I used the "Key to Fractions" series. It's four thin-paper books, each 37 pages long and ONLY fractions. It comes with an answer key on Rainbow Resource for about $17. This was a well-done, focused product and my daughter is exponentially stronger in fractions now. She uses Teaching Textbooks as her daily math but I threw this in as a supplement and she did great. They also have "Key to Decimals" & "Key to Percents". Just an idea for the summer to bring him up to speed without being a huge year-long product. Michelle

I thought my almost 10 year old would take 2 days to finish a lesson but it took less than hour because it's that interesting to her. I'm a happy Mama. I bought Fables as our first book because there is something about wanting to do EVERY book in a product line that I can't help from thinking is important. We will probably breeze they Fables quickly and I'm glad I have Narrative Book 1 in the house. :D

Love your blog post! I am leaning toward Bibluoplsn for next year as we start our first cycle, TWTM way. I'm using SL Core G for my books but had already planned on adding in MOH Vol 1-4 along the way over the next 3 years. Great insight and help. I'll be buying the BP for the schedule mostly because I love the discussion questions that come w/ SL. I found a used older IG that doesn't include the LA just for those questions. Thanks!

If the school says yes and your son agrees to it, I'd do it. Think of the increased confidence he'll have and maturity in class conversations. Better opportunity to shine in his work then struggle in parts.

How about taking the placement test for math 7 and Pre-A? Find out what pieces are missing in thier knowledge. My daughter is doing math 7 now but I wanted her to be super strong in fractions so she did books 1-4 of Key to Fractions. Great slam dunk and I let her skip ch 6 in math 7 by just taking the test. I like the word problems of TT so I'll scan the next chapter and possibly do the same thing. I'll have her do done word problems to show that she's got it. If they are weak in just part of the Pre-A placement test, find some online stuff for free to strengthen it then take the test again next week. Michelle

I put together a video comparing these 2 curriculums. I chose Latina Christiana 1 mostly because of the videos. I'm giving Latin for Children to a missionary family. Again, LC 1 is dry but I live the videos. We are on lesson 8. Michelle

I just checked their site and it says they the MP3's are "out of stock" but the CD's are available. That's odd.

Mystery of History? Hopefully someone else will have more suggestions. We are going to do Vol 1&2 alongside of SOTW VOL 1&2 to get a broad understanding. Not all biblical BUT all encompassing, I hope.

On our truck driving routes, we've passed this place lots of times and wished we could stop. http://www.frogmoreplantation.com Cotton plantation in LA across the river a little ways from Natchez.

This is the EXACT reason I dumped Horizons in the middle of 5th grade! It's ridiculous in it's way of concept introduction. I knew that I would need something that would last me a few years at least. I chose Teaching Textbooks. I'll admit that Teachihg Textbooks isn't seen as a rigorous program but I'm happy to know that my daughter likes it and is learning from it. She went into Math 7 (I'm sure it's considered 5th grade level but she's only 9, so I'm not concerned) and I plan on her using TT Pre-A. I'm looking at other, more rigorous products in case she can handle them but I couldn't teach Singapore if I wanted to. Either way, sell the Algebra product and give him something that works to his abilities. Just my 2 cents. :)

I am a Sonlighter. Have been for 3 years/3 Cores. The books are the reason I'll stay a few more years. I don't have the time or the lifestyle (read profile) to put something together myself. We use the IG questions to test comprehension. I don't use their Lang Arts because I didn't understand if. We are using IEW now but looking into Writing & Rhetoric. We'll see. Math has always been separate. I was using their Bible schedule but swapped it out for CAP's "God's Great Covenant" books instead. I will be doing a a Sonlight Science this year for the first time because I like the schedule. So, it's about 40% due to the schedule for me because I LOVE checking off boxes but 60% for those book selections.

Thank you SO much for sharing. My dad and step-mom lived aboard a boat for 29 years. I did not live the way the author describes but we are definetly doing something @different" in our lifestyle as well. Again, thank you :)

Thank you for the responses. I'll wait till my daughter is doing Pre-A and go from there. I just wish I could see it in person.

