Hi Cyndi, Thanks for chiming in. I'm going back and forth between the IBTS and the Stanford. Nice that you can take the Stanford online. :) You are the first I've seen who uses AGS. I worked for them for a few years and have quite a few of their textbooks (ummm, ok all of them lol) with TE's, CD Roms and workbooks. I'm looking forward to my kiddos being older so we can pull them out. The core material is super strong.

Hi there, This will be my second year homeschooling, my first year testing. I'm sending my paperwork into the school district on Thurs and need some advice please. I was thinking about using the IBTS, but am also somewhat familiar with Terra Nova and Stanford. What are the strengths and weaknesses of these tests? I've been contacted by a Peabody tester, but not sure I want to pay more and involve an outside source even tho I've I think the results may be better than these others. Where do most of you buy your assessments? When I worked in Education the NWEA had a great assessment, but I think you have to live in the NW which we do not. I have a 7yr old boy who is working on second grade material this year. (We did first grade last year and he was not 7 when our deadline came thru to report him) Last year we focused on Reading, Writing, and Math. We made it thru about 70% of the science material, and didn't do much social studies. I'd like a test that might give me an idea of what we need to still work on. I assume I test him with the second grade test not the first, even tho it's our first year testing?? I am leaning towards testing him earlier rather than later this year as right now he is ahead abit, but then I realize I'm conforming to some strange oddity as I do not need to turn in said test scores. ! It would help to know now rather than later where his weak areas are etc. What would you do? Advice is much appreciated!

Oh cool - thanks! I'll check them out too. Free is always a plus!

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I'll grab some Nora Gaydos for now. They look really fun. And the Harcourt set look good too. We have the scholastic set. :) I know many like the Bob books but I don't think they are engaging enough for him.

Thanks for the great suggeestions, I'll check them out and give it a go. I can probably set up the basics of note reading etc on our white board 3x/week to get their feet wet. And maybe we are in luck - On one of my group boards I saw just today an ad for homeschooled student who loves music now attending a local college who is looking for new students as well, for less than half what other teachers are charging, so I'm going to give him a call and interview him also.

Ok at the end of the day I'm tired and I don't want to teach them to play the piano. I play well (or I did when I had the time) and just want an easy program that would do it all for me lol. I don't want them to learn wrong methods that we have to break/relearn later which is why I've waited and there just wasn't time last year or funds to commit to private lessons. Does this exist? Something easy to get them going?? I've ordered recorders and 2 simple song books but don't have them in hands yet.

Hi there, My 6 year old has memorized many of the SSRW Level 1 set of 17 from when his brother was reading them aloud to me last year. !)#$(*u)$u% So I need to find a new set for him I think. I might look at grabbing the older versions on eBay for cheap. Not sure what to do or which set to go with. Chime in with your favorite first grade and second grade phonics readers please. I've heard good things about AAR but haven't checked which phonograms it teaches yet and at which levels. We use AAS anyway but the readers are a little spendy. . .

This is truly aweful. Such a respect issue I cannot believe it as I read it. Wish we lived closer we'd take some of em out for you lol. Cuts your losses and find some peace and a new place. And I hope you find the kitten and he/she is ok.

Very cool thanks for the info. My hubby mentioned this within the last week and I believe it's the one you are referencing. Looking into it. . . .

Ok thanks Cat, good to know!

Oh it's simple, because they'd rather give their money toward my homeschool efforts and my family, rather than to a government who cannot pass a budget in 4 years.

Thanks for all the great responses. I didn't figure it would be worth it, unless we get sent to Egypt once we're done with the Ancients!

Would I need to incorporate my homeschool as a non-profit to grant tax deductions for donations to my homeschool? I have a number of wealthy business owners who are friends of ours that when they give to us for school I'd like to repay the kindness. I think you can "gift" up to 500.00 to anyone and use that on your tax returns. So maybe I wouldn't have to incorporate? (probably 350.00 when complete . . )) Any tax accountants online lol?

Thanks Monica! This is supr helpful so thanks for sharing it. Great ideas. I know it's alot to work with, but after getting Singapore in my hands I knew it wasn't quite everything I wanted to do. And Miquon is the perfect addition I think. Luckily we are a math family and some days 2 hours will go by and we won't even realize it. We have so many math games now we may be doing some with the grandparents on weekends. Thanks for the assist!

Thanks for the great tips Bill, and for getting back so quickly. I'm pouring over the Dairy and Lab book and reading the MEP lessons plans I already have a few good ideas. I know it will be challenging but I'm going to give it my best.

