You won't know unless you try. :) If they enjoy read alouds and work well independently, I think it's definitely worth a shot. You could even skip the questions and just have them come and teach you about what they learnt. If you want to add a fun factor, have them put on a little skit of that days lesson.

4 different phonics programs by the age of 6 is a lot. I would pick one, solid program and work through it, at his pace. 6 is very young to say he "struggles" IMO. It could very possibly be that he just isn't ready.

Math: Finish TT 7 and start Pre-Alg That is all I know for certain right now. EEK! Must get my planning brain in gear!

Divergent and Twilight. And also The Maze Runner Series. There are numerous examples of poor writing, poor characters, etc. The author also has a love of the phrase (and variations of) "There was really no other choice."

This made me chuckle. I currently have PP sitting here. I think it's the 3rd time I've taken it out from the library. It's the draw of being DONE after just one book... lol and yet, I feel like AAR takes my kids reading so much farther and I know I love it, so on we go. This is our third go-around with AAR. My youngest is working through level 1. He was complaining about the readers, so I pulled out the Bob books and he got through one and promptly asked "please don't ever make me read those again!" lol He is happily back to the AAR readers.

We use and love AAR. Our library has Phonics Pathways and we own Reading Pathways. Phonics Pathways is nice and neat and tidy in a little book and it seems to move at a much faster pace than AAR. Which could be a pro or a con, depending on your child. I like how it starts with dictation right away -- but again, this wouldn't be great for a young child who isn't ready for writing. I found the pages so incredibly busy! There are notes and pictures and different fonts, symbols, italics, etc. There was no way I could teach a lesson at a glance. I also see very little point in the inclusion of the bookworm bug and his little quips. They are mostly over the kids heads and just a distraction. There are boxed sections that seem to be a "scripted" portion, but I find the wording to be incredibly awkward. Example: On page 53 there is a box that says this: /K/ = c-, k "K" is how the letter looks, and /K/ is how the letter sounds /K/ can be spelled in several different ways: 1. /K/ is usually spelled "k" if the following letter is "e" or "i," as in "keg" or "kid" 2. /K/ is usually spelled "c" if it is followed by any other vowel, is in "cat," "cot," or "cup." I am sure that once you got used to the program things like the above would be clearer, but I find the AAR script much easier to read and teach. They are both similar in using pantomime clues when needed, such as biting an apple for the short "a" sound. They teach reading across the page and blending in a similar fashion. Both include some games, though AAR has more activities (which can be good or bad - we tend to skip most of them). FWIW, we seldom use the letter tiles with AAR (or AAS). My kids seem to think they are great for the first level or two and after that the novelty wears off and they prefer to just have me teach the lesson on the Boogie board. They are helpful to pull out when a child is struggling with a concept though. If I had to, I could make PP work - and it would work well, I am sure. All the necessary ingredients are there. But...I would much rather teach AAR. We bought Reading Pathways because I liked the pyramid reading and it was great practice for my older kiddo when she struggled with fluency. It is not a necessary item to have though. Hope that helps. :)

Another member posted this (can't remember who) and I bookmarked it. It's a.m.a.z.i.n.g. If you click "home" there are other topics covered aside from Microsoft - anything from iPad's to Skype. http://www.gcflearnfree.org/office

I did some browsing after posting (oops! LOL) and there is a ton of stuff on there! It does seem to have everything that I am looking for. Thanks for the tip to use the EM code. :) There is a $20 off coupon through HSBC right now, so I may take the plunge and try it for a year. Just wish I'd found out about it before I got the kids the daily word problems... :glare:

Are all of EM's books, in entirety, available with the TFB? I have been reading reviews and several people mentioned that there were missing units from some books. Is that the case?

