I would also be glad to help -- MT for 3-1/2 years, hs for 2-1/2. Take care, Suzanne

We have 3 sticks and 2 automatics. They would all be sticks if we hadn't gotten such good deals on the automatics. I like them because you save gas, have more power, and have better control in bad weather. Take care, Suzanne

Hi. I also agree with the Ambleside Online reading lists. My dd has enjoyed a lot of these. Take care, Suzanne

Also would have voted Rod and Staff. Take care, Suzanne

I'm with you on this. My aunt had a master's and refused to teach me or her children piano. I have a degree in piano and would not teach my nieces and nephew -- I was afraid it would strain our relationship when I had to get "tough"... However, dh was adamant that he wanted ME to teach dd7 piano this year. So, I am, and it is actually going great so far. She loves to practice, works ahead, loves to play duets with me. I was afraid piano would be just something else I was telling her to do, but it has instead turned into something special we enjoy together. That's not saying I'm planning on teaching her the whole way, just that it's working for now. Take care, Suzanne

Hi. Rod and Staff is Mennonite, not Amish. Here is a link to their 1st grade material. If you like the readers, you may also like the "God is Good Series" (9 short readers that are interesting for that age group). http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/list/Rod_and_Staff_Grade_1/ As you stated, the Pathway Readers are also sold by Rod and Staff, but it is a completely different curriculum. My personal preference is the Rod and Staff, although I know a lot of people like the Pathway Readers as well. Take care! Suzanne

I'll vote War and Peace. Jane Eyre was too depressing for me. Take care. Suzanne

Claire. :001_smile:

I bought the TM for 1st and was sorry I did. It was much easier to teach dd my way and just have her do the workbook. For 2nd grade I didn't buy the TM, and there were pages in the workbook that we didn't know what to do, one page every other lesson. (They were blank beehives...I assume it was some sort of drill with the questions in the TM). I felt there was plenty of drill without that -- each workbook lesson for 2nd grade has 4 pages. We're working through 3rd now, without the TM, and no problems at all. I would say if you feel confident explaining the basics, you don't need the TM. Take care, Suzanne

If he likes Peter Rabbit, what about Burgess? -- Burgess Animal Book and Bird Book both feature Peter. Burgess also wrote the Mother West Wind books. If he likes Robin Hood and Chronicles, what about The Wonder Clock or Otto of the Silver Hand by Howard Pyle? James Herriot's Treasury for Children -- Short animal stories/beautiful illustrations. Take care, Suzanne.

If you are in "ham country", why don't you find a couple of friends or relatives and go in together on a pig -- buy it at a livestock auction and have it butchered. We have done this, and it worked out to just a little over a dollar a pound for everything combined (ham, sausage, bacon, roasts, chops, etc.) Take care! Suzanne

What kind of transcription are you doing? Can you use expanders? I do medical, which I believe pays better, but still $4/hr sounds very low to me. Maybe look into a different company/account? Take care, Suzanne

Thanks for sharing these. I also appreciated all of the Spanish links on your blog. Take care, Suzanne

http://www.amblesideonline.org/

Has anyone tried either of these? I would appreciate hearing your experiences, good or bad. Also, any suggestions on how to make the most of a Spanish class or study group would be great. My dd7 and a friend, also 7, are currently taking weekly Spanish lessons from a teenager who is fluent in Spanish, having lived in Spain most of her life. They are having a great time, but the Spanish speaking does not seem to be progressing very fast...so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help! Suzanne.

It probably depends on you and your dc if you need the TMs. My dd is currently working through R&S 2nd grade math, reading, Patterns of Nature and Our Father's World. She does them all independently and enjoys them all. I don't use any TMs and don't have any problem answering her questions or checking her work. BTW, we are also Baptist, and I was first attracted to R&S because the content and style matches our beliefs better than any of the other Christian curricula I could find. I use Ambleside Online/Charlotte Mason approach for everything else we do, and it seems to be a good balance so far. Hope you find what works for you! Take care, Suzanne

I would add more beans, or possibly some corn. Take care, Suzanne

How about -- Just about any of the Chopin waltzes. Chopin "Butterfly" etude. Also, I like Prokofiev Opus 12 -- Perhaps the Prelude in C or the Humoresque Scherzo Take care, Suzanne

Do you have estate sales (auctions) in your area? My husband got our current micro for $1 at an auction. It's an older style but has worked fine for the last 4 years. Take care, Suzanne

Love it! Perfect for my brother, sil and their 4 kids -- I'm making one. Thanks! Suzanne

We are doing AO Year 2. I read half the readings aloud, and dd7 reads half to herself. She orally narrates both -- works out to about 2 readings/narrations per day. After her narration, I will often make a few comments on either the history or to help with her understanding of some of the terms or phrases (a la Charlotte Mason's "grand conversation" described in her writings). We fill in dates on a timeline every couple of weeks. We refer to maps and/or a globe either before or after the reading (takes just a few minutes). I find this very easy to implement. I also find that my dd retains a lot of the information. It is not uncommon for her to mention stories that we even read last year in her general conversation. Take care, Suzanne

We do something similar -- Rod and Staff for Reading, Math and English and AO for everything else. This is our 2nd year, and it is working out great. My dd7 loves both! Take care, Suzanne

Just wanted to let you know we feel the same way. We are Christians, and we do not have anything to do with Halloween. Take care, Suzanne

I work at home 40 hours a week with a 2nd grader and a baby. My dd7 is good at working independently, as we have been hs through K. We do: AO year 2 readings -- She does 1 reading independently daily, and I read 1 out loud. Rod and Staff Math 2 -- She does 1 lesson independently. Rod and Staff Reading 2 -- She does 1/2 to 1 lesson independently. ** For reading and math, I only explain new concepts and check at the end. Handwriting/Spelling -- Copywork from Bible verse, hymn or poetry, which she does independently. She also practices the piano and does a Spanish lesson fairly independently daily (We have a Spanish tutor and also use La Clase Divertida videos). This takes her about 2 hours a day. It takes me approximately 45 minutes to an hour, and I can cook lunch, clean the kitchen and entertain the baby while she is doing her lessons. We do all the extras as we have time, not as often as I would like, but that's the best we can do right now. Hope you find something that works for you. Take care, Suzanne

Can I ask which documentary? :) Thanks.