My ds (entering 3rd) seems to be a natural reader and while we used a combo of ETC books (1-3) and online ETC, this year I thought I should at least finish up his phonics instruction and we went with LLATL Red. I love the style and he did well with the hands-on activity stuff. I didn't finish the book - we are a little over halfway. I don't do their spelling. The reason I choose LLATL was for the "last half" of the phonics instruction. Well, here it is summer and while we are reading from various chapter books from the library, I've put the LLATL away. I'm trying to figure out whether to just pick up where we left off or do something a little more purposeful regarding phonics (even over the summer) just to finish up and move on. He is very visual spatial and loves books with color and humor. He's not strong in handwriting yet - still a struggle (or rather "major complaint" on his part) but he has made wonderful progress this year. My older children have dyslexia and handwriting issues but he just seems to read without much instruction. Although, we were working through the SL books and he was not ready for the "no to little pictures" books so I put them aside for now. Would I be further off using a reading program like BJU for him? Ack....

I'm in Manassas! There is a home school organization called http://www.homeschool-life.com/va/hopehs/ - known as HOPE. It is very inexpensive to join and they offer outings for the kids varying by age, monthly meetings and more - I just don't take advantage of the "more" so not entirely sure what all is really available. As for midwives, I've had 3 of my 4 babies using the Fairfax Ob/gyn Associates and they just opened a new office in Gainesville. They are affiliated with Fairfax/Fair Oaks hospital, which for me, was important. Absolutely love, love, the midwives. If you need more info, church recommendations, dance instruction, etc. just send me a PM and I'll see what I can come up with. Welcome!

I was thinking about that idea this afternoon - very good point. I've got to lay everything out on the table and see what I can come up with and see how it all comes together. I think with this type of study - it is going to be similar in nature and you do need to add some "flare" to it but I've got to be sure I can get that accomplished - some mom's have grand intentions but when it comes down to doing it, well, sometimes we fall well short.

Ugh! I was really thinking about doing this program but with the expense of it - even combining the good of the two - is high and if we flounder with it I can't afford to just toss it and start fresh - sadly, I don't have an unlimited budget. ha ha! I will say that I purchased the Prayer journal and it is a great tool - for older kids - the middle to high school range. It allows the child to look first around themselves to see what they have and then begin to work outwards first into their communities. I just don't know how to combine 3 kids with 3 learning styles into something that saves my sanity! Ugh!!!!!! I got one who loved HOD, one who loves SL and one, well, she loves any social event that allows her to be a leader or participate. sooooo..... still searching.....

I know this is something that WP has written themselves and I want to be sure that it is truly worth the $30. If you have used CAW and read the exclusive book from WP - Children of Many Lands - can you give some feedback? Are there typos? grammar issues? Is the information given in story format? and if so, is the info pretty current/true. I've struggled with HOD this year doing 3 guides and want to bring all kids back together - WP allows for this a bit easier and would love for my 3 youngest to do a world geography/culture study. MFW would be great but they don't offer above the 8th grade level.

I knew I had seen something! Thanks so much! I had saved the links for the sites for the virtual stuff but not the book list. That helps immensely and much more bio-friendly for my dd. Again, thank you thank you thank you

I tried the search function and it doesn't seem to be working. Has anyone made up a syllabus, assignment plan/list - something to go along with the Biology 101 DVD for high school. I really need something that is user-friendly for a dd that has dyslexia so it needs to be reading-friendly and I'm not worried about the dissection issues. This particular child is going into the education field so we need general exposure - get that bio credit done - but she'll be heading to a cc before a 4 year college. Help!

I'm really trying to decide between these two for a world geography/cultures course for next year. I will have a 3rd, 6th and looking for fold in a 10th grader. Yes, I know that ECC is written for up through 8th and I'm not so sure that I'm keen on making an older student write a bunch of country reports (seems redundant). I know that CAW offers an older kids guide and I also know that on the high school board here someone posted an awesome schedule for high school world geography. I know it would probably be on the lighter side but perhaps that is okay - and the year can be spent focusing on a new foreign language, indepth literature and writing (not to mention science). My high school student doesn't need to be laden down with all subjects, kwim? I know in the past CAW had issues with the plight focus but it appears that this year it has really been toned down. I know, they have their shipping issues (I'm a former customer - and there is one thing that keeps coming to my mind - and that is the catalog looks great, the theory of the program looks great, and then I get started and it always seems to end up disjointed and then I get frustrated (I've used AS 1 (dropped it when the readings and notebooking didn't match up), S&S (made it all the way through), and Ancients - for the most part I thought it was great but my kids didn't like all the jumping between resources to read stuff) so my hesitance to go there once again - this would be an expensive lesson to learn). It is so hard because the return policy is costly with the restocking and shipping fees! Pros appear to be covering more countries, older Learner guide I like the looks of ECC because it allows for bringing in other books, sources, etc. from the library and I'm there once a week so not an issue. What I don't want is to be doing the same thing, different country each week. I'm concerned that its focus is on labeling, labeling, labeling and I want my kids to know where the countries are located but they don't have to memorize them. I want them to know about them and what they do or don't have but they don't need to draw a map of the world and fill it all in. Bottomline - I want them to think about the world they live in - not just their own little city/state and but about others. Ack...any feedback would so be appreciated.

