We have CLE's Learning to Read and Language Arts program lined up for the fall. CLE describes it's LA program as: Sounds complete, right? But I can't shake my interest in FLL and WWE. Here are my options: Return all of CLE and use OPGTR (have), FLL & WWE (don't have). Keep CLE LTR (phonics), return CLE LA. Use LTR + FLL + WWE. Keep CLE LTR + LA. Use FLL and WWE as separate/extra practice (relaxed). Do CLE LTR + LA this year. Begin FLL & WWE next year. Thoughts? Just to get a feel for how full our year will be, we'll also be using CLE's Math, and light geography, art & science (of my own picking/choosing -- "living" book based).

Me too! I've been deep cleaning drawers and cabinets and tossing out old hair products (& the like) from, oh...2002. :001_huh: And my lil' girls have been enjoying some wonderful outside play while I do this. Everyone's happy. :D (And after this initial burst of productivity, I'll return to my regularly scheduled slackness...)

I received my CLE materials (for next year) this week. After flipping through the Reading items ("I Wonder" and LUs 101-105) I've decided that we really don't need them. Plus, I think the dictionary spelling (schwa stuff) is a little confusing and can wait until later... Anyway, does my 1st grader even need a formal reading program? We'll already be doing LTR and the LA, so she'll be getting plenty of phonics, writing practice, grammar....right? Can we simply supplement with reading REAL books and doing our own comprehension/retelling/basic narration & notebooking? Sound like a good idea? Also...does a child using CLE need an additional, formal handwriting program (i.e. Zaner-Bloser workbooks or something?) I think CLE has TONS of writing already...think it's sufficient? THANK YOU so much for all the opinions & feedback you guys so freely give! It really is helpful to us newbie-homeschoolers!!! :hurray:

We just got ours in the mail this past week. DD previewed all the items, as I was checking it over and putting away for next year. She begged and begged to go ahead and begin! :thumbup: And as we're only doing some kiddie devos, I say "Ummmm....YES!" (Can't turn down a kiddo who's begging for Bible!!!)

I'm in charge of the Children's Ministry at our church, and I've been looking around for good easter activities/crafts that are meaningful...they're hard to find, surprisingly! Here are some I'm considering (I have to plan for 1 Easter event and 2 Sunday's worth of children's church, LOL): Memory Match http://www.christianpreschoolprintables.com/Pages/Easter/EasterMemoryMatch.html Make-your-own Resurrection Eggs http://www.christianpreschoolprintables.com/Pages/Easter/EasterResurrectionEggs.html http://ministry-to-children.com/easy-easter-crafts/ Painting, yay! http://ministry-to-children.com/painted-cross-craft-project/ Booklet http://ministry-to-children.com/easter-sunday-cross-craft/ http://www.dltk-bible.com/mrollstoneangel.htm

Same here. All I can say is research-research-research. (But even that may not preserve you from mistakes!) I have a K'er now. Had I a chance to do this year over? I'd do Letter of the week and just enjoy it without stressing out over curricula. :D (No worries, lil' sis will benefit from my guinea-pig eldest.)

I'm definitely on the "you need to learn cursive" team (for the reasons listed above: being able to read historical texts, etc). Just curious: for those that teach cursive from the beginning...do you go back and teach print later? :confused:

Okay, great! Thanks for the feedback. *shew!* :D I'm reading TWTM for the first time and really enjoying it....but at the same time, it's hard to not question what we're doing (especially those parts that don't fit perfectly into TWTM formula).

My mind is at war: what I already have planned vs. the recommendations in TWTM. My already-laid plans: 1st - mapping skills/basic geography 2nd - study of our state (some history, Lost Colony, Wright brothers, etc) 3rd - US study (50 states, colonial times) 4th - World study (countries & cultures) That would have us starting Ancients w/ my oldest a 5th grader (and my youngest, 3rd). Has anyone who has followed a classical plan miss that grammar-stage cycle? Do you feel like you missed out? My oldest will JUST be in first grade next year, so technically I could change my plans... I just don't wanna.:sneaky2: Do you think it would be too much to do SOTW as read-alouds (in addition to my above plan), just to get it in her brain. No activities, no notebooking. Just reading w/ some retell (like bedtime stories)? I wonder if it would be confusing... I'm so torn. Opinions please!

We like the Rod & Staff workbooks too (the About Three series). Much of it, my 3 yr. old can do on her own. We also like to take cheapie workbooks, remove the binding, and put them in page protectors. Then they can use them over and over w/ a dry erase pen.

We watch it. I really like it!

Those links were really helpful! Thanks for sharing - they're just what I was wanting! :)

I was also disappointed with MFWK (and I wanted SO badly to love it). The problems could've been me, though... Wastes of money: almost every cheap-o workbook that I've bought on a whim (um...and there've been a lot)

Well, after doing some more reading, it looks like it takes quite a while to work through Ordinary Parents Guide.... So, I guess, new question: would it be a good source to help DD learn letter sounds more firmly? And could I either continue on alongside CLE LTR or up until that point (6 solid months of it or so)? Any suggestions? Should I just skip OPGTR?

If I were to do OPGtTR for Kindergarten (5yo), would doing CLE's 1st grade LTR/phonics program be boring or redundant (with it's gentle start and basic phonics)? Or would it be okay b/c of CLE's inclusion of actual WRITING with the phonics/etc...? (Boring or a confidence booster?) Thoughts? I'm interested in trying OPG for the remainder of this year (DD is weak on some letters/sounds) before starting CLE in the fall (already purchased, so that's non-negotiable). TIA!

It never occurred to me to use more than one! :001_huh: I just *assumed* that a purchased math curric. is complete and whole and doesn't require supplementation.... :confused: (FWIW, we have CLE1 Math on the way next year. I wouldn't know what to add to it even if I could...)

I have to come up with something this year; we're coming up on the time when we have to make it legal w/ the state. It's a difficult process!

Haha, I'm loving this thread. When people make inappropriate statements re: my decisions/family, I tend to be of the stammering/blushing/mumbling/shrugging sort. :001_huh: (But I can come up with all manner of witty replies later. Much later. :glare: )

Okay, I'll admit...I've avoided the Classical model of education. After all, I've got 4 years of college training as a teacher + several years of teaching in the public schools and we never did any of that stuff! (:rolleyes: please note sarcasm...) Last year an acquaintance of mine read TWTM as a pre-requisite to enter her child into a private academy. It was as though she'd consumed some cult Kool-Aid; every time we spoke (she knew I was going to homeschool) she was pushing this doggone book. "You have GOT to read this!" "It'll change how you look at education!" Yeah, right. Crazy nut. Well, I've been frequenting this forum b/c it's a wealth of hs info/opinions, though I'm not teaching "classically." I'd planned on following the history cycles starting in the middle elem grades simply b/c I thought it was "cool" that my young child learn about the ancients. (I don't remember learning that in elementary!) Anyway, on a whim, I checked out TWTM from my library. Needed some "light" reading. :001_huh: Anyway.....WOW. WOW WOW WOW. I feel like I'm at a church revival. Every other sentence I read, I'm raising my hands and giving "AMEN!"s. (Actually, I'm not much of a hand-raiser in real life, but I digress...) But (at about 45 pg into it) I have not found a single thing I DON'T like...and most of what I read has made GREAT sense to me. I made my poor DH listen to countless excerpts last night. Anyway, just wanted to share. I should call my acquaintance...tell her I drank the Kool-Aid. :D

I've bought most of our curriculum new, but I do check Amazon to see if I can find books used, etc. I have found, however, that buying new doesn't guarantee I'll like it. :glare: (We bought MFWK Deluxe pkg + their Literature Collection --after much research-- only to find it wasn't a fit for us.) Luckily I was able to sell it and recoup most of our costs... Actually, I'm a little sticker shocked right now b/c I just ordered our 1st grade materials. Wowzer. And we went with one of the not-so-expensive programs (but not b/c of cost, but preference)! :001_huh:

Aw, sorry for your experience. We like our story hour, haha, but I never notice any snobbery. (I'm the one in the corner, in sweats and a ragged tee, reading a novel or checking through the big stack of book the kiddos picked out. ;)) Our town is pretty laid-back and artsy. Eclectic collection of people make it to our story time. Our only drama is everyone is bringing their reusable bags to check out tons of books....gotta race to get the good new ones on display. :D

I had this prob w/ our MFW attempt. I felt like we just weren't getting the fullest experience unless we did every.single.item.listed. And that didn't often happen. (We've only tried MFWK and made it 1/2 the year before we bailed.) Now, I do love how MFW plans out history (no formal in K & 1 and "drive-by" U.S. and world geography in 2nd & 3rd before beginning the 4 yr cycle); I probably will take this format and adapt it for ourselves (may or may not use their curriculum though).

My 3 yr old started having bowel troubles when she potty trained (she was never "regular" and often with harder BMs...after potty training, she had a span of "going" 2x in a MONTH w/ pain!) Anyway, the ped recommended Miralax. Said to give her 1/2 a dose each a.m. Also said that there are no side effects and that she can continue taking it as long as needed....even "forever" with no negative effects... Anyway, she's been taking it about 8 months now and things are going...smoothly. :)

Thanks again for the suggestions. And let me clarify re: the pizza/burger thing. If we had them in the fridge, I wouldn't have a problem with it. But I'm not making pizzas or burgers for this child to eat for breakfast. Part of our problem is these are 2 days/wk when we are somewhat rushed in the a.m, no time to cook. (Other mornings, I have no problem getting her to eat steel-cut oats or something I have time to make.) PROTEIN BARS: is there a type that is safe for children? DH & I often just eat a protein bar for breakfast, but we don't let our kids eat them b/c we're concerned the protein levels/etc are not appropriate for young kids...

How about: Honesty is the best policy - when there is money in it. ~ Mark Twain Um...no? Well, what about: Honesty is for the most part less profitable than dishonesty. ~ Plato Yeah...not feeling that either. :D Seriously, though....here are some with potential (non-religious): Honesty is the best policy. ~ Benjamin Franklin Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom. ~Thomas Jefferson No legacy is so rich as honesty. ~William Shakespeare Truth is such a rare thing, it is delightful to tell it. ~Emily Dickinson With lies you may get ahead in the world - but you can never go back. ~Russian proverb No man has a good enough memory to make a successful liar. ~Abraham Lincoln