I heartily second and third the responses above and would simply like to add a couple of thoughts. If you were to pay for writing class for your student, you'd spend way more than the $100 :) Also, IEW materials have a high resale value. Folks recoup most of their investment. There's a yahoo group for IEW families that is a treasure box of advice and extra help. You really need the teacher's dvds and an SWI for your student. From there you can go on to a continuation course OR use one of the Theme Based Lessons. Blessings, Teresa in NC

My boys still enjoy Boys' Quest :) Teresa

We attend Elevation church in Charlotte, NC. Steven Furtick has wisdom beyond his years. Check it out at elevationchurch dot org Blessings Teresa in NC

Hey there- My boys have enjoyed Geronimo Stilton which are similar. Captain Underpants is another series that was popular with my boys, now 11 & 9 :) BTW, we found these at the library. Smiles, Teresa

I used SWIA with my 7th, 5th and 3rd grader in the spring. I didn't plan to require the 3rd grade ds to do the assignments. However, he loved watching the dvd and could hardly wait to start! So, A was fine for him and ds 5th grade. However, dd 7th grade didn't like the fact the kids on the dvd were so much younger than she. That said, you could download the free lesson plans for SWI-A and work with your younger dd. Perhaps simply mastering Key Word Outlines and adding dress ups as they become easy. :) My recommendation would be to go with level B. The younger child will absorb much :) Blessings, Teresa in NC

I love Considering G-d's Creation for early elementary science. Lots of hands-on fun activities, minimal prep for mom, opportunity to dig deeper, written by two gals who were homeschooled missionaries, it's a super little curriculum. Blessings, Teresa in NC

Spelling Power just didn't jive with us. After several more attempts at spelling curriculum with a struggling middle schooler, I purchased Phonetic Zoo. Hearing Mr. Pudewa's explaination of how spelling and the brain work together, it made perfect sense. Spelling is the random retrieval of sequentially stored information. If the info isn't stored in correct sequential order, incorrect spelling results. PZ uses sight, sound, writing and speaking to reinforce the sequence of misspelled words. HTH, Teresa in NC

Thought I'd give a helpful tip :) Collage video dot com is a super resource where you can view hundreds of clips of workout videos online before you purchase. Separated by category, instructor, etc. there's something for everyone. Best of all, should you purchase a dvd, try it and decide it's not for you, return it for a refund! HTH, Teresa in NC

I've used MUS for many years. My dc only work through one page per day. That way I know they remember the concept the following day. However, I think there should be more practice, so I picked up a workbook at the hs consignment store and have them work through one page as a means of keeping up skills not covered in that week's lesson :) Smiles, Teresa

Hey Karen- Have you considered Teaching the Classics by Adam & Missy Andrews? The method can be applied to ANY literature selection and used at ANY grade level. As a matter of point, they recommend using books below the child's reading level, gradually adding more advanced literature as the student is ready to move on. Check it out at: http://www.centerforlit.com/ HTH, Teresa in NC

Hey Jean- Thought I'd weigh in on your issue since I can identify with it :) My dd who is 14 struggles with spelling as well. After trying every program under the sun I purchased Phonetic Zoo for her. She liked the fact it only took 15 minutes a day to work on spelling. I liked seeing improvement in her work and hearing her say the program had helped her :) PZ uses visual, auditory and written components to ingrain correct spelling sequencing of words into the kids brains. Furthermore, Mr. Pudewa has an excellent talk on Spelling and the Brain. He states that spelling is the random retrieval of sequentially stored information. If the information is stored in incorrect sequence, poor spelling results. HTH, Teresa

We are working through IEW SWICC-B. My 6th grade boy writes at least one paper each week, either an essay, writing from pictures, mini-research, book report, etc. That is one feature I love about IEW (among many :) Mr. Pudewa doesn't believe writing should be a subject in and of itself. It should be incorporated into each subject being studied. Blessings, Teresa in NC

