I am happy someone bumped this. I am finishing RS E with my 2nd child this spring. Last time around this happened, I made my oldest son knock out most of Math Mammoth 5 and parts of MM 6. I don't really want to do that again. I have looked at the samples online, but I don't know if it will be a good transition program from RS to AOPS. I ended up using VideoText with my oldest son, since he has a pretty low frustration tolerance. I am hoping BA will be good for my 2nd son. He hasn't found much of anything in RightStart to be very challenging, but I know he also does not have that natural curiosity to push through challenge. Maybe BA will help him develop some of that before AOPS? Or at least I can determine whether or not he would be a good candidate for AOPS. Otherwise, he will likely end up doing VideoText as well.

I have often thought that I may use my Killgallon (spelling?) Sentence Composing book for review after Analytical Grammar. My thought was that we could check our work with that grammar web site that will diagram sentences for you. Just a thought.

I think Writing Through History would marry well with The Complete Writer. I posted a review on Amazon and basically said this exact thing.

Book 5 should arrive tomorrow in the mail. I haven't bought a teacher's edition yet, but I am wondering if you think the guide is helpful or necessary for this level. Sorry I can't answer your question, but I am interested in the responses you receive and any advice you have for someone about finish Book 4 and jump into 5. Thanks!

I was just watching the How to Get Started Intro lesson a few minutes ago. I think I am going to like it, but we'll see if it is too much for my son. He is younger than the recommended age.

Was there a coupon code sent out to people who registered their e-mails? I can't find mine in my inbox and am not sure I was ever sent one. Getting ready for the big release tomorrow. I thought it was going to start today. Oops!

Hmm. I remember that there was a similar one soon after, so I don't want to link something and have it be the wrong bundle sale. From what I remember, people could choose something like 5 options. I just remember that there were several Ellen McHenry options that I really liked and so I am hoping those are offered again. I wish I could be more help.

I don't know. There was a web site last year. I can Google it and see what there is out there now.

I have a friend who helped put together last year's Build Your Bundle package. I actually passed over it last year, because I'd already purchased most of my curriculum and didn't feel like I could justify anything that didn't actually fit into my plan. That said, I've wished I'd gotten all the Ellen McHenry materials that were included, because now we'll be hitting botany in a few weeks. I think I'd like the EMH curriculum better than what we've been using. I don't know what publishers will be included, but she did say that they will be having one geared toward secular home schoolers as well as a Charlotte Mason one again. Anyway, I just wanted to let people know that the sale will happen sometime in May. I know now is the season that folks are scoping out the sale seasons for different publishers (at least I do!) and hope this information helps someone out.

I am seriously considering this for my 6th grader next year, so I am interested in feedback as well!

I finished Rightstart last year with my oldest. We completed most of MM5 this past year (mostly independently) and have started working out of MM6. My son can't really teach it to himself as designed, so I am spending a lot of time with him on math on a daily basis now that we are hitting more new concepts. I busted out the VideoText A I bought used two years ago for $5 today (which is why I am here searching for threads about VideoText). I just can't be spending so much time on math (this is my oldest son of 5 kids). I think it will seem really easy to him after MM, and will give him a boost of confidence, and I expect to need Module B pretty quickly. I may even spring for RS G and start slowly working through that too. I just needed a RS drawing break. I think he'll handle the drawing lessons more independently now. In total, I am still trying to figure out out post-RS journey, but I think switching to VideoText is going to be returning to the better direction for us. That said, I am in love with the word problems in MM. :)

So did you not know how much money you would be making before you signed an agreement? Since the % is supposedly considered proprietary?

Due to the laws governing these types of arrangements, there is no legal way to offset tuition costs for the teacher. You'd have to read up more on the Homeschoolcpa.com. The question then is: Can a person legally be reimbursed at $3/hour? And more: Can other structures compete if "professional tutors" (the ones who make a business out of it and work at various co-ops and/or programs) expect to make a fair market value for their services? If you are working 40 hours/week trying to teach yourself a subject because you don't know it, can you then be considered skillful? Who sets the tuition rate? Can you be considered a graduate of a tutor program that does not grade, etc?

