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sunshineslp

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Posts posted by sunshineslp

    classical conversations question

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    On 5/18/2018 at 3:27 PM, Itsnotasprint said:

    We did CC for three years, two in a community.  After we left it was so nice to choose our own books and delve into topics we wanted. We had been told by the director that Foundations all by itself was enough. In hindsight, it wasn't enough for our family.  I look back at all the money we spent on it and we could have gotten so much more curriculum and joined a different co-op for the social interaction the kids love.  I also love to read good books to the kids but that got set aside to practice the memory work. 

     

     

    yes, this is how i feel right now...

    classical conversations question

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    1 hour ago, jens2sons said:

    I think we all feel this way towards the end of the school year.  I came from using Sonlight and have often thought of scrapping CC and going back.  What has made me decide to stay is that I evaluate what we have learned in CC vs the effort I have to put forth in using Sonlight (or any other curriculum).  I never have time to complete what is in the teachers guides.  With CC, all we have to do is gather books from the library (book basket) and go through our weekly memory work.  There are lots of extras you could add to get that MFW feeling in CC.  Just check out CC Connected and halfahundredacrewood.com .  If you are missing MFW, all you have to do is have the kids notebook and do a few projects on the side.  You can use the same books they sell while staying on track with CC. There is no need to buy the curriculum set and add the stress of an additional teachers guide.  One thing that has been easy to add for history is the SOTW audio cds.  The kids love the activity guides!

    I have looked and looked for a good alternative to Essentials and I just can’t find one.  Essentials work is rushed, but if you go to a traditional English grammar course, after being in Essentials, it is difficult to slow down and do the course work.  I tried and then decided “ain’t nobody got time for that!”  Besides, we’ve put so much time and effort in to the Essentials program.  I have a friend that is an author and took Latin in highschool.  She placed her boys in Essentials this year and told me that the way that CC teaches English grammar is an excellent preparation to learning Latin.  She actually told me that she wishes her school had taught her the way the CC Essentials program teaches grammar.  She did however say that some of the writing taught in IEW is not necessarily what an editor would accept.  I think it’s just a way to get kids writing easily without tears.  In Challenge, CC changes to a different curriculum so I’m not all that concerned.  IEW works for my son for now.

    For science, there is an excellent curriculum for older grammar stage kids called God’s Design by Answers in Genesis.  You can purchase 1 topic at a time and correlate it to the science portion of CC.  We used it this year and my son so far really likes it.  It’s not long winded and has short chapters.  I actually think CC should team up with AIG for this additional resource like they do with SOTW.  All this is extra though.  The kids can just notebook using their CC science cards just as easily and read books from the library.  

    The freedom you get to choose in CC for the most part is great.  It is rushed, but if you look back to your childhood, most things you remember are the songs and chants that we learned in those early years.  

     

     

    this is so true!  thank you for helping me to see things clearly.  because i do think you are correct.  i just feel burnt out.  making a change might not be what we really need... i might just need a break, lol!

    classical conversations question

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    hello guys, i haven't been around in a long while but i missed the awesome topics here so i came back:)  i have a question about CC.  this is our first year in the books, in Foundations, and my kids have all loved it.  me however, i love what my kids are learning but i can honestly say i don't "enjoy" it like i hoped.  i think i get bogged down in the memory part and don't find it as enjoyable as when we did MFW.  i find myself missing those MFW days.  and before you say it, no, we can't do both:)  i cannot afford both.  but i wondered if i was alone?  did anyone feel this way about CC?  my kids do like it, and i am considering doing it next year because it has been the only thing they have really loved (co-op speaking).  i just miss the fun of MFW.  maybe i am doing something wrong with CC!  i may even tutor next year... maybe that will help with getting me more involved with the curriculum and loving it?  i don't know.  just wanted to see what you all had to say:) 

    Classical Conversations?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Those that have been in it, can you give me opinions?  I have four children, grades preK, 1st, 3rd, and 4th. It would obviously be pretty costly.  I am however very impressed with the program and my friends experiences with their children in it.  do you feel it is worth the cost?  is it imperative to do Foundations or is it easy to come in at an older level?  Did you feel your children learning a lot?  Do people tend to not stick with it all the way through?  I seem to find a lot of people who have done it a few years but I haven't really met too many people who have done it longer.  

    Logic of English vs RLTL

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I have been using Logic Of English for my "learn to read" program for my kids. I have taught 2 children with it and I like it (mostly). however, i have been considering RLTL for my 3rd child, mainly because I am curiuos about it but also because I feel like I need a change of pace! has anyone used Logic of English and RLTL that can discuss the differences or why you picked one over the other?

    • Like 1

    Shurley grammar for 3rd grade?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I'm wondering, I've read that people do the shurley TM, jingles and then the practice book (but skip the student workbook). Thoughts on this? I'd skip the writing for sure. Is it just silly to buy such an expensive program for only half the instruction? I'm so curious about it. I just worry it's too teacher intense. I just hate that the TM looks so crazy. I wish it were more open and go. I've heard they're going to edit the whole series but it'll be a few years. At this point I'm considering doing it just to try it out. If it doesn't work, maybe R&S or Abeka.

     

     

    Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

    Shurley grammar for 3rd grade?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I have FLL 1 and 2. We've tried it out and like it ok, but my kids need more visual/workbook to retain. Do you think shurley is doable for a larger family? So you basically took 1.5 yrs or soto get through a level and then moved up to the next level?

     

     

    Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

    • Like 1

    Tell me how ELTL is independent? Level 2.

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    You can skip the literature entirely and just use the rest of it. We did with levels 1 and 3 this year because we'd already read many of the selections, and I had other plans for literature. I didn't feel like it took anything away from the program. From what I remember of the level 2 I bought but haven't started, I think you could do the rest of it in 10 mins plus copywork time.

    This is interesting... You think it's really doable? Even in level 3? Is the grammar in ELTL very strong or have you ever felt the need to add to it?

     

     

    Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

    Tell me how ELTL is independent? Level 2.

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Thanks, all! I should explain, I don't want 100% independent. I want me teaching a short lesson (10-15 min) and then him being able to work independently while I move on to the next kid. So even with CLE I would work with him on parts, just so I know he understands and also because he still needs me there some of the time. So can R&S be used how I want? I don't want a ton of writing though. What about level 3 R&S... It had some workbook pages. Maybe it would be the best of both worlds...

     

     

    Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

    Tell me how ELTL is independent? Level 2.

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I'm wanting to place my upcoming 3rd grader into ELTL 2 next year but we have a pretty heavy reading curriculum (HOD) and I'm not sure if adding a LA program which is also reading heavy is too much? So my question is, 1) do you think it's too much and 2) how is it independent? I know they can do the book independently on audio, but past that, is any of the hands on/workbook independent?

     

    It's between ELTL, R&S, or CLE.

     

     

    Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

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