Can anyone who has used the RWFP online courses give feedback on how it went? I am particularly interested in the language art classes taught by MCT himself, as well as the math classes. Thank you in advance for your feedback!

My son took AOPS prealgebra at WTMA with Mrs. Quintero a few years ago when he was 9. It was great because the class was well taught and did not have a huge homework load. Some might say that it was actually too light, however you could always add more problems for your child or add Alcumus problems on related topics each week if you want to. My favorite part of the class was the proof problems. There were a few problems each week where students had to write out step-by-step explanations of how/why they solved the problem the way they did. This was very beneficial for my son, even though he detested them. It would have been good if each week one kid could choose a proof problem from HW to present to the rest of the class.

To the question about WTMA: I have a 10 year old son in AoPS prealgebra through WTMA, and it has been wonderful. We use Alcumus for repetition and reinforcement as needed. We are very happy, and plan to continue with Algebra next year.

I had looked at these classes and was curious as to how exactly Socratic Discussion at WTMA and JH Literature at the Center for Lit were similar and different in terms of amount of work/time commitment for students, content, and skills the student learns. They seem like classes with similar purposes but different strategies.

We are not at 9th grade yet, but my ds has been taking AOPS Prealgebra and Expository Writing I with WTMA. He loves his classes, and his teachers, Mrs. Quintero and Mrs. Hockaday, have been fantastic. The classes meet twice a week for approximately 60 minutes. I would definitely recommend WTMA courses to anyone considering online classes for their child.

We have had great success with LOE. I use it with all my kids ages 7-13. The oldest is an English Language Learner + dyslexic all at the same time. We used the videos online-- huge help. The kids also used the phonogram ipad app-- priceless for making sure you consistently prounounce everything correctly!! I recommend the Teachers Manual, a student book, and the app. Get the game book if you have boys who don't like spelling and need physical activities. My boys were begging for spelling at one point because of the games. It is well work the investment. We tried R&S spelling (not enough rule teaching and practice), and AAS (to teacher intensive and hard to organize and teach to multiple kids). With LOE, I can teach all 5 together, and after watching the videos, it is open and go. Save money and make your own cards.

I have 5 children who I am working through the Essentials program. I purchased the Teacher's Manual, 1 Student book, and a game book. Our ages are from 7-13. Keep in mind my 7 year old son is very well-read and thus spells with relative ease, however my 13 year-old son is an English Language Learner and poor reader, so struggles a bit more. I have a wide range of learners in the 5 of them. We have had great success with just these 3 items. We do Essentials lessons all together around the kitchen table for 30-40 (max) minutes each day. They beg to do spelling because of the games, which I make sure we play at least 1-2x per week. Using the game book, I can tweak some ideas to fit our needs-- I just make sure there is lots of physical action for the game. For example, we had a phonogram snowball fight where we tape phonograms to our backs and when I call out a word, you have to throw rolled up socks at the person with the correct spelling of the phonogram in that word. Each child has a spiral-bound spelling notebook so that we do not write in the Essentials student book (we have only 1), and they write answers, etc, in their spelling notebook. It works well. I was trying to do spelling separate for all 5 and it was awful, but this works much better. Set the timer for 30 minutes, and what you get done is it. Put a sticky tape where you left off, and pick up at the same spot the next day. It can really be pick up and go if you make it. Just read the lesson and prepare for the game in as little as 10 minutes a day or two before. In each notebook, you can make a personal phonogram page and a personal word page at the front or end of the notebook to write in phonograms and words which the individual child consistently gets wrong for extra practice. Also, there are "advanced" word lists on the LOE website. These have videos which you can use with your student as you begin the program. You can teach the same lesson, and use the easier word list in the book for the 1st grader, and the "advanced" list for your 4th grader if the word list in the Teachers Manual is too easy. You could also use the same list for both if appropriate. Remember your are using the list to teach spelling and not just test spelling. Teach it until they understand the rules and phongrams, and how they are used and then if you desire, you can test.

My son is 13 and demonstrates many of the same learning issues, even when he is trying. He does have difficulty focusing and is easily distracted. He struggles with reading fluency, and forgets what he just read. He doesn't picture/visualize when he reads, so we are working on that. We also work on having him narrate back to me in small chunks, which really helps with retention and comprehension. We had him evaluated by the school and they were quite helpful, and I felt the feedback was unbiased. Of course, not everyone will necessarily have the same experience. He was found to have working memory issues, among other things. Your daughter may have working memory issues too. You can always try the school district first, because it will be free. Try to figure out what works for her, maybe smaller chunks, maybe visual learning, etc. Maybe she requires more repetitions of the same thing before it sticks. I have a child like that too. Good luck! It can be so hard dealing with learning disabilities.

I discovered some great free online art lessons for grades k-5 today and I wanted to share. I had great success using the 2nd grade Stained Glass Flowers lesson with all 5 of my kids ages 7-13. We are studying the Middle Ages and Gothic Architecture, so it was a perfect tie-in for us. Some of the lessons have power point slides to help explain it, and some have additional examples of final student work. The art teacher has a facebook page too where she posts her current student's work. The website is: http://www.mrsbrownart.com/index.htm and the lessons are easily adaptable for a wide age range. Enjoy!

Have you tried Dreambox Learning? It is an online adaptive math program that my math-challenged daughter has had great success with. You can do a free trial through the website and homeschool buyers coop has discounts. It is great for developing mental math, place value understanding, number sense, and more. I would probably start him a grade or 2 behind because the computer automatically adjusts based on his responses. If he is struggling with something, it will adapt and present math concepts using virtual manipulatives until he can understand. If he responds quickly and correctly and demonstrated mastery, it will quickly move him forward. If he is moved forward, but then forgets, it will take him back to review and solidfy. Most of the time, the student is unaware when they are taken back to review a concept, so they don't feel bad or feel frustrated. Dreambox is very challenging for my daughter, and it takes her much longer to progress through it than my kids but she enjoys earning points, and feels great once she is able to master a concept. Plus, I see an actual difference in her ability to do paper & pen math in Math Mammoth.

I am really surprised at how many did not like 100 EZ lessons. I had great success with all 5 of my kiddos, and the 6th is still a baby. I never did any of the writing portions of the book, but it took about 15-20 minutes a day, and we usually moved straight to beginner readers by lesson 70 or so. 2 of my kids are English Language Learners, and they had success too! Fails for us include: Rosetta Stone, Sonlight, Handwriting Without Tears, Apologia Astronomy (did not like narrative format, and also did not enjoy studying astronomy for the entire year!), R&S Spelling, MUS Alpha/Beta/Gamma was a mixed bag with both positives and negatives. I really wanted to love Latin For Children A, but the kids are struggling with it.

I am going to guess that there is not much of response because most people don't do vocabulary with their 1st grader. Time wise, you are probably better off expanding vocabulary by read alouds, or if your time is limited, audiobooks of good quality literature. But that is only my guess. If you are looking for an independent vocab program, maybe check out Vocabjourney or Wordly Wise online. I am personally not familiar with Vocabulary Workshop. Sorry I could not be more helpful!

I have an 11 year old who is a good speller who is learning a ton from the LOE. We do LOE together with 5 kids ages 7-13, all with a wide range of spelling ability and disability. It works. They are learning the logic and reasoning behind spelling. We use a combination of the advanced spelling lists and regular lists. Sometimes I give more difficult/complex words to my strong speller and easier words to my weaker spellers, but it is all based on the same rule and phonograms learned for that lesson. There are also great videos available on the LOE website. My kids love all the games and my boys actually beg to do spelling sometimes because of them! We have even been inspired to make a phonogram sock battle game where each child has a different phongram we are studying or reviewing for that particular week taped to their back on a piece of paper. When I say a word, they have to be the first one to hit the person wearing the correct phongram for that particular word with a rolled-up sock. The teachers manual and student workbook in either cursive or print is what you need to start. You may want to consider adding the game book later. We do not have the game cards, but make up our own using index cards.

