I am using Mosdos Press with my now 7th grader along with his novel reading. It's very well done, thoughtful and thorough and there are quite a few fans on the Hive so if you search you'll find more thoughts on the program. They also have a website where you can see inside the books (Rainbow Resource gives you a preview as well). Mosdos is a bit pricey but you can find used copies of the Teacher Manual and textbook. Some people forgo the TM and just use the textbook and workbook. The workbook is optional and available on Rainbow Resource for a decent price.

This is my 13 yr rising 8th grader DS! And it also happens pretty much only in math which is his least favorite subject. Unless I am sitting right next to him, very little gets done and what gets done takes a very long time interrupted by many distractions (playing with the dog, wanting to find his siblings, etc.). I will say my DS has math anxiety (even though he is a strong math student) and the anxiety definitely exacerbates his dawdling tendencies. He gets nervous to even start a problem sometimes unless I am sitting right next to him (even if I don't help him at all with the problem). Next year with Algebra I, I think I may try the "work every other problem next to him" strategy mentioned above. I really thought that my DS's stellar performance in Pre-algebra this year would boost his confidence in math but it has done little in that area. He doesn't like math and dragggggggggs his feet doing it.

Would love more reviews of WIR and, since I am looking hard at Readers in Residence for my rising 4th grader, any reviews on that would be great too!

Khan Academy (online) has helpful videos.

I looked into it for my 7th grader this year but decided to go in a different direction. I am doing the U.S. History IEW book with my 3rd grader this year, however. I think the Medieval book would be a bit challenging for all but a few 3rd graders, but I plan to use some of it next year with her and to modify if necessary.

Following as my DD also is doing chemistry in 4th grade next year and we also are using R.E.A.L Science Odyssey for our spine/main program. Thanks for the ideas so far!

You gals are so funny. Thanks for the tip about looking at Craigslist instead of just cleaning services.

Thanks, that IS what I am looking for!!!! : ). I spend time cleaning up/tidying up toys, etc after everybody AND getting the kids to clean up after themselves (DH seems allergic to asking them to pick up after themselves, oh well) and then I also have to do the "deep" cleaning too! It's not fun. I DO want someone once a week or so to do the dusting, mopping, vaccumming, etc because after the daily grind of tidying up and doing laundry and teaching a full day to several different levels I just have. no.energy.left. ykwim? : ) Oh, and again, you ladies who have the understanding and reasonable-on-this-issue husbands, you are very fortunate!

IEW helped my reluctant writer DS when he was in 3rd grade. His strengths are sentence fluency, voice and vocabulary but not so much idea origination or organization so the Key Word Outline process was ideal for building his confidence and proving to himself that he could actually compose meaningful paragraphs! However, that said, I agree with other posters upthread who have suggested focusing less on composition for awhile and more on penmanship and helping him to just enjoy language arts, the beauty of language, etc. There is plenty of time for "serious" composition instruction later.

I think it depends on the level. The Jade workbook I have is underwhelming and if I had been able to see more of it before I purchased (from RR) I would not have bought it. The Jade textbook and TE provide enough in depth questions already, imho. I know some users say the TE is not necessary but, with Jade anyway, I'm glad I have the TE and I find it very useful. I have heard that the Pearl workbook, on the other hand, is well worth the cost because it provides extra stories, questions, etc. Not sure about the Pearl TE because I have not seen it.

Following as this is a sore spot for our family. After homeschooling for nine years my DH understands and accepts that schooling is priority number one for me but he can't quite wrap his head around the fact that then that means that the house won't always be spotless, every day at all times, grrrrrr. And we have littles so the shoveling while it's still snowing analogy spot on. Fortunately, I can afford to hire a house cleaner so that is likely where we are going. It's still frustrating that my DH just.doesn't.get it. I so envy all of you with DH's that DO!!!

FANTASTIC News!!! I bought the Ruby student text used (Ebay) for DD next year and was fretting about having to find the Ruby TE somewhere. Whooo Hoo!

So far we have used: Kolbe, Veritas Scholars Academy, The Potters School (briefly), and Homeschool Connections. Next year I will use: Lukeion Project, IEW writing and possibly something else (could be Bridgeway like poster above) Now, what do I know about? Umm, probably about over fifty different vendors, LOL!

