I'd love to get some opinions on HOD or MFW Adventures if you've used both. Which did you prefer and why? Which program has more hands on activities but yet easy to prep? I'm looking through the Teacher's Manual for Adventures and it seems like the book basket makes up most of the curriculum while HOD uses their books within their lessons and you get all you need with the package. Is the book basket really necessary? My library doesn't have many of the book basket books and if I need to use those to "beef up" the program, then maybe it's not going to work as well for me. My boys are 7 and 8 and they'd be doing Adventures or Bigger from HOD. My current plan is to do Adventures and then move to HOD bigger so I'm not planning on doing the MFW family cycle. I'm so torn between both programs. I also have a just turned 6 year old that won't be able to join Adventures because it will be too much work for him and I'm thinking of doing HOD Little Hearts for his Glory or Ambleside Online.

I was looking at this revision and considering it too. I didn't care for PLL but that version looks nice. I'm planning on using MFW Adventures for 3rd grade too so I may have to look it again.

I'm halfway through second grade CLE LA but seriously thinking of switching. I like the program but it's like pulling teeth for my kids. It might be too much too soon with all the phonics/spelling rules too. I'm doing second grade. I really just want to to finish out the year and switch for next year but not sure if it's worth the struggle. I was looking at McRuffy Language Arts. I was thinking of getting their second grade program and maybe double up to get through it in a somewhat timely manner. It's colorful and looks more interesting than CLE. I've also thought of doing a more Charlotte Mason approach. Maybe more gentle is better. What is your favorite but fun LA for second and third grade?

I like the idea of how spelling is taught with Spelling You See but it almost seems the same as copywork and dictation. I'd like to know what your thoughts are on the program if you are using it and like it and if you've used it and don't like it. Is it worth buying or am I better doing a more Charlotte Mason copywork and dictation program? I'd have 3 kids working on it so it seems pricey after buying the TM and 2 student workbooks. I do use WWE as a supplement to my core LA which is CLE.

I just fixed the Scruffy. :smilielol5: My autocorrect kept switching it on me but I guess I missed that one. My boys are pretty good readers in fact a bit above level but when it comes to writing and grammar, I'd say they're on level. I'll email Brian about the spelling words. That may work in my boys' favor though because they say their spelling words now are for babies. My main focus now is spelling and writing while continuing to improve their reading skills.

I'm currently using CLE and I'm looking for something a little different. I think I may come back to CLE for third grade but not sure yet. I'm really thinking of switching to McRuffy LA and I'd be using their second grade curriculum. Would it be considered advanced or grade level? I'm really just looking for the pros and cons to McRuffy. It seems more fun than what we are doing but I also would like some academic rigor.

If you have used Queen's Math Lessons for a Living Education, I'd love to hear about your thoughts, likes or dislikes about it. I'm considering it for my soon to be 5 year old that wants to start "doing school" like his brothers. I'm currently using Easy Peasy for his reading and he's doing rather well but I'm looking at Math options. Here is a link to what I'm referring to: https://www.queenshomeschooling.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=67_68&zenid=12be181c61a0c7508a64d622088ae949 Thanks.

Was it just preference or was there a problem with the connecting ones?

I already have regular unifix cubes but I'd like to get some C-rods. I read good reviews about the wooden ones but I like the idea of the connecting ones. Is there a certain brand that is better quality than others? Is there a disadvantage to the connecting ones?

I love the Charlotte Mason method of learning. I personally think it's the natural way that children learn. I'd love to incorporate as much of that into our homeschool but there is a question that keeps coming to my mind. I currently have the option of portfolio evaluation in my state and that's the method that I choose. I have never agreed with standardized tests as a way of finding out how well a child stands academically. The problem is that we have a move coming in the next 1.5 years or so. Some of the states we've considered require homeschooled students to take a standardized test either every year or every 3 years. We are trying to make a decision for a state that won't require it but laws can change. How well have your children which were taught with mainly a Charlotte Mason method done on their standardized tests? I'm just looking for an average on their rankings. Homeschoolers in general score better than their PS peers but I'd love to hear from an actual parent experience. I don't want to put my children at a disadvantage if our move will bring us to a state that will require the test and I haven't done enough. What curriculum (if you use a particular one) do you use? I just want my children to be prepared to handle anything that might come their way without stressing them out.

There are various sites and games from the Easy Peasy Homeschool site for Math fact practice. http://allinonehomeschool.com/math-facts-practice/ It does take time and he's only 8yrs old. One thing that I just started doing with my boys to practice adding numbers which they love is playing Math War with a deck of playing of cards. I only use the numbered cards and we use 2 separate decks. Each one gets a deck and they put down 2 cards at a time each and add up the total of both of their cards. The rest of the game is exactly the same. The only difference is laying 2 cards down to add up.

