dss was19 dsd was 16 (but she will still be living at home until she is 18)

It used to be available looseleaf 3-hole-punched to go in a binder. I'm not sure if it still is or not.

Here, Here! :lol:

My ds13 has special needs and is reading on about a 3rd grade reading level right now. He still reads pretty slowly, however. I am trying to decide between the Victory Drill Book and the McGuffey Readers as out-loud reading practice for him to improve his reading speed. Which do you suggest I use with him? Or is there another option I don't know about that would be better than either of them? TIA!

This is my updated plan for the upcoming school year: dss15: Oral reading: McGuffey's Reader (not sure what level yet) Writing: WWE levels 1 and 2; Aesop's fables for supplemental narration Spelling: Simply Spelling (not sure what level yet) Grammar: FLL Literature: 1000 Good Books List grades 4-6 selections; participate in family read aloud. Math: Right Start B (this was the level recommended by the Right Start representative) History: James Baldwin books (50 Famous People, 50 Famous Stories Retold, Thirty More Famous Stories Retold) Edward Eggleston book (Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans) American Experience Documentaries (one a week) Science: Nature Study (Mostly I am just going to learn this myself this year so I can teach them better afterward and just kind of have them along for the ride this year) Bible: Ergemeier's Bible Story Book (and assign reading of corresponding Bible passage in Bible) ds13: Oral Reading: VDB or McGuffey Readers? Writing: WWE levels 1&2; Aesop's Fables for supplemental narration Spelling: Simply Spelling (not sure what level yet) Grammar: FLL Literature: 1000 Good Books List grades 1-3 advanced selections; participate in the family read aloud. Math, History, Science and Bible: same as ds15 dd4: Phonics: OPGTR, Family Readers Writing: RFH K; Oral Narration (Aesop's Fables) Literature: 1000 Good Books List grades 1-3 Picture Books; Andrew Lang's Fairy Books; participate in family read aloud Math: Right Start A History and Science: Same as ds15 and ds13 except for the documentaries (although she can watch them if she wants to) Bible: Ergemeier's Bible Story Book

Thanks for responding to my post. I went to the Peace Hill Press website and looked at FLL again. I have looked at this before, and I don't know why I never thought to use it. I dont think dd4 will be ready for it quite yet, but I think ds13 and ds15 will be able to get through it in a year. So I think I will add that for grammar and just use Aesop's Fables for extra narration practice on everybody until they gain some proficiency in narration, then maybe alternate between them for the history lessons. I think the history stories are short enough and simple enough in their subject matter that they would be a logical next step. I think you're right that the Fairy Books would have stories that are to long to be manageable for narration right now. So I think I will just use them for read-alouds. I think I can cover the poetry memorization with this to, which will just leave me with looking for something for scripture memorization. I am considering just using the index card system described on the SCM website. Then if I add in WWE levels 1&2 workbooks I should be set, I think. I would like to have each of them do a short narration daily for practice. Do you think this is a reasonable amount? I would like to move the boys into written narration as soon as possible, but I expect this process to take at least a year, maybe two. I don't want to go any slower with them than I have to considering their age, but then again, this will be a big part of their foundation for the rest of their learning, so I don't want to go too fast either. I am in the process of letting go of the idea of them graduating at 18. They already help dh in his work, so that should provide them some gainful employment to suffice them for as long as it takes to give them an education adequate for graduation, even if that ends up being a few years after the normal time. I think that in their case that would be much better than sending them out at 18 into a world that they're not quite ready for yet. So I guess I am saying all that to say that I want to give them however long it takes to learn what they need to learn and that I don't really have a deadline on them learning it. Even if for some reason they did need to move on at the age of 18 (which I highly doubt knowing these boys), they will be better off having had a few years of solid instruction advancing them incrementally at a pace they can handle than to have rushed through the next few years in the name of them "catching up" and it resulting in them not really learning much of anything and they and I both being basketcases from the stress of it all. How I wish I had realized that a couple of years ago when we started out! Your input was very helpful, and I think I have answered a lot of my own questions, too. It's funny how that you can sometimes learn things yourself when you are trying to explain them to other people. It really shows how writing can be an excellent tool for learning! Well, I'm rambling on and on, so I think I'll end here. I'll post my updated plan on the next post, but that is mostly for my benefit; you don't have to read it if you don't want to. Thanks again for your time.

This is a great idea! I think I will post this on my blog, too.

LOL! Your son sounds like a great kid. That lady's just jealous.

