No! Just jump in the comments here and put what you got done, what were your highlights, even attach pictures, whatever--if it helps you, join in!

I start my kids with ABeka's cursive in first. It's very pretty. :)

I think you do need the TM, phonics workbook, and I'd also get the readers. You don't need too many of the flash cards sets outside of the basic phonics flash cards set, which I think is wonderful. The 8x11 phonics charts would also be helpful.

for what you describe here, ABeka would work well. My kids aren't natural readers, but ABeka's constant drill and phonics workbooks help a lot.

Anyone want to start these up again? I've seen a lot of people starting school, but don't know how many homeschoolers have started up yet. We school according to the calendar year (Jan.-Dec.) so we didn't take a break. Anyway, if you all want to start accountability/encouragement reports again, here's mine for the week! Navigating Our Way Through African Life

Our family motto is "All Things Under Christ's Feet" 1 Corinthians 15:27--the first part reads, "For he hath put all things under his feet." Here's a short poem I love by Felix Mendelssohn: Love the beautiful, Seek out the true, Wish for the good, And the best do!

I managed to get the extension and then download my copy using your tutorial, Stripe, thank you very much! It is disorganized, but after deleting a bunch of extra stuff, there remains about 52 MB of good stuff in there (originally about 80). It's downloaded by tags and by archives, so every post is probably doubled. Anyway, I think I can search on my computer for certain things as well, like "freeborn" to bring up the article recommended above.

I'm reading it now. Bought it for $10 for kindle. I agree with the other more positive reviews. I really like the section on blobbing, but my current impression is that it wasn't quite worth $10 for me.

Have you thought of keeping your original choices and just adding a Progeny Press guide for the literature? TLP also has a few focus guides that are cheaper but don't cover all of LA.

What do you all think of the Lemony Snicket series?

Yes, that's what I'd like too! :)

Kathie, thank you! So you use all of the writing and grammar in Aesop and beyond, parts of the spelling and vocab; then in addition you do a spelling program and occasional grammar. You do a separate lit program, and don't pull copywork, narration, or dictations from your history or lit, but solely do those with CW? How do you decide when to add R&S into the mix?

When you read through the lit selections in ELTL for the narrations, about how long does it take you per day just to do the reading portions? Do you read a chapter in each book per day? Isn't that a bit long for narrations? I don't think I really have time for that in addition to everything else I'm doing, IYKWIM.

What levels of ELTL are you referring to here? And CC is Classical Comp from MP? Thanks! Would you mind elaborating just a BIT more if you have time on your unhappiness with the Homer level?

What is your favorite level of LLATL? I've heard some not-so-great reviews of it, but I thought some people said, "___ level is pretty good..." Which level is that for you?

We're halfway through 2nd grade right now and I'm looking ahead for what writing program to buy for next year, since we're overseas and my FIL is visiting in September; so he can bring stuff over for me. My problem is that I don't know where I'm headed in writing or what is even important. I am attracted to language programs like CW, Write from History, or ELTL, which are classical or CM with a classical flavor, that integrate spelling, grammar, copywork, narration, dictation, vocab, and even lit analysis into one program. Right now we're using FLL and WWE, but I try to do narrations from our science, history, or lit readings, and make copywork from our lit, instead of using WWE's workbook. I would like to streamline all of this as much as possible, which is why I ditched WWE's workbook so that we weren't using random snippets of lit. For those of you who use CW or other all-in-one programs, I need some advice... Is it worth the price to buy the program, if you don't use all of the components? When I look at CW's primer, for example, I love the nature study and picture study, and the copywork and narration, but I think I would feel pressured to use the phonics and spelling components, even though I already have those covered better through other curricula. Then on top of that, we're still not reading literature connected to our history or current lit, and the grammar seems light--which leads me to my next question... If I am drawn to CW for most of the components, but feel that the grammar is lighter than FLL or R&S (just based on what I can tell for now) for the grades 1-4, is grammar really that important? Is the grammar "enough" in CW Aesop and Primer levels specifically or Write from History? Should I go more CM and teach grammar through writing if I like a certain writing program that isn't as strong as, say, R&S in grammar? OR.... Should I pick the strongest curriculum for each subject, and if I like CW writing only use the writing portions? (I don't want to use only R&S, though; I know I at least want to use CW or CAP for writing.) Is it worth switching to an all-in-one for my sanity and saving time and for the strong writing components? I run across similar problems with ELTL--I like certain things, but I still would like to combine narrations with the history and lit we're already doing, not add on yet more readings every day. Even though it goes through entire books, still, they weren't the books I was going to read at that time. Or is it worth it just to save the time from having to organize my own curriculum? Then I'm noticing that many of the curricula do dictations kind of differently than WWE. They are more studied dictations. So I guess some of my basic questions come down to philosophy of grammar and writing. I had sold myself on SWB's philosophy of early, rigorous grammar, and WWE's way of copywork, dictation, and narration; but now I'm wondering if the other philosophies are more age-appropriate. I feel confused. I had thought I'd do WWE and FLL for grades 1-2, then R&S grammar from then on (I have levels 3-5) with AAS spelling levels 1-4 followed by R&S spelling. I knew I wanted to add CAP or CW for 3rd-4th grade writing, but when I see all of the components in CW, I wonder whether I should use R&S or not, etc. I want to use too many things! How do I choose or narrow down? How much is enough grammar, spelling, and writing per day, and how much is too much? Sorry this is too long. I want to get solid curricula for each subject, but don't want to kill my kids by doing too many overlapping items, and so like the idea of an all-in-one.

I feel so lost with writing, and I think it's so important. I really want my kids to have much better instruction than I received, and I want to learn myself. Would it be beneficial to put myself through WWS1? Or should I rather invest in things like TWJ from BW or IEW's TWSS? I already bought D'Angelo's Composition book and Horner's Rhetoric text.

Which writing program is most teacher-intensive: CAP, CW, or WWS? Which will be most difficult for me to teach with 4 kids close together? I feel like I need to know where I'm headed so I can stick with a writing program instead of switching back and forth.

I like your original plan better of SOTW with cLP reader and reading road maps. That said, I'm looking at using FIAR with my littles when they get to 1st, since their older brothers will be doing older curriculum... :)

I've been researching classical writing curricula lately, and noticed this or that curriculum being described as whole to parts or parts to whole. I don't completely understand what that means and how it bears on my decision. Further, how do I know which one I am, and which one my children are? Does that become clearer as they get older?

I am really struggling to decide between CAP and CW. Has anyone tried to use both? :) For example, use Aesop A for one semester and CAP Fable for the next, maybe in 3rd grade, or switch every other week? Then Aesop B and CAP Narrative 1 for 4th grade? Is that overkill on the fables? If you do use both, which would you start with? That'd probably get pretty expensive for just 3rd-4th grade, too...

Rose, I'm wondering for your younger daughter, if you read the fables to her? Was she able to read them on her own? I was looking at prices on Rainbow Resource vs. CAP's prices, and wondered if the mp3 audio files are worth it, or if a child can easily read the selection on his own. I was thinking to do it more towards the end of 3rd grade.

Has anyone used Reading Roadmaps from Center for Lit? Would it help do WTM discussions for lit in 5-8th grades? Is it worth $29 for the pdf? Does it need to be used with Teaching the Classics, or could it stand on its own? Thanks!

I am looking at Phonetic Zoo for an independent spelling program for the future. I was just wondering a few things. First, it seems really expensive. But is that a one-time price for all of my spelling needs for all of my children for the grade levels mentioned? In other words, are there any consumable parts that need to be purchased again for younger siblings when they come through the program? And does it really take 2-4 years to finish a level (Level C says it covers grades 9-12)? Second, do they ever go on sale? I'm considering this program or R&S.

Apparently I can't get google books for free, maybe because I'm overseas? (in SA) I just bought the set online though. :) Excited to use them.