Update on The Story of Science....I'm bummed. the Worldview will not work for me just yet. If it was for high school, okay, but I like to spend middle school getting their mind settled on the science of Intelligent Design before hitting more secular materials. What a bummer, too! The style would be ideal for dd!

It does get better in year 2. This is a reason why they are revamping year 1. Hang in there!

A friend of a friend said as much today and I'm wondering your thoughts on this matter. Thank you!

I found the picture purposefully dramatic and overdone to the point of silly....kids like silly.

Well said :) I think I use the completed BC in the TM as much as the daily lessons, but it would be pretty nifty if that was all in one place...written down together, I mean. I think I'll chat with Mrs. Beers about this at convention. I can't wait!

Sounds to me like PR3 will meet you where you are.

Saving bandwith for SWB: Here's the blog post w/ pics :) YEAH for me!

:lol::lol::lol:

Depends on the grammar foundation your child has. How 'bout writing foundation? If the answer is not much or just a little, start with 2. If the answer is a good beginning, then 3 will do! bosco....the AIO is brought up for 2 reasons: there's no redundancy and since you're using 1 program, you get a different kind of application. It's beautiful! The time gets mentioned b/c people have this idea the PR is teacher intensive, when it's really no moreso than other programs (like the lineup you mentioned).

I have the hive for K-8; a finger with a "reminder tie" around the pointer for high school b/c I don't want to forget the wisdom there; and the judge hammer for middle school b/c that's when we have to drop the hammer and be ready for high school! How about you?

Not on topic, but I was just having a conversation with someone last week about how so many people we know actually fit the sterotypes so fully in how they look, dress and speak, yet get so mad when someone refers to them stereotypically. Another conversation altogether, I'm sure, just remembered it from your post.

You may actually appreciate the old english and root references in the Phonics Road. I'll bet you already say babi...not babee? I would enjoy just listening to you speak. I LOVE the variety of accents on this planet. LOVE THEM!:D

We did 100ezl with the 5 and the problem was less about finishing the book and reading quickly, but more about the gaps in phonics that followed. Just my 2 cents :)

searches are different, too. Today I keep getting some weird...your message is posted....after posting. hmmmm things that make you go hmmm!

I feel you. We are so done with everything save daily practice. I need the respit and I need to get ready for next year. I have been over it for some time. I wish I could be completely finished, but my eldest boys are not helpin' with that!

I think the idea of "independence" really creeps into a home school mom's vocabulary right around 4th grade. For me, it sure did! I suddenly wanted to cut them loose to do so much on their own. I learned the hard way about independence and what it really can and does mean. It's too bad, though b/c PR3 does bring on a different level of independence. I also think people start spending more money on science and history about this time (something else hindsight has taught me not to do). They would rather pick up a $20ish program for LA b/c they think the foundation is complete. Honestly, the writing in PR is great and fairly effortless compared to my earlier path. It's so worth staying the course!

:lol: That is so funny!~

It occurred to me this morning, there are several on the yahoo groups that have done so. <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/using_phonics-road/join"> <img src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/yg/img/i/us/ui/join.gif" style="border: 0px;" alt="Click to join using_phonics-road"/> <p>Click to join using_phonics-road</p> </a>

I like KF for middle school and US for grammar.

:iagree: I have found, on the days when I don't feel like doing anything, the inherent value of PR pushes me forward. Perhaps b/c I missed the boat with The Elders, I realize even more the deep value of this program. Gaps will do that to a teacher! Since I do the DVD-a-thons, I don't even deal with the DVDs on a regular basis, so they are no problem for me. The only DVDs I've watched this year were to pre-plan for level 4. ps...PR is SO MUCH MORE than spelling! You really can't compare a "just spelling program" to PR. The application at work here is amazing. I am sure an experienced and confident teacher (like I've become, but wasn't always) could apply each skill no matter what they use, but for me, PR taught me how to do it and encourages me to continue to do so.

Carmen, I loaned out my Bridge, so I can't look at the materials. It's been 4 years since I used it, so I don't remember exactly. What I do remember is you'll get grammar and word study. What you won't get is the wonderful application of writing skills. I know you didn't like the PR2 writing, but it sure does pick up in PR3. I find the application across the board to be the best part of PR, coming from experience and seeing when application was lacking --- it wasn't pretty. I'm a pretty good writer, but not as good a writing teacher (I am now, but wasn't then). I think the way PR3 uses the lit. study for full-on grammar instruction is beautiful. It's the way I always wanted to teach, but didn't have the skill set. Then, it takes those skills and applies them in writing. *I* find this priceless. The Bridge will make sure one is ready for LR, but I sure love the process and application in PR3&4. But, that's me :) YMMV.

We do 2 or 3 a year. We gather with friends; present projects; share our favorite things; and pot luck. It's so much fun and it gives us all something to look forward to at the end of our hard work!

Using my dd11, 5th grader as an example, accelerating the spelling is pretty simple, but is teacher time consuming. By the end of PR 3, you've got around 1200 words. At some point, your dc goes back and labels parts of speech for each word. DD does that entirely independently. We completed the first page together, she understood how to do it, so from there on out, she flew solo. Since PR3 covers what was learned in PR2 (basic grammar), you simply review the definition, sing a song, practice a couple together, then they're off!The first few Building Codes are easy to use as copywork for a child who has mastered the basics (power tools, rule tunes). Unless your child needs you for the review, you can easily offer this as straight copy work. I'd say BC5-7 take about 10min of my time; about 15 for the rest. For BC I usually dictate the first columns and then free her up to finish the rest. For example, if a BC looks like this: ~all, full, and till....{finish the song and write it in the BC} "Now, let's apply our song to some words" all + most = almost care + full = careful "Do you see the pattern and how our song explains the rule?" I would dictate: all + most; care + full; etc for the 17 words and then have her go back and complete the page. 10min, maybe 15 min with me, then she's free. For dd, we'll parse a couple sentences together, then she goes back and finishes the rest. For the word study, we build the words together and decide on the literal translation, then dd goes back and defines all of the words on her own, using her dictionary. I did 4 lessons with her completely, by then, she was more than comfortable. For this, which is now "spelling" it takes about 10min. with me and 20 or less on her own. We do spend more like 30 min. together for the lit. study b/c there is So Much Writing work that really comes out of it. *I* can't leave my kids alone too much for writing. I did that once and the results were not pretty. There are some things I prefer to spend one on one time to teach and writing is surely one of those things. That said, there are a handful of assignments in the lit. section that she is free to complete and plenty of just reading days. With that in mind, you can accelerate to some point by reading aloud in chunks, but if you need the writing foundation, I wouldn't rush through that and I find the exercises to be a full days work. You'll find examples of them on my blog. My biggest soap box is APPLICATION. The AIO approach offers that in a way I never got from other programs. I tried "more independence" for my older lot, using Rod & Staff without the oral review and we had little or no retention. I thought 4th grade meant "SEE YA!" but it didn't and I regretted it later when I had to remediate too many times. I also learned that middle school independence can be very over-rated, or at least, I misunderstood it. My 2 boys (now 8th and 9th grades) still require meetings and a lot of follow up from me. If I'm not on them, their work won't get done and we end up in a mode of general agitation with one another. My daughter on the other hand, meets with me rarely, gets all of her work finished, and comes to me whenever she needs to (not often). If you consider PR1&2 are designed for 1st and 2nd graders, do you expect a Ton of Independence from those ages? So, yes, those levels require your presence, and in my philosophy of education, they should, but by the end of PR2, I was able to let my 2nd grader (w/ ADD) and my 3rd grader (uber-wiggly) finish up assignments on their own (guiding them into independence). IMHO and experience, there are some things for which play and independence do wonders, but there are other times independence is taken too far, for the sake of independence, and it's not so good. Now, consider PR3 is designed for 4th graders, then you'll see that there is teacher time and then student time. I honestly spend No.More.Time. than I ever did once I started the Oral Reviews of Rod & Staff. If you drop PR3, you're missing an amazingly effective word study. I am SO pleased with it! Make sure you pick up in the "vocabulary" area after dropping PR! The outcome of independence is beautiful, but the process takes quite a while. Be patient mommas! I know you're tired. I know you need more time....I SO KNOW! Remember, I'm juggling 8 and getting it done. I *Know* what it means to need and want more independence from your kiddos! Whatever path you choose, I hope it works for you, and I hope you find all the mastery and independence you long for. I know you're all doing your best. Keep up the good work!

we call them possessive pronouns, and also sing, "They often act as adjectives and can be in the predicate...

We're heading that way. I have used 1-3, the Bridge and LR 1&2.