Thank you, Trivium Academy lady :)! I decided to go with Calvert since I felt so unprepared when I had to do an emergency pull-out of my dc's last year. I pulled my own stuff together (before finding these boards) but never knew if I was covering all that I should be and had so many questions. :confused: I decided to try two used sets of Calvert with 2 of my chidren to see what an "excellent" curriculum was like and then to see if I could do it on my own. Unfortunately, I'm starting to realize there are things I really don't like about Calvert. I keep coming back to what I've read about classical education because it seems best to jive with my own experience in watching the development of my own children. This is quite a journey!

Oh, you really have my sympathy. I've been there but not to the degree you're experiencing. :grouphug: I tried several math curriculum with dd and had crying everyday until we found ABeka. I feel shy about telling people this or recommending it since it's not a favorite around here, but it really saved our math lives. It was completely unexpected but I decided to try it in desperation and it worked. The key to it was the COLOR! From experimenting, I've found that color makes all the difference with this child. It's weird but it works. Color works across the curriculum. I know this isn't the solution for everyone but I thought I would throw this out to you in case it might help. You would think that color might distract a child, but it actually helps my dd focus. For what it's worth....:001_smile:

Thank you for the thoughtful replies. It makes me feel better to know that supplementing with Singapore might be especially beneficial. I did that last summer, after having tried Singapore before that alone and ending up frustrated. I only wish we had time to cover more of Singapore. I might pull it out again because I've sensed a little trouble with the pacing (read FAST) of the introduction of long division with multiple digits at the beginning of third grade. It seemed a little early to me so I won't feel bad about slowing it down as needed based on your responses. Who knows, maybe it will keep us happy until we reach Foerster's Algebra I. ;) I have a younger dd who I started out in Horizon's at a time when I was trying to find the right fit for her older sister. Is Horizons supposed to be more conceptually oriented? I'm wondering because I hear much more praise of Horizons than Abeka. I realize that there's a different method to their spiral, but I can't see what would make it better. Thanks again for all the answers and food for thought. Kelli

Thank you for affirming my thoughts. I think it's time for me to re-evaluate some things...

I asked this question within another thread recently and didn't get a response, so I thought I'd try again. We tried a few curriculums before trying Arithmetic 2 and finding a good fit for dd. She's now well into 3 and it's working well. However, I've heard and read again and again that Abeka is good in the early grades but goes downhill from there. Since that came up in a recent thread, it's been on my mind. So, when is the time to switch from ABeka and what's good to use after that? Mother of Divine Grace school recommends switching to Saxon after completing Arithmetic 3. I tried Saxon with an older dd and would rather not repeat the experience--even with another child. Thanks!

:lurk5:

Dd 8 is a young third grader, not a grade up, but a summer birthday. She's a good reader and can narrate exceptionally well--if I do say so myself. :tongue_smilie: However, we are using Calvert reading this year (that's another story), and some of the comprehension questions seem to be asking a lot in the way of inference. The reading is easy for her, but the questions are getting her rather frustrated at times. I even have a hard time with some of them. My feeling is that she is not developmentally ready for these types of questions. I have been making her write down the answers, but I'm thinking it would be better just to use them as points for discussion. I was wondering if any of you who are more experience with this topic could share your thoughts. Thanks!

I also thought EG Plus was for jr. high and up. But, I've also read reviews that high school students should really have more grammar that what it offers. That's why I decided to check out their website yesterday; so I could see what they might recommend for life after EG. The good news is the lessons are only supposed to take 10 minutes per day. Students will be learning new concepts, not just reviewing EG Plus material.

The 9th grade books are already available! I'm so excited because Easy Grammar Plus has worked so well with dd. She came out of public high school a year ago without any grammar experience. Voyages 7 was too much for her, and I feel we wasted a year with it since she retained very little even though she could get the answers right while she was doing it. Easy Grammar really helped things click. Latin hasn't hurt either. ;)

I have a Rival, too. :mad: Thanks for keeping me informed!

I'm not great with keeping up with the news. Please fill me in if there's something I should know about crockpots.:confused:

Two of my dd's have had strep without a high fever or much of a sore throat. The did have the sandpapery rash and vomiting. They we also very lethargic and generally miserable. Doesn't fifth disease (sp?) cause red cheeks? I don't know much else about it though. Let us know! Keep well! Kelli

I've heard and read this before and I'm interested to know when would be a good time to switch from ABeka if it's working and why. We tried different programs, but Abeka really clicked for dd8. I hate the idea of switching before Foerster's but realize we may have to. What would the ideal switch be? Thanks!

We did Saxon 87 in 7th only because I was new at homeschooling, didn't know about this forum...enough said. We lasted about half a year and then moved on to Math U See Pre-Algebra. Saxon was a terrible fit for dd but it really served its purpose and filled in a lot of gaps. For that, I am thankful. Now, in 8th, we are using Algebra 1 by Paul Foerster, and we LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. For 9th, I am considering Chalkdust or Jacobs. I don't want to spend the money on CD but I don't like the looks (literally) of Jacobs' texts even though they are supposed to be excellent. With my others, I will absolutely sure I will use Foerster's. I may need a bridge from our elementary math programs, especially since one is using Horizon's, so I might use Math U See again but perhaps at the algebra level. Math U See is very low stress and Momof7 follows that route.

What kind of markers do you use on them?

