And for what it is worth, even though we are behind schedule, we have enjoyed history together so much. They are not on track for time line coverage, BUT they can tell you the name of every English Monarch (in order of course) and for most of them, tell you their spouses, children and cause of death. So I guess that is why I don't want to just skip or jump ahead. We just really like to take our time with it and get the most out of it.

We started planning last year for our upcoming trip to Virginia. The thought was that we would just be covering that time period in our history studies. Well, we are behind. Math for one child and spelling for the other, took some extra work and time. Plus I seem to not be great at managing to stick to a schedule when life gets in the way. So we just now got to starting with the Renaissance. I was hoping to cover a few days more of Shakespeare and Africa, touch on the Spanish Inquisition, and then at least the 30 Years War before moving on to early American Settlers. However, now I have 2 weeks before we leave for Jamestown. Should I touch briefly on these things (like just outline that we will go back and cover them) so we lay the foundation for "why". Do you recommend we actually cover the info I have planned for Settlers, even though it is not in order? Or would I be better to just go on the trip, pointing out what we will soon learn about. I guess I am just panicking and feeling very unprepared. Normally when we do field trip type vacations the girls have studied the whole topic so well in advance that it just brings it to life for them. Now I feel like they are going in with no more knowledge on the subject than they have gleaned from the Disney version of Pocahontas. They are 12 and 9 and we can not just change the trip by a few weeks. Any advice for prepping them would be greatly appreciated. I almost feel as if all my time focusing on chronological history has handicapped me in my ability to teach it in a free standing lesson, away from its place in the time line. "sigh". At the very least, we plan to listen to the SOTW CDs on the road.

I'm a curriculum junkie. I'm doing good to finish one year of something without switching, let alone reuse. At least so far.

To date, it is the one curriculum choice I have not at least momentarily questioned my choice over.

We are Christians but I still teach about the basic principles of the history and teachings of such things as Judaism, Muslims, Buddhists as they come up in history. SOTW or HO gives me what I feel we need here. Are you you looking for more than that?

This is a very rude assumption. I buy tons of books used on Amazon and when we are done I give everyone of them to my niece or donate them to the library or Habitat. So since you do not know this person, you do NOT know you are right about anything they will do with their purchases.

Im sorry you are having a hard time getting any money back out of your investments. I know that can be frustrating. But allow me to play devil's advocate for a minute. I have never purchased any used curriculum or sold any, for the same reasons. Every time I search for used curriculum, the listings I find are offering only a small discount from the new purchase price. Then the used seller charges shipping when the new books would be sent to me for free. In the end it costs the same or maybe $5 less than new. Then you figure in that when you buy from an unknown individual online, there are added risks and chances. Will they even send this? Is it in the condition they say? How will they pack it? And with me, I am a worrier by nature, so I am nervous until I have that item in my hands. Most of the curriculum writers and stores I shop offer discounts of 15-25% at some point through out the year, so for me the whole reason to buy used would be to save at least 40%. Think about the last time you visited a yard sale or thrift store. A pair of men's Levi's are $54 new without a discount but I dont know a single person who would spend $27 on a pair of them at a yard sale or Goodwill, even in "like new" condition. Now, I realize that books hold a bit more value than a pair of old shoes but the mentality is still there that if you are buying something used you expect it to be a good savings over new, not just a small discount. I feel the same way when I am at a store and I see a clearance sign or sticker. If it says "clearance" and they have marked it down from $39.99 to $35, I laugh on over to the next aisle. All that being said, I would never tell someone that their stuff is dated or that they are asking too much. If you don't want to pay the asking price, there is no reason to comment to the seller at all, just keep shopping. Why be rude about it? I am sure that you are right and there are plenty of people out there who are just trying to get a deal, There is always that lady at the yard sale asking to give $1 for the leather jacket marked $3. But you might just consider if you are selling it at a rate that is at least a decent amount cheaper than the original store would sell it for during a good annual sale and taking all shipping charges into account. If not, and someone passes on it, it isn't because they are a cheapskate. It might just be that they are a patient, savvy shopper and will just wait on that annual sale to buy it new for a couple bucks more.

