I really like Power 90 by Tony Horton. There are more intense versions of this now, like P90x. I use the original one. I like how he keeps encouraging me to take it at my own pace. The "no pain, no gain" types burn me out and I end up quitting. Power 90 keeps me going, and I've lost 34 pounds! It has 2 DVDs you alternate between, one is more cardio, the other is more strenght training. You will need light weights but that is it.

We use A Reason For Handwriting. I don't know if it's the best, but we like it. I think level "T" is the Transition level for cursive.

My recommendation to you, on your first year of homeschooling, is to focus on the basic subjects - Math and Language. Then, as you get your footing and find your own family rhythm, you can add one subject at a time until you get to your own balance and enjoyment of this adventure called "homeschooling". It can be easy to become overwhelmed that first year, and then everyone ends up miserable and you feel like a "failure". I know I did. I kept looking at what all they were teaching in my local school and was so frusterated that I couldn't seem to get all of that in! (art, music, computers, drama ...it seemed unending!) Getting a list from here of all the different subjects that everyone teaches can turn into an impossible list that, in your mind, "everyone" is doing. Everyone is actually adding in the subjects that are important to their family, no one is doing all of them. I spend most of my time in Math, Language, History and Science. We add extras here and there. But that first year, there was a period of time I couldn't even add all that. It was a learning curve to become more efficient with our time. I also learned that I like to teach things more in depth than our local school does. So, I don't get to as many subjects, but the subjects I do teach will be richer and (hopefully) better learned!:D I hope you have the best year ever! I, for one, did not realize how much I was going to LOVE this adventure! :) Welcome!

I buy a used Abeka Math Curriculum guide. You can usually find one relatively cheap on eBay. I use the guide as a review of these kinds of concepts. I agree, my kids needed a bit more review on topics like time, money and measurements. I use the Abeka lesson plans for an oral and chalkboard review of these types of concepts. This year I also purchased one of their workbooks and assigned a few problems. Since Singapore doesn't take as long - as has been so well noted here in the debate - I have had plenty of time to add these elements. With both, I feel like my kids are getting such an amazing foundation in Math! It still doesn't take more than 1 hour to do all of this. I get the conceptual Math from Singapore and some spiral review from Abeka. It feels like the best of both worlds to me.

:bigear: Sounds really good! I'm interested, too, to see if others are doing this, and how it has worked....advantages.....disadvantages.....etc.

The thread that just wouldn't die.....:svengo: :D Here's to passionate Math!!

I did this really bad to my son in Math. We started the year with one curr. We did it all the way til Christmas before I realized that it wasn't working for him. Switched to another for a couple of months, still no fit. Finally went back to the program we had started with last year!!! It was working! Why did I switch???? (actually, I switched because I felt like I needed some of my subjects to be more independent of me). So now, my son, who would have been on level (or close to it) by this time, if I had just stayed put, is behind. He is going into 4th grade and will be only ready to start the 3A book. We actually had to double up and triple up lessons in 2B to even get here! I had to talk to him about it, because it was making him feel "stupid" to see the 2 on the math book. He's too aware of where he "should" be. I've finally shown him that he is learning the Math differently than the other 2 programs. That even though he is in the 2nd book, that there are problems he can do in his head that my 6th grader would struggle with. It's just a different approach. Anyway, I've been :smash: myself over the head too. Wishing I had just stayed with what was working!

:iagree:I love this encouragement. Thanks Sewpeaceful! I needed that too!

I have to say, it has been entertaining!!! :D I'm new here, and I didn't realize how passionate cyberspace could be!!! But, I shouldn't be surprised! It is the passion that we have that is making us all GREAT teachers for our kids! I really think it is as much the PASSION that we bring to our Math (and other subjects) that is helping our kids succeed, as much as the choice of curriculum. We are teaching, by our example, that Math (and other subjects) is important. We definitely have passion!!! ;)

:iagree: I'm drooling over this too. Trying to talk myself into it by saying "It's on sale!!! What if it never goes on sale like this again!!!" But still can't get past the lump in my throat (or the glare in dh's eyes) at the idea of spending this when I'm spending so much on other curriculum.

Me too! Me too!! :seeya: Guilty as charged!!! I was posting to sell, and now I'm an addict!!! I feel like I've found a whole new group of friends! It's been fun! I have yet to try to sell! But I do a lot of buying!!! ;)

Going to check out the WTB forum right now!!! Maybe I've got something to sell. I haven't gotten around to organizing myself enough to come up with the entire list of things to sell yet! So, this might be a good place to start! :)

@ Angie in Texas and NicksMama: Do the Math programs you recommended follow the same style of Math as Singapore? Meaning, do they focus on how to think mathematically? I think I've seen it referred to as conceptual versus methodical? Thanks for your help!

Thanks for the links! Bumming about not having the guides....:sad:

Thanks! These are great links! It also answered one of my questions from another poster about what NEM stands for! Is the teacher's guide as thorough as the Sonlight guides have been? Do they offer additional ideas for practice and explanation? As I stated, I'm not a big Math person, I've really needed those guides to help me.

I wonder if Sonlight will ever make more Instructor's Guides for the higher grades. That would be awesome! Then we could just keep going!

Thanks! Us newbies must stick together!!! :D

Sorry, I'm a total newbie here and I don't know all of the abbreviations. What is NEM? And PM6B? Thanks! :001_smile:

I'm using Singapore Math with my 2 youngest children. We really love it and I love the way they are understanding how to manipulate numbers and not just memorize facts. I rely heavily on the Teacher's Guides that I think were developed by Sonlight. This is a different way to learn and teach Math, so I have to first study the lesson before I can teach it. I've noticed that the Teacher's Guides stop after 6th grade. What happens after that? I've looked at the higher levels, and I don't feel like I could teach without a guide. I like Math, but I'm not a Math major or teacher. What do you, who have used the guides and Singapore, done when your kids hit 7th grade? Thanks for your help! :)

I didn't know it had a name! Cool! :D The most important part for me is not the number of hours a day (sometimes, when I have the energy I go longer, sometimes shorter). The most important part is not feeling like I have to start all over the next day with Math/LA again and never, ever feel like I am getting to other subjects that are important to me. I can see that it wouldn't work for everyone, it has just helped me to feel more free and most importantly slowed down my big GUILT trip! I now feel like, everything that is important to me, we will get to - eventually!! :D

5-6 hours depending on the day, our energy level, and how much we are enjoying whatever we happen to be working on last!! ;) Some days, though we have the energy to do more, some days less. But now we can determine when to stop based on the day and not what subject we have finished. I also like this because I like to really get involved in whatever we are studying. This frees me from the timed schedule restraints that states that Math has to be finished after 45 min, or science can only take 1 hour. I tend to be more about depth than width in teaching...

:grouphug::grouphug:

I have a hard time with picky or demanding kids. We don't eat snacks here much. It makes me crazy when kids who are visiting keep coming in asking for drinks, snacks, etc and then get picky with what you offer them. I try to make kid-friendly meals (like hamburgers or chicken nuggets) only to get the visiting kids telling me they don't like that and what they want me to give them instead. I guess I'm not good at being the cookie-baking, sweet kind of Mom that just loves to serve. I'm not even good with that with my own kids! I try to make what they like, but the rule is, if it is made, you have to eat it. With other people's kids I also feel like I can't set the same boundaries I do with my own kids. I feel like I have to put up with things I don't have to with my kids. I also feel guilty to admit this....but I'm not lovin' hanging with kids. I have my moments, though. And the kids never know it, I am friendly and even bubbly and entertaining to them. I'm just worn out and a bit relieved when it's time for them to go home. :blush:

I actually have the opposite problem. I feel that Math and LA are the most important, so I always started with those 2. But I found that they dominated my days and I NEVER got to the Science and History the way I wanted to. I have 3 kids and Math class took 30 min. to 1 hr to complete. Some days that was 3 HOURS and all we accomplished was Math. Then you add all the elements of LA (reading, writing, spelling, vocab., handwriting) and BOOM! our whole day was gone! Here's what I finally did that has really helped. I wrote out my ideal schedule for a week. (You know, the schedule I wish I could accomplish and never really do!! :D) For example, my ideal week might have 5 times we are doing Math and 2 times we are doing Science and maybe 1 time we are doing Art...Then I put each item on that schedule on an individual index card and put them in order on one of those little notebooks that you can flip the cards. I set a time limit for our school day and I work through the cards one at a time. When school's done, school's done. This is a simplified example: Let's say my ideal is to do Math, then LA, then Science, then History; and let's say, in the first day, all I finish is Math and LA. The next day I wouldn't start at Math again. I would start where we left off on the rotation! The next day we would start at Science! Then History and back to Math.... I am using a rotating schedule. I don't know if this makes ANY sense! This has been so FREEING for me! For one thing, the school day stays more reasonable in time. I also know I am getting to everything I want to include in my school. It puts on a schedule when to do things I avoid (like Science experiments) and it also has things that I want to include, like dictation with scripture verses that I would like the kids to learn, things I always wanted to add to our curriculum, but never felt like we had the time! Every now and then I have to ignore the nagging doubts, since I don't get through everything in my ideal week, but this has really helped! I've also had to work on changing my perspective on WP and SL (I love both of these programs). I've had to give myself permission to take a lot longer to get through these rich programs than their "schedules" dictate! I have to realize that we are learning history every time we open the books, that it is artificial to feel like I have to get through it all. We have a lifetime to learn history. It is an unending subject, and I have to accept that I am happy with my children learning each era at a deep level, as opposed to running through it, getting to it all, but at a more shallow level. In the end, I think we have to accept and embrace our own priorities with teaching our kids.

I use Singapore Math with my youngest 2. I do supplement with a little Abeka. I think Singapore could definitely stand alone. It truly develops the understanding of Math, not just rote memorization of formulas. I supplement only in the areas I think my kids need some more practice with. Singapore masters a subject and doesn't keep repeating it. I also need a curriculum guide to "tell" me when to teach a new math fact, ie. "today teach the 4 multiplication tables" and to remind me to do flashcards and some practice problems on the "board". I could obviously do this without the guide. I just like the "crutch"! ;) Just to emphasize. I don't really think Singapore needs to be supplemented, I'm just hyper-thorough. (to my poor kids chargrin! :tongue_smilie:)