Talk me down off the ledge.... I'm still waffling on my decisions for my third grader for next year - I've got to find 2 years to fill (3rd and 4th) and then I'll put him into the HOD CTC with his brother (HOD's Bigger is not an option for him I don't think and also there is that whole running programs back to back). One option I've got filling my head is using MFW Adventures and then the following year ECC. I'm pretty sure that I'll do ECC not this coming school year but next because my other son will most likely need a break from HOD so that when he returns to do CTC it makes it easier on the history cycle for high school. Sooooo, since the older brother is doing Preparing which is an overview of history I was thinking of trying to find something that was an overview but more on his level (pictures, some hands-on, my visual/spatial, loves listening to great books but SOTW was boring to him so that is not what he'd classify as great (haha!). I was wondering if the HIH would program would fit that bill - although I'm not building big things out of cardboard boxes! But if the frame of the program itself would work and I could add in other literature (I'm not the creative type that can create a schedule) perhaps it is an option. My concerns are (aside from the customer service issues/been there/experienced that and the resale policy) I'm concerned about the book they wrote to work as the spine - is it an overly-easy read? Engaging? errors? How about the on the spot fun book? I did read that people have used this with a 3rd grader - and since I'm still working a lot of cementing the 3Rs - history instruction does not have to meet AP standards so to speak but I'm trying to engage and excite his learning rather than rote learning. Anybody? Heidi And yes, I've used WP in the past and trust me, I know the issues because I've had them myself and hence the "talk me off the ledge" because I'm not sure!

I think I'm going to put all this decision-making on the back burner for a bit now that I've got some positive feedback and great ideas. It sounds like Adventures would be okay to do and an option - and probably a bit easier to add in picture books to the mix. Another option that has crossed my mind-only briefly but still an idea-is to do SL Core 1 with him since they use CHOW and CHOW is used in Preparing - at least I'd be reading from the same book! and perhaps for a bit in the same time period. I'm not going to dwell on it any more - I'm just going to let things rest and see what happens.... and there is yet more drama at "the other place" sheesh! Again, thank you all for taking the time out to help me think through and give some wonderful advice.

Somewhat off topic but this morning I was sitting at the table and sharing my pondering thoughts with my two oldest (14 and 17) and their take on this was "you should keep him in Preparing. He needs to be challenged. You think he can't do it but he can. He's going into 6th and needs to step it up." They think that I'm being a softy and a pushover and that he, indeed, can do the work if he had to. Very interesting. So, should I do ECC with just one? or just do Adventures and add in picture books? or do Core 1 because it uses the CHOW which Preparing uses? Now, talk about left field! hah a

Ack!!!! What to do? I'm just wondering if I kept my oldest ds working through HOD's Preparing would it be doable to do the Adventures with my younger ds and then re-evaluate where we are the following year? Those jumps in reading in the HOD program from book to book are big and he may not be ready for CTC in 7th because of his learning issues - and, then again, he could be. Ack!!!! Where is a magic ball when you need one?

Thanks so much for the feedback! It is just so hard to know what to do!!!!!

I have not used MFW before. I do love HOD but here is my situation: My ds (he is the youngest) is entering 3rd grade. He's a visual/spatial learner so needs pictures (enjoys reading those Usborne encyclopedia books). I tried HOD Beyond with him and realized quickly that no matter how much I love HOD, it was not a good fit for him - the readings are short, little to no pictures. I really need a planned, organized, give me a box to check type program so that I know that it gets done. I don't have a problem with the book basket because we have a decent library system and an awesome used book store so that is not of concern. I do have 3 older kids (two high schoolers (I spend at least an hour a day with each) and an LD (dyslexic/dysgraphic) going into 6th. He has done very well with HOD's Bigger this year and my original intentions were to continue on with Preparing but when I look at the grand scheme of things, I've begun to wonder - how am I supposed to do all that read-aloud stuff for him, help with other "boxes" (remember he's dyslexic) and still teach my younger one (not to mention mentor/teach the two olders as needed - side note, just because they are high schoolers doesn't mean they don't need you anymore). So I've really begun to give MFW a second look. Option A would be just do Adventures with my youngest and keep the other ds in Preparing (would I still have time to do both?) Is Adventures visually engaging? We've already covered those experiments done in Adventures so I would need other science. or Combine them both into ECC? Would it be overload for my 3rd grader? Is there A LOT of writing in ECC (dysgraphia issues)? Are those skills that I see gradually progress with difficulty over the year in HOD progress in MFW, too? I know people use more than one guide in HOD - they are supermoms! I am not. I'm an one-armed paper hanger that knows her limits and this year has not been fun. I feel spread thin trying to cover all of my kid's needs. Maybe that is par for the course but I do feel like there has to be another option. Textbooks are out. Thoughts Heidi

If you have access to the SL forums you might want to do a search there. I was looking at trying to place my up coming 4th grader in SL and was considering Core 1 or Core 2 or the combo - and I learned a lot about Core 1&2. You are literally rushing through time (decades and more) in a week so the first half of the year you cover all the time period from Core 1 and then the second half is all of Core 2 time period. There is a lot of reading each day - more so than required if you just start with Core 1. I've found with so many programs that if you use it to the upper end the child gets soooo much more out of it. I think if I just had 1 child (or two) to school and that it was just them and nothing else, the combo core might be okay, but with other kids, something would have to suffer. kwim? The new catalog is coming soon and there have been some little teasers put out recently - one is about a CD that you can get that will help add in some hands-on, coloring pages, etc. I know on the website they have a set of links already but this may (or may not) be even more helpful. I think the sample of Core 1 is not quite the full picture of the year-it would have been more helpful to see something from where the CHOW book is read and see how much reading would then be required. I understand that Core 1 starts out slow but gradually increases - kind of nice when just starting out a new school year whereas the combo you start out of the gate at a running pace!

Oh my goodness, thank you so much for all the links and sorted out connections for the TC lectures and the book - absolutely awesome! Since my two youngers are going to work on physics this year it will be a treat to have my oldest doing the same subject, albeit at different levels. Who knows, maybe big brother will be able to add in to the youngers lessons and really get them inspired. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Susan - that really helps me a lot in getting a bigger picture of the EC program. This is definitely something I'm going to take a closer look at before making a final decision. I also need to give Biblioplan another once over, too - forgot about that one! Heidi

I saw two copies of the Conceptual Physics book at my local used bookstore but one was the 3rd and one was the 8th edition - is there a preference? I was looking at the Teaching Company today for something math related and saw those physics ones - they look like a great supplement and when on sale worth the cost - especially since my youngest loves the audio/visual learning so it will get used once again. Heidi

I can not figure out what grade levels this program is geared towards - I'm sure someone must know the answer to this, please. I'm really trying to find something with a schedule, colorful books, some hands-on but not too much - he's a boy - that won't take the whole day up to get history done. He's visual/spatial. Everything I read recommends SL but I'm not sure how that works other than the Usborne Encyclopedia being colorful so not seeing the visual hook they need. I really need something that is planned out - a box, a schedule, something as I've got 3 other kids - two high schoolers and a 6th grader but he is my quirky kid and needs something that works for him so I need something that keeps my sanity! The only drawback to Easy Classical is that it uses SOTW and that has not been a good fit in the past but that was last year - and this coming year he'll be entering 3rd grade. Are there any suggestions for an American History visual/spatial to consider, too? Heidi

My ds who will be a senior next year should probably do 1 more year of science - we've done Earth Science (9th), Bio (10th) and Chem for 11th. I looked at Apologia's Physics but he doesn't have the trig exposure yet (finishing Algebra II but there was no trig intro - seems to be taught in the PreCal classes now) so not sure if that would be a good option. Also, there doesn't appear to be any visual (i.e., teacher to watch/lecture) that he needs (he's audio/visual). He's not a science major by any stretch of the imagination - he and I are working through the chemistry together along with watching the RedWagon lectures and he's doing great but it has been a lloooooonnnngg road! I'm just wondering if there are other options rather than a textbook for senior year - does it have to be physics? could we do something else science - Bio 2 say? Or more of a charlotte mason flare for physics - love NOEO style and would be easy to supplement videos but obviously this is not a senior level course. We are looking at CC for next year but I'm thinking more along the math and english - not for science - just yet. He has a hearing disability which wasn't diagnosed until his teen years which has caused some learning challenges so he's slowly getting to where he needs to be - so I prefer something that he'll understand. As for his future goals - we're thinking future youth minister - he loves spending his time at church! Heidi

Some good ideas to look into. CHOW might be an option - my other ds will be using for Preparing next year and SL uses it with Core 1 and 2 - hmmmm.... I will find a fit for him, I will!

