Unfortunately she hated Beast Academy. Not the story part, but the puzzles/workbook. I'm not sure that AOPS would be a good fit. :( I tend to choose the popular rigorous curricula, but not in this case.

I know what you mean, but a lot of folks say that MEP years 7-9 are reviews of material covered in earlier years, so that kids who didn't attend a primary school that used MEP could transition into MEP GCSE. It seems like a lot of folks successfully skip it; I just have to figure out my path.

I'm considering it because it's British and doesn't line up with US standards. I'm probably also basing my thoughts on my peer group... Most people seem to switch away from MEP at this point because it of it not following US standards. Also, MEP's years 7-9 are sometimes skipped by homeschoolers, so even if I've made peace with staying with MEP, I have to figure out what to do next. Thanks for asking, though, Gil. Your question was helpfully clarifying. :)

Hello! My 6th grader will be finishing MEP Year 6 this spring, and I'm trying to plan for next year. She has really liked MEP, and has done well with it. She isn't especially mathy, but probably works about one grade level ahead of her age. She's very, very verbal and does best when things are explained verbally and with pictures. She doesn't "read" math as well. She's done Dragonbox 12+ and Dragonbox Elements with no trouble. MEP Years 5 & 6 cover pre-Algebra, from my understanding, so I'm looking at moving to Algebra or Geometry after MEP Year 6, but dd likes the idea of sticking with MEP. I'm figuring we'll transfer her into the local community college when she's about 16 or so, where they'll give her a placement test, so I could stick with MEP even though the credits aren't as clear in a U.S. context. What do you think, O Hive?

Thank you. I've started looking at Math Mammoth. I think I'm fighting it because my older dd has had such good luck with MEP, and I'm afraid if I switch to MM I won't go to MEP. They're such different kids, though, and I should keep in mind that MEP is teacher intensive too, which is harder now that I've got 3 kids. Hmmm..

I used MCT in 2nd grade but ended up deciding that it was too much too soon... Not that dd struggled or disliked it, just that there were better things in the world to do. We also used the old FLL1/2 in 1st grade, and it was way too repetitive. I'm using ELTL with my girls this year, and I'm really happy with it. It's not too much for my 1st grader, and my 6th grader (now finishing up ELTL5) is doing pretty high level grammar. The program includes copywork, diagramming, poetry, art study, fables for practicing narration, and literature. I love that I'm not having to use multiple resources, and I also love that the grammar is taught using real sentences from literature.

Hey y'all! It's been a while since I've hung around here, but I need some quick help from all y'all knowledgeable types. I've been doing Right Start B with my 1st grader. We're about halfway through, and she's doing fine with it. She likes the tactile stuff (unlike her sister) and I feel like it's a pretty good level for her. Sounds great, eh? Except that it's hard for me to get done. I really need it to be worksheets, even if it had the hands-on activity directions on the pages. So I was wondering what the current top math programs are out there? I tend to prefer the Asian-style math, or an emphasis on mental math. Thanks! Anabel

This site has downloadable blank handwriting pages. It's not exactly what my kids have, but it would do the job. http://japanese-lesson.com/characters/hiragana/hiragana_writing.html

My daughters take Japanese at a local Japanese Buddhist temple. My 1st grader just started this year. What they do for homework is a lot of copywork, essentially. If you can find your own paper with the right lines (it's a grid format), then have him write out the hiragana syllabary line by line, adding a new line each week. So, this week start with "a i u e o," next week do "a i u e o ka ki ku ko," etc. while he's writing have him say the syllable, or listen to a recording if you can. There are a bunch if apps out, if you have an iOS device (probably android too, I just don't have those). Write every day. When he starts learning vocab, use those words as copywork too. You'll want to find a resource that shows the order of strokes. After he finishes the main syllables, go on to the modified syllables. After those (for our program they take up the first year), start katakana.

