I am a bit frustrated with my little one. She is 6 1/2 and finishing 1 grade. We were using Horizons 1 with Saxon 2 for math this year. Just prior to Christmas, I saw her really struggling. Math was not clicking. I could tell that she just could not see math and was just going through the workbook pages. I decided to switch her to MUS. We started Alpha in Jan. That opened doors for her in regards to place value and addition. But we are at a stopping point as dd needs to get her facts memorized, before we move on. We are working on that now and just playing math games for the last three weeks. I have some concerns with continuing with MUS as our only math curriculum. Today, dd came to me and asked to go back to her other math programs or something different. She misses doing all the other type of math --the variety in saxon and horizons. Prior to changing MUS, dd was combining and counting pennies, nickles, and dimes...today should could not do it at all. She could count them separately by ones, fives, and tens but had a hard time combining. I see that she needs constant practice to help with her retention. I gave her the K12 math test today more to just see. She tested into 1 grade second semester, right where we left off on the other books. What would you all suggest? Pick the horizons and saxon back up where we left off, stick with MUS, or something completely different? I am open at this point. Lynda

I got it because it came with the kit. It would have been more money to go back and purchase it later. That said. I don't use it when I teach. I am comfortable with my sounds. It is good to have. I let me dd listen to it sometimes to drill on her own. Lynda

It helps with the clotting of the blood and for the sockets to close naturally. If I am remembering correctly but it has been many years since I did this. Lynda

don't know if this is what you have. When I was pregnant with my first. I got a rash, they called it "pups". Some rash that you only get while pregnant. I did not get it with my pregnancies later on. So, it can be random. I was told to not use soap products or perfumed lotions. I went to a health food store and got oatmeal soap and scrub. At first I soaked in an oatmeal bath. I used only oatmeal soaps in the shower. I used a natural oatmeal based healing lotion as well. It never fully went away until I had my dd but it did get lighter and better with the oatmeal soap. Anytime, i used different soap it flared up again. Once I delivered it was almost instantly gone! Lynda

This is exactly what she needs more of. I sat down last night with DH and laid it out to him and what the problems were. And why I kept going back and forth. I told him that I really needed an objective opinion. I don't have that much of my PR1 materials. We both agreed that she needed a good review. He looked at the PR 2 and agreed with me that she is not ready for that level of work. At this point it is a spelling issue not a reading one. She knows all 70 of her phonograms! She does not like to write. (I do suspect some laziness on her part here.) He told me to get AAS so that I can really look at it and make a solid decision, that I was not truly going to know until I got my hands on the materials. His thought was to combine AAS with PR1. To present the rules to her from AAS but to also use the songs from PR. To also use any of the tricks that I did learn from PR. He also wanted me to make up a notebook of sorts to keep her going in that format. To do a quick run through of level 1 AAS and possibly through level 3, depends on how she works with the program. But at each point judging where we are at and moving back into PR2 with her. Dh's last thing he said to me was not to worry. Not to worry about the money or if we were just using parts of a program. That he felt even if we had to continue combining AAS and PR, even though expensive. It would be cheaper than sending her to a tutor or speech therapist etc. He also said that it would be cheaper than sending her to public school, where they have the tutors etc to help her with her learning disabilities and issues for free. He felt this because of the things that she would be exposed to in public school. I guess that I had not really though of it in this manner, and did not know that he did as well. So on Monday, I am calling to place my order for AAS level 1 and am going to work on combining the two programs. At least in the beginning to get her over her fears and this little hump. The eventual goal of putting her back into PR 2--hopefully by January (mid 2 grade) but it may very well be the start of 3 grade. And if AAS is really clicking for her better than PR we may just stay there. Time will tell. :D Thanks all of you for all your help. It truly did help a ton!!! Lynda

This method of review spelling words and keeping unknown words is similar to what Spelling Power does. Lynda

Thanks for this.....sometimes this kid drives me nuts! She is such a different child! LOL A beautiful child but a challenging one at that. I think that you are right. I just think that I needed to talk it out with someone. Dh just does not get it ---but thankfully he will listen patiently and just say buy what you think is best and not question. He really is sweet and does give me a very overly generous budget for school; so thankfully I don't have to worry about that. Now to go hunt more and figure out what I have left of PR 1......the quest begins! Lynda