I'm having a hard time finding a fit for my visual-spatial learner - he needs that whole view first and then break it down into small parts style. When I do searched SL keeps coming up (ds is entering 3rd) but not entirely sure that is a good fit. We tried SL Science 1 last year and that was not great but we did make it half the year. He does like some hands-on craft or cooking project but not an overload and with SL you don't get that in the IG. I've got 2 high schoolers and an upcoming 6th grader with dyslexic/dysgraphic issues so my time is stretched between them all (they all have some type of learning issue so I have to come alongside my high schoolers at times throughout the day to be sure things are getting done, understood, etc.) Well, this year we are using Saxon Math 2 along with the online Destination math which has been great. I don't subscribe to drilling so I don't necessarily use Saxon as entirely written but he loves it, is retaining, and I'm having to skip lessons to keep up with him. We also use LLATL Red to finish up his phonics although he seems to be a more natural reader and just "knows" how to read the words. We're almost finished with the SL Readers 2 and will begin 2 Int. - just slowing him down to work on some strength in fluency and reading for longer periods so we're reading all of the Amelia Bedelia books because he is really enjoying him (I think that's the visual/spatial coming out in the form of humor that they so enjoy). We tried HOD's Beyond but it was not keeping his attention (and I don't want to do Bigger all over again next year but I suppose I could but still not convinced he's a HODdie type learner). I read SOTW Book 2 to him and his quote "that was the most boring book I've ever heard" so forget that! I just pick a read-aloud from SL Core K (almost finished with all of those) but calling it a day. He does a science co-op but not totally engaged there but I think that is more a result of the chaos of the class of K through 2nd graders and hard to focus. Just not sure what direction to look at this coming year for him. I've been considering either the combo Core 1 & 2 or MFW Adventures or ???? Any suggestions?

I am not an expert in the field but when covering the Eastern Civ. topics, such as the muslim faith (I'm guessing this is what you might mean), it does spend a little time in the book explaining where the faith came from and how it progressed - there is nothing negative about it that I took from the readings. In reality, I remember reading things similar in style in the SOTW books - just the facts, no opinion. There are also, thus far, nothing said in a negative way about Catholicism. The history readings are more in story format - a key figure, say Pope Gregory I (I think he was a first) and there will be a story to read about an event that perhaps led to him become the Pope - it brings the people of that time, his assistants, the cities, other key people, etc. together - sort of like an historical fiction book would except the stories are factual - not a mix of this and that. We are currently working through the Monks and Mystics book (we have had a few setbacks over the school year so not as far along as I'd hoped) and soon we'll be going into the MOH reader which I'm looking forward to reading through next. I do find that with RTR it flows nicely - without bias - and leaves plenty of room to have discussions about the people who gave their lives for their faith, the freedoms we have when it comes to our religions, and an understanding of how other religions formed - we can compare and contrast on our own - good discussions without someone else's point of view thrown in.

I'm currently using RTR - ask away...

You have received some great ideas thus far. As a mom to a child that just doesn't seem to learn math the conventional way, I've had to make some adjustments and realize that they all get there, in their way when they are ready (which is hard if you have to take standardized testing, etc.). I think math concepts are probably just as difficult to understand as reading - a whole new ball game. You could do a few things - go to the worldbook encyclopedia site (I used to have the link) and there is tells you what the typical first grader should know (or second or third, etc.). It lists those skills and you could then work from there on achieving those skills. She might be more of a visual/spatial learner (my ds is one) and I recently tried out the Destination Math that the homeschoolcoop offers - you can try it out for a whole month for free. I would recommend Course 1 although I think they might have even one before that - try them out. I would also check out lots of mathy books from the library - the Math Start books and read through one each week. Check out the suggestions on the Living Math website for books - you'd be surprised. I believe that you really need to teach to the child's learning style when it comes to math or you just go round in circles. She may still be young so the more gentle approach where she doesn't even realize she is working on math helps. You could set up a little store and practice money. I would not focus on drills and memorization. If you have that math book sitting around - look at the problems, sit down and talk through them - you be the scribe. Use counters as needed. Young kids need to see and feel at this age to make the connections. Also do a little searching on mastery and spiral (Horizon, CLE and Saxon) approaches to math to figure out whether your child works better. Math games are great, too. Almost forgot - the MathTacular videos that Sonlight offers - awesome, awesome, awesome. They seem cheesy to us grown-ups but boy, the kids just engage with Justin and really understand the concepts. Hope this helps, just a little. Heidi