I have definately got to have my me time, too. I work night shift, so I'm a night owl and get a lot of my me time after the kids go to bed. Also, I completely agree with the point about choosing curriculum that feeds my soul, too. I consider myself to be the oldest homeschool student, and I definately count my own vote in our curriculum choices.

I have done this with TOG year 1. I won't even be using it for a year or two, but I have bought the books for all levels for unit 1. I figure I can read the higher level books to prepare myself for when dc get to that stage. I think I am just going to buy LG-D for the rest of the units, though and read through the D selections the 1st 4 years, then the R selections the second 4 years, unless I have decided to go with a Great Books Tutorial online by that time (like maybe Escondido Tutorial Service).

This is the plan that I have got worked out so far for my 3 dc that are still being homeschooled. This year has been kind of relaxed, but I would like to have a little more structure next year. Although, my dd is 4 (5 in June) and my dss13 and dss15 have special needs, so I don't want to be overly rigorous. I just need to find that sweet spot in the middle, KWIM? So anyway, here is my plan: dss15: Oral reading: McGuffey's Reader (not sure what level yet) Writing: Oral Narration (Andrew Lang's Fairy Books) Spelling: Simply Spelling (not sure what level yet) Grammar: Need help on this one. Literature: 1000 Good Books List grades 4-6 selections; participate in family read aloud. Math: Right Start B (this was the level recommended by the Right Start representative) History: James Baldwin books (50 Famous People, 50 Famous Stories Retold, Thirty More Famous Stories Retold) Edward Eggleston book (Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans) American Experience Documentaries (one a week) Science: Nature Study (Mostly I am just going to learn this myself this year so I can teach them better afterward and just kind of have them along for the ride this year) Bible: Ergemeier's Bible Story Book (and assign reading of corresponding Bible passage in Bible) ds13: Oral Reading: VDB or McGuffey Readers? Writing: Oral Narration (From history readings) Spelling: Simply Spelling (not sure what level yet) Grammar: need help on this one. Literature: 1000 Good Books List grades 1-3 advanced selections; participate in the family read aloud. Math, History, Science and Bible: same as ds15 dd4: Phonics: OPGTR, Family Readers Writing: RFH K; Oral Narration (Aesop's Fables) Literature: 1000 Good Books List grades 1-3 Picture Books; Andrew Lang's Fairy Books; participate in family read aloud Math: Right Start A History and Science: Same as ds15 and ds13 except for the documentaries (although she can watch them if she wants to) Bible: Ergemeier's Bible Story Book So, what do you think? Do I need more? Less? I need to decide on a grammar program for ds15 and ds13 that would be easy to grasp (this subject has been a struggle). I would like something copywork-based if that exists. If not, maybe Winston Grammar? I would also like to include some poetry. Any good book selections for this? I would also like to include some memory work, mostly scripture and poetry. Any suggestions here? I have tried to put as much of the dc's work together as I can and to simplify it as much as I can without shortchanging them. I work FT outside of the home (dh works from home and plans to help, but he works FT, too), so I need to be as simple and streamlined as I can be without sacrificing quality. Sorry this is so long. Thanks for your help.

Does anyone know of a program like Simply Spelling for grammar? One where the copywork sentences are selected for you and the grammar concepts are taught through the copywork sentences, kind of like the spelling rules are taught in Simply Spelling? TIA for your help.

I can so sympathize with you there. My dc do that too and they also think a lot of the time food-they-have-to-cook-themselves=invisible food. Hang in there, sweetie. This too shall pass.

:iagree:

I like the point that you made about being a light being an expression from the heart more than an outward appearance. I have met a few people who dress modestly (as in long dresses, high neckline, etc.) who are OGRES and would likely turn some people off to Christianity. With that being said, I certainly do not think that a modest dress (even the dresses-wearing variety) and being a light are necessarily exclusive of each other. I was also raised to wear dresses and dress modestly for much of my childhood and it was a burden to me then (I went to ps and kids can be so cruel). But now, I wear dresses and skirts all the time out of my own decision and it is not a burden to me at all. I am very fashion conscious and I like to wear trendy clothes (but they are dresses and skirts and they are very modest), and I get compliments all the time on the way I dress. I have worn dresses and dressed modestly from my own conviction since I was 17 (10 years ago) and it has never been a bad experience for me like it was when I was a child. God has been gracious and I have had the opportunity to learn that many people have admired very much that I have stood for my convictions in this way. I have not intentionally sought out to be different from other people, but I am content to be different if that is where my convictions lead me. Kind of like with homeschooling. A lot of people would look at all of us and think that we stood out and were maybe even "wierd" because we homeschool, but we are doing a tremendous thing. It makes me feel so free to be blessed with the grace to follow my heart in these things and not fear what others think.:)