I have wanted to ask this for over a week but I keep thinking it sounds dumb. I want to continue with Teaching Textbooks because it's working runs right now. She has done LifePac (bleh!) then Horizons (not enough explanation ) and now TT. She's doing well and advanced for her age but not super advanced. I am interested in AoPS PreA to run along side TT PreA to see if she leans towards a harder (is that the appropriate word?) way of processing. I know that most folks that use AoPS are coming from Singapore or Math Mammoth or Saxon but I can't find anyone that have come from Teaching Textbooks. Thanks, Michelle

I'm a SL user and to tell the truth, we read the in-depth questions in the IG with a grain of salt. My husband and I enjoyed the commentary of the books because it brought up topics for conversation. We don't agree 100% with everything that was written but we also didn't agree with the answers to the book questions 100% either. While I think it's admirable that the company has worldview causes, it was never why I chose them. I don't have the "calling" in my heart that they say they do but it was neither here not there for us. The old Landmark book was awesome and we did Core D and E before it was replaced. I loved it. I would've wanted the new version. In the end, I've chosen Sonlight for the books. Pure and simple. All that other stuff has no impact in it. I have had my eyes opened to so many new companies and products through this forum and so now, it's even more that I only use them for the books. I've not read any of John's writings. I've read Sarita's newsletter (The Beam) and other blog posts form SL contributors.

So have you put these 2 together? I want the schedule from Biblioplan. Mostly, I want MOH & SOTW done chronologically TOGETHER and all the free versions of schedules are not floating my boat. I don't need Biblioplan maps or coloring pages or timeline. But do I need Cool History and the Family Discussion guide? I want to use SL books for Core G & H and then possibly 100 with MOH. Anybody else want to do this? I like the Activity Guisrs for SOTW and will probably use the MOH stuff as well. I don't think I'll need any more discussion guides, will I? I want tgeCompanion in a printed format and not PDF but I guess I could print that if needed. I just don't want to. Thanks, Michelle

I'm curious about Biblioplsn as well. Can't you purchase the Companion in a print version? I can't use an electronic version either. I want to use SL books for Ancients and the following year. (Cores G & H) Sorry, I don't mean to high jack the thread.

Also sending you a PM

We are truck drivers and never home so no library for us.

Ooooooh, get both. It's hard to resist. (Guilty party here).

I feel like you're talking about my daughter. She's almost 10. The only difference is that she does have interests. I use them to motivate her but it's a daily struggle. She responds to grades as a motivation but then accuses me of saying "it's not good enough" when she knows it's not true. One thing I know she's learned from me is how to push buttons. I see so much of myself in her. I've actually recently apologized to my own mother for being like that. My parents got divorced when I was my daughters age and I know I was disrespectful and ungrateful to my mom. :( As I read both of your comments a thought came to my mind. What if they wee responsible for reaching a younger sibling or child relative how to do something? Would they gain confidence from that? I only have one child so this won't be easy for me to facilitate and I can't read your profiles while using my phone. Is it confidence related? I don't know, just throwing it out there. Michelle

One of the huge benefits to all of our research is that through this forum and some others, we are able to give hands-on experience with a product and our child's reaction to it. This is invaluable to me! I can't imagine what moms in the 80's and 90's did. What do you think has been the turning point in product development? Consumer desire? When did the market really hit it's stride? When did the Curriculum market explode?

After looking over W&R last night, I ordered Book 1 & 2. My daughter really enjoys workbooks so these may come in handy and really work well. I live all of the thorough explanations of different products that you all provide. It really helps to hash out what I'm wanting and what I don't need. Thanks!

I am currently using Core E with my 9 year old daughter. I think it's been the perfect fit. We are half way through and she's really enjoyed the books. I've always had her on the younger side of the cores.

Ok, just to put this in perspective. I do ALL of my shopping on my iPhone. I have bought almost everything I need for the next 9 months because I changed everything BUT history. I read about it, look at PDF examples and with the greatness of technology and a great paycheck, I order. When we go home, (read my profile) my mom has stacked all my "goods" on the dining room table and it's like Christmas. In February. And In May. And In August. So far, I've been very happy with my changes. It's really only been the last 6 months, since I started reading these forums daily. :blush: