We've never used a reading program here and do not regret that decision.

If you just started this week, don't feel bad for not having your "a-ha" moment yet. It takes a while to get into a rhythm with it, but it will come. I am in my 4th year teaching CW, with one in Diogenes: Maxim, one in Homer B, and one in Aesop A. Homer was by far the hardest for me to wrap my brain around. It took a number of months to feel like I "got it." I can honestly say, though, that I am so very, very pleased with this program. I would do it all again if I had to. It is methodical, thorough, and challenging, and my oldest is churning out some really fantastic writing. HTH,

Welcome, Tammy!

leftovers - honestly I love making extra of dinner the night before (soups, enchiladas, pasta) and just reheating it. If there are no leftovers we frequently do pasta w/ butter and shredded cheese, peanut butter or Nutella roll-ups on whole wheat tortillas, or snack-plates w/ cheese & crackers, popcorn, veggies, and fruit.

No, all the poems are in the book. No worries.

Hooray! We are a SOTW-loving family, as well. I am in my 7th straight year teaching SOTW to some sub-set of my children...and I still enjoy it!

I have been using this program for 4 years and I really, really like it. We are just about to complete level 3. I agree that the CD is overpriced, but with 5 children I feel as though I will get my money's worth over time. Plus, it makes it so easy to get it done every day, and in my book that's nearly priceless. I play the CD every day, listening to the poem we just completed once and the new selection 3 times. Then we spend 5-10 minutes reviewing the section we are working on. I personally do not use the review charts, as we have our own system for reviewing . We manage to review all the poems at least once a week in our morning memory-work time. We also do poetry recitation once a week. I printed out a list of all the poems we had learned so far and placed them in a jar. My children pick one, and recite it in front of the whole family. Each child recites 2-3 poems each Monday.

My 6th and 7th graders are reading the following assigned literature: Adler, Mortimer J.: How to Read a Book Perrault, Charles: The Complete Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault Swift, Jonathan: Gulliver’s Travels Bunyan, John: The Pilgrim’s Progress Wordsworth, William: “Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey†“Lucy Gray†“Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802†“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud†Coleridge, Samuel Taylor: “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner†Irving, Washington: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow & Rip Van Winkle Franklin, Benjamin: Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Franklin, Benjamin: Way to Wealth Penn, William: Maxims Henty, G.A.: In the Reign of Terror: The Adventures of a Westminster Boy Melville, Herman: Bartleby Cooper, James Fennimore: The Deerslayer Rosetti, Christina: “A Birthday†Carroll, Lewis: Through the Looking Glass Ellis, Joseph: His Excellency: George Washington Austen, Jane: Sense and Sensibility Shelley, Mary: Frankenstein Twain, Mark: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Pope, Alexander: Essays on Men and Other Poems Dickens, Charles: Oliver Twist Tennyson, Alfred Lord: “The Lady of Shalott†& “Tears, Idle Tears†Browning, Elizabeth Barrett: “How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways.†McCullough, David: 1776 Poe, Edgar Allan: “The Raven†& “Annabel Lee†Asbjrnsen, Peter Christen: East o’ the Sun and West o’ the Moon Douglass, Frederick: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave Harris, Alex and Brett: Do Hard Things MacArthur, John: The Gospel According to Jesus For fun they both read widely. My daughter just finished re-reading the whole Harry Potter series and my son has been reading lots of historical fiction and loves to read and re-read our history encyclopedias.

Agree. I have successfully taught four superb readers with Phonics Pathways. Simple, affordable, and you already own it :-)

Math: LOF Fractions and Decimal and Percents followed by NEM1 Writing: Classical Writing Maxim Diogenes & Intermediate Poetry (online tutorial) Grammar: Harvey's Latin: Latin for the New Millennium (will start in November) History: The Teaching Co.'s Early American History Science: Exploring Creation With Physical Science Memory: Scripture and IEW's Poetry (Level 4) Literature: WTM lists Music: Piano PE: fencing

Here's my favorite: 1000 Good Books

We are about 3 miles away from the western edge, but on the other side of the freeway, thankfully. The air quality is miserable...lots of smoke and falling ash. It was just yellow all day today...never saw the sky. I know FlockofSillies is very close to the fire's edge. I hope you get to stay in your home. (I have some pics of the smoke posted on my blog.)

I just voted, as well.

Yes. $35 per child, plus vest/books costs when needed.

Sadly, 60-90 minutes, depending on traffic. My hubby calls it, "Living the L.A. dream."

Definitely need a schedule. I find it so much more relaxing when everyone knows what to do next. It's much less pressure on me. Plus, everything gets done (usually!) My kids appreciate the schedule, as well. Days seem smoother, overall.

Window crayons are a great idea! When I started room time with all of my kids, we just did 10 minutes, and slowly increased as they were able to stay in longer. I agree that one year olds are tougher. Maybe some Color Wonder in the high chair?

Well, he has done it a couple of times, but he doesn't like getting wet with his clothes on (praise God!) So, he hasn't tried it again. :-)

My son takes notes and creates outlines by hand. All final work is typed, such as writing projects and history essays.

We have never used a curriculum for manuscript. Just copying. We begin cursive in third and use D'Nealian for that.

We don't do workboxes, but here is what my two year old does every school day: table time: paints, crayons, puzzles, etc. room time: we have worked up to about 45 minutes of quiet room time every morning. He plays with his trains, cars, or Duplos most of the time. I also put on a story on CD. playtime w/ siblings: Each of his older siblings has a 30 minute time slot to play with him. They do anything from dressing up, to pushing him on the swing, to building elaborate train sets bath tub crayons: he will sit in there, fully clothed, and draw for quite a while DVD's: He watches one Thomas, Bob the Builder, or Letter Factory video every morning naps: He still takes a nice, long nap and we get TONS done during this time!

Well, at that point we move into Classical Writing and just use Harvey's, which CW recommends beginning in the Homer year. I really like FLL and think it simply and easily prepares kids for upper levels of grammar very well.

I really, really liked my Peanut Shell.

Glad I could help, Brindee. Thanks for the thumbs up on the TC course. I don't know anyone who has used it, but we thought the first lecture was pretty neat.

I am going to have him keep a journal with questions, vocab., and summaries as we go. We will spend an hour or so every Monday discussing his reading from the previous week. He is already doing quite a bit of writing in history (Teaching Co's High School Am. History) and Classical Writing: Diogenes Maxim, so I don't want to overload him.