How about the Greek Alphabet Code Cracker - it would give her a taste and is supposed to be fun.

I loved the Living Page as well. Actually I was almost bored at first - I've done enough internet searching to have seen most of the forms and notebooks she showed. But the end - wow. What a reminder that education is not for utility, but for beauty. I think this is my favorite about-CM book actually. I really can't sum it up well, but it hit me. I want to reread it and think deeply. Of course, now I also want to get Beauty in the Word. And top priority tonight is to watch the video y'all linked. Does anyone find themselves progressing in some things but spinning their wheels in others? I'm still trying to get a routine set. Maybe it is really harder for me - DH is self-employed and seasonal, so we really have no external structure. I really want that rhythm. I just worry too much, and I need to just make it happen. I'm really enjoying this thread, and am off to look at Serl's books again. Which I own, haha. Actually I'd love to use them - like Gillian I'm trying to find SINGLE resources to cover whole subjects instead of having to mash things together.

The Circe thread started a chain reaction on my view of education, culture and life. I floundered a bit, considered MP (but there were too many workbooks), and then ended up using Ambleside Online. We really love it. I don't stress about the free reads though - I prioritize them so we work on the literature, but, especially with my slower reader, we do what we can because I don't want his life to be nothing but reading. My second prefers non-fiction, so I let him skip the 'lessor' free reads. The Circe thread and related podcasts showed me the importance of DOING things. Not just reading. So we get dirty, messy - we cook, work with animals, travel, play games, etc. I've stopped trying to plan the kids' entire 12 years of school, because I don't know what tomorrow holds. So I work on truth, goodness & beauty. I also look for programs that BOTH let the child "play with the puppies" (Kern had a post on this - love it) AND lead to mastery. This is why I am sticking with MEP for math, even though I have a love/hate relationship with it! It's also why I like copywork (Briem's Alice and Wonderland pages are great & free) and dictation (seems to be working for my eldest). We are using Visual Latin (play with puppies) and Henle (slowly for mastery). But the biggest one is trying to teach from a place of rest. Because if I manage that state of mind, everything is better. Justamouse, can you explain (with examples!) your comments on grammar? What does deconstructive grammar look like? What do you like about Serl's grammar? I've been wrestling with questions about grammar lately and would love to hear your thoughts.

What's funny is the original Classical Compositions finished in 9th grade I think - I wonder why MP drags it out?

I was never able to find a working link to buy the poster, it was always out of stock / unavailable. However I was able to do a google image search and find some images, perhaps that will help. Isn't the new version published by Calvert? Perhaps you could ask them.

I bought them last year. Haven't used them - the breakdown is nice, but the acronyms need some thought (I would say English is not the author's first language). I really should sit down and go through them, coming up with better memory hints. No issues on ordering - contacted the author first (my standard procedure), sent paypal, received the files. You have an iPad, correct? They should be fine on that, but I think they'd be difficult on a small tablet, due to formatting. I'll subscribe to the thread so if you have questions this week, ask, and I'll look in my files. (FYI, next week I'm going on a camping vacation, so it will probably be ~3wks before I am home. Just so you know I'm not ignoring anyone.)

The Fun Spanish (currclick) Simply Spelling / Delightful Dictation / Spelling Wisdom (all dictation based) Visual Latin (worksheets are PDFs) Miquon Math / MEP Math / Math Mammoth Grammar Land / Serl's Language Books BFSU Italics by Penny Gardener (also the Nine Note Method for the Alto/Sopranino) I discovered I can mail my *.mobi files to my Android and they show up on the Kindle app with cover pictures. (Simple pleasures!)

