We actually did SWR for about half a school year. It has some really good elements (mostly the same good elements of PR) but we found it really hard to actually implement. I know some people find scripted stuff hard to do but I find curriculum that is too loosey goosey, up to the parent to implement everything, hard to do. SWR was like that. In theory, it seemed great but when it came to sitting down and getting some work done day after day, it didn't come together well. I guess super homeschool moms who already know the material could do it all but I am not one of those. I need SOME direction and a system that is not really confusing.:tongue_smilie: Thanks you everyone for input :001_smile:. Stacey

We adopted 2 kids and my daughter is half black. It was interesting because we had never really brought up race in a big way and the social worker asked if we were worried about discrimination. My older kids got a blank look on thier faces and we had to explain to them that sometimes people are mean to other poeple because of thier races. They both said, "That is ridiculous, why would that matter?"

OK, here's my sordid story. DD-10 Great kid, she has auditory processing issues, memory issues and dyslexia. She is a horrible speller (we are about to start AAS 3 which she loves--not sure it is translating to her spelling out of class time though). Also, as it turns out Easy Grammar may be easy, but it is not teaching her either. (she recently told me she does not know what and adjective is--yes, I looked and she did about 15 pages on adjectives and still does not know what one is) She has a way of kind of faking it through stuff and I think she is doing better than she is. She doesn't want me to think she is not smart so she acts like everything is fine. I just bought (should be here today) CLE 3 for her............sigh. Unfortunately, I know she does not have a "foundation" of grammar or spelling so I have started thinking about that darn PR again. I had made the decision not to do it because she has had years of grammar (thought she knew it a little better than she does) and has had so much spelling it made sense to stay with AAS and do CLE rather than back up the truck so far. Now I am wondering if it makes sense to back up the truck and really get solid skills. We are having to stop IEW because she really is lost in the basics. (this is how I discovered how far in the weeds we are) DS-12 Better speller, better at grammar. He has dyslexia too but has been blossoming. If I were to do PR, should I include him? I just got him CLE 5 (that was where he seemed to be from the samples). Should I do Bridge to the Latin Road with him instead? Should I stay with CLE for him? Oh, what to do? what to do? Does anyone have any thoghts on this? :001_huh: I will say, and this is kind of important for us: we did SWR but it did not work because my daughter can not "hear" vowel teams. She needs the specific rules on those like AAS does. I can't do any of this with any expectation of auditory memory because that is her biggest weakness. I felt like there was that expectation in SWR, is that the case with PR? Is PR good for kids with learning disabilities? Please somebody read this and give 2 cents. I know there is a lot of threads on PR -- do not weary on me!!!!! TINA! are you out there?!:tongue_smilie: Stacey PS, I have 2 more little kids that I plan to use PR on so that would not be totally impractical.

What is the slant with Creation Vs. Evolution? Is there a slant? Do they go over things like age of the earth (thier dinosaur book is quite evolutionary so I wonder if that is an issue in this one). Stacey

Definately, I love love love MFW. We have done up from Exploring Countries and Cultures and are now doing Exploration to 1850's. OK, I made a mistake and missed RtoR (which I very much regret) because I thought I found something "better" and I will not make that mistake again. The nice thing I have been thinking about lately is I hear my friends say they are behind and that their kids are lacking in one area because of a over-focus on another area and I don't have that guilt. Oh, I have plenty of guilt in other areas but I do feel like I can get this stuff done, my kids love it, and I feel I really have all may bases covered. Other hits are: AAS IEW TT That is all I can think of now! Stacey

I am a Tapestry of Grace dropout. The concept of it was wonderful but actually HAVING to plan yet again and buy more books each quarter got old really fast. It was just too much all the way around. Other duds for us were: Writing Strands Madsen Method English (my kids would rather have their gums scraped) 100 ez lessons Konos (again, great concept but the planning) I love planning once a year but when nothing happens if I don't plan, that I no likie! I am sure there is more. It is interesting to see people hate stuff I love but I am sure some of you love this stuff too-- especially TOG. :tongue_smilie: Stacey

OK, that makes me think--do I need the TM for the 3rd grade level? I was thinking of getting it because it has the answer key in it but are the problems so hard that an average mom would need to have the answer key? Would anyone else wing it and not get the TM? Thanks Stacey

You should check out Typing Instructor for Kids. It is wonderful and my kids liked it lots more than Mavis Beacon. It is geared for the kids rather than a kid friendly adult typing program. There is an older child version of it too called Typing Instructor Platinum that is great too. You can pick these up at Timberdoodle for pretty inexpensive. I think I paid less than $10 for each. Stacey

Is it necessary to buy the teacher manual for the 5th grade level of LA? I see that it is optional. Are the spelling and writing helps in there needed? :confused: Thanks, Stacey

