First, do the placement test, it's free online. The -01 light units are review after summer type books and don't had the same teaching format as the others, so get a different one to sample. I'd say 15-20 minutes tops once you do flashcards, speed drill, any oral counting, and going over any topics that need help. The worktexts is self teaching. TGs with answers in are better than answer keys, Sunrise 2nd edition contains full page reproductions with answers, extra practice page, teaching tips, alternate tests, indexes etc. answer keys only have answers, CLE doesn't teach decimals or percentages in 2nd, but does have fractions BTW.

Drop the options. If he isn't interested, don't make him. It will just be painful.

Hmmm. You want CLE :). We left MUS for some of the same reasons you mention. "1) not enough practice at the Gamma level- once multiple digit multiplication started, we've had to slow down and add in some extra practice, which is not a huge deal except that it requires a little extra legwork from me. 3) I have to supplement for math fact memorization, telling time, weights and measures, money, graphs, etc. I keep hearing that all of this has been or will be covered but either I've missed it or its not often enough. We haven't even discussed whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages, etc. 5) He seems to forget what he's learned very easily. I don't know how many times we have gone over the difference between area and perimeter but it's just. not. sticking." #1, we didn't make it that far, but there wasn't enough review. This ties into #5 about lack of retention. Ditto with my kids. I retaught SO many times. Especially time! #3! Craziness, only taught in a block once a year. CLE starts teaching all of those items in #3 in first and keeps at it. It has ongoing mixed review of ALL the previously taught skills so they are not forgotten. It scheduled flash cards and includes speed drills for fact memorization. #4 will be fixed because CLE is very traditional. We have really enjoyed CLE and given my children math confidence. Despite the fact that I was ideologically committed to MUS, CLE's spiral approach with ongoing review was a game changer for us. We still use the blocks and MUS place value methods though!

Thankfully CLE is open and go and comes with a TM. Soooo, if you don't want to fire up the DVD player and try to figure out the proper way to make a letter....you don't have to! It killed me. It just didn't connect with MY learning and teaching style at all. CLE is integrated, so it is for us, what I hoped Phonics Road would be, and more. The Christian content is definitely there, it's always heavier in the reading. You get cute stories about how obeying and being kind makes God happy. You also get stories about children playing tag, going to the lake, farm animals, etc. it isn't all religious and it is definitely non-denominational. Let me know if you need any other specifics. We are on our second time through.

DD #1 turned 12 yesterday and will be in 7th in the fall. Woah. She is exceptionally gifted with handcrafting skills, less so with math and analytical skills. Bible: CLE Bible 700, Sunday School verses and papers, PBS Language Arts: CLE LA 700, CLE Reading 700, Rod and Staff Spelling 7 (I can't wait, it's a word roots study in the context of spelling.) Math: CLE 500/600 History: Notgrass Adam to Us along with our 4th grade DD Science: Still a bit undecided. Maybe The Rainbow (will they ship to Canada?). Or a very different approach, Master Books Concepts of Biogeography and Astronomy. This may I along very well with our history and 4th grade DD may tag along as well. Scrap that, we are going with Abeka 7, life science. We will do that Scholastic book on reading non-fiction before we start. Writing: We just bought Write On to help us do some writing across the curriculum. Logic: Fallacy Detective Art: She is working through Art Pacs, 4/5 maybe.

We found CLE when my 2nd DD was at the end of 1st, but my 3rd DD is doing it from the beginning. So will my subsequent children :). If you do the entire program for first it teaches phonics, reading, printing, spelling, and simple grammar, punctuation, and usage. FWIW, we did try Phonics Road....not a fit for us. :(. I can't teach phonics with a video program, I need something printed.

We are continuing on to CLE LA next year. It does include extensive diagramming. I would recommend their placement test before ordering, however.

Thanks for that. DD definitely benefits from the ongoing mixed review in CLE, thanks for pointing out that BCM is mastery oriented. We will press on!

