How do you add these in? We already spend almost 1 hour doing math daily. Do you take one day to just do the word problems or do you do this daily in addition to their regular math lesson. My one son gets every CLE word problem wrong! He needs some extra work there. So I have been looking into what word problem books to get. I am not sure how I would implement the Process Skills AND CWP, though I would like to!

Did you find anything that you may use? I have a 4th grader doing CAP Fable and not sure what to use next year. He also needs lots of hand-holding.

So for those that answered and didn't mention what you use that works, will you share? What would work for a 7th grader to challenge her and to also interest a 1st grader, 3rd grader, 5th grader!?! I have my eye on MFW but worry that it will not challenge my 7th grader. Or what curriculum do you use that is individual?

This is for history, literature, etc. I am wanting to know what you have found to work best. Some combine with things like MFW, TOG, SOTW, etc., and others have each kid do their own thing. Then there is really another option of things like HOD and Sonlight where you could combine some but be running different teacher's guides. So what do you prefer? I am finding it is actually hard to combine. Or I am making it hard. If you do each his own, what do you use?

What else is needed to go along with the self-paced videos? Any books or teacher's guide? I've always had a hard time understanding Veritas! Is it enough for a 7th grader or do you have to do the Omnibus year? Als, can you buy 2 different years? I would do part of one now and the other starting in August.

At first I was hoping I could just hand it to her and walk away. But, there is so much to juggle--DVD, CD, textbook, workbook, flashcards, etc., that I decided to sit with her. I have no desire to learn Latin. I don't mind the root words but heck no I am not learning the endings, etc. Not a language person. I grew up with German and once I took the class in college I struggled greatly with the endings and feminine, masculine, etc. Anyways, I think we will do a few more lessons and see how it goes. Then I may just forget it and go with German only and some latin/greek root words. I really appreciate everyone's helpful advice.

She did half of GSWL and didn't like it. First Form we have only done intro and lesson 1! She just isn't motivated to learn. I read good things about why to study Latin but not 100% convinced. She is pushing through the basics of school already without any joy, so maybe the language should be one that is "fun" and something she looks forward to. I would focus in on German more I just don't know what curriculum to use. I can speak it and semi-read/understand. Greek has some benefits that you'd have in learning Latin plus the benefit of New Testament. I will talk to her about this today. I will let her know that German and Greek and any other language will have its difficulties and boring parts. I will look through First Form with her too.

Whatever hatred she has doesn't come from First Form. It was there before. I ask her why and she says it is because it is a dead language and she wants to speak a language. I say it will help with grammar and vocabulary, etc. She does have interest in Greek and German...

My dd11 claims to hate Latin. Her background in it is a little bit of Getting Started With Latin. Now I have her trying to use First Form. She dreads it, complains about it, etc. She says she doesn't want to do Latin. So, what would you do? Encourage her and help her to push on, as it will likely build character to push through something you hate and may actually benefit her by learning the challenging task of Latin language? Or will she just continue complaining about it so move on and try something else?

Okay, well, maybe I will try to make BP work. It has at least enough listed for me to read whatever resources I like. The downfall is if I want to use the extras, I need to use the Companion. I wish it was an affordable book! I have the pdf but not my preference. At least not for a main spine. Why is it so expensive? MOH and SOTW are cheap comparably! I don't use the K-2 extras because it looks like just questions about the Companion reading (which is too much for them) and I already have the SOTW AG with the questions for what they listened to that day. Thanks for all the help. I have to make something work! I will rethink things this summer and then make a decision. Boy, I really wanted TOG to work.