No, they don't get paid directly for their recruiting, but they are tasked with having information meetings until they are full. This is their heavy recruitment month. Our local homeschool facebook group administrators put some policies in place this year, because with 7 communities actively recruiting in our area, it became clear very quickly that the IM notices were going to take over the newsfeed. According to an interview (https://www.classicalconversations.com/article/interview-robert-bortins-ceo) with the CEO, they have very aggressive goals for expansion. Robert Bortins says about their growth projections: " Our stretch goal is 1% of all students by 2021, which would be about 580,000 students. In order to have enough leaders to reach this goal, we will need to hire and train about 50,000 tutors, directors, and other leaders." I am a little concerned about the Homeschool NOW efforts as well. I contacted the person at the HSLDA in charge of packing up and sending the homeschool information meeting packets for those efforts. There is a card included for people to fill out and return for more information on home schooling. Anyone who checks a box signifying interest in Classical education or groups/co-ops will be forwarded onto CC, the "experts in those areas." They are expanding their marketing to people simply considering home schooling. I share this information, so that people understand how they are trying to change the landscape of home schooling. They are very aware of numbers and market share.

Oh my! I am from Richmond. What do you think this means for homeschoolers? My kids are still many, many years away from college.

Thinker's Cap Academy

I also use the mapping exercises from Simply Charlotte Mason, but they didn't exist when we learned the states and capitals. We've done the Africa module and are working our way through the Middle East now. They are very simple, but they are gentle and effective!

Musical Stew has a really cute song, available lyrics, and a corresponding video. My kids loved it - and learned their states and capitals too! http://www.musicalstew.com/ http://www.musicalstew.com/states.html

I had republished an e-mail response from Joan Cotter concerning a question regarding her RighStart Math curriculum. At the time I posted it, I had inquired to the page about whether or not that was okay. I just removed it, but it was something she had sent out on the yahoo group. Is that considered illegal or wrong? I attributed her words to her.

dup post - deleted

I had issues when trying to use MM with my son in the past. This year we are using it, but I don't use it traditionally. I print out 4 different sections and start cutting them up. I make sure he does about a half page (depending on the topic or difficulty) from each section, so he isn't doing 4 pages of the same thing. This has seemed to work for him, and I think we'll be able to finish Grade 5 by Christmas and start Grade 6 in Jan. We had spent Grades 1-4 using RightStart and weren't sure where to go next. I think the layout can be extremely overwhelming for some kids.

What does this mean for those of us who have her newer version? I am new to MM from Right Start. My son has covered 3 chapters of MM5 since June, so I am hoping we can fly through 5 and most of 6 this school year. My thought was that we could transition to a Pre-algebra curriculum after we finish. Is the CC aligned version dumbed down, or will it leave us unprepared or requiring another step in between? Thanks!

Sorry I ignored your wishes and posted publicly. Please let me know if you would like me to remove my comment.

I am not under the impression that employers get to pick the arrangement that best works for them. Employers have to designate status based on whether or not it fits the criteria outlined by the IRS. What amazes me is that people seem more concerned with what this could do to the business rather than whether or not the IC designation is actually legal and what that means to Directors if the IRS investigates for whatever reason and finds them owing penalty fees and back payments. I wonder if the Directors receive any kind of training in what it means to hire independent contractors versus employees and the level of control and/or behavior allowed in the one relationship versus the other. The entire work of the business revolves around the work of these independent contractors, and they have required training and meetings to attend. Don't the communities try to have all the tutors teaching the same hand motions, jingles, etc? Otherwise, all the families would have trouble keeping up with the different songs/hand jives, etc. taught in each of the classes. If the IRS designated the IC status invalid, this would not be someone destroying a business. Rather it would be the case that the business classified its employees wrongly despite people letting them know they were likely in a vulnerable position.

If they are properly designating people, then it should not be a concern for anyone involved. While it may be cost prohibitive to make everyone a part-time employee, perhaps making people true independent contractors would give much of the autonomy back to the local communities that they have lost as the control over them has tightened. I don't think this is an issue that will go away even if the original poster decides not to pursue the SS-8. Maybe give Carol Topp a call and see if she will offer any guidance based on her knowledge specifically with home school co-ops and IC designation? The other option would be to make it a more volunteer run organization and issue co-op licenses like other curriculum companies like Tapestry of Grace, etc. CC would still profit based on the curriculum sales, etc. If the Challenge teachers are truly qualified (don't need specialized training) as Independent Contractors, they could probably still charge a fee, paid directly to the teachers, and operate like more traditional home school co-ops. http://homeschoolcpa.com/