I've never been good at combining either - I just have a hard time with crowd control. Or my youngest son is very hyper & goofy - that could be it. :) Philosophically: * I don't base our homeschool around history. AO does some coordination, but it's not a spine for me. So I don't have any guilt that we aren't all discussing knights at the table. We tend to discuss what the boys are into, which is mostly things from The Hobbit atm. * My elder boys, even though only 18 mos apart, are very different in maturity and ability. I have a sense of peace that they are both where they should be. I think that sense of peace - that you are doing the right thing overall - is very important. Which is why I think each family needs to find their way. * My youngest son, likewise, was better served with shorter stories last year in AO yr 1 than he would have been lumped in with his brothers. He just can't sit & focus that long. So I would bore him and under challenge them if I combined. (And I know some of you are great at combining. But I'm not you. :D) * I hang out at the AO forum. A lot. So I'm surrounded by people who also don't feel a need to combine (some do, of course, but the general trend is to let each child have their own readings). * We have some things together - lots of read-alouds, picture study, singing, memorization, nature study, Shakespeare, etc. * I don't feel it's my job to cover everything they want to know formally. It's my job to introduce them to a variety of things (broad), and to immerse them in things (deep), AND to give them time to choose what they want to do/learn. So if they want more dragons & dwarves, I can help them find some stories / drawing ideas / playing ideas / etc., but I don't make it a school focus. It's their life. Practically: * I use AO very close to as written. This means I don't have to reinvent the wheel (choosing the best books, planning lessons) and that as I read the books with my eldest child, I don't have to reread them again. * My older boys need to be more independent. My 9yo is very independent, and he likes that. He's like me - focusses better if he is reading than listening, likes to work at his own pace. My 11yo is fairly independent, considering he's probably dyslexic and I need to read aloud if there is no audiobook. But, again, I see this as a good thing - it is their education, and it is fitting that they gradually take charge of it. * I bounce between kids. But that is easier for me than trying to keep everyone's attention at the same time. I prefer a tutoring style of teaching.

You might see if your library has "The Number Devil".

Yes. Probably over-used, but I know people who just don't do well on tests, despite knowing the material.

GSWL followed by Henle I?

Family Math is a lot of games, and I know of various math websites. I don't have those planned out yet so no specifics, but I should do that -- at least note some games/activities that look fun. I didn't think about counting board games as math. Any you recommend for his age? Yahtzee and Blokus are favorites here, but I'm trying to increase our board game stash.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm planning to buy AOPS this spring and work on it myself - I love that there are videos and alcumus. I'm just calling it math, but I was trying to think of what best description for a forum post. I've often seen Zacarro in living math, but I do want some kind of "cover my bases" spine, so I'm planning to use Practical Arithmetic. I would eventually like to add one of the Calculus for Young People // for Kids programs. Perhaps eclectic math? I'm actually not sure on Ray's for my youngest, I might go with games & activities from Let's Play Math or Family Math. I also forgot I had The Number Devil. I run Linux, last time I tried timezattacks I couldn't make it work, even on my windows virtual box. But I'll try again, it's been a few years, and I know the vbox program has been improved. TY for the idea.

It's not tested, but I decided to slow down the pace of Visual Latin. My students are 4th & 6th, so this might not help since your student is older (even though my 6th grader also needs the slower pace - languages are tough for him). http://crossingthebrandywine.com/2014/02/slowing-down-visual-latin/ For Lingua Latina I would get the College Companion, plus I found English Grammar for Students of Latin helpful. I have the CD-Rom version of the exercises, but it is very dated. The course at Pullins is helpful, even though it's more expensive than the CD was. I'll probably bite the bullet and subscribe, just to make my life easier.

No regrets - I'm very thankful. I do wish I'd have had a better education, but I'm happy to be getting one now, either ahead of my kids or with them!

I know many here use a free form / mixed / living approach - I'm trying to get my kids more independent while still keeping the puzzle qualities of MEP I liked so much. I'm basically limiting myself to what's on my shelf/computer, but if there is a wonderful resource that's not an arm & a leg, feel free to let me know. I'd love to know if there are any glaring holes. The basic idea is going to be Practical Arithmetic 1 & 2 with resources like Kitchen Table Math, Zacarro, Miquon, etc. until they are ready for pre-algebra. 11yo Needs to strengthen his math fact recall badly. My goal is to do a pre-algebra program next year (I'd love to do AOPS with him, other ideas are LoF or a more traditional program like Lials). Daily mental math with Ray's Intellectual Arithmetic Zacarro's Challenge Math (whole book this year, at least trying all the problems) Possibly adding Your Business Math: Pet Store by Simply Charlotte Mason 9yo Also want to strengthen his math facts and provide challenges. He likes being independent. Practical Arithmetic (Strayor-Upton) Book 1 Zacarro's Primary Challenge Math (finish this term), followed by VanCleave's Geometry for Every Kid and Zacarro's Real World Algebra (will have to buy this) - either sequentially or concurrently 7yo Needs more work within 1-20, regrouping - more hands-on with manipulatives and discovery. Miquon - starting with Blue Mental math & tables with something like Ray's Primary Arithmetic I'm trying to get them all consistently doing xtramath for more drill. I have several resources for myself (Miquon guides, Kitchen Table Math 2&3, Family Math, Maximum Math, SCM's Mathematics guidebook).

