I haven't used GSWL, but for me, I have problems figuring out certain sounds made by certain letters by listening to an audio recording. I had this problem in college when taking a beginning Spanish class--I checked out some learn-to-speak-Spanish tapes to help me outside of class, and although I could see the words in print in front of me, I couldn't tell how they were pronouncing certain letters. I have the same issue with Latin, except I was able to figure it out from the info in both the TM & student book. I would likely have the same problem with GSWL mp3s, unless the book explicitly says how to say certain sounds. When this is lacking, I can figure it out by a combination of seeing the word in print, hearing it, and seeing someone say the word. I now have the MP LC1 DVDs both as an enjoyable supplement--something that keeps us coming back--and as a help in pronunciation if needed.

The first time I tried Latina Christiana I didn't get it--I think we did one or two lessons. I put it away and got it out a year later. I spent some time reading through the materials--both the teacher guide and the student book this time--and I thought I just wasn't going to get it, but all of a sudden it clicked. A big part of the problem was that the teacher book has some information on pronunciation that the student book doesn't have, and the student book has some information that the teacher book doesn't have. I didn't have the DVDs at that time, but I did have the CD. We were able to use LC successfully until my bad habit of putting things off took over and we took several months off from LC. But we did get 4 weeks done :) and we'll be returning to it soon. So, that's my advice--don't go just by samples or the teacher's book--read the introductory pages of the student book also.

I would agree with this--in school I took Saxon 7/6, skipped Algebra 1/2 (pre-algebra), and took Algebra 1 & 2. I struggled a bit in Alg 1, but did OK--but I think I could have done better with Alg 1/2 first. The teacher allowed us (by invitation only--and I had to ask for my invitation ;) ) to skip pre-algebra and go on to Alg 1 if we got an A in 7/6 (I think I was borderline B+/A-). I struggled in Alg 2, but that's mostly because I didn't bother to do my homework. (ETA: this was late 80's, so the progression of the books may be different now. My school did 7/6, Alg 1/2, then Alg 1. No 8/7. Or I might have it wrong and we did 8/7 before 1/2. Maybe I took 8/7 then Alg 1. Maybe you shouldn't listen to me! :) )

Lial's Algebra is also often recommended on these boards. http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Algebra-Lial-Developmental-Mathematics/dp/0321437268/ref=la_B001IGHINC_1_29?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405437101&sr=1-29

Ruth, when you educated yourself on how to teach writing, did you do any of the assignments--essays, papers, etc--or did you "just" (not to minimize your effort!) read about writing through all these sources you've listed in this thread?

We will be using Joanne Calderwood's Student Planners (urthemom.com) this year. This past spring (April 2014) I made my own, loosely based on hers to see if it was something we could do and continue doing, not having done any kind of planner or lesson planning before. (Once I knew we could keep it up, I bought the planners, but we will start them at the beginning of September.) I help my girls plan out one week of school work. Each day they mark off assignments as they complete them. Once they get the hang of how much work I expect them to do, I allow them to fill out the week themselves, but I check to see if what they wrote was reasonable (I had one who thought she could do a lot more than she actually could, and then she couldn't complete all the work--this is my one who either tries to do the bare minimum, or thinks she can do an incredible amount of work in one week [all of SM 4A]). I keep them on task, make sure they finish everything on their planner for the day, and check their work. 5th grade plan: We've already started, but we don't have all the subjects back into the rotation yet. Singapore Math: a little behind, just started 4A; hoping to get through 4A & 4B in 2-3 months. Key to Fractions: about halfway or more through book 2. Will start Key to Decimals after SM 4A before beginning 4B. Adapted Mind (adaptedmind.com) if we can remember to use it. New American Cursive book 2 A Reason for Spelling Level E Writing Strands Level 3--would like to finish this in one semester (this might be a bit ambitious, as it's 76 days if I counted correctly--we could do it in about 15 weeks if we do 5 days a week) and then start CAP Writing & Rhetoric book 1, Fables MP English Grammar Recitation (just the recitation, not the workbooks) Daily Grams--Grade 4, 2 days at a time; hope to move into Grade 5 soon Famous Men of Rome--about halfway through Famous Men of Greece--haven't started SOTW 1 Ancient Times--want to listen to the CDs one time through hope to move to Middle Ages after the above is finished God's Design for Life: The Human Body then God's Design for Chemistry & Ecology set MP Latina Christiana 1--started last fall & got through 4 lessons...fell by the wayside, so I plan to pick it back up soon--I have the DVD now and will add that to our lesson time. Notgrass--Walking in Faith

