I LOVE THEM!!! At first I bought 5 at my grocery store because they give me 5 cents off my order for each bag used (pays for itself, we go through a lot of groceries!), but they are a perfect size for SO MANY things! So I bought 5 more to actually use for groceries. :) I notice that several stores offer their own color/logo --- I'm hoping all the stores don't mind me using my grocery store bag. On a side note... my town recently stopped picking up recycling. Can you believe that? The rest of the world is trying to save the planet and they are trying to save a few dollars.

Sorry, nothing to add... but wanted to mark my place so I can return to this discussion easily. I have been looking for something similar (solid, secular writing program that's laid out). Like you, we have used ETC, WW, HWT, (along with copywork) but will use MCT in 2008. My DS won't be ready for formal writing until next year at the earliest, but it has been on my mind lately. I can't wait to see SWB's new program at convention!

I really think it would be too much. I have the US Trail Guide, and it is set up to take 30 weeks (plus 6 for the lit unit), based on studying 2 states per week. In the intro, the author recommends actually spreading it out to only be one state per week, which would require 60 weeks. To get both World and US done in one year, that would be 4 states per week -- too much info at once! Just my opinion. :) I guess it really depends on what you are looking for. If you REALLY wanted to get US and world geo done in one year, only focus on the regions of the US and a tiny bit of info on each particular state.

Yes, I agree -- but since "the expert" says that is what their daughter needs, that is what they are doing. They have cut down to 3 times a week to help lower the cost (but still paying over $500 per month to have their daughter tutored with 3 other kids also paying $500 per month -- astounding to me, and thinking maybe I should do tutoring on the side tee hee). melhouse, I apologize if my post made you feel defensive. I guess my view of Sylvan as a whole is tainted by two bad experiences. You are right, there are some situations in which outside help is needed (even in the case of my neighbor -- the reason the mom isn't just helping her daughter herself is because there are some attitude issues going on between mom and daughter and having someone else take over the math issue is helping their relationship, which is far more important that a math grade!).

I took Blue to Sylvan for testing when he turned 4, and while I was disappointed with the results, I did not feel the need to sue them (tee hee, sorry, I couldn't resist). I took him in because I wanted an outside person to evaluate him and see if he was ready for Kindergarten level work (as I felt he was). They tested him for 2 hours, but their results were not accurate. They said "he's doing great, he can already recognize almost half the letters" (he was already reading 4-5 letter words). They told me he could recognize almost all of the numbers (he was already doing 1 digit addition). Even based on their incorrect info, they told me he was ready for Kindergarten and that I could bring him back in when he hit any problem areas (he was turning 4 and already reading -- I didn't feel he needed tutoring at that time!). Keep in mind that their main business is tutoring. Yes, they do testing -- but mostly to determine how much tutoring your student will need. For example: my neighbor's daughter was struggling with multiplication in her 4th grade public school class so they took her into Sylvan. Their testing showed she was working at a 3rd grade level and to get up to grade level they would need to bring her in for one hour GROUP sessions FOUR TIMES per week at a rate of $45.00 PER HOUR for the rest of the school year. When my neighbor figured it up, that would be over $6,000.00. For GROUP TUTORING!! I was shocked. They are willing to do whatever it takes to help their daughter though, so the mom is thinking of going back to work to pay for it. :( I am not a fan of Sylvan (I think tutoring is the teacher's and parent's job, but I'm a certified teacher and homeschooler ha ha) -- ESPECIALLY for the type of testing you are looking for. I would look over the Hoagies website for more info on testing. We did the Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Test for Blue this past summer, that was helpful for the type of information I was looking for. I did it through a local woman who specializes in testing of all kinds for homeschoolers.

I use the IP at the end of each chapter (but move through the chapter quicker than as scheduled in the HIG).

Great idea -- perhaps separate boards for Grammar Stage, Logic Stage, Rhetoric Stage?

So now that I have invested a large amount of money in the first level of My Pals Are Here Science, they are CHANGING it????? Does anyone know anything about this? It doesn't seem like I can go from 3A/3B right into any of the other books (though the new books have the same names as the current chapters, so perhaps they are just re-doing the order things are taught in, keeping the concepts all together?). This is SO frustrating, this week I also found out that now that I am *FINALLY* starting to scrapbook and have purchased hundreds of dollars worth of Creative Memories products in recent weeks, they are changing the size of the books and what I have will only be available for another year. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. :( old: http://www.singaporemath.com/MPH_Science_s/66.htm new: http://www.marshallcavendish.com/marshallcavendish/education/sg/news/mphscience.xml