So is it the consensus that you can jump into a high-school level program, with middle school aged children, and it's okay if you go at their pace? Or is it best to ease in with a program aimed at elementary/middle school children? Perhaps it's six one way and half a dozen the other... :D

I could check on an ILL, the closest copies (in the US) are in California though. I'm looking at my Homer books now. I have both A Reading Course in Homeric Greek and Beginning Greek with Homer. I could use one of those, slowly. (The first is a high-school course. The second is set up with self-study in mind.) I've just never heard of anyone doing Homeric Greek with children. (Yes, I'm a collector of foreign language books, and I want to read Homer in Greek.) I think I'll use the GP book I have on hand first. I'm still unsure about our plan on this, hopefully seeing Athenaze when it comes into the library will help. I wish there was a Henle Latin for Greek.

I have the original book Galore Park published by Kristian Waite, but it seems their new book covers much more ground. However, I could start with the book I have and go from there. I can always add in Bible verses to memorize. The Alphabetarion includes several in part 2 with audio. Is there a preview / look inside for Thrasymachus somewhere? I do want them to be able to appreciate the Bible, but I like them having the option of more than that, if they want it. I suppose having a real goal/objective would help, but I'm just not sure yet. I will look for the chant CD though.

Thank you for your feedback - I don't really care how long it takes to get through Athenaze, so I edited my original post. I'm just wondering if doing Elementary Greek first would be better. I'm pretty sure they aren't ready for something as intense as an online course. I'm not sure they could do Athenaze (I have it on hold at the library to better peruse it). Latin is our main focus, Greek is the extra and slower is okay with me. As to myself, I've done a fair amount of Latin and dabbled in Greek, but I am far from an expert. I am working on Beetham's Homeric Greek course for self-study. I'm just not sure about using it with the kids. It seems most people use one of the Koine programs or something like Athenaze/JACT Reading Greek. SarahW could you expound on Koine programs vs. classical ones? And on Reading Greek if you could. I am still considering that course.

I'm trying to decide between the two programs for next year - this would be for my older two boys. They will have completed the Greek Alphabetarion/Hupogrammon, as well as Visual Latin 1-20 plus drill from Henle. Option A -- more independent Elementary Greek (I like that they will memorize Bible verses) Athenaze Option B -- less expensive Athenaze (taking a slower pace) Option C ?? something I haven't considered. Enlighten me! I don't want to push my eldest, language is not his strength. My second son is good with language and memorizes easily, but tends to dawdle if given a task he thinks is too large. So slow & steady is fine with us. Right now I'm leaning towards the more independent, bite-sized, laid-out option A (the next few years are going to be very time-crunched). But the frugal we-want-to-read-Greek side of me is protesting.

Are you doing both the lessons in the plans and the booklet and the interactive pages? Or just portions of them. I really like the instant self-checking aspect of the online pages. There are just so many parts of year 7 to wrap my head around!

I'm still interested in this program, but I want to go for mastery. Since the straight-through approach doesn't provide that, would it be possible to use the drawing instruction out of order? Such as following your history progression (or other readings)?

My older two are doing The Fun Spanish and enjoying it. It's sentence based and has them draw - excellent for wiggly boys. I bought it at Currclick.

Has anyone just used the interactive MEP pages for years 7-9? I really like them, but it seems like too simple a solution. Thoughts? Is it good enough (this is for my 6th grader).