Hey JoAnn, what virtual academy is that? Maybe WA is looking better:-) Carrie:-)

That's sweet! Good that your son was self confident....and look..it leaked over to the neighbors... Carrie:-)

Is this for filtering bad words? My parents have one that they love...like a Guardian or something. :-)

That is one smart teacher...make you work hard...to be able to participate in a learning activity! WOW! Gotta remember that. I actually believe that knowing States and Capitals are important, and I'm excited to learn more about the different Continents as we go along. This allows you to intelligently participate in conversation and appreciate the world around you. Just my opinion.

What is a Clear play? Carrie:-)

I know that you need sand meant for kids to play in so it doesn't have...hmmm...maybe someone can help me fill in the words...Is it silica that you don't want? Our healthy parenting group talked about it a lot a couple of years ago...due to the dust created, when it's being used. Carrie:-)

:lurk5:

This is a thread that gets started a lot, and I can't help but comment. I LOVE CC and the memory work. To me, it's like a whole food vitamin that gives them a HUGE amount of pegs to hang other information. We use CC and I try to make most of the info relevant to my children's learning. I mean, even if we're in another history period, or a different area of Science studies...we can still talk about what we're learning in CC. My 5 year old can really make the connection and bring it into real life conversation! My mom was talking about the Declaration of Independence with my 2nd grade nephew. Of course, my son started singing the song about it...and telling my mom about it.... He also does skip counting and has started to try to memorize some of the multiplication facts. And, knowing his skip counting makes all of the Living Math books that we read, come to well....life. (Greg Tang's and Cindy Neuschwander's) My 5th grader has most of the information memorized, as well. It's really been painless. She's taking Essentials, too. While it's not her favorite, it's been a good class for her to take. It's nice for her to have some teaching from someone else! Carrie;-)

Just to offer an alternative, if you choose to homeschool again. Classical Conversations is especially good for families who move a lot. Wherever you are, CC is basically the same. So, you can pop in and out of a group and then move on to the next one. My children love the interaction and the academic vitamin has been great as well. Just a thought....might be a nice way to stay on the same path. Also, if you want to after school, you can do CC on your own. Or, you might see if you can do one day of CC and then the rest public school. I know that I thought of letting one family do that, in a situation that the mom just couldn't have her little one all day due to medical situations.(hers) Anyway....Just listening to the cd...and doing a bit of map work...gives a nice foundation. Even my step daughter that is in Public School, knows almost all the History Songs...etc...just from listening with us. ClassicalConversations.com Carrie:-)

I've been tempted to try and get my son in Montessori. There's a charter opening up with only 30 total spots for 1st-3rd. It would be a long shot to get in...but I think he would love it! Regardless of what everyone else experiences...he's bored with only me and his 10 year old sister to play with. He'd like some play mates... Carrie;-)

We do Classical Conversations, so I think it's just over $1000. a year. Carrie:-)

I would do Cycle One, and at least go to the Open House...they'll probably have that. This way you can do the practice at home, the same way you do it at CC. I wouldn't worry about Essentials. Just do a program like Shurley Grammar...that's the closest to Essentials' EEL that there is... You can go ahead and get Our Mother Tongue for reference. You might want to do some IEW, if you want to be up where they are..either way, it'll be fine. Also, why not get another family to do it with you at home, if you can't tutor? That'll give you some accountability and fun:-) Carrie:-)

Our kids listen to Classical Conversations cds in the car and like them. We also listen to a Timeline cd we have of the VP cards, set to CC order. We like that, too. Carrie:-)

The students that I'm thinking about will be in 7th grade. Carrie:-)

You could do it with a couple of other families. If you have some things on the side for the 3 year old, it's probably be best. I'd have one mom do all the memory work for the quarter...(at least) and then moms rotate quarters for the Science...etc. (It'd work well for 2-3 moms to rotate through) Everyone purchase new Guides (they are on sale this month) and new cds...etc...because there are a ton of corrections in them. Carrie:-)

Do you think he could have done it without Latina Christian, first? My kids are doing what yours are, except they are taking longer. They are on track for 4 years, but two of the kids in the class are in ps and just don't have an hour a day... I'm wondering about another group of kids...and the ability to do it in 2 years without any prior Latin. Carrie:-)

