I bought a student guide for Adam of the Road from Memoria Press - not free but not too crazy expensive. Another book that I want to be sure my son reads without me having to hold his hand the whole way. :P

This is a great idea - definitely download the Try Before You Buy - you can get it for any level you like and multiple levels also. Depending on the writing skill of your oldest you may push into level 2 but more likely they can do the same assignments on level 1. If your girls don't care for History Pockets you can just pick and choose - leave those out, they aren't integral and can be replaced with other activities. I've been doing HO and SotW with my boys and even though they are further apart in age than your girls they cover the same topics together and I just expect different output from them (ie my older son is learning to outline while my younger is still learning to summarize.) Welcome to homeschooling!

I bought three of these this year for my 6th grader to use. Basically this was a way for me to build our own literature program. My son has high reading comprehension skills but has Aspergers and a very narrow field of reading interest. I'm assigning him the books linked to the student study guide for three books this year and having him work with them. The study guides are very similar to MP's Famous Men student workbooks. Each chapter has "Reading Notes" that list the characters and who they are, a short vocabulary section (vocab words used in context and a line for the student to write the definition), comprehension questions and discussion questions and activities. So far I'm satisfied with what I'm seeing. I'm not generally a huge fan of "worksheets" but I'm building this child's ability to work independently and this gives him the structure he needs. I can be sure he is reading the work and understanding it and I don't have to discuss every chapter with him. "Cons": Obviously printed "in house" the cover is cardstock and it has the black binding that you can do yourself. "Pros" - Vocabulary and comprehension questions to help with classic literature without having to buy a huge curriculum. Also, I haven't found any blaring errors as of yet. I bought guides for King Arthur (Roger Lancelyn Green), The Hobbit and Adam of the Road.

The workbooks have worksheets and quizzes that you may or may not choose to use. I find the repetition and writing of definitions and so forth very helpful. You will need pages for each student but you could buy one workbook and just copy the worksheets and quizzes. I used LfC A for my oldest last year and middle son is starting it this year. I bought him his own workbook but I'm just copying pages from the Activity Book. My oldest hates wordsearches and mazes and so forth, the middle son is really enjoying it already.

Maybe you mean "update"? Or are you talking about when people do a "bump"? :lurk5: Like this... It just means that the seller is putting their post back to the top of the list to make sure people have seen it. HTH! (hope that helps)

Sorry I didn't see your response before tonight. Each reading selection is roughly one page front and back, approx 10pt font. The selections are written in older English, a bit challenging but I like my 6th grading being exposed to this kind of language. This is listed as 4th Grade by Veritas Press...but IMO this would be pretty challenging for most 4th graders. Here is a sample I found online (no idea how to make a cool link): http://writing-edu.com/writing/PDF%20samples/Logos/IWL_Sample.pdf Happy Hunting!

I think my issue of having children with some exceptionalities worked into my struggles, plus having a 2nd and highly intelligent 5th grader (so trying to schedule both LG/UG and some D). I loved the content of everything, it was just overwhelming for me because each week I type up a daily assignment sheet for each child, and neither works well independently. I'm not bashing ToG, just stating why it didn't work for me last year. I may revisit it in the high school years because I did love the quality of the teaching notes and so forth.

I have three boys, 6th, 3rd and pre-K. We combine Bible, memory work, history, science and music/art appreciation. The boys do their own math, writing, language arts and Latin. I've tried doing it more separately but it's just too hard. Both boys need alot of hands-on (my oldest has Aspergers and my middle son is mildly dyslexic and hyperactive) and I don't have enough hours in the day to do all of their work separately. We start out the day (most of the time) with Bible and History together. Then I usually have them each do their Math U See, Writing with Ease/First Language Lessons...I get one doing a dictation while the other starts math, and vice versa. We kinda shuffle around so that I can sit nearby while they work "independently". I'm training the boys to check their work with the teacher manual (and my supervision). After recess for the younger two (while I do any work needed with eldest), we usually regroup for our combined science and music/art. They both listen to any read alouds, though each boy has their own reading assignments and discussions about those separately. Latin is currently kinda separate but I'm having my oldest son listen in on the youngers latin since that is a good review (he just completed LfCA last year).