Im sorry you are having a hard time getting any money back out of your investments. I know that can be frustrating. But allow me to play devil's advocate for a minute. I have never purchased any used curriculum or sold any, for the same reasons. Every time I search for used curriculum, the listings I find are offering only a small discount from the new purchase price. Then the used seller charges shipping when the new books would be sent to me for free. In the end it costs the same or maybe $5 less than new. Then you figure in that when you buy from an unknown individual online, there are added risks and chances. Will they even send this? Is it in the condition they say? How will they pack it? And with me, I am a worrier by nature, so I am nervous until I have that item in my hands. Most of the curriculum writers and stores I shop offer discounts of 15-25% at some point through out the year, so for me the whole reason to buy used would be to save at least 40%. Think about the last time you visited a yard sale or thrift store. A pair of men's Levi's are $54 new without a discount but I dont know a single person who would spend $27 on a pair of them at a yard sale or Goodwill, even in "like new" condition. Now, I realize that books hold a bit more value than a pair of old shoes but the mentality is still there that if you are buying something used you expect it to be a good savings over new, not just a small discount. I feel the same way when I am at a store and I see a clearance sign or sticker. If it says "clearance" and they have marked it down from $39.99 to $35, I laugh on over to the next aisle. All that being said, I would never tell someone that their stuff is dated or that they are asking too much. If you don't want to pay the asking price, there is no reason to comment to the seller at all, just keep shopping. Why be rude about it? I am sure that you are right and there are plenty of people out there who are just trying to get a deal, There is always that lady at the yard sale asking to give $1 for the leather jacket marked $3. But you might just consider if you are selling it at a rate that is at least a decent amount cheaper than the original store would sell it for during a good annual sale and taking all shipping charges into account. If not, and someone passes on it, it isn't because they are a cheapskate. It might just be that they are a patient, savvy shopper and will just wait on that annual sale to buy it new for a couple bucks more.

Two things: my Google searches turn up nothing to help me decode what SL Book of Time or SL timeline is. Can someone elaborate so I can look it up? We use and enjoy Tiki toki timeline online. Is anyone else familiar with it? It's free and easy to use and we can an easily add as much or as little to each entry as we need. My dd11 reads hers often. Timelines really are helpful for understanding how things relate to each other in time.

We made an online timeline that we really like. We don't have the wall space for what I would like and I find the folding ones to be to constricting but using the free tiki tiki toki timeline we can add as much detail to each entry as we want.

I found 2 definitions of sexist and I think therein lies the problem. It can mean relating to behavior based on gender; or a belief that one gender is superior. The op would be correct using the first definition. However, I don't find that type of sexism to be offensive. I am a stay at home mom who cooks and cleans and irons and homeschool my kids. My husband is a construction worker who mows the lawn, fixes the car, shovels snow and takes out garbage. So I guess we lead sexist lives, as do most people in some way or another. (Whether they admit it or not.) Matchbox commercials use boys for advertising, Lego sells pink sets to attract girls, it's part of life. Heck, where does it end? If I say "boys pee standing up", is that sexist? I'm commenting on a behavior that is based on gender and it could offend a handful of guys who prefer to sit. So yes, that's a sexist comment by definition but is there anything really wrong with that? Saying boys do not find doll dresses fascinating doesn't fit the other definition though, of a belief that one gender is better than the other, which is what comes to my mind and probably the others who are offended by the opening post. This definition carries a much more negative tone. If it bothers you, I agree that a less traditional curriculum might be best, but I also understand why others might be put off by the post.

I will talk to the teachers more. I have a little and I guess they will do this more as they progress but I'd like to give them a leg up now. This really is my best school choice for them to take lessons. There are two other options. The first we went to for a year of violin and a year of bouncing between guitar, drums and piano with the younger child. They learned some reading but the teachers were all horrible. In fact we then spent a year relearning violin from scratch because all her form was so bad. The other school option is 3 times as much money. We already spend $200 a month and we can't afford much more on lessons. The thing is, they Love their teachers and are both sounding so beautiful. My youngest especially, would be heartbroken if we switched teachers, even if I could find another cello tutor in our small rural area. She's finally picked a instrument to stick with and a teacher she loves so if I have to do more on my end, I gladly will. That Alfred's Essentials looks like a good start. Any others?

My 11 year old takes private violin lessons and my younger student takes private and group cello lessons. I can't play a recorder. They are doing well but they aren't really learning to read music. Their teachers tell them the notes they are playing but they are leaning by memory and ear. They are getting some instruction that leads up to it, such as scales, recognizing clefs, discussing rests and measures, but I would like to step it up. My knowledge is limited to " every good boy does fine" and counting out while clapping "ta, ta, tee-tee, ta". I have found lots of websites with explanations and articles on reading music but I'd love to find a course. Something prepared with incremental information and increasing difficulty along with practice assignments and such. We found a Classics for kids website that we use for appreciation and we have enjoyed listening and talking about pieces but I would love help finding something for reading music. Basically I want to get them where they can site read whatever piece is handed to them. Eventually. And since I can't read Mary had a Little Lamb unless I count out my notes and peck them out on the piano (taking 5 minutes), I desperately need help getting them there.

I have no idea how I got this posted here, I must have opened a new tab trying to post on my Kindle. I'll see if I can move it when I get to the desktop.

Posted in the wrong forum.

I was just thinking that both might be best myself.

I was thinking CLE LA or Fix it Grammar would replace the Rod and Staff Grammar. BW or IEW to replace writing. We need to replace both.

We have been using it this year and love it. We have had to skip a few assignments for lack of time or just because it seemed like a little too much sometimes, but overall we really like it.

Looking at their website it appears I need to buy the teachers guide, Teaching with Structure and Style, and also the student intensive. I was figuring A and B. Would the teacher's guide really be necessary. Even with just one level of student intensive we were looking at nearly $300 which is a lot for us to spend right now. I could do it but would want to be really sure. Where do you guys suggest looking for used curriculum?

I had all the details typed out, and when I looked back it was like a four page essay, so I deleted it since I figured no one would read it all anyway. Basically, after nearly 2 years of Rod and Staff grammar, both girls are not retaining anything. They get the problems right but then can't do the review a couple weeks later. It is not improving. Also, the girls didn't have formal writing in public school so last year I started them in WWE 1, it was too simple but didnt seem to work when we jumped ahead. So this year we used CAP Writing and Rhetoric and just don't care for it for some reason. We finished it but don't really care to go forward with it. I like the look of the samples of IEW I have seen but to get started for 2 levels would be around $400. OUCH. So then I am thinking Brave Writer but I cant tell if it is just for creative style writing or will it help with the technical stuff too? Any feedback from people who have tried all of the above or just loved or disliked one of them would be welcomed.

Yes, they were both in MM and we just recently moved the older one over to TT. We do have MM4, that's a good idea, thank you.

My 9 year old is just finishing up MM 3. Her older sister recently moved to Teaching Textbooks 6 and loves it. Math is getting done without complaint and even though the material seems a little easier, DD11 needed that and it has been a good fit. Of course, DD9 now wants to do her math on the computer and thinks it looks way more fun than her Math Mammoth. So I told her I would let her switch as a reward for finishing her level 3 so early. When I went to the placement tests, TT says if you get 10 of the first 15 and 8 of the second 15 right, you are probably ready for level 5. But it says it is geared for the average 5th grader or accelerated 4th grader. DD is really only in 3rd grade. However, she did get all of the first 15 correct and 9 of the second group of 15 correct. So, by their suggestion she would be just barely ready for level 5. However, she would have had 4 more correct, except she didn't add decimals to her answers on those four problems. I am a little worried about jumping her to level 5 when she really hasn't covered decimals or any longer division than just basic facts. On the other hand, I don't want to spend $100 on level 4 and her spend the next 6 months on math that doesn't present any challenge. I like the approach TT takes, we found the constant spiral of Saxon caused them to never have a real firm grasp on any topic, and with MM they will really master measurements just to forget it by the time we are done with fractions. TT seems to be more of a mastery but with constant review.

Thank you. I'll l check out that site and book. We have it installed on two computers so I'll hook them up together.

I have already purchased 2 game licenses. I've also played a little on a friend's heavily modified server. However, I have no idea where to start my kids. I see lots of people use it for learning, join homeschool servers, and teach mod design. Does anyone have a site or article they would recommend for figuring out how to start them with this? They are 11 and 9 but haven't had a lot multi player online experience.

Thanks for the heads up. WE have not enjoyed the last couple years with Elemental Science. It looks goods, sounds good, but does not get done. I went ahead and got chemistry for this fall.