Interesting. I had a look at R&S Spelling and it looks simple, but not sure how well it teaches the rules. Phonetic Zoo has an amazing price tag...WOW! I'll have a closer look at it. Thanks for the other suggestions, will check them out.

Grade 1: This was the year I had to wait for the other students to learn to read. I picked up fast, but had to wait, and wait, and wait for the others to get the phonics rules as well. Grade 2: That if you pee your pants in the classroom, because you're scared to bits to go and swim with the whole classroom, they won't forget that for the whole schoolyear. grade 3: Again, waiting for the others to learn multiplication. The only thing I remember from this year is the multiplication tables, again and again. And I learned that a male teacher kissing you on the lips is a big No No! I told my Mom and she rang the school...it was bad! Grade 4: I don't remember anything from this year...not sure why. Grade 5: I'm not a musician in any kind of way. This was the year I was first forced to play music in front of a whole classroom. Sigh...Why do they do that kind of stuff? We did have a very fun unit study on WWII. Grade 6: One whole year of preparing for the big end of year test. BORING! Grammar panic...I was a young student and the class moved to fast. I cried a lot because I just couldn't understand it, but by this time it had more to do with the anxiety of it than not really understanding the material. Today, I still dislike grammar. This is where Elementary school ends in The Netherlands.

that can be done independently and teaches spelling rules :) Pretty please. My children have never done any spelling curriculum, just copywork and some dictation. I want them to know the rules of spelling.

I'm nervous of the CM police, but I'm chucking some of the AO books out for this year, and since we love, love, love SOTW 1 I'll add extra books to that instead. Math Mammoth was a miss, and we'll replace it with CLE. My eldest is not a logic boy, but more a 'tell me what to do and I'll do it' type. Other than that we're happy with our choices.

I ended up with Elemental Science. I'm not overly impressed now that I've read through it, but I think it will help to just skip the Animal unit. It's sooooo long.

Today is the last day of the sale at Pandia Press, but I can't for the world choose between these two. I like the looks of RSO a lot, but I've been a bit put off by people saying the materials are hard to find and the labs are hard. When I look at the samples I don't see this, but maybe they chose the samples that way. Elemental looks easy to do, but a bit simplistic. I have all the Apologia books, and plan to read sections from them, on the topic being studied, with either curriculum. I'm just not sure if I should go with RSO, or ES. I'm afraid RSO might not get done. Pros and Cons please :)

Was it Simply Charlotte Mason's video on Five Flavors of Homeschooling? It has a quiz in it.

Dumped it after two lessons. :p I felt it was a bunch of busywork.

Rijksmuseum! Get some fries at the Snackbar and order anything else to go with it: Kaassoufles, bitterballen, kroket, frikandellen....anything :) Other foods: Drop(licorice), cheese en stroopwafel(syrup wafels).

Have you tried chants? I thoroughly dislike flashcards and games without any sequence. My boys learn the tables, one at the time. Just chanting them every day until they stick. Just: 1x3=3, 2x3=6 3x3=9 etc... Boring but effective. When in a game (or in daily math work) you get 8x7 thrown at you, and you don't know it by heart it takes quite a long time to figure it out, but for us, the chants work amazingly well.

We just recently moved to the UK. It's kind ofa risk, not to do the exams and trying to get in via this route. If it doesn't work they waste a couple of years having to do the exams anyway. Very interesting article, though. I think not doing the exams really depends on the motivation of each child.

Just checked a few universities and they all offered an alternative route as qualification for home educators. Here an example. I'd love to hear from someone who has taken this route! It sounds the most home-ed friendly :p My boys are Dutch, but it's their second language. Not sure if a Dutch exam will be a success, haha.

Wow, thank you so much! I still have a lot of researching to do, but at least I get the main picture now. We're still quite a few years away from having to deal with these exams, but I like to be prepared.

I've been reading a lot online, but it seems all the information is for people that already understand the basics of how the system here works. Does a child first take the GCSEs and then go on to A-Levels? Or if you want A-Levels do you just start working towards those? So, if I understand correctly you can do these exams privately? Does that mean you don't have to show them any work or assignments? Is it 'just' studying towards the test? Am I right, that these exams take place in June? What is the minimum age to take them? Sorry, lotsa questions. I've been on Google for ages, and I jsut haven't found the answers yet. Thanks :)

Congrats, I also have a little one due in May :) We had the same with all the pregnancies except this one. I think know people know they better shut up. I won't let them talk nasty to me, and they know I'll just end the call. Congratulations is the ONLY right response, from familiy and friends. Sorry you had to deal with this. Ugh.

This just makes me sick. :cursing:

You could just place them into Saxon 5/4 after Miquon. I prefer Singapore, MEP or BA, though.

Cat of Bubastes - Henty God King - Williamson The Golden Goblet - McGraw The Heroes - Kingsley

We have used all you mentioned. If your child doesn't do well with MEP, I would not do BA. The problem solving part of BA is excellent, but it's way harder than MEP, imo. I've also used Singapore math, until it became unavailable. The english version doesn't look appealing from the sample, but it's really hard to tell. If you want something that teaches UK measures and money, have a look at Math Mammoth. They come in ebooks. You could buy the grade level you need plus the British Money supplement.

LA: Spelling Wisdom Book I, Copywork, narration and written narrations Math: Singapore 3B; Saxon speed drills, MEP Year, Practical Arithmetics Latin: finish Prima Latina,then LC 1 Lit: AO list, plus others Read Alouds: See above Science:KONOS units, Science in the Beginning, AO books, nature study History: AO books, STOW 1 French: Cherrydale Press and YouTube Dutch: jekanmewat.nl Geography: AO books, mapwork, Sonlight Core F books, documentaries Handwriting: Getty-Dubay, finish book, then done Art: Usborne Art Ideas and 1000 Things to Make and Do and artist study Poetry: Poetry Tea, AO Typing: Typer Island Bible: Foundations I Music: Keyboard, Composer Study, Hymn, Folksong

Yes, you can skip whatever you want. I usually skip the extra activities and we only do one of the Calvary worksheets. Some days I only do the bible reading.

We are really in love with Foundations. We're doing Foundations I this year, and there is so much to read and do for one week, that each week takes us 2-3 weeks to get through. It has bible readings, extra activities, notebooking, worksheets (optional), coloring pages (optional), bible drills, books of the bible memorization and extra bible readings for older students. I just love it and it's great for the little ones as well as for the bigger crowd.

We don't get such wild guesses. We're Dutch, who have lived in Scotland, England and now in Ireland. Here in Ireland they all think we're English. Some guess we are German or Dutch, because we sound a bit harsh haha.

this wonderful thread about science, please :) It broke down the 4 year cycle into topics, with an amount of weeks to spend on each. It was just one example of how to do it, but would love to find it again. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

We do a mix of everything. Whatever works best for each kid is the least stressful and takes me the least time...even if it's more teacher-intensive. We use Saxon 5/4, MEP, Miquon, Strayer-Upton, Khan...and what not. Find what works for the children and make it work for you.