I just purchased the reader for CLE Reading 7 and the stories are actually good, as are the poems. They include information about the authors, presumably well-known to someone, so it really does seem like literature and not just the typical reader-stuff. I would consider buying the reader since they are so reasonably priced--and don't forget to check for a used one on the yahoogroup Christian Light Families. Our schedule is so busy so I may wind up just using the poetry but I'm glad I took the plunge and bought the reader. I'm really impressed! I, like you are now, was very reluctant because of the reader issue.

I think it's part of the Holt Science and Technology middle school series. I once owned the teacher's ed. It looked nice but my dd was really in need of a general science course so I sold it when someone posted that they needed it. Kolbe recommends it for seventh or eighth grades. http://www.kolbe.org/Holt_Science_and_Technology%3A__Earth_Science-p22269.html Lisa, I missed seeing you on the boards for awhile. I'm so glad you're back! Kelli

has a syllabus for Jacob's Geometry. They are sold through Emmanuel Books or Adoremus books, and others... I haven't tried it so I can't comment.

:lol: Thank you OhElizabeth and Momof7! Winter Promise does look great, but I could see how there could be some issues if I wasn't so up on history myself. My older dd is doing a Catholic American History this year using From Sea to Shining Sea and--if I really want to see the Catholic slant--I have the Ann Carroll book still in plastic wrap on the shelf. Coming from public school, I don't have a great background in the Catholic side of history though we are devout tradition-minded Catholics. I am rather new to hsing. This is our second year. I chose to try used Calvert for the little ones, but, more days than not, my head is spinning so I'm already planning on how I can get something that works better next year. I think I need structure, but structure that incorporates different age groups. And, thank you, Jane. I love the Calvert spelling CD, and your block scheduling idea.

My dd went to public school for K and 1st. They really had them writing. Then I took her home for 2nd and she wouldn't write at all. I was despairing until I learned about classical methods for teaching writing. We ended up doing some copywork daily as well as dictation now and then, mostly taking selections from Primary Language Lessons. I really wondered if it was working, REALLY WONDERED. Then this year something clicked. I think it was from all the copywork she'd done. She started out this year writing on her own comfortably--and using correct capitalization and punctuation, too! She even seems to know when to start a new paragraph and indent. I really can't believe the development she has shown. Thank you, copywork!

I'd like to try Story of the World but I'm a little worried about the anit-Catholic stuff I've heard. It just sounds so good and easy to implement. I've also thought about WWE so it's good to hear that it is working for two of you and may be a good option for us. I have never looked at Winter Promise. I think I'll need to take a lot. Thanks again, ladies. I really need to work on combining what I can combine and fostering independence.

Sewing with Saint Anne sold by Catholic Heritage Curricula. Very basic. Cute projects. My dd loved this, but we haven't got very far yet. I also saw that Christian Light Education has a sewing curriculum in their catalog.

ages 6 and 8 (or 7 and 9 next year), and have a toddler/preschooler and a new high school student, what wonderful curriculum would you plan to give them a good education and make your life easier?

the difference between their and there.:blushing:

Michelle, Tree House Academy and Tracy R. I'm having a bad day with Calvert.... My dds 8 and 6 are taking turns having meltdowns. There are so many instructions and discussion for each one that there is not choice but to go back and forth between them. Both feel that there work is being interrupted consantly by what I'm doing with the other and they can't concentrate because of all the talking going on. Of course, discussion is good, but I'm going to have to figure out a way for both of them to work efficiently. This is after cutting back on whatever I can. Meanwhile, I need to teach the big dd algebra and have to take care of the toddler. A workbook curriculum for the basics (with science and social studies family style) is looking really good right now! At least math is being done well and dd8 is reading a good book instead of kid's pulp fiction...

Flexibility is good! Thank you for this information. Saxon didn't work for us either. I would cry if we ever had to face that again.

What do you like for science and history, especially if you don't use the Carroll books? It seems that all the Catholic programs use them without exception. There has to be other options... Thanks!

Thank you for this advice. Facing this for the first time, I don't know what my priorities should be. This is very helpful.

I'm excited to hear you could use all those wonderfully varied resources with Kolbe! I absolutely love Kolbe's flexibility and the advisors are excellent, but I do see myself deviating from their curriculum quite a bit. And, I don't know if their accreditation, not being regional, would be recognized by a public university for instance. When I look down the road, knowing dd's abilities and temperment (really rather bright but somewhat easily overwhelmed) and our income level, I see a good, solid public university as a very realistic option. Unless, she got a scholarship to a private college. She has already expressed interest in Ave Maria, or rather the beach in Naples, Florida. :001_smile:

:iagree: I can also see in sections of chapter 3 why this book can easily be used as an honors level course. All those proofs and whatever they are! :tongue_smilie: :iagree: I like the idea of having a test form because it's easy to copy and send into our "school" as work sample as well as keep in a portfolio. It would be a neater option than having dd copy the instructions and problems. I've thought about taking some even problems, a few easy, a few hard, from each section and make my own tests. It's just that with a busy household, it seems hard to find the time! Thanks again!

Dd 13 and in 8th grade has been telling us she wants to hs for high school. The plan had been to send her to high school outside the home, but I'm open to hsing because she's doing so very well overall. We are using Kolbe now but I made a lot of adjustments because dd attends a coop. I like Kolbe but it's very rigorous, sometimes to the extent that I don't know if the work is developmentally appropriate for many students. I'm also wondering about Seton and MODG because their accreditation seems like it would facilitate the college application process. At the same time, I don't know if I could ever go with an accredited program because I tend to want to tweak so much and expect this tendency to get worse (or better depending on your opinion) as I learn more. That's why Clonlara would work, except for the price. Does anyone have experience with these two choices? We're Catholic so I'd look at these first. I looked at Clonlara, too, because I'm open to secular, but the price is WOW!

I would love to have the test masters for this, but I don't want to have to spend the money to buy them from the publisher and can't find them anywhere else. I'm wondering what others do. Do you just use the tests in the textbook or make up your own? Thank you!

This advice is so practical! Thank you so much! It makes sense but I couldn't really tease it out with the way that the Calvert lesson plans are made out. I guess I can just check off what we do and progress in each subject as its own pace. Dd is a strong reader and got a perfect score in spelling on her standardized test so we could probably skip the phonics, and having her use the spelling CD seems like it would customize her lessons and cut out any busy work. BTW, Michelle, thanks so much for your recommendations of CLE reading. I am so impressed with their workbook and am waiting for the reader to come. It seems to be exactly what I've been looking for to train dd13 to be a close and careful reader. I will certainly consider it for the others--if Calvert is not a good fit.:tongue_smilie:

I'm afraid I won't have the time to read thoroughly. I will have to do my best. If we can't get done everything everyday--except math!--we'll aim for quality. And lots of good books on the side! Thanks!

Our coop classes meet once a week. The academic ones usually have significant daily homework assignment so they take up as much time as any other class. After reading your post, I talked to dd about block scheduling history and science. She said she's open to the idea but would like to start with a regular daily schedule. We'll see... Thanks for the interesting idea you inspired!

your clean and uncluttered schedule. I'm wondering about this... I would like to have her do science two days and her coop history homework 2 days. How are your science and history scheduled two days a week? Do you cover the same amount of material and just do more of it on those days?

The reason I'm wanting to streamline/combine is because dd will be doing EPGY for writing, and I have yet to see how intensive that is. I wish I had the guts to just drop the Easy Grammar and not add the Megawords, or even the CLE Reading. But, really, that looks soooo good, so I might do what others seem to do: a CLE Light Unit and then a good book. Or, maybe that reader will arrive and I'll hate it and all my problems will be solved.:D

We're starting school next week, and I still have my doubts. This is our second year hsing and I'm stressing more than I did last year. This is a schedule for dd13. Math: Foerster's Algebra I Latin: Latin Road to English Grammar vol. 2 (started for a coop, now on our own) Grammar: Easy Grammar Vocabulary: Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop Science: Harcourt Science (using the 6th grade book with Kolbe plans, starting with Earth and Physical Science units, will do Life if there's time; needs a good general science) History: American History--coop Geography: American Geography--coop Religion: Catholic Apologetics--coop Faith & Life (also with CCD) Baltimore Catechism (also with CCD) Logic: Fallacy Detective Literature ideas: Witch of Blackbird Pond, Johnny Tremaine, Tom Sawyer, Across Five Aprils (May add: CLE Reading because I really love the sample they sent but still need to inspect the reader.) Spelling: May add Megawords because dd could use a little work on spelling PE: tennis with great-grandfather, walking with me, perhaps a gym class Music: violin, chorus at coop Art: nothing structured, completely burned out from last year Does this seem okay? I wish we could streamline a little without losing anything.

I decided to buy two sets of used Calvert to try last winter for 1st and 3rd grades this year with dd6 and dd8 because I was concerned that they might be missing things. I had planned well for my eldest dd 13, knowing I would be homeschooling her, but I was unprepared for the two others and had my doubts as to what I was doing--that was before I found this board! Now that I know so much more, I almost wish I didn't buy these sets. I have to admit that the Calvert children I know are very well educated, but I don't know how I'll pull this off. There are so many instructions to read each day! Please let me know how you've done this with multiple children and if there is anything you've figured out on your journey that will help me. :) Thanks in advance! I know you'll make me feel better. P.S. We are sticking with Horizons Math for 1st and Abeka for 3rd because they have worked incredibly well for them.

because of all the recommendations I've read here. All the good reviews are true! I'm really impressed. CLE kindly sent me free samples of math (with answer key) and reading at the grade levels I requested. They arrived very quickly. Since I decided dd will go ahead with algebra (Foerster's) I won't use the eighth grade math as a spine, but will definitely use the sample as review material and order other light units as needed. It looks very strong. I was always VERY hesitant to use readers but the seventh grade reading workbook sample convinced me to call up and order the reader. It hasn't arrived yet, but I'm expecting good things. I like that CLE teaches literary terminology and has students think deeply and apply what they learn to other stories and poems.