I'm going to look into maybe moving him up in CLE by letting him take the quizzes and tests and see his scores and also look into their placement tests. We've done CLE from Kindergarten II until now but I've put in a bit of Math Mammoth 1 this year as a supplement for conceptual work.

I know that some of you use and recommend Teaching Textbooks. I've been using CLE first grade and my 7 year old (just turned 7) has been telling me the work is too easy. He flys through the lesson with accuracy and needs minimal teaching on a few things. I just gave him the placement test for Teaching Textbooks 3 and he scored 15 correct in section 1 and 9 correct in section 2. According to TT if the score is 10 or more correct in Section 1 and 8 or more correct in Section 2, then he should be ok for TT 3. Would you think it's ok to switch? It seems like they'll review the simpler items anyway but I don't want to make the wrong move and I don't want to put him behind either and be bored. He loves to learn and learns quickly. CLE is supposed to be advanced and I've heard TT is a little behind so I'm just looking for advice.

My son will be 5 in April and knows his alphabet, sounds of each letter, can sound out short words phonetically and can read a few words too but has no clue when it comes to rhyming words, what is the same or different. I know he's young and I'm not trying to push him but I'd love some tips on how to help him start picking it up in a fun way. He can play The Memory game but if you then put pictures in a row and ask him to show you which one is the same or different, he's clueless. I've tried re-wording the way I ask in various ways but still nothing. I'm noticing this is his weakest area so I'm trying to work with him on it. He's getting better with patterns but sometimes struggles with that too. Any suggestions or advice is appreciated.

My son is in first grade and has asked me to learn cursive. I've been looking at a few books but not sure which one to choose. I've been looking at New American Cursive or Cursive First. Does anyone have experience positive or negative about these? I want it to be easy to learn but I also want my kids to be able to read older documents that were written in the old-fashioned cursive style.

We took a break from the end of May till this week from school. One of my boys who is 5.5 is driving me insane. He complains about everything. Says he's too tired to do work and just has no will to do anything school related. My other son is a go-getter and just does his work and gets it done. The one who's driving me insane is very smart and I know it's just him being lazy. When he puts his mind to something, he can get things done quickly. Both boys are working on the same level (first grade) and doing the same lessons and I really don't want to have to repeat a lesson with him just because he's acting up. He pulled this type of thing on me last school year too so it's nothing new but now he has escalated to a new level that I'm not willing to tolerate. I'm not crazy about rewarding for doing school work as I feel that's something that needs to be done without compensation but I'm open to anything. I just feel like rewarding him is the same as bribing and will teach the wrong lesson. I'm just stressed out already and need ideas of what to do to make our day go more smoothly.

I have the reader but I haven't purchased the light units yet. I'm still debating between CLE reading or Pathway readers but mainly because of the markings. I have just looked at the samples on CLE's website and that's what I'm going on. If it's just the study words then I guess it's not too big of a deal with me.

Well, the CLE reader looks like any regular book without markings. It's just in the samples of the Light Units that they teach the pronunciation of the words using those markings and therefore they teach what those markings stand for. I just asked DH and he said he finds them useful in learning how to pronounce a word properly. I did see a sample page though that had a short story without the workbook lesson and written out with diacriticals. The rest of it looks ok. I'm just wondering if it will be ok to skip those parts without jeopardizing the purpose of their reading program.

I am trying to decide whether or not I want to use CLE's Reading 1 program or use Pathway Readers and Workbooks for reading and comprehension. CLE teaches with diacritical marks and I'm not sure whether that will confuse or actually help my kids. We are currently using CLE's Learning to Read program and that has gone really well. I'm looking for opinions on this topic since my boys' reading level is a little above grade level and I don't want to make them hate reading. We are going to be doing first grade. Thanks!

We have 3 units left of the CLE LTR (they started this in Kinder) and I really like it as well. Just not sure what to do after we finish it. The dictionary markings in the samples is what is holding me back from ordering the Reading. I'm not sure if my kids will get frustrated with them or get confused.

What is LL? I haven't seen that abbreviation yet. lol

Sorry I wasn't more clear about it. I'll be doing first grade (5.5 and 6.5 yr old) and I'm looking for a reading program to enhance their reading and comprehension skills. I'd describe us as more of an eclectic family. I do love classical but we also do more traditional work.

I am considering CLE Reading Curriculum but that is because CLE has been working well with my kids. I'd like to get some other suggestions for a good reading/comprehension curriculum. Please tell me what you do and don't like about the various programs? If you've used CLE, what have or haven't you liked about it? Thanks!

I'd love to see it. :)

I am going to be starting Adventures with my boys and I'd love to get some ideas for the Timeline. Does anyone have pics of their timeline that they'd be willing to share? I don't have much wall space so if you made a "notebook" timeline, I'd be interested in seeing those too. Thanks