Anyone have their students do Henle I in only 2 years (or about 30 or so weeks?) Did you have latin before this, or go straight into Henle? Tell me how it went and how long your student spent each week on studying, if you would. Thanks! Carrie:-)

If you end up doing CC for the 3 cycles...and then it starts over...I'd save at least the Human Anatomy for Cycle 3, but that's not imperative. It might be more relevant, if you memorize what you plan to study. I'd plan on doing that, but it wouldn't stand between if I did CC or not. For History, I have the kids listen to tons of Cds...SOTW, Jim Weiss reading his own cds...and then also just tons of library cds. I also read tons of living math books....books by Greg Tang and Cindy Neuschwander, and any other living book I can get. I often sneak in my older child learning...by having her read the books to the 5 year old. Carrie:-)

I would say 3rd for you child, although I think in Michigan the cut off may be after Dec 1. (Oops, just looked it up and Michigan has the cut off as Dec. 1st) So, if you held him back a year, it'd even be 2nd:-) Carrie:-)

http://singnlearn.com/ has the States and Capital Kits...a great site...and good learning material. Carrie:-)

Ok, so where you are should be a fairly established community. Do you have your kids do all of the same work, as much as you can? Are you ok with it taking you longer to get through a core? I'd pick the 4 day if I was really trying to stay close to a year....and do 5 day if you're fine with taking longer. It's fairly easy to use CC as the spine, but if you want to use Sonlight, I've heard that it can work, too. There's tons of info on here if you do an "Advanced Search" for Classical + Conversations. Just to let you know, Cycle 1 is "Ancient History" but I believe it's more of a start in Ancient and move towards Modern, so it's a bit of a "World History Overview." It should be a great Cycle to start with! Have you gone to and Info meeting? Open Houses should still be going on....AND, practicums are right around the corner. I would think of taking your kids...although it costs for them to do the student camp...the Practicums are free. My 5 year old is getting left with g-ma, though, because 3 full days are too much for him. Carrie:-)

Ok, so our experience is we have a 10 year old and a five year old. They love CC. My son(5) can get through until about the last half hour or so and then comes and sticks around me. I'm the director, so my kids have to be there early (an hour early) and so that may be part of what makes it a little hard to stick in class. Also, I'm ok with him knowing that he needs to come be with me. If I wasn't directing, I would be in his class more than I am. He knows all of the material, and I can't really take credit for it. We listen to the cd a couple of times a week (or get on the C3 part of the site, which is a computerized way to practice...he loves this.) anyway..he loves it! My ten year old loves it, too. We do Foundations and Essentials. My 10 year old mentioned that for the first time she has friends. Of course, she has ballet friends, Awana friends, etc...But at CC she really gets to interact. Much different than public school for her. She's actually really social, but CC is just different for her! I have a 16 year old in Challenge B, which is approximately 8th grade. She is enjoying Logic, debate, current events...etc. She's already farther than they are in Latin. She does pre-calculus independently, Forensic Science, Chemistry and Band at school. She also is reading through some history on the side. She's loved the unique interaction of other Christians that are in and education setting. I would have loved her to go the whole way through the Challenges, although for us, she would have always needed extra learning opportunities. I suppose that's why she's as educated as she is, even though she was in public school. She's always been good at self education. I believe that CC can help you to provide a great Social, Educational learning environment and be part of the foundation that your children need to become well rounded Christian adults. Carrie:-)

Tell us how old your children are and what else you want to do with them. Are you using CC as your spine? What state are you in?

If you even guess that she could have lyme disease, and she tests positive...the antibiotics have to be way longer than they prescribe. If she does have it...you have to be on top of it...pm me and I'll call my cousin about what it's suppose to be......My second cousin, her son, had it...and it didn't get treated correctly...not good. Hopefully that's not it.... But, if it is, seriously...I'll call my cousin and ask her....she's having her son seen by a specialist years later...... Carrie:-)

I'm watching for ideas, I really want to buy more! Carrie:-)