Hi... I was a couple of different names on the old boards, I think I tried just "Colleen" when I first joined in early 2003, but quickly realized there were already several others. Then I was "Colleen in VA" until someone else joined and took that name. I've been "Colleen in SEVA" (as in from Southeast Virginia) for a couple of years, and to my knowledge nobody else has used that name. I first joined when my oldest was 19 months. I remember posting a question something like "what games do you play with your toddlers" and several people posted that their kids already knew their letters at that age and played letter/word games. I was astounded! As a former 1st grade teacher, it had never occurred to me to tell a 1 year old what the names of the letters were. So I tried, and he knew all 52 letters by name and sound within a couple of weeks. He started reading cvc words about a year later, and took off from there. Blue is 6.5 and is currently working at various levels of "above grade level". I did have him tested this past summer, and while the results didn't tell me anything I didn't already know (or at least suspect), it was a real confidence boost to know that what we are doing is working for him. He enjoys math and science, he tolerates history and reading, and though he professes to hate writing, he will often create lists of rules for his younger brothers. I am still able to meet his needs at home, but I am exploring options for his future education (Davidson Young Scholars, EPGY, CFGE@WM, etc). Green seems to have a real gift for math, he "gets" math and can sometimes answer math drills quicker than my oldest. He has known all of the letters and sounds for a long time, but tells me he doesn't want to learn to read so we haven't started officially working on it (little does he know that when he asks me how to spell a word and then writes it, he is learning to read! *evil laugh*). He is also my little computer scientist -- he can log onto his own account, go to websites, and then enter my oldest son's username and password just by having watched him type it in. It is a little scary for a soon-to-be-4-yo! Yellow is an early and non-stop talker. He has no interest in letters, or in potty training, and has no concept of number other than "one" and "not one" (as in -- hold up one object and he can tell you it is 1, but hold up 2 or more and he might say it is 7). He is my little cuddlebug, and has these big, bright, blue eyes that can melt your heart. He wants to "do school" like his big brothers, so he cuts and glues and colors to his heart's content. Red is newly-turned-one-year and helps us all by taking long naps so we can do schoolwork. He has his own little corner of the school room with toys that don't make noise or have small pieces. He is our last, so I am not really in a hurry for him to leave the baby phase.

Wow, when I read my post over I sound like a real slacker. LOL!! I'm really not -- but you did ask what others with kids those ages are doing, so I'm sharing what we honestly do. I've read MOTH, and as much as I would *love* to be that planned out, it just isn't realistically going to happen in this household. We DON'T fit it all in, and I have just grown to accept that. I have a top priority in mind, and I make sure at least THAT one thing gets done EVERY DAY... and the rest will get done eventually. When my oldest was in K, my top priority was reading, in 1st grade it was math, and this year it is writing (copywork, sentence mechanics, and fine-tuning handwriting before we start formal writing next year). As long as those get done, and all the boys are learning to be respectful, responsible, and compassionate -- I consider the day a success. Our schedule varies day to day based on moods, whether hubby is traveling, and activities, but there are a couple of points I keep in mind when planning our day -- Yellow will be climbing all over me UNLESS he gets 10 minutes of my undivided attention here and there, Green needs to be within eyesight at all times, and Blue is VERY EASILY distracted (even when someone is on the computer with headphones in the next room) so for some subjects we need silence. Here is what we did today as an example: 1. Yellow did 2 pages of Kumon book one-on-one with me while Blue & Green played on the computer and Red played in the toddler-friendly section of our school room. 15 minutes 2. I sent Yellow to play with Red while I went over Blue's language arts work with him and Green finished up on the computer. 10 minutes 3. I put Red down for a nap, let Yellow play on the computer, put Blue at the kitchen table to work on his language arts on his own, and did math with Green. 15 minutes 4. I read a book to Yellow while Blue and Green goofed off in the kitchen (Yellow needs these moments right now -- I try to carve them out where I can). 10 minutes 5. I sent Yellow and Green to the play room (other side of house) so I could do math with Blue. 20 minutes 6. Green helped me fix lunch while Blue read on his own in the front room (has doors that close) and Yellow had all the toys to himself. 20 minutes 7. Lunch was ready and Red woke up, so school was over for the day. We usually do more during Red's afternoon nap, but not on Mondays due to outside activities (which were cancelled today, so MOMMY got computer time!). That only adds up to 90 minutes, but that took us 3 hours. I have no idea where the other 90 minutes went. I vaguely remember changing a poopy diaper.... refilling sippy cups.... sigh. Science, history, and US studies are done in the afternoon as we are able. This happens some weeks and not others. This is one area I really had to let go, because it was just stressing me out too much. There will be plenty of time for these subjects! Read alouds are done while DH is putting Green, Yellow, and Red to bed. I do read picture books to the boys at random times throughout the day, but Blue is really the only one who can sit quietly long enough to listen to chapter books. Art, music, foreign language are not happening right now. I will probably hire these out down the road anyway. Oh!! I forgot Blue will be taking a recorder class in co-op starting next week. That is music, right? *grin* PE is covered through outside play time, riding bikes, and various sports teams. I have 4 boys, trust me when I say that physical activity is NOT an issue in this house. LOL!!! So basically, for us, at this point in our schooling lives -- I have to prioritize, and know that the rest will come easier when the 2 little ones (ok -- really the 3 little ones) are older.