I like your idea of using the worksheets in the TM. We are only on Horizons 1 so we're not near the level that you are, but already I've had to supplement on some concepts. I have an MCP book and I've been pulling from there. I also have an old Calvert math book and Singapore that I may go to for extra reinforcement if things don't click. Another idea is Developmental Math. I have no experience with them, but I think they are very concept-specific, inexpensive workbooks. My older dd is in Abeka 3 and in the past I've wondered about switching her to Horizons just to have them all in the same program. These days I'm thinking that if I would switch either of them, I would switch the younger one to Abeka. I'm really liking Abeka, even though it doesn't seem to be a Hivemind favorite. Abeka's done wonders with dd8 who had been rather weak in math prior to using it. Like you though, I wouldn't switch unless it became clearly necessary. Best of luck! Kelli

Fortunately, I bought it used, but with everything I've seen that comes with the set, I am just not inspired to pull it out. I should really just watch those DVD's and finally just decide to sell it or not. I think I would actually like to try Michelle's suggestion and do the history based writing lessons. That might be a plan for next year.:001_smile:

I already purchased the Abeka's grammar book for 4th grade for next year for dd8 because I saw it used and wanted to preview it. I don't think I would use their writing at all, though it has some helpful information to use for reference for writing reports and such. I would use their grammar sections only and another writing program of my choice. If there is a Writing With Ease workbook finished by then for that level, I may use that. I have IEW but might try one of their subject specific writing lesson books. I don't really know yet, but I know there are good things out there. My plan is to not use Abeka every year, and also cut down on needless repetition while using it. I have to look at the subsequent years to decide, but I might do Abeka for two years, 4th and 5th. Then I might take a break and do something different for a change of pace or to add a different perspective: Easy Grammar, Growing With Grammar, Lingua Mater....Then I would go back to Abeka. Is this weird? I would like to find a thorough grammar program that I could use as is, but dd LOVES the color of Abeka and it makes a difference for her. I look forward to reading other comments on this thread. Thank you for starting it. Kelli

:lurk5:

I usually have dd do all the odd problems for each lesson. That is our standard operating procedure. If I have doubts as to whether or not she understands something, I'll have her do the evens the next day. There are days that she is really slow or we have something going on so she'll only do part of a lesson. Word problems are a different story. When it comes to the word problems lessons, we usually stretch it out to about three days. They are always a struggle for her at first, but usually by the end of the second day or third day, she's got it down. I confess we only do math four times a week because we do an all-day coop that is quite a distance from home. It is too busy there to concentrate even during a free perioid, and, at the end of the day, we're pooped. We went through a couple of chapters at the end of the school year last year to try it out. That gave us a bit of a headstart so I'm hoping we'll be able to finish the book. Dd is a SLOW worker but she grasps concepts rather easily. HTH!

I'm saying this for purely selfish reasons. I always love reading your posts and would hate to lose you.:001_smile:

Thanks to all of you who responded to my post. We have decided to switch Latin programs so I don't know how this will mix things up but it looks positive. I will put vocab on the back burner. I will stick with Easy Grammar, but not make it a daily requirement. It is rather repetitive. I worked with her a long time today on algebra. Seeing her grapple with new concepts in Foerster's gives me hope for the future. I also love what she learning in the EPGY English course, though it does stress her out. She is easily overwhelmed with multiple things to do, but perhaps with maturity and a degree of daily discipline she will improve. I appreciate all the encouragement and advice to keep it simple and meaningful. Thank you. Kelli

I think what you mention here is all you need for your dc, except that the answers are not included. For the answers, dh has a book called "Teacher Materials." "Teacher Materials" and I will become good friends, I think.:tongue_smilie: LisaNY uses Henle and Lingua Latina together. She would be an excellent resource to figure out how to use these together. (I think I saw a post about that once.) If I get hung up with grammar issues, I may look at Henle, too. Today, I had dd read the first section. So far so good.

Thanks to all of you who so thoughtfully replied to my post. I think we are taking the plunge into Lingua Latina. Dh thinks it will suit dd's learning style much better so it will be interesting to see how it works. The great thing about this is we have all the materials already! I will only need to order the CD. Thanks again for all your encouragement. Kelli

I mentioned in another thread that I would be posting on this subject. Dd13 has been using the Latin Road to English Grammar because it was the program used at the coop she attends. The coop group was a volume ahead of her, so we couldn't join them but thought we would try to program. It was a rough start because of the amount of writing involved so we decided to modify it since she's a lefty with some physical difficulty with writing. She successfully finished vol. 1 and began vol. 2. She's been doing a lot of it independently, for better or worse, but I thought it would be helpful for Dh, a high school Latin teacher, to work with her more regularly since the program is becoming more difficult. He sat down with her the other evening and began asking her about some questions she had from a recent chapter and test. She couldn't answer him and he was getting frustrated so he thought he would read through the entire vol. 1 book and show her where the information was. Well, after going through the entire volume, he couldn't find where the infinitive was taught and found mistakes in the principal parts. He found the fourth principal part listed for verbs for which it would be ungrammatical to use the fourth principal part. (I'm not nearly as strong in grammar as he is so I can't remember the examples.) For myself, I was surprised that the principal parts were tested because I only remember reading at some point in the first volume that you shouldn't worry about memorizing them, that it would come in time. Over the past year, dh has found mistakes here and there, but what he saw in going through the text this time really bothered him. Anyway, dh recently started using Lingua Latina at his school and I've thought about whether to start it at home, too. I'm a little intimidated by it because my knowledge of Latin is very limited. Dh could help her, but his schedule can be very busy so I have to be prepared to pick up any slack. I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts about making this switch. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks! :001_smile: