I just want to get the Kindergarten level "classics" in this year, not really go more in-depth in the subject matter. I do love the Thorton Burgess books, but I feel like we are missing out on all the other classic K books. I don't have a lot of time to figure out what I need or to constantly request through the library. I think I might be looking at purchasing a set, possibly with a guide to make sure it gets done. Thanks!

Thanks, I saw that, but unfortunately our library carries very few of the titles.

I did a search and couldn't find threads on this, but please direct me to them if they exist. I'm trying to find out if people using HOD's LHFHG supplement with more read-alouds, and if so, if they use another curriculum for this or just the library. I've pulled in some read-alouds from the Memoria Press K curriculum but am still wanting more of the classics. I like to have this sort of thing scheduled so it actually gets done. Thanks

I agree. This song is very catchy! Even my two year old has learned it! :001_smile:

I just received my Saxon 1 Math kit from Rainbow Resources and the quality of the teacher guide is poor. My friend has an older one (same 1994 copyright date) that looks like it was actually printed on a publisher's high quality printer, but this version looks like it was run off on a copier with low toner and on paper that isn't going to hold up very long. It is hard to read the light italicized answers in the text and on the reproduced student pages. I am waiting on the rep to call me back to see if all of their stock is this way and this is the way Saxon is printing the manuals now. Has anyone else run into this? Is this problem happening across the board with different suppliers? Thanks!

I second the Now I'm Reading Playful Pals and Animal Antics readers. I actually like them even better than the Bob books. We also use the Merrill Readers, which are good for learning to read without having pictures to guess from. Those are a bit expensive though, but worth it.

I am using HOD's LHFHG this year and really like it. However, I've been convicted lately about the need to have more of a missions focus in our homeschooling curriculum. I know MFW is strong in this area and I'm wondering if at any of the higher levels of HOD missions is emphasized. I'd also like to know if missionaries are studied at any of the higher levels. Since we are doing LHFHG in K, we will actually have an extra year where we could try something like MFW Adventures (if we want to do the planned HOD geography course in 9th). I'm thinking we could try it after Bigger/before Preparing. That would give us a feel for HOD vs. MFW. Thanks!

We are using A Reason for Handwriting K.

I found R&S to be great for teaching her how to write her numbers. There was tons of practice (pretty much the first 10 lessons). Then it moves on to math facts and you do that for months and months it seems. I just felt that for K that was not my goal. She is ready to learn about time, money, place value, more calendar topics, etc. It seemed like it would be forever until we got to any of that. I'm not wanting to drill her in math facts yet, just make sure she understands the basic concepts, and it seemed like it would be tons of drill for awhile. The first 10 lessons were about writing numbers, before/after/between numbers, reading dot cards, and things like putting one duck on a pond and okay, that is one duck. That part was an insult to her because she knows that already. The other stuff was fine. The TM is very good at telling you just what to say and do, although you have to adjust it a little from a classroom setting. The blacklines were very good practice for her. The lessons did feel long. I think probably since we were going half pace with the MP guide, it was dragging out longer than it needed to, but because the lessons were so long, we couldn't do more each week and still get the other programs in. We are already using RightStart A (which I like), Singapore Earlybird (with HOD's LHFHG activities), and parts of Shiller Math when we find time. Can you tell I'm exploring curricula this year? I figured K is the best year to do that so I can hopefully settle on something soon. I'm thinking of replacing R&S with Saxon 1 just to get more variety in the day than just math facts. I think we will hit money and time faster that way. But I'm still in the midst of major math research and have looked at Abeka, BJU, MUS, MM, MIF, CLE, etc. I basically want to settle on one "American" math as my spine and one "Asian" math as a supplement, unless/until I can get comfortable with only an "Asian" math.

We usually do review the previous lesson and one additional one (that I have flagged with a post-it tab) that needs more review. If my child still has trouble with any of the words, I make an index card (unlined card) for that word using a Sharpie. If she doesn't know the meaning of a word, I write "meaning" in the upper left corner in pencil. It then goes into a stack we use for our "Word Envelope". I pull three new cards from the stack each day and if she can read it, she gets a check in the upper right corner. If she knows the meaning, she gets a check in the upper left corner. Those three cards will then be added to the envelope. Before I put them in, we go through the cards in the envelope. Once she gets three checks for reading the word (over 3 separate days) and three checks for meaning (if that was on the card), then it goes to the "Word Bank" box, an index card box (hers is purple since it's her favorite color). She loves to bank words! After the Word Bank gets pretty full (we've only done this once since July), we go back through the cards and if she still knows them at that point, I consider them learned long-term and the words come out of the bank. She can do with them as she pleases - teach them to her stuffed animals, her little sister, play school with them, whatever. I got this system from my mom, who is a special ed. teacher with a Montessori background. It works really well for review and is also building my child's vocabulary. I also put things like punctuation marks and sounds she is confusing (e.g., "ch" and "ck") on the cards. My mom also gave me a copy of the Dolch reading lists (pre-primer and primer), so I add in those words as well (I did a pretest first and only add in the ones she doesn't know). This is probably too much information!! ETA: We do one new lesson per day, sometimes breaking up a lesson if it is too long. We also supplement with ETC.

