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jamnkats

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Everything posted by jamnkats

  1. Wow, you gave me a LOT to check out there. THANK you! I was hoping the Latin study would take care of grammar? I LOATHED grammar in highschool (but hate poorly spoken English) but I'll look at your recommendations. Thank you again!
  2. It is pretty cool except during hurricane season. Ugh. :) I looked at Classical Writing and the samples I saw just looked so, well, so much like the Sonlight IG's. I had a GREAT writing preparation (school) and have read that composition seems to be the great downfall with homeschooled kids. Since both boys are interested in college, we're trying to get more formal with their "education". Unfortunately, we're very removed here and get once chance a year (when we head to the US for a buying spree) to purchase materials. The Galore Park materials look quite good and they are having a sale right now. What is the difference between the Prep books and "so you really want to learn x..."? Ok, I'm going to give Classical for Older another look. Thanks!
  3. My kids are 6, 8, 12, and 14. They have never been formally homeschooled as we are unschoolers. This was pretty easy to accomplish in the US, but a year ago we moved to Mexico and are now rather isolated both geographically (no phone service, internet by satellite only, closest town 15km away) and culturally. While on one hand, the kids recognize the difference between Aztec, Maya and Totonac architecture, my opportunities to schedule a robotics class or an art class, visit the symphony, etc. are rather limited. Last fall I ordered many of the non-religious Sonlight Core 1+2 and Core 5 books. I also have Singapore math and will be ordering Teaching Textbooks for the 12 and 14yos. So, history-wise and literature-wise, I am pretty comfortable with that which we have. The girls (6, 8 yos) have Spanish copywork and cursive books but they are still printing when writing. So, for Math I have Singapore for the girls and Teaching Textbooks for the boys. For literature I have all the Sonlight stuff. For history, I am happy with the Sonlight stuff. I am looking for Grammar/Composition for the boys. I've looked at Rod & Staff, CQLA, Easy Grammar, Growing with Grammar, Access Writing, Writer's Choice and Meaningful Composition. I LOVE Meaningful Composition but the sample pages don't show if it is as religious as the CQLA. I'm not really worried about grammar, per se, but more composition. I don't think the girls really need grammar yet. I just found Writer's Choice - any ideas if this is an engaging as Meaningful Comp? I can't find a sample yet. I have also looked at the Michael Clay Thompson (?) Grammar Island, Sentence Island, etc., but worry that since it comes from a website devoted to "gifted" children, my average kids will be overwhelmed. The girls aren't reading yet but the 6yo regularly does Headsprout a few times a week. The 8yo isn't ready yet. My 12yo didn't start reading until he was 10 so it doesn't worry me yet. I do plan on making sure she doesn't have any letter dyslexia or anything though. I'm thinking of Explode the Code also but haven't decided. For science we have lots of books and I''m not sure I want anything concrete for science. there is a guy in Alabama who has an online thing and I think we'll do Mythbusters and Krampf's videos. The 14yo is interested in learning Latin so I'm looking for something NOT DRY and engaging for him (and me, tbh!). I speak Spanish only to them an hour a day (sometimes all day very irregularly) so they are slowly picking up Spanish (we're so isolated they only play with local kids once a week or so). Art we do on the beach or the girls are CONSTANTLY drawing and Sonlight has the "How Artists See" series which I figure is good enough. So, I'm looking for suggestions on Latin, honing the boys writing skills and other ideas if you have any areas you think I'm lacking in.
  4. We are odd duck unschoolers who have used Sonlight for a couple years now. I got 1+2 and 5 and we're still working our way through the books. I bought everything either on the For Sale forum or at Powells and Ebay as i wasn't interested in any of the IG's, the religous-based books, etc. They really have The Best Books. You can easily do Sonlight by using your library and googling lesson guides for specific books to provoke dialogue with your kids about the books and spend very little money on it.
  5. Wow! I am really impressed with this program but I also really dislike the whole computer based part of that, even though it would fit our lifestyle very well. I really would miss the whole personal interaction also and wonder about the AI interface. The demo was VERY intriguing, enlightening and impressive. I guess since our kids are all going to be computerheads anyway, my personal problem with the interface shouldn't be such an issue. Very nice and meaty demo!
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