For those of you who have used this, do I need an extra student pack for a 4 year old? I wouldn't think she would need any of the sheets provided but I was wondering about the art stuff. Are they things I can dig up if she is interested or should I just order another set? Thanks! Coleen

Thanks ladies!! We ordered it and are in MATH HEAVEN:) She is 8 and finished CLE 2, and tested into TT 4. She is doing 2 lessons a day and it is easy for her, but I'm sure we will slow down when it gets harder. Thanks again:) Coleen

I have seen the demos, etc. but am still a little confused. Is it all done on the computer? What is the workbook for? If you could take a minute to explain how it is used and about how much time it takes (I am looking at level 4) I would greatly appreciate it! I am hoping it is virtually independent as dd and I are not mathematically compatible!! Thanks!

2nd grade dd will do: CLE Math 2 CLE LA 2 Evan Moor Daily Language Arts Grade 2 Right Into Reading Book 3 Veritas and Progeny Press Literature Guides Lollipop Logic and Mind Benders MFW ECC for Bible, Geography and Science Rosetta Stone French

Thanks so much for the info ladies! I lived in OC most of my life so I know the area, but my oldest was only 3 when we moved 5 years ago, so I had no idea of the homeschool options. Sounds line if we do move back, there will be tons of things to get involved with. Thanks again:)

We are possibly moving from a state that requires no homeschool reporting whatsoever to CA. If I have a valid credential from CA, do I just file an affadavit every year and that's it? Also, anyone know about the homeschooling community in Orange County? Thanks!

Just wanted to second the Early Reading Comprehension book. We started out the year doing CLE readng, and dd did fine, but HATED it. Now she is reading what she chooses (from an approved bunch) and she does an exercise out of that book once a week. She is much happier and I feel like we are covering the comprehension that way.

Thanks Heather. I thought of how it might be somewhat like WP, but the thing I really didn't like about that program was not that it was like a little unit study each week, that was actually fine with me. The problem was that there were several times where you would read about an event, and not do the MYO history page on that event until a few days later. That just did not make sense to me. From what I understand about TOG, I am the one who would schedule such things, so I could put whatever is there for that week wherever I want. I am really a compulsive tweaker/scheduler, so I was thinking that TOG would lend itself well to that. Do you find that to be the case?

Any other opinions? :)

No Tracy, that doesn't confuse me at all! It really helps to know that Year 2 has so much going on like that, I never would have known otherwise! The other bonus is that I have the 1st 3 weeks of Year 1 free:)

So I really like the looks of TOG. My only concern is that it will be too much for us. However, I like it enough so that I know I have to try it at some point or it will drive me nuts forever! My question is this: when and where do I start? I have a 3rd grade 8 year old and a 1st grade 6 year old. We are doing a skeleton of WP AS1 this year (kids didn't like all the paper crafts, I didn't care for the organization of their readings). My original plan was to finish this year, do MFW ECC next year, and then start the 4 year rotation the following year (5th, 3rd and the little one would be in K). The more I looked at TOG, I started to think maybe ECC would be redundant with all of the geography and missionary inclusion in TOG. So maybe I just try TOG year 1 in the fall? THEN, to complicate things even more:), I realized that where we are in our history studies right now would put us right at the beginning of year 3. Since I feel like we are just kind of killing time for the rest of this year's history anyway, why not try a unit of TOG now? If I did that, would you start at year 3 to continue where we are now, or would you start over at year 1 (we have not done Ancients yet)? So, Option 1: finish this year, ECC next year, TOG Y1 the following Option 2: finish this year, TOG Y1 next year Option 3: start TOG now (Y1 or Y3?) The other reason I thought trying a unit now might be a good idea is because both kids would be LG still, which would be pretty low key, but still give me a chance to get us all used to the flow. If you have hung in reading this long, THANKS! Any suggestions welcome:) Coleen

WP Advanced K Language Arts and most of WP LA 1 CLE Math 1 WP American Story 1 AWANA Sparks Book 2 First Favorites Volume 1 and part of 2 FLL 1 WP World Around Me Science Reason for Handwriting A

Congratulations! And by the way, you are hilarious. Loving the "slobbering idiots" comment:D If it makes you feel any better, my kids will are in the same boat!