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt and the hat :) The advice to just start is good. Watch disc one until YOU feel comfortable with it. Then present the information to your dc. When that becomes easy move on to the next lesson. Have you thought about having your dc watch the SWI-A disc that came with TWSS? Also, if you purchase the SWI-A complete dvd set, you simply have them watch the dvd and work through the assignment. Pull from the other subjects you're studying for additional writing assignments. Or you can use Theme Based Writing Lessons. There are free lesson plans on the IEW Families yahoo group as well as advice, additional practice sheets, posters, etc. My kids' writing has greatly improved. The boys don't even balk when given a writing assignment! They know exactly what's expected from them, check the items off the list and get done :) JMHO, Teresa <><

Hey there- I would say combo??? Not that I believe in or support evolutionary thought. We are disciples of Christ and as such I teach from a biblical worldview, ancient world included :) I've used Mystery of History for Ancients-Renaissance. Even when my kiddos were in early elementary we used Considering G-d's Creation which has a great activity at the end of each lesson called "Evolution Stumpers". DD, 7th grade, worked through Apologia Gen Sci last year. It, too, covers each perspective. So, in order for us to be able to give a defense, we've discussed these issues again and again-and will continue to do so. I think the issue comes down to are you willing to do for the truth what others do for a lie? By that I mean we don't need to "study" evolution, but we do need to be able to discuss it intelligently and defend our worldview. Homeschooling gives a tremendous opportunity to instill a biblical worldview in your children. To ground them in basic doctrine, to teach them from history, science, math, language, that we can see G-d's hand in all things. Answers in Genesis has some super resources. Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, NC is dedicated to apologetics. JMHO, Teresa

Chris-I just had this conversation with my dh last night! I'm glad to know that there are other women tackling the same issues! Blessings, Teresa

Wow! When I stop and think about all the curricula I've bought and sold over the past 13 years....WHEW! I can remember Abeka, Writing to G-d's Glory, Writing Strands, Learn to Write the Novel Way, Write with the Best, Shurley English...then last year I took the plunge and bought IEW. It is a hit for our family. It teaches through modeling which is perfect for my wiggly boys. They know exactly what is expected for ANY type of writing assignment. It's truly taken the frustration out of writing :) Smiles, Teresa

Funny, a good friend of mine just said this the other day. She was tired of replacing ink cartridges monthly. SO, she bought a new printer (Brother). The ink carts are less and she's not replacing it near as often. I also set my default to print in FAST DRAFT mode and when the printer "tells" me it's runnin glow, I change it to BEST and can get more copies out of it. Smiles, Teresa in NC

I used to own a book titled 102-I-Can-Do-It-All-By-Myself Activities for Preschoolers which was full of last minute activities to keep little hands/minds busy. Smiles, Teresa

WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE? is still the best-selling job-hunting book in the world. A favorite of job hunters and career changers for more than three decades, it continues to be a mainstay on best-seller lists, from Amazon.com to Business Week to the New York Times, where it has spent more than six years, and has been translated into 12 languages. The 2008 edition is an even more useful book, with its updated, inspiring, and detailed plan for changing readers' lives. With new examples, instructions, and cautionary advice, PARACHUTE is, to quote Fortune magazine, "the gold standard of career guides." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Taken from amazon.com My oldest found this helpful when she was considering careers a few years ago : ~Teresa

We spend about $$200 for me. I don't go anywhere. Dh is self-employed and commutes 40 min one way most days. His gas bill last month was $1290. He purchased a newer truck recently and his gas bill went down :) We're actually looking at purchasing a 3rd vehicle for me to run errands. Wish we lived in a community where we could ride our bikes or walk. Teresa in NC

Hey there Sharon- I am using MUS with my current lot of kiddos :) They offer an Honors book. It has lots of word problems to teach how to apply the concepts learned. My oldest son, 18, worked through The Art of Problem Solving when he participated in MathCounts years ago. It was most helpful with algebra. HTH, Teresa coffeebean1964@gmail.com