I've been meaning to look up the aluminum issue for that one deodorant. I found this: "Alcloxa has shown to be of low to medium concern, but it is mostly recognized in Japan and Canada as being somewhat toxic, but it does not have a bioaccumulative nature. There are only a couple studies on it, but it is not the same as aluminum as I understand it. So I don’t think there is much to worry about there." http://www.theholykale.com/2011/10/are-deodorants-safe/

I have RS1 B & C, and I'm on my second time through B. I also have the Activities for the alAbacus book. My first child hated the presentation of RS, and while it taught her a lot of great thinking & math skills, she really didn't need the repetition and really hated the way topics dragged out. Oh, and she really really hated using any manipulatives besides the abacus and the math balance. I ended up "telescoping" the lessons, and covering 4 to 8 lessons a day by only doing the parts she needed. I tried the Activities book, but it's not laid out developmentally but in subject area. I covered some stuff that way, but in the end I switched programs with that child to MEP (she appreciated the worksheets). My second child is doing B now, and is doing well. She doesn't get concepts the way her sister does, but she enjoys the activities and all the manipulatives. She is far more likely to be willing to puzzle out a problem, and more willing to attack big problems. RSB#1 is great for her. I don't know if that helps at all. There is calendar stuff in RSB#1, but it's not overwhelming. :)

We use the "It's Perfectly Normal" series and really like it. And I really like the "Cycle Savvy" book, but it wasn't as appropriate for my 11yo (who has hit puberty) as this one: Everything a Girl Needs to Know about Her Periods https://www.amazon.com/dp/1569065551/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_4MExub06FKC3M

I don't know where you are, but we have Daiso, which is a Japanese dollar store, and they often have a lot of great little trays. It's worth doing w a search for any near you, or look for other Japanese stores because they like little things :)

I've read the book, and I've been down the path of trying to re-orient a peer-oriented teen, which was nigh unto impossible given that I wasn't his parent and his parents weren't doing the job. It's a hard story, but I still have my fingers crossed for my sweet BIL who is now an adult. My kids are only 11, 6, and 1yo, so not quite old enough to really judge their end result. They are definitely parent-oriented, even my pubescent eldest who is also an extravert. Not being with her friends is sometimes excruciatingly painful for her. But I can see that she's still oriented to us, and independence is definitely where she is heading. Like the others describe, she has her own ideas about clothes, she wears her hair like she wants, she doesn't give a hoot about makeup or cell phones or musical groups or actors. Her pre-teen crush is on Percy Jackson (the book one, NOT the movie one). She actually had a bad time at summer camp this year because she thought the other girls in her cabin were being ridiculous with their phones and makeup. Apparently that's all the other girls were interested in, so my dd spent a lot of time hanging out with the counselors. My second is more vulnerable to peers, but we keep reeling her back in and resetting her. She's much happier when she is in a good place with us.

I'm using the new Wayfarers program this year, and doing my best to actually follow it and only modify it a little. It's nice because it's so complete, and I can just highlight what I want my kids to do each day and leave out the rest to make room for their language studies. We actually finished a whole 10 weeks!!! That's pretty fabulous for us, especially given that I'm truly homeschooling 2 this year and have a toddler underfoot as well. We're on November break now, as one dd does NaNoWriMo and the other has Nutcracker rehearsals. It's a nice break for me too, so I can do some of the stuff that I really, really want to do but have been putting off. :) Anabel

I have the ebook and a friend has the 1&2 combined book. I like the amount of space the ebook takes on my shelf, but the hard copy is really nice too. I may end up switching to that, or printing out some of the pages that I wish I had more accessible. HLTL comes in a more slant-y option, especially compared to HWT. If he's working that hard, he might be game to switch. I'd ask him what he thinks. My K-er (last year) wanted cursive rather than manuscript, so that made it easy for me. Words in the last couple lessons of RLTL1 include cheer, guest, easy, coach, town, matter, tore, sleepy, pony, galloping, each, maid, kettle, sleigh, Christmas, Easter, again, know, about... There are a lot of easy words too (sad, box, hid) but those look like the more complicated words in those lessons. :)

