LOL, I'm glad you asked this because I've been wondering!!

Guilty here. I'm more than good for the coming year....but I keep looking with the thought "Surely, I'm missing something I NEED." LOL. I'm blaming mine on HSing inexperience....hopefully it'll dissipate over the years (that's what I'm telling myself, anyway! :D)

I'll be doing 2+ math curricula this coming year for 1st. I think my problem is I just can't make up my mind... or acute cases of "grass is greener" syndrome. Singapore will be our spine. Miquon will be our fun Friday math (or anytime we want to pull it out). I already had CLE 1 Math....if I don't sell it soon, I may keep it as travel school work, or "play time" school work for my workbook-loving DD. The workbooks are cheaper than anything else I could buy for her...

:scared: :scared: And here I was, all set to use CLE Math this year...but I just couldn't leave WELL ENOUGH ALONE! Now we have Singapore ("it'll be my supplement") which has quickly bumped its way up to be my math spine. So why did I start looking at MIQUON?!?! :001_huh: So now it looks like I'll be using Singapore as our main program and supplementing with Miquon (maybe a "Math lab Friday"). Hmmmm.....I am so far from where I started! And I haven't even started!! :lol: And now a question: We are on the go. A lot. We travel and we skip school to go to the zoo or grandma's or the park. That's why I homeschool, to be able to do those things. Singapore and Miquon look like they are better for math-at-home days, am I right? Does anyone keep a grade-level math workbook (cheap-o from Walmart or something else) that you use on days when you're traveling or unable to do the "real" math? Or do you just make it work? Skip math that day altogether?

It was a paid rental with Amazon Kindle ... it had an option to buy or an option to rent it (price dependent on length of rental). Still pricey for a 30-day rental ($9, shortest amt. of time available) but cheaper than any buying options I could find...(my library didn't have it, etc).

My nearly-6 year old is LOVING the My Father's Dragon trilogy (our current read-aloud).

I am reading it now, and I'm kind of in the same boat. Glad I rented it for my Kindle, instead of purchasing. :p I'm with the previous poster, more shocked than anything that some educators can't verbally express their methods or reasonings for those methods. That children are being taught math procedures because "that's the way I was taught, I don't know why". :001_huh: Well, gee...that's helpful. (...says the woman who grad. w/ a Elem. Ed. degree & taught 5 yrs in low-performance public schools....there's not much I haven't seen when it comes to incompetency.)

This is exactly what I was thinking (but worded much better). :)

That's an interesting approach. I'm doing a similar alternating system with our reading (one-one-one time with me vs. computer reading/workbook). I can see doing this with Math, too. Thanks for giving me something to think about (in so far as how to arrange the 2 programs...) :)

Thanks for all the replies. I did decide to go ahead and order Singapore 1A and 1B (+ CWP). We're starting CLE 1 Math this week, so we'll be a little ahead on that curriculum come later in the year. Then I'll be able to spend some time adding in SM. I'm hoping to get a good feel for the 2 programs this year, so maybe I'll be able to chose 1 or the other for next year (or keep both, we'll see).

Well, we're about to start "next year" right now, but it's not because we're ahead of the game. LOL, it's because we did pretty much nothing this year. We're only in Kinder. but I've been very disorganized and had a hard time starting and sticking things out. I just finally said "ah, forget it" and we're moving on... :D (So at least you have a good reason for being behind!)

For those that are using two complete math programs, how do you do it? Week on, week off (alternating the 2 programs) Mixing both programs during the school week 1 program as the dominant curriculum, with 1-2 days supplementation from program 2 Completely finish a "grade level" in Program 1, then do a "grade level" in Program B (then repeat w/ next "grade level") I'm trying to wrap my brain around using a possible 2nd curriculum for math this upcoming year and I'd love to hear how you manage it.

Also, can someone explain the difference between the HIG and the Teacher's Guide? ETA: nm, I think I see. HIG is basically for HSers...Teacher's Guide is for a classroom setting. So I wouldn't need the TG...right?