For those of you who have used Memoria Press online classes, can the student watch the session again at a later time? So, for example, if the student is not good with an oral presentation, can they listen to it again, pausing as needed?

I switched from RS to Singapore after RS A and a little bit of B. There were lots of times when dd wanted to "do math" but I didn't want to--so I needed something that she could do mostly independently. I chose Singapore because it's supposed to be the same kind of thinking about math--the Asian way. Most of the manipulatives pictured in the book are the same as the actual manipulatives that RS uses, so I knew dd would be able to transition easily. I don't remember what grade she was in when we switched, but it was probably first grade, so we would have started with Singapore level 1a & 1b. (this is dd10)

Mine has velcro also, which I think helps, but the one I sit on comes out more than the one dh sits on (we're creatures of habit--there's his spot and my spot).

I don't know anything about discrete mathematics and had to look it up. Still don't know if I get it, but it looks like more advanced math to me. How would you introduce it at a younger age? Are there any particular math curriculum that you know of that does this?

I'm going to add my own notes to Courtney's [edit--Ack! Just realized I spelled her name wrong. Corrected!]. I'm using the 4A workbook & textbook to answer your questions.

I have a couple of questions: Why did you go from Saxon pre-alg to Foerster alg? How are they different? How does Singapore DM differ from other pre-alg & alg courses? It sounds like it has integrated geometry...and more story problems? What else?

I don't use the full curriculum for several reasons. One is that I was already using other things when I came across MP. I've decided I like some of those enough or better than MP's options to not switch. I've also looked at some of the MP subjects I was very interested in and decided it wasn't what I was looking for--Christian Studies is one of them--just not the format I want right now. I will start working in more of their materials as the years go on, but we're not on quite the same schedule as MP because we started at a different point. I would rather follow a history rotation closer to WTM, so we're not going to stick closely to MP's history rotation. We use Singapore Math, so I won't be using Rod & Staff Math. We have a different approach to English, spelling & writing, so I'll be using other materials for those as well. I don't like that the elementary science is life science/biology for 3 years (4th-6th grade). I like the WTM science rotation of biology, earth science, chemistry & physics, even if that's my ideal and not what actually happens ;) I also prefer more of a "just read" literature approach rather than read it an analyze it--at least at this point. So I might use their lit list as just that--more good books to add to our collection.

3rd: Greek myths; States & Capitals (I include this sort of thing & geography with history, all under the Social Studies umbrella) * summer reading before 4th grade: SOTW 1 4th: Rome; Geography 1--Middle East, North Africa, Europe * summer reading before 5th grade: SOTW 2 5th: Middle Ages; Geography 2--Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Oceania & the Americas * summer reading before 6th grade: SOTW 3 6th: Greece; The Thirteen Colonies & the Great Republic; 200 Questions About American History * summer reading before 7th grade: SOTW 4 7th: Book of the Ancient Greeks; Book of the Ancient World; Geography: Exploring & Mapping the World

Who administered the test? Did they make copies of the score sheet? We use the CAT (I administer it), and the instructions say to make a copy of the score sheet (or the test book if the answers are to be marked in the book, as they are in the younger grades). I would think this is mainly in case the materials are lost in the mail, but I'd also use it as evidence that the problems in question were completed. Then the burden of proof is on them to prove that the last 5 were not completed--not on me--I have proof here that they were. So it should be done on their dime. But if you don't have a copy, or whoever administered the test did not make/keep copies, then perhaps the burden of proof is on you--so you'd owe the $25 to have them look it up--in other words, their scoring machine said the last 5 were not completed, so the ball is in your court ($25 please!) to prove they were.

I don't use the teacher's guides. I bought it for the first set (don't remember which that was), but after getting into it, didn't end up using them. The book itself has some basic questions to ask at the end of each lesson, and there are often activities within the textbook. I do agree with supplementing--I don't always, but when we do more than just read the lesson & answer questions, I give the girls non-fiction books to read that relate to the lesson--Let's Read and Find Out Science, as mentioned above, Step Into Reading books that relate--there are lots of science books in that series, and various other non-fiction science picture books that I pick up here and there.

reading/asking about it here Cathy Duffy's site, publisher's site reviews/descriptions in homeschool magazines or catalogs--Schoolhouse Publishing magalog reviews a lot of the curricula they list viewing samples online viewing the books in person my own experience in using various curricula and figuring out what my style is and what fits my style--then I can select curricula after viewing in person, without needing the first 4 in this list. So--time/experience

Or, the people on the committee do a good job of choosing a curricula that they would like to use, but not all ps teachers would choose the same thing for themselves, just as we homeschoolers are not all attracted to the same curricula.

My MIL taught 4th/5th grade at ps. They had committees of teachers who decided which textbooks to use. For example, she volunteered for the committee to select the next math curriculum. Or maybe she was the committee--I can't remember. So she had books from many different math programs/publishers to review/evaluate, and then decide on (or maybe just recommend to the school/principal/school board?). So she or the committee made the choice for the rest of the teachers who were not on the committee.

Maybe you're viewing it more from the teacher's point of view (you, as an adult, teaching your child) than from the student's point of view (you, when you were a child/teen). That can make a huge difference. I'm sure most new teachers feel the inspiration/rush of teaching in the first few years, and "older" teachers may feel a bit of inspiration/rush when they get new books.

The TB is the teaching portion, while the WB and other books often are not. At the earlier levels you don't really need the TB. If there's something in the WB that isn't self-explanatory, you can teach it to your child separately (white board, scrap paper, manipulatives, whatever). But as the levels move up, you may need, depending on your own strength in math, the TB to help you explain the concepts to your child. This is where I ran into difficulty--I let dd10 just use the level 3 WB, but when it got to fractions (not just quarters, halves, thirds--the kind of things you can learn with pies, pizza, measuring cups), I couldn't remember how to explain certain aspects of fractions--simplifying, finding common factors, changing the denominators so fractions can be added, etc (I know now--she's working her way through Key to Fractions). The WB doesn't explain anything; it just gives extra work.

I don't use the HIGs, and I'm switching from using TB + WB or sometimes just WB to TB without WB--we're now using the TB as a WB--writing in it. I've found it's easier to get a used TB for a lower price than a used WB--when I do find a used WB the price is still pretty high if there's no writing. We use the TB as a consumable now. We do use some combination of CWP, IP & Extra Practice (EP), but I feel no obligation to do both A & B for IP.

We went from finishing RS A (and a few lessons of RS B ) to Singapore without a problem. I don't remember what level of Singapore we started with after RS A (one of mine started with 1A and is finishing 2 now, the other has finished 3b), but it was an easy transition because the manipulatives pictured in Singapore were just like we used in RS (place value cards, for example) or used in the same way (pictured) that we used actual RS manipulatives.

Is she planning to do it again next year? Is there a date yet?

:iagree: This. I tend to notice a head covering here and there, maybe hot pink hair, and cute babies. That's pretty much it. Oh, and the first day (I went to the GHC in Cincinnati this weekend), I had the misfortune of noticing 2 ladies who really should've worn longer shirts and exposed more flab than I was comfortable being exposed to. :ohmy: I really don't care what other people wear, just cover your belly. :thumbup1: