My dd12 drove me crazy with her careless mistakes. I didn't know how she'd do with algebra. I checked out several books including Jacob's and Foerster's. I found Jacob's to be wordy and distracting as others have noted. I feel fairly confident with algebra but it confused me. Foerster's, in comparison, has clear and straightforward explanations in a visually clear format. Even dd picked up on the difference immediately and prefered Foerster's. Now, we've only done two chapters, but I have to say since she started Foerster's her careless mistakes have decreased substantially compared to her prior work. It also probably helped that I stressed the importance of neatness in doing algebra, but, at the same time, I think the neatness of Foerster's layout may have influenced her as well.

Wow! I really appreciate that list! I joined the yahoogroup and can't wait to hear more.

That's an idea. I'm still filling in gaps from five years of Everyday Math and Spectrum has been very helpful. I know Staples carries Spectrum products so I will be able to check it out before committing. Thanks!

I have heard great things about Hake's Grammar. I looked at the website but it's a little pricey... Thank you for the idea.

I just called for a catalog. Thank you for that suggestion. If dd 12 is doing 7th and 8th grade work, where would your recommend her starting with the CLE reading? I remember reading that it's sometimes advisable to go down a level when moving to CLE. Dd is a good reader, and I prefer real pieces of literature rather than excerpts or adaptations. Thank you again for all the information about CLE.

I admit have been a little obsessed with grammar after seeing how behind dd was after coming out of public school. I have already seen that dd has made much more progress this year in grammar with what she has learned through Latin as compared to what she has learned through her grammar textbook so I think you are very correct in suggesting I focus on grammar in a practical context like her writing. Thank you for your help!

I never knew about Analytical Grammar before I read these boards. I think it is a great concept. I will look at it again because it just might fit the bill. Thank you for the suggestion.

DD12 has been homeschooled for one year. She had no grammar instruction in public school other than nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. We used the old Voyages in English 7 this year. It went well because she could follow the pattern of each exercise. However, I did suspect it was too much for her and she wouldn't retain it. Today, my worst fears were confirmed. She couldn't remember what articles, conjunctions or prepositions were. I was planning on using Easy Grammar Plus next year, but now I'm wondering if something else might be more suitable for serious remediation. I think I may need a long term plan. And, she wants something in workbook form. BTW, she uses grammar well in her writing and speaking so that's not a problem. Otherwise, she a good, though slightly unmotivated, student. She just finished the Latin Road to English Grammar Vol. 1. Even my high-school-Latin-teacher-husband is surprised at how strong she is in Latin. It's a mystery.

:) How long are the weekly virtual class meetings?

I have another EPGY question... Do the students in the writing classes get enough literature for it to be considered a literature class? I wanted to do a junior great books class and am disappointed that we have a schedule conflict so I'm wondering how much literature I will need to add to our schedule next year if we do EPGY.

What impressive feedback about Seton's high school English courses! I am considering using Seton for high school because I think it would be a good fit for dd. their accreditation appeals to me, too. I've heard that you can substitute classes in many areas and, if that's true, it would be a big plus. I've also toyed with the idea of using their elementary level reading classes because it seems they start laying the foundation for their high school writing with the book reports they require in the middle grades, but I can't get past the idea of using readers. I don't think my children would go for it either. Thank you again for the detailed information. Kelli

I would also like to know the names of particularly good instructors. Realizing this is subjective, I should add that dd does best with when criticism is communicated very gently; she responds best to positive reinforcement. If you feel more comfortable, please PM me. Thanks again for all of your comments. Kelli

On the EPGY website, it states I have to submit standardized test scores for admission. However, when I contacted them to see if I could submit scores from a state test that wasn't on the approved list of tests, they said it was sufficient to send in a writing sample. That seems a little too easy. What did you have to submit for admission?

Thank you for your comments about the Seton English program. It's good to hear that their writing instruction is so strong. My sense is I would like to try EPGY but if it doesn't work for dd or the financial burden overwhelming, then I will feel comfortable using Seton. The one reservation I have about Seton is the diagramming. I would actually love to have dd diagram sentences, but I feel that she's had so much to learn with grammar this year (since she didn't learn any at public school through last year) that I've had to prioritize. Diagramming got left behind. She's learning to mark sentences in Latin so that makes up for the loss a little. I'm concerned that if she jumped into Seton midstream she would get bogged down in the diagramming. Who knows? Kelli

My 12 yo dd sounds a lot like your dd was, a good fiction writer but with almost no experience in expository writing. It's helpful to know that she could go into her age level class and adust well. What was the workload like in the classes? How much time did they have to put in each day? Was work reqired everyday? Thanks again for all the helpful descriptions of the classes.

I tried this on the K-8 board but didn't get any takers... We need some outside accountability to motivate a reluctant, but good, 13 year-old writer to keep on task. Is the EPGY writing course worth the money? Can anyone comment on the Seton Reading and Grammar courses as far as writing goes? Thank you!

I don't think it is weird as a Catholic to be critical of Anne Carroll's books. A recent thread is on the Kolbe Forum which echoes your sentiments. It's not just parents who feel that way but also the Kolbe advisors. Starting out homeschooling for the first time last year, I read Christ the King, Lord of History last year to give myself some knowledge of the Catholic side of things, and it was an interesting read. It is something to think about that nearly all the Catholic curriculum providers use this text in high school, or junior high in Kolbe's case. It's good to know that an option exists in Didache's Story of the Church. Dd used All Ye Lands this year at a coop, and it was a good introduction for a student who only seemed to study immigration for 5 years in social studies in public school. For those who have a better history background, I would agree that it may not be terribly deep. My dd is planning to take a class next year which uses Christ and the Americas. I have mixed feelings about it because I don't know if dd is ready for it, etc. If anyone would like to clue me in on trouble points in that text, I'd welcome the heads-up.

The Zoology 3 book teaches that dinosaurs and people inhabited the earth at the same time. It goes as far as to tell the student to go out and teach that to others.

Your post is very reassuring. I didn't really think it would be worth investing in a test prep book for my third grader. I already have a seventh grade Spectrum test prep book that I found at a thrift store that I could probably use with my sixth grader if the social studies and science aren't an issue. How's that for a cheap mom!? Has administering the test yourself ever been questioned? I was told that schools may not accept a test score if the test was administered by a parent so I was thinking of having a relative who had been a certified teacher help out.

If you haven't already, you may want to take a look at the Catholic Textbook Project's All Ye Lands: World History and Geography. It's scope is much broader than what you are looking for but you might be able to use certain chapters. The level would be a good match for children in 6th grade or so. Anne Carroll's Christ the King Lord of History also includes coverage of the period. I know a homeschooling family that used certain sections as a read-aloud for her middle grade children to balance the view the were getting from a standard textbook. This book is also a lot cheaper than the one above and you could certainly find in used on cathswap. RCHistory will eventually be coming out with something as well, but I don't know how far along they are on completing a 4 year cycle of history from a Catholic perspective. All the best...

We will be taking the CAT/5 test this year for the first time. Has anyone who has had experience with this test recommend a test prep book? I'm also wondering what is included in the science and social studies parts of the tests for a 2nd and 6th grader. Thanks, Kelli

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I don't have to worry about SAT's yet for my 12 year old dd who is just staring Algebra 1. I posted for my niece who forgot all her geometry. I think she may need to do a true Geometry intense review. Based on the comments MUS might work best on this. Then, follow with the Chalkdust SAT Review. I'm glad I don't have to make the purchases!

Thanks for all the responses. I'm very new to this and haven't reached the stage where I have to worry about geometry and SATs so I really appreciate you sharing your wisdom. It will be of help when I start thinking about a geometry text a couple of years down the road. One more question...would the Chalkdust SAT review include enough geometry? Could we start there and then supplement with something else if we discover weaknesses?