The Tuscan marinara is SO good! I use it as a base for so many things, and it is a great price

DS LOVES Ed Emberley's drawing books. he likes to draw stick figures because he does not wish to draw creative/life like, just wants to get the point across! *I* prefer SM, however DS cannot get past the character like quality of it, and DH is the same way. Those silly boys! It drives him nuts to have birthday cakes around problems, or any picture that is not specifically aligned with the work. MM has too many steps to things but we skip some things. I also use the worksheet maker sometimes instead if the page is too busy. We like to teach one way of doing it, until it is very solidified, THEN teach additional strategies. This seems to work better for DS than giving him 3 ways to do something at once.

Well, you could photocopy pages, but there are many areas in which the student is just asked to choose from a list of words, etc. There are several pages you could just instruct the child to do th writing on separate lined paper. If she is already a good writer, you may move through the first semester quickly or do some of it orally and then focus on the writing, all of which would be easy to do on separate paper. Then you could reuse the book.

If she is not effectively writing in paragraphs yet, I would consider WWE3. You could always move faster/skip bits of the weeks until strong paragraph writing, but I think it's always better to review/ease in to it than jump ahead of your comfortable skill level.

I will echo what Beth said. DS is 7 working on WWE2 and WWW3 is a bit much though we have decided to continue using it slowly.

Beth - I was thinking of picking up the SM CWP to do wtih DS when DH doesn't have as much time to devote. He has DS solving algebraic equations already and they seem to have fun doing so. He has been giving him "solve for the unkown" problems for a while, he is just limited by his basic math and we are not ready to hand out a calculator. Thanks for all of the ideas. Chandler mom I am not sure why you think algebra require so much abstractness. Or maybe I misunderstood what you meant. Solving for the unknown with a variable can be pretty straight forward.

Beth this helps! I think I am just always feeling like "I'm running out of time," LOL. I had to remind myself HE'S 7! I have WWW3, and GWG3. I actually think we get more out of grammar we do together so this may help me more with writing, since FLL does not require much writing and seems to be working for us. I just checked it out from the library and plan to use it for the rest of the year. Many grammar program seem to have kind of the same scope and sequence, but since I want to teach the writing process as in proper form etc, I need to save our writing for well, writing if that makes sense. DS is a slow writer but it is getting better. The thoughts and narrations he has are excellent. We are working out some pencil death grip matters and I think WWW will slowly up his writing ability since it is alot of copying in various ways. I am really thankful to have so many people share ideas and there are so many options. I think next year, I may find some way to just use WWW, and spend more time planning for narrations in other areas. We cannot keep up with doing WWE AND narrating for everything else. WHat I mean is applying the same style to science and history but not actually using the WWE book.

considering we use a stick of butter before it could think of going bad.....I never put it away

I am confused as to what you are wanting to accomplish. If math is frustrating at this time and retention is a problem, AND you already have TT on order, why don't you just try that as is for a while and see how it goes?

This. We do a short lesson and then review from one or two. This is not the only thing we use as that would be pretty darn dry.

Yes FLL3. I think DS would have actually started writing better long ago hand I realized he needs like half the size of most lined student papers. *I* can't even write well on those huge lines.

Thanks! I just bought startwrite, and it is great for WWE. Now I no longer have to tear them out to copy AND write on smaller paper. FLL is only the student book so I didn't want to buy it if I was going to have to use separate paper. It sounds like it will work great. I don't know why they make lines SO big, especially after a 1st or 2nd grade level.

DS needs much smaller lines I notice that some of the student text worksheets. In WWE2 the lines are slightly large for DS, and it's annoying to have to print smaller ones if I already by a student book for ease. I need the student manuals for HTTS but I cannot find a preview of the student book.

I just bought the last 2 grades I needed, thanks! Sadly, I need to freshen up a few things before I try to teach them LOL

Well, my issue is, and this may sound terrible, I DO want my kids to be on some sort of public school/standard level AT THE LEAST. I mean, DS excels in math or technical subjects, I sense DD will be more creative. I know TWTM suggests in the grammar years kids don't need to be creative. It's just that WWE gets veeeeeery boooooring day after day week after week. I DO think it is important to be able to summarize and give a narration, and dictate. Think lectures, summary reports etc. However, all throughout school and career most people need good writing skills. MY DH is a prime example. He is an architect, but what sets him aside from most top candidates in his field frankly, is his ability to write clear, concise material. I think it is beneficial from an early age to have formal writing, that is very incremental and on level. Beth in SW did you ever use WWW2? I know I remember somewhere you posted you should have started with 2 or something, I'm sorry I don't remember your exact words but I have WWW3 and it requires more writing that DS can handle, on top of everything else. I don't know how to teach writing, or a student to learn it, without a dedicated writing program. I don't know that young students could just read a guide to writing and apply that to whatever they are learning in another subject. WWW and WWE are two completely opposite curriculas, however I feel like together they give the best of both worlds. For those who use both do you cycle by weeks or do everything every week? I am thinking maybe one week focus on WWW, one week WWE and always do grammar. ETA: DS is only 2nd grade, so maybe I should aim to up his writing ability (as in the physical act of writing, he is very slow) and then save WWW for next year.

Well with TT, the new lesson would be the main focus, and the rest would be reviews from prior lessons. I'm looking in my book here: Book 3 starts out with basic addition/subtraction and counting. Lesson 3 is ODD AND EVEN NUMBERS. That would be the lecture, then there would be problems of odd/even numbers, then problems from the previous lesson of basic additon/subtraction. Lesson 4 is calendar/months of year. Lecture on months of year, then questions about calendar, then a few odd/even problems, a few basic addition/subtraction. Skipping ahead a bit, lesson 8 is DOUBLES. The lecture is about doubles, then practice doubles with several questions, then a few problems from each prior such as calendar, basic math facts, and a few word problems. Nothing is added randomly, as in each NEW lesson is lectured on, then the problems after are of the newly taught lesson and a little bit from each prior. Hope that helps a little. I think it does a very good job of reviewing.

This is kind of not the same thing and after I say this I am going to crawl under a rock and stay there for a while.... I could not read the passage from WWE2 of The Owl and the Pussy cat. I just could not say that word as many times as necessary without turning beet red in the face and laughing like a 7 year old who just said the word "butt or fart." :o I cannot believe I am admitting this to the public.

I have to say, TT was not cutting it for us because I have a math oriented kid whom is already taking the engineering path dad is so it was not quite enough. HOWEVER, and big however here, if I had a child who was having a hard time grasping or needed tons of review, I would use it as stand alone. Maybe the part on multiple digit long addition would need a little more outside TT, but DS was annoyed to no end with the review. He is one to get it right away though, so naturally this would bother him. I, on the other hand thought it was nice LOL. I suspect DD may not love math, and if she does not, I have no problem whatsoever using TT with her. i would say try to give it a go, and don't use anything else at the start just so she gets in a routine and isn't overwhelmed. Once she is understanding and retaining, and enjoys math THEN add in if needed. They have some calendar practice, angles, word problems and such and everything is constantly reviewed IMO. If possible, get headphones for the computer. When DS used this for a short time he used headphones and was totally able to zone in on the lesson.

Thanks for the ideas! BOscopup I have been giving DS tests more often. He actually loves them. It's funny, he thrives on graded feedback. He has gotten 100% on the last 3 unit tests doing almost none of the actualy work. I notice sometimes he skips several problems and I'll say "um, hey buddy I think you forgot to finish this...." and he will say "ok, well I don't think I need to but if you want me to I will." LOL. He is very serious about the tests, and spends a great deal of time checking and making them very neat. RIght now we are focusing on multiplication. I never fully appreciated MM until I started looking at is as units instead of a year going page by page!

WWW is very open and go and more like public school writing. I have WWW3 and it is too much for DS at this point who is very slow to write, as in the thoughts are there but he cannot write that much. My intention was to use it with WWE2 for a well rounded writing program and somehow cycle them throughout the week or switch off weeks. ETA: I think FLL is actually easier and quicker than GWG. I find that it is just more easier learned when I teach it and we talk about it together. GWG is totally independent, but for some reason DS is just not absorbing as much from it.

I am realizing I've totally been holding DS back in math by going page by page in MM. He would like to focus more on math in his day, since we all know that is the direction he is most likely heading in his future. DH learned math in another country and was using algebra in grammar school. For some reason I always felt like it was crazy to have a kid get through early math so fast, but DS seems capable. So how did yo accelerate with MM? I am going to purchase grades 4-6 soon, but right now we are shortly in to grade 3. I notice from grades 2-3, there is a lot repeated but just with expanded place value, or a more challenging section on money, clock, etc. Once he was doing 3 digit addition/subtraction he quickly learned how to apply that concept to even thousands, so that kind of takes care of a big chunk of the unit on thousands. I think I am trying to give myself permission to join units that are similar on different grade levels and just cover more thoroughly. We just started multiplication, and he is working on memorizing the chart. He can totally apply the concept though, he just doesn't know all his facts yet. He is very interested in geometry but the grade 3 geometry is not so excited. DOes geometry come up again in MM4 and 5? I see some kids are in higher levels of math at ages 7 or 8, and I'm wondering what you do. There's no way DS would want to do every single page to get through in half the time.

So would this work for my 5.5 DD who hates math worksheets? I mean, what do I DO with them?! I know, answer is yes, but still, I don't GET them LOL. DS always hated using any sort of manipulatives (though he can illustrate when appropriate), he somehow just gets numbers to a strange degree like DH.

I tried VERY hard to work with AAS and I so wanted to love it. It was just too scripted, too much other stuff, and too many things to keep track of. I DETEST flash cards of any kind and so do the kids. I tried to use it just as a "rule book" and make up my own work sheets kind of thing but that did not work so well. I would recommend How to teach spelling and the workbooks. I just got these. The teacher's manual works for all levels and the workbooks are inexpensive. It's kind of hard to find samples online.....I'll try to find one. Not trying to crash the party here, but HTTS is very similar in approach to AAS but IMO it is more clearly layed out. I have enough things that require my reworking so it is something to think about if the thought of all the tiles and hands on would be a nuisance as it is for us. The other thing I like about HTTS is for each rule/generalization there is a list of words for each grade level. If you have a kid who wants tougher words sometimes you can just use those , too. I really like how it is all together in one book instead of several levels. AAS is VERY scripted so that is why several books are needed.

You can actually EAT jello?:ack2: Kidding. It creeps me out but DD loves it. My mom always made something like jello whipped up with cool whip. I would challenge anyone to read the label on THAT one LOL

Some in the bedrooms, but personally I like to keep bedrooms as a place of rest, not clutter. They have their loved display type things there, for DD that is dolls/build a bears/barbies. I have IKEA trofast in their for her. For DS that is books, legos, transformers. They bring a few things down but like to keep them in their rooms. WE have a HUGE great room concept and on one wall I have 3 IKEA Besta tall shelving units with doors on them. Each kid has a cabinet, and whatever they can shove behind the doors that's what can stay down here. My huge beautiful coffee table usually holds DS' battle scenes and right now my sideboard is lined up with DD's Christmas outfitted build a bears. At the end of our main area is a lovely corner which would perfectly suit a nice corner couch and coffee table or something, but why do I need a formal area? Instead each child has a wooden kidcraft desk with hutch, and a nice chair. Next to that is the only eating area and I have a decent sized table. I have a floor to ceiling bookshelf in the dining room next to the piano for leisure books. Personally BHG magazine op photos seem cold to me. Nothing out of place, everything coordinates....I like kid art and piles of books around. I do use nice looking baskets to corral things and I keep coordinated toss pillows. I like the idea of perfectly arrange bookshelves but I can't keep up with that so cabinet doors suit us perfectly. BTW THESE are the cabinets we have: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70134044/ except it's 3 wide (one more single unit) and I have the tall white doors that come 1/3 way up so it leaves 2 shelves on top for books or display stuff. I have them on a wall, to the left is a window and MY desk under the window, and to the left of my desk is another single besta unit with matching door. I love the accessories for the Besta shelves. on the inside I have 2 of the pull out frames, one has my printer on it and the other hanging file folders for schoolwork. I think it sounds like you have a nice home and I too, feel like I want to share the space! I actually tried moving all the toys out, it was lonely :( The kids started dissapearing most of the day into their rooms and it was weird.