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Roxy Roller

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Everything posted by Roxy Roller

  1. Thanks, Elizabeth. We are studying MA/REF/REN this year, and I guess my main problem is that I really want to keep all of my kids(at least the older 4) together. The youngest will just tag along. They really enjoy history and want to do it together. I will take a look at the authors that you posted. I remember you had posted that you really liked the VP course, but I don't think that is the route I want to take right now. I guess I am trying to keep it simple. I am loosely using the TQ guide. I like the commentary and I think that I am warming up to using the Guerber books. I really like the looks of the Dorothy Mills books, but I think they would be okay for my rising 7th graders, but above the heads of the other 3. The Dorothy Mills books seem to quote primary sources, so that is a bonus too. We did TOG Year 1 last year, and we loved it, but I want to keep it simple this year, as my DD is adding logic, poetry, latin and a few other things and I am wanting to make sure that my 1st grader gets the attention he needs and wants at this stage for a good start in reading and math. I didn't know that MP had put out a version of Guerber. I will have to take a look.
  2. Thanks, 8. I guess I need to rethink history. I would really like to use a spine, but I am finding that I can't find anything that I really like. I feel like I have to choose the one that I like the most, while overlooking the things I don't like in it. Maybe I just have to use whole books and forget the spine. It just sounds like it will take more work and time that I don't have.
  3. We do not do science with Sonlight, but I purchased all of the Discover and Do DVDs. My children love them and watch them over and over. I do not make them a part of school, I just let them watch them whenever they want to. That being said, they do do the experiments on their own when they feel like it.
  4. After reading the long thread about disillusionment with history, or was it US history, taught to us in public school, how are you going to integrate primary documents/autobiographies into your homeschool at the K-8 level? Obviously most of these are written above our children's reading and comprehension levels, as they were written by adults, primarily for adults. Do we try to find the least watered down adaptations? Is this even possible? Can we start a list of world history and US history options for autobiographies and primary source documents for the grammar and logic stage? I am Canadian, so I would also love a Canadian history list. I love using historical fiction, but sometimes I think my DC take it more literally than they should(because of their ages), thinking it is all fact, even when I discuss it with them. I would love discussion on this, or if this has been discussed, please direct me to a thread I can peruse.
  5. My DD11(almost 12) will be doing: History/Literature: TruthQuest/Biblioplan Middle Ages, Reformation and Renaissance Science: Apologia General Science with Knowledge Quest Notebooking Math: MUS Pre-Algebra Writing: Writing With Skill, maybe Sentence Composing or Easy Writing as well Spelling: Spelling Plus Grammar: Growing with Grammar and Advanced Language Lessons Poetry: The Grammar of Poetry Vocabulary: Vocabulary from Classical Roots 4, 5 and maybe 6(we are starting at the beginning) Literature: Progeny Press Narnia Guides, as well as a couple of Progeny Press guides to go with history Latin: Getting Started With Latin Logic: Fallacy Detective and Thinking Toolbox Bible: Apologia 'Who is God?' and 'Who am I?' with her brothers, AWANA and devotions on her own Art: History with TQ Home Economics: Cooking, Baking and Quilting with Mom
  6. I did cursive with my DD starting at 4YO, using the Abeka K4, K5, Grade 1 and Grade 2 books. She had beautiful handwriting from the beginning, and I did not have to teach her manuscript, she just picked it up from her reading. This is how 'cursive first' is supposed to work. I also started my 3 sons in the middle at 4YO with Abeka cursive. We struggled through until my oldest DS was in 1st Grade and my twins were in Kindergarten. Halfway through these grades, I gave up. My sons just were not wired the same as my daughter, and even though they had no physical limitations in their dexterity, they were struggling(mainly with remembering how to form and connect each letter). We switched to manuscript and all three of them started cursive in 3rd Grade. Now in 4th and 5th Grades, their handwriting is great. My son who is just starting 1st Grade has been asking to learn cursive(and he probably could, as he has great pencil control). I have told him that he needs to run through a manuscript book, to make sure he can form all of the letters correctly, then we will switch to a cursive book, probably at the end of 1st or the beginning of 2nd Grade. HTH
  7. :iagree:We are long time users too. I find that sometimes my DC need time for assimilation. We take a total break, then pick it up again. Many times this is one week, or up to three weeks. (I have tried to use other programs like MM, Dad, or Grandpa, in the interim, to teach differently, but I have found that most of the time, my DC's minds just need the time to organize what they have learned into 'files' that they can access on demand later.) FYI, we usually hit a wall in Delta, once my DC hit multiple digit division. When it starts to get difficult, and my DC start getting really frustrated, we take the break. Go for mastery, it will pay off in the end!
  8. Good question! I don't know. I will have to look at it again.
  9. I agree that Horizons is not slow. My 3 boys in the middle are doing a combination of MUS and Horizons Math. They are doing Horizons Math a year behind as review. I will look into Thinkwell, I had not really thought about using it.