I appreciate the insights. To answer some questions... I use Bps Cool History questions for my 11yo. Too much for my ds9, I think. Maybe I should have him try. I don't like the coloring pages, so I didn't buy them. I did make some copies of SOTW AG coloring pages that match up. Coloring pages are necessary to get my kids to sit and listen quietly. There is not always one for them to color though. I have BP maps. They are okay. I guess looking at BP I can't say why I don't like it. But, when I go to teach a history lesson, my youngers do not have any interest in what I am reading from the Companion. They love SOTW audio. We've always used that. MFW appeals to me because of the assigned notebook page, assigned by week. The easy crafts assigned. Science worksheets included and scheduled. I don't know if I would feel disjointed there, too, though. Read a little here, little there, etc. I think SOTW is used weekly. I like that it is more hands-on?? State sheets and president sheets, etc. BP does have that, sort of. The notebooking pages are not what I was looking for. I guess I feel if I'm using BP then I need to fully use it and not just primarily use SOTW. My dd does need more so I guess that is a way to do it. I did like MOH but didn't like one author's perspective. I wanted to tie in other things--more living books, etc. I wanted to somehow use SOTW and MOH but didn't want to try to line them up! But, then it seems like after year 3 (for MOH) the information got crammed into year 4 when originally it was going to be 2 more books? I'm not sure if that means some info is missing or what. What do I want-- I want to sit down knowing what topic I am covering. Then read about it to the kids. Read some fun living books that go along with it. Do map work. Do coloring pages. Do note booking pages. Have them answer questions about the reading. I know SOTW is that. But, not enough for my oldest. So I don't know what to do for her. I am not sure I like the Companion. I don't why. I want TOG to work. I keep looking at it. Maybe if I avoid some of the D books that I find dry or uninteresting. Or maybe if I type up the questions on a paper for my dd so she can answer as a worksheet? Both BP and TOG offer independent reading for my oldest, who can handle it. I just can't figure out how to do TOG with my younger kids. I read what the overview is for the week but then we read a couple pages out of a LG book and I wonder where they are suppose to be getting all this info from. Maybe I will step it up and read the UG books to them. Story of US Hakim is used soon in YR2U3. They might like that. I look back over the last 2 units and realize I don't think they retained much. How to I help with retention? Here I am long-winded again. I guess it helps to think about things by writing it out. With TOG I had to try to find note booking sheets, planned a lot for each week and then felt like there wasn't much there. I also lacked the discussion time for D which is a main part of the program. I thought if I did MFW now, scheduled and more hands-on, I could return to TOG in high school for dd. Though, MFW high school looks good, too. I don't see ds 9 thriving with a program like TOG. He is not going to be a history buff or big into lit. unless something drastically changes by then. Well, hope some of this makes sense. It is noisy here and I'm suppose to be doing school! :)

Thanks for your help. What are you using that works for you?

Thanks for being the only one to try to help! I'm stuck! I love how BP ties in all the resource I love. But, I'm needing more??? Worksheets, note booking, better crafts? I don't know exactly what.

So, I was using TOG for history. It was my dream curriculum since I started homeschooling but waited until I had a D student. Finally got to using it. I love the idea of it, how it looks, the author's views/help, etc. It just didn't seem to work as I'd like. My older dd didn't really like the history reading for D. Said it was dry. OK, it happens. But, I can't imagine my ds 9 ever being able to use these history books. It felt disjointed to me--though I still dream about it working for us. And it looks like what I'd want for high school, though it doesn't mean it is the right curriculum. So, I quickly ditched it this month, and bought Biblioplan! The whole year 3. Now, that looks great to me, too. But, I'm not liking the companion for my 4th and unders. My dd thinks it is fine. Easy to read, answer questions, done. I add to it with all the suggested readings and thankfully use SOTW and AG alongside it (As scheduled). Back in the fall I debated MFW. I love the idea of it, the student sheets, the work for youngers and olders together. I hesitate because my dd needs a lot for reading and MFW also does not have lit guides (which I love in TOG). I want to take a piece of all of these and make one curriculum. I just can't do that, since I am not about to buy all three! Anyways, I am almost ready to hit the buy button on MFW for Ex-1850. But, will it be another expense that I regret? A big one too. Plus, we are in the middle of a school year. I will ruin the nice flow of starting fresh in the fall!! I could go on and type what I like and don't like with each program, but I will spare you. I keep focusing on high school and what I want for then. I shouldn't do that. Does anyone actually use the same program cycle after cycle anyways? I have 5 kids and would do the cycle more than 4 times! I can't imagine using any of the above mentioned curriculum that many times. So, go back to TOG Yr2, U3/4........stick with Biblioplan (not working for younger, though they do get SOTW).......or go back to MFW Ex-1850 with some supplementing for my dd? Am I over-thinking? Making it too hard? I have a list of what I like/don't like, etc. I know I only can make the best choice for my family. Part of the problem is reading reviews. MFW is not well-liked. TOG is liked and deemed rigorous, yet does not work for many. And I haven't seen much about Biblioplan. SORRY so long. If you read all of that thank you. I appreciate any input. This is a yearly debate. It is time to stop switching and just stick with something. I know it is harder to help me without me listing all my pros/cons with each group. One last question, do I get what is best for my older? Or make sure I also get what is best for youngers? My ds with be 5th grade next year and really needs to step things up anyways.

