We're using Rightstart B, and supplementing with Singapore 1a/b intensive practice. I love Rightstart and plan to use A & B levels with all my children as they are ready. The next year I'm planning to transition my oldest to Singapore 2a/b with possibly some CLE math for review.

We're going to be using Beautiful Feet American History for the primary grades next year.

Have you seen the Mary Frances books by Jane Eayre Fryer? They are a bit dated, but there is one of cooking, one on sewing, one on crocheting, and I think even one on gardening. I know the sewing one has little sewing exercises to do as you work through the book. I imagine the other books are the same. They are very imaginative stories also. ETA: There is one on housekeeping and one on first aid also.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I appreciate your taking the time. I just don't know how to tell at age 6 whether my child is a natural speller or not.

Thank you. This is great to know as I plan our budget for next year!

This helps a lot! Thank you! I think we will just start with CLE spelling next year and let go of AAS. If it isn't working for us, I can always start back up with AAS3 later.

We use Phonic Pathways for direct instruction and Explode the code for extra practice.

If my child is confident in letter formation and can do basic copywork, will WWE1 (for first grade) provide enough copywork for penmanship practice?

Thank you for these responses. This helps!

It isn't like you would be switching curriculums blindly. You have already tried CLE and know that you like it and it works for you and yours. I think switching to CLE and using the CWP and the Intestive practice or other workbooks in the summer is a great idea. Like you said, you don't have just one child. You need to do what will make homeschooling work for all of you. Atleast you don't have to adapt to the needs of 25 students like a classroom teacher! Switching to CLE would be a very small compromise if it is a compromise at all. It might just be what IS best!

I don't know if this is true for all their levels, but I was able to pull up the table of contents on the Learning to Read book. By looking through it, I was able to tell what my child already knows and where we should start. I'm not sure if all the levels show the table of contents in a sample or not.

I think providing guidelines like you say is spelling :001_smile:. Thank you.

My oldest is currently in kindergarten. We are currently on book two of All About Spelling. I expect that he will complete book 2 by the end of spring. He is doing well with the program, but I am looking to use CLE Language Arts next year. Will I be able to drop the AAS? Is the spelling in CLE rule-based and complete? I have my next son coming up to kindergarten next year and I want to use AAS with him. However, I really don't want to have two children in AAS. It is so teacher-intensive and although I love it if I could just use it with one child I think that would save me some sanity.

Thank you for this advice. . .and for the initial help on making the switch to rightstart. I am very pleased with that decision. The abacus and my son totally clicked! Thank you for the suggestion of MM; however, I do already own singapore 1A/B and the intensive practice workbook. . .so I guess I'll see how I can start fitting some of that into our math work when we start RSB next month. I'm so pleased to hear that this combo is working well for your DS! I really couldn't love math anymore than what I do right now!

I'm glad to hear this. I stopped with Singapore 1a, and switched over. We just completed RSA. I plan to start RSB in January, and then hopefully go right over to Singapore 2a. I wasn't sure if I would have to backtrack and do any of the singapore 1.

:iagree:I totally agree with this, as a former public school kindergarten teacher and as a mommy of a kindergartner. Learning how to learn and setting the foundation is it. And, I think all the things you have tried to do to make learning fun is wonderful. Clearly you are dedicated and making tremendous efforts. My son would love to be in your kindergarten!

I'm glad she is loving it. Wheaton was my second choice also.. . .of course, for me, that was long ago!

Just wanted to add that Grove City is gorgeous in the fall! I went to college there. I hope your dd is enjoying it!

I am just finishing up reading aloud the seashore book to my boys. They loved them although I do feel some of the content was quite difficult for them. They are begging to start the bird book though. I think a boy who is into nature would really enjoy all the factual information that is learned through these books.

FIAR does have some descriptions on their website, but I really wish they would have a PDF of atleast one book unit so people could really get a feel for it before buying.

Saw this today, The Call Detroit 11.11.11

I'm doing Five in a Row and Before Five in a Row with my crew. I love it. They love it. It is easy to implement if it is not complicated with lapbooking (although sometimes we do these type of activities also). However, if I just do the ideas in the manual it remains complete, fun, and easy.

I agree with this. I laminate and then cut unless it is doubled layers.

My boys are doing Greek mostly because there is a Greek school nearby. We wanted them to learn a language from people who spoke it fluently. My dh and I don't speak any language fluently ourselves. We also chose Greek because we felt it would be helpful with English. . .not as helpful as Latin, but Greek is a spoken language, which was important to us.

My 5 year old and 4 year olds are doing Rightstart A together. This is our spine right now. My 5 year old has an extra 15 minutes of math each day where I pull from MEP or Miquon. After we complete Rightstart A & B, at this point, I plan to then switch to Singapore as our spine.