We are coming to some of the same realizations, although my daughter is only 8. My eldest taught himself to read with Starfall very early- by 4 he was fluent. I knew this was not the norm and didn't expect that of my second child, Kassi. We took it slow and didn't even work on it specifically until she was 6 or so and expressing a desire to learn. She has known all her phonics, etc for years, but reading has not progressed very much. She discovered Dick & Jane and like them, memorizing words and becoming able to read whole books from memory, but still no progress with sounding out or acquiring new words. When she looks at a page she gets rapidly upset and doesn't seem to see the beginning, will always start saying sounds that are not in the word or are not at the beginning of the word. Her process is so different from my son's, so I have wanted to relax and let her unfold, but this year I am feeling like something is wrong. She will not even try to move forward from the words she knows by heart, and any pressure from me, however gentle, is met with tears. Having her vision checked had not occurred to me. She is a gifted artist, embroiders, and dances. I had not seen other symptoms in these area of vision problems, but I don't know what to look for. We homeschool through a public charter, so an evaluation is possible. It is always frightening to get those kinds of stones rolling. I'd love to hear what others have gotten out of evaluation and methods related to dyslexia.

I try to have them ready bay reading ahead in the week. Then ,when we encounter the person/place/historical event, we add it to the timeline, My kids take turns and my eldest does the writing below the picture. We even add things not in the homeschool study. Like, every time The Doctor encounters some part of earth history.

I agree, especially with the editor. I have been back and forth with the writer of this year's curriculum. I feel like I should get paid.

We are using Winter Promise this year, their themed program called Adventures in the Sea & Sky. It is History and Science based, the history and science of Navigation and Flight, Ocean and Atmosphere all the way into space. It is an overview, then , of all world history. The Bible study that came with it is a personal journaling books called God of Al Creation. I really like it and so does ds1, who is 9. It is far beyond my current 3rd grader but might be just challenging enough for yours. There is some copy-work of bible verses and then questions about them for the child to consider and respond to. I am not sure if Winter Promise has a selection of such studies, but I am very happy with this one. We also use daily copywork from the KJV, and do saint studies each week. Our church has education for the kids as well, so I feel like we have it covered for now.

Exactly,which is why registered offenders are less of a worry for me, as a mother of 4 children.

In light of the original thread, the questions hat come to my mind are: 1) how much more likely is it that your family will fall prey to a registered, repeat offender than an unknown, new offender, even if you live next door to the former? A registrant has got to know everyone in his hood knows about him. 2) how much time alone do you give your children? because, 3) are we talking about people who snatch or kidnap, or people who groom? Specific to this thread, I don't know how they could have statistical analysis like everyone else said, statutory sex crimes fuzz the data.

I am so sorry, that would frighten me, too. The registered offenders are probably less of a threat than those you don't know about yet, those who have not been caught or who haven't acted on impulses yet. I know that doesnt fix your problem. Our next door neighbor is registered and my kids know he is not to be interacted with. I wonder if living next to an r-4 ( private homeschool) violates parole?

Just thought I'd chime in and say we're new to Winter Promise this year after pining over their catalog for years. We are using Adventures in the Sea and Sky for 1st, 3rd & 5th graders. Sea & Sky is meant for older grades, so we have the young learners guide (not very useful) and I am picking up related, grade level reading for the little ones from the library. There is so much in the guide we can't even get to! I will second guest hollow, and say I really Ike WP's language arts programs.

We have Galore Park's So You Really Want to Learn Latin and I am thinking of buying more from them. Ds1 (9yo) has studied it on & off. I was just saying to a friend last night the main problem we have with Latin is opportunities to hear it read aloud. No matter how many times we study the pronounciation guides it just doesn't 'stick'. even though it is not my thread, thanks for all the ideas!

My children would eat all those paper items and make new toys out of the masticated paper.

I'm not familiar with the publisher. what's the general worldview? I know these are for reluctant readers, but the middle east sample I read is.... interesting.

I second Five in a Row. This. What I used for my oldest at that age. He was like yours... Very interested in 'school'. He was reading by 4, so while we never assigned the grade K he was ready. He did formal school without a grade assigned. That said, we do assign grades now because we homeschool through an umbrella charter. My 5 year old turned 5 during his K year, so he was a 4 yo kindergartner. I registered him as school age because I could, but he is not like your child. He is completely oppositional and the only traditionally educational thing he will do is play chess. All day. so he as a grade but doesn't do formal school. According to the charter, he is starting 1st grade this fall at 5 years old. I think if a child is asking for formal school, you should start slowly and build up as they show their enthusiasm. Like starting solids.

At that age, I don't have an experience of using a math curriculum. But I will say we have used both Singapore & Miquon, and this one works for this child and the other for another. I wouldn't say either one has hugely laudable strengths, but I choose which method is working best right now and I'm willing to change my mind later, with any subject.

We use the Children's Bible reader. Incidentally this book has an online (free) site with games and it is read aloud. There are also free podcasts of it being read at Ancient Faith Radio. We use both and the children love it. Mine are 9 down to 3. CBR site Ancient Faith Podcasts 9 year old Tristan uses the same Bible I do for his Bible study which is the Winter Promise 'God of All Creation'. So far, he really loves it.

We're a Starfall family. My oldest learned to read-on his own- with it when he was 4. My second child has used it since she was wee and is almost 8 and not yet a confident reader. So, it isn't magic but it is fun and helpful. I like the paid version of Starfall, $36 a year. Still, we have been using it for so long that I would love to see a new website with new stuff. The song "Y can be a Vowel' haunts my nightmares.

We're just starting Winter Promise's Adventures in the Sea & Sky. We'll keep a pretty loose schedule with it this summer. I am planning to use what we don't get through this summer in the 12-13 'school year'. Lots of field trips related to S&S. We live by the ocean so this will be fun. The two oldest (they're almost 10 and 8) will go for a whole week to camp at the monastery. First time away! 10 yo keeps fencing year round but all other outside the home classes cease, thank goodness Homeschool park days every week with our group Library We're in the process of buying a house so hopefully, moving (nearby). That's educational, no? :D

We have both (rods and Miquon) and I will probably ditch Miquon this year after only trying it one season. The rods have been in our lives longer than Miquon, and it just didn't work last year. My children didn't like the flow of math concepts in the workbooks, and I felt confused by it most of the time. I know people who really like it. It just didn't fit our family. I have kids from 3- 9 yo and they love the rods. Right now we have them out every day and they are played with and used as manipulative helps when the kids are on Khan Academy. With the younger children I ask them to find all the ways to make a certain number, things like that. I am not sure if we'll replace Miquon with something else or not.

Thank you! Bookmarking...

We found with Volumes 1 & 2 that we couldn't make it last 36 weeks, even with the activity book, and we did most of them. Meanwhile, the Story of the Middle Ages took two years. We'll be doing Volume 3 SOTW this year in 36 weeks as well, probably letting weeks pass where we don't read in it.

Hi, I am new here. We're using Ages of Grace this year as well! I would love to share our experience and learn from others as we do this. Our year begins August 15th. We homeschool through a public charter here in California. I will be schooling a 9, 7 and almost 5 year old. Plus our 3 year old little. Nice to meet you, Tabitha ownschool.blogspot.com katakhoumenos.blogspot.com