I couldn't find a thread on this, but please direct me to one if there is one. My daughter is in K this year and I am contemplating starting Saxon math. I've read that most people consider Saxon K a pre-K program and Saxon 1 a K program. I would prefer that my daughter not take Algebra I until 8th grade. So should I start her in Saxon 1 now and I guess plan to do Saxon 1/2 in 7th, or should I wait until 1st to do Saxon 1? From what I can tell, here is how it would work out if we started Saxon 1 now: K - Saxon 1 1st - Saxon 2 2nd - Saxon 3 3rd - Saxon 5/4 4th - Saxon 6/5 5th - Saxon 7/6 6th - Saxon 8/7 7th - Saxon 1/2? 8th - Algebra 1 I'd kind of prefer to start Saxon 1 now because our local private school uses it in K and we would be on target with them should we ever need to send her there. But I'm not sure if she would actually need both Saxon 8/7 and Saxon 1/2? What sequence is everyone using? Does Saxon 1 steal some of the "joy" of Kindergarten? Thanks!

I had the chance to skim through a friend's Saxon 1 teacher manual and at first glance it didn't seem place value was being addressed very much at all. Do you feel it covers this adequately? I have a set of base 10 blocks and didn't see where those would fit in nicely with a lesson. Thanks

As of this week, we've decided to drop the R&S math. It was moving too slowly for my daughter and we were both losing our joy of math. We are also using several other programs, so will just go with those. I had hoped R&S math would be our spine and really liked having the schedule in the guide. But we will continue using the guide for the subjects other than phonics and math. It is still a nice supplement to HODs LHFHG.

Thank you for the info.! Are you using the teacher manual? Do you feel it is necessary? By calendar work, I mean learning what month, day, day of the week, year, etc. it is and discussing/charting the weather, etc. I know Saxon does a lot of this in the early years. I was just wondering if this is something that is only touched on in one chapter or if it is throughout the year. So do you feel 1A is more of a 1st grade curriculum since it ramps up so quickly? Do you feel there will be enough drill or do you think you will need to supplement? Has the classroom focus been just a slight issue or pretty tedious to work around? Thanks

Do you feel the MIF 1A and 1B books are appropriate for K then? Are you using this program by itself or in tandem with another? Are you using manipulatives? If so, which ones? Does it cover calendar work throughout the year or does that need to be added separately? How long does a lesson take? Thank you!!!

Me, too! And I have a Kindergartener!

Thanks for the responses. Anyone else?

Anyone else? I am specifically interested in input on math teacher manuals. Thanks

Which math teacher guide/manual has provided you with the most thorough explanations and left you not searching for something more complete? Thanks

We started it this year and just finished Week 6. I am using it as a supplement to Heart of Dakota's LHFHG. I am not using the phonics program (my daughter was too far ahead to start with it, but it looked really good) and only some of the science and social studies. The format is easy to follow and I like what I have used so far. The recitation prompts you to teach your child things you might not necessarily remember to teach them. So far we have covered things like how many letters there are in the alphabet, what the vowels are and their sounds, what the two sizes of letters are, what the two types of letters are, the Pledge of Allegiance, what city/state/country we live in, what letter you add to a word to make it plural, pointing to and naming the 4 directions, the seasons, etc. I had planned to use R&S math anyway, so like having the schedule. I like the Copybook portion as well, and that they learn to proof their writing. My daughter enjoys illustrating the verse. The memory work hasn't been too bad at all, and I like that they practice public speaking a little. We don't memorize the poems each week. I like having the read-alouds to have picture books to supplement LHFHG with. We check most of them out at the library. My daughter really loves having the music and art each week, which is missing in HOD. My only complaint is that MP hasn't found a way to give you the music on one CD or the art on picture cards. You are on your own to locate it. It makes reviewing it a little hard. I also like having the poetry component each week. The guides for talking about the read-aloud, music, art, and poetry have been really helpful. Another thing that would be helpful with this program is to have a supply list. You have to look ahead and see what you need. Regarding science and social studies, I find the directions a little general and lacking specifics. They tell you to talk about things like migration or oceanic concepts, but don't give you any info. -- you are required to know about it or look it up yourself. But for Kindergarten I don't mind this as we cover it lightly anyway. Since I am only supplementing with this program, I don't feel like I have to do everything. There is usually a craft to go along with the science and social studies (and it all ties into the read-aloud for the week), and my daughter has liked the crafts so far. Tanya with MP is very helpful and quick to answer questions on the forum. There have been a few mistakes in the guide and they appreciate all feedback and incorporate it. They even sent me a newer version of the guide for free once it was ready. Overall I really like the program. I'm not sure how I'll combine it with HOD in the upcoming years, but I'd like to keep with it and incorporate their Latin sequence in a few years.

I was wondering what "we will switch to CD" means exactly. Thanks!

I'm interested to hear what combination of "Asian" and "American" math curricula has worked best for people long-term. I've read a lot of threads about using one as the spine and the other as a supplement, and would like to find out what the majority seems to be doing (realizing I'll need to do what's best for my dc). Thanks!

Is anyone out there using Math In Focus who can comment on this? Thanks!

We've found the Merrill readers to be quite good, although they are expensive. There are no pictures, so my daughter cannot guess at the words.

For those of you using Math in Focus, do you find that it has enough drill built in or do you feel a need to supplement? If you are supplementing, what are you using? Also, do you feel the teacher guides provide enough explanation for how to teach concepts, or do you sometimes find it lacking? Do you find it difficult to use the materials for homeschooling since they were written for a classroom? Overall, what is your impression of the curriculum so far? Since it is pretty expensive and a pretty new curriclum, I'd like to get some more feedback on it before I purchase it. Thanks!