Well, I have one DD with ADD, and one DD that's a perfectionist. Singapore math has worked well for them. We do work "behind" grade level. I'm fine with this - it's really challenging math IMO. We also use cuisenaire rods extensively. Even when my daughter "gets it", sometimes she still liked them sitting on the table. I'm okay with that. I definitely like that there aren't so many problems for each exercise in SM. We work a lot of the textbook problems orally, and I make sure to give her short lessons. She just can't focus for longer than 15- 20 min at a time. Later in the morning/day she'll work the workbook on her own. I run the IP books 1 semester behind as well - this is great for review, and the challenge problems are more appropriate at this time. This is my opinion, of course. ;) This doesn't really answer your curriculum query...but we recently added Bedtime Math (found it at the library!) to our evening routine, and it's given my girls a real boost and application for all that hard work in math. Just wanted to throw that out there. Hope you find something that works for your gal! :)

Farrar, I would e-mail the author directly. She will give you a clear picture about the creation/evolution ideas in the books, and I am confident she wouldn't try to sway you either way. I can't answer because I don't own Zoology book. I do have Botony, but at the time we started it, it was really too advanced for my kids. Kathy and her husband are science fiction fans, and the books are intended to be a fun, well written adventure book that you can add more reading to if you want to flesh out the ideas. In her additional reading lists in Wayfarers, there are 2 reading lists: one for young earth, and one for old earth. Not sure if that helps you or not.

Thanks all! I noticed that the CD is cheaper at RR than a download, but not 25% off… I can wait a bit for a Kagi sale. Anyone know when those are? ETA: It's plainly on her site when those sales usually run. Sorry, I should've done my research - I completely missed that!

Yeah, I know it's already super cheap :) I'm not sure if I should wait for a homeschool buyer's co op because I'm looking at getting just the grade 4-6 Light Blue Series in a download or CD. I have never looked at MM HSBC sales before - is that usually an option? Thanks for helping a gal save a few bucks.

I use ELTL with my 3rd and 4th grade girls. We do other school reading, and free reading, and I also use Reading Lessons through Literature for my girls spelling instruction. (Written by the same author.) Spelling IS covered through dictation in level 3 and up, however, so an additional curriculum wouldn't be necessary. Soon, my girls will transition to prepared dictation instead of a separate spelling program. A note, my 4th grader uses ELTL Level 3, and I won't start my 1st grade son (young for his grade) with ELTL until 2nd grade. I think he could handle it, but I'm not in a rush, so right now we work on fluency in reading, and copy work. Hope this helps!

We're happy users of Barefoot Ragamuffin curricula. Like Erin, I have pieces of all products. I love how everything all comes together and can be tailored to each of your children, while still all staying on the "same page". I wanted to add my comments to the bolded, above. I totally agree Mimicoto, about "scheduled" curricula, and it's what's kept me from ever doing anything like that. HOWEVER, with 5 young children, I thought I'd give this one a try, and we've been using Wayfarers for almost a year. We have DEFINITELY had rabbit trails, and even took a break for a month and a half from the schedule. What we did was continue the progression in our skill areas, chase rabbits when we felt like it, and then just returned to the schedule where we'd left off. (Yes, this resulted in me finishing the year of Wayfarers later than planned, but it didn't matter so long as we progressed/kept momentum in skills areas.) Sometimes I just replaced some of the assigned reading with whatever trail we were on if I really felt the urge to finish the spine, or whatever. Not sure if any of this makes sense…just wanted to share how me managed to blend our desires for a "plan" with the ability to remain fluid and keep learning natural.

Another suggestion for Miquon. It's what my current 6yo uses. :D

yes, we do :)

We LOVE FIAR. :001_wub: I choose a book for the week and we read it together. I have looked through the manual ahead of time and we have a conversation covering different topics each day, but not all the ones in the manual. Daily, when we read the picture book again, they/we recall the lessons from the day before. My kids learn so much, talk about the books LONG after we've read them, and it's a great family-building time. You could add a ton to it, fleshing it out as much as you want for your homeschool. I don't (although my oldest children do other school reading.) For my 4 & 6 year olds, they do some phonics and math (completely unofficial for my 4yo, she's just ready) and that's pretty much all they do for "school". I have loved "doing school" this way for my early elementary years!!

I haven't used LOE, but we use RLTL with the LOE game book to shake up the learning/practice of the phonograms. This works really well for us as we like short and sweet. My girls actually LOVE it. I'm really glad I didn't spend money on anything fancier for them - lol :p

Diagramming begins in the 3rd level. This program has a more "classical" feel for the grammar portion, IMO -- memorizing the parts of speech, labeling parts of speech, diagramming, but all done in a more palatable format than something like Rod & Staff. Hope that helps!

I haven't read all the replies, just wanted you to know you are not alone! We ran into this same problem, and we just set aside SM for a bit (it was that frustrating to my DD), and did some other things. Among them: We played with division in Miquon (that really helped! smaller numbers, but helped conceptually.) We focused on multiplication, knowing that having those facts down will help, so she could just concentrate on steps during division Games We moved on to other things, and then came back to division…may have been maturity, but it helped. I like SM, and I'm glad we didn't abandon for another curriculum, however, I am glad to know this for my when my younger children reach this point. We will likely approach long division differently than presented in SM. Personally, I don't think a 3rd grader is ready for that level of abstract thinking. But I don't know everything, just my opinion. ;)

Yay! This is the one I purchased. :) thank you!

Do I want the 48 card deck or 96 that Rainbow Resource sells? Right now I think just my 8 & 9 year olds will play with me…but maybe my 6year old soon…?

My girls thought the WB was more fun - secret code messages, coloring and such. (But we've only looked through MiF WBs.) They're pretty easy to please, but like to be "rewarded" for math practice in this way. We have found the IP books to be a lot of fun as well, but I imagine you could use those with MiF anyway, at least the way we do - a year behind level. I have never spent an hour prepping ahead of time...but everyone is different. Actually, I initially made the switch to SM because I was spending so much time prepping for our other math program. I have looked over the HiG the night before, most often at the beginning of a new section to get a nice overview of where we're headed. Sometimes I even peruse while my DD is working on something else that doesn't require me -reading or handwriting. All that to say, you probably can't go wrong either way - SPM or MiF - they are both very popular and have a great track record. Have fun!

I bet both programs are great, but I just wanted to say that I am not "math-y" myself, and I have really enjoyed using SM Standards. Yes, I need to look through the HIG ahead of time, but for me it's been time well spent. Also, I find I don't have to refer to it much with the next child. (It helps that they're close in level.) I do think it's most important to use something you can teach, even if that means you don't use Singapore math. If you decide to go that route, using Miquon would be great! I have found I am learning along with my child. (We are going sideways in Miquon for a break before picking back up in SM.) Hope you find what works!

Hope it's okay for me to jump in and ask... Anyone else find that MiF isn't as fun as SM? I haven't used it yet, but I have used SM 1-3A and I have MiF 2 & 3 (Student Text and Workbooks) here to compare…and I just don't see the fun in the workbooks like SM has. Of course we could add in IP (we have done that) for added variety. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced a lash-back from their kids (like I have…)

If it were me, I would toss it. And I've done that. Here's where we're at: Like 4blessingmom, we started with FLL with the oldest as DD2 (and even my son, who was quite young at the time) listening in. I think it's a great program, but really anything was too much for me to keep up with 3 different levels! We transitioned to something like 4blessingmom suggested above, tying our grammar into every day copy work and discussion at the table. Since that time I have had the need for something a bit more structured (systematic, even) since my house is so full and I don't want to let months go by and we - and I'm including myself! - forget it all, so I'm using ELTL. I use one level for both my older girls, and I plan on using one level for my son and his little sister when the time comes. We really like the other things the program adds, making "grammar studies" flow with the rest of our life. Using ELTL, we memorize the parts of speech, making it very SWB-ish, and I find value in that. My kids don't find that a chore at all. I find grammar instruction, at the right time, important, but it really shouldn't be drudgery! All that to say, I find myself straddling CM and Classical methodologies, and this has been a nice fit for our family.

I am under the understanding that Standards won't be discontinued for 2-3 years. And I hope that is true!

Yeah, that's what I am thinking I read somewhere, too…. I'm hoping that having both books will be a help. I really don't want to buy another math book that I don't want to use.

Hmmm...I don't have SM 3B.... I did get MIF 3A & B to make sure I didn't miss anything (although we're almost done with 3A. Thanks for your suggestion!

I am always so grateful for the advice of experienced homeschooling moms!! Thank you, Nancy! And others! As for scheduling, I don't know if getting up earlier interested you…or another poster…but something that has worked well here is having just ONE child get up early for her tutoring time. It works very well for my me and my oldest to get up before everyone else and knock this out. We can accomplish a lot without the interruptions. I LOVE that Nancy reminded us all to view the interruptions as just a normal part of our day. LOVE that reminder!! I am sitting here pondering how to be creative with our scheduling as well. I just cannot do it all. And trying makes me a really unhappy mommy. And then, yes, I miss the boat.

Is this a pretty seamless transition? Meaning, can we go from book 3A in PM to 3B in MiF? Ready to make a switch! :) ETA: We've been using Singapore Primary Math Standards Edition (and Miquon)

I wonder if they'll be interchangeable since I've already started with SE and I was hoping to use it with all my children. What a bummer!

Thanks for sharing, Kate. I got Beast Academy...and I am considering switching to this for my big girls, but thus far we've use SM and Miquon for early elementary.