This stuff looks neat! Thanks, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

I have once in awhile come over here, but I must admit that I am very intimidated. My biggest fear is how do I put together a really good writing program that will help him to write more. I have some ideas. I have to pray about this one. I am nervous. Happy New Year! Sincerely, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

I did all of Writing Tales 1 &2 and Homer A &B. For me, I personally think that Writing Tales 2 better prepares you for Homer A than Writing Tales 1. It seems like huge jump to go from Writing Tales 1 to Homer A. Writing Tales 2 teaches the child outlining, switching around the sentences, how paragraphs change, etc. It will better prepare the child for Homer A if they have that teaching. It is not a matter of the length of the pieces, but more a matter of the teaching. The child is being taught writing that will help them with upper level writing. I have never done WWS because it came out when my children were older. I can only tell you about Writing Tales and Homer. Happy New Year! Blessings, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

I just found this nice YouTube on music theory. This guy teach free music theory lessons on YouTube. Here is the site: I hope this is helpful!! Have a Happy New Year! Blessings, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

done all three. I am not grammarian. I stink at grammar, but I have used all three of these curricula. I would start off by asking (my typical question) what is your child enjoying and what is he/she doing really well at? If the child is successful in a curriculum, why try to fix what isn't broken? Now, to tell you what we did: 1. I used KISS grammar first with my older son. It is a nice program, but it is very confusing as the teacher to understand it. Once I figured out how to use it, it was fun and very easy to teach for the child. However, I had to dig and dig for information and I found a great website that set up KISS grammar workbooks in nice order by month. I downloaded onto a pocket PC. My son was able to work through the lessons nicely. 2. I used FLL with my younger son first. I loved the scripted lessons. It was perfect. It moved through things clearly and understandably. I like that I did not have to do much work with this one because the lessons were all explained. 3. My older son just completed Rod and Staff 8. He did R&S 6 first and completed 8. He had no problems with this curriculum. This program really goes in depth with the grammar. I think that it is a better fit for upper grade. Now, just to tell you, I did a fourth grammar program called Growing with Grammar. Both sons loved this program. You do not have to do anything!!! The child reads the lessons and does the workbook. There is no scripting, no prepping, etc. It is straight forward grammar and the child moves through the program. That's my experience! Blessings, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

What is Music theory? It is teaching a student the why behind the musical piece he plays. It helps the student understand how to read music. Now, I am currently reading an old book called Learn To Read Music by Howard Shanat. It is designed to help a person understand the principles involved in reading music. I see music similar to learning a new language. You have to understand not only how those notes may sound, but how they may act when they come together. Learning one note at a time is the same as phonics reading. You learn how the note sounds just as you learn how letters make sounds. There are many ways to learn how to read music. This book that I reading teaches by just clapping and singing. It is that simple. It can get more complex. What does a typical music program look like for a beginner music student? This is where you get into a thing called "approach" to music. There different ways of learning music. I feel that all are good approaches; it all depends upon your child's learning style. I will use myself as an example. I took the violin as a child. Here are two that I know of: 1. Traditional approach: this method teaches a child theory through books about note reading, posture, position on a violin. The child usually has to be older to do this approach with violin, in my experience. 2. Suzuki approach: this method says learn the music now, teach theory later. This uses the method of music as a language more than traditional. Suzuki's philosphy was that when a person learns to speak a language, the child is spoken to first. A baby is talked to, then he learns year later grammar, writing, etc. Suzuki trains the child to learn the music by ear, listening to the pieces over and over. Then the child starts to play the pieces. The child learns advance pieces faster, but learns theory like note reading, etc. later (just like you learn grammar later). Both methods have their merits and both have their downfall. Now, if your child has a knack for music, any method will bring that out. What is a good theory book? I think the book I mentioned above is excellent to read as a parent and then applying its principles. For the child, I would recommend a good Alfred beginner theory book. I hope that helps. Blessings, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

I thought of Spelling Power. I believe that is the spelling curriculum that is all in one book from k-12th grade. I hope that is the one. I liked it because it taught spelling based upon phonics. It gave you all the phonetic sounds and how they could be spelled. I never used it. I do believe that copywork is the best way to teach spelling. It is a longer process. You don't see results right away, but once the child has learned how to spell the word, he will not forget it. Just my experience! Merry Christmas! Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

I stopped doing the Well Trained Mind about 3 years ago. Merry Christmas, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony:)

:iagree: At those ages, school is only 2 hours at the most. Whatever is missed can be made up the next year. When my father was sick with cancer, my mom asked me to come down during the days to stay with him while she was at work. I took the boys down and spent the day with him. He has passed away. It was worth it that we took those days with him. Blessings in your homeschool journey! Sincerely, Karen

:iagree: I know nothing about the lower level books because I started with Life of Fred when it was Fractions first. You definitely have to master 3A and B before attempting LOF Fractions. Does the HIG offer any help? I know that 3A &B is where the child starts to learn the bar diagrams. I just think that LOF can be challenging just as much as SM. My younger son did not like LOF, even though it was a goofy approach math in a fun way. He grueled over it. It was a drudgery to get through every chapter and the chapters were short. My older son understood what Dr. Schmidt was talking about in LOF. He would laugh until his stomach hurt. It was a fun book for him. That's just my experience! Blessings in your homeschooling journey! Merry Christmas! Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