I'm doing Middle Ages this year with my 3rd and 6th gradesr. My older son is doing History Odyssey Middle Ages level 2. I'm using the HO reading list plus other books from various curricula (see below). We are also reading one chapter a week from Memoria Press's Famous Men of the Middle Ages along with the student workbook. The book list is for both history and literature. Also I wanted to recommend Matt Whitling's Medieval Legends:Imitation in Writing. This book has sections from Beowulf, Charlemagne/Roland, Siegfried, St. George, and King Arthur. So far it's been a great tie-in/go along with the history. I haven't bothered trying to match the chapters up to what we are doing in History Odyssey and Famous Men of the Middle Ages. I figure that multiple exposures will just provide alot of reinforcement. Next time we cover this era I will be sure that he gets a more formal outline/time frame for each section. Middle Ages reading list for 6th Grade Castle by David Macaulay The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli The Trumpeter of Krakow by Eric P. Kelley Beowulf, A New Telling by Robert Nye The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow by Allen French Knight’s Fee by Rosemary Sutcliff The Story of King Arthur and his Knights by Howard Pyle (with MP student workbook) The Adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green (with MP student workbook) Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Jane Gray (with MP student workbook) The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, retold by Geraldine McCaughrean One Thousand and One Arabian Nights retold by Geraldine McCaughrean Tales of the Heike (Tales from Japan retold by Helen and William McAlpine) The Second Mrs. Giaconda by E.L. Konigsburg Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (with MP student workbook)

Like the OP I thought that ToG had a weekly schedule and was excited about it. Having to go through everything and figure out how to schedule for each child every week in addition to planning our other subjects made ToG overwhelming for me. There is so much there it is undoubtably very rich but it was alot of work. The other issue I had was that so many of the titles were pretty heavy reading/topics and that there is little to no support for any of the literature titles, for instance no readers/teachers guides for the literature. We tried ToG for one unit but it didn't work for us. YMMV.

:iagree: We use a variety of curricula and each week I decide how much we will cover that week - all depending on illness, holidays, etc...I feel we are plugging along at a good pace and I'm not stressed out about what "week" we are on. I'm drawing from SL this year and last year tried some ToG but I don't like the feeling of having to follow someone else's pace - so, "Other" it is!

How about Paula Deen products?

My oldest was about 8 years old and asked alot about sex when I was pregnant with my youngest. He wanted to see actual pictures of the female anatomy, so I found some very clinical diagrams and showed him. Once he saw it the mystique wore off and he was fine and didn't ask any more questions. As much as I would prefer to shelter my kids from excessive sexual knowledge especially in public school fifth grade is not too early. In my area there are regular stories of middle school (6th-8th grade) students being "caught" in school bathrooms involved in various sexual acts. If that isn't a good reason to homeschool I don't know what is! Anyway, it's important for kids to know beforehand what makes babies, etc... it's a shame it's come to this.