  10. We just started our summer session on Monday. DD started BCM(ChalkDust clone), and it did not go well. The lectures were way too long for her. I can see that if we continue, there will be loads of tears this year, and not a whole lot of learning happening. My DD11 is not a strong math student, and she has just finished MUS Zeta. She did well, but it was not easy for her. I had hoped that BCM would solidify her understanding of basic math before pre-algebra. I should also add that she seems to be an auditory learner, and she likes lessons to be 'short and sweet'. My question is, where do I go from here? I was really hoping to have Professor Mosely teach her, as I really do not have the time in our schedule this year. So...do I continue on with MUS and do pre-algebra? I really did not want to do pre-algebra until 8th grade, as my DD is still quite immature. As of right now, she is not bound for university, rather, she wants to attend college to become a veterinary technician. Of course, that could all change. What if I did Horizons Math 6 this year and then moved to MUS Pre-Algebra next year? Or should I consider Math Mammoth 6? I have Saxon 7/6, but I think it would take a lot of teaching on my part, and I really need her to be fairly independent this year. Any help would be appreciated!
  11. I am glad I could help. I sometimes get caught up in feeling like we are behind grade levels, but when I take a few moments to breathe, I realize that some things like grammar and writing need to be mastered and practiced continually. I keep reminding myself that it isn't a race we are running, it is a process. I also have no doubt that my DD(and DSs for that matter), are going to be much better prepared for high school and college level classes than some of their counterparts, due to the quality of curriculum(or is it curricula) that we as homeschoolers have, as compared with the school system. Add that to the fact that we can meet our children where they are at and work with them one on one, we can't help but produce bright, capable children.
  12. My DD11 - 6th grade, started R&S 5 this past year, but I had to take her down to R&S 4, because 5 moved too fast. It was our first year doing grammar, as I tend to lean a little toward agreeing with CM in the grammar department(although I am starting my boys at 4th grade, not 6th). That being said, we are going to start this summer with Growing With Grammar 5, double-time, so we will finished before Christmas, when all of level 1 ALL should be out. Then I will go to it, and I will double up on lessons as long as I can, hoping that 6 will be out next summer to get a head start on it. I really like the fact that ALL and WWS are supposed to coincide, but this year may not match up. My daughter will not be finished ALL or WWS until 10th grade - or maybe a little sooner if it gets released so we can work on it during the summers. I don't think that is a bad thing. I am more interested in grammar(language) mastery, than rushing through levels. I think you would be fine to do ALL and WWS this year, and if you are wondering what to do until all of level 1 of ALL comes out, you could always get some of R&S's English worksheets to do review.
  13. I, too, have a struggling speller. We just started Spelling Plus by Susan Anthony along with her dictation book. It contains the 1000 most commonly used words, including those most spelled incorrectly in high school(although it is written for K-6). I started back near the beginning, and we are testing through each level, just to make sure we fill in the cracks. We are also doing lots of dictation with Susan's book. The sentences are easy, but that is not the point. The point is to get your child to the point where they don't have to think about how to spell a word - it is just automatic. Susan does recommend her dictation book as a starting point, stating that they are beginning sentences. She encourages you to spend the time making your own sentences, utilizing the time to work on other language skills. She gives lots of ideas in her book. Her recommendations are similar to SWB's, in that she recommends adding things like contractions, until they are automatic, then moving on to adding possessives. Dictation is an important step between learning how to spell a word and actually using it in your writing. I have 5 children between 6 and 12, and I am concerned about the time that dictation will take, so right now, we are doing it before my daughter goes to bed, as she is up a little later than the rest. She knows she needs to improve her spelling and is willing to work hard. I think that your child needs to understand the importance of spelling, and they need to understand that for some people it comes easy, and for the rest, they have to work hard to achieve spelling proficiency. When we start our full school schedule in the fall, I will use a digital recorder to record my daughter's dictation, so that she can do it independently, to save time in my busy schedule. I hope this makes sense, as I haven't had my daily quota of coffee yet. ETA: I have emailed Susan and she has been very helpful, so you might do that if you have any questions.
  14. It looks good! I can't wait to start WWS in July with my DD11.
  15. Thanks for the update, Susan. I really want to use ALL with WWS. I love the direction you are heading!
  16. I am just printing the 5 week Advanced Language Lesson sample that I received this morning. It is not going to be available in pdf form until at least December, and possibly print in January. I am thinking that I will go ahead and start on GWG5 this summer, maybe doubling up the lessons, and then we will review with ALL5, when it is available. There is no such thing as too much grammar is there?:tongue_smilie:I say this, because I take a CM approach to grammar and do not start until 3rd Grade.
  17. :iagree: After reading through the huge WWS5 sample, I finally 'get' the big picture that SWB has been trying to lay out. I love the direction she has gone and I can't wait to get started.
  18. Thank you for the responses. I think that I will hold off for now and maybe revisit it again half way through the year.
  19. My DS6 is starting first grade this year, and I am trying to decide if we should start WWE1 this year or wait until next year. He is bright, but I am a little concerned that WWE3 and WWE4 will be tough in 3rd and 4th Grade. When did you start?
  20. Does anyone happen to know when this will be released? I have been looking over the WWS5 sample and I really want to use it with my DD11. I am now re-thinking grammar, because WWS5 states that the lessons correspond to ALL. I am wondering if we will have samples of ALL to use alongside the WWS5 sample. Unfortunately I start my school year in July, so I am a little worried about changing my grammar choice this late, but I would if the sample of ALL is as fabulous as WWS.
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