Hi Ladies, I have been researching this and it looks wonderful, though I am wondering how some of the supplements are. I have seen the lapbooks and know those are an extra if you want to kind of thing, and I am figuring the Map Aids are very useful. What about the Evaluations and the Writing Aids? The evaluations I am thinking I wouldn't use until they were older (I will have 2 upper grammar students (5th, 3rd) and one in K when we start). How many of you use the Writing Aids and the writing assignments that are provided in the curriculum? From what I can see in many of the siggys of TOG users it looks like you are using something else for writing. What say you?? Thanks:)

You have gotten great replies so far, but I wanted to add my 2 cents because we have been in the exact same spot. I ordered BJU DVDs last year and it was the biggest waste of 1400 bucks this family has ever spent. I am not knocking BJU or their distance learning program..I know it works well for many. My kids, however, were bored out of their minds (the youngest was 6 at the time). As much as I hated to, we ditched the DVDs and just used the curriculum without it. They did fine after that. I really don't think it was the material that bored them, it was the actual process of having to sit through the whole thing. They were much happier with me doing the teaching, even though the material was the same. As far as making a change for next year, if the workbook thing works for you, I would say go for it; just skip the distance learning part. Good luck!

We did use WWE 2, and it was a struggle at times, but we did finish:)

I would agree with the poster that said you would definitely have to add the crafts with SL. We are using ECC next year so maybe I am a little biased, but to second what Crystal said, I think it definitely seems to fit what you are looking for. Good luck deciding:) And Crystal....no fair making ECC sound so great that I would love to stop what I am doing now and start early! But alas, I will finish what I have started (for once;))

So we're cruising along in FLL 3, pretty easy breezy, dd is retaining, life is good. Enter lesson 34. Yikes. VERY long, (much longer than any other up till now, DD is glazing over) so that is one thing I notice. Then we get to the dictation at the end of the lesson (which I usually skipped as we WERE doing WWE 3 but are taking a break due to its difficulty) and it is so much easier than anything in WWE 3, it isn't even funny. Now I know the aim of the 2 books is different, but this difference was quite huge. Then I look ahead a couple of lessons to a narration lesson in FLL 3 and it also seems not even close to the level in WWE 3. Anyone else notice this stuff? Not trying to bash the curriculum at all, it has really worked well for us up till now. As far as the FLL seeming to get so much harder all of a sudden, I am really wondering if it is my kid or what. Any thoughts?

I am not using Animal Worlds, but I am using the one before it, I'm Ready to Learn and an older program, American Story 1. I agree with everything the other poster said. Tons of dead links in AS1, lots of repetitive crafts in IRTL, definitely stuff in IRTL that is way above or below my dd. I way pared down IRTL, basically kept one craft a week and an activity or 2 per day. Funny that you ask the question, because these are exactly the 2 programs I was debating on for next year! Even after all of the above experience, Animal Worlds still intrigued me.....the truly have a marketing genius putting those catalogs together! I finally decided to go with MFW K and add one small square books as the corrolate with the MFW weekly themes. Hope this helps!

Thanks everyone for your replies! I actually realized I have the IEW Fairy Tales book on my shelf (totally forgot) as well as the Imitations in Writing Fairy Tales. I think we will finish out the year with those and see how it goes. Thanks again for all the ideas:) Coleen

Well, we did go all the way through WWE 2. It was a challenge at times, but went fine and she learned a ton. She really can narrate fine. The struggled are that the selections seem much more difficult at this level, which intimidates her and she stresses out trying to answer the questions afterward. The dictation is a huge struggle, no matter how many times I repeat it for her. I know that I can adjust, hold her hand more, that sort of thing (and I may still do that). However, it is almost like there is too much angst built up in her mind toward the program to continue, KWIM? Hope that helps explain a bit:) Thanks ladies!

Any suggestions??? WWE is bombing now that we are in level 3, and we really need something else. What do you love for this age level? Thanks:)

We had my little brother and his wife (and SWEET newborn) over for dinner. After they left, we played a rousing game of Sorry. The little one is passed out and the 2 olders are on their way:) DH and I will find a movie to watch and call it a night. Aren't we an exciting bunch!:lol:

3 in our quiver and it is full:)

We have had the same experience! We are in week 3 of WWE 3, and my dd NEVER gets it after 2 repetitions. Sometimes, honestly, it is more like 20:001_huh: Frustration has definitely been setting in for both of us, so I already decided that I am going to be more relaxed with it after the Christmas break. I was planning on doing it more like you are describing, breaking it up and letting her do it in parts. I think that may alleviate some of the frustration. I think that my dd hears that whole sentence, immediately gets overwhelmed, and it goes downhill from there. As much of a box checker as I tend to be, I know we aren't getting anywhere positive by keeping that benchmark of 2 repetitions in my head! I figure if I break it up, she will get better at it and gain confidence, and we can eventually go back to the whole passage at once. Hopefully others will chime in with ideas, but I hope this helps:)