I think , don't quote me yet . They may already have had it in March . I thought I saw something on the CLE yahoo group that they already did . But I'm checking with them and I'll let you know .

I haven't seen any discounts yet . But I do know that Seton sells Saxon products for alot less .

That would be Christian Light math then :>) It is similar to Rod and Staff , in workbook form and can be worked on independently .

we've been adding pictures to our blog everyday . The link is in my signature . I can say this has been our gem for the year . My daughter's love this program and I really like it alot too .

No . I haven't but there are some who have on the Christian Light Families yahoo group .

I haven't used MFW so can't comment on that . My preschooler goes to preschool at our church 3 days a week . But I also use the Kumon workbooks " Alphabet Games " and Numbers 1-30 . I plan on following this up with R&S's ABC Series .

During the winter months my girls are on the YMCA competitive swim team . They play soccer and whatever else comes our way . They've taken taekwondo and other activities .

Not that I know of . The "harder" ones usually have to be tested by someone with some type of degree . Who the heck knows why it isn't anything to administer these . Anyways in PA their state testing is called the PSSA's . Just insane . My girls had to use something called Study Island to prepare for them. The stuff they had to learn was just horribly hard for their age levels . Alot of it really took adult thinking skills . Its just insane and the time I had to take out of our learning to do this was just not worth it in my opinion . We could of been learning about more wonderful and interesting things .

Well we use Calvert through a cyberschool . So I've used grades 1 , 2, 3, 4 , and 5th grade math . Its AWFUL !! don't buy it . I think its the one subject we all hate ( along with their writing componet ) . There is no drill , very tiny bits of review . My 2nd child just doesn't understand it . They explain too many ways to get to the answer to a problem and then they are like " oh , but here is how you can do it too . " My 8yr old still can't add or subtract . This was coming from Saxon 1 where she did wonderfully ! To now breaking down in tears every day . Even my mathy 10 year old HATES this math program .She's good with math but ,its just so poorly put together in my opinion . BJU , Saxon , CLE ,, anything is better then Calvert's math program . The teacher manuals are just useless ( I've used WAY better ) . Too many mistakes in the manuals and even we've found in the exercise book. My 10 yr old has whized through the math and I had her take the CLE diagnostic test and she's in 5th grade Calvert math ,, she placed in 2nd grade Christian Light Math !!! But then there isn't much I like about Calvert . I did like parts of 1st and 2nd grade . 3rd is HORRIBLY dry and borning I've taught it 3 times and can't stand this level . 4th is a little better. The only thing we like about it is CHOW and that's it . CAn you tell we're ready for a change ??? I'll be switching to CLE math and will be starting my 3rd daughter with this math program from the start . And then BURN our Calvert math books !!

No. Its just deceptively easy . The one year I ordered the K CAT test for my oldest. Just to give me an idea of what she was learning , if there was anything I was missing . I looked at the test and thought " oh this is easy ." I felt like after I got it scored it would prove that I had a genius or something . Alot of the things in the test I knew she knew . Little did I know when I got the test back there was ALOT on there that she missed . Granted she was 6 and this was the first test she ever took . But it showed me that she wasn't a test taker that's for sure . I went back and asked her the things she missed and she knew the answers . But for some reason it just didn't register with her when she took the test. There were some concepts we didn't do like rhyming at the time . And math , she was a year ahead in math . So until you get the final results in , know it is deciveingly easy looking . But I will say they are MUCH more simpler then the state testing that my daughter's have to take now . We are with the cyberschool and the state testing is just insane , it really is . I'd rather have my daughter's take the CAT any day .

I used the older version and liked the K LA . But after that it started to not make much sense after that so I dropped it . I really wanted to like it because I liked how it was set up . Just in my mind didn't make much sense either .

Thanks ! It worked. I was on the right trail and didn't realize it ! LOL.

Ahh. Okay . I was doing that too and got the things aren't closed button and thought I was doing something wrong . Thanks :>) I'll give it a try .

Oh dear they are ? I was just ready to go over to their website and look at the program one more time and was thinking of getting it for my girls . Sigh .

Well I've used BJU math from K-4th grade so far . I think the scope and sequence is very comparable to other math programs . Its similar to Calvert's math program almost ( but BJU is better :>) It is advanced and I've compared it to Horizons and its just about the same in what concepts are taught when . BJU does dig deeper into math then Horizons does though . I think you could use the program without the teacher's manual . If YOUR good with math . I've rarely ever used the student materials packet for K, 1, and 2 . But found with 3 and 4 I needed it more to teach the concepts . But I'm not the mathy type and needed that . One could get away with not using it though . I have found their teacher's manuals do explain the concepts very well though . Sometimes you have to skip around a little to get to what you want . But I used BJU's math when I first started homeschooling and had no problems navigating it . Just that it includes other activities you would do if your child was in a school setting . Some are helpful , some you can live without . But BJU DOES have excellent teacher manuals . I've used them for math and their 2nd grade reading program . I have used Alpha Omega's teacher's manuals and found them to be plain useless . As for if you can use old teacher manuals with new books . No you cannot . They have changed the format in the new editions . You have to match up the old teacher manual with the old edition and the new ones with the new editions . HTH.

