While I do have a homeschool group, we do not do much with them. I love the moms, but we have one car so getting out can be difficult:( I don't mind doing it alone...my online support groups (mainly this one) help a lot. My kids are involved in sports and groups outside of the home, so I do not worry about socialization. I have just found it easier to go my own way, and post questions I have on boards like this.

I was just getting ready to ask this... Do you separate subjects, or just organize by date? How to you log attendance (on one page, one page per month, etc.)?

I'm glad you did:) DD can make school pretty miserable when she wants to. I am really only pushing her because I KNOW she understands it. She just refuses to do it if it is not on her terms. I really hope all goes well with you, and that homeschooling works out for the both. Mine does not want to go to the "big school" but she still isn't too keen on school here if she puts her mind against it:glare: Oh, what our kids do to us...LOL.

:001_smile:

History: SOTW V1 (repeated from 1st with extra work and tests) English: R&S 5 and IEW Ancient History-Based writing lessons, AAS Literature: assorted read-alouds, focusing on ancient lit Art: Artistic Pursuits Bible: Explorer's Bible Study Math: Saxon 7/6 Science: Apologia Exploring Creation with Anatomy and notebook

Definitely Better World Books!!!! They sell some curriculum items as well as regular books for very good prices. Can be hit or miss, but good to check out.

Good ideas!!!!! And we read the Cat in the Hat too much...I think I can recite it word-for-word:) DD hates failure, too, which is the big part of our problem. We are not hard on her, and let her know it is fine to make mistakes, but she is a perfectionist. It seems like if she thinks she will get it wrong, she would rather not try:glare: Anyhow, she is young and we have time to work on that...no worries here!!!

Too funny!!!!!!

Highly, highly recommend AAR to everyone! I personally think it can work with all types of learners. It is well worth it!

We start next week!!!! We are all excited, too (although I agree with another poster...I am the most excited)! Good luck!

I agree with year-round and six days a week (although not full days). We do this and it helps us out a lot. As far as using non-school days (i.e. Saturday and Sunday), we use them as school days. Well, more Saturday. My hubby works Saturday but is off one day during the week. We use his off day during the week for field trips, or he just helps with the littles. On Sunday, we do family projects. I know some are adamantly against doing much on Sunday, but we use it as a family day doing some of the non-essential school subjects we all enjoy (such as art).

No writing required:)

I use SOTW for all my kids grades 1st-8th. I just require my oldest one to do more work (such as more outside reading and taking tests). I would suggest the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia for the 12-year-old (as well as the tests...can be purchased at Peace Hill Press in PDF form inexpensively), and use the SOTW activity book for all. Many of the activities can be completed by older students (I find the activities fun to do myself, so they will too).

I would repeat 2, just moving more quickly through the lessons and skipping anything he totally understands. He is ahead, so taking a few months for extra practice won't do harm.

Tell me about it!!! The ONLY words she will read are "cat" and "hats"...you can probably tell what her favorite book is. Every other word is "too hard!" Too funny!!!

I would choose ONE literature track (like just MOH suggestions or just Ambleside...I usually stick with the history suggestions). Pick and choose writing assignments. I was a lit major, so I am also comfortable with teaching writing. We use several writing programs, but not all at once. I go through all of them and choose the ones my kids and I would like best and then skip all the others. If you go through one particular book and only find one or two good ideas, jot them down (somewhere safe) and then get rid of it.

We used Critical Thinking Press's Mathematical Reasoning Beginning 1 and 2 from 3-4 years old. At four, we started Saxon Math K. Love both!

AAR is different from AAS. AAR focuses on learning to read, not spell. We love it. I just posted about AAR Pre-level 1, but I will restate here. My dd4 already knows the sounds of the letters and recognizes both upper and lowercase. However, she would sound out a word but refuse to blend it together. So, I broke down and purchased AAR Pre-level 1 and LOVE it. She really likes it and asks to do it everyday. It goes over rhyming, clapping syllables, letter recognition, and most common letter sounds, to name a few. She knows that I expect her to begin level 1 after she finishes, but she really enjoys this program. There are 78 lessons, although dd4 can progress through more than one lesson per day in most cases because I don't do the craft sheets (although they are adorable and lots of fun, we already did these last year). In my opinion, all you really need is the Teacher's manual and the student packet. The Ziggy puppet is fun, but she could honestly care less if we use it. The readers are cute, but not using them will not cause harm. I do recommend spending about 20 minutes reading to your child daily, but any good children's books/poems are fine. You do need the TM for Level 1, too. The activity book just has the fun supplemental activities (the kids love these). Level 1 has 49 lessons, which are not necessarily completed one per day. Some lessons my kinder completes in one day. Others take her a week. The TM has 234 pages, including the appendix. The activity book has 189 pages. If you have more specific questions, just let me know and I'll do my best to answer them!

We use Sonrisas Spanish. It would work really well with a co-op, and most of the literature books are available at our library. The curriculum itself is a bit pricey, but it is really good. Level One is good for PK-1st and Level Two/Cultural is good for 1st-3rd. They suggest repeating it, as well, so I found it well worth the money.

That sounds about right! She asked to do AAR pre-reading yesterday and kept asking for more...we did 5 lessons. During the week, when I want to do school with her, she acts like she hates it!!! What kills me is the phrase, "Um...I think it is too hard for me." It is so contrary to her "I'm four now, so I can handle it." She really is quite the character:)

We use this for our monthly artist class with our homeschool group and enjoy it.

All About Learning Press has a forum...they answer questions like this all the time and quickly. I would post this question there. Personally, I do not think that one level/year would be behind, although I think it is more common to go through the lower levels a little quicker. If you have any non-homeschooling friends with students in the same grade, I would ask to view their spelling lists. My DD best friend is the same grade in a private school, and I always touch base with my friend to make sure that my dd is on the same level, if not above, what her dd is.

While I only have 2 of my own (one of which is a very needy 4-month-old), I am also a full-time private tutor - the students school with us full-time. Hopefully, your littles take naps. I try to get the bulk of school work done during nap time and then the olders can help out with the little ones when they are awake. Try to get your hubby involved. My dh works A LOT, but he takes over the art and Spanish when he gets home at night and/or on days off. It might seem unfair to make him work when he gets home, but this is a team effort in many ways. My kids love spending the time with him, and the lessons don't take near as long for him to get through. It also provides them with some "daddy time." I would talk to your hubby and see if there is any area he would be able to teach. I agree with the previous post about combining history and science. We use SOTW, and I find it can be used with children grades 1-8 (just vary the amount of work they put into it). Apologia science also has junior and regular notebooks, so the younger students can use the junior notebook while the older uses the regular notebook. Try to block work so that when one student is working independently, you can give individualized attention to another. I often get my oldest going on an assignment (such as copy work, reading, etc.) and then give my attention to another student for instruction (such as math). It is fine if one student does math in the am and another does it later. We also do all work in the kitchen. I have baby gates up to keep the younger kids within eyesight and just bring in some toys they like. Everyone doing school work either sits at the bar or at the table so I can keep an eye on everything that is going on, even while working with another student. In fifth grade, I would also limit foreign languages to one. If possible, let go of one of them. We did Spanish in PK-2nd and then started latin in 3rd. In my opinion, I would also cut out some of the extracurriculars. This does not have to be forever, but a year off want hurt. We only allow one music class and one sport, but there have been times when a break was necessary. Their socialization will not be harmed if you cut back until it is easier to get around. Maybe art could be done during the weekend as a family. We use Artistic Pursuits, and we all love doing it (even us parents). I even through the 2-year-old in the highchair and let her at it with do-a-dots, finger paints, or crayons. She is a mess at the end, but we all have fun. You will be fine!!!! Take a deep breath and take one day at a time. Don't lose yourself in this, and HAVE FUN!!!!! Don't be afraid to take a day off if other things have come up. Your kids will learn what they need to. If budget is not an issue (it is for us, but I'll keep dreaming), hire a part-time sitter for the younger students. The sitter can entertain while you school. Also, I would love a cleaning person. Even if it was every other week, it could be helpful. I am praying for you!!! Let us know how it is going.

Thanks for all of the advice!!!! I am not requiring her to learn how to read yet (even though she has flown through several pre-reading programs), but I just wanted to make sure I am not the only one with a do-it-yourself kid. She is extremely intelligent (although I am not objective), and I love that. I think my biggest problem is learning which battles to fight and which to let go.

I am looking forward to receiving a few packages!!!! Plus, our homeschool group is coming over for an artist class! I am also finalizing lesson plans as our school year starts in a week or two (waiting to hear from my tutored student, who schools full-time with us).