That is all soooooo helpful...thanks to every one of you. I'm jumping on the boards again after a few years abstinence and am quickly remembering why I was once so hooked!

I think it would be very helpful to read many of the HO books out loud, as they can be a bit dense and dry for a 5th grade, though worthwhile. Theras and his Town is the only one my ds has enjoyed reading to himself. There's still plenty of independent work.

I've done more research on both Henle and Cambridge, thanks to the help and links several of you gave me yesterday, and I'm leaning toward Henle. I have a few more questions: Looks like it's possible to move on to the second Henle text without completing the first, provided the basics are covered? Would that be the equivalent of a 1st year Latin course? There are curriculum guides by two different authors--Lowe and Berquist--anyone use both, one for tests and the other for daily work? Or is that overkill? Do you use Henle for four years, or switch after a year or two? Generally, I find it better to stick with one series or author--once we get used to the format of the books, it's easier for ds to work independently if things don't change too much. But it looks like Henle is perhaps not challenging enough for AP or NLE--is that accurate? My son will be in 8th next year, so we could complet a four-year program. Thanks again!

dinner tonight--thanks!

DH and I have had a painful time this year watching our ds 13, whose buddy suddenly no longer wants to hang out with him. We live in a small town and while ds is involved in many activities, even goes to school part time and has no trouble getting along with kids at school, sports, etc, he just really wants someone to hang out with, especially on week-ends. Meanness is a huge problem too--ds has lots of self-confidence and doesn't let mean-spirited kids get to him, but he's lonely. My younger son and daughter have more friends than they know what to do with. We're actually considering sending ds to boarding school just to get him around kids who are more like him! So no advice here...but I feel your pain. Sigh...adolescence, thankfully, does not last forever.

I've done more research on both Henle and Cambridge, thanks to the links above, and I'm leaning toward Henle. So a few more questions: Looks like it's possible to move on to the second Henle text without completing the first, provided the basics are covered? There are curriculum guides by two different authors--anyone use both, one for tests and the other for daily work? Or is that overkill? Are the Henle tests better? Do you use Henle for four years, or switch after a year or two? I think that's what TWTM recommends, though I'm too lazy to go look it up at the minute. Generally, I find it better to stick with one series or author--once we get used to the format of the books, it,s easier for ds to work independently if things don't change too much. Thanks again!

I wondered about the slower pace of the Henle Guides. My son would be in 8th grade next year; if he takes two year to complete Henle 1, will he get through Latin well enough to take an AP Latin exam his junior or senior year? The slower pace would otherwise probably suit him as languages are not his favorite part of the school day!

My ds, 13, used LP in third grade and got about halfway through LP 2 in 4th grade--he hated it, so we agreed to postpone grammar for a few years. I doubt he has retained much from that time period. This year we tried the Latin Road to English Grammar. He's a very independent learner, and we couldn't figure out how to make the program work for us; ideally, he likes to work on his own and my role is to periodically review and correct. Teaching Textbook and History Odyssey level 2 curriculum guides, for example, have been perfect fits. Given those parameters, is there a Latin course that would work for us--or a way to make LREG work for an independent kid who likes to figure out things for himself, but needs a straightforward easy-to-follow daily lesson plan or pattern? Advice greatly appreciated--I'm feeling stuck and overwhelmed by the choices and hate to invest in more programs that won't work. TIA