Have you tried Duolingo? Our kids love it and it's free! You can use the program on an ipad or computer and compete with friends for points. Not sure on retention yet, but there are many good reviews of it available and our kids enjoy it (ages 7 to 13 studying either French or Spanish).

I think Biblioplan would be closest to what you are looking for. I personally think it is one of the best for connecting SOTW books with church and bible history. You can download samples from the website, and if it is still unclear, send an email and I am sure someone will get back to you quickly to help you get a better understanding of their products. I met the owner. Julia Nalle, at a convention a few years ago and she was amazingly helpful. You might also want to look at Tapestry of Grace, but in my opinion that is better if you have more older kids than younger. Both are excellent options for multi-age, multi-kid families. Both have the option to include SOTW.

If you are planning on a classical education for him, you will go through the 4 year cycle of history again. If that is the case, sInce he is young and enjoying it, you have the option to let him do as much or as little with it as he wants for now, and then go deeper/require more when you go through the 4 year cycle on the 2nd time around. At this age, I would think it is most important that he develop a love of learning. You can pick out a few library books from the activity guide that he might enjoy, do some of the maps. activities, or coloring pages you like, but don't let it become overwhelming.

Did you try having him type it or typing it for him on the computer? I seem to recall that being a suggestion somewhere in the IEW materials...Another option is you doing the physical act of writing for him for now. That way you remove the barriers to the final draft.

Has anyone hear about the status of this group buy? :bigear:

We use Timez Attack for addition/subtraction and multiplication and division. All of our kids absolutely love it, and beg to practice their math facts (I am not kidding at all).

All of our 5 kiddos use Dreambox (ages 6-11). It emphasizes mental math rather than procedures. My 9 year old is VERY math challenged and is working her way through the 2nd grade portion of Dreambox. It is very hard for her. She is working on place value and number sense. My math-talented son who just turned 6 is working through the 4th grade level on Dreambox. At times it is challenging for him, but usually his works through new concepts with relative ease. He is working on fractions and ratios now. My other 3 kids are somewhere in between. Perhaps try a trial? There is a group buy on Homeschool Buyers Coop, and even though it says you cannot, you can transfer your progress from the trial to the group buy buy calling customer service. Anytime I have called customer service they are very responsive and helpful.

Best of luck! I am due Nov 9th, and have had a very complicated pregnancy. I may end up with a preemie like you as well, but we will see. My youngest was born at 26 weeks, weighing 1 lb, 12 oz. He spent 56 days in the NICU, but is currently a thriving, gifted 6 year old. Wishing you the best of luck, your 35 weeker will likely be very healthy!

Excellent books for various ages we have enjoyed include: -- Henry's Freedom Box -- Books about Ruby Bridges -- Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom -- Martin's Big Words -- Of Thee I Sing, A Letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama -- Bud Not Buddy, The Watsons Go to Birmingham, Elijah of Buxton, The Mighty Miss Malone and other books by Christopher Paul Curtis (Christopher Paul Curtis books are good for about 2nd/3rd grade and up) -- Narrative of The Life of Fredrick (great as an audio book too, about middle school age and up) -- I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (older child or adult) -- Poems by Langston Hughes, -- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hursten (older child or adult) -- A Raisin In The Sun -- books by Richard Wright (heavy topics, better for high school or above) Sorry for the wide age range, we have kids from ages 6 to 12...

We are interested as well. Signed up for the trial yesterday, but after the kids did the demos that are available through the website, they are already hooked. Our 6 year old watched it several times, and our 11 year old love it too. Are you still pulling names together? Can you post the status of this group buy when you get a chance?

I have a newly adopted son who is 11 years old with dyslexia, and he too was still sounding out and struggling to read kindergarten level books. We have made fantastic progress with Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, which we accelerated a little and did with reinforcing vowel flashcards each day. We practice the vowels each day, emphasizing the shape the lips make for each vowel. We will also start All About Spelling this year to reinforce the progress through that book. Maybe something to consider.

Thanks for the posting! We love Studio Ghibli movies like Ponyo and Totoro. We will definitely check this new one out!