I just wanted to add in some words of encouragement. I have felt (and sometimes still do feel) exactly like you describe. When we are feeling overwhelmed this is sometimes is a message being sent to us that we need to make some changes. I agree with above posters to take a day or two and think about why you chose to homeschool initially. Is it meeting that purpose for the most part? If not, why not? What are the side benefits that you have discovered in homeschooling? Has this been good for your kids in ways other that aren't measurable/testable? What have been the cons, for you, dh and the kids? I am an introvert much like you described and I have been really dealing with just needing more discipline in my life - not exactly a "schedule" but something along those lines. It's extremely important that you take care of yourself - all moms, but especially homeschooling moms are pressed for time and have someone "needing" them 24/7 with no end in sight. Think of the oxygen mask in the airplane allegory - it you don't take care of yourself you can't take care of your kids. Put your needs towards the forefront - you need rest and downtime on a regular basis, you need exercise and some time away from your burdens on a regular basis. You have to make those things happen or you will burn out in the long run. :grouphug: The answer for me has been to make sure that I am getting some time for myself on a daily basis (or at least most days) and that time can't be after the kids go to bed and I just veg in front of the computer and/or tv. Every morning I go out for a long walk, leaving the kids at home (in my case I have a disabled grandmother living in the house for emergencies). I take my iPod and listen to music, podcasts such as the Daily Audio Bible, etc... things that really help me. This has become a kind of daily meditation and as a benefit I have lost a significant amount of weight since the beginning of summer just through walking and cutting back on carbs and junk food. Maybe you could get some exercise while dh is home, even if he is "napping" your kids could eat some breakfast, watch an educational (or not LOL) tv show or something that will occupy them for 30 minutes while you get a breather. It really makes a difference for me. The other thing I have implemented is a daily quiet time for the kids - this is 7 days a week, whenever possible. They each go to their own rooms and read, sleep or play quietly for about two hours. This quiet time allows me a few minutes to regroup, either rest or catch up laundry/house stuff. An added benefit is that the boys all seem to get along better in the early evenings/dinner time since they had a break from eachother (and I had a break from them). I highly recommend trying this - it's been a challenge to implement but it is more than worth it!! The other component has involved working with dh to find a work schedule that fits with the family. He is lucky to have some leeway in switching to different hours and isn't working nights these days. That would really be a challenge with the kids but it is workable and is a very good reason for homeschooling. When is dh "awake" and available to interact with the kids and give you a break? I would try to find a good four "mornings" a week to do school. Cut back to the basics for a bit and make sure that math, language arts/reading, handwriting are being done - then when you feel good there you can start adding back in history, science, art, music, foreign language, etc... You don't have to do everything at once, just make sure that they are strong in the fundamentals, the rest they can "catch up" on in the future. One last thing, I would *have* to cut back on the travelling and activities. As an introvert there is just no way I could do that on a regular basis - the driving and time trapped in a van with that many kids would fry me completely. Not to mention the time spent with family members putting me out of my element. :P It really sounds like you have alot on your plate but that you do have the power to make changes and make your life more of one that you, and your kids, will enjoy and can get alot out of. Don't give up yet - reprioritize for yourself, the basics in school and cut back on all the extras that are draining your resources (time, money, energy!). You can do it! :D

Thanks for posting a link to those articles - something new to listen to!

:iagree: And the LfCB book has less busy work like the word searches and spends more time on more useful exercises and review. I love the derivative study and review in LfC, it makes it so clear why Latin is important today.

According to good ole Wikipedia... "Direct Instruction (DI) is an instructional method that is focused on systematic curriculum design and skillful implementation of a prescribed behavioral script. On the premise that all students can learn and all teachers successfully teach if given effective training in specific techniques, teachers may be evaluated based on measurable student learning. A frequent statement in discussions of the methodology is "If the student doesn't learn, the teacher hasn't taught." (Tarver, 1999) Although they came from different backgrounds–Engelmann was a preschool teacher and Becker was a trained researcher from the University of Illinois–both sought to identify teaching methods that would accelerate the progress of historically disadvantaged elementary school students. DI was an attempt to merge rule learning with the principles of applied behavior analysis.[1] In this light, it can be considered a highly successful combination[2] The DISTAR (Direct Instruction System for Teaching Arithmetic and Reading) program gained prominence during Project Follow Through (1967–1995), the largest federally funded experiment in public education. Features of DI include: Explicit, systematic instruction based on scripted lesson plans. Ability grouping. Students are grouped and re-grouped based on their rate of progress through the program. Emphasis on pace and efficiency of instruction. DI programs are meant to accelerate student progress; therefore, lessons are designed to bring students to mastery as quickly as possible. Frequent assessment. Curriculum-based assessments help place students in ability groups and identify students who require additional intervention. Embedded professional development/coaching. DI programs may be implemented as stand-alone interventions or as part of a schoolwide reform effort. In both instances, the program developers recommend careful monitoring and coaching of the program in order to ensure a high fidelity of implementation. Direct instruction has been effectively delivered through peers to students with learning disabilities.[3] Peer delivery offers teachers new ways to effectively use the curriculum.[4] The approach has also been examined as an effective model to assist students in a resource room with homework completion, bolster executive functioning skills and improve teacher efficiency.[5] In the past decade Direct Instruction curricula, especially Language for Learning, have become popular tools for teaching language arts skills to children with developmental disabilities such as autism and other Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Knowledge of Direct Instruction methods is mandatory for any applicant aspiring to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Board certification in behavior analysis is an attempt to set quality levels for behavior analytic practice (see Professional practice of behavior analysis)." I took a class on reading instruction when I was getting my Bachelor's in Education about three years ago and had a class that focused completely on using Direct Instruction. We were given the task to work with a struggling 6 or 7 year old who was learning to read and had a DI textbook to read and told to use "100 Easy Lessons". I worked with my own reluctant reader son - I have to say he wasn't a big fan of DI, or at least not a fan of 100 EZ Lessons! I do like using scripting in some situations, especially with my older son with Asperger's - FLL and WWE seem to work great for him, perhaps because of the scripting. It may be that DI really is better for children with special needs/LDs.

