If you want more hand holding I would definitely recommend going with HOD. I am a pretty pure CMer and use many of the things I glean from HOD. Once you get on your feet and get a feel for the flow you can easily move to something a little more easy to customize like SCM (which I also LOVE :)) For what its worth, I have found the CM method to be the easiest thing to do day to day. Short lessons, perfect attention, narration, dictation, and family bible/history/geography has made my little homeshool productive and sane.:001_smile:

I just wanted to post a reply about how wonderful Amazon has always been to me.:) I have never had a problem and I "think" I have spent several thousand with them over the last 8 years. I have had many returns in that time and I have always received a fast refund, sometimes with shipping. I have used a couple SL cores and always get the guide new and as many books as I can from Amazon, especially when they are running a four-for-three promotion.

Been there did that. I couldn't agree more with the post above. It really is a circular thing.

Most lessons are about 20-30 minutes long. My son does both the watching and the working portion each day. Fortunately, the lesson worksheets are not that long. He is doing so well with it and I am very pleased.

I you want to do a fun and complete American histoy overview I would highly suggest the four Mara Pratt books, American History Stories (amazon has them in a four-for-three promotion right now) and the Jim Hodges mp3 cd covering the same four books. My kids listen and follow along in the books. They then say or write a narration depending on their age. The books are engaging and there are 200 (!!!) chapters. My kids are remembering so much more with this method.

Systematic Mathematics Math Rescue! My almost 12 year old is working through his regular modules (he is in module 6 now), but I would definitely use Math Rescue if he wasn't starting at the beginning and had some gaps to fill. BTW, I haven't watched any of the dvd's with him. He watches the whole thing and does the lessons on his own. This is the FIRST time through many dvd programs that this has happened.:) Mr. Zeigler is very detailed.

Well, another unmentioned option are the SCM history modules that cover grades 1-12 with history, bible, and geography. It is very inexpensive and easy to implement. If you are familiar with the CM method it is very easy to do.

I just updated mine! :) www.carolinejensen.com

Shurley English is great...if you only do one year! (IMHO) Once my kids had the jingles and Q&A flows down they didn't need to do it again. They routinely apply what they learned there to everything else we do that requires grammar. If you use it for writing you may need more than one year, but the grammar doesn't change a whole lot between the 4th -7th levels.

I used chapter books with cds. My kids would follow along as the narrator read the book. After a few of those they just took off...

We have moved 12 :willy_nilly: times for the military in the last 8 years so we have done oodles of school in hotels, the car, and rest stops. Not so interesting, but whatever I use must travel well...

Oh my goodness!! We did the same thing!!! I had a mini DVD player and we did Cozy Grammar and MUS.:lol: My poor husband, they were all so worried about him that school was the only way to keep them from pestering the nurses.

She really hit the nail on the head. What a beautiful synopsis of what CM is. I know I have felt "at home" since putting her methods into daily practice and wouldn't approach education any other way.:)

I don't know, but if it does I will buy a kindle ASAP. :lol:

I second Practical Arithmetic book 1 and Systematic Mathematics. We are using this and MUS depending on the kid. We also used Miquon and really liked it when they were young.

:iagree:Love, love it. SW has a wonderful, eclectic mix of challenging selections. It makes my life so much easier.

Oh, there are the extention packages, which are great, but I prefer to pick one or two meaty books to supplement for financial reasons. My oldest has also read many of the books in the extention packages and I just wanted to show how we add in things and still make it all flow well.

We will be doing Preparing this year and my son will be 12. I am planning on using my CM methods with books I will choose from All Through the Ages as I see a need to "beef up" his schedule. What I am going to do is pick a book and select dictation and copywork from his readings and assign written narrations from these as well. As he completes one book I will add another, more challenging book. This keeps everyone on the same page while not neglecting the younger ones.He is using a higher level of R&S English also. Even though some of the art projects are geared for younger kids, I have yet to see my oldest walk away from salt dough or paint.:) CTC adds in Write With the Best which is a multi-level program for 3rd to 12th. I plan on him doing this when we get there and focus on written narration this year.

I have to say that I am extremely impressed with how HOD weaves bible and history together. Even if you just did HOD with the required history books you would have an amazing year. We are doing Preparing, but I am really only doing history, bible and poetry from the guidebook. All I can say is that I constantly see how much time and effort went into linking the emotions and motivations behind our history with what the bible has to say about them. It is very gentle and yet my kids seem to remember what they are supposed to and still ask for more. I looked at some used TQ guides today and was overwhelmed too. I have been using All Through the Ages to flesh out HOD for my youngest and oldest. When I see all those great books in TQ I know I would want to buy them all and would never get to the end of a volume.

This is what I use too. I have had acne for 25 years. :confused: I break out from everything and that regime has really been a blessing. It isn't so harsh, but it works. I buy his HUGE treatment bottle (32oz I think) and his moisturizer. My favorite cleanser is HSN's glycolic cleanser which I have used for 10+ years. As long as I don't change it works great.

I love Queen's Language Lessons with DGP Grammar. I like them both because they are very independent. Queen's has many levels so placement is important. My kids enjoy both products as much as kids can.:)

Yes! That's the one. It is so nice and friendly to listen to. My kids listened to the Columbus chapter and narrated orally and drew a picture. They really enjoyed it as if they were watching a show (I played it in the DVD player). By the time they narrate their way through 200 chapters they should have a good grasp on Am history. A lot is review, but still very enjoyable.

I look at All Through the Ages as a "forever book" for all school years. I think TQ has more commentary for the stories and bible together and is more of a one year resource.

My CM educated, going-into-sixth grader jumped right into 5 with no problem. I have to write the scaffolding of a diagram once in a while, but he is can understand the lessons fairly well. Oh, we do most of it orally as we still do all that HOD writing too.

My new third grader is loving the other Eggleston book, Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans. It is a perfect book for independent reading and oral narration.