I tried Saxon K- it wasn't even worth the paper it was printed on for us. The stuff it taught was learned naturally by *both* my kids before age five, most of it before age 4. It was also expensive and time consuming. Then I tried Singapore 1a and 1b, and liked them. We hit a wall with 1a because it requires writing numbers but really doesn't teach them well enough for the student to master it. This clued me in to the fact that Singapore would be a source of frustration for me. I prefer that mostly everything I need to know/review/do be included in the book. So then I spent time teaching my son numbers, and after quite a while of writing and learning them I looked around for more options and because I learned the hard way I tried Saxon 1- I was sure I was doing the right thing. Didn't I want a proven curriculum that included everything I needed? This was a disaster. I spent a lot of money and put my son through two months of grueling 45 minute lessons, and got nowhere. It's spiral based but with very little introduction tomaster the concept before moving on. My son enjoyed the hands on format of the lessons, but he was failing every assessment. I was doing extra review, extra teaching, and trying to remember we'd spiral around and maybe he would remember his facts later on. But he also couldn't remember how to write the numbers. It was time consuming and ineffective for us. So then I tried Horizons K and we are thrilled. Horizons K is very advanced, so using with my K'er halway into K was perfect. It takes very little time to teach and it's really *fun!* I love the colorful, clear pages and the way the skills are presented and practiced, then spiralled. My son is learning everything he needs to know completely painlessly. I don't even use the TM. I just remember to practice counting and skip counting, and to teach them. Schoolhouse Rock took care of the fives, my son learned the tens in one day, and we still practice now. He loves the variety in the lessons and never seems to tire. We often complete two lessons. BUT Horizons does not drill math facts for memory in K- they just introduce using the number line. I wanted my son to have the up to 5 facts memorized so on the side I am using Calculadder. However you don't need to do that unless you're moving into another system (like I am into CHC) or your state requires memorization of math facts in K (ours doesn't.) So I just really want to plug Horizons. And since you really don't need the TM it's ultra affordable. Also- if you do pick Horizons I would cement number writing up to 30 before starting. It will save you time and frustration and you can double up on the first 15 lessons to make up for the month you spent cementing numbers.

Future Curr: On Shelves high in my closet Past Curriculum: On one book shelf I have set aside for this- I just stack it. Current Curriculum: My Stuff: at Walmart I bought ice tray bins for about 1.50. They are just the right height to keep TM's and school-sized workbooks from flopping over. I have three of these bins on the top of a bookshelf in kitchen near dining room. Kids Stuff: We tried several methods but so far them each having their own backpack is the only one that has worked. I am excited for them to go this coming school year and pick out their favorite backpack. I don't buy expensive Jansport because they are not lugging them around or dragging them. THey are usually sitting on the floor. I found a sale at Target last year and my son got a brand name Spiderman backpack for $5. I hope I can find something similar this year. Then when company comes I have them take their backpacks to their room. When we go out somewhere unexpectedly they grab their backpacks and we have everything we need right there with us (except TM's but usually you can get most of the work done in a pinch without TM's.) I love the backpack method. In the front of my ds' backpack he has his pencils, eraser tops, and little sharpener though I prefer the battery electric sharpener for everyday use. This year we are going to a personal box for all other school supplies, that can also go into the backpack hopefully. This way they will each learn to be responsible with the supplies. Right now they share crayons, glue sticks, etc, and while I can't say they don't care at all, they are a little careless. They will receive a nice big pencil Bag with glue stick, Prismacolor Colored pencils, scissors, and other such personal supplies. I am also working on my own personal pencil bag with stickers, red pen, pens, pencils, and anything I might need during school time. :o)

Hive mind indeed. I had no idea something would really pop up that even came close to my criteria. Google pales in comparison to the HIVE MIND.

Well you didn't say how old your kids are but here are my thoughts. 1. Swimming lessons are optional, too. If you can swim you can teach your kid how to swim, usually. They will hate you for it at first and then they will get over it. 2. Music- I think if they took one piano class they would be achieving all the goals for music in a classical education. That said, I don't even think the piano lessons are useful unless your dc really love them and are willing to keep going on and maybe play for church or such later. Everyone I know who took piano as a kid can barely tell me anything about the instrument now. 3. I think your mom speaks a lot of wisdom. Nowadays we parents love our kids so much and we feel with the modern world, cars, and so many programs available we can pretty much do anything we dream of for them. But this is not reality. In reality, we have to provide a stable loving, calm home for them. When money is tight mom and dad get stressed. Even if you don't show your stress it'll come out in some way at some point. We are broke right now too and the only thing my son is doing is the free Lowe's class and my mom is paying for dd to take Rec gymnastics on Saturdays. We sold my car to stay afloat this year... I really worried about how much they need this or that and every time I go to God and ask Him to provide, He does. I worried that my son would be bored, and he got two new friends right here in the neighborhood that are nice kids and come from loving homes, one is a stay at home mom, so he plays with my son almost every day because none of the other kids get home till 5:00. What a blessing. I really worried that my kids and I would get sick of each other but God is giving us books from all kinds of sources to enjoy together. I could go on and on....I am beginning to learn that I don't need to be God for my kids. He has a plan and I need to be open to be His hands. With that mindset I have been able to see these kinds of things a lot more clearly. Hope that helps a little.

