[9-year-old boys.]

My 9 year old is awesome...no problems with him at all! Of course, he has only been 9 for 2 days now! LOL :lol::lol:

[Share pictures of your homeschool room]

Our living room and kitchen table are our "school" - we just got new bookcases, so here's a pic!

 

Where did you get the bookcases? Are these IKEA?

[What other Writing Program do you Love? (other than IEW)]

We are using Essentials in Writing and so far I am pleased. It teaches grammar (basic) but also really moves to writing. F or example, in my 7th grade son's work today he was learning about basic paragraph structures and creating an opening/starter sentence for the paragraph.

 

WIth my 3rd grader, he is writing but it is more grammar.

 

To really push the "writing" aspect, I am trying to do Creative Writing Fridays where they get a prompt and have to write. I say try because we have been on vacation and have missed several Fridays. LOL

[Which writing program do you LOVE for Jr/Sr High?]

We are using level 7 and really like it. I also am using it with my 3rd grader. But, it seems to be a good review and push towards more creative writing.

[Do any of you feel like you HAVEN'T wasted money?]

I have shifted and changed a few things the past two years. This is our 3rd year homeschooling.

 

I feel like I am finally hitting my stride and figuring things out based on my childrens learning style and even my teaching style.

 

I have told my DH that next year I want to go to a curriculum fair. I like to thumb through things. While that may be overwhelming for some, I think I will be very happy spending a day there! :) No kids though....that was the deal with DH! LOL

[Will it always feel like a scramble?]

I have 2 in ECC (a 7th and 3rd grader) and one in MFW K. We are in week 6. It does feel a bit chaotic. We start with Math for both boys as that lets me work with little one.

 

Then, once we start ECC we do the bible, geography, art and read aloud.

 

Then we switch to individual work again because everyone is at their own place. We are doing a different science than suggested as it is a better fit for us to have each doing their own. I found 7th and 3rd was a big gap and oldest is doing JR. High level work.

 

I found that I use the grid in the teacher's manual. I photocopied it on different colors and each boy has their own. I can write in lessons here for their individual subjects. They can look ahead and start while I am working with someone else. And, it helps me to have them as check boxes so I know when we have completed something.

 

I feel less chaos when I feel prepared. That is the other huge thing for me. I take time the night before or the morning before we start to get things ready and then I am good.

 

Good luck.

[School Start Times]

We start whenever we are ready in the morning. It is usually between 8;30 and 9:30. I have 3 kids. Oldest two play soccer and we have practices in the evening. Because of that, we sleep in as long as we can. I also have fibromyalgia and sleeping in makes a difference.

[looking for a phonics program]

I couldn't get my daughter to watch the Leap Frog videos for anything, even if I sat with her. :(

 

We have Explode the Code 1. We did the Get Ready, Get Set, Go for the Code (A,B,C). The explode the code 1 books moved to fast before my daughter was really ready and I don't think they had ENOUGH to really teach it. Great supplement.

 

I wanted the sing, spell read and write level 1 for a long time. We had used the Preschool one and she loved it. It worked great for us. But the almost $200 cost for the 1st level was hard for me to swallow. However, I kept coming back to it. I was referred to it by several good friend whom I greatly respect. I talked with DH about it and he said buy it. Reading is foundational and we agreed to put the money there.

 

My little girl is 5 1/2 and in Kindergarten (at home). SHe is my youngest, so that was also a bummer in not having more to use it with in terms of justifying the cost.

 

We have been doing it for 2 weeks. It begins with a review of the phonics of the letters, some handwriting of the letters, and cutting skills. She loves it and begs for more!

 

Here is a link. http://www.amazon.com/Sing-Spell-Read-Write-Level/dp/1567048072/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345685508&sr=8-1&keywords=sing+spell+read+write+level+1 This is what I purchased, but got it at Christian book. I paid just under $200 on sale.

[Uneven workloads]

We have a 7th grader and a 3rd grader. That doesn't even include the Kindergartener who asks for more work! LOL

 

We hit that about 5th grade too with my middle being a Kindergartener. This year, I think it is even more pronounced. I explain that his math takes longer, his science takes longer, etc. They are doing basically the same number of subjects, but the time is longer as you get older. That helps some because if you count it in terms of subjects.

 

Middle son does a few extra math worksheets too and that stretches time.

