Check out progressivephonics.com This is an excellent and free phonics program that teaches kids to read as they learn their letters. There are also handwriting activites and matching games that require the student to decode. This truly is a very nice program and you can print the areas that you need instead of buying a new curriculum. We also enjoy "Happy Phonics" which has a bunch of games, and we use a limited amount of "Explode the Code" as a review.

I think GSA has it's place for younger students- especially since we have one laminated 'classroom set' of the little books and we are planning on completeing the lapbooks together. Again one set. Why should I phtocopy the information, when we can share! I make the mini-books ahead of time since I laminate them. I have also removed the binding and placed the lessons in sheet protectors in a 1 inch three ring binder. Some of the lessons are a little weak, so I add information from the web, other resources etc. Slip them into sheet protectors and put them with the lessons. We utilize the library for living books on the same topics so the kids don't just get the info in the GSA book. I use it more of a guide as topics to cover and some ideas for fun activities. I would not recommend this for older elementary and middle school. I use it with our co-op of Preschools-3rd graders. We are not planning on using it as our 'core' science past 5th grade. Again, the topics and organization are nice. Some lessons can be combined and/or extended. It is a nice map for teaching these topics and the kids find the information builds from the previous lesson nicely.

I know lots of people who gripe about the prep work--- and it is a little tedious, especially since it can be very repeatitive. However, I think the information is good and I like the order at which subjects are taught. We have the ten books availalbe from Common Sense Press. I am looking forward to the other books. To save some time, prep etc. We break the binding and put the lessons in sheet protectors and place each book in a one inch binder. I can add additional information isheet protectors to each lesson as I see fit (sometimes the ideas brew for a particular topic). Then I laminate and cut each book, stapled and keep them in wipes containers for each topic. We read them for the lessons, use them for review, etc. But the kids do not color them. Since my kids are younger and we are likely to do everything again in more depth we have saves the lapsheets and lapbooking for later, but we will be doing it once as a group- not photocopying and doing it individually. This to me is a waste of time and paper when there are so many other ways to explore these topics.

This is great advice. I was going to suggest incorporating anything of interest into the curriculum into every subject possible, offer tangible and frequent rewards, but still expect the work to be timely and with reasonable effort.

I guess I am blessed that my SIL had her kiddos first. She does send me boxes and boxes of used stuff, and I appreciated everything. I can't remember the last time I asked for something. I am blessed that she is so darn wonderful! However, I have a friend that is similar to your SIL. She assumes that since I have made comments about being 'done' she can fancy herself to my stuff? ugh... so we've simply started making the random comments to her that we hope this (as in my labor this month- fingers crossed) is an easy one so I will consider have baby number four in a few years. Back to your situation: your stuff is YOUR STUFF. You do not have an obligation to give your things to anyone but who you want to. (While I kinda would feel guilty if I didn't at least try to give the gifts my parents had bought for me to one of my siblings... I am under no obligation. They are gifts to me and if I decide to give them to a couple that is in dire need, or save them until the moths have eaten them to dust... that is my choice.)

I plan my 'teaching part' for Sept-Nov and Jan-Apr. While we never really stop educating ourselves and learning new things, these are the months we typically do not travel as much- and when we do travel to families homes, most times they are working so we still have plenty of time to get 'school-time' in. December we typically focus on our family and faith, and less on other topics. We tend to do a Christmas around the world, and we've been doing it since dd was nearly 18 months old. This is important time of year for us to enjoy each others company, then we focus pretty well for the next several months. May-August, the weather is many times nice, so we focus more on nature studies, whatever we can do outside, incorporate camping trips, etc. We garden, and while we don't drop the 3R's, we tend to skip the other subjects. We have high expectations, but the beauty of a true home education is making it what you want.

I was confirmed at 21, and two siblings were confirms a few years afterward; we were all confirmed in different dioceses and we all chose saints for our confirmation names. Choosing a saint is choosing a patron, or a spiritual guide. It is part of the finding yourself and your faith aspect of confirmation. While I think it is often overlooked, I was an adult when I confirmed and found it to be a very important faith and spiritually fulfilling discovery. This saint is supposed to be a spiritual mentor, someone to pray to for answers, and look at their life for answers. For me it was a name that I chose for myself, and it has become part of who I am. I chose Saint Agnes, and I am humbled by her life. As I have moved to nearly 22 different parishes over the years and the country, I would be very surprised to be a member of parish that did not perform this part of Catholic tradition. _________________________________________________________ In regards to baptism, saints names are not required by canon law. The only requirement is that the name honors God and Christian virtues (i.e. you can not name your child Diablo...)