I echo a lot of what Oh Elizabeth said. We really like Hooked on Phonics for reading. My older son is finishing up K using this (though we did not start with it) and my dd will start at the end of next year on it. You can find the cassette tape version right now on homeschool classifieds. You can add any handwriting you want to that, if she already writes you can try a Reason for Handwriting K. For books, I recommend following some of sonlight's ideas and maybe even purchasing Core C. This can cover science, social studies, and more. For math, we are loving Horizons, but your dd must know and recognize numbers and be able to write them very well before starting Horizons K. If not, you can try Kumon numbers first, then move into Horizons later. I love to just have books on hand to read, and we did several units of FIAR which we loved but I couldn't take the planning and effort for prolonged periods of time either. I also didn't like reading SL books with an IG... I prefer to read books when I am in the mood for them. FOr Bible, I recommend the Jesus Storybook Bible, and Sing the Word from A to Z. These have been our favorite for Bible and Bible memory. If your dd just really loves, loves cut and paste and school-y books for the summer you can get her Rod and Staff preschool. We are enjoying these considerably. I really can't say enough about them. Then in the fall move her into a more academic program. This way you don't miss your moment of opportunity. They have adorable little stories, cut and paste, counting, writing, thinking skills, pre-reading exercises and much more. They are also very inexpensive. If I were you I'd stroll over to Rainbow Resource and get these to start now and through the summer, while you research and then decide on the rest over the summer. It's too hard to make the decision quickly and in the meantime these are very inexpensive, fun, and educational! I recommend buying the individual books and skipping the coloring book and Bible story book unless your dd really loves to color. Then you'll only spend about 15.00. :o)

with a strong flavor of traditional textbook homeschooling here... I do, however, often read Karen Andreola and Heart of Homeschooling to gentle myself and remind myself of the beauties of home learning and family love. Reasons: 1. I never knew when I was done when I was doing CM last year 2. I love workbooks and textbooks. I know exactly how much to do, when to review, etc. I just love well done workbooks and textbooks. 3. I don't love workbooks and textbooks in history...I would rather read! 4. I don't like doing all CM because I find that hard to document and I like documentation So for me the WTM approach using more actual specific books and resources with actual specific goals and rotations is preferable to the more natural method of CM. However we are moving into Covenant Home for first grade and will be using more texbtooks that SWB would recommend. But for me this is the ideal! I just wish they used Horizons Math because I like Horizons and I don't know if I'll love MCP.

I am looking for music for my first grader: Inexpensive (less than 50.00) requires little/no teacher knowledge of music workbook, text, and CD based (straightforward and simple) Not appreciation, but teaches rhythm, singing, and music notes Builds upon itself- more years available Does such a thing exist? The closest I have come in my research is BJU music but that is 130.00 for the first grade set! ouch.

yes, this will be our first official summer but we are taking off. My son will do flashcards for math, handwriting (letters, numbers, and greek letters once a day every day), Summer Bridge activities, and read from McGuffey's Primer. All in all about 30 mins of school per day. I guess that doesn't sound like we're taking off now that I write it all down, LOL! But I won't do it every day. It'll probably end up being three times per week or less, depending on how much fun we're having at the pool!

1. Lowe's Build and Grow- for free Dad and sons (or dd) can go to Lowe's and get an apron, and sit down with instructions to build a vast array of interesting and useful wooden things. They also receive a patch before leaving which I have sewn onto my son's apron. So far that I can remember he has built a firetruck, a hanging spider, a greeting card holder, a calendar holder (complete with pen and pencil holes, and the actual calendar included!), a basketball hoop for his trash can, and much more. It goes on every other week at almost any Lowe's and they provide the table and tools to use there. 2. The library- this is so obvious but not to everyone...the biggest thing that we like is the educational movies. Where else can you get as many educational movies as you want for free? 3. I am going to try this this upcoming school year for extra reading texts- but almost every local school board has a textbook depository where one can go and receive free books. You have to call to find out where they are and the best times of the year are RIGHT after the school year ends, after the schools drop off the old stuff but before the private schools come to get it.

and dont' forget about free shipping. Last night I placed my order at ten pm (which is late for me) so my brain wasn't working. I placed an order for 115.00 and paid 12.00 shipping. For a total of 130.00. For twenty dollars more I could have gotten 30.00 worth of material. Now I see it all clearly but last night it was rather difficult for me and I opted to not use the free shipping. Oh well. Yesterday someone posted a CBD code good till Mar 31st, but CBD didn't have half the stuff I needed.

I am definitely going to put it all away and even later do secret shopping for their school supplies, maybe I'll let them pick out their backpacks and school boxes, but I'll get all the pencils and crayons and stash those too. I just got a lovely picture in my mind of all this new stuff and the kids being excited and having a little party or a picnic on the lawn after we check out all the new stuff!! Cool.

I don't know a whole lot about Montessori but I know the dc are expected to work independently, often on little mats which they carry around and roll out, then they are expected to not interrupt others when they have their mats rolled out and are working on something. Learning centers usually include things that are tactile, such as blocks, felt, cloth, lauri letters, etc. The things also are supposed to lend themselves well to self-directed play and learning. Also I know there are tons of montessori homeschool items on ebay, pretty inexpensively. Montessori activities focus on independent learning and discovery with a minimum of teacher interaction. The teacher does interact and do some teaching, and most modern montessori schools have some circle time and story time. There are yahoo groups devoted to montessori homeschool, and I think that would be the best place for your friend to start.

I am wondering if you let your dc see next year's schoolbooks ahead of time? I ordered a bunch of stuff for my dc now but we aren't using it till next August. So I wonder if I shouldn't let them see it, so that they will be really psyched in August when I get out all the new stuff?