Wow! Another well thought-out schedule. This is great. I have been aware of the videos and am glad they're there in case we decide we want them, but I hadn't thought to look on his web site for a schedule. Thanks again, to everyone. I feel I have such a good start now on figuring out how to schedule this for our family, and just a day or two ago I felt clueless. Much appreciated, all.

Thanks for sharing your schedule! I will look at it and start from there in planning out our year. It's so helpful to see how at least one person fit the text into an academic year!

No matter how I search, I only come up with a pdf that has the first 7 weeks, though research on these forums brings up posts that refer to the first 20 weeks being available to preview. I would love to see the first 20 weeks, because I am in the middle of choosing what LA curriculum to buy next year, and I want to see more of how WWS gets into lit analysis. A post I read mentioned that it does this toward week 20, and I would love to see what that looks like before I make my decision.

Actually, you've helped me a lot, too. I got the test book because a friend suggested it, but later I was thinking I wasted my money and should have made do with just the book. I'm glad to hear of your experience, and now I am going to schedule in reviews and tests. And I'm glad now that I got the tests.

Blossom'sGirl... It looks like there are midchapter tests, but not quizzes. The TOC goes like this: Chapter 1 --Test 1 Sections 1-1 to 1-4 --Test 2 Sections 1-5 to 1-9 --Test 3 Chapter Test Chapter 2 --Test 4 Sections 2-1 to 2-3 --Test 5 Sections 2-4 to 2-5 --Test 6 Sections 2-6 to 2-8 --Test 7 Section 2-8 [yes, it repeats section 2-8 for test 7...not sure why] --Test 8 Chapter Test Chapter 3 etc etc. It looks like each chapter has between zero (ch. 8 and 14) and four subchapter tests, with an average of perhaps 2 or 3 subchapter tests, and then there's always one chapter test. After chapter 6, there is something called a "Cumulative Test"--perhaps like a midterm?? There's another Cumulative Test after Ch. 14, and then there's a Final Exam. Answers, of course, are also included at the back of the book. Does that help? Let me know if I can answer any other questions about it. I only just received it so I don't know it personally, but I'm happy to share any info I can by opening it and looking in it for you!

These are so helpful. Thanks! I should have figured I wouldn't be the only one who had that problem...

My Foerster Algebra 1 text, teacher's text, test book, and solutions manual arrived. I was surprised that, although there are suggestions in the teacher's text about how many days each subunit might take and what the assignment might be, there seems to be no master schedule anywhere, showing how many days overall the text is designed for, when and how many tests are suggested, etc., and setting out all the information in an accessible way like I am used to seeing in many texts and curriculua. (Dolciani is great that way!) For anyone who has used this text, am I missing something? Or does this not exist?

I agree with the pp...in my state this would be illegal, so be sure to check.

Perfect. Thanks again!

The Last Navigator by Steve Thomas gives a fascinating view of the traditional culture on some of the Micronesian islands and the effects of Western culture there. Also has an appendix explaining their traditional navigational system. Adult oriented but could be a good read-aloud or at least good background.

Thanks so much to all four of you! It helps me so much to have perspectives from several different real people who have used WttW. No final decisions yet, but I think we may well try it out, and I will definitely remember your cheers, caveats, and suggestions.

Thanks again to both of you! AngieW, do you mean the lesson plans that incorporate Teaching the Classics, too? Or does she have plans for using just WttW? This is the one I find when I search her name and WttW: http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/files/SLA-E%20Teacher%20Sample.pdf Is that the one you found so helpful?

I posted this question to the middle school board, but realized that there are probably more people who have experience with WttW on this board. I have been researching Windows to the World on this forum and have read a lot of very positive reviews, which caused me to look into the samples on the web page. I, too, am really intrigued, after crossing curriculum after curriculum off my list of possibilities for next year. I notice the web site says it "contains distinctly Christian content." Can anyone who has used it tell me how strong that content is? Does it suffuse the entire curriculum to the point where a family who is not Christian might feel frustrated using it? Do most or all of the literary works deal with Christian themes/material/characters? Or is the religious aspect of it more subtle and less frequent? I am not concerned at all with my children reading some Christian-oriented content, and of course Christianity has inspired a tremendous amount of the great art and literature of the world, which I want them to know. But if the curriculum were through-and-through steeped in a religious perspective, it might not be the best match for us. I was hoping someone out there could tell me just how much "distinctly Christian content" there is, so we would know what to expect in this curriculum that I generally like the look of very much.

Many thanks for your thoughts and for all the detailed information, Lori D. That helps a lot. I think I might re-post the question on the high school boards to see if I can get any further perspectives. I was realizing that most people who are using or have in the past used WttW are probably over there. Newbie mistake!

I have been researching Windows to the World on this forum and have read a lot of very positive reviews, which caused me to look into the samples on the web page. I, too, am really intrigued, after crossing curriculum after curriculum off my list of possibilities for next year. I notice the web site says it "contains distinctly Christian content." Can anyone who has used it tell me how strong that content is? Does it suffuse the entire curriculum to the point where a family who is not Christian might feel frustrated using it? Do most or all of the literary works deal with Christian themes/material/characters? Or is the religious aspect of it more subtle and less frequent? I was hoping someone out there could tell me just how much "distinctly Christian content" there is, so we would know what to expect in this curriculum that I generally like the look of very much.

