Do you really need to finish by a certain date? We just go til we are done, then go on to the next thing. It doesn't really matter to me if I start a certain level by Aug 15 of a certain year - I'd rather really get it done right even if we don't finish Aug 15 and don't start something new til the end of October. :)

We LOVED The Learning Box. It's a comprehensive preschool program in a box. What makes it stand out from others is the crafts. They are very well-done, and everything is included! If on Day 4 you need 2 Qtips and teaspoon of gold glitter, it's in the box, in a baggie labeled "Day 4". Everything is in there - you just open and go! There is lots of focus on fine motor skills, but it is easily adaptable for many ages. My kids can create anything out of paper thanks to that program!! I loved the idea of Letter of the Week, but just couldn't manage to get everything gathered and printed and done. The Learning Box got done. ETA - we added Before Five in a Row, which is the complete opposite end of the spectrum. I found that to be a wonderful complement to the normal preschool stuff.

My kids were strong readers when we started mid-March. We go through it slowly, doing every single step as written including all the review, and working on spelling 2-3 days per week for maybe 20-25 minutes each time. The program is set up in "Steps". Level 1 - it took us 55 lessons/days to complete the 24 steps in this level Level 2 - we have completed the first 6 steps in 21 lessons/days ETA - I love the program - we are in the midst of Step 7. (Didn't want you to think we bailed on it after Step 6 of Level 2!)

Love that - THANKS!!!

My husband had me all worried - he thought they were going to revolt this morning. Nope, they LOOOOVED it!!! I had asked them to write "I am thankful to God for..." and then list 3 people who helped them. (I figure we can add the "whys" later.) I couldn't get them quit and move on!! Big fun!! :)

Gotcha. They have been in the system before. They went to the public school's 4 yr old preschool class. It was billed not as special ed, but for "kids who weren't on track to be kindergarten ready". They did not qualify for therapies through the school at that point, because their thresholds were ridiculously low. I had a 5 year old who couldn't manage to get a mark on the paper - she would hit the desk every time and yet we didn't qualify. Another 5 year old could walk but wasn't running yet. And they didn't qualify for PT or OT. The district told me at the time that they didn't qualify many kids before 3rd grade, because most would naturally catch up by that point. But it was very obvious that that wasn't going to happen without intervention, so we just kept private therapy services. I'll call this week and ask for evals.

Alright - here's my list. I figure we'll just start with a sentence listing the 3 things, and hopefully work toward a paragraph later in the year. If I do this as part of first-thing-in-the-morning work, I won't have to call it writing and can give them a double-dose. :) ETA - sorry about the formatting - it looked like a nice table originally, but I can't make it stick that way. three people that help me three gifts that are loud three things I wouldn't have if I lived in the Age of Ancient Empires three experiences (things I have done / places I have been) three things a family member has done for me three possessions or favorite toys three things about my house, neighborhood, or city three things that happened yesterday three things I am good at three gifts that make me laugh three things that were hard for me, but I learned from three places I feel comfortable three kind deeds three things I can only see when I bend down three things found outside three surprise gifts! three gifts behind a door three ways I feel the love of God three gifts in shadows three gifts found giving / serving others three gifts that are white three gifts that changed today three gifts I wear three gifts hard to give thanks for three gifts that are round three gifts that are red three gifts that I hold a gift in a bag, in a box, in a book three gifts square three ways I am fortunate three gifts that are stacked three gifts that move three gifts in dirt three gifts that I taste three gifts that are flat three gifts found in a closet three gifts found in the dark a gift outside, inside, and upside down three gifts about my parents three gifts held in my hand today a gift picked up, one put away, one put back a gift in a box, a bag, a book three gifts unexpected three gifts found in little people three gifts found in church three gifts in today's work three gifts that are blue three gifts I gave today three gifts that are orange three gifts that are funny three gifts from today's conversations three gifts in what I am reading three gifts that are painted three gifts loved three gifts read three gifts that are yellow three gifts that hang down three gifts learned a gift high, low, and far away a gift straight, curve, turn three gifts in information three gifts that are quiet three gifts that are shiny three gifts that I prayed for three gifts I gave today three gifts that I read three gifts that were unexpected three gifts enjoyed three gifts heard three things I can do with my hands three of my favorite desserts three yellow gifts something above, below, beside three things about my Dad three things about myself I am grateful for three gifts only seen close up three things blue three gifts found in friends a gift on a paper, in a person, in a picture three things about my family three smells three things about fall three things I couldn't live without a gift outside, inside, and on a plate a gift old, new, and blue something I'm reading, making, seeing one thing in my backpack, in the car, and in my heart three things on the schedule three wonderful verses from the Bible three amazing things about the Earth three special things about trees three gifts that have a funny shape