Zingo is a great game that I give to any and all 3-5 year olds. It is super simple, in the $20.00 range and is a game a little guy can actually understand and play. Even if they are a little bit on the young age to play it the pieces are great to just play around with and look at. You can get it at Wal-Mart or Target (it used to be only in the catalogs but I have seen it at more places lately. Have fun! http://www.target.com/s/180-4087493-1901255?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=tgt-index&keywords=zingo&searchSize=30&ref=sr_bx%5F1%5F1&searchView=grid5&searchNodeID=1038576&searchPage=1&searchRank=target104545

Thank you all for your replys! Truly, it is so appreciated. I think we will do the CLE. I like the idea of the spiral approach. That really makes sense. I finally got to see inside the R&S book and I don't think I could make that fly, although it looks good. I had her take the diagnostic test and I think we will start at 300 (though I think we could go as low as 200). Boy, what do you do when you know your child is not at all at grade level? She is supposed to be 5th grade and bless her heart, she really tries. She actually loves school. Not crazy about many subjects but she likes the pens and the school supples a lot! :lol: I just feel like she is NOT going to be 6th grade material next year. I am hoping she just blossoms and really catches up. She is pretty immature really, always has been for her age. Don't get me wrong, she is an amazing, loving, smart in so many ways kind of person, but she is not really 5th grade!!!.............sigh..............

I have been at this computer for about 3 hours trying to decide whether I should go with R&S 4 or CLE 3 for my daughter. She has auditory processing and other issues and is pretty behind in LA. I just asked her what an adjective is and she just looked blankly at me.:001_huh: I don't know what it is but things just don't get into her long term memory sometimes. Unfortunaltey, I don't know that until later! What I am thinking is that she needs more face time with me on this. (how I am going to pull that off with my 2 year old and 4 year old is beyond me:confused:) Is CLE too independent? I think if we talk about the material more it may make it into that long term memory better. (via using Rod and Staff which I think has more of that) The other thing is that I have a 12 year old son who is pretty much tracking on this stuff. I think he would do great with CLE and I really can't see extra face time with the both of them. (we do independent school before lunch where I can focus on the littles and our "needs mom" stuff in the afternoon during nap time--english --Easy Grammar--used to be in thier morning school but I think that is not working with my daughter) Does anyone do 2 different curriculums with 2 different kids like that? It just seems wrong! Does R&S take all that much time? AAUUGGHH!!!!!! I can not decide. Before my hudband lost 60% of his income I would have just bought both but that.....sniff.......is not the way things are now. Can anyone help me? It is so funny, I feel like you all are my friends! I lurk several times a day--this forum is majorly addictive!!! Blessings to you all friends and please help me decide! Stacey

I bought this and really really liked it. But alas, I have adopted two little ones and was not on top of it like I should have been so I bought a curriculum I know will happen (becuase it is not up to me to get it done!). I actually am going to be selling mine if anyone is interested. You can email me if you are :). It really is a great program--I think it is really complete and you can adapt it to different learning styles but it requires someone who can be consistent with it. I wish I were able to do it but I needed to be realistic about my little one's needs too. Stacey

Dpes anybody know what is going on with them? I know the actual professor died and they are scaled back. I have a technical question and I can not get a hold of anyone. Would you continue with a program that is not really responsive to problems you may have? Stacey

Another vote for Timberdoodle. They have great stuff. Stacey

I got the Timberdoodle Preschool curriculum package that they just put together. I absolutley love it and so do my 4 year old and even my 2 year old. It is just fun. My son who can be difficult and hard to please said those wonderful words every homeschool mom longs to hear, "Can we keep doing this--this is so fun!" You may not want to buy the whole thing but I liked the choices they made. There is a little bit of everything and all really good stuff. Stacey

I use MFW and love it. I don't believe that the projects are detrimental to the learning, for the most part they are a nice reinforcement and for fun. It is very rich and fulfilling without projects. Stacey

Another vote for MFW. I left it for a year and am thankfully back to it. :001_smile: There is no perfect boxed curriculum but I am very satisfied with MFW. It has a great blend of everything, is well balanced (sometimes history takes over in the other curriculum I was doing) and it is very doable. Love it! Stacey

I have been lurking for months and this is my very first actual big girl posting! This planner pretty nice. I just had to defend it a little because someone on the first page commented about the planning for crafts. (I don't know how to cut and paste comments yet!--also, I can understand why someone would tease a planner a little bit for scheduling in a craft time;)) Normally I would not defend a planner:tongue_smilie: BUT! I thought it was interesting because it was actually an article about arts and crafts and how the author was not at all a crafty person and did not like to do crafts so she teaches her kids the fine lost arts like crocheting, quilting, and knitting etc. I can never fit that stuff in but I think it is invaluable to pass those arts on for so many reasons both practical and nostalgic. So often, I do these silly crafts that I think are more time than they are worth (not always, sometimes they really help those hands on learners) and it really made sense to me to spend more time on the lost art projects than what we think of as "crafts". So, that being said, I just had to pipe in here because the "craft" part of the planner was really eye opening to me and insightful--not just someone scheduling in arts and crafts time. Stacey Hanrahan momma to 4 great kiddos.