Funny....my husband and I were just talking about this last weekend. He has his MS and has been working in the field for 17 years. He is strongly convinced that the main things that are really necessary in order to keep doors open for possible college fields of study are math and decent writing skills. We were talking about this because our science curriculum kind of bombed for us this year. I was feeling bad about that. The kids did learn something, but I'm afraid I did more damage than good because now they think they don't like science. :sad: So I was agonizing about what to try for next year. I wasn't pleased with most of what I was finding out there. I do think we've found something that may work, but I felt a lot better after we talked. It's not that we're going to stop exposing our kids to science, but I really think that, to answer you question, it doesn't matter much at this age, as long as you don't teach them to hate it (note to self...). As you said, I think you'll be doing great "as long as they get a strong math foundation and have general knowledge on a variety of topics." I couldn't have put it better myself! :001_smile:

Well, I hesitate to say for sure about your son, but my 11 yo enjoyed it last year. She had done a lot of writing for fun in a writing group but no formal instruction yet. She went a bit slower than the suggested schedule, but not too much slower. My 13 yo also liked it and kept the suggested schedule fairly easily. Neither had ever written in this way before, and had never written anything like your son's example. So maybe it would work fine for him??? At any rate, I would not have read his example and thought that he's not ready, but it's hard to say more than that without knowing him. As we all know, it's so hard to be sure without trying it out, and that's the frustrating thing!

I have also found WWS to be very incremental (with a few exceptions) and easy for my kids to use fairly independently, though there are definitely times when they need my help or feedback. Between the instructor's manual and the clear nature of the assignments, it has usually been easy for me to help them when necessary. Best of luck in making this decision.

Thank you for both of these answers. I need to look back at the web site. I remember coming away a bit confused some time ago about grade levels, and the whole 7A thing is new to me, but I bet it'll be clearer now. I appreciate your taking the time to get this info!!

Can anyone help me understand where the DM series fits, roughly speaking, into a typical American math progression? I know that you can't break it down by year because DM does it all in a different order, but in general is the entire 4-year series grades 7-10? High school? Pre-Alg through I-don't-know-what? Or is it so different that you can't even pin it down at all like that? I am seriously considering this for my younger daughter, because I think it would fit her way of thinking about math very well, but I am unsure of when to introduce it. I'd love to hear any wisdom or advice!

I spent a semester going to university in France during my college years. I was mocked several times for mistakes I made. Years later, my husband and I spent 6 months in Mexico and Central America. Anyone's face would light up with encouragement if I said so much as "hola." I once said "wind pesos" instead of "twenty pesos" at a supermarket in Mexico, and the kind, respectful, gentle correction the cashier gave me was such a delight. So I am sad to say that as far as being rewarded for your efforts by native speakers, Spanish wins in my experience, too. (Edited out a kind of harsh story about an experience in France. I didn't mean to sound quite so negative. Most people in France were very kind to me!)

Thank you so much for the suggestions. I have already looked into Alcumus and I think it could be perfect. I can't wait to show it to my daughter. I am going to look into the other suggestions, too. Also, I appreciate the thought that perhaps we should consider moving on to more advanced concepts, while working on arithmetic on the side. I am giving this idea serious consideration. Thanks again for all the really helpful thoughts!

My 11-year-old daughter loves math, and does better the more advanced it is, within reason. She readily and happily grasps Alg. 1 and Alg. 2 concepts, often working complex problems in her head. However, thanks to threads I have read on this forum, I am aware of the dangers of letting her skip ahead without solidifying her basic arithmetic skills--and they do need solidifying. I am holding her to her Saxon 7/6, which she is fine with. She doesn't hate it. She sees that she needs it. But she is starry-eyed at some of the "Nonroutine Problem-Solving" problems she has seen in Dolciani (which we plan to use for pre-alg), and in some puzzle and logic books. She really wants to skip ahead to Algebra or Geometry. I would like to have a good resource for lots of these creative, higher-level, "nonroutine" problems, so that I can give her some of them to solve along with her "daily vitamin" of arithmetic work, in order to keep her interest and whet her appetite for what's coming once she solidifies her arithmetic skills. Does anyone have any suggestions for us?

Been lurking for some time, but my questions always seem to be answered by searching previous posts, so I haven't yet posted. But I had to reply, since we've owned guinea pigs for many years now. In our experience, they will always run when you first catch them. I think that's genetically programmed, since they are originally plains animals whose main predators came from above (birds), just like your hands do. But once you catch them, they will probably be very cuddly. Put your hands in and slowly corral them against a wall or a corner. Put one hand in front and one behind, gently restraining them from escaping. Then lift them out and hold them snug against your chest or in your lap. All the guinea pigs we've known will at this point be snuggly and happy to stay where they are. With most, you don't even have to prevent them from running off your lap. They feel safe, and won't want to leave. Now you can pet them (they love to have their faces stroked), feed them lettuce leaves, or just sit back and watch them. Hope that helps. Enjoy your piggies. We think they are the ideal pet!