing :)

What grade is this for and how much is it?

I have never used Spellwell but when I was searching and deciding between it an Rod and Staff, I thought R&S pages just made more sense.

I had heard the actor was leaving the show. How should they have handled that? I am very unhappy as well but I don't know of a better alternative.

I had heard the actor was leaving the show. How should they have handled that? I am very unhappy as well but I don't know of a better alternative.

Yes I do think so!

I really love Matthew Crawley because he is so charming and witty yet still handsome and smart. I also love Daisy because she is so sweet and she tries so hard.

I have been homeschooling for 13 years now and I feel like we have always had a strong History emphasis in our homeschool. Even the different programs out there on the market have history at their core with even the literature readings revolving around the history topic. I just don't want to do it next year. My older ones will work through their program of study, but for my youngest two, I want to do something else. I have been leaning towards Beautiful Feet Geography but I am not sure about that even. This year my son used Memoria Press which doesn't really have a lot of history. We have read a bunch of picture books and had a wonderful time. I may go that route again and include longer read alouds. I would like to know what others have done for inspiration. So what have you done for your kids besides a history focus?

I was actually going to say all of this but you said it so well. We have used AAS for the last few years and have done pretty good with it but I found it time consuming and wanted something more independent. So I began my search and after a lot of recommendations, I purchased Rod and Staff's spelling program. First of all the price is fantastic. It is so inexpensive compared to AAS. But here is what I am really excited about... My girls really like having a workbook format for Spelling. With AAS, we talked about the rules a lot and worked them on the whiteboard but then put the tiles away. With Rod and Staff spelling, when my daughter forgot a rule, we just turned back a page and looked at her previous work. She remembered the lesson and understood what she needed to do. I like the idea of the workbook as a reference tool. The lessons are easy to schedule. Do part A on Monday, part B on Tuesday etc... with a test on Thursday. The very first week my daughter who has always struggled with spelling got a 100% on her spelling test. We were both very excited.

Some of the books seem like odd choices to me. I have never even heard of a few of them. It seems like she should have stuck to traditional classics.

yes, what do you think of them?

I have had similar response to our new Spelling program - Rod and Staff. The girls love it and are singing its praises. :)

Thank You! I totally get it now. So does anyone have any recommendations for providers? I just looked at Verizon.

I am considering getting a cell phone for my daughter and I to share since she and I work in the early morning hours before the sun rises delivering newspapers. We usually do it together, but occasionally she does it by herself and I feel it would be wise to have some sort of phone on her. I will use it occasionally for texting & phone calls. I don't see myself using for internet very often. She will use it the same, maybe a bit more internet but not a lot. We have found a deal on Verizon's website for a free iphone 4 (love Apple products :) ) with a share everything data plan 2 GB for $60. I don't even know what the data plan is. Can someone explain that in a nutshell for me? I am pretty computer savvy, but I have never owned a cell phone that was more than the most basic of phones. Also, since I don't know what a data plan is, I don't know how much I need. Maybe I should go with something else? I know I want more than a basic phone, but it should be reasonable. Any advice? I don't want a prepaid phone.