Ok, so I was able to check out PP from the library to get a look at it. Looking at the reviews and going over them, ds is at the review in mid book with the long word list of 3-4 letter words. He doesn't blend them right off, more like says the first sound, then the second, then the whole word together. Some words he mixes up yet. And, we haven't worked much on spelling, since we're just starting. I really want to use The Phonics road to spelling and reading, but haven't purchased yet-trying to find at discount price. Until then (or unless I take the plunge) I'm thinking to just use PP. So, I know I should start spelling with all the words up to the review list in PP and work on blending, before we proceed to ending constants right? For anyone who has used PR, if I can get is fairly soon, how much review/how hard will it be to start in level one, if we are doing PP to start? I'm sure there will be some review, and I guess that will be good. If I can't get PR, (and I haven't looked beyond gr3 in Twtm), what is after PP? The whole grammar, spelling breakdown in separate curriculum just looks daunting to me in the book, and is another reason I'm wanting PR. Thanks.

Anyone? I read the whole first section of TWTM, and there didn't seem much for science. A bunch of suggestions, but no curriculum until 2 or 3rd g. Ds is 5.5 and very interested in science, so I'm trying to find something that will work. I looked briefly at the More Mudpies to Magnets-I guess that's a K-1st book? Has anyone used it? I think we'll follow along with the animal, body, plant deal from TWTM, but I'm still looking for something, well, I'm not sure exactly. I guess something that goes over the subjects more than just the questions suggested in the book? Thanks.

Hi, we're in the same boat. I'm looking to try Saxon 1st g though, after reading the math section in TWTM. It was one of the ones that went all the way up to high school I think. But this is a learning year for us. What you can do is look for some assessments online for math. Calvert has one, and some one posted one here (not sure where) of another math curriculum that has a free assessment also. I think ds is between k & 1 for math. He's already grasping from object to numeric, so I think 1st g will work for us, but I have a bunch of K stuff to fall back on if needed.

This sounds like my budget :) I'm trying to stay under $200 total for everything, except the co op classes. If I can figure those in the $200 that would be great. It's our first year, so I didn't realize how much things could cost and I feel unprepared at looking last minute at curriculum. Some one mentioned reading TWTM, which I'm doing now, and there are very reasonable curriculum I think in there-especially if you look around to purchase at sale or resale cost. I prob won't by many "reader" books, because we have an excellent library system. I had looked at "package" curriculum at first and I feel they are much more costly than picking things up individual. I guess I'll know by next year how much I've spent. I'm a sucker for seeing "school" stuff on clearance and buying it. For supplies, I'm taking advantage of the tax free days this year and stocking up what I can.

No Way!!! Husbands, what can you say :)

Good for you. We are half there. Half the family is ok w/ it, and the others...They were or are teachers, or have very, very strong ideas about what school should be. I think the family is wondering who the person my dh is married to is, and where did the quiet mouse go? I think he wonders that himself :)

Has anyone used this curriculum and what have you liked/not liked about it? I'm reading TWTM now, but I feel like I'm going to miss something by using the individual programs, or not put them together right. (Yes, I do know we'll have gaps in the year w/ everything, I'm sure) My dh had gone to some one's house and saw that they were using The Phonics Road to Spelling and Reading and said it was pretty neat from what he observed while he was there. Does this program work well with the WTM? It looks like it covers a lot. Thanks.

Hey there :) My 2 are 5.5 and 3. I'm only reading TWWM now, and so far like it. I just need to get my curriculum sorted out. I'm going to look into that math Horizons-this is the first I've seen of it. Ds can do some basic math-more of counting objects or pictures and then adding/subtracting them. And we are now progressing a bit from picture to number add/subtract. I read some place, that once kids connect adding with multiply they catch it quickly. I think it's in the way it's presented or something. I figure to go at the pace they are comfortable with in learning. Maybe with a little prodding on new things they might not want to try. This is why we are doing k/1 with ds. I did a 1g assessment for him, and he sailed through it. But, he doesn't read as fluently as I "think" first grade start are supposed to read at? I also don't know how accurate the Calvert assessment is? I couldn't find any other assessments to go by, other than getting him evaluated. I think once we officially start h/s via letter of intent, we'll have to have him assessed each year, but I'm not sending in a letter until next year. We don't have to until they are 6. I honestly feel a bit lost with everything some days. If we are doing a "trial" to see how this goes, should I have him assessed this year, or at the end of this year to see where he's at for dh's sake vs where he would be in the school system? If we don't actually have to send him to k until he's 6-next fall, by then he'll be way ahead of the k class, but I don't think emotionally ready for the 1st g class, though he may be at or above them academically. And, just in case dh does want to put him into school, they do a half day Spanish immersion, so he would be behind in that unless we started Spanish this or next year. Does anyone else ever feel this way if you are doing a "trial" to see how it goes?

That's good to know about the PP. I wanted something that included song or rhyme. I feel like the kids learn so much through song. I can't sing worth crud, but my boys don't seem to mind :) I haven't even looked at math yet. I have a few k-2nd workbooks/cds from family who purchased them for us. But it's basic. I need to look at some of the math programs to see if they are similar to the stuff I have. I would ideally like a curriculum to sort of follow until we get on our way, which is why I was looking at those. I like to follow schedules as much as possible-but I am relaxed about it too.

I feel lost on this board some days :) Are there any other "newbies" here? We'll be doing a mix of k/1st. I've just borrowed WTM and so far like what I'm reading. I'm looking at the different programs to go over. I liked what I saw w/ Calvert, but I don't know if it fits w/ classical. Though it seems families do use it here. This is almost a "trial" for us, since dh is not entirely on board w/ hs. So I sort of need to use a curriculum, where if he wanted to "test" him into a grade later, he would fit. Though in reality, I think he would "test" above it, and maybe then dh would see h/s is better. I looked at HWWT yesterday. I haven't looked at the Phonics Pathway(?) one yet. I wish these were at the bookstore to actually look at. I haven't seen spelling yet, or maybe I haven't come to it yet in WTM. I had looked at The Phonics road to reading and spelling, due to the emphasis on good spellers and the Latin that is brought into it, but am not going to use it. I was thinking to have the boys do spelling based on the words they have learned so far, in reading? We tend to do a lot of singing w/ spelling. Like we'll be talking about colors and I'll say, "How do you spell RED?", and ds will think about it and spell it. I am a horrible speller. I'm not sure the method my public school taught spelling. Anyhow, that's just some of our stuff so far. I'm also trying to figure out how to fit in a 3yr old into the schedule. I can break up the approx 3hrs of "school", right? Though ds does have a better attn span for "book" work in the a.m, he's geared more for reading in the p.m, which I thought I could do during nap time, but we all will need a rest at some point in the day.

I hope this isn't a stupid question. I never really read about "classical" education, just have been looking at the various curriculum out there, and see that almost every family I meet uses a combo of things. The main difference I see is that some families use a more religious teaching. So I read over what "classical" education was and have some questions. I've been looking at a few main studies-Barbara Beers-The Phonics Road to Reading, Writing and Spelling, Calvert (which seems very similar except for the Latin aspect, though I haven't compared everything yet) and 5 in a Row. I've also read a tad on the Charlotte Mason, but not in depth. Out of those, what are the classical ones? If this has been covered, can some one link the thread. Thanks so much.

I just wanted to stop in and say hello. We're new here. We'll be starting home school this year, though I've been teaching ds off and on, and going with his interests. I think I'll be doing a combo of kindergarten and 1st grade with our oldest and then we have a little guy who's just getting interested in what his brother is doing. So the challenge will be to figure out how to do this with both :)