Where is the bow down smiley to your orderliness? Bravo! The only problem with arfh is that it's a 4-5 day approach. And, since you said being done with phonics before switching to spelling... Do you mean finish all OPGTTR or ETC before doing any SWO or SP? Yvonne

Isn't that two contradicting statements? SOOoo confused.. He's over halfway through OPGTTR which is close to the end of second grade reading. He is on lesson 126 or 127? read /red/ and read /reed/. So, shouldn't I start spelling at least by now? SWO A --works on all the words which he can already read. But it includes proof reading skills and some writing--That ETC and OPG doesn't have. He can read paragraphs. He's also done ETC 1,2,3 which has worked on words through silent e, th, sh, ch, tch, ai, ay,ee, ea, oa, ow words. The problem of ETC, is that book 3 and 4 have a huge leap in sequencing, it does compound words or suffixes and prefixes before other smaller two letter diagraphs. So I will probably have to jump from books 5,6,7 then back to 4 later. I used OPGTTR and ETC together, because he is a visual learner, and I didn't have to explain a lot, I would use OPGTTR as a spine, and ETC with the same "rule or diagraph" to follow it up. That way, he got the review, but visually. OPGTTR, is too black and white sometimes, but he needs to be able to read well. ETC is very visual, explains the words and applies the formation of the word's spelling in some cases. Neither does 'testing' to see if the kid can spell without a word box list though. That's where I find it so confusing, and possibly so much lacking in both ETC and SWO A. Although, one could say the proofreading skills in SWO A eliminates the need for testing? WWE-- I bought because borders was going out of business, and i had to use 2 gift cards. LOL. But, it is writing. FLL is grammer. I know to drop the writing in FLL, and just use WWE to fill in the writing portion. SWB says to do this in her you tube video.

Confused about your post and boscopup's post... OPGTR is mostly phonics and reading, and ETC I thought was more of an understanding phonics as it applies to spelling and some of reading comprehension, although, I had dropped some of the reading comprehension segments. Am I wrong?

WWE is writing, FLL is grammar with some writing. Konos has vocab words and some writing but isn't a formal sequential approach to wring etc. I agree. But, why not spelling? At his age?

Still trying to make sure I have every base covered for my Language arts, but am getting SOO confused. My son has used ETC through book 3 (we have the books through level 8). And, now he has Spelling WorkOut A. I feel like maybe he should goto another level. Although some things are considered busy work to some people, --with SWO we have used vocab lists with definitions while using it as a spelling book. Then, there is the incorporation of a word into a sentence, which my son has to write. That's a first. I talked to a friend, and she says she gives vocab words everyday, not just spelling words. And, she uses Spelling Power - which I also have but never have used. I am confused about overlap, but want to start with something strong that my son will use well. He still gets confused sometimes when to use some combinations and rules. After looking at All about spelling, I LOVE the approach. But, don't think I can shell out the $$, cause I already invested in these other programs. Anyways, on the whole, shouldn't there be something that covers everything? Spelling, Grammer, vocabulary with definitions, writing, and reading, dictation, narration? Am I missing something? Things I have (--and am feeling like I am becoming a curriculum junkie and have maxed out our budget.) Writing with Ease (1) A Reason for Handwriting Spelling Workout A Spelling Power Explode the Code (already finished book 1-3) First Language Lessons (in lesson 29) Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading (In lesson 127) Konos Bob books Finished Kindergarten and other levels. Tell me if I have all that I need, and what should I not use, to avoid duplicating stuff? BTW, sometimes some of the subjects trudge on, but hey, we have to make due with what we have. I also JUST borrowed WTM from the library, is there a particular chapter I should make sure to read? Oh, and my son isn't in Kindy, he's in 1st grade.

food issue - Give them something that after each problem or sentence or phonics blend etc. they get 1 bite or one sip. :D:lol: I do it with my son.

Kids have no concept of time until later, unless they have a clear visual, and use a time line to help them understand where in time it falls. I wanted to stay chronological so that I could do the "repeat every 4 years" idea. But there isn't a ton of chronological about it. So, I decided to take this and integrate it. DS did ancients last year and is doing MOH 33 AD to 1450 AD. So, we will be doing the kings and queens obedience unit when we get to it in MOH. Then I will primarily use Konos for the bible character and science and Music. We went through attentiveness, and she gives a great overview of music. I am impressed, and am a piano teacher. Here's my annual schedule to let you see. We're starting this week. I already did several chapters during the summer as a test. I just have to be diligent in getting everything in. I didn't realize that my DS is lacking in spelling work though, so we're trying to figure out how to implement that. 09/08/11 Obed-Light/Dark 09/15/11 Order-Rock 09/22/11 Order-Plant 09/29/11 Order-Plant 10/06/11 Obed-Kings&Queens 10/13/11 Obed-Kings&Queens 10/20/11 Obed-Kings&Queens 10/27/11 Obed-Kings&Queens 11/03/11 Obed-Horses wk 2 11/10/11 Obed-Horses wk 4 11/17/11 A-Indians 11/24/11 A-Indians 12/01/11 Order - Calendar 12/08/11 Order-Planets 12/15/11 Order-Seasons 12/22/11 12/29/11 01/05/12 Obed-Friction/Resistance 01/12/12 Stwd-Nutrn/Exer/Rst/Fun 01/19/12 Stwd-Nutrn/Exer/Rst/Fun 01/26/12 Stwd-Nutrn/Exer/Rst/Fun 02/02/12 Stwd-Nutrn/Exer/Rst/Fun 02/09/12 Rsrc-Simple Inventions 02/16/12 Rsrc-Simple Inventions 02/23/12 Rsrc-Simple Inventions 03/01/12 Honor-ChurchArchitecture 03/08/12 Honor-ChurchArchitecture 03/15/12 Coop- Town/Community 03/22/12 Coop- Town/Community 03/29/12 Stwd-Ecology Conserv 04/05/12 Coop- Family/Church 04/12/12 Patience-Grain/Bread/Yst 04/19/12 Patience-Grain/Bread/Yst 04/26/12 Patience-Plants/Garden 05/03/12 Patience-Plants/Garden

I think it's totally the boy/age thing, he wouldn't be independent unless it's a video game...

Maybe your 2nd grader is just ahead. My ds I would say is already halfway into 1st grade material already, because I started him with stuff early. I started with abeka 3 yo, K4, and K5. Abeka also seems to be ahead in k compared to our state standards. as far as memory- try right brained material, it might help. I did handwriting without tears-- it was awesome, the wet chalkboard idea was THE best. Then i went from large font to small font to 3 lined paper. Then went with Explode the code for one word at a time, then a reason for handwriting for sentences.

Yeah, I have a feeling he's gonna do the same to me. Moms never win... I shouldn't have been so happy that my daughter at 13 months started potty training and told me she had to go with a nod and eye contact and nod. The last 4 days she regressed. Poo all over the ENTIRE Crib/sheets, stuffed animals. I can't rejoice, murphy's laws seem to kick in...

My son just turned six, so I don't if I should do more hand holding through SWO or just go AAS. His reading level is beyond SWO A through to the middle of the book, so, maybe he could do it himself if I explained some of it to him ahead of time? Does it have spelling rules like AAS? Anyone know the comparative analysis of whether one is more comprehensive and sequential than the other?

I love open and go, but DS needs visuals. OPGTTR is great for me, but plodding for him. He likes cartoony pics, VERY visual. And I like an idiot bought Spelling power, couldn't return it, cause it's the wrong grade level, and won't know if I need to use it for my other children later. Doubling up on lots of stuff, because I am in a konos co-op, and really want less plodding, as well as i don't want to miss anything, I don't want to get into a "homework=all workbook" being no fun, type of teaching. Like, MUS and singapore. He went through singapore not really mastering his subtraction facts. I've used online games for the addition facts, and something wasn't jiving, so I had to go back to MUS to supplement the incremental thinking. I would love to use AAS, if it stops the teacher intensive planning and attention along with the plodding from my son. My son will just zone out sometimes, and I will ask him the same question 3 times. Like repeating 10-8 = 2. He just won't memorize auditory info, even if I repeat it 3 times. :banghead: It took us a month to memorize the states and capitals, but only by song.

Yeah, i have a toddler and a three year old, and evening piano teaching work, so any time I can have him do independent core stuff is better (SWO). I seem to see all these other posts with AAS as being the best choice, but am being overwhelmed with the time it takes to get all this stuff taught and prepped, as my DS needs so much hand holding to get through everything it seems.