I am wondering how do you get the slide show from Photobucket to come on the blog ? I've been trying to figure it out all day long and no matter what I try I just can't seem to get it up . I feel like I'm missing something . I've tried using the share but it won't do that on the blogspot . I've copied and pasted the link but it doesn't come up . I've tried to put it in the photo part , the video part and nothing . Please if you know how to do this please let me know . I have a blog on Blogspot if that helps . The link is in my signature .

I will say the traditional school at home will lead to burn out at some point . We have been using Calvert for 3 years now and I'm right there on the verge of burnout and its not fun . I have a million and one things going on as well and it doesn't get easier. My suggestion is to simplify even more . I would take this time and reevaluate maybe some simpler curriculum . I would replace the BJU with something like Christian Light or ACE . These are two independent curriculums and would free up some of your time when it comes to teaching . Keep the TOG and read the stories . I did this one year when I had Sonlight . I purchased ACE School of tomorrow and just read the stories out of the Sonlight K that I had and let me tell you that was one WONDERFUL year that I'm getting to a point I want back . My girls were able to read the instructions in the workbooks and get their goals done and I was able to sit back and read the wonderful stories from Sonlight . I believe my daughters want this back too . Of course I stayed involved with what they were learning out of the workbooks . I totally agree with Kendra . Homeschooling is a lifestyle , it shouldn't stress us out so much that the only foreseeable option is to put our kids back into a system that is failing in the first place . So if you feel that this curriculum is too much by all means USE SOMETHING DIFFERENT ! Simplify . Just because alot of families use TOG or BJU doesn't mean you have to . It also doesn't mean that someday you CAN use these curriculums . Just that right now is not the best time to use them . There are three more independent learning curriculums : Christian Light , Ace School of Tomorrow and Alpha Omega . I would look into these . See which one would be best. Even if you have your older children use these its a start . You can be there for them whenever they have questions . I can't tell you the relief I read from some parents that chose to use these type of curriculums when they need to do it . There is no right or wrong way . Just the way that works for your family . HTH .

I'm not familiar with IEW . So can't comment . I think the styles are similar . We just recieved our WT 1 today and I believe we will be very happy with it . WT includes everything you need. The composition and the language arts . Now its been a while since I looked into IEW and I believe those two subjects are seperate components . I think I remember that you had to purchase something seperate for language arts . Plus the price for us was a factor . IEW is very pricey . The price of Writing Tales is alot less. I was able to buy the manual and 2 student workbooks for around $61 dollars . PLUS Writing Tales also has a new support board . Where you can get advice from the author and other members and share your child(ren)'s stories . Its new . But I'm sure it will grow very quickly soon . http://groups.yahoo.com/group/writingtales Anyways Writing Tales seems to take a gentle approach to teaching writing . Which is a good thing for my girls because though they like to write . Their writing still needs ALOT of work .

Unfortunately we're going to have to go through the summer. We got behind when little sister had to have surgery on her back. But that's alright . Hopefully we'll at least have a month off before the start of next school year .

For me I wish I could . But I find that I can't because each of my girls have learned things in a different way . So its hard to keep curriculum from other children .

Oh yes. I was torn between the two because they both look so excellent . I ended up deciding on WT's because it was a bit more economical for me at the moment . I think both programs are very well put together and it was hard to chose . Actually I just recieved Writing Tales in the mail today and I REALLY like it . I am hoping this will improve my daughter's writing skills. I do know that there are some moms here that have bought both programs . Meaning they have the Writing Tales program and have put on reserve the manual to WWE to add more then just one writing assignment each week . Like I said I haven't use the program yet . But I like how WT is put together and am happy with it so far . Also there is a new WT's support group too . http://groups.yahoo.com/group/writingtales

My thoughts is I would try a change to a mastery method type program . If you still get the same attitude from him then you will know if its an attitude issue rather then just not a program that is working for him . I would try maybe Singapore or BJU which are both mastery programs . If things change then you'll know he needed a change.

Hello all . I have a friend who's son is having his first communion . We've never been invited to anyone's first communion before . So just wanted to know what would be a good gift for an 8yr old boy for his first communion ? Any suggestions would be great.

Totally agree. That looks like plenty . You don't want to add more unless she wants more . If she is happy to do her work , gets it done and can keep herself occupied and she is happy with that , then life is good .

I don't know much about TT . But I can say I'm not understanding why the hostility . I mean if its a grade behind like people say . Then why not go one level up then ? Like many families do with Saxon ? I agree MUS has a scope and sequence of its own and I don't see people talk about it like they do this program ? I'm not seeing that there is improper teaching . But just that the program works a little bit slower then others. As so because not all curriculums work at the same level . Some you have to go back a year , some you have to go a year ahead . I would say look at it and see if you feel it would work with your child . I don't see anywhere in any of the posts saying it doesn't teach children the concepts that they need to know . Just that it works at a bit of a slower pace .