Our co-op has done this for the last four years. We go through the book at the beginning of the year and pick the chapters we cover (we only meet once a week and have a project day every fourth week - 24 meetings per year). We draft a sentence for the students to memorize which gives the gyst of the lesson covered. We practice the sentence in class and later at home. For project day, we usually undertake a couple of the activities from the guide as well as using some of our own ideas. The rest of the book can be done at home at the discretion of each family.

Oh my! Thanks a bunch! :)

It will definitely be better! And can I recommend that you get the flip chart? I always skipped it thinking it was a waste of money and I could wing it... I finally broke down 1/2 way through 3rd grade math and I am SO glad I did... I love flipping to the correct chart instead of jerry-rigging something on my own! :)

It sounds difficult to navigate to me, but I am an "open the book and go" kind of homeschooler. I love the idea of piece-mealing it, but fall apart at point of excecution. Are you more driven by the need to be thorough (one book is lacking in x, the other in y) or by the desire to be frugal? If the latter, I would just go with R&S since you already have the books (from what I can gather from your post).

I agree with PP. My motto is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"... I admit I have been tempted in the past to switch math programs. My kids do very well with BJU, but I do feel like a bit of an island - I know only one other family personally that uses BJU and they do the home sat program. I sometimes wonder if we are "missing something". But after five years with BJU, and seeing their continued progress in year-end evaluations, we will stick with BJU through sixth grade for sure.

Thank you so much! :) That was my gut instinct, but I just had to run it by someone before forking out $50 when I have something else that might be just as good at home. Hopefully, I can sell the R&S at my homeschool booksale tomorrow to offset the cost! :001_smile:

My son and I have just finished FLL Levels 1&2. He has some delays (PDD-NOS, ADD) which has resulted in our progressing through LA very slowly. (That's O.K. :thumbup1:) He did well with FLL (no major protests when it came time to do our daily lesson, each lesson was not too long, etc.) and I planned on purchasing FLL Level 3 and just pressing on....but I do already own R&S grade 3, and I wondered if anyone could compare the two for me so I could figure out if one would be a better fit for Benjamin than the other. Also, I don't want to spend more money if I don't have to do so. I would want the one that moves more slowly or explains new concepts more thoroughly, reviews more often, etc.. LA is quite a challenge for Benjamin, so I really want something that won't overwhelm him. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Very interesting! I am an INFJ as well...but I thought INFP was the rarest (I learned about MB back in the late 80s in college)... Has it changed or maybe I am remembering incorrectly? :)

I used "My Body" one semester. Each child had his body traced on a piece of butcher block paper (or alike)... Each week we would study an organ of the body, and then they would color/cut and paste/glue the organ to their "bodies". Older children would be given a hand-out to do fuirther study at home (optional). It was a fun semester and I think everyone (ages 7 to 12) learned something.

I think I am just two steps behind you. It really seems like IEW would be the way to go for us.... I just have to build up the strength to spend so much money in one fell swoop *swoon*!!! :tongue_smilie:

Chiming in with another suggestion of My Father's World - Kindergarten. My 4 year old and I are using it, and she has no trouble with it... I think most 4 year olds who like learning letters, numbers, etc. will have no trouble with it. :)

Thanks a bunch, Colleen! I thought SWB's new book was for younger students and that the more advanced books would not be available for 1-2-3 more years. Maybe I misunderstood - I will check it out! Thanks for the welcome! I see you are from NS! My great-grandparetns were born there (Digby). Have a great day! Kristina

Thank you! I will check that out!:) After having homeschooled for 7 years, knowing myself (great intentions and lofty ideas, but requiring spoon-feeding in the form of books and workbooks I can break down piece-meal for me and my children) I really think we need a formal "program". I have read WTM and I love the ideas, but implementing them on my own is overwhelming to me. I need to be able to open a book and "go", if you know what I mean. Still would love to hear others' experiences with formal writing programs and what they might recommend for a 4th/5th grader and a 6th/7th grader (to be more accurate, they are already in 4th and 6th and will finish by the new year or soon thereafter). Thanks!

I quite agree that it is not an absolute need, but writing really does seem to be her *passion*. At her year-end testing last week, our evaluator strongly encouraged me to find a writing program for her.

Hi there, My name is Kristina, and I am new to this forum. I have a dd going into 6th grade and a dd going into 4th grade. To date, I have used R&S for their language arts (no additional writing program). I am very pleased with R&S in general, but I know we need to devote more effort to writing skills. I would add that my 4th grade dd is an AVID writer...She has started a plethora of stories and writes every day - she wants to BE a writer when she grows up....but she needs LOTS (and I mean LOTS) of work in all areas except enthusiasm and imagination. ;) I know people who use and love IEW. It seems expensive and complicated to me. We can't afford a program that costs hundreds of dollars, but I do love the idea of having writing assignments that can correlate with our history work (next year we are doing creation to the greeks). I have heard negatives about writing strands (disrespectful tone?), though I love the price. I am also aware of Write Shop and Writing Apprentice (?). I would love your thoughts on any of these or other programs you endorse. Thank you so much for your time and assistance! I look forward to getting to know you all. :)

I agree with PPs that it should be fine. I have been reviewing the TM and putting the weekly file folders together over the past week, and I am pretty confident my 4 year old will have no problem with it. I am glad we are doing it for Pre-K 4 and not waiting the additional year. It's a good fit for my dd's abilities now.

Oh, so sorry! You did say that. I really hope you find a good solution soon! Maybe your pediatrician would have some resource ideas for you?

Hi, I am new here. We live in a suburb of Tampa! :)

Do you have a friend who is a speech therapist who could do an evaluation and give you exercises to do at home? Can you see if you qualify through the public school system? Have you googled the internet to see if there are any books on doing ST at home? Best wishes to you!!!

I understand! My son would live on pizza and pasta alone if he could... The unfortunate thing is that a lot of our children's behavioral issues are due to what they eat - to which they are, on some level, either allergic or which contribute to a "leaky gut", releasing toxins into their blood stream and across the brain/blood barrier... The kids crave the food that exacerbates their symptoms! And many of these kids will ONLy eat these foods... I have heard and read many testimonies of how eventually the kids come around and actually enjoy the foods that help make them well. It was very encouraging to me to think there could actually be recovery for him. :)

My son is 9.5 and was dx's PDD-NOS and ADD at age 4. Our public school system did not come through for Benjamin - he was placed in an early intervention program with an "unfortunate" teacher. Too bad, because most teachers in these programs are wonderful... Anyway, after fighting to have him moved and not succeeding, I decided to homeschool him and have not regretted it. I just wanted to share that perhaps you might consider looking at your son's diet. I have been doing a lot of reading on the subject lately and am led to believe that many behavioral/learning issues like PDD, ASD, ADD ADHD, etc. are related to their gastrointestinal system - Most kids in the spectrum have some kind of gastro issue - My son has recently been diagnosed with IBS.... All this to say, there have been some amazing recoveries through implementing dietary changes... www.pecanbread.com has been very enlightening as well as the book Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Natasha Campbell McBride, an excerpt of which you can read here: http://www.behealthy.org.uk/gaps.pdf Best wishes on your journey!

Hi, I am new here! Hope you don't mind me jumping in, but I love cilantro! :lol: I use it in guacamole...also in Thai cooking. I used it just this week to make the Thai dish; Fragrant Beef Thai Salad.... The cilantro leaves were used in the salad (along with mint, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.) and the stems were minced and included in the dressing. it was delicious! Ciantro is also wonderful in Colymbian empanadas! Hope you enjoy your cilantro!!! Kristina