We've never done ECC but have done Core 5 and we're using MFW for the first time this year - Ex-1850. I've considered using ECC when we finish this history cycle, and using the Core 5 materials as a supplement for the child who'll be in 8th grade by then. I LOVED the books in core 5 - wonderful missionary stories that I found personally inspiring, and historical fiction. BUT I didn't like that so much of the research-type reading was from the World Book, and I can't see how I'd do this with a number of students. I like the teacher's guide and mix of materials better with MFW - I don't feel like I'm just reading constantly, either. However it's a little light on readers from what we're used to, so I think using the two together would be a lovely mix, if you could use ECC and pick and choose from the Core 5 reading list - or find some of it cheap on ebay. Just a thought. Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-19, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

I understand your concern and I am wondering the same things here - but I'll share what we're doing. With ds12 I started with FLL but R&S about killed us both due to his personality, so we went to English for the Thoughtful Child followed by ILL. I supplemented each year with a simple grammar workbook, and his test scores have been very high. I tried the same approach with the next two ds, but I realized one could recall nothing from FLL - after a year of reciting definitions, recalled NOTHING. So I switched them to PLL but chickened out of the CM approach halfway through the year, so switched again after a few months (poor kid!) to R&S. He still got nothing out of it, but at I realized he had done lovely writing with PLL, while he had written dull sentences with R&S but still couldn't recognize a noun if it hit him in the head. After much thought I realized my goal for him needs to be that he will learn to write lovely sentences, be exposed to poetry and picture study and creative writing, and eventually, he will learn what it is all called. Because he has the ability to do the writing - just not to name it - yet. So this year my two ds9 are using the approach we used with their older brother, and using English for the Thoughtful Child. I am pulling out grammar worksheets and hoping that someday the one ds will figure it out. I will keep trying. But in the meantime, he is doing some very nice writing. I was the same way, but eventually graduated with a degree in English and worked as a writer. There is hope! Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-19, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

We started it here for three of the kids to mixed reviews, but I am sure I really like it! The first grader is doing well - really needs to be walked through it though. I started one ds, 9, in level 203 because he's really struggled with math - and he is loving it! He's doing amazingly well, and told me how he likes the variety and word problems. Yay! The spiral approach is wonderful for this child. Another ds 9 is doing level 300 (has worked through two books already) and he has been more discouraged - but this is a good thing. He had been doing Horizons and plowing through, very unchallenged. CLE math is requiring him to think, and do more than one type of problem per lesson. He has been discouraged because he gets more wrong, but this is not a bad thing - he is still getting test scores in the 90's but it means he is LEARNING if he encounters things he doesn't know and has to work through them. In all, I think this is a great program. Thanks all for your input, I learned about it on this forum. Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-19, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

Your dd sounds like my dd, who is now 17. At 4 she kept the helping parents at our preschool co-op confused by changing her name each day to something like "crystal" or "diamond" or "rainbow." She wore party slips and wings over her clothes and patent leather and sparkles out to play. She saw "fairies" in the dust that sparkled in the sunshine, and I sometimes worried that she was seeing things that weren't there LOL. With this type of child, I would wait to do a formal school program until she is at least 5, and then I second the suggestions to try Oak Meadow - never used it but looks great - or Sonlight 4/5, which we recently used for a busy boy's K year. Lots of great stories, still including pictures and fairy tales and wonderful brain food. We used Sonlight's K LA alongside that year. FYI, my very busy girl, left to her own devices, taught herself to read before she was 5 and is now an incredibly creative and talented pianist, singer and artist who wants to study music. You will have fun seeing who this creative dd of yours becomes! Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-19, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

Wow, I hadn't checked this in a while, thank you for all the great responses! I ended up finding an exercise disc at Ocean State Job Lot for $9, and it's a popular seat at my house. The wiggly child in question enjoys it during school time, and while I can't be sure, there's a real possibility it's helping him. The other kids take turns using it at mealtime - and I shouldn't be surprised, but my sensory-seeking, constantly singing and moving and talking 17-year-old dd likes it best LOL. Beckey, I have done a lot of reading about sensory processing and integration issues, beginning with the aforementioned dd 17 and with my dd 19, who was (is) sensory defensive. Amazing stuff, thanks for mentioning it. I've got two more sensory seekers, one who seems wired just right (who knew that could happen?) and then ds6, who certainly has some sensory things going on, along with probable auditory processing and the developmental things that can happen when you are born 9 weeks and don't join your forever family until you are 3. Thanks, all for the input! Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-19, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

Three of our six children joined us through international adoption, but they were toddlers or preschoolers at homecoming, so our issues were a little different - they had time to master English before they started school here at home. However the youngest ds does display some of the issues you mentioned with regard to short term memory and language retrieval issues, along with lots of wiggles LOL! We think he may have CAPD. I am having him evaluated by a developmental pediatrician and am hoping that will give us more input and ideas. Years ago I heard about this board: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Adopt_and_Homeschool/ It says: This is a discussion list for the parents of internationally adopted children who choose to educate their children at home. This group is especially geared towards supporting and discussing the unique challenges associated with homeschooling OLDER internationally adopted children, but any homeschooling adoptive parents are welcome. I don't know how active it is, but you may want to give it a try. Congratulations, and blessings to you, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-19, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

My six-year-old son's former speech therapist came recently to do some testing on him, and we both feel he has auditory processing issues. She confirmed something I have noticed - that he has to be moving to think, and the harder he thinks, the more he wiggles, rocks, pats his legs, etc. She recommended a wiggle seat, and upon researching, I found the disc-o-sit as well as a much cheaper version designed for exercise on amazon. Has anyone used any type of wiggle seat? Do I need the expensive version or will any balance seat work? He will be seen by a developmental pediatrician in a few months (takes forever to get an appointment), but in the meantime, I want to help him as much as I can. Thank you; Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-19, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

For my two third graders, we are using English for the Thoughtful Child. It's similar to PLL but in workbook format. My 6th grader is using ILL. He used EFTTC in 3rd grade also, followed by ILL in grades 4, 5 and 6. In grades 3&4 I supplemented with a simple grammar workbook, and in 5th grade we used Wordly Wise. This year he's using CLL Reading alongside (not every day), as I like the literary terms and teaching he's being exposed to. I use supplemental reading from Sonlight and Ambleside Online lists for all the boys. I kind of based my choices on test scores and what areas were weakest. In 5th grade he tested PHS in the LA areas of the Stanford, so I am satisfied that this plan is rigorous enough for him. I have three other very different learners coming up, however, and will be adjusting as I go along for them. Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-19, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

Two of my boys are similar learners to what you describe, and we've explored different methods of trying to engage them. I've had to simplify my history studies a bit, as you've mentioned in the new schedule you posted (sounds great!) and I have to make sure I have a healthy dose of visual materials for my two non-auditory learners. I have The Usborne Illustrated Book of World History as well as the Internet Linked and the Kingfisher history encyclopedia, and I may have those open to the appropriate pages as I read the history text. I allow them to draw something pertaining to history while I read, and amazingly, that seems to increase their listening comprehension (it seems my little maybe ADD guy can't remember a thing I read unless he's drawing, wiggling, squeezing playdough, etc). I also either buy or borrow from the library books pertaining to the time period. For example, for early American History, the D'Aulaire books are wonderful, and the library has a slew of others, many pertaining to the art or daily life of each time. These are a hit with my ds8, who NEEDS pictures. We love the "book basket" time that My Father's World suggests - I keep that basket stocked with books from our home or public library, and they have to read for 15-20 minutes a day from any of those, in addition to their assigned reading. As a side note, I recently learned that one of ds has a hearing loss (that explains a lot, but he still is a visual learner even with his hearing aid), and I'm having another screened for auditory processing. As you pare down your readings and watch her, you may want to keep an open mind as to that sort of thing. Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-19, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

Thanks, Gingersmom, for your input. I know it might seem remiss that he hasn't been to a developmental ped yet - I just want to add that he had a thorough eval (special ed, psych-social, PT, OT, speech) upon homecoming and at that time, only qualified for speech and language services, which he has tested out of. His speech therapist felt he had no other issues, and was pleased with his progress, as were we. His pediatrician has also felt good about his development to this point. This school year is the first I've really seen concrete, measurable symptoms of further issues, as we are asking more of him academically. Perhaps I will look into setting up a developmental ped appointment sooner than later - it does takes months to get an appointment, so now would be a good time to start the process. Thanks, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-19, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

Our ds6.5 came to us through international adoption at age 3. He was waiting due to speech and developmental delays (as well as being a 31 week premie), and when he came home, he had maybe 8 words total in either language that he could say - mostly unintelligibly. He was obviously bright and had good problem solving skills, which we observed as he cleared dishes and picked up and threw away trash, solved mechanical problems in putting things together, toys, puzzles, etc. We started sign language and he began using signs right away, started speech therapy, and in two years he had tested out and according to the therapist, was on target. He did K last year in our homeschool, and as we start 1st this year, in some ways he is on target, and in others, not where I think he should be. I am wondering if any of you may have experience with his sort of issues, or have advice or curriculum helps you might recommend. Here's what I'm seeing: He is pretty much on target with math - not a whiz, but moving along in CLE 1st grade. Simple stuff so far. He is doing very well in phonics, tries to spell things on his own, and is reading well from the Pathway 1st grade pre-primer. Likes letters and words and seems to comprehend what he's reading, will giggle as he reads the story if it's funny, etc. BUT, his listening skills are truly not where they should be, and I see holes in his language comprehension in areas that my others - even though two arrived home at age 2 and 3 - just naturally picked up. For example, we are using FLL, and a lesson was about common nouns. We are reciting the definition of a noun every day, which I don't know if he really gets, and on that day we talked about common nouns for family members. It became clear in asking questions that he had no clue who his grandmother and grandfather were, though if I had used their names, he'd have known. We just spent a week with various aunts, uncles and cousins, and when I used those terms to ask (rather than their names) who his aunt, etc, is, he was totally unable to come up with any of them. Using the program may not give the results intended, but it may help me uncover holes in his learning that I wouldn't have guessed were there. He also has trouble with multi-step directions - like "choose the word you have written the best, and circle it. How about this one here?" Yesterday he circled multiple things I HADN'T asked him to circle, even when I pointed right at the one he should circle. We are also using WWE, in which I read a paragraph to him and then ask a few questions. It is very difficult for him to pay enough attention to my reading to retain anything. I pretty much have to read the sentence containing the information - sometimes twice, after telling him to pay attention - before he can get it. Again, this is good because it is showing me where holes are - he really zones out and has trouble paying attention to auditory things - and it makes him answer me in complete sentences, which is good for his speech. But I don't know if this is the best thing for him. Sometimes I think I should consider him a three-year-old language wise, since he started from scratch at three, and help him build from there. He loves being read stories with pictures - I think he is a visual learner for sure - and will sit and listen to as many as I will read. And if there are pictures he is able to attend and retain information from the story, and answer questions. Interesting... My questions are, is there something that would be more effective? How concerned should I be? A good friend, who has an internationally adopted child with significant PI delays, advised me to observe him through the year and in the spring, take him to a developmental pediatrician. In some ways he reminds us of a child with aspergers - hyperfocused on trains, knows every road or train track in the region, a bit spacy about other things. And yet he is ok with eye contact, has excellent small and large motor skills, is able to play cooperatively, and deals well with change. I have a feeling in the system he might slip through, but I would like to help him be the best he can be. Thanks for any input or ideas. Blessings, Aimee Mom to 6 great kids ages 6-19, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

Thank you, you've given me good things to think about. Sounds like I could go either way. One reason I considered JAG is that I have two other boys who could use the program beginning the following year, and another on their heels, so it wouldn't be a waste to get both. I do have Easy Grammar sitting out in a box of books my dd used years ago so I could use that this year, and do AG next year...oh the decisions! And the $$$!!! Thank you for weighing in, Aimee mom to 6 blessings ages 6-19, homeschooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

I am not pleased with the looks of the grammar program I ordered for my ds 11, 6th grade. He will be doing the last section in Intermediate Language Lessons, so he will have some grammar there, but I have always supplemented and was looking for something new this year. I have heard great things about Analytical Grammar and am considering it - but I don't know if we should start with JAG as he hasn't had a really formal grammar program (excellent usage and mechanics, great test scores, but no extensive grammar or diagramming experience). Is JAG too young a program for him to do in 6th grade, and then AG in 7th/8th? Thanks for any input. Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-19, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

It sounds like you have plenty with what you have mentioned. At this age, it is all you need! Give both of you a break and use the other HOD or FIAR materials as you see fit, when and if you want to. The only thing I see missing is narration - just pause once in a while and ask a question or two, or ask a few questions at the end of the story. You can also enjoy more time for nature study and plain old creative play, so important at this age! We used Sonlight preK for my youngest ds's K year (many K-1 materials IMO), and didn't get through all the read-alouds - we are still enjoying pulling them out, one at a time, as we can. He has also matured enough that he can enjoy listening much more than he could at just 5 - and can narrate more easily as well. Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-18, schooling 1, 3, 3 and 6 (and just brought one to college today, sniff!)

We found The Wheel on the School to be a surprise favorite here - starts slowly but oh what a special story if you stick with it! We used it as a read-aloud here, and were especially touched by a misunderstood character who is a double amputee, like one of my ds, and who goes on to become quite heroic in the story. Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-18, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

People have had very thoughtful responses but there is one thing I thought I'd add. My 6-year-old (who is in no way ready for as much structured activity - this is just him, it was different with another ds when he was 6) absolutely cannot focus, and will lollygag or goof off too much, without a good amount of physical activity. He and my puppy are much the same that way! When we got the puppy earlier this year, he and I began walking her together every morning before school (he rides his bike). I noticed an AMAZING increase in his ability to settle down to "do school" once he'd had this activity in the morning. Our morning starts later than I'd like - but I am not a morning person. Yet this activity is so important I will be sure we keep it going year-round. I will also echo what another poster said about unscheduled sibling time. I find that many mornings when the kids have started board games or creative play together, and I let them go for a little while before starting school, they have a much more productive day. Blessings to you as you evaluate how you want to do things; Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-18, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

In past years I had used MCP and Saxon for an older ds and dd, but I started two of ours with Horizons K. One did great, the other was left behind - relying completely on the timeline for some pretty advanced K math topics, but not really "getting" any of it. We tried Singapore for him the next year and it went well, things clicked, but then it quickly jumped into multiplication in the 2nd grade year and this ds was still trying to figure out place value. We did a unit of Developmental Math, which helped him with that, and then he used an MCP text we already owned for the rest of the year. MCP is a great program by the way, solid, steady but yes, boring, and mastery where I think this ds might need spiral. Meanwhile, the other ds who'd started with Horizons was still plugging away at it, but the lessons had gotten very looooong, he was asking for a change, and seemed to need more review than simply drill. I started both ds8 and ds6 in different levels of CLE, and I am hopeful it will be a good fit. The lessons do seem long, but I am thinking my slower learner needs the spiral method if he's ever going to retain this stuff. One year, with an older ds, we tried BJU, looking for something more "fun" than MCP or Saxon. I felt like I had to pull out all sorts of materials and supplements and worksheets all the time for the program to be complete, there were little stories that seemed unrelated to math, and the worst part - ds's test scores dropped that year. People seem to love it, but I can't recommend it based on our experience. I wish I could be more clear but we are still looking for the perfect fit as well! Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-18, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

We have found that with this series and with many other popular children's books. I might let the kids read them, but only after they've read their assigned, well written books. Truthfully I've found this problem in many adult works of fiction as well. I have picked up many books, some NYT best-sellers, with such terrible sentence structure and grammar that I can't bring myself to finish reading. I have heard that the average book written to adults today is written at about a 6th grade level - which isn't surprising. Sad and not surprising... Blessings, Aimee Mom to 6 great kids ages 6-18, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

I am still considering LH for my ds 6, for first grade - I have to make a decision SOON! Emilylou, I checked out your blog to see if I could learn about the HOD programs you're doing, and saw that we likely live not far from one another, judging by the museums you're visiting, etc. Cool! Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-18, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

The kids and I voted last year when we decided to name our school; I lost the vote, LOL. Now I can't even remember what name I was hoping for (maybe something with Logos in it, or something from a book we were reading?), but Evergreen Academy won. My sons' reasons: green is a symbol of life, evergreens are eternally green (symbolizing the eternal nature of our faith), we have lots of them in our yard, we like nature study. I did like the CM nature of it too. :) Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-18, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

Ok, thank you all for your encouragement. Ds 6 is enjoying it, and ds 8, doing level 2, is liking it well enough but I think, as you said, we have to get through the learning curve. He likes the flashcards and I KNOW that learning and consistently drilling material - like temperature, math facts, measurement, etc - is very important. He needs to know this stuff. Hopefully if he meets things again and again, it will start to stick. #2 ds 8 (they are 6 weeks apart but very different learning styles/levels) was frustrated because he didn't fly through the 4th pretest and had to do the actual lesson in 301. But I assured him that this is part of it - he's not supposed to know everything yet. He is a perfectionist and Horizons was easy for him - yet not fun or particularly challenging. I think this will be good for him. We will stick with it! Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-18, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6 (I have to figure out how to make a signature so I don't have to type that every time!!!)

I recently ordered several light units from several levels for my three youngest ds, after reading great reviews here. I do really like the program but it seems like the lessons are so LONG! My first grader's lessons aren't long yet, and my ds doing level 301 has shorter lessons as it's mostly pretests. But my son doing 203 has 5 pages of problems, plus speed drill plus flash cards. It isn't too hard for him, but he doesn't learn concepts quickly and because it's spiral, I'm finding myself having to explain many different things - even things he has done or should know. While a mastery program like MCP or developmental math is less painful for me (LOL), he tends to forget if things aren't reviewed, so I'm hoping spiral will help. We are doing math every few days during our summer break but I'm finding myself wondering how we will do all our other subjects if math takes so long. And wondering how long level 3 is going to take once that ds finishes 301. Has anyone else found the amount of work overwhelming? Will it get easier? An older ds has used MCP and switched into Saxon so we are used to programs with a fair amount of work. However we are sort of CM/classical in our approach and while I don't think 15 minute math lessons are realistic or appropriate - at least for our family - I think an hour is a lot for first through third graders. Opinions? Experience to share? Thanks and blessings; Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-18, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

Thank you all. I don't know of anything specific I'd like to have looked up (thank you for the offer), but if there is any page in question as someone said Carrie noted, or bias of any sort, I would not want to read it to the kids or recommend it to a friend. I have negated several books and texts because of (negative) bias - I am also uncomfortable with a writing style tht demoralizes other faiths. The other books in the program look great and I will pass along the other suggestions as well. Thanks! Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-18, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

I am helping a friend with curriculum choices and HOD's Bigger seems like it might be a good fit for her family and needs, with the extension package for her 4th grader. However I noticed A Child's Story of America is a core in the extension, and I remember reading that it had some bias against certain faith groups. My friend is Catholic and I really don't want to recommend anything that would be offensive. Does anyone know if this book has an anti-Catholic bias? If this book is not a good choice, does anyone have another recommendation? Thanks and Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-18, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

Have you checked Beautiful Feet Early American History? I think it might be providential in nature, but I also think you could adapt it easily. It is mostly a reading list of sweet books - D'aulaire books, etc - that you could add to your reading. At least as far as I remember it - it was some years ago that we used it. Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids ages 6-18, schooling 1, 3, 3 and 6th grades