Yes, all 3 big kids have been in OT since birth. One has graduated. One is still in weekly for fine motor delays. One is in twice weekly as we try to get her sensory stuff under control. I teach first grade Sunday School with kids who would go to school with my crew. Handwriting is clearly NOT being taught. I was cringing today at the grasps in my room! I was told once upon a time by someone at the district that "handwriting was become obsolete, so they didn't waste time on it". My kids' printing is getting there, but they are bored with practicing it, but we still have major size & spacing issues, so to freshen it up we started HWOT cursive a few weeks ago. So far they love it!

As a spinoff of my other post, it looks like we are going to start some journaling using prompts. I would love to find something like Joy Dare Collection's 1000 gifts list, but geared towards kids. http://www.aholyexperience.com/joy-dares/ (Many of hers are too abstract for my kids.) I can construct one if needed, but thought I would ask if anyone already had something like that done. Thanks! ETA - we are Christians, if that makes a difference

OK, now I'm really panicking. I am NOT a writing - I'm a math person - which is part of why I love SWB's stuff. I LOVE scripted! But I know that her progression is different and may not be appropriate for us for this season. Is IEW's Bible Heroes program scripted and going to get us to paragraph writing at an appropriate level?

For various reasons, my kids are going to need to go to public school next year. Probably just for the one year, but possibly for a few. They will be going into 3rd grade in early August. I think I'm comfortable with what we need to do to be sure they are math-ready, but am a bit nervous about language arts. - Reading/Phonics is fine - all testing well above grade level as far as decoding quickly and easily. They can narrate, but aren't very good at more public-schoolish things like answering multiple choice questions intended to evaluate comprehension. - Spelling - we are about halfway through AAS Level 2, so should be able to get through 2 and part of 3 before they go. - Grammar - we are finishing FLL1, and hope to get through FLL2 before they go. - Writing - this is my big worry. All 3 big kids have fine motor delays, so we are STILL working on handwriting, and doing limited amounts of written work. I tried WWE1 last January, and it was just too hard, both mentally and physically. I put it aside, planning to pick it back up this fall, and haven't started yet but am ready to get going. But now, with the change of plans and needing to send them to school for a year, I am wondering if I need to do something more public-schoolish instead. Thoughts or recommendations? Thanks!

My kids had NO trouble whatsoever transitioning. All 4 were in occupational therapy for fine motor delays. The three who went through HWOT have perfect handwriting. I have just started HWOT cursive in hopes that the fourth will develop better penmanship. I really wish I had done it with #4 as well from the beginning.

You are at getting close to the age where they start becoming more aware of each other's strengths & weaknesses, and comparing them to their own. Because of that, I would NOT do skill subjects (math, language arts) together much longer if I were you. Combine them for content subjects (history, science, etc.). We do AAS separately. Times four kids, who are all roughly at the same place in the book. :( I think it is worth it though - fantastic program!

Thanks - lots to think about - very insightful & inspirational! I can do this!!

This is the year <sniff sniff> that my kids age out of children's worship, and are expected to attend the adult service every week. I truly am dreading it. I watch everyone else's kids bringing random books to read, crosswords to work, school homework, etc. And then they all seem to drop out of church in the next year or two after their kids hit this point. I was thinking of maybe making a notebook they could take into the service each week to work in. Is there such thing as an independent Bible curriculum for second-ish graders? Could they do Grapevine on their own? Other ideas? We are from a Reformed church (Presbyterian/USA, but strong ties to Anglican/Episcopal as well), if it makes a difference. Thanks!

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Andrew Pudewa's Teaching Writing Structure and Style free webinar - you must register and space is limited. Here is the schedule through the rest of the year although you can only register for the August one right now. 8/26- Units 1 and 2 - 8:30pm (this is the only one the time was listed for) 9/30- Unit 3 10/28-Unit 4 12/2- Unit 5 Here is the link http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/webinar Also, in the registration it gives you an option to click "No" of whether you will attend the webinar. When you click no it then will send you a link to the webinar so you can view it at a time that is more convenient.

We finished Level 1 today!!! :)

Last year, we were in a co-op that charged a minimal fee. Every parent was to teach one class, and assist in one class. I worked so hard prepping for my class! My students had an amazing experience! Unfortunately, the leaders of the class my big kids were in had different ideas. "We are here for socialization, and if they learn something, that's a bonus!" It was chaos in there. Not only did they not learn anything academic, they picked up all sorts of obnoxious habits. This year, I am running a CC spinoff co-op. All families are from our CC group. We will meet on Thursdays, after our Tuesday CC class. The goal will be to expand on and flesh out the memory work learned 2 days before. We are charging $45 per student per semester to cover costs, but I know I am already losing money and we haven't even started yet. I know *I* am willing to work hard and do a good job, and so have been willing to take on the lion's share of the work in order to have it run right. But I am running into a problem. People who don't have much of a financial or time investment aren't very committed. They all want to come, but I can't seem to get anyone to volunteer in any capacity. I'm so frustrated already, and we haven't started yet. I can't imagine I will do this for more than one year. (I've committed to it for the upcoming year, so I will do it and do it right, but given the attitudes already, I can't imagine I'll continue.) I think that's probably the problem that a lot of people run into, and the reason there aren't a lot of low cost, quality co-ops. People just aren't committed if they don't have enough of an investment to make them take it seriously.

A full language arts plan includes: - phonics OR spelling (do phonics until complete, then go to spelling) - grammar - handwriting - composition writing - reading good literature If I were you, I would complete Plaid Phonics (assuming it is working), then go to All About Spelling. I wouldn't do both. If your kids are reading really well, drop the Plaid Phonics and just do AAS. Start at Level 1. For writing/composition, I would do WWE OR IEW, but not both at the same time. My current plan is to do WWE 1-3 or 1-4, then a year or two of IEW, then WWS.

My kids are also finishing up kinder & 1st grades. We are in the midst of FLL1, and plan to finish that and start FLL2 & WWE1 by the end of the summer. Looking back, we would probably start with those even if we hadn't done FLL1 first. I'm glad we did FLL1 b/c it's gentle, and my kids need the confidence of something being easy, but I can't say I think it would be necessary for most kids. If I were you, I would do FLL2 & WWE1 with both kids working together.

I tried one file per week last year and it was a complete disaster. My kids just didn't move at the exact lockstep pace I had predicted. Either stuff was incredibly easy and the lesson was finished in 2 minutes and I needed to grab from the next day, or else it was way harder than expected and took a few days. NOTHING was EVER finished in the expected amount of time. So I spent half the year moving stuff from one file to another. NO WAY I am ever doing that again!! My goals are now much less amount-specified. Instead, for the past 6 months or so, I have had a schedule of 20 minutes of math, 30 minutes of reading, etc. When the time is up, we quit, no matter whether we are at the end of a page or not. Assuming they were actually working and making an effort that whole time, that is. But that is a whole 'nother topic....

We have been doing FLL1 this summer with my crew. It's easy/just right for the 8 year olds (a little delayed, finishing 1st grade). The 6 1/2 year old (normal to advanced intelligence-wise) has found it more challenging than I would have expected. Specifically, common vs. proper nouns has been a tough concept. Also, verbs vs everything else has been hard. I don't know why. But I'm really glad we took the slow route first and did FLL1 instead of FLL2. It doesn't hurt to review everything a gazillion times and really solidify it. With the kids who the material was easy for, we have focused on handwriting, spacing, spelling, etc. in addition to the specified lesson. The author's curriculum map shows FLL1 for K/1st, but I would definitely call it fully first grade material. You don't have to cover grammar in 1st grade, but if you do, I'd do FLL1, not FLL2. But my philosophy has always been to err on the side of going a little easier rather than too hard. They need that brain power challenged with reading & math - the other stuff shouldn't be as hard.

The CC song is NOT that helpful. It is too long, so each time the "theme" (not really the melody) repeats, my kids confuse the events with other events that are sung to the same theme/melody. Our CC community had an unofficial song for the VP cards that I loved! It had a different tune every 2 weeks worth of cards. Wonderful stuff! VP also has their own tunes, but I haven't listened to them so can't give an opinion.