I was going to use Primary Language Lessons by Serl. I already own the book and it is easy, includes dictation, copy work and grammar. I am not set on using this, I could easily replace it with something else. I do think that she does need to start some basic grammar. Lynda

See I was afraid that she would not want to redo level 1. Plus we did do the Little House Study...that was the one thing that we did not quite from PR 2. So when we do hit Level 2, I will need to add in my own literature studies. DD loved reading the Little House books, in fact we are about to start Farmer Boy!! Lynda

So I have been going back and forth with what to do...Last night I finally pulled out my PR Level 2 materials. I really combed through them. It was nice because since I put it away at week 10 into the program. Which was about mid Oct. of 2009. So about 5 months ago. I looked at it and really do not think that dd is still ready for the material covered in the program. When I looked at the grammar concepts separately--they are really 3 grade. I am thinking that I will save PR2 for 3 grade. So now what to do for the rest of this year 1 grade and next year for 2. When we stopped PR 2 --- I reviewed the phonogram cards with her and the begging word list from WRTR. That worked fine for awhile but I realized that I missed the hand holding from PR and help with the rules! We have about 8 weeks left of school this year and then will be taking off for the summer. I do however do light things during that time with the kids as needed. As for reading dd can read Magic Tree House books independently, her comprehension is excellent. She can read harder books if she wants, she is just enjoying these books right now. She can read a whole book easily in an 1/2 hour to 1 hour sitting. She can completely re-tell me the whole book with detail. She is 6 and will be 7 in Aug. We typically end our school year end of April/ Beg of May and start back to school the beginning to mid Aug. Ok so here is my debate. 1. start AAS 1 now and then work lightly through the summer. OR 2. Scrap the rest of this year and just blow it off. Finish the rest of our subjects and just read. Then take the summer to just work on math and reading as we feel like it. Start AAS next fall hope to get through levels 1-3, but at a pace dd dictates, working no more than 20-25 minutes a day. With the intention of going back to PR for 3 grade or just sticking with AAS if it is working good. For grammar for 2 grade we will use primary language lessons. so what do all think? You have helped me think through all of this so much....so now help me with the final part---when to start?? Lynda;)

:lurk5: lynda

you must read the other books..my dd loved these!!! She got them for Xmas and was done with all 3 books by New Years!! Lynda

:lurk5: Lynda

How does AAS teach this word? I teach this work ou ( pain sound ow) the the r. So ou is the vowel team phonogram followed by the r. would love to know how AAS teaches this one, as this may be a deal breaker... and send me running back to PR just as I thought I made up my mind! :auto: Lynda

I looked at SWR and just immediately had a headache. I could not make sense of it even with the websites and the yahoo group. I see where you need to take a training course--ya who has time for that. I figured that it was no more of a pain than WRTR and I own that $20 book! LOL I am looking for something easier to implement for mom and student. Thus the debate between PR and AAS. Lynda

This is precisely why I am thinking that I need to try AAS...no math worked fully or made things click until we did Math U See. She is just a mastery type of learner with everything. She likes to stay on one topic until she gets it. I would have never realized this difference between the programs without all of our exchanges. Lynda

I am thinking that the syllable work in AAS, since it is more direct may help my little one. Due to the fact that she has speech issues sometimes she needs things laid out a bit more clear. Parts of spelling are so hard for her because of the verbal processing. Speech effects so much of the child's language centers. Now that you refresh my memory about the up and down hands in PR --I remember seeing that. I don't recall any 1 lesson just on syllable work or how to do this? I love the PR but I am afraid to hit that wall again with my dd. I am thinking that AAS 1 would be good for her to get the syllable work down a bit better. Humm....maybe I should scrap what we are doing now and order it today. Start AAS 1 and see where we are at --that may be enough review to put her back into PR for next fall. Oh' decisions. I did comb the website and AAS does seem more pick up and go. I like how they specifically had you organize the review box. That is something we were lacking in PR, was the review...I sort of made up my own method. Plus, now with really looking at the PR level with you all---I am thinking of going really slow and stretching PR 2 out. I like to school only 4 days a week, so maybe take 2 weeks to do 1 weeks worth of work. Decisions...UGG...sometimes I hate making them!:lol: LYnda