If he's reading well, you might not want to do reading instruction with RLTL. I'm one of several people using RLTL as a spelling program. My daughter is a solid reader, but we're working through the phonograms and then doing the spelling lists. It totally works just for that. I'm considering pulling out the reading part so that she can practice reading aloud (since that's a slightly different skill and we haven't been doing it since finishing OPGTR) but our focus will still be on spelling. Kathy Jo recommends starting with RLTL1 if the child hasn't ever done an OG program before, but suggests going at a faster pace with older kids working through RLTL1. There are a lot of phonograms to learn, and if the child hasn't learned them before it would be really overwhelming to jump in at level 2. My dd hasn't had any handwriting instruction before, so we're using HLTL. If your son is fine copying the sample, and forms the letters correctly, I'm guessing that you wouldn't need to do HLTL. But yes, if he needs samples, you'll want the workbook. HTH! :)

We started ELTL after Christmas, and we're on summer break now. I have one doing RLTL1 for spelling (she already reads) and who started ELTL1 but stopped by spring break, not because she didn't like it but because she started it earlier than I would have and decided she wanted to stop (her best friend is a year older and was starting it too). My other dd was one of the testers for ELTL5. Sorry if this is redundant, but I haven't gone through the thread to see what I've said before. I like ELTL better than the other things we've done, at this point. My elder has done FLL1, 2, and 4, WWE 1, 2, and 4, and part of WWS1, plus MCT Island and Town levels, and part of Voyage. ELTL1 has been gentle and slow, but not boring or repetitious. ELTL 5 is definitely teaching my elder some new grammar, including diagramming, and she loves doing the Commonplace Book (she hates writing things out by hand, so that's amazing!). She did NOT enjoy WWS1, but she is enjoying the writing parts of ELTL5. She's naturally verbal and writes easily, which I hear can actually be an impediment to using WWS1, so I'm really happy to find something that teaches her writing skills that she will accept. I also don't think the assignments are all that difficult; I don't think being a natural writer is necessary for ELTL5. I also really appreciate that there is poetry, fables, art, and literature all right there. Aesop in ELTL1 is enjoyable, and my dd in ELTL5 laughs out loud at the Nasruddin stories. Dd likes that the grammar is coming out of the literature. It's all so nicely pulled together. I'm curious to see how the fall goes. My younger will be picking up RLTL1 from where we left off, and starting ELTL1 again. My elder will be starting up again in the middle of ELTL5, and I'm curious to see how much "summer slide" we'll have. There's always some, right? But she already knows more grammar than I ever did, thank goodness. Hope this helps, at least a little! :)

From what I've read, it's not helpful to do math in multiple languages at a young age. Since math *is* a language, it can be confusing for a young child to be taught in one language, then in another. I wish I remembered where I read that, but I believe it was in a book that was overall supportive of multi-lingualism. I used a more Waldorfy preschool program - http://weefolkart.com/content/homeschool-companion-guides - which is in English, but it has good ideas and hands-on projects. It's rather crafty, seasonal, and very gentle. I also love Montessori... but as the pp suggested, Pinterest is a great resource and can help you pinpoint what you're looking for. If you start looking for Montessori materials, I've had luck on Etsy and at Montessori Services.

There are good French cursive apps available on iPad, in case that's handy. My kids like doing those. :)

Hey... there's an update to the sample, fyi :)

My natural reader/writer is really enjoying ELTL (English Lessons Through Literature). We're doing it at grade level (Year 5 in 5th grade) and it is making both of us happy. And she LOVED NaNoWriMo this year. :) Anabel

This post was super-helpful. Did you find that it worked out to only do one topic area at a time? I'm curious to know if you find that your kids make connections between the topics anyway, even though they're spread apart. I'm still considering what to do. It looks like if I do 20 lessons from BFSU1 with my 1st grader this year (and 20 next year) she'll be at the right place, and BFSU2 only has 30 lessons anyway (and we do a 30 to 36 week school year)... is one lesson/week of BFSU2 reasonable? Thanks for all the input, everyone!

Ok, I'm planning on doing Nebel with my girls this year. I've got a 1st grader who has only done a couple of the lessons, and a 6th grader who is done with BFSU1 but has only done a couple lessons in BFSU2. Organizationally, how have you gotten BFSU to work for you? It's been a major energy-suck in the past... how do you neutralize that aspect of it? And it's not like the lessons are hard! I know that... it's just getting it together that I've had trouble with. Thanks!