I am trying to get my son done with the Latin curriculum so that we can start Rosetta Stone Spanish in January. I have to re-think a few things for my younger son. I will continue on the same path with my older son, but the younger one... Merry Christmas! Sincerely, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

This is something that I have done for years. It is one of the main things I still do through the Well Trained Mind boards. You can click, here.. Merry Christmas! Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

Why are you switching to Saxon? Is your son having difficulty in Math Mammoth? So many people on these boards have praised Math Mammoth. I am confused as to why the switch. You have gotten some great advise from the previous posters. I agree that you should stay away from others placing your child, just go with the placement test, but do not totally rely on it. A placement test is just guide to help give you some direction as to where to go. I have been in the same boat with my younger son. Oh, it can get discoraging if we let it. Please be encouraged!! My younger son is 12 years old and in the 6th grade. He is doing Singapore Math 5A and B this year. :grouphug: Blessings, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

I signed my sons up for indoor soccer and basketball. I decided to try this experiment and I am regretting it already. My younger son played soccer in the fall. My two sons played ultimate frisbee too. Now, basketball has started, but they have a few concerts coming up and already there are conflicts. So, I am asking myself why? My husband says that we need to see it as "at least they are getting exercise." A lot of exercise!!!! Just to tell you normally, once soccer is over, I do not do any other sports until the spring. We are trying a little bit of everything. I think I committed sports suicide!:svengo: Ask me in June 2012 how it went.:001_huh: Blessings, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

After surviving a car accident and two headaches, I decided to give highlights. Here: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony Blessings, Karen

APOLOGIA!!! Blessings, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

of writing. I feel like I have to get this right or my children will fail in life. Blessings, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

back in 2004 or 2005, the people from TWTM boards contacted Sonlight and asked them to set their format similar to the Well Trained Mind. Sonlight listens to its users. So, Sonlight tried to accomodate their users requests. I believe that if you follow their books, they can work very well with TWTM method. This request is no stranger to Sonlight. It has been asked before. So ask them if they can guide you as to how their program can work with the WTM method. Blessings in your homeschooling journey! Sincerely, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

That is soooo crazy!! I have heard it all now. Blessings, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

they are weird in my family. I feel that everyone is strange and if they feel that what I do is strange, it is like the pot calling the kettle black. The nuclear family making the decision to homeschool is one thing. The extended family members being supportive or not is another. My husband and I have chosen to walk together and do homeschooling. I would never make such a decision without my life partner. We had these children together. My mother is not on board, but I have a church that supports me. I have a strong support group. I see my extended family members one or twice a year. They are not paying my bills. Blessings, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

I did one this week. It was shortened because of the holiday but we have completed work. Big Yays!!!!You can look here. Blessings, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

In this sentence, it is clear that Roberto is eating the pizza and the entire verbal phrase is an adjective. The sentence starts, "eating the pizza." Then after the comma comes "Roberto" which clearly tells you who is eating the pizza. If the sentence went like this "eating the pizza, the chair fell on the dog," then it would be a dangling participle because the chair does not eat pizza. The verbal phrase must follow with a subject in that kind of sentence. The verbal phrase is describing Roberto. Thus, it is an adjective. I thought that MCT's philosophy was to teach only 6 weeks of grammar and then the rest of the year you parse. No?? I like to be spoon fed my grammar because I am no good at it. So, I don't use MCT for grammar at all. Blessings in your homeschooling journey! Sincerely, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

I third the starfall website. That is a fun one. I have no curriculum to recommend cause the one I used was bad. I wanted to say that a major key to a child learning to read is you reading to them. Also, have the child memorize things and recite what they have learned. You can have them memorize lots of things at a young age such as: 1. Poems 2. Passages of scripture 3. Speechs 4. capitals 5. Presidents The list could go on. Phonics is just one aspect of teaching a child to read. I think that if a child does all of the aspects, they will become a better reader.

There is no real answer to this question. Curricula (the plural for curriculum) are not synonymous with retention. In the lower grades (actually at any age or grade), retention is obtained by repetition. The old saying, "repetition is the mother of learning" is a true statement. It would fit more with repetition is the mother of retention. Learning styles come in as to how you as the teacher will present the information so that the child can grasp it. That's why it's important to know your child's learning style. With that said, I guess it would seem appropriate to pick a curriculum that provides more repetition. A Beka is very good at that. I am noticing that Saxon does that also. However, I used for math Singapore Math and I created my own drills and ways of putting in repetition. When my children were little, I loved Five In A Row. Once again, the repetition idea with reading books five days in a row is the whole philosophy behind this program. Just a thought! Blessings in your homeschooling journey! Sincerely, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

I do streamline. However, just to tell you, I do every worksheet. I do the exercises if I see that he is stuck on a topic. I am concerned about him applying what he learns not just learning it. So, I too am more interested in moving him along so that we can do more writing. I want him to start to try to focus on how to apply the grammar to the writing not just doing it. Blessings, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony