I am starting my daughter on CLE Math 5 or 6. For those of you who have used this before, did you find the answer keys to be sufficient or did you find that you needed the extra teacher manuals that went with it as well? Thanks!

I have an older edition of the Analytical Grammar teacher's manual. Does anyone know if I will be able to use the newer student activity books with an older TM or would I need to pair the editions up in order for it to work? Thanks!

Thanks!

For those of you who have finished the All About Spelling series 1-7, what have you done next? My 5th-6th grader will be finishing level 7 in the next few months. Should she be done with spelling at that point or are there other spelling curriculums that you have used to reinforce what they have been learning in AAS or any continuation programs that can further enhance their spelling skills?? Thanks!

You have no idea how relieved I feel reading these posts! We are on 507 and want to be done after this 5 series, but was feeling way guilty about halting grammar. I wanted to incorporate more literature, reading comprehension, and critical thinking but CLE was sucking up all the language arts time. I may starting Analytical Grammar in another couple years, but in the meantime, I'm feeling about better about the decision to move onto another area of language arts. I have to keep reminding myself that when homeschooling, I can be flexible :)

Has anyone had to choose between these 2 Singapore math curriculums after 6B? Which one did you choose and why? I looked at the comparison chart online between the 2 curriculums and Dimensions CC has topics that New Elementary doesn't and vice-versa. Which do you feel is the stronger curriculum and what are some others differences you have found between them? Thank you!

We do the subjects that I just can't fit in during the school year, but are considered "fun", like typing, geography and literature. They are already reading a ton over the summer anyhow, so why not incorporate some good literature into it :)

We are just completing IEW Intensive A this year (upper elementary) and am debating which IEW theme book to use for next year. What is your favorite IEW theme book (Fun and Fascinating, Ancient History, etc) and why? Thanks!

I don't know if this will help as I am also still in the process of "seeing what will work". I noticed that if we have something to do or somewhere to go later in the day, the kids will have a better attitude at getting things done. But...the hard part is being willing to skip that activity if things are not done. Another I've done (which is incredible difficult for me) is to set out my expectations for them that day and if they choose to play away the morning, let them. Now, they understand they have to make it up in the afternoon or evening, which they hate. And...if a friend calls to play, an impromptu activity comes up, or we have a planned activity later in the day, they are not allowed to go if their work is not done. This has happened several times and the answer has been no, so they are learning to get their work done as soon as possible without me having to nag at them to get it done. It's hard on me because I want the work done in the morning, I don't want to miss daytime activities, and I don't want to have to homeschool in the evening, but it's been a tradeoff having them be more responsible for their time and choices.

I will move onto the next topic, but then everyday before starting the new concept, I will put 3 review problems on the board, so I consciously can review the part she is missing, but not be stuck on it at the same time. This past time, I did the same type of review problem for 3 months! She finally got it, but we had already been moving along the curriculum as to not put us behind, so we ended up being right where we needed to be and she wasn't so frustrated just having to do the same old type of problem.

Agreed. I started using the whole package for AAS 1 and 2, then realized I wasn't using the student packet, except for word lists. So, AAS 3-5 have been used with teachers manual only, and if the TM refers to a word list for a particular sound, I just google it and can find a handful of words that fit a similar criteria and not have to essentially pay for the word list, which is all I was really using. I made my own tiles using contact paper and magnets and take good records in the TM of which words my children are having trouble with, so have never needed the file system. I write down the rules when they come up in the TM, and therefore don't need a copy of those as well.

My first 2 children learned to read just fine using Hooking on Phonics. I can already tell that child #3 will need something else. What is the best reading program you have used to teach your child (ren) how to read and what about it did you find was very effective? Thanks!

I can't remember the price, but I bought mine at Costco. I know it was very reasonable though. It came with markers and spray too.

I have been using Singapore math Standards editions since 1st grade and now my daughter is going to start using the 4AB series in the fall. With the introduction this fall of Singapore math: Common Core Edition, is anyone changing to this edition who used to do US or Standards? I read on their website that they are planning to eventually phase out the Standards edition in the next couple of years and replace it completely with the Common Core Edition, but still have the US edition available. I'm deciding on whether I want to continue with Standards or change over to the CC Edition. Any thoughts on what you all are doing?

Thanks so much for the suggestions! I looking forward to trying them out this summer.

We are working on memorizing multiplication facts this summer and I was wondering what kind of tools (computer apps, flash cards, gadgets, etc) anyone might have used that they found to be successful in doing this. Thanks!

My little guy keeps getting stuck on the ck vs. k lesson too :) We stayed on it for a couple extra weeks by just giving him "review words" from the earlier steps, then sneak in those pesky ck, k words (which of course he would continue to misspell). He would write the ones he got wrong 3x each. Then write them on the white board 1x. He did this for 2-3 weeks (yes, on that 1 step!), then he got it. Needless to say, as we went on to the next steps, I would continue giving "review words" at the end of the step and once in awhile he still misses those ck/k words, but it's getting less and less. I think if I waited for total mastery before moving on, we'd still be on that step. I think as long as you continue revisiting those words, it gets better and better and you don't feel so behind and he/she doesn't feel so frustrated.

I second the CLE Bible 1 series. I loved doing it with the kids. They have an activity after each Bible story and it is very easy to understand :)

I've used CLE LA 1, 2, and 3 and will going to 4 in the fall. I really like it for the kids. Lots of repetition and they are learning a lot. LA 1 required more assistance from me. Then by 2 and 3, I would go over the new concept with her (most of time the new concept is very simple), then she would complete the "new concept" section, then be able to do the "We Remember" section on her own which was basically a great review of everything she has ever done so I am able to see what she retained and what she needs more instruction on. So far, love it!

I find it is helpful in some of the problems, especially the comparison problems where someone has more or less of something than someone else. I don't make her do it for all the problems though, as it could get confusing sometimes.

It's also so encouraging to hear someone's "end story". It gives the rest of us a little push to keep on going :)

Every year we re-evaluate in the summertime, but once we start in the fall again, we are committed through that school year until the summer when we re-evaluate again. That way it isn't so daunting for me :)

We have a "family" kindle, although it was really meant for my 8 year old, but we don't want to know it's for her or she would tend to get too "media greedy" :)

I was a little weary at first as well, but as we got more into history, they really enjoyed it. Although they can't really make any interpretive connections, they are gaining factual knowledge. And as they age and revisit the same concepts, I'm hoping they will recognize what they previously learned, add to it, and start making more connections on the material.

I didn't think I needed the Teachers manual for the 100 series, but then ended up buying it because I couldn't decifer some of the pictures the student had to write the word for. We just got done with the 200 series this past year and having it has been good for my daughter to check her answers against and it gave me some strategies to teach topics I wasn't as familiar with. It was cheap enough to be worth it.