For my special needs 6th grader and my 3rd grader I have them watch the video themselves then have the do the first worksheet. I sit at my desk right next to them bwhile they do their work. I check in every few minutes to be sure that they are on task and understand the work. At the end (or when asked for help) I check each problem to be sure that they understood the concept. After the first day of the week I usually don't have to help my younger son, except sometimes for a word problem he doesn't understand on the review pages. We do the "test" on Fridays and I check them right away, I have my students rework any missed problems with me right next to them - if there is a significant problem (more than one or two missed other than simple careless errors) then I have them do more work on the concept the following week.

:iagree: Ditto - FLL 3 is very different from FLL 1/2, the workbook is great, the lessons are short and easy. My 8 year old hates writing (fine motor issues) but this is very doable and it really reinforces. We do FLL grammar lessons one or two days a week and I'm doing Fairy Tales, Myths and Fables 2-3 days per week and WWE2 daily. Along with our reading from SL and poetry readings scheduled through SL that's his LA program. I'm stretching the FLL programs so that one book lasts 1.5-2 years and gives consistent but gentle practice.

In our second full year of homeschooling this is what I'm doing as well. I know that I will have a really difficult time finding any group for elementary students where the kids are learning latin. I am hopeful of finding some friendships for the kids, but even if not having structured activities (with group discounts) is worth trying a homeschool group.

Thanks for the suggestion, I will give it a try!

That helps alot! I'm going to try to sell this one to someone for a good deal and then find a newer version. If anyone has one to sell let me know! :D

My situation was somewhat similar to yours in that I pulled one child out of public school before deciding to pull them all out. My oldest was struggling in 4th grade with organization and social issues, so I made the call to pull him out in the middle of October, but left his younger brother in 1st grade at the same school. He mainly used the rest of the year to decompress and it was greatly needed after dealing with bullying at school. The following year I pulled out my middle son and homeschooled both together for 2nd and 5th. This year we are on 3rd and 6th grades and the youngest is starting some light pre-k. Try it and see how it works, especially with a younger student she won't be much "behind" if you decide to put her back in school outside the home and it sounds like she could really use a break. I would try to just make sure she has *fun* things to do at home that are also educational. Read some books with/to her, do coloring and art (if she likes those things), make crafts or cook foods that tie into the books that you read, let her explore the public library and find things (childrens books and movies) that interest her. Enjoy the time together while you continue researching how to do this. Good luck!

Was there any particular reason you ditched FLL? I am using FLL level 4 with my 6th grader this year and am pretty happy with his progress. It does require parent interaction (which for some is a downside) but I love the way it guides both parent and student through the process of breaking down a sentence, it makes it easy and I like having the visual. After we finish this I'm leaning towards Jr AG once or twice a week to keep up the practice until we get through middle school then probably moving to AG for high school.

Thanks so much everyone! Now to figure out where I can get a copy of the newer DVD. Ali, does it have a different ISBN number? I've found a reasonable price for the dvd sets at some other locations (new) but the ISBN is the same as the one I have and I'm concerned it's the same thing I already have. My oldest son has Asperger's and the newer format really clicked for him last year - I hate trying to make changes when I don't have to. Thanks!