 

The other thing I have done, is assigned middle one play time with little one. Then it keeps them busy and I can work with oldest.

 

I do love the idea of a later bedtime because you are older. Our oldest gets to read before bed, but I am thinking maybe once or twice a week of letting him have time with mom and dad now. :)

 

Good luck.

[Could anyone review Essentials In Writing program for me?]

We have done the first several lessons in 3 and 7. For me, it is really too early to tell as it seems basics and reviews.

 

Good luck in finding what you are after for info.

[Teaching Textbooks questions...]

We have been using TT for 3 years now. We have done 3rd, 5th and 6th. I think it runs 6 months to a year behind. I like the program and so do my kids.

 

We just completed testing and they scored above level.

 

It is spiral. I like that. I will say that we are adding Life of Fred as a review on Fridays for my son who is in TT7. Something different and something to shift gears and thinking.

 

We also do math drills/math facts with son in TT4. He does math drills about 3 times a week.

 

I have only used the newer versions.

[How do you "start school"? Slowly or jump right in 100%]

We ease in over the first month. We start with history, bible and math. Then I add in a new subject each week. We have had some starts and stops this summer with soccer camps and a week at Grandmas. We are doing a minimal week here because we have house guests. Then, next week we are full force with everything. And, we will be able to keep that pace up.

 

For us, easing in was a huge help with attitude of oldest. LOL

[Anyone with a chronic illness?]

I have fibromyalgia. While it isn't so much a chronic disease, it has some major affects from time to time. :(

 

I have to nap a couple of times a week or I end up in great pain and sick. terrible immune system for me goes hand in hand with it. I have kids 5, 8, and 12 who can let me rest so that helps.

 

Some days we don't get everythign done for school, but when I am having a good day, we crank it out. It varies.

 

We do sports in the evenigns and a co-op during Friday mornings. I drive to sports and hubby meets us there usually and then I come home sometimes. It depends on how I am doing.

 

Let any guilt you have go. Your kids have you with them and that is a blessing. When you are feeling well enough, that's when you do extra special things. Or, it is when you sit and cuddle more. Kids don't remember all the things they did...they remember the parent who was with them. For example, I played softball growing up. Don't remember my teams so much, but remember my dad helped coach and my mom ran the concession stands. She would always have a licorice rope for me after the game. Those memories warm my heart...not the fact that I played a sport! Hugs!

[Standardized Testing]

I just want to scream! Run! Jump! LOL We just completed some online testing through Christian Liberty Press. (Hubby requested we do this to get a baseline.) The kids scored off the charts! :) Very affirming for this momma who is the teacher! LOL

 

And, the main lesson I learned was that it was good practice for oldest son in terms of figuring out timing and answering questions on a test. He is 7th grade this year and will eventually be doing the SAT. I figure this was good practice for him!

 

Praise God for the successes we have had and will continue to have!

[Need help! getting motivated to start school]

We started at the end of June. We started with just history, bible and reading. Each week, I would add a new subject. That brought us in slowly and that helped. The over 100 degree weather also was favorable to schooling with a swimming reward after school was finished.

 

We ended up with a week off in July and this week off as kids are at Grandmas. Next week we have all subjects ready to go and will stay focused because we take a two week vacation in September! That is our next motivation.

 

I find that having little motivations for the kids keeps me more motivated because they get excited and don't drag feet. :)

[moving and losing classroom, help!]

I have a dedicated school room, but we still end up at our dining room. My oldest needs separation from the littler two when he works. So, he is either in the school room or at the dining room.

 

I had issues with books just sitting on the dining table. But, I purchased each child a milk crate of a different color. Then, they knew where their things went and where they would be. I also purchased another for main/shared things. These are easy to pick up and move out of place. It makes for a much cleaner dining room!

 

We will be facing a move at the end of this year or beginning of next. I know there is great possibility that I will lose my school room. :( I think it takes dedication to picking up each day but that it is possible if you are disciplined. You can share space, I don't doubt it. In fact, most of my friends don't have a separate school room and use their living rooms and dining rooms. We are using this year as a training to clearing off the dining room table.

[MFW - ECC Tell me it gets better!]

We start Week 5 of ECC next week. We are off this week as kids are going to Grandmas.

 

I, too, have a 7th grader. I also have a 3rd grader doing it as well.

 

We changed science in our house from the curriculum. Science -- oldest is doing Apologia General Science as suggested and he LOOOOOVES it. Younger is doing the Book of Animals and will be starting a separate science next week. (Debating between Mr. Q and Apologia Astronomy) I like the books in MFW, but they just were not a fit to my very concrete learners.

 

We just completed the two weeks on the US and my oldest did enjoy the country report. He loves to research and so that was a good fit. Both of my boys also like the Exploring World Geography sheets.

 

We have not started the puzzle games in the curriculum yet. Maybe because we only had 1 country so far...US. LOL I know my boys will love that.

 

My boys are very interested in Geography and love looking at flags, etc.

 

The Kingdom Tales has been great! We finished the first book this week....they will be very unhappy to learn they don't get to keep reading that next week!

 

I have worried if I can really have both a 7th and 3rd grader working from the same curriculum. This does work. The 7th does more research. WHen I look at how things are stepping up in other subject areas for my oldest, I figure this is a good transition year for us.

 

I did think things moved a bit more in weeks 3 and 4 than the first 2.

 

Now, I know I am not in it very far, but I thought I would share anyways.

 

Good luck.

[S/O If you do "Homeschool" Gymnastics classes...]

Well, I see all your costs and wish I had a better price. :( I pay $84 a month, but I only have one involved in it. We may not have done it had there been multiples.

 

This is the same cost as the regular classes. They don't do a discount. They are the only one in town and are quite stingy with their money. That said, I do not have to interact with the owners but absolutely love my daughter's teacher.

 

We are only here 1 more year and then we will move and I will have other options. She loves gymnastics and begged to do it. She did it last Spring and took to it really well. There are only 6 in her class and so she gets a lot of attention.

[How would you begin your very first day of homeschooling?]

It worked out that we were to be out of town the first day of school we had originally planned. We stayed at a Great Wolf Lodge and that is how we started our first 2 days of homeschooling.

 

now the kids want to do that again next year (meaning we we start back up in january after the holidays! LOL)

 

I am not sure it would be a GWL, but I did enjoy the fun of a "field trip."

[Abeka Science vs REAL Science in Odyssey]

Okay, we are using MFW ECC for school this year, but I do not like the science for my 3rd grader. My 7th grader is doing Apologia General Science. We love that. My 3rd grader is much more concrete minded and I feel like the Properties of Ecosystems is not set up as a concrete, traditional approach. He would thrive with a book where you read, do a more traditional worksheet.

 

I had originally thought of ABEKA science and health for 3rd grade. But, then I found REAL Science and I love the looks of it.

 

Thoughts? Suggestions? Experiences to Share?

 

TIA!

[What are you looking forward to this week?]

We started end of June and took this last week off due to all day soccer camps! I am excited to be back on our school schedule! :) I missed the week off.

[Do you wake your kids?]

I let mine sleep in when I can. They are usually up by 7:30 or 8 at the latest. The youngest one, she is 5, sleeps in until 8:30 when she is really tired. I try not to wake her. I can start with the older boys ahead of time.

 

We usually start by 8:30 or 9 for school. If people need to sleep in longer, I know that makes our school day go longer. But, sometimes, that is the reality based upon our sports season.

[ETC-is the teacher's manual needed?]

I bought it but don't use it. I would bypass it.

[MFW student sheets?]

We are doing ECC this year.

 

The student sheets include a geography game on cardstock, the sheets needed for science and geography/history sheets to include lots of maps that the students will be using.

 

The teacher's packet includes an original of key maps (not all), a copy of the geography game on cardstock, the instructions for the geography game, and a chineese checkers game.

 

I ordered a copy for each child and just figured that my time of not copying was worth it. If there about 100 pages, I know it would be about $10 at least to copy black white.

 

I also am going back to order two more student sheets because I know we will go back through it with my youngest. I have a friend that looked at my manual (newer edition) and her older manual to see how many revisions there were. She said not much was changed but science as it was updated. To upgrade was $50 for the newer teacher's edition and a she had to buy multiple copies of the student sheets. This way, I will have them ready to go and won't need to buy a revised edition! I never would have thought of that except for my friend's experience.

[Recommended Phonics Readers?]

I have Bob books from my first two boys, a set of Nora Gaydos books, and have orderd Sing, Spell Read and Write Level 1. My odler two were in public school and this Sing, Spell Read and Write is what their teacher used and we loved it!