Thanks! Just downloaded a bunch to my laptop and yes you can open with the PC Kindle App from Amazon offers. As a bonus I received Treasure Island, Pride and Prejudice, and Aesop's Fables already loaded into the App for free. BONUS! :laugh:

Thanks to advice from others here at WTM I'm embarking on new math for my 1st and 2nd grade boys this year and I'm super excited! Coordinating them all is a question I do have after reviewing the products. Ha! Should I do 3 days of Singapore and 2 days of Miquon/MEP each week or what should I do? We are doing review this week and I start the new programs on Monday. I could add Miquon/ MEP at the end of a Singapore lesson fairly easily . . . or reverse that to change it up and reduce reluctance. We really love math and I want a solid foundation for this year. The boys have seen the new Miquon materials and think they look like fun. Hurray! :hurray: How should I coordinate these programs? A little of both each day or focused work on MEP or Singapore for a few days with Miquon as a fun math lab type day? MEP looks awesome BTW. . .

Wow reading this post am I GLAD we don't have any neighbors! LOL I had friends like this years ago, but they were gracefully removed from my life so I no longer deal with it. What a blessing! My sister would always say, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." I guess that is true but yes, but I also saw thru that to a deeper form of truth. The insecurity of the person doing the imiating. A super frustrating issue to deal with. Yet another reason to homeschool - teaching them to think outside the box and be THEIR OWN PEOPLE!

Wow thanks for all the great info! I've got some researching to do. :) I'll lcheck out the version you have and compare it etc.

Wow Jen that's up there. ! Nature studies will be a breeze in that beautiful part of the state. It is a beloved area for me having traveled up to Lutsen every summer with 4 families growing up having bonfires on the rocks by Lake S. and digging for agates. Duluth will have an array of fun services for you if you need them, they have a great aquarium and the area has much historical value to explore. I know the real estate market is pretty tight up there right now ( good friend moving to Beaver Bay or trying to), but maybe since you are looking well off the lake there are more options. Are you moving from another part of MN or another state? If another state buy snowshoes, cross contry skis and a Polaris Ranger 4 x 4!!

Would love to get the opinions of this group on the Spielgaben educational set they are coming out with in December. It looks like an amazing array of tools for ages 3-10. Has anyone ever used this in classrooms and can share their experiences? I believe it was a classroom set and now they are either redesigning it or putting it out there to the parental/homeschool market. I like the Montessori Approach but haven't done too much of it because of the organizational/storage issue it poses for me. Hey if Einstein played with this early on maybe it's worth the investment ($325-425) lol. Could always resell it in a few years I guess. There is a gigantic users guide that outlines different lessons and problems to solve. Opening up for discussion. . . . Oh a few homeschool bloggers have reviewed the set if you'd like to see more of it, I didn't want to use their blogs without permission here. :) http://www.spielgaben.com/

Ahhh I remember those days - no time for grinding daily anymore; altho I will go back to grinding Sun eves weekly once school begins.Wish I could come over and have a cup with you!

Thanks for all your input. Chrysalis good advice - I''ll use it and get the most out of it now then see what we need for middle grades when we get there. NovaMama Thanks, I have WTM and will check for the references you've mentioned. We've done the first 6 chapters, they LOVE IT (we are doing tons of hands on maps (some drawn by hand by me, others we copy from living books like the inside of a Sumerian town etc.) and it's really effective. They've retained about every detail we've read about and found in the living books which shows me just what they are truly capable of. Thanks Alte Vista, I'll get the most out of this then look for more later like K12 Odyssey and the others you mentioned. Go Go that's smart advice. Not sure I'll want to adapt this a second time. Will decide when I reach that point. Looking forward to learning more as I go. This site is such a resource thanks for all your help and patience with a newbie. Cheers!

I am super excited to use SOTW with my 2nd and 1st grader this year, and feel so blessed to have found this curriculum. :) I'm looking forward to filling in with living books from the library and coloring books from the bookstore to really round out the experience and do lotsa crafts. I see many also use it for 5th-8th grade (assuming they didn't homeschool elementary years or used other resources. . . ) Am I shooting myself in the foot using this now and not for the middle grades? Not to get way ahead of myself (one of my strengths let me tell you . .) but want to have materials just as amazing as this to use when they get older. I could see how one could use this once for grammar stage, then again for logic stage. Silly I know but humor me . . . Do some reuse this for 5th-8th with more intense living books and assignments? Or get a new curriculum? I see where one could go light into these first 4 years of history and then back in more intensely for 5th-8th stage. Thanks in advance for your thoughts as I try to find my way.

This looks truly awesome! I've been searching Craigs for a whiteboard to use for AAS so maybe I'll give this a try. We have 3 large white boards (6.6 ft long x 4 ft wide) on the walls but they are from Menards (like Home Depot) and NOT magnetic. They were only $13 each. Way Cool!