I have a DS who has been doing copy work sentences for writing, using A reason for handwriting, and we didn't do any spelling or story writing in K. So, I need help with what i am missing for this coming year. My projected grade 1(.5) materials: Math- singapore 1B, MUS end of alpha and beginning beta English- First language lessons Reading - Ordinary parents guide to teaching L 115, Abeka readers, and Mo willem books, Dr. Seuss books, bob books, Read alouds - konos vol 1 suggestions Spelling - Spelling workout A Writing/Penmanship - A reason for Handwriting, transition Book Art- Artistic Pursuits (k-3) book 2, konos vol 1 History- Mystery of History vol 2, konos vol 1 Music - Konos vol 1, Piano- Faber primer, John Thompsons note speller Science/Bible character development - Konos- vol 1 / Real science for kids- pre-chemistry Geography - coop- country of the month.

:lurk5::lol:

Thank you for the encouragement! MUS helped out a lot with the word problem situation at first, but he tired of a black and white list of math problems. Visual learners like the different objects that they are counting in pictures. But I can say he still had issues with assigning the math words to their meanings. That every time the syntax and definitions of "less than or some more" came up, at times he didn't know where in the equation to put the number. Then singapore did more word problems in a better way, where he made up the word problems. It's now the gaps in subtraction math facts that are confusing him. Just because subtraction are similar to addition facts, some curricula assume it's easy to understand. But the minuend and subtrahend play different roles than in an addition problem that has the commutative property, where the addends can switch. It doesn't make sense that the difference and the subtrahend are interchangeable around the = sign. Explaining that seems hard. Maybe more review on the number bonds? I saw the rainbow method with MM. pros and cons for me= Abeka- pros=visually stimulating for my visual learner, necessary review of facts. Very age appropriate. Cons= not mastery approach, high cost, and Teachers Manuals are made for a classroom. He could do stuff without my help. MUS- pros= manipulatives are great for understanding concepts, mastery approach, TM's/cd's are great for me the teacher. Cons - totally un-visually stimulating somewhat costly, so he likes to play with the manipulatives like legos, and constantly needs my attention. He wastes more time sitting there staring and not wanting to do stuff. Singapore= visually stimulating, mastery approach, he likes me to see his every problem, but he can start things without my aid. He loves making up stories for the pictures to understand the concepts. Cons= approaches some concepts a tad fast without enough explanation to student or teacher in the text.

Thank you for your response! Yes, it is totally different from how I learned in school. I used little numbers to "carry over" which is a tad similar in SM, but they don't write it down, they expect you to do it in your head. I will try the 300 MM worksheet downloads and maybe that will help him review and be more confident. I went through all the MUS math subtraction and the SM subtraction. His addition is great, I used flash cards, and he understood it all but subtraction, he got lost. Thank you for the suggestion. You are so helpful. I know this is strange, but I want my kids to be a year ahead in everything, so that they could possibly go into a particular high school. There are opportunities in public high school that I don't think I could provide.

He saw the number bonds. He kind of gets it, but he's still having a tad of a problem with the double digit numbers and it's relevance. Maybe just spend the $17.00 for the SM HIG? Does the MM download, mean that we have to print it all out on our home computer? Or can the kids just type in the answer? I am trying to stick to one curriculum, the best I can, but DS dislikes MUS. He likes SM, and I am just having a bit of a time with teaching it.

After pricing out things, I am IMPRESSED at how much more inexpensive MM is! And, she's from finland, they outrank most countries in Math and Science... the things that make you go Hmmm... And, it's colorful like singapore, and mastery...