We use A Reason for Handwriting in the manner you described. They give a sample letter with arrows to show letter strokes, a tracer letter and then starting lines to practice with starting dots. We never, ever do all the lines. Just do a few letters and move on. Then there is a spot at the bottom that has them connect several of the same letters, moving in to words once they have learnt the entire alphabet. I often use the space to write a sample word and have them copy it. There are bible verses to copy, as well, but we have never done these and there are lots of cute bordered sheets in the back that my kids love. ETA: We use the C book. We had the T book for my oldest and it's similar, but covers manuscript as well, and we didn't need that

When debating about grammar this year, I remember quite a few people commenting about using Fix It! For those who have been using it, do you still like it? We started with the Nose Tree and are finishing week 14. I don't hate it, but I don't love it. It's quick and easy. I like that it includes vocabulary and copy work. I have found that I don't actually like copying a story sentence-by-sentence though. It leads to confusion at times - especially when addressing when to start a new paragraph and/or when to use quotations. I don't love that quite often a sentence will contain an advanced grammar concept that hasn't been taught yet. I don't think it's harming the kids, but it annoys me. When we first started, the kids really enjoyed it, now they suck it up and get through it. There isn't a lot of complaining, because the lessons are super short, but I get sighs and groans when I remind them to get it done. I am debating about seeing it through or moving to Winston Grammar, which was top of my list alongside Fix It. Or maybe it's just January and I need a curriculum to pick on. HAHA

yep! :)

I find this incredibly offensive. I also find it interesting how you have decided to group "poor" and "rural" as though they are one in the same. I am posting, not to attack you, but hopefully to change the judgements you have made. We live rural. Our nearest city is about 50 mins away. I do not feel like my kids suffer for this. Living rural is amazing. My kids don't "do" nature walks at the local park. Our yard is a nature-lover's dream. We have moose, elk, deer, ducks, frogs, etc. They get to study these things all the time. We have a duck that returns every year to our dugout. We have horses, cattle, a dog and are thinking about getting sheep or pigs for the kids to help to raise. The kids are engaged in the day to day activities of our life. We don't run out to every activity or event, not because we are rural or can't afford to, but because I want them to have a strong sense of family before they worry about embracing all the world has to offer. I feel like rural life is a huge blessing while we try to accomplish that goal. There are less distractions out here. We do not have a "loving, strong community" by any means. We have a church we attend weekly and a group of friends we try to get together with often. Only one of these homeschools. There is a homeschool group, but it's urban based and we pick and choose the events we participate in. We are not lonely. Clearly you don't know what it's like to be "poor." Try attending a school where everyone knows your clothes are hand-me-downs (and mocks you for it). Try ripping the tags out so no ones knows where they came from. Try pretending that you hate skiing because your Mom can't afford to send you on the class trip everyone else is attending. Try being the teen who wolfs down a bagged lunch in the locker room and then pretends not to be hungry while everyone else goes out for burgers and fries. Then try being poor and keeping your child home where they can be loved and respected and taught that they are worth something even if they don't have two pennies to rub together. Please don't make the assumption that money means quality, especially when it comes to an education. I am not in any way saying that every family should homeschool, but I definitely don't think one should feel discouraged to homeschool simply based upon location or income. There are pros and cons to every situation.

I would just move on. I am trying to remember, but I don't think we ever used the K book. I think we always started with the Grade 1 level book.

We've used this and liked it: http://www.currclick.com/product/81320/Super-Sentences-and-Perfect-Paragraphs?term=perfect+sentence I have also taken paragraphs from books they're reading and typed them out, cut out the sentences and had them put them in order and then copy them out.

Maybe Jr. AG: Mechanics? https://www.analyticalgrammar.com/junior-analytical-grammar

I want to get a microscope this year that will last us through high school. I want a quality scope, but don't want to spend extra $$ on bells and whistles that I don't need. I have tried reading through multiple buyers guides, but I am so confused!! I emailed a couple places and they were all very helpful, but they all recommended microscopes that are on US sites and I can't seem to find those models elsewhere. I'm in Canada and our dollar sucks right now, so I really need something sold in Canada. Would anyone be willing to check out Amazon.ca or http://www.microscopenet.com/ and give me some options of what would be a good microscope to buy? I don't have an exact budget, but would like to spend as little as possible to get the features I absolutely need.

