After she finished phonics. We just started last week, she'll be 8 in 11 days :).

For us at least, it's because SL provides open and go lesson plans on a day-by-day basis. TOG doesn't :).

Awwwww.......:tongue_smilie: In that case...not right now. It looks great, and I plan on trying it for fourth, but it is going to take me a little while to figure it out, and I have other, more important priorities to figure out first :).

Adding content subjects that my children are excited about added the joy of learning back into our home. For a time we had pared down to just the basics, and it killed the love.

Would it come with all the books? ;)

Hi Melissa, I CAN NOT manage the big binder with a nursing baby! I break it out into a smaller working binder. I put EVERYTHING that *I* need behind the weekly tabs so it is all in one place! Schedules, readers schedule, notes for the history, notes for the read alouds, the whole shebang. No flipping back and forth then, just takes a few minutes to set up. I do around 10 weeks at a time. Then I transfer it back to the big binder and grab another 10 weeks. HTH!

You might not want to hear this, but...I don't think you can easily nail this down. In all honesty this has been in a continual state of flux as I learn more about my child, more about our educational philosophy, and more about myself as a teacher. Homeschooling is really a 'learning on the fly' experience for homeschooling parents who may not understand how learning takes place, where the potential 'gap' areas are, and how best to teach before they dive in. At least...this is how it has been for me! I am totally learning how this all goes together FOR US as I go.

Hi Angie, I haven't used either TOG or MFW, but have researched them both. Until a more experienced board member drops by, maybe I can help? Something to think about for MFW is that it has separate programs for K/1st, children younger than 2nd aren;t folded into the main program. TOG co-ordinates all age groups within one teaching plan. MFW is more open and go and includes science. TOG requires more planning and has a bit more focus on the great books, primary sources, philosophy, and socratic discussions in the higher levels. Personally, with your age group I'd lean more TOG. You can keep it light with their picture book suggestions for LG, and dig in deeper with your older dc (your oldest might be ready for the D level work) without having to switch between multiple topics.

Sonlight does schedule in SOTW, but not until core 6+7 (not age appropriate cores for your little ones). You could look at TOG - SOTW is listed as an alternate resource for UG, but you could still use it for your LG littles if you wanted to. TOG is definitely different/more planning than SL though - their open and go ease is really nice when there are a bunch of littles running around! Because your DC are so little still, getting the SOTW AG and just picking a few extra readings from the suggestions might be enough :).

I'm hoping ours will be in the mail tomorrow... Reading this post with longing!

THANK YOU Marie, for sharing your research with us all!! :) No sense in buying duplicate books!

A few days ago my DH said, "This LeapFrog DVD is the BEST thing!" LOL! He has watched our second DD learn her letter sounds SO much more quickly than first DD did. It is amazingly painless :).

Well, we used A Beka in a super-scaled down way. I just used A Handbook for Reading along with the readers. We did our lessons together out of the Handbook, then DD would read the appropriate story aloud to me and I would help her through it :).

Foo, you're not alone girl! I keep wanting to drop Core K and start the 1+2 I have waiting on the shelf....it looks SO good!

We are still waiting for ours to arrive, but hopefully it will be here today!! We have been doing the sample activities with our almost 5-year-old, and she LOVES it. She knows almost all of her short phonograms, but isn't really 'getting' blending yet. This is a great fill in for her. She'll feel like she's doing 'school' (which she is desperate to do), and work on those phonological awareness skills that will help move towards blending. That's why we ordered it in any case!

It really does depend on your educational philosophy :). One I haven't seen mentioned yet that uses real books (I'm a big real book fan!) is Living Books Curriculum, it has more of a Charlotte Mason emphasis. I think you would need to include your own phonics/handwriting etc. instruction.

Thank you Aramis! I couldn't find it when I went to look :).

I'm still waiting.....ah Canadian shipping times...

Cool. Did they send you a copy, and can I get one too??

Writing in the elementary years - a total sanity saver.

CBD.com stocked it when I checked a month or so ago?

Ha! I am not the only one! I often have two windows open with around 10 tabs in each. DH can't stand it. :lol:

Time, for sure. Check back in every 3-6 months. Memorizing phonograms and being able to blend are DEFINITELY two different skills. We are doing AAR (as soon as it arrives) with DD#2 (almost 5) to help establish a good foundation in pre-reading skills in the meantime. She knows most of the basic sounds, can sound out short words, but then blurts out a totally non-related word at the end! LOL!

Core 100 books are listed on page 76 of the catalog FWIW, nothing shady here, they are all listed...

My 7-yr-old has had her own iPod shuffle since she was 6. She adores it!