Thanks for this explanation. I think the syllable work could help dd. It is not present that much in PR or at least I may have missed that part. That is some of what I am seeing. This child's learning style seems to be mastery. She lacks confidence due to a speech issue so wants to know it cold before really acting like she knows something, even though I know that she does. She is also very tactile, and that element seems to add a ton to her understanding. Off to comb the websites more..... Lydna

I had trouble sitting with her at times because we were focusing too much on the "extras" of homeschooling and the fun stuff. Plus she liked to watch the Dvd's and would ask to watch them. It made things easier for her because she could copy the words that way. This particular child seems to do so much better with a hands on mastery math program. We used a bunch of math programs for her and the one that really made it all click is Math u see. I finally purchased it as a last resort in Jan --in 1 1/2 mths she has flown through half of the alpha program. To me AAS seems like math u see --please correct me if I am wrong. I am thinking that moving through levels 1-3 even at a fast pace may make some things click for her. Then move back into the faster pace PR2. I am hesitant to just start PR2 with her without reviewing PR1 materials prior. I guess I am thinking that ASS might give a fresh perspective on an old idea to her. I am concerned that the ASS only goes to the 31 phonograms ---how many phongrams are covered by the end of level 3? She knows all of her phonograms except for about 10 that we are still working on mastering. sigh ----tons to think about. I love that we are all typing (thinking) out loud. It really helps me to think and remember why we did certain things. I do know that from looking at the All About Reading reader that is currently out --my dd is way beyond that for reading.:auto: Lynda

Please keep talking because it is helping me to decide...either pick PR back up or go with AAS. How is AAS easier for the student than PR? This may really be my deal breaker here. This may hit some of the things that my dd hit a wall with PR. PR-- I did it both ways sometimes on a monday when things were tight or I was busy--I let me dd watch the video and she did all the words for the week. Then the other days we would work through the words together again. I did teach building codes and rules as they applied to each word when we did that particular word. Lynda

So now I am thinking here...how do you think this would work for my little one. Next year she will be in 2 grade. Since we did PR 1 and stopped mid PR 2. 2 grade--AAS levels 1-3 ( or as far as we get at her pace. I am thinking all 3 since it covers the same materials as PR 1) Use PLL for language studies. And narration integrated into other subjects. 3 grade --PR 2 and just do our our own literature study since we did the Little House, or re-do it. (if we are enjoying AAS stay there and use ILL) 4 grade--PR 3 5 grade --PR 4 6 grade -- Latin Road or finishing up PR depending where we are at. I really loved PR when I used it. My dd just hit a huge wall and I knew we need to pull back. I sold my level 1 to purchase level 2 but I still have it. I think that I am just scared to break it back out....afraid that we will hit another wall and waste time. sigh. I just need to make a decision to either use it or sell it! Any one want a level 2 program?:lol: Lynda

I don't even want to think about my baby starting high school...Thankfully I have awhile for that one! LOL. I know some of the things we will be doing next year because they are just a continuation from what we are doing now. Like the next level in Latin or math. I really am trying to not stress about it and just think of it like any other grade and meet my child where she is at. Lynda

It just hit me that this is my eldest!! I can not believe that I am planning high school! Lynda

now you all are making me think....maybe a fast review of PR1 and then moving back into PR2....hummm......need to research more. I don't mind investing money into a program if it works--but to go through 3-4 AAS to hit where we are now?? Who is it that is using AAS instead of PR? what are your thoughts? Lynda

Ugg...does AAS move that slowly? Does PR 1 really encompass AAS levels 1-3??? Now I am thinking that this may be too easy. Or is it set up that I can move through the material at a faster pace and slow down when we hit material she does not know, like math u see? Lynda