A lot really depends on what cursive you find appealing. I wanted something that looked nice without being overly "loopy" (technical term! Haha). Both my first and 2nd kiddo's have used A Reason for Handwriting, Book C. It introduces each letter, then there are words and bible verses to copy if you like. It also has a ton of lined pages at the back with cute borders that can be colored in. My kids love these pages. We tend to just introduce the letter formation for each letter and then transition in to copywork. We have tweaked a letter or two, like the upper-case "K" and the lowercase "p" because I was taught them differently and I prefer my way.

I wish it was genuine interest. They (my sibling and his spouse, mainly) believe I am a helicopter parent and I homeschool because I can't "let go" of my kids. No amount of discussion has changed their opinion. They aren't at all interested in what we do or how we do it. They have decided it's "wrong" and they often voice their opinions. Conversations with them are often similar to beating one's head against a wall. For example, my brother informed me that the kids are lacking outside sports. I mentioned that they do soccer, swimming and skating. His reply? Why haven't you taken them skiing? :banghead:

Would love to hear more about your LA loop. I would also like you to plan for me. My brain is a bit muddled in regards to my up-and-coming grade 7'er. I have this idea that a huge shift needs to happen next year...like academic lock down. :lol: I'm just not sure exactly what needs to shift. We have come to the point where all my not-so-supportive family has started voicing their opinions again, as well. They got quiet for awhile there, but now they are back. Clearly I can not expect to homeschool anymore? *sigh* I admit though, it gets in a persons head. I have so many doubts flying around right now that I am putting off planning until I can think a bit more clearly.

We are currently using Abeka math and it is just a great fit for both of my kids. All I hear around the internet, however, is not to use Abeka math as you go into the upper levels. Starting to look into next year's curric, and trying to decide if we want to continue using Abeka 6 or make the inevitable change sooner than later. Abeka is just such a good fit for both my kids and myself. We all are very happy with it. I'm hesitant to leave it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Go with your thoughts in red and ignore the stuff in purple. *If* you reach a point when Abeka stops working, then change. :)

FWIW, I am going through a little hump right now as well thinking the kids aren't getting "enough". I'm not sure what they are lacking, but certain that there is something. For me, it's a mid-year homeschool breakdown (I have formally diagnosed this) and they are common and typically resolve themselves. :laugh: Kidding aside, I agree with the idea of combining them when you can. Do a read aloud or a science experiment. Or take a nature walk and have your oldest write a little blurb and draw a picture and your younger kiddo can scribe to you.

I took all the email tips and put them on index cards and then we draw a card and complete it. I've pulled ideas from other sources as well, but the majority are from Bravewriter. We don't do the Friday Freewrite exactly, more like an "inspired by". Some favorites - written conversation -- excellent for using quotations in speech, draw 5 words (10 words, etc) from poetry kit and try to combine them into a sentence, stretch a sentence activities, etc. We started this two years ago, if I remember correctly, so my middle kiddo would have been 7. My middle kiddo is a perfectionist, so I just remind her when we start that we aren't worrying about spelling or mechanics during the exercise, we just want to get the thoughts on paper.

The app suggestion reminded me - we have also been trying an app called Reading Raven and I've been very pleased so far. You do need to be present to make sure your child is doing the task and not skipping forward though. The program teaches correct letter formation using finger tracing, letter sounds, reading (including a slider bar under each word, which I really like), etc. There is a second level as well, but we have not tried that yet.

We had a set of Pathway Readers given to us (grades 2-7), with the workbooks. They sat here for a good two years before I finally put them to use this year. Both my girls enjoy the stories and with some tweaking, I have actually found the workbooks to be incredibly valuable too.