And I know this is so true also. It kinda sums it up for me how I feel about it. For me, I'm just not "Rhetorically sound" enough to cover all my bases. I want something that builds beautifully. Tina, do your kids enjoy the books? What list would you say TOG combines? For example VP, sonlight, AO, WTM, etc. Tina, thanks again.

I keep getting the advise to concentrate on the three R's, and I want to respond to that. For me, that includes skills such as Math, copywork, dictation, narration, reading, etc. We spend our mornings working through Phonics Road and Righstart Math, covering all of those. But my kids need more and reading about God's story of humanity will enhance and give us opportunity to enrich and strengthen those skills. I don't want to come across like I want TOG or any program/curriculum to take over or become the center of our school. Quite the opposite. I want it to enrich and be FUN! for the hard work my kids put forth with our school. Please know I don't want it to take over, but I am in need of wise counsel in the area of books selection. I really don't want to be pouring constantly over catalogs trying to find the best. I would like to find that list or close to it and use it already. :D I'm really wondering, before I spend my husbands hard earned $money$ if TOG has been worth it in the younger grades. After reading Janice in NJ take on it I would say yes, because it also can educate me (which I'm totally in favor of), but I can see how WTM/WEM can do the same by looking ahead (in general). I could be very wrong, but TOG in the younger years looks like this: Read a few good books, narrate and/or draw, or use lit sheet? Map (I'd use the teachers maps and have the kids color and highlight the stuff we came across in the reading) Keep a timeline on the wall for all of us Enjoy a fun project My 3rd grader (next year) he could start reading some of the UG books, etc. I can not reiterate how much I need a guide for my kids reading, even with so many around me, TOG seems like one of the best, as far as matching appropriateness with a child's development. (I know there are other great ones too, I just mean one of the best :D) Thank you all for your advise, wisdom, and comments. They really are all helpful to me. I think it sounds like you all have been where I have, all tore up inside about a decision that needs to be made, but not really ready to commit the resources and time needed because it might be another mistake. :tongue_smilie:

Thank you so much for posting this! I find it to be very true, especially about spending my time meshing and pouring over catalogs instead of mastering some of the content myself.

I'm going to print this out right now. I'll be back. :D

Thanks for your reply. I think using those levels will be spot on with my kiddos. And I will definitely look at FIAR, seems like this keeps coming up, but I've never looked at the books they use, I hear good things about them. I just love Ambleside, I'm so. in. love. but I'm still not sure I want my kids at different places, that kinda holds me back. *Sigh*

Thanks for the info! We've been reading through SOTW this year along with VP cards and my kids really have like it. :001_smile: I haven't really used the activity guide, except for a few coloring pages and maps. I'm just getting tired of pulling it together, I feel like I'm always planning (and that's coming from someone who likes to plan!) I will definitely check out Angela's blog, she keeps such an awesome blog I know it could be encouraging. I might PM you after I flesh this out. :D BTW, I hear MOH is great for logic stage!

Phonics Road, hands down! It is really so gentle, yet works those brains so well with the things that really matter: spelling, reading, phonics, writing and later adding grammar, lit analysis, and even later folding in latin roots, dictionary skills. It is very WTM too, starting with copying letters, then sounding out and copying words, and then sentences, ...well you get the picture. Its just super!

I've been looking at my samples for years. We've been doing Veritas Old Testament Ancient Egypt this year and its on the dry side for us. Here are a few essentials for me with history next year: Strong Christian Worldview Reading Plan--this is essential! I'll have a 6yo & 7yo I want to read to and a 8yo that likes to read and has enjoyed all our history books so far. I really need something to help me give my kids a consistent reading plan. I want them reading a little every. single. day. I would use WTM, but see point #1 (I don't have the expertise to flesh out and find the best and most appropriate for my kids) FUN! FUN! FUN! I really need a fun aspect to our school...something we can spend our time doing/making together (beyond reading). I really think TOG would be a good fit for our family, but I am in a tug-a-war with myself over spending that amount of money! I've sat down and planned a few weeks and I it looks like we could really have a good time, but DADGUMIT, I. cant. quite. do. it.....yet. Do you and your kids have fun doing TOG? We really want fun! My kids work hard and I want something that will feel lighthearted without being fluffy YKWIM? So rigorous in disguise. :D What booklist does TOG most resemble...ambleside, sonlight, etc.? (I really adore Ambleside, and it looks like TOG has many of their books) I think it boils down to my kids age. I feel like I won't be using so much of the curriculum. But on the other hand, I strongly favor curriculum that teaches me to teach my kids (Phonics Road, RS Math). And finally, my type A personality will NOT let me ride off into the sunset without a PLAN! I get very stressed without a plan. Plans actually free me...I know, very topsy turvy, but its true. Thanks for hearing me out. If TOG were 80 bucks, I'd-a-been-done-it-already! Aughh! Grrrr! :tongue_smilie: I'd really like to know if your like me...does TOG work for you?