I read this quote shortly ago, and I would like to respond to it, but let me preface this quote by saying that I do not in any way mean this to be snide or aggressive, merely to state another viewpoint on the subject. I think that in many cases this may be true about parents who work full time night shift, but it isn't always. I work as a nurse night shift 12 hour shifts 3x a week (which is FT at our hospital) and I homeschool my dd4 and have helped in homeschooling my two youngest dsc ages 13 & 15 (both of whom have special needs). My husband works from home and his monthly income is variable, so this is what he wants me to do right now. My dd4 is very bright and she is beginning to read (short vowel words) and can write her name and many other letters, can do simple addition in her head and has a vocabulary and a social presence and confidence beyond many people twice her age. My youngest dsc13 has advanced at least 2 grade levels in his reading this year, and my dsc15 probably the same. They have both advanced about 2 grade levels in math this year. When dsc13 left the private school he attended about a year to a year and a half ago, he could barely read on a first grade level and was also several grade levels behind in math. In addition to these advancements, they are learning job skills by going with dh to jobs. They have become a lot more even tempered since we started hmsc'ing and we fight a lot less (though I credit this point largely to the amount of time they spend with their dad). We still have a long way to go with them, but they have both been to public school and private school in the past and they have advanced at least as much if not more at home as they ever did at public school and private school. Now I know that not every case is like mine and not every hmsc parent who works full time has the advantage of another parent who works from home, but what I am saying is that it can be done, and that hmsc parents who work full time (even night shift) can be commited to their children's education. I am. My dh, who works FT from home, homeschools the 13 & 15 year old now because I was getting overwhelmed with teaching all three and working. I still am the major planner and organizer of their studies, though. dh is somewhat involved with this, but he mostly just carries out what I plan. We have not always been able to school as rigorously or cover as many subjects as we would like, but we prioritize what is most important and give a lot of attention to that. I definitely don't think an education should end with the 3 R's, but I do think they are an essential foundation to the other subjects. I might add that I don't see a problem with children, especially older ones, doing much of their work independently. I think they should be held accountable to doing it, but there are many programs designed to be done independently by a student. Though I have not used it, I have read some about a program called the Robinson Curriculum that is designed to be done with only very minimal parent involvement (15 minutes/day). I guess I am saying this because I believe that homeschooling is almost always the better option and while I completely agree that you do have to *do homeschool* that may be defined a little differently by every parent. I wouldn't want a fellow FT worker who wanted to homeschool their children to become dicouraged and think that it can't be done just because they work. It will be difficult, no doubt, but if one is determined enough, just about anything is possible with homeschooling. Thank you for your time and I hope I haven't stepped on any toes.

:iagree:

I just want to thank all of you for your help since I have been posting on this forum. It has only been a couple of weeks, but already I feel right at home here. You all are so smart! You blow me away with the advice you give sometimes. There aren't any other classical homeschoolers in my immediate area that I know of so you guys have been a godsend. I had worked myself into a frenzy of anxiety over what curriculum to use in the various subjects with my dd4 (a little silly, I know, but I am naturally prone to anxiety). I had almost given up on the possibility of making a classical education work with my two younger dss (13 and 15, both of whom are somewhat developmentally delayed). But you guys have really rallied around me and shored me up and I feel like the bigger picture is really starting to come into focus. I only wish that I had joined this forum sooner. From the bottom of my heart I appreciate all of you and I count you all as friends. God bless.

Thank all of you so much for the help. You guys are great!

I just went on the Classical Magic website and it is great! I like the looks of the 6 year rotation for the themes.

Thanks so much! ds15 will love these!

Thank you! I bookmarked it, too.

Wow! I just looked at the Right Start program on their website and it looks awesome. The concept of thinking in fives and tens really resonates with me because that is what I have always done. I have been struggling to decide what math curriculum to use with my dd4 (almost 5) and now I am seriously considering this one. It seems to have most of the elements that I liked in the other programs combined. Great thread!

I agree that we have a wonderful group of educators here. I have only been posting for a short time and already I feel welcome and part of a community. You guys are such a blessing!

I was reading the thread on graduation ages on the High School board and when I read the post about the person who would be 21 when they graduated it got me to thinking. My dh homeschools our two youngest boys (ages 15 and 13) who are both somewhat academically and emotionally delayed. I have feared their education would be limited because they wouldn't have enough time by graduation age to catch up to 12th grade level. The thought that graduation could be delayed a couple of years is a hopeful thought to me. I never gave much thought to the possibility of just continuing their education until they caught up. What do you think about this? What experiences have you had with this?