Nuts! I didn't order that one! :ack2: Thanks though!

I just switched my oldest from Saxon to Singapore. She should start at 4A, but I thought I'd "review" through 3A and 3B quickly. So in looking through the HIG and textbook, I'm not seeing where they actually teach the process of division, as in: divide, multiply, subtract, bring down. Do they do this before 3A? Maybe they do it in a different way?? I guess I'm use to Saxon's very detailed, explain every tiny step presentation... Thanks!

Thanks so much. I'll be spending more time today reading, reading, reading. I'm hoping in "clicks" as you all say, lol! I'm going from Abeka to Miquon for my younger two, and Saxon to Singapore for my oldest, so we have math chaos right now, at least for me! I'll try again...:001_huh:

So I just ordered the Miquon Set for my 3rd grader and Kindergartner (both had been in Abeka). I thought I'd start them off in the first book, let my 3rd grader work faster, and let my K child, just go at her own pace. I bought ALL the books, the lab annotation, the diary and notes to the teacher. I still don't get it. I've spent the day perusing everything, and it's still all Greek to me!! I have no idea what to do next. I knew it was going to be hands on, interactive, etc., that's what I wanted, but I just don't "get it". I keep looking at the sheets and thinking, this looks so out of order, and nonsensical! It makes no sense to me. Now I'm no math genious, so maybe that's part of it, but surely I can figure out 1st grade math!!?? I've read such good things about it, but I need HELP! :confused: Thanks!

MonaLisa, Thanks, yes, I did know Sound Beginnings was based on RWTR, I didn't want to go there again, it was just too much all wrapped up into one! Thanks for your thoughts on HWT. Elizabeth, Thanks for the clarification! So, I decided to go with HWT for handwriting. It should be arriving any day. I decided not to go with AAS, because I had tried that with my oldest and I didn't care for it. I toyed with OPG, but it just didn't "fit". I really like the Blend Phonics, and I ordered Phonics Pathways too. I really like it as well. With my 10yr. old, I'm doing Webster's With my 8 yr. old, I'm doing Blend Phonics and a little bit of PP, but will transition into Webster's when he's done with Blend Phonics. I can see now how Elizabeth actually has some overlapping there for a a hopefully smooth transition. With my 5 yr. old, I don't mind moving at a slower/fun pace, so I'm doing PP with her, and she sits in on her brothers Blend Phonics. I love the idea of Webster's, I hope I'm just able to carry it through! Thanks so much! So far so good!

Wee Pip, Yes, that makes sense, that's the way Abeka does it. I guess I will just have to give him more time. He is mixing things up alot. If the number is 13, he wants to write the 1 and carry the 3. He also wants to start adding in the tens columns, since it's on the left side of the page. While we've been working on reading, he use to read words backwards, and I would stress over and over to go left to right. He's finally just getting that and NOW, and I'm telling him to work his math right to left and I think that too is confusing him. :confused1:

Thanks for looking! I did go back and look, and I really didn't see anything besides, "add these numbers with carrying". I'll just keep trying with the Math U See blocks, or LEGOS. My son loves them, maybe that would help! I've been building the math problems concretely, but I don't think it's clicking for him. Even the point that the unit block represents a number... I guess I'll just keep trying. :)

Hi, He is in the Abeka 1 book. I will also look back a few pages... Thanks, and let me know if you find anything!! :)

Yeah, that's what I did with the Math U Se blocks... :confused:

Thanks for the ideas. :)

My son is in the Abeka 1 book at the end, where they are adding and carrying. I do not have the teacher book, so maybe they really teach how to explain it in there, but in the student text, it just starts with the problem and has no explanation. I have tried, and tried to explain it to him, but to no avail. He just doesn't get it. Really I don't think he understands place value. So far he just adds the numbers together, and knows to do this column first, but now that pace value matters, he's not getting it. I got out my MUS blocks, to use as a viusal, and it still didn't help. Anyone have any ideas or experince in this area? Thanks!

Elizabeth, After I printed out your guide, I figured out yours is the step by step approach for the guide on Don's site. Sorry, I didn't look closer before I asked! I printed off Webster's too, and I'm still curious if one could just start using that, or if you feel blend phonics or another program is necessary as a prep? Also, I have 3 kids that I'm doing phonics with. A 11 yr. old, and 8 yr. old, and a 5 yr. old. If I'm doing Websters with them, would I start them all at the beginning, and just go at different speeds, or would I skip some of the first part with an older student? I love your Blend Phonics guide. It would be SOOOO nice to have something like this to accompany the Webster's!! Thanks!