I think Prima Latina is a good choice, but if you are simply looking for a way to increase and encourage a more sophisticated vocabulary- Vocabulary from Classical Roots is an excellent choice.

We don't want to start with Ancient History this next year (kindergarten) because we want to wait until W#2 is a bit older and can absorb some of the info along the way. I bought Around the World in 180 days as a guide for a world geography and some world history for our daughter. Each continent is about one month- two months for Europe since there is so much, and three months for North America to cover some of the US states. I'm actually going to do USA geography this summer (we have some flashcards for $1 from Target and a paperback from when I was in elementary school witht he basic facts of each state. Then I am planning Around the World in 180 days Sept-May, and June-Aug return the the states. We travel quite a bit (and so do family members) so we have quite a bit to talk about for the states. I use All Through the Ages as a source for more literature to pick up from the library. Or we pick up what we see int he non-fiction section. I'm hoping that my daughter will have a more global idea of the world before we really start into history. Around the World in 180 days is a complete curriculum that the kids will do as we go, and do again as we continue through history. We do not write in the student text and use what we want, but I love some of the interesting facts- of course my daughter remembers these best. Have fun with it!

I'm not sure what I will do if my kids need to use the same materials at the same time... But for preschool/kindergarten, everything is laminated. No copyright laws are violated and all the kids can use the same workbooks. (Of course, then you have the lamination cost, but if you prepare and buy in bulk it is about 12 cents per lamination, and it definitely saves $$ if you are goign to use the same materials for more than two kids.) For other workbooks, I break the binding and place each page in a sheet protector and use dry erase (there are fine tip markers). You can leave their work intact until you are ready to 'clean the slate' for the next sutdent. --- Not sure this would work if you had two students using the same book at the same time? Then there is the option of making the kids do copywork form teh book just like they would if they were attending public school. This does not work for everything, but it does work for math and some of the geography- who really needs to write in the space provided. Many times rewriting the question, then answering it helps solidify the information. Or better yet have the question as part of the answer for better comprehension and more cohesive writing skills. Otherwise- we go half and half. There are programs and materials that are perfect, so why not pay a little more for it. Other programs are more easily changed to better suit the needs of the students. I don't htink your plan is too much, but frugality it high on my priority lately.

To Kill a Mockingbird is wonderful. A Raisin in the Sun is also great- touches on racism and other important moral topics. I've not seen them, but Ghosts of Mississippi, and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. A Time to Kill and MalcomX are good, but might be more adult than you are looking for. But there are definitely some good racial awareness and teachable moments. Other movies not directly related to that time period, but directly related to civil rights: Remember the Titans - this is excellent! Freedom Writers Guess Who?

History Links is great- I have everything available (a little sad they do not have modern and American history), but the programs are great because you can pick and choose which units are important to you, they work for all levels, and I am completely surprized by how my I have learned while reading the topics and discussing the point of history with a Catholic perspective. http://www.historylinks.info/ Let me know if you have specific questions about the different units.

I like Horizons, but actually was switching to MUS for a more mastery approach. I LOVE YOUR IDEA to use MUS and another curriculum with sprialing for review :) THANKS. That said I would say Horizons is a nice program!

:iagree: I have to admit that my handwriting is similar to my moms when I am moody (which my mom is very much) and when I am studious and focused it is more like my dads (which is all the time). However, there are weird things I do when I sign my name that looks exactly like my gradnmother's when she wrote my name in birthday cards. I was asking another teacher friend (and homeschooling mom:)) today and she said she usedd to breakk her pencil when she felt pressure for it to be 'perfect' or 'just right'. As long as you can read it, and a stranger can read it, it is probably ok for now.

I think the Institue for Excellence in Writing is a great program. The website also has great resources for additional writing ideas: the Myths, Fables, and Fairy Tales looks like a good start. Adding other projects like Wordsmith Apprentice (students writes newspaper articles) is a fun way to encourage more creative writing. Maybe try a poetry writing curriculum for a few weeks to spark some interst in more creative language. Picture Writing is also another good way to encourage students to use imagergy and all five senses in their writing. As a special education teacher, I think this is one of the hardest part not just to teach, but for the students to find meaningful. I hope you find something that works!