I am ordering the 4th grade set for my son to start in the fall. We are currently using the same math and English, and I love the looks of the schedule! My son is a real reader, so he'll probably continue with the Sonlight readers as well. We'll also add extra science, but the rest is just happy sigh for me. Excited!

Adrienne, I am sorry you felt a little blasted here. I have noticed that if anyone asks any sort of question regarding any sort of academic pursuit before the child is oh, 7 or so, there will always be some chiming in to tell you to relax! Your child is ONLY blank years old. blah blah blah However, I won't be that person. ;) Children are just different. So are Moms. I was a mom like you, and 20 years later, I still am. My oldest kids say they're going to engrave on my tombstone, Work First, Play Second, for as many times as they've heard it. I have written next to my computer, Work Hard, Go to Heaven Tired. That's just who I am. When it comes to parenting and homeschooling, it's not just about the child. It's about the mom, too. (Meaning we will do what is in US to do, not just what the "world" might say our child needs now.) Yes, when you see hints of character traits you don't want, nipping that bud sooner rather than later is always best. Of course, you don't want to dislike your child, and you want to love on her as much as possible. You want to brag on her in front of other people -- that has done more for my kids, I think, than anything. When my olders were really young and I had many in tow at the grocery store or whatever, if the cashier said to me, "your children are so well behaved!" . . . well, when we walked out of the store, I gave each of my kids a dime. I told them how much it made me thrilled that a stranger would say such a thing. They remember that. What's a dime? Nothing except a tangible thing to touch as a reminder that Mom was happy with me today. Maybe you can find something like that -- when others brag on your kids or you get to do the bragging to someone else. Even if my kids don't overhear me brag to my mom or a friend, I know that "the vibes" improve between my child and me when I do that. Lazy? They were all lazy at times. Lazy was easier to deal with than whining. I had one who whined until the day she was married. We had to teach her how to think the whine thoughts but not say them. I searched out quotes to say often -- like from the movie Cool Runnings -- "You know what MY grandfather always said? Get back to work!" And after a time, we would say only the first part of the quote and everyone would laugh and get back at it. My kids all quote movies, Cosby, I Love Lucy. Movies and books are very rich for sayings without my personal judgment. As much as possible, try to keep your judgment out of what you say. My oldest taught me to pray, for I was often in prayer over her -- she'd be the first to tell you how perfectionist she was/is, how negative she can be, how she wears her heart on her sleeve, how hard it is for her to give up a grudge. God taught me how much can be worked out through prayer and a happy face. No matter how my daughter was, I could choose to be cheerful. It's not worth it to let your children create your attitude. You choose to get your attitude right first, and keep that in spite of them. Sing a lot. Play happy tunes. Tell jokes. Your dd is probably, along with perfectionistic, more serious than she needs to be, but it is who she is. School can be fun, too. Keep lessons short. Brag on your dd (she IS really bright, you know!) when she overheards and when she doesn't overhear. It helps you more than you think, to brag on her good qualities. I have been in prayer about you since I saw this thread open. I hope you realize you're not alone. Many have done what you are doing with very young children and have lived to tell about it and, as I, would still do it all over again. No regrets here for having started young. Do I take my mother job seriously? You bet.

It's kind of funny to read your thoughts, because I think the Elegant Essay looks like exactly what my co-op kids need after finishing the paragraph section of Format Writing by Jensen. I have that Analytical Essay program and think that IT looks like the most confusing product ever and I can't imagine using it. haha We'll have to all report back at the end of year and compare notes as to how things went with the choices we've made!

It's one of these areas I know nothing about, but my 8th grader is expressing a real interest. I read some recent threads with hundreds of suggestions -- does anyone have a simple suggestion for a year's worth of learning that would be a standard recommendation versus off-the-beaten-path thing that is good but no-one has ever really heard of it? It would be a self-study thing, with as far as we now no outside support available. We live in the woods a mile from the "town" that is so small that we don't even have our own zip code. So I'm needing a recommendation of something simple to progress in to get him to be ready for an AP class. Online is okay but not necessarily prefered because of the expense. Any suggestions?

Thanks. I guess it's too early for me today. I meant for 2 different threads here, of course. But since you answered, and it's one of those days that I think even one person's opinion helps me a lot, I'll just leave that math question here, haha. Thanks. . . I think I'll go have some coffee now. ;)

My kids have used Saxon with the DIVE CD. My daughter is currently doing Advanced Math. So when she finishes a lesson and corrects it herself . . . and I asked how she did and she says she missed 2. Then I say, did you figure out what you did incorrectly and rework the problem? And she says yes, and usually tells me what it was and how she fixed it, and it goes right over my head but I nod and tell her that is great . . . :tongue_smilie: Does she need more than this?

I'll say I wish my son skipped Physical Science! Actually, I don't think there was much in General Science either. Watching my son go through 2 chapters (4 weeks) in studying clouds and weather is just painful to me. I don't think he has "learned" anything from this book except vocabularly and passing Apologia tests -- okay, maybe that's a good thing after all.

If I teach both IEW segments at our co-op next year -- for very beginning writers -- mostly 9th graders, should I teach the Elegant Essay first or SWI C first? I am planning for one semester with each program. I am not overly familiar with IEW, although I have watched TWSS and own and have read The Elegant Essay.

I watched the TWSS 3 years ago. Is there enough instruction to go my memory of TWSS if I try to guide a 9th grader through a theme-based writing book? OR, do I need to buy the SWI for that level?

Thank you for all of your replies. We live in the backwoods of Maine -- about an hour from any college/univ (or even Wal-Mart!). It is costly to go the paid-for online AP class route, and yet if my son does not have the standard of the rigor involved, it is so easy to do only a little more than fellow students we know -- and fool ourselves into thinking that we are excelling. CC classes are not really an option for us, as around here you really only have to be breathing to get a passing grade at the CC. My older kids have done 4.0 in classes there with so little effort that it is embarrassing to compare to the standard I had for them in their 9th and 10th grade courses at home. My first 3 graduates all said high school with me was twice as hard as college. Sigh. My thoughts are all jumbled with the thread about counseling -- I have a son now in 8th grade who wants med school, is pursuing advanced math and science and 2 languages right now. I really hate to think that I could mess up his chances because I am so ignorant. As others here, I've learned so much. There is so much to learn with both me and my husband not being college graduates ourselves! BTW, I looked at that database someone posted about medical school applicants -- the last year only had about 80-some applicants from Maine. Geez, I am feeling more backwoods with every passing year. Thanks for all the advice!

Oh, thank you. I was totally misinterpreting what I had read months ago and here on the forum today. So taking the test is good and reporting it is good, but letting it count for credit at a university would be the choice of the student?

Regarding AP classes in the sciences: If a student takes an AP class, say with PA Homeschoolers, and chooses not to take the test because of plans to apply to medical school later, does that AP class have to be reported as AP on the high school transcript? And if it is optional, you would not want to state that the class was AP, right?

I am talking about the AP English Composition test. I am not talking about using an AP prep book liking "Cracking the AP" but rather the preparing before that point -- say the 2 years leading up to taking an AP class. Other than lots of reading of good literature, what have you found as essential resources for a good background for an AP English course?

Lesson plans are really helpful. I give a syllabus for each class, listing what is required for a week. The weeks are generally equal in the time requirements, although dawdling through writing assignments can vary by choice. Allowing the kids to get in a rythym of how low things takes is a learning experience. I've graduated 3 (and have 3 more) and in my home, taking over their own week's worth of studies happens in about grade 4-5. Providing a daily syllabus for the first couple of years, then gradually to a weekly one. There are no grand surprises at the beginning on ninth grade, except that the work is harder, but they are smarter and sometimes (!) the material is more interesting, so it is not a problem. I would not allow any of my kids to fall behind over a week unless it is justified (sickness, etc.) Every week it is either done during Mon-Friday or on weekends. There is an often repeated saying around here that only what gets checked gets done, and I consider it my responsibility to make sure the work is getting done daily. I would not be surprised at the end of the week, because I know daily how it is going. I think that falling behind and taking twice as long to do what is necessary is really a character issue (unless there is a learning disability, in which case you would have to adjust your expectations). Not doing the work at all, or doing it as if the student were 5+ years younger, well, I would handle it as a character issue. To me, school work is serious business. My kids know that. I don't change my mind on my expectations frequently. I don't allow my kids to whine their way out of school work. We are very businesslike about it. I totally agree with incentives for good work, doing things over if sloppy, using timers, etc. We set regular hours for study. No one hides in their room to get distracted when they should be working. My kids study in the kitchen and I am there, working with my 8-year-old or other paperwork. They do not use cell phones or other gadgets while studying. Computer is for study and it is in the open where we can all watch each other. Checking work daily and asking about progress is important. It is not just nagging (or at least I tell myself). It is also just about being interested in my kids. I am their greatest cheerleader and constantly tell them they can do this! ;) (Edited to add to the OP: When my kids were young, a wise person told me to essentially remember the 3 R's. Every day. Reading, writing and math. If you cover those daily, you will make progress and your kids will grow. It is the routine more than anything that is helpful for prepping for high school, I think. Routine. Do the basics. Every day.) - Joan

