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nicklepede

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  1. Oh, by that, I just mean that I'm running them at the same time -- for instance, right now I have one child near the very end of Gamma and the last 1/3 or so of Singapore 3A. So, she'll do one front and back side of Gamma and one sheet (or one multi-page exercise, depending on how tough it all is) of Singapore daily. (And, at this stage, the end of 3A is review of the beginning of Gamma, but also a little preview of Delta -- multiplication and division facts for 7 and 8, this week in Singapore while MUS was reaching the apex of multidigit by multidigit multiplication. But she was having a problem with careless errors with that type of multiplication, so we stuck with it for several weeks while she moved along in Singapore.) Or, for instance, back when we "hit the wall" with multi-digit addition/subtraction with carrying/borrowing in Singapore 2, I just shelved the whole thing for several months until we made it almost all the way through Beta. Then we picked it up where we left off -- and before, where it would bring tears, now (well, *then*) she could quickly move through it. Or, say, my son, who is working through both Alpha and Singapore 1A right now. He's a bit more of a special case -- he requires way, WAY more practice than my "see it once, know it" daughter. So, with him, we'll stay in a chapter in Alpha for AS LONG AS IT TAKES -- which is the whole *point* of MUS, but is, also, I think one of the things that drives people nuts about it. That you may, in fact, be on one set of math facts for a month or more, if need be. And need *has* been, in our case. More than once. Doing Singapore alongside allows him to be able to move "sideways" with another topic while waiting to be able to move "ahead" with MUS. So, a typical day for him might be to do his drill with MUS alpha facts, wherever we are at the time, and then a page from either the Singapore workbook or Challenging Word Problems or Intensive Practice, whatever feels right about at his level on that day.
  2. Also -- it worked out (more or less) like this: MUS Primer Singapore 1 in tandem with MUS Alpha MUS Beta before Singapore 2A Gamma and Singapore 3a Delta and 3b These don't strictly "line up" -- but it's how we've been rolling. Occasionally, Singapore has been "review" for the MUS facts (like in 3A). And we're hitting division in Singapore before MUS. The only thing I will say is that Beta made the brick wall that you can hit at the beginning of Singapore 2A (or is it 2B? Now I'm forgetting -- the one that leads off with about 35 pages of multidigit addition and subtraction with carrying/borrowing) much easier to scale.
  3. I use the two simultaneously. It all started because I hated Singapore's Earlybird materials and found myself much happier with Primer, but wanted to stick with Singapore for the higher levels. If you're using the actual "Singapore model" for teaching (and not just working through the textbooks), you'll note that they work things through the following pathway: concrete ------> pictorial -------> abstract; then mastery/automaticity Meaning, you start with the manipulatives and games outlined in the Home Instructor's Guide, then you move into the pictorial representations in the textbook, and then after that, you use the workbook for the abstract. Also, it is assumed along the way (in the HIG) that you are drilling the various facts to mastery and automaticity along the way, even if what's in the workbook is not enough. So. Basically what I am doing is using MUS for the concrete and mastery part of the equation, and then working along with the (occasional) textbook and workbook, and then adding in the Intensive Practice and Challenging Word Problems on the side. We have been very happy with this arrangement.
  4. I just ordered this late last night (grade 2) and started going through the schedule and notes today. (Most of my books from Amazon -- the ones I didn't already have) should arrive on Wednesday. The whole thing was very serendipitous to me -- we finished SOTW 1 last week and I have a first and third grader, so doing a second grade level based on SOTW 2 was right up our alley. I can say that I like what I see so far, but I won't actually start it until Wedsnesday. I'll post more then. Also -- it doesn't have extensive commentary/notes like, say, Sonlight, if you like that sort of thing. But I am very pleased that you purchase the books through a link to an Amazon Associates web store. There are a few books that I am iffy on, intensity-wise, for my kids and it's great to be able to just put off purchasing them for now to research and decide later instead having to buy an all-encompassing package upfront and have to get rid of them if I decide against.
  5. Ooh, I went to the MSMI Saturdays when we lived in MN and they were very eye-opening. Turns out I was teaching Singapore all wrong. (Though, after talking to so many folks, it turns out that I surely have not been the only one.)
  6. This may be somewhat a goofy question, but our family just moved for my husband's job and the relocation package included funds for job training or education for the spouse in the new area. My husband told them that I didn't have an external job per se, but that I homeschool and would teacher training and education material count for reimbursement and they said yeah, sure, why not. Heh. So, I've been trying to figure out if there's anything that's been on my wish list that might qualify as teacher training. IEW TWSS seemed like it would be a pretty obvious choice. And I could perhaps even get some Great Courses dvds in subjects I'll be teaching. Honestly, it's a fantastic opportunity, but at the moment I'm at a bit of a loss at what would qualify for the spirit of the intention of dispersement. (Though they didn't seem overly concerned about that on their end, so who knows.) Any thoughts?
  7. We did it and we had a similar issue that the day would take too long -- we ended up dropping most of the AA focus EXCEPT we kept the Black Frontiers book, because my kids loved that one. (It had some great stories in it.)
  8. I was one of those students. "Fun" projects were torture to me and I hated school. I couldn't wait to get home and just read.
  9. We have used it. My daughter (9) in particular enjoys it -- the only problem she has with it is that the units tend to be pretty long and she hates to pause them to come back later, she wants to try to power through and do the whole thing, but then she gets frustrated because it goes too long. So, yeah, that's not really a problem with the site itself. Heh.
  10. We hit a wall on Singapore 2 as well and took a hiatus, used MathUSee to master the facts, then came back and she could fly through the formerly tears-worthy problem sets. Now we do that with all the levels and all the kids: Singapore for the conceptual and problem solving, etc, then MUS on the side for fact mastery. They don't seem to mind. Heh.