Just my opinion.... but you don't NEED both. The CWP is ONLY word problems, but it does have a couple of pages at the beginning of each chapter showing worked examples. The IP does not provide ANY examples or instruction, but it has very challenging problems, including some word problems. We use only the textbook and same level IP, but I know many who use textbook, workbook, and CWP all on the same level followed by IP a year behind for review (ie use 2B IP while going through 3B). If this is your only math program (or if your dc benefit from review), it might be a good idea to do both CWP and IP since they don't require a lot of time or cost a lot.

How many / how fast depends on what your goal is for the program. At first I used it for phonics, meaning he just had to be able to read the word and copy it from the example. Now we are using it as a spelling program, so it takes us longer to get through since he has to actually be able to spell them on his own. I know some people skim/skip book 4 (the one with all the syllables) but IMO it is very important and helpful in figuring out big words. I plan to go through book 8 (but reserve the right to change my mind!).

It sounds like you are looking for a schedule similar to that in Managers Of Their Homes.

We have the paper version of HyperHistory (only 20 bucks!) and it includes SO MUCH info (though the print is way too small IMO) -- literature, science, world leaders, maps, and more. World History Chart

This has been an interesting, thought provoking poll! I've always enjoyed reading, but when it comes down to it I was more "mathy" than most other girls. I loved math, I was good at math, I enjoyed getting good grades in math. When I first started researching homeschooling in general, and WTM specifically, I *thought* I wanted to be very history/literature focused. The reality is that I have 4 boys who have a very math/logic/process minded father. They (well, at least the older 2 so far) don't seem drawn to the humanities as much as I had envisioned. My oldest is an advanced reader, but he doesn't *enjoy* reading the way I envisioned he would. He enjoys doing math, he enjoys getting correct answers, he enjoys learning about science. I definitely enjoy teaching math more than any other subject! So I voted number 4 in your poll, as that most closely relates to how I felt before homeschooling compared to how I feel now (ignoring all the years in between when homeschooling was more theoretical).

I have MCT's Building Language and will be using Grammar Island and Practice Island when they arrive. I am very excited about it, I think it will be a good fit for DS and I (neither of us do well with your standard fill-in-the-blank, practice-overkill type programs). What really drew me to the program was a review that I read, something to the effect that MCT's love for the English language was conveyed to the students through this series. There was a recent discussion about these books on the old boards. We have used Aesop's Fables: Books About Reading, Writing, Thinking from RFWP and I'm hoping it will be a nice transition for us. MCT is speaking at a workshop near me in a few weeks -- so excited for that as well!

I have only purchased the home instructor guides for 2A/2B, but they were not helpful to us at all. I thought I would like having a schedule to follow and the mental math pages at the back, but the reality is that sometimes we do a weeks worth of what is on their schedule in one day, so the schedule doesn't do us a bit of good. The mental math is just a list of problems you could easily make up yourself, or print off any random website. I find that I do most of the teaching myself. I look at what is presented in the textbook and explain what they are doing in a way my DS understands. I then have him do the sample problems in the book, and when he can do all of them without error we skip the workbook and go right to the intensive practice. I do recommend A Handbook for Mathematics Teachers In Primary Schools published my Marshall Cavendish (the company that publishes Singapore Math). It explains the heuristics, shows how to draw models, and provides teaching tips specific to Singapore Math. Another helpful book was Liping Ma's Knowing and Teaching Mathematics. I did invest in the answer keys available from RR. While the HIG provided the answers, they were within the teaching text and cumbersome to find since I was not using the script to teach from. The answer keys are $6.50 for 6 levels worth, whereas the HIGs are $16.50 per level. Bottom line: the textbook is necessary, the workbook OR intensive practice book is necessary, the HIG is not necessary but helpful to some.

The Story of US by Joy Hakim Or, perhaps just read a lot of biographies and then do online research about the locations mentioned (this is what we are doing to hold us over until we do an actual study of US history in 2 years).

As much as *I* would enjoy getting our families together (and I don't mind the drive to W-burg), I don't think that bringing my four boys would help lower the testosterone level.

I am in the Hampton Roads area.