Which is what I was reading when I made my purchase. But now I'm concerned... So do you think supplementing CLE with the CWP or IP or EP isn't enough to get that Singapore benefit? That I would need to do the complete SM program? (I'll admit I'm a little overwhelmed by the number of items SM seems to require...) ANYONE ELSE HAVE THOUGHTS/OPINIONS? THANKS!

Well, I don't completely understand SM. What do you need to do the complete program (not extras)? Textbook + workbook + HIG + TM? Do you need all of that? Then there's EP + IP + CWP.....:001_unsure: I went with CLE b/c I read it was solid and easy to teach. This coming year is our first "official" year homeschooling (we did K this year, but mostly did a lot of nothing...and planning for next year. :001_huh:) Anyhow, I don't know that I can do both entire programs concurrently....but I'm interested in supplementing. I think. (I'm also considering working through CLE1 now and then picking up with Singapore and going on with just that...)

I'm getting increasingly antsy about my math choice for this coming year. I'm about to start CLE 1 Math with my DD (nearly 6); we'll be starting this week/1st week of May. I'm considering adding in another program with a different approach to math, to be done 1-2x a week.... what would you recommend? Singapore's EP or IP Singapore CWP or Math Mammoth 1/blue books I don't necessarily want a complete 2nd program with teacher guides and such. I like the idea & look of CLE, but I'm concerned that DD won't get the depth needed. (And I am not a math-y lady; literature/LA is my "thing.") Am I worried over nothing? Should I proceed withOUT supplementation? Or maybe just SM CWP? Any advice from those that have combined CLE with something else? THANKS!

Sorry to threadjack, but do Singapore levels line up roughly with grade level? I'm starting CLE1 with my DD (nearly 6) but I'm having 2nd thoughts and wondering about Singapore. If I add in the IP and CWP books, should I start 1A/1B (IP) and 1 CWP? Thanks. :)

:bigear: This has been helpful since we'll be starting all of those items in August. :)

Sounds pretty spot on to my 5 yr old girl. She can listen to a read-aloud for hours.... but the minute we are doing "work", it's "Awww, grumble grumble, can I just...first?" ETA: granted, we're doing mostly review & handwriting practice now...I also think once we start "real" subjects in a few months (science, history) she'll love it.

Well, I was going to reply earlier in the day and decided not to b/c we haven't actually started this... but since you haven't gotten any responses, I'll post my ideas as a bump. :) What we're doing this coming year is task cards. Similar in theory to workboxes. I have cards printed with the day's tasks/subjects and they are connected with a ring clip/carabiner. I can switch them out each day (or you can just print a ton and not have to change them out.) For my oldest DD, a sample set would include: Good Morning card (just for fun) Math card Reading/Phonics card Writing Lunch card Read-aloud Silent reading/quiet time chores "you're finished" card Free play card It's more like a portable schedule/planner. DD will flip through as tasks are completed. My youngest will have a stack of cards with daily play options (playdough or blocks, each day will be different). I used pics from google searches to make my cards. Perhaps, for older children who need motivation to work independently, you could insert "fun/surprise" cards in the stack that they can do once they get to them... ?

Well --not to jump in on the OP's thread-- but those that did not care for the God's Design series...what did you end up using?

Keep them coming! I now have Simplicity Parenting and Hold On To Your Kids waiting to be picked up from the library. I also like the looks of the 21 Rules of This House. Might be printing that out!

What is or has been your MOST EFFECTIVE parenting tool for managing behavior problems or encouraging positive behavior? Is it a book or a specific author/speaker? A parenting philosophy? A chart or technique? Simply being consistent with whatever you do? Thanks!

I like that first rule. And my girls are like this too....they BLOW THROUGH activities. Maybe reducing screen time will increase attention span... ? (or I hope so).

Thanks for this link! I really like those and it's a great alternative to -- yet another -- sticker chart. :) I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling with this. We watch WAY too much t.v. and I find it worse on mornings when we turn it on first thing. Then it tends to stay on alllllllll day (or it feels like it). I will definitely be rereading this thread and checking out the suggestions!