My opinion only, but looking back on things I did or didn't do, I would either go with SOTW with the AG or join a CC group. I can see how for starters CC is encouraging and gets the basics of some history, geography, etc., done. Depends if you want to pay and spend a whole morning out of the house. At your kids' ages, it would be fine as the other days can be spent on basics, etc. TOG would have been way too much for me at that age and too much prep for what you get in LG. If you wanted more that SOTW then maybe you are interested in MFW? Sometimes I paid way too much for co-op groups just to get some social in, etc., hoping they learn something. I find it best for us to work hard at home and for social go to a homeschool park day group, etc. I think the group you were in with bible study and getting to know other women is great. I wish I had something like that for fellowship, etc. Anyways, my main input is TOG would not have worked for us at those ages. They do have a primer program out now that you could check out.

Anyone?

What do you use for your older kids? 7th and up? Do you keep them together (like with TOG/MFW) or use something separate for them?

I looked over at Biblioplan again tonight and really looked through the generous sample they offer. I am using TOG right now and just don't love it. I love what it looks like, should be, etc., but I'm not loving history and neither are my kids. I don't know what the problem is but it is disjointed for me and I spend lots of time planning but then when the week rolls around it just doesn't go well. Biblioplan looks like exactly what I need. But, maybe I really just need MOH or SOTW.... I haven't found much on the boards about what people think about it, the way it works, the content/accuracy, etc. So, any input would be great. I did enjoy using MOH when I tried that last year. I wanted more so I jumped over to TOG. I want TOG to work but it isn't right now. My other options is MFW which I hesitate to use because of my dd being in 7th next year and it doesn't seem to offer enough in the way of discussion questions and literature. I'm sick of jumping around. I just want to settle on something that works for all my kids! Maybe they all need to be doing their own things....

What will you do for pre-algebra? Stick with CLE?

Will you continue with CLE? Or use something else for pre-alg?

I have seen positive and IRL friends love it. I have read that 2nd edition is better? Or 3rd? The 4th edition isn't tried and true, right? That is where I hesitate. And I don't like buying old editions of things! :/

I hesitate with Saxon because of discussions I've read on this board! I would be buying the 4th edition and it is not as desirable as older versions? It does make sense to me to just move to Saxon now....

I have looked at the CLE test. I already see there are gaps. For example, she has not studied integers or square roots yet! But, I am not sure how to pick and choose which light unit to get from level 500. I know there is a scope and sequence but does it separate by light unit? Maybe I should just whisk her through CLE 500 to solidify facts, etc., and then continue slowly with MM? I don't want to mess her up because I was hopeful to start pre-A next year. Though, what's the point if she doesn't have her facts solid.

Do you have a schedule of how you use CLE and MM? What does your week look like, etc.? So, if I move her to CLE 600 the reviews are not included anymore? Hmmm, I need those..... I'm not good on my own! But, I am trying. :)

My dd is in 6th grade and working through MM6. She has a terrible time retaining what is learned. She seems to understand most of the concepts but when it comes to tests or reviews she doesn't remember. She is to the point where I am even realizing that while she knows her math facts, she does not know them quickly and well. I want her to master those. :( I am adding in more review now, doing math facts daily to help with that. But, I really think she may need a spiral program. :( What do you suggest? CLE? Saxon? If I go with CLE, then what would I use for 7th? I plan right now to use Saxon for 7th through high school. Should I just get 7/6 now? I do like the workbook approach of CLE and the constant review. She needs it! Anyways, any input would be appreciated! I am also hesitant with the other kids using MM, as I don't want to end up in the same place when they are in 6th! I may switch them over to something else, too. I love MM and the idea of it--it has just been so hard to implement here and math is not being enjoyed.