I don't really understand that part either. I tried to enroll for homeschool program on a farm or ranch and was turned down because we were told that it has contact with animals. As for curriculum, I guess those with Christian view points are striked out. I couldn't remember specifically which ones now. I just remember sending in a list and most of them didn't pass scrutiny. So, finally I either buy them myself or drop that route. But I know generic curriculum like Singapore, RightStart are alright. Science might be a bit tricky, because our choice are pretty much limited to RS4K or RSO. I think definitely not CLE or AOP or Abeka or Sonlight or My Father's World. I wish I have more info of the do's and don'ts.

I made mine when we first started with DD three years ago. I use blue and red paper, made little squares and wrote the letters, also laminated them and stuck magnet behind too. You can have an idea how it look like from the phonogram CD website. That was how I started. It was very flexible because I could create as many tiles as I like. I eventually bought the set when I started AAS1 again with DS this year.

we were doing an online program. Unfortunately there was too much repetition of the same stuff, the same lecture kept playing day after day, DD was so annoyed that she deliberately bluffed her way to kill the time. I caught her tricking the program but swapping the subject and object to see if the system can detect it. And it didn't! I didn't like it, that she's goofing around and not taking it seriously. After all, we've to pay for the course!

cheese / spinach ravioli

I think even when we are using another Maths program, the experience we have had with RightStart has proved indispensable. I find it almost second in nature to adopt the technique to explain a concept. And when we return to RightStart, we do not see a gap during the transition, as if we need to step back to familiarize again with the abacus etc. I remember teaching RS A with DD and DS was just a toddler. It was very challenging.

We had first day yesterday, too! We're still planning about history and science... but we jst do some geography, english and music .... guess we need more play and outdoor, DS said, 'I don't want to do school tomorrow!'

I like that... DD and DS always tell me how much they like to do school today. We have been very liberal and follow their cues. So... they never like B&M school (private) when I sent them in for try-out. They hate the homework and assignments so much!

I can totally relate to you. I don't know how many time we changed in the past few wks.. I think I'm getting the Back-2-School fever .. for working my brain too hard to glue together a curriculum.

Thanks. The website says it's revising Caesar's English, may be I should wait.

Looks like it'll be very much dependent on luck then. So may be we should check with families who have used the same K12 virtual school to get better first-hand info. Anyone used CAVA before on this forum?

Thanks for the heads-up!

Thanks.. I didn't read the fine lines. Wow!

Sounds to me, BA work better as a supplement rather than a stand-alone.

DS5 Spelling - AAS 1 Math- RightStart B History - SOTW 1 Art - Put out lotsa materials to use whenever they like, eg. acrylic, watercolors, paper, woodblocks Music - weekly piano lesson

I'm interested in BA too.... any thoughts would be greatly appreciated here.

The many worksheets might be overkilling. I select some and move on quickly and hopefully we would find the right spot to slow down soon.

RS D is more into worksheets. But the presentation is more interesting and varied from lesson to lesson. And that keep us plunging into it. I couldn't vouch much, because we're into lessons 45-ish only. Until now we're still revisiting addition and subtraction with simple multiplications in the warm-up. If you prefer something faster pace, you might prefer Singapore Maths. RS D is not moving as fast as I wish, and we're already trying to speed things up by doing a few lessons a day esp when we know that these are way too easy for DD. Even so, we're still learning something new (eg. check numbers).

This is our first time doing HS through OG too. I have to attribute my many a sleepless nights scrutinizing their vendor lists to find the right class and right curriculum. OG does have a lot of controls and limits on what you can buy and what lessons you can take. Even though a class is on the list, it does not mean you can take it. There are so many other restrictions like cannot hv any contact with animals, which rule out horse-riding or farming. Sectarian curriculum is also a big question mark here because what seems very secular would end up censored by OG. I'm frustrated, very very frustrated. After revising and revising our curriculum and activity plans for the hundredth time, I'm beginning to feel that OG is really not worth all the trouble. Another revision, I'll call it quit!

A Reason for Handwriting is also considered sectarian, how's that??

Silicon Valley

I fry tofu in pancake mix.. it's gorgeous! .... we're vegetarians....Ann

I was considering CA early this year too, but I didn't like to put my kids on the computer too much. I was talking to both CA and K12 rep. The CA rep did not give me a good overview how things work. And I didn't like that I couldn't mix and match according to skills. Actually I think K12 do a better job in walking me through the program. I like that they are willing to adjust the levels according to the child's need. Also, K12 keep assuring me that the online portion is not more than 5-10%, just to check for daily assignment etc. The rest of our days would still be activities and textbook just like how I want it to be. So, I think if I were to engage with virtual school, most probably I'll go with K12

I was tempted to use the Trail Guide too, but then I found something lighter on Amazon. The Geography Book: Activities for Exploring, Mapping, and Enjoying Your World The Complete Book of Maps and Geography, Grades 3 - 6 I think these works better as a gentle intro to geography, not so intimidating to teach (at least to me, it is)

Just to chip in our experience, I too have a DS going into 6 this Nov. We read some pages of Grammar Island to test the water. We were into some 30-ish page. But I figured the enthusiasm is just not there yet. I can't see the sparks when I produce the book. It's not the right time yet to introduce MCT to him. DD7.5 (going to be 8 end of the year), on the other hand, seems to find Grammar Island quite an attraction. She read the whole book in one evening. Now I'm ordering the Practice Island to let her continue with the daily sentence analysis. From here, I figured it's better to wait till DS hit 7.5-8, to put him on MCT Island.

Thanks for sharing the info. We probably go with open enrollment for the lower grades too. However, because our family would be traveling out of states mid next year, to Asia, we probably need the transcripts when we're away. It would come in handy when we return to ps the year after next. That was why I was hoping that we could have both open and private enrollment in one account. Looks like it won't work that way.