  11. I second Nancy Larson science for your situation -- unfortunately, it's expensive, but it does otherwise pretty much hit all your criteria.
  12. Thank you so much for sharing your resources! Brookspr: I also saw that there were some Classical Conversations sprinkled around the area, and someone tipped me off that there are actually *two* co-ops that meet at that MP church -- CHAMPS on Monday, ChangeEAST on Friday. I'll let you know what else I dig up! D.E.R.: thank you for the mailing lists! Those are such a great treasure trove.
  13. Just got off the phone with the post office this morning, we are hoping for a package liberation this afternoon!
  14. Argh! Ours was in the mailbox, but the mailman shoved it in so tight it was impossible to get out. Seriously. (There's a lip on my side of the mailbox so his side to put stuff in is just slightly larger. *sigh* If only this wasn't the third time I've had to call the post office about a wedged package...)
  15. Hello -- We will be moving to the Chicago area soon, though unfortunately (especially considering how soon we are moving!), we don't know exactly where we will be yet. Probably N to NW, maybe Glenview-ish or surrounding areas, but possibly Oak Park or even who knows where else. Heh. We'll be in corporate housing for a few months and then checking out neighborhoods/towns to live in permanently. We will be probably arriving in the middle of February and we'll be looking for ways to meet new folks. I saw that there is a co-op in Mt. Prospect (CHAMPS) to check out, are there others I should know about nearby? (We'll also be looking for Karate or gymnastics places.) I have a girl, 9, and a boy, 6. Are there any yahoo informational groups to join or things to check out that anyone can recommend? Thanks so much -- !!
  16. I got a price break notification on 12/20 and then a payment notification on 01/01, but no shipping notice. The payment notification did say: "Your order is scheduled to leave the Home Art Studio warehouse within 7-10 business days." Aw, man. The UPS man came while I was typing this and I was so hoping I could say ".... and he just brought it!" But, alas, it was something else.
  17. I also use MUS and Singapore together. I didn't really intend to start out that way with my first child, but it ended up working out so well for her that I'm doing it on purpose with my second. It all started because, though I like the Singapore method, I hated their K materials. We used Primer instead, and then at the end of Primer, we started Singapore 1A. Then about halfway through that, we used Alpha to master the math facts. Then back to Singapore, and then when we got to the transition from 2A -> 2B, we ran through Beta then went back to Singapore. Etc, etc. Basically, they're both good. I find it helpful to have a way to go "sideways" with Singapore when we're mired in something hard in MUS and not able to move forward.
  18. We have done the first 8 or so projects in the K leve (my kids are 3rd and 1st but didn't want to miss any) and I would that, on one hand: yes, they are "cookie cutter" projects like you are asking. On the other hand, so far on almost none of the projects have my kids turned out very cookie cutter. Here's an example. (These pics are on fb, so I *think* you'll be able to see them, let me know if gives a permissions error): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200090858503098&l=0ac46c154 Here, we are supposed to be doing a winter scene exploring concepts of foreground/middle ground/background. My son decided to go in a different direction. His different directions often involve Batman. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4806058118214&l=996bfc3d34 Here, we were doing organic shapes, specifically a germ. My son decided to do a Pirate Vampire Germ. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4604305234518&l=454c73c438 Owl? Bat? Why not. So ... yeah. Pretty much every project goes along in that vein. We watch the video, talk about the concept, and the kids either do exactly what is asked, or put their own spin on it. Usually their own spin. We do upload the pics of our completed projects (you can see ours in the K gallery), and Ms. Volin is quite encouraging in her comments of going your own way and making the project your own -- especially if you still manage to illustrate the concept the lesson is supposed to teach!
  19. Sorry, I was just thinking that I didn't provide much detail. Here's what I like about Mark Kistler: my kids think he is funny. (Note: my kids are six and eight.) They love his choice of subjects -- goofy things like ninja cats, etc. He emphasizes that messing up is no big deal. He is constantly incorporating useful skills like foreshortening, etc, and calling them by name. Let me know if you have any specific questions!
  20. My kids are in the other room doing a Mark Kistler online live class as I type this. (See Homeschool Buyer's Co-op for a deal on that.). They love it.
  21. Since you're in NY (if I'm reading that right), it's quite possible that your child's school district uses Everyday Math or one of those type in PS. Even if she's good at math -- and enjoys it! -- you may find that she'll have gaps in her knowledge because EM just doesn't cover to mastery certain concepts that a more traditional math program does. Of course, she is still just in 2nd grade so if you find she, for instance, doesn't know her single digit math facts without pulling out her fingers (a common EM problem) or somesuch, it's not that big of a deal yet. I just want to throw that out there so if you do a math placement test for something like, say, Singapore and get disappointing results ("What?? My kid *loves* math and got good grades!"), it doesn't come as a strange shock. I have a lot of friends in PS in NY and have heard a lot of similar stories, over and over again. On another note: yay! I'm excited for you. Give your library card a workout and just read a lot of great books for awhile while you take time to wrap your head around things.
  22. I had to laugh when I did a search on a curriculum that I was considering ... and this thread came up. Ha! But then I scrolled through and read it all ... and I think just about every curricula that we have had a good experience with has been mentioned, some several times. So I won't take it as too bad a sign. Maybe.
  23. My kids are 6 and 9 and we started with the K level. We have finished 8 projects so far, and I will say this: art is getting done. (Note: I am not an art person.) Anyhow, you should be perfectly happy at the K level. Both of my kids do the projects, but their projects just have a different level of sophistication.
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