My 3rd year homeschooling. I've dabbled with other things for a short time, but came back to what I choose first: Phonics Road Rightstart Math Getty-Dubay Italics Other things that we haven't used very long, but will be staying around happily: WTM Science CWP (singapore)

Augh! I should not have read this thread! :lol::lol::lol: This is actually a very good question! Thanks for asking!

:bigear:

What a great plan!

This cracks me up! :lol:

BSFAA seems to have a neat memorization part to it. Do you mind listing some of those things. From the samples I get they will memorized the books of the Bible, etc. But its kinda hard to tell. Thanks! If anyone knows if there is any memory aspect to R&S that would be great!

I'd like to use the readers for my kids for Bible, they would be on different levels, but wondering if any of you have done this. I'd read through the readers with the youngers (K & 1st) and get 2nd quickly independent. I like what I see up to 8th grade. It looks thorough and seems to hit on Bible knowledge, culture, geography, and some character stuff. I have the samples and have read through them for different grades and it looks good. I wonder how long this would take my children if we used the readers and workbooks (lightly)? Just wondering if any of you have any experience doing this. I would be adding it to what we are doing: PR reading, history reading, and literature. I've ordered TOG to "try," but we will use it as a reading list and a place to get our narrations from for a while. I've been using VP Bible, but I think my oldest needs more and my younger children need more character brought in. VP seems to stay the same for 5 years, I don't think I can take it. :001_smile: I really want something they can "own" after 2-3rd grade. I've also looked at Bible Study for All Ages. I like some things about them too. Geez, this is frustrating. Hope you have some experienced advise. Pros/cons. Thanks so much.

We love good old WTM Science and a library card. :001_smile:

My 3 years don't qualify me to be a veteran, but I thought I'd vote. I love our programs and know they are rock solid!

I know its not Christmas, but this is hilarious to me...

My kids do this occasionally too, except we use Rightstart. Getting my boys to explain is always a struggle. I think for my boys its combo of maturity and critical thinking (which sometimes brings tears and frustration). It just hurts the brain sometimes. When this happens, I will ask him to show me with manipulatives, which can help lots, when explaining something. Other times, for example, I will ask for the "thinking number" we call it (34 + 17 = thinking number 44 (34+10) then ask for the final answer, which would be 51. So we will break it down so he can better explain it. RS spends time making sure the kids can explain their answers, so we know they understand the concept, but I think for some kiddos, this is frustrating. We sometimes have tears, but a lot comes because we are stretching the brain. I find that they are always moving and progressing. When they get fustrated, I either approach it different, come back to it, or let them settle down until they are ready. I know Singapore is very similar to lots of the RS concepts (we supplement with them CWP only) so I hope I've added to the conversation. :001_smile:

Absolutely! I just want to say thank you to all who have responded. You all (I'd rather use Ya'll :D) have inspired me. I did find a list of Bibles by reading levels here. Thanks OhElizabeth, for that suggestion that's going to help a lot. Now I just need to get to a education store and check them out! I have been thinking of starting him next year with the R&S readers, but he (my oldest) reads fairly well, he's enjoying Homer Price at the moment. He does well with literature I should say. I don't put much non-fiction, besides science books around him yet. I am really trying to balance how my son spends his personal time with God and how much I "teach" him. This is one place I don't want to push too hard or keep changing with the wind. So I'll be fleshing those things out and talking to the hubby. I love your ideas and inspiration. Thanks again for all! :001_smile:

I would start with C or D. Book C has 60 pages and doesn't touch cursive until page 38. So it includes plenty of basic italic practice. Going down to Book B would be a little much for a 4th grader, the lines are much bigger (1") and they have very simple sentences. Also they teach one letter at a time. I actually have my 1st grader doing book C and he's doing fine. They will practice all the lowercase and uppercase letters, numerals and their names, days of the week, months, quotes, etc. in C. I just all around like book C better. If you need to get into cursive faster, you may want to go with book D. Do you have educational store where you could go and see both? If not CBD has a good preview. Book B Book C Book D

Legacy Academy

Yep, that's what I'm wrestling with. I really want my kids to fall in love with the Bible and I want to give them enough without it being "just a subject" or beat to death. Then of course there's the actual "doing" which I am looking forward to doing more of! Thank you ladies for all these responses. Can you include the ages of your kids and the expectations of them at that age? :D I think this is going to be a very helpful thread for me.

I'm using RS with 3 kids and my oldest just started C. I don't know much about MOL, but I know RS is going to teach the child not to know facts, but to understand them. They essentially will be regrouping them in their heads, which actually becomes very fast, just as fast as memorization. I love and suggest RS, but I don't know where to tell you to start. You could start with Level B and not miss anything, or use Transition lessons and then go into C. Righstart B focuses on addition and only brings in a few "subtraction" lessons at the end, so the S&S is a little different than other programs, which usually deal with addition and subtraction together or right after each other. It would be helpful to know what you are using now. HTH! :001_smile:

I'm curious about how and when your kiddos start reading the Bible on their own. Do they use a devotional or a reading plan. Maybe they use the R&S nurture readers. What are you doing to establish that quiet time/discipleship in your childrens lives? BTW, I've got a 1st (emerging) and 2nd grader (reading on level w/ his VP stuff this year) Thanks!