Since this is the current BCM thread - my 6th grader will finish CLE 400 this year. I'm a bit at a loss of how to help her accelerate, she isn't a mathy child at all - handwork is her specialty. Do another year of CLE, then BCM in 8th, Algebra in 9th? Two more years of CLE, BCM in 9th and Algebra in 10th? Totally new territory for me, can someone help me out? (Thread stealer, but related question - hope you don't mind!)

I bought the Notgrass a couple of days ago :). My oldest can't wait for the first instalment on July!

Only available per subject for 7th and up. Before that you can do an LA/Bible combo, or a Math/Bible combo.

The teacher guides with full student page reproductions with answers are really good: currently available for 1st-3rd in LA (second edition). They include alternate tests in case your child needs a redo, often include some extra practice, reference materials, indexes, And various other teaching helps depending on the course. The ones without answers (first edition - currently 4th and up) are not so good, mostly various indexes and lesson overviews, I get them for the alternate tests just in case. Sixth grade is first edition and the TG doesn't include answers :(. For a program that manages to get grammar, penmanship, writing, punctuation and usage, and spelling in one book, 4 pages isn't bad :).

Sure, I'd love to flip through them :). Do you had chemistry? Any would be great to peek at!

Do you have the Tiner books, Jess? I've been peeking at them as well.

CHC does look interesting. I'm going to look into it further - how Catholic is it? Does anyone know how it presents evolution? We are YE non-denominational types. I appreciate all these suggestions, I'm juggling a few of them around mentally!

Not many full programs out there. Switched on Schoolhouse lets you buy it. A Beka is subscription based.

Welcome to the circus! Many of us have overspent and overplanned K-3, myself included. My fourth child is starting K this fall and I'm finally happy with our K sequence. Many people will have many recommendations (myself included), but it takes a bit of experimentation sometimes to find a good fit. We use a good Bible storybook, Rod and Staff A-G preschool booklets, and CLE's KII. When CLE's KI is done we will use that. A stack of picture books and you are done. All you need to do in K is to gently introduce phonics, printing, and very simple math (counting and maybe simple adding). Thirty minutes of bookwork is plenty, no matter what you choose to work with :). Let the rest be read alouds, Lego, outside time etc. Have fun!

I find there are too many pieces for me :). I have a hard time figuring out what I really need. Soooo many test books and answer key books etc. I did teach my oldest DD to read with A Handbook for Reading and their first grade readers and nothing else. Good phonics. We use CLE for LA. Much easier for me to figure out.

I'll look into those, thanks!

Aaaaand, I ordered it. Hope my soon to be 4th and 7th graders have fun!

I need some help with 7th grade science. DD 12 will do 7th in the fall. She is behind in math so I don't want anything math heavy for her (she'll be doing CLE 500s/600s for 7th). She LOVES anatomy, dissection, pretty much all bio/life sciences. She's interested in pursuing a health care related career. She would be tickled pink to get a 'lab kit' to go with her course. She is fairly independent and self-motivated. We have been using ACE for a few years for science, and their 7th grade is life science focused, but not hands on at all. We could always keep going with that, but I'm almost feeling like we should up our game for middle school. A Beka 7 seems life science based. Anything else to choose from? Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

CLE without supplementation is very independent and includes enough basic writing instruction.

Hmm. Now that I'm looking at Grammar Revolution.... Cross posting on a couple of threads: I'm trying to catch up with my 6th grader (using CLE) and it's sort of slow going with the workbooks. How long do you think it would take an adult to power through the course?

We haven't used BJU, but this is our third year with CLE math. The scope and sequence is a bit advanced in the early grades, so just place according to the placement test results. It's a solid, traditional program and we love the ongoing, spiral review. My 2nd DD learns better with limited parental interaction as well :).

Crunchygirl - did you make it through? I'm trying to catch up with my 6th grader (using CLE) and it's sort of slow going with the workbooks. How long do you think it would take an adult to power through the course?