My problem isn't so much the problem of just my 'not knowing the math terminology' to know how to figure it out. But moreso, my ability to convey how to help my son solve the equation for himself. I went through calculus too. For example, my son lit up when I could help him identify the language behind each math number so that he knew it's reference point. He knew which side of the equation I was describing eg. when I said, "addend plus addend equals sum," "minuend minus the subtrahend equals the difference." Math u see videos helped me do this. This helped ease the burden of me getting frustrated not knowing how to explain something that seemed so easy as block of 4 and block of 9 equals block of 13 and how it correlates to 13 minus 4 equals 9. He couldn't understand why putting those numbers in that order would work that way. He understands that minus means take away, but the placement within the equation was totally throwing him off. But, Singapore didn't explain that. So does Singapore's HIG do this? The root of the problem is that my son loves visual stimulation in singapore, but my ability to teach him is lacking enough explanation, which MUS's videos have helped. I really like SM, but am finding, that if I can't explain something, and it costing $74.00 a year for SM, and $75-8-85 for MUS is it worth the 2 approaches per year? I am going to start 1st grade with him next year, and I feel better to start and change to one approach early on, than to change later. If I can do visual, but inexpensive, and save my money for other subjects, I would much rather do that... This is why I wanted to switch. I also checked out Math on the level= $355.00 for a complete set of K-pre algebra. Which allows me to work with multi aged children. My now 6, 3 and 1 will be working together in 3 years. Right now, my son's in singapore, and my daughter is doing abeka, and wow, just juggling the two time wise and not being able to afford homeschooling, is getting myself knots. Curriculum, avg. PER YEAR, Whole curriculum printed cost k-6, Description Abeka=$90.00; K-6 =$630; Spiral SM= $74.00; k-6 = $444.00; Mastery MUS= $85.00; K-6 =$595.00; Mastery Math on the Level= $55.00; Prek-Prealgebra= $355.00 Hands on, no workbook multiage MM=$42; 1-6= $252; Mastery MEP = Free, but Average printing cost= $70 per year k-6 $490.00(staples cost of B&W printing only) long spiral. Kahn = Free (after 3rd grade.)

I love your idea, my problem is cost. We have little funds right now. It was either classical conversations or an iPad, hubby chose iPad for visual learning, and now I am stuck. Only able to use what I have or free stuff. Free aps or links. That's why I was thinking Mep. I already have MUS beta, manipulatives, workbook and teacher's guide, and Singapore 1a,b, student workbook and text.

Wow, does the sm HIG explain the terminology of math, eg. Minuend, subtrahend, difference, and explain concepts? I took a gander at mep's concepts, and was thinking I was missing gaps like <> even though he knows it verbally, like 18 is bigger than 7, ds has never used the signs. I am afraid that he's not getting enough "practice" in the correct way. He's been getting stuck on which direction to go when subtracting single digit numbers from teen numbers and it's subtraction facts. MUS explains the -9's and -8's in a specific way that helps, just when i think he knows the concept in two weeks, and once I take the manipulatives away for mental math of singapore, he's confused. We'd be doing 3 pages of mus lesson 23, then I take away the manipulatives and remind him to with count backwards for -3,-2,-1 problems or visualize 14-8 = 4+(10-8) or the ghost 10 with the prior manipulatives, and he gets confused when it jumps from -9's,-8's problems to 15-6 or 11-6 in Singapore. Do you think the HIG would help? I am so close to finishing SM 1A but can't get over this subtraction hump.

I started out in Abeka, It was too much teacher prep, so I ditched the Teachers manual. So, my son did Kindy math in 3 months with Abeka workbook alone Spiral concept was easy enough, that I didn't need the TM too much. He had issues understanding the word problems. So, I switched to Math u see. My son is very visual learner and hated the black and white "just math workbook problems" - no color, no story. As a teacher, I Loved The video explanations, very sequential and helpful with the addition facts. But had to fight my son to stop "playing with the manipulatives" and actually get the work done. Switched to Singapore 1A and son has done really well with the text book and workbook, but then on Exercise 40 to 43 whoa, a big gap. 8+2 jumps to 17-5 ? US edition Primary math. So we went back to MUS and frustrated with barking at him to do his work. We want to try MEP, but hearing that it is spiral, and teacher intensive, am I asking for trouble? How to solve this curriculum problem??!!?

THANKS! You have helped me stop guessing. Wheww..

thanks! I've seen the order, and it feels very slim on history except contemporary, and maybe renaissance? WOW. I really don't know what to think. Anyone know of a good scope and sequence that does science sequentially? I was going to do apologia, but does anyone find that spending more than 1/2 year on just the planets seem long? Or a whole year on just the birds? Wow, that's in depth... Here's my first inclination. Real science for kids for the summer (only 10 weeks) and then 1/2 years on apologia books. I wonder how konos has it. Cause the history is definitely slim, Kinda Glad I bought MOH to fill in the gaps.