I want to switch my son over to HOD Preparing from Sonlight. For various reasons, I don't want to wait until fall and I want him to start in CtC in Sept. If I start him in Preparing at week 18, will he be missing anything critical?

I would jump in with Core 3 -- the first half of U.S. History. I would use the regular readers with the younger, and the advanced readers with the older. Have fun!

My youngest is doing whatever the old Core 2 is called now -- second part of world history. He reads the books fast, fast, fast. He hates to write. His handwriting doesn't bother him but it bothers me. a. lot. The comprehension questions are somewhat cheesy, I think -- very simple. He always answers them. Sometimes he says, "you should have asked me ______." He finishes a week's worth of this core in 2 days a week. I can't start next year early, because he dawdles on anything involving writing (math, English, etc.), for which I still require daily lessons. What are you adding? What else do your kids do besides read, listen to books being read, answer simple questions and maps? For whatever reason, I just feel like he is missing the boat with any real learning from Sonlight yet. :confused:

WOW. Just wow. I am thrilled with all the responses -- just ask how's it going and there are 7 pages. I'm working with child #6 -- grade 3. We started this year with Sonlight 2 -- he's been reading about triple speed -- he always says, sorry Mom, I just read ahead again. He'll be done by Christmas. With SL, we haven't hit American History yet, so I'm going to start in January with HOD Bigger, rather than wait until September for Preparing. As a side note, what is driving me nuts about Sonlight is the lack of DOING anything with the reading. Well, except for me checking a box, hehe. So as I'm looking at Christmas shopping, I'm just sticking that HOD purchase in there . . . :D

I was already set with my curriculum choices this year, but that catalog still regularly calls to me. . . How is your year going? :bigear:

Thank you very much for your ideas! This "club" would meet for an hour x 30 weeks. They already get gym time with our co-op day, so that's covered. I would not be counting this for a full English credit -- in fact, I want to avoid others thinking that it would count. I want to take a year off from grading writing papers, heehee. Very nice ideas . . . so much to think about.

Oh, sorry. I am talking about a co-op "class" for grades 9-10, mostly boys, perhaps a dozen kids. I've taught essay writing for 3 years now and want to take a break from that next year (already planning, yes!) -- so I'm thinking a book club of sorts. So I pick a book, we meet and talk about it. They talk about it and I provide discussion starters if we need them. (PS -- I don't get the joke about not talking about being in a book club but not talking about it, so consider me really clueless about the whole thing.) The book club idea appeals to me because of its lack of agenda (I think) and yet the inherent value gained in sharing about books. (Edited to add it could be classic literature or fun reading -- I haven't decided on that yet, and if that makes a difference, can you please tell me how?) So. Food and no agenda. Sounds great for the boys, but if I am "in charge" and want to refrain from a free-for-all, what exactly do I do?

What exactly do you DO?

Looking for some feedback . . . This really intrigues me -- I am looking at my last child, 3rd-4th grade, for next year. How is this year going for you? Love it? So-so? :bigear:

I was trying to access a history schedule on the Core Foundations page: http://corefoundations.wordpress.com/scheds-english-and-history/ I am unable to click through to anything. Anyone else have any luck? :confused:

Glitter is the number one thing I won't do. And . . .shhhh . . . after 16 years of homeschooling, we have NEVER done a timeline! How's that for being rebellious. :tongue_smilie: