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homeschoolwarrior

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Posts posted by homeschoolwarrior

  1. On 4/3/2022 at 8:13 PM, Researchmama1 said:

    You probably already made your decision, but for anyone else with a similar question…

    We do everything. I read the teacher’s manual, verbally go through the textbook and then assign the workbook pages. When there are reviews in the textbook I copy them and assign those. At the end of each unit I assign the corresponding Intensive Practice and Challenging Word problems.

    So far this has worked out really well for us. We are just finishing the US ed. and will be moving onto Dimensions 7, although I had considered AoPS, but I think I’ll wait until Algebra 2 for that, because I have been so pleased with Singapore Math.
     

    We have been really impressed with Singapore math US Ed and the continual review which has allowed for outstanding retention. Intensive Practice and Challenging Word have been outstanding in reaching the next level.  

    We finish an entire level (A & B) in 4 months. 

    I have found that having a solid foundation has allowed the review problems to be done very quickly. 
     

     

     

    Hey, sorry to drag up an old post.  But, do you mind sharing how many lessons a day in the teachers manual you did to get through a level in 4 months?  I'm needing to speed things up.  How many days did you allow for working on the corresponding IP and CWP chapters?  Thanks so much!!

  2. Hello!  I need some fresh thoughts if anyone is willing.  I'm driving myself (and my husband😬) crazy!  We have pretty much always used Singapore math.  I have several children, very (very) limited time, and I have math issues (dyscalculia? extremely bad education? both? not sure), and we are falling behind.  I'm giving it my all, and my kiddos do really well with math.  I've gone from the Home Instructors Guides, to Singapore Math Live, to MM and back again to SM with the HIG, then SML, and now the HIG. 😭 We use the workbook, Intensive Practice and Challenging Word Problems.  It is a lot when you add in that math is like a foreign language to me, and I have four kids in different levels and have to watch the videos for everything with SML or really work hard at grasping the concepts with the HIG.  SM Live is good, but I don't have the time for that every day. Sooo...Enter Math Mammoth....  

    I thought MM would be more simple, yet keep the same conceptual teaching and rigor.  Well, we went with that for a while, but I panicked when the youngest didn't seem to be getting the whole idea of "making tens" pounded into his head nearly to the degree the children had who had been through those same concepts with SM.  I didn't have any trouble grasping the teaching of the work text in MM, but I was worried it wasn't as solid (?) as SM.  So, back to Singapore Math we came.  And there we still are.  We are currently struggling with fractions in 4A.  I am thinking I will print the fractions chapter from MM 4B, and give that a go as a supplement, but actually stay with SM.  

    Rereading this, I'm not actually sure what I am asking.  I guess just if anyone has any thoughts?  I really want to make SM work, but deep down feel like we need the speed and efficiency and explicit instruction of MM.  I guess what it comes down to is with Singapore Math, I learn it and then teach it.  With MM I learn it and then the text teaches it and I reinforce that.  I am not sure at all that my math issues aren't actually negating any benefit of SM math over MM for us.  I guess I could do MM and add in IP and CWP.  Or stick with SM and drop IP and CWP to streamline?  But they add so much to it.  Sigh.  Any thoughts? 

  3. I need math advice.  I am trying to talk myself into Math Mammoth.  We are currently in various stages of Singapore Math.  I am a pretty extreme SM believer.  However with four children currently in it, two more coming on, and others who have significant special needs, we are behind.  I tried SM Live and it just didn’t click with us.

    SM is pretty laborious for us as I struggle with math, and even with teaching it at times.

    I’m not so much worried about being “behind” as I am that we might continue to get further behind if I don’t change something.  We are currently doing Primary with the textbook, workbook, Intensive Practice, and Challenging Word Problems.  I stumbled upon MM, and I’m intrigued.

    Is MM really as deep as SM?

    Does it actually save time?

    Would I still need IP and CWP to keep the depth?

    Is a better idea to keep SM and just drop IP and CWP to save time?

    Any thoughts?

    Thanks!

  4. We used LOE Foundations A-D.  And other kids reached other various levels of Foundations.  I just switched everyone over to AAR/AAS.  The child who went through Foundations A-D is an excellent reader, however he cannot spell to save his life.  For us, LOE became overwhelming.  It is a good program, but it gets into so much detail by the end of D, that my kids were becoming overwhelmed with all of the rules and things.  With that being said, I think it is more in depth than AAR/AAS, at least from what I see so far.  However, at this point, I don't think my kids need that level of depth, in fact it overwhelmed them.  I'm sure everyone has different experiences, but that was ours.  Also, I loved Foundations having all of the younger kids LA combined.  I miss that.  The games were fun, but at least one of my kids wasn't into them.  LOE games are more physical, like jump every time you hear /a/, while the AAR games they do seated at the table with craft sheets.  

  5. Well, the title pretty much explains it.  I thought people were just being paranoid when I heard about this.  Unfortunately, the more I research it, the more I realize this is indeed a concern at libraries.  Our librarian even confirmed that there have been a couple cases at our actual library. 

    I certainly do not want to buy every book my children read, but I also very much need to not have bed bugs at this point in life.  We have purposefully avoided electronic devices for our kids, so digital books aren't really a great option either. 

    I have actually considered buying like a bed bug killing oven thing to treat any incoming books, but I'm not sure how reliable those are.

    Does anyone have any experience with something like that?  Do you all just not worry about the possibility?  I really want to follow the WTM plan for history with my kiddos, but the library book thing is proving to be an issue.  Sigh.  Any thoughts? 

    Thanks.  ?  

  6. We have been doing LOE Foundations with my older kids, and have struggled with feeling overwhelmed by it.  There is just something about it.  I think this is due in part to it seeming like things aren't very well explained, and instructions given aren't always very clear.  For example, why we mark some phonograms but not others when analyzing words, and things like that.  I am feeling like we aren't really fully grasping things with it.  We just do our lesson and move on everyday, and it often feels like they aren't really grasping all the rules and things. 

    I don't have a strong background in language arts, but I want my kids to.  All that to say, I am thinking about changing things, especially for the littles that are just now starting.  Tackling language arts as separate subjects is new to me.  LOE has everything combined, and that gave me security that I wouldn't mess anything up.

    Anyway, how does this plan look?  I would love some feedback.

    Reading:  Ordinary Parents Guide to Reading (If they get reading well at the end of this, we are good to just go to readers after this, right?  If that is so, why are there so many levels in say All About Reading but only one in OPGTR??)

    Spelling:  All About Spelling (can you mix an OG spelling program with NON OG programs for the rest of the lang arts?  Will it be weird to do AAS without AAR?)

    Grammar:  First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind

    Writing:  Writing With Ease

    Penmanship:  Either Zaner-Bloser or Handwriting Without Tears (Still struggling with the thought of starting with print, though.  LOE has it drilled into my head that starting with cursive is very important...) 

    Any thoughts at all?  Thanks!!

  7. 23 minutes ago, Targhee said:

    @homeschoolwarrior just wanted to come back and apologize if my post sounded snarky or judge mental. It wasn’t intended to be! You asked for an independent elementary Latin, not my $.02 on what ages can work independently. I do hope you find what you are after!

    You weren't snarky or anything at all!  Even though my oldest is nearly 10, I still feel like a rookie.  So I really appreciate the advice.  What you said about age 10 makes total sense.  We have a house full of kiddos, so I am trying to figure out how to get everything in with everyone when all of our subjects are teacher intensive.  I am thinking maybe Latin ought to wait a few years though.  Anyway, thanks for the thoughts!

    • Like 2
  8. Basic question, is AAR/AAS less overwhelming than LOE?  I would really, really appreciate any thoughts on AAR/AAS.  We have been doing LOE Foundations.  We have gone through A, B, C, and are currently in the middle of D.  I had planned on continuing with Essentials, but we are struggling!  I have four kids in the various levels of foundations and we are all overwhelmed.  It seems like there is just not enough review of the different rules and things before we are off to learn another.  So, either I need to figure out my own way to review or switch programs.  

     

    Is AAR/AAS less overwhelming?  I have read that it moves much slower, and has more review, which seems like a really good thing at this point.  I would really prefer an all in one program, but I'm starting to question if LOE is right for us.  Does anyone have any experience with any of these programs that would mind sharing their thoughts?  I read AAR/AAS doesn't have the kiddo mark the words, that seems not so great.  Are there any other big differences?

     

    I like the color and playfulness of Foundations, but what is the point if we aren't retaining anything?

     

     

    Thanks.  

  9. Has anyone gone through being totally overwhelmed by LOE?  I have three boys in it.  We are in Foundations A, B, and D.  Is there another similar program that somehow reinforces things better or something?  We are all getting lost in all of the rules.  My oldest in D has a crazy memory, and even he is getting overwhelmed.  I thought learning ALL THE THINGS for english was a good idea, but now I am questioning that.  Any thoughts?  

     

    Thanks.  :/

  10. I'm not exactly sure how to explain this, but I'll do my best. We have gone back and forth with TOG. In the end, for us there is nothing else that compares with its spiritual world view. There are a lot of options that teach history, but what makes TOG valuable for us is that it is presented through a Godly view. An example off the top of my head is when King Saul is covered, it doesn't just explain what happened, the notes talk about why he turned so wicked. There are definitely options that are more simple, but the depth of TOG is worth the extra effort here.

    • Like 1
  11. Thank you for the replies.  We are doing Year 1 and just using the Companion.  It is kinda complicated, but we are having a quick "redo" of ancients.  

     

    But anyway, for example, in week 13, the Cool Histories for Littles says to read "Sahara Desert, Anansi the Spider, Brer-Rabbit, Selections from Samuel, Selections from Saul, Casting Lots, Selections from David Part I, The Philistines, Abigail".  

     

    So, is all of the black and white narration included in this? And what does "selections from Samuel", etc mean? I have been kinda just going with what I thought it meant, but it seems pretty often that the "Questions from Readings" will ask something from a section I didn't think the littles were assigned.  After ancients we will be using Remember the Days, so it won't be a problem, but as for this year, I'm so confused. 

     

     

  12. Biblioplan/SOTW combination always gets done. We all eagerly look forward to it first thing every morning. In fact, I am trying Wayfarers out next year but I keep thinking why change what is working so well. I just love this combo!

    Do you just use the assigned SOTW in BP, or do you use a different combo? I am not loving jumping around in SOTW.

  13. We are diving into Biblioplan this year.  I am confused about something though.  We are using the Cool History for Littles (Ancients).  It has recommended Companion readings (for littles) listed on the Cool History page.  However, then the questions it has from the readings come from parts of Companion that were not the recommended reading. What am I missing here?  Any experience with this?  

     

    Thanks! 

     

  14. Can you all help me get a handle on phonics and learning to read/spell? I don't have a good overall understanding of phonics and language arts in general. I am not a great speller but fairly good reader. Before teaching my kids, I had no clue about phonograms and rules. So, my lack of knowledge and skill is making this tricky for me. I have been doing Logic of English Foundations with our kiddos and it is starting to seem overwhelming. We are nearing the end of level C and we are both having trouble remembering all the rules and phonograms, and we still have a lot left to learn. I am beginning to wonder how this works long term. What good is learning all of this if in ten years he won't remember any of it? I know a lot of programs teach less phonograms/rules and more sight words. I'm starting to wonder if that approach is better. Yet, I've always struggled with spelling and that is definitely not what I want for my kids. Any thoughts? How does the in depth phonics programs work long term with forgetting rules and phonograms as they get older? Is there risk of it overwhelming the kids and backfiring?

     

    Thanks for any thoughts!

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