My DD probably is placed too low with Fix -it but it is an add on and really, she just likes the story. It's almost copywork for us as the vocabulary and sentence structure is wonderful! Our "spine" program is Well Ordered Language from CAP which DD LOVES so I don't really see a need to "go up" with Fix It at this point.

Thanks for the Lukeion review. I'm signing up my son for Witty Wordsmith and Barbarian Diagrammarian next year—great to hear the classes are worth the time and $! Bridgeway looks interesting and is on my radar as well.

I agree with Jyhwkmama that come May/June there definitely should be more of Mosdos available on Ebay, Amazon, all used book websites (try Bookfinder.com) and used curriculum websites. People will be finishing up the year and selling curriculum. I'm hoping I may even find something at the huge used curriculum book sale at my state's homeschooling convention in June. Moving Beyond the Page is fine (and fun!) but I find it "lighter" than Mosdos fwiw. The uniqueness of Mosdos ("deep" literature discussion and solid literature selections even for young grades) is very hard to match. I know the series is expensive to publish with the graphics, multi-colors and page lengths, but I wonder if the founders/authors/publisher even tried to sell their work to another curriculum publisher? It's too bad if they just folded up their tent completely after all that hard work. I certainly think their offerings fill a niche that is not being filled as well currently.

deerforest, I'm not sure. I know I, for one, will try hard to buy a Mosdos Teacher Guide for any level I use. I really like my kids to get "deep" into the literature and, while I have enough knowledge to formulate questions, it takes a LOT of time to do do it all well. I found that out when recently I had to tweak everything I found for a novel study on Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. So time is money to me at this point! : ) The Mosdos Teacher Guide I have (Jade) is about as thorough of a manual as I have ever seen and has been well worth the money. In fact, the whole Mosdos Lit program is very high quality and far surpasses most of what is out there (especially for lower grades) so I am deeply saddened to hear that the founders are pulling the plug. I don't know why they don't sell the copyrights to another publisher—I wonder if they even tried to do this?

So, I have been paying the full price minus 10% and only doing one course not knowing I could swap out courses! Can I swap ANY course, like do a 7th grade course for my DS and then swap out for a 4th grade course for my DD? I mean, do they "care" and think it's for another person and not allow course swapping across grades?

So, Key to Algebra is NOT a full algebra curriculum? It is more of a review of selected "tough" topics? Thanks!

Jyhwkmama, Amazon has two listings for both Jade Teacher Guides at 99.99 and 99.98 (in good shape). Shipping is $3.99. I know you have one Jade TM book already but it will hard to find only one most likely. https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0967100917/ref=tmm_other_meta_binding_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=1492644272&sr=8-3

I second getting the Teacher Manuals if you can find them AND they are not ridiculously expensive!! My Jade TM has excellent, thorough questions throughout. The workbook, on the other hand has been somewhat disappointing. I got it from RR for $18.00 but I would have skipped it if I had been able to see all of it before buying. It is short (sounds like the Pearl workbook is not short), misses quite a lot of stories, and has nothing for the poetry unit at all. I'm glad I have the TM because the meaty questions will come from there (and me : ), ha! )

Jesse, I know, those people are nuts. I doubt they will get it. I have the Jade teacher manuals and I paid $70.00 for them including shipping (Amazon, used).

Jyhwmama—SCORE !! The homeschoolerssupply closet link above from Jesse (THANK YOU!) shows the Jade teacher guides for $72.00. That's a great price especially now and very close to what I paid. I'm going back to look at homeschoolers supply closet........

Okay, I just went on the website and it looks like the pricing choices may have changed from when I last used it about 3 years ago. Could I pay the 12 month unlimited access fee and then get to switch the courses around? Or is switching only for the monthly options, including pay-as-you-go? Oh and there is a 20% off sale going on right now.

I just learned something new!! I've been using K12 independently off and on for about 8 years and NEVER knew you could "swap" courses for courses. This works only if you buy the monthly option for 12 months, though, correct? I always bought whole courses in one sum (like $249.00 minus 10% for paying in full) so I guess that isn't "swappable" (?) I like your idea of block scheduling and swapping out classes!!!! So, you just call them and say.."I would like to try xyz class instead of what I signed up for" ? And you get switched and can switch back if you want to? I agree that most of the book materials are either not necessary or can be bought cheaply used on Ebay, Amazon, etc.