Thank you for the advice. I've been busting my rear this week just trying to figure out if I'm going to use CC as my "spine" and expand at home, or if I'm going to just do my own thing with curriculum and let CC continue to just be a "supplemental community/social thing." I am completely torn and not sure what to do, and using MFW may help me kind of do both.

I vote for spiral. Lays flat which is better for almost everything, IMHO.

I've heard MFW is more Charlotte Mason than Classical, so maybe not a lot of people are using it here, but I am pretty sure I've noticed it mentioned here in the past. Was hoping someone could answer a question, as I can't find the info I need. My child is getting ready to go into 2nd grade. She's an advanced reader although still immature in her book choices (e.g. She loves to read the Garfield comic strips, and I'm pretty sure it's because of the jokes and pictures). I am looking for a boxed curriculum for Bible, Geography, History, Art, and some Science. I love that MFW incorporates hands-on "light" projects like cooking and crafts. I am not a hands-on teacher (I am more the "Here's a worksheet. Do it." type), but that's the stuff my daughter likes. And I like the idea of being spoon-fed a reading list/schedule. It helps me feel more confident as a teacher, and also frees up some time for me to actually do my work-at-home job. ;) Anyway, here's the question: I'd love to bump her up to Exploring Countries and Cultures in MFW, mostly because it more closely aligns with our Classical Conversations Cycle 1 this year. But MFW says that it's for third through eighth. So how stringent is that guideline? Could a quick-learner second grader still do okay with Exploring Countries and Cultures? Can I easily modify it for her? Or am I better off sticking with the recommendations? Thank you!

Thank you!! Since Math Mammoth is pretty cheap, I may try it out this summer and see how she takes to it. Maybe just because I love the idea of using an abacus, and I noticed that it's an optional tool for the 2nd grade math. :) If it doesn't work, Horizons is inexpensive, too. I can get both Math Mammoth and Horizons for the price of Saxon, so it's a gamble I'm willing to take. Thanks again for all the advice!

Thank you!! I read somewhere that Math Mammoth and Singapore are both "asian" versions of math, so maybe that's what she needs. I suppose the great thing about homeschooling is that if it doesn't work, I can always try something else. :)

Thank you! That is good to know. The only reason I might not continue with Horizons is that my daughter gets bored with the spiral approach, I think. She'll say something like, "This is easy," and whip through it. I've actually been thinking that it does seem to review the concepts over and over again long after they've been mastered. I am not sure this type of thing is right for her. She needs some practice--of course--but probably not as much as Horizons does. I'm not sure, though. I've been reading reviews and things about math curriculum for hours. It can seem so overwhelming! I know second grade math isn't going to make or break her life, haha, but all the choices are just... well... overwhelming.

That's a really good question. To be honest, I guess because I don't know much about it for the later years. I don't know anyone who uses it in high school. So I kind of figured that maybe it wasn't that great. I've heard people say that of all the different subjects, math is the one where you should choose a curriculum fairly early and stick with it. The reasoning is that all the different math currics cover some things at different times, and by skipping around you're more likely to leave gaps. So I'm nervous about this and really want to nail something down. Anyway, do you have any experience with Horizons for middle school and beyond? Is it considered a solid math program? I'm very worried I'm going to shortchange her in the math department simply because I'm not very confident in teaching it.

I know that opinions about math vary widely. Take any given curric, and some people love it, some hate it, it works for some kids, it doesn't work for others. But I am completely confused and unsure. I want to choose a curric that really works for my kid, but math is totally not my strong subject, so I don't feel confident with my choice. The basics: My daughter will be 7 in July. She is just finishing the last book of Horizons 1. She has pre-tested into TT3. If I started her with Saxon, I think she'd be ready to start somewhere mid-way through Saxon 2. She has a good grasp of math facts. She understands concepts readily. She does need some drill to memorize, but she seems to have a natural math mind. She is good at mental math at her level. For example, even though we've only briefly discussed it on a few occasions outside of our "school" time, she understands that 4x3 means she needs to count 4 three times. She's no Einstein, but she's pretty smart. She can read on a 4th grade level. My original plan was TT3, mostly because I don't feel confident teaching math. But I have heard that it is not rigorous enough and that it's "behind." I figured this wouldn't be a problem if I started her early (i.e. on TT3 when she's just beginning 2nd grade), but then I also heard that TT has gaps as they get older and uses unusual terms that cause ACT testing problems later. Next I considered Saxon, although I dread the idea of being so present during math. (She works independently for the most part.) Also, we belong to CC, and Saxon is the math they use in later years. But I've also heard that its spiral nature can get repetitive for kids who grasp concepts quickly. Can anyone guide me on this? Is there a curriculum that I should explore more that I'm not even considering? Thank you so much for any advice!

Thanks for the suggestions!

Can anyone recommend? I'm not really sure what I want. Just something to that teaches Bible and Christian beliefs in a way my little ones can grasp. Every children's Bible I own just seems way over their heads, even the baby ones. Like... I feel they're full of all the Old Testament stories, but no real explanation on a child's level. I also want something that focuses a lot on the New Testament, I think. I don't know really. This is new ground for me. My parents pretty much left most of my religious education up to Sunday school teachers...

I feel kind of lost about where to go next in our LA curriculum. My almost-6-year-old is on Lesson 196 in OPG. I'd say she comfortably reads at a 2nd grade level at this point, based on Scholastic reading levels. She's almost finished Book 3 of ETC. ETC seems to be pretty easy for her. I'd like to move her on to something else, but I don't know what. A formal spelling program? Something like Learning Language Arts Through Literature? Problem is, it has to be challenging enough to work for her, but also fun enough to hold the interest of a (kind of) immature K/1st Grader. Any suggestions?

We do the same thing indoors in winter months by using squares cut from a yoga mat (nonslip on our wood floors). I draw numbers or letters or words on the squares, and then scatter them around the living room.

Another vote for Ed Emberley. My kid loves those books.

Thanks for the suggestions!

I'd love for my kids to learn Spanish from an early age. English, however, is the only language that I (and my husband) speak. Is there a foreign language program that is appropriate for both a 5-year-old and an English-only speaking teacher? Thanks!