We did not upgrade, but loved the free version. I also think the program has enough drill. It was very effective in our situation.

We are also scheduling 2 lessons a week. For my 10 yo this means about 1 hour a week. For my 13 yo, this is much shorter -- but she is also learning Spanish and Latin is just "introduction and exposure" for her. We have Latin scheduled 2 times a week at 30 minutes per lesson.

I am also not more experienced, but this year my 10 yo is doing Lively Latin. He likes it so far, and so it gets a vote in my book :001_smile: I can not compare it to other programs, but it seems like a gentle, robust introduction to Latin to me -- and it is very easy to teach.

My son also placed into the Pre-Algebra -- he only missed one question on the placement test. I chose Math 7 after looking through the TOC of both programs. The Pre-Algebra IS a lot of review, but it also introduces Algebra and negative numbers in the last chapters -- which are harder to grasp. My DD completed the Pre-Algebra in 7th and I'm glad we chose to have her do this instead of starting Algebra with less of a foundation.

You don't need the teacher editions, but I found that it made my life easier. I don't like figuring out all the answers :001_huh:

I also plan on using both and I think they complement each other nicely.

For my 8th grader, who is taking Rosetta Stone for HS credit, I will have her working on the program 4 days a week for 45 minutes at a time. She will also be working on a supplemental workbook for additional grammar and writing practice -- which will give her about 4 hours of Spanish a week. My 5th grader will not be doing the "complete" program and will work on it 3 days a week for 30 minutes.

I'll be using Lial's Introductory Algebra. I was able to purchase everything I needed for the 7th edition for less than $30 (used). That includes the video tutor. This is a remedial college algebra course, but it covers what a solid high school algebra course would cover. It is written for self-teaching. I'm very impressed with the content, layout and format. I am including an Amazon link (it has a "look inside"), but don't let the price scare you. I got the teacher's manual, student workbook and video tutor from half.com. There are plenty around for cheap, because there is a newer edition of the book which the schools are using. http://www.amazon.com/Introductory-Algebra-7th-Margaret-Lial/dp/0321064585 Edited to say: I just tried the above link and it doesn't "look inside" the right book....

We used Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. DD learned to read at age 4 and has been a strong reader ever since. DS is STILL learning to read :glare:.

I bought mine directly from BF. Which sets are you looking for? I have the History of Science and Geography sets for sale, if you are interested.

I would say EG 5 or 6 would work fine. I have an advanced 7th grader who did EG 6 in a writing class this past year and she did not mind working with the Grade 6 book. I would also recommend doing it over a 2 year period.

Look into IEWs Excellence in Spelling Phonetic Zoo. It is CD based (auditory), independent and teaches the rules.

I can not comment on the Saxon Alg or VideoText. Although, I did check the Saxon Alg out from the library and I did not like the layout and format. I am going with Lial's Introductory Algebra. This program also has a video tutor. It is mastery based and not spiral -- which we wanted. It does have cummulative review lessons at the end of each chapter -- to keep old concepts fresh. I bought the 7th edition (older) used and received everything -- student manual, teacher manual and video tutor for less than $30. I have looked over the program thoroughly and I am very, very impressed. It is written for a student to work independently and I love the format. Prior to deciding on this program, I was seriously considering Chalkdust. I'm so glad that I was able to save myself over $300! :lol: Don't mean to through another program into the mix - but it is something you may want to consider.

We used it for Pre-Algebra last year. I was quite concerned after reading many posts on this board, but my dd, 7th, did very well with the program and scored high scores (98%) in Math on her standardized tests. I chose not to use TT Algebra for 8th with her, but only because it covers a bit less material than standard Algebra I programs. If I were certain that she would be homeschooling in high school, I would have used it. But, I am not, and I want to make sure she is well prepared. Plus, I love Algebra and look forward to tutoring her :001_smile: My son, on the other hand, will be using TT Math 7 for 5th grade. If he continues to homeschool, I will continue using this program and have him attempt TT Algebra in 7th. He is very good at Math and I am supplementing with Singapore Challenging Word Problems 5.

I used Saxon 6/5 last year for my 4th grader (with the D.I.V.E dvds). This worked well and my son learned quite a bit. At times he did find the program a bit irritating. I jumps around a lot. This year we are going to try Teaching Textbooks. He will be doing TT Math 7 for 5th grade. We will be supplementing with Singapore Challenging Word Problems 5. Note: Last year we use TT Pre-Algebra for my daughter (7th grade) and it was a great experience. I have several friends using TT 5 and the kids using it (who don't like math) are enjoying it.