Thanks, this looks great!

Cuisenaire rods, hands down!!!! We use them daily!

We used Sadiler Oxford when I taught English in ps. I am using English from the roots up with my son, and plan on continuing through the second volume. If a child learns the roots then they can come close to defining any word by looking at the root and context. I will probably go with SO of high school if I feel like he needs it.

I switched this year from, ahem, various phonics programs, and I love WRTR! I just switched for all my kiddos and my just turned five year old is sounding out the phonograms in words and trying to read everything in sight. He picked up his big brother's book yesterday and started sounding out the word ghost!

I have had this for three years and consider it worth it to me. The copies are great to me. And if you go to renew after you do sign up from HSBC, they will give you the current HSBC price.

Hugs, I hate it when something like this happens!

And, you will probably switch at some point as you learn more what style works best for you. I spent two years away from FIAR, trying to keep everyone on the same subject (at different levels), but it just doesn't work. So, we have gone back to FIAR for the littles and we are loving it!

For the younger grades(k-3) I chose a more relaxed approach and went with Five in a Row. It is based on classic children's picture books and teaches valuable literary analysis skills. I added to that the CDs of SOTW. we listened to them in the car and talked about them conversationally, which was enough for my older son. With my littles, the history is way too much for them, so I am adding AO read alouds to their lessons.

TKAM is one book that I really miss teaching. I used to teach 9th grade English and we would start our year off with it. Anna Karenena, I thought was not so great. I couldn't believe that there were 100 more pages after the main character disappears! I thought it would never end. Right now I am reading Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and am loving it (with the exception of 150 pages on the battle of Waterloo, and the 150 pages describing convent life).

Have never seen this before. I would be interested in hearing more about it, but there is no way that I would pay that much per year for math for my three.

We loved Adventures in MFW. It is a well put together program and had just enough for us without being too much.

Did you tell her there's NO CRYING in grammar a la Tom Hanks?

We love FIAR over here and would recommend highly!

Five in a Row hands down!

We used SSRW and my son remembers almost NO spelling rules, plus he absolutely hated all the writing which is significant. I am now using WRTR and wish I had started with that.

I would say yes, as well, unless you were taught the Singapore way. It really does make a difference.

Thanks Lisa, I was able to open it in pages on my iPad! It will totally rock to have one both places - on paper and electronic!

If you call the customer service (TFB) and ask them about renewing, they will do everything for you, and give you the current HSBC rate.

I used the step by step planner from newbeehomeschooler.com I had never had my own paper planner before. I had always use printouts from HST+, but after almost six years, I have decided that I need to write something down or it doesn't stick in my brain! My optimum would be a written one and then I could put what we actually accomplished into some sort of table...like Lisa's;)

Ooo, can you share your template? I would love to be able to put that on my iPad! So awesome!

Ha ha, okay. I guess I'll just give it a whirl and see how it goes...

I know there has been discussion about which KF encyclopedia to use. Has anyone used the newest one? I am thinking of using it next year, but would like opinions if anyone else has used it.

Do you just follow the script? Do you add anything to it? Should the students have a notebook or something in which to practice?

So, I was totally prepared to ignore this section of WRTR, but I became intrigued last night and I read through that section, again. ;) Again, not sure if I get what to do. What does the writing portion look like in your house?

Isn't there a book too called books to build on or something like that, that lists books separated by lists? Also, look at FIve in a Row. It is inexpensive and a very full curriculum. It will be all you need for a year (except phonics and math) for one while year for $50 or less!