And after doing Abeka for first grade and being used to worksheets it's so hard to believe and wrap my mind around not using worksheets this time around! We are quite excited about that, and hesitant at the same time. I know they were mostly for busywork but sometimes it really did help to drive in the concepts learned. Have any of you switched from something more traditional like Abeka to something more classical like WWE and FLL?

Okay friends, I keep reading that many of you start your school day off with some sort of group/circle time. Can you all pitch in and tell me what you do during this time? I'm thinking I need to find a better way to get the day started besides, 'hush and sit down!' LOL If it helps, I have a 7 (almost 8) year old, 6 year old, and a two year old who is impossible to occupy!

This about the third time I've read about HAS today alone! I think it's time for me to check it out!!

I know this has been posted and answered a million times but I'm mobile and can't search properly. Please forgive me ;-) I'll be starting these two soon with my second grade son. Can you all throw out some scheduling suggestions my way! ?

THANK YOU! That's what I was thinking but I just wanted to be sure. Your answer was perfect!!

My 7 (almost 8) year old is getting ready to start WWE. His handwriting and form isn't all that great, and no, I'm not looking for perfection. He is really stubborn when it comes to me helping him but he's quick to complain that his arm/fingers/hand hurt or gets super upset when I remind him that his letters are formed wrong or living on the wrong lines. I've been thinking about trying Handwriting Without Tears to reinforce the proper way of doing things. I'm just afraid that between the two it would be overkill. Has anyone used both at the same time somehow?

Let's talk about the Memoria Press 2nd grade literature set. Tell me what you love? What you hate? How did you plan/schedule it out? Does it last a whole school year?

I'm looking at the Memoria Press literature right now, anyone here use that? Does it last through the school year? Love it? Hate it?

Thank you all SO very much! This was exactly what I needed to hear. It's hard swimming against the grain and leaving the Abeka kits behind. We'll more than likely still use their math, because it's working so well. Someone mentioned writing, I never really thought about it but that makes perfect sense. My 7 year old, will be 8 in March, can't write a little story to save his life. It stresses him out. SOMEtimes he can if I give him a million prompts. But he's a perfectionist who doesn't think before reacting. Deadly mix! But we do copywork and we're working on neater/proper handwriting. I'm kind of excited yet very nervous to start dictation. Sometimes I have him do my texting for me to try and work on it without him noticing ;-) I think we'll plug on and finish the Abeka and then move on to the more classical things I've purchased. I can't wait! This group has been so invaluable to me and so patient with all my million questions!

We are slowly leaving Abeka after using it for about two years. I've loved it so far and, honestly, I don't hate it. I just felt the itch to switch things up and try some other things. I have been so set on trying out WWE, FLL, SOTW, AAS and so on. I even ordered WWE, FLL, and SOTW when they were having their 'scratch & dent' sale. s wee are nearing the end of our Abeka and getting closer to starting our new adventure I find myself getting more and more nervous. It doesn't help that the majority of our hs group and co-op use traditional curriculums. One family uses the more classical approach but they don't really discuss what they use much. Anyhow, after overhearing several moms today talking about this curriculum and that curriculum I started to have doubts. I just want to be sure we cover what 'needs' to be covered. I know that Abeka covers a lot but so far we have done well with it. Does WWE and FLL cover much more than I'm giving it credit for? I just have this fear that one day something will happen and my kids will have to go to the public school, I don't want them to be behind. I KNOW that everyone says that 9 times out of 10 the hs kids are actually more advanced than their public school peers but I think I just need some reassurance.

Please be patient with me! lol We are getting ready to ramp up to second grade soon. We currently use Abeka for phonics and spelling. I really like their Phomics, though sometimes a little lengthy. But we tailor it to suit our needs. My question is this, I've heard of so many people not doing anything formal for phonics when using AAS. I'm a little nervous to drop phonics, even though he's reading at least two years above level. Would it be too much to do AAS and 2nd grade Abeka phonics? I don't think I would do AAS and phonics on the same day, or maybe I will. Not sure. Anyone use this combo? If it'll be too much could you please point me in the direction of something that might work better?

These would make GREAT Christmas gifts! I have a 6 and 7 year old. The 7 year old is getting really good at the directions with his Lego sets but the 6 year old is far from that step. Would you all recommend Camelot Jr or Castle Logix?

I need to plan my 2nd grade line up before I work on 1st grade but I figured I would just put it all in one post. My 7 year old is getting close to the end of his first grade year with Abeka. He's done really well with it, and could probably be doing much, if not all, of the second grade stuff but we took some time off and I didn't want to skip too much just in case we missed something valuable. Shortly after the first of the year he will be at the end of his Abeka first grade books/workbooks. I had already bought Abeka 2nd grade but decided it wouldnt work for us again so I bought WWE2, FLL2 and Story of the World vol 1. I'm looking at Horizons or CLE for math, he really needs something spiral. I just haven't decided. Here is where I could use some help. His reading is great and very rarely needs any help sounding things out, I think the last time we did the reading level test he was at a 3.5-4, but his interest in books that hight are slim still. If we were to continue with Abeka he would still be doing some phonics. What I'm wondering is, do I or should I still continue with some sort of phonics? And if so, what would you suggest? And what about spelling? He's pretty good at it, just forgets the actual rules (I think he just memorizes how to spell) and lacks confidence. And now to the 1st grade stuff. Right now the 6 year old is using Abkea for phonics and math. We are kind of lax on the writing part as it is cursive and he just can't get the hang of it just yet. So we just kind of do our own thing right now. I can't decide if I want to just use the 1st grade Abeka that I already have and am familiar with (just need to buy the new consumables) or start him in first grade with FFL1/WWE1. And then what about phonics? He's picking up reading fairly easy, as long as there are no pictures. When he has a picture that illustrates what the words say then he just tries guessing.

I was going to start a new topic about this but I will just bump this one up! Tell me what you like about it, what you dislike about it? I want the good, the bad, and the ugly. I'd be using it for my 7 year old who will be starting second grade shortly after the new year. We are using Abeka right now, and it's working, but I was just thinking about picking something else, Abeka seems a little slow for him and we don't love the activities/suggestions. We need something short & sweet, one page (front & back is fine), and spiral. I'm thinking that this might be what we are looking for but just need reassurance that it's a good pick! lol

We got our books today and I was blown away!! They must have some pretty high standards for what goes out that door because the books we got are in darn near perfect condition. I had to search to find any sort of 'scratch & dent.' So glad I jumped on this sale. It sealed the deal for me on what we were going to use for second grade.

We're not doing Latin...and as of right now I don't have any plans to!

My 'me time' comes at night. I'm a night owl. I really need to become a morning person. We've slowly been working on a (loose) routine. It seems to be working. I'm just jotting down time frames and things we do around those times. Working in lessons at certain times. This might work. So far the hardest is quiet time with the 7 year old. He thinks he needs me all the time. He refuses to read, play Legos, anything. Basically he's just mad because he can't play on the iPad, watch tv, or have a snack during this time. What's funny, is that he never got to play on the iPad or watch tv when his sister napped before. Not sure why he thinks he can now. He has refused every idea I've thrown his way. So for now he just sits on the couch and pouts, has a little fit, and tries to get my attention. For the time being I'm using this time to fold laundry, do some playing on the computer, or my own rest time. It probably doesn't help that we are in the same room.

Hey that looks like my kind of day!

I agree! Thinking of discipline for the hitting now. I think it's also because there's too much free play. Too much of me telling term just to go play while I do other things. I don't have to entertain them all day, but maybe some direction.

Pretty much!

Well I'm no hs pro but if it makes you feel better we aren't doing history at all! Ans haven't done any history (or much science!) since we started in first grade, he's in second now (little brother in kinder). I did, however, order SOTW through the Peace Hill Press to use sometime after the first of the year. We'll see how that pans out!

She sleeps with us (was sleeping in her bed but then suddenly went back to sleeping in our bed) and goes to bed around 8pm and gets up between 7-8am. She hates the pack n play, always has, but I really should bust it out again and make her learn to deal with it! LOL maybe after several (hundred!) tries she will eventually quit screaming while in there. All three kids share a room and all toys are toddler friendly, well except the small Legos when her brothers aren't in there with her. The six year old still takes a nap from time to time at the same time as his sister, but not always. If he doesn't nap he watches a documentary and he's not allowed to come out until it's over. The six year old doesn't know how to do quiet time for more than a few minutes. It's so frustrating. I'm going to start working on their quiet time and things they can do during that time.

My boys are (just turned) 6 amd 7 (8 in March) and then a little one who will be 2 in January. The two year old is a mess and has to be with me or one if the buys at all times. They don't really know how to play with her yet because she doesn't really play. If they are at th table doing school she wants to be right there with them. Not in her seat doing something, but ON the table marking in their things, climbing on them and so on. The six year old NEEDS to be occupied or he will get into things or bother me a million times. He doesn't play well with baby sister because he annoys her. All the 7 year old wants to do is play on electronics. Which is limited, but he doesn't get it. And the baby only takes a 30-45 minute nap. I cannot get her to sleep any longer. I'm working on teaching the boys how o play nicely together because they last about five minutes and it's over. Or someone is hurt. Or someone wants to quit playing because the other made them mad. I gotta do something!

I desperately need to set up a little daily/nightly routine! Not so much a schedule, but a routine to help make things move smoothly so our lessons actually get done, the house gets picked up, we have a little fun and we all get to unwind at night! LOL Is that possible? Right now I school the boys separately for their core subjects. While one is doing their math/phonics/reading/spelling the other one is trying to entertain their almost-two-year-old sister. And begging for iPad time. And a snack. And tv time. And, and, and, and...you get the idea. Our lessons are short and sweet so for the moment it's (sort of) working out to school them at different times. I just think things would actually get started, completed, and what not if we sort of had a plan of attack. Something simple. Such as; wake up, eat, get dressed....that kind of thing. Something where they could get used to the flow of things and know what to expect when. So, share with me, do you have a routine? If you do, what does it look like?

I just ordered WWE 2, FLL 2, SOTW vol 1, the activity guide and a set of student pages. AMAZING DEAL! Thank you so much for offering this discount ;-)