Elizabeth, I was looking at "blend phonics" on your site again, and "blend phonics" on Don's site, and they seem *totally* different! Are they?? Yours seems very similar to what I see in the Webster's Speller, and Don's seems more like lists. Are they the same "program", or different? Also, is there any reason why we would need to do Blend Phonics as apposed to jumping right into Websters? Though I still don't know exactly how to implement it, it appears that it starts at a very basic level. I'm off to print it today. Would Websters be a complete stand alone "tool", or should it still be used in combination with another phonics program like PP, OPG, or AP? Thanks! I'm getting closer!

Sound Beginnings is based on the Writing Road to Reading, by Spalding. It seems like a good program, I just don't know how to slow down in one area, while still making progress over all. Thanks for the ideas. Elizabeth, I listened to your Lesson 1. When my son was in speech therapy several years ago, he learned letters like f, k, t as sounds that do not use the voice like "t" instead of "tuh". I think this would confuse him now to hear it that way. Is there a reason for adding the "uh" at the end of the sounds instead of it being a "pure" sound? After seeing your suggestion, and reading more info here about Webster's, I'm interested in that, but would need some guidance or a manual. Also, when it comes to teaching materials, I like to have a "hard copy". I'm not good at using alot of online materials. I want to have something in my hands! It seems like it could be "simple" if I just understood it! I am completely overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information on your site, and Don Potter's site. Regarding Blend Phonics, I see your instructions and Don's. Are they the same or different? I see lots of word lists, like Alphaphonics. Are they just suppose to read the lists? This is where I get hung up on this program, and what I've seen from the Webster's book... How do you know what to do with the word lists? Thanks!

Hi there, I'm sure there are tons of questions about this topic, but I could use some advice for "our" situation. I have a newly 3rd grader, that is at *maybe* a first grade reading level, and has poor handwriting. When he was younger I got a lot of resistance with him, so just thought I'd "wait" until he was "ready". We used to be *very* laid back in our HS approach. About a year and a half ago, we got serious about school, and have been following the classical method since. I didn't really do much with him regarding phonics, etc. until last year, when I did Sound Beginnings with him. It is a phonics/reading/spelling/listening/handwriting program. He did *ok* with it at first, but now there is SO much we need to do each day, and it's hard to keep "on lesson", because he is maybe doing well in one area, and poorly in another, but I can't really adjust the pace in any of the area's, because they're all wrapped up together. I've noticed alot of letter/number reversals with him as well. I'm not really worried about it, but he does get discouraged and thinks he "stupid" because of it. He has never liked to write, color, or draw, and it just seems more difficult for him. I keep hearing great reviews about Handwriting Without Tears, and I think he could really benefit from it, however, I can't implement it with what I'm using, because they have totally different handwriting methods. I would have to use another phonics program, and then find a spelling program. I already have Alphaphonics (though I don't know how to use it), and I have the Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading, that was given to me by a friend, as well as 100ez Lessons. I don't mind 100ez Lessons, but it's what I used with my 11 yr old daughter, and she was slow to jump into reading, and is still a *terrible* speller, so I don't think I want to use it again. SO, if I go with HWT, I need to know what else to do. I'm a little overwhelmed, because I feel like I need to do remedial work with my 11 year old, remedial/basic instruction with my 8 year old, AND I have a 5 year old that WANTS to learn to read this year!! We were so "relaxed" for so long, and I just though things would "work out", but it didn't. I have 2 kids that need extra help, and I don't want to make the same mistakes with my third!! So I need: Most importantly: Phonics for my 8 yr. old boy (Some kind of spelling program, so he hopefully gets a better start than his older sister) Also: Remedial phonics, spelling, handwriting help for my 11 yr. old daughter And: New instruction in phonics for my 5 yr old daughther! (And I guess I would use HWT with her too...) I'm so embarrased they are so behind! I really want to bring them up to where then need to be, but am so overwhlemed. I was so determined to just stick with Sound Beginnings, becuase I use to be a curriculum jumper, but it really does seem to be too much for him to do all of that all wrapped together. Thanks for any help!