Introduction Thread for Regulars & Newbies. I'll start :)

[Pamela in VA]

We've homeschooled ds 5th and dd 4th from the start and have always used a WTM approach. I discovered the book when they were just toddlers and have been on the boards since close to the beginning. However, I go through phases of being able to read and post on a regular basis, to dropping a line here or there, to total absence for some periods of time.

 

I have found over the years that this is by far the BEST place to get information and opinions about curriculum, as well as answers to developmental, behavioral, and other secondary issues related to homeschooling and life. It is truly a "hive-mind" and and a great resource. It is the first place I will recommend to hs newbies or veterans who ask me questions I can't answer.

 

Personal information: Married 18 years with 2 dc. Ds plays piano and various sports. Dd plays violin and dances. Mom plays the iPod. I'm a Virginia native, but we lived in New Orleans for 8 years, thus my original name on the boards was PameLA. It morphed to PameLA in VA to retain the connection when we moved back here just over 2 years ago. We've really enjoyed being back close to my family and being here in the historic triangle for Yorktown's 225th, Jamestown's 400th, and Colonial Williamsburg in general. Plus, now I'm close to my alma mater again...William and Mary.

 

One of our best hs experiences was our SOTW history co-op with 3 other families the first two years. We met 2x a month, rotating hosts and homes, and did several activities each time. We made costumes, had feasts, held an Olympics, and had all sorts of fun. I have not been able to get anyone here in VA interested in committing to this and dc miss that alot. We did start scrapbooking/lapbooking our history pages and they are enjoying that immensely. I have promised many times to post some examples, but have just not gotten around to it. We are now using SOTW3 along with TOG 2/3 and some Truthquest...I know, it's a crazy combination.

 

OK...I guess that's enough of an introduction. Hope everyone has a good day!

[Pamela in VA]

We've homeschooled ds 5th and dd 4th from the start and have always used a WTM approach. I discovered the book when they were just toddlers and have been on the boards since close to the beginning (1999-2000?). However, I go through phases of being able to read and post on a regular basis, to dropping a line here or there, to total absence for some periods of time.

 

I have found over the years that this is by far the BEST place to get information and opinions about curriculum, as well as answers to developmental, behavioral, and other secondary issues related to homeschooling and life. It is truly a "hive-mind" and and a great resource. It is the first place I will recommend to hs newbies or veterans who ask me questions I can't answer.

 

Personal information: Married 18 years with 2 dc. Ds plays piano and various sports. Dd plays violin and dances. Mom plays the iPod. I'm a Virginia native, but we lived in New Orleans for 8 years, thus my original name on the boards was PameLA. It morphed to PameLA in VA to retain the connection when we moved back here just over 2 years ago. We've really enjoyed being back close to my family and being here in the historic triangle for Yorktown's 225th, Jamestown's 400th, and Colonial Williamsburg in general. Plus, now I'm close to my alma mater again...William and Mary. Let us know when you come to town!

 

One of our best hs experiences was our SOTW history co-op with 3 other families the first two years. We met 2x a month, rotating hosts and homes, and did several activities each time. We made costumes, had feasts, held an Olympics, and had all sorts of fun. I have not been able to get anyone here in VA interested in committing to this and dc miss that aspect alot. We did start scrapbooking/lapbooking our history pages and they are enjoying that immensely. I have promised many times to post some examples, but have just not gotten around to it. We are now using SOTW3 along with TOG 2/3 and some Truthquest...I know, it's a crazy combination.

 

OK...I guess that's enough of an introduction. Hope everyone has a good day!

[Julie in PA]

Hi! We knew before we had children we would classically educate them. We started with the first one at home and then DH got a job at a classical school in PA. This meant free tuition, so off ds went. After a couple of years we realized our hearts were still in home schooling. Dh teaches and is the administrator for VP Online classes. He will be doing this full-time from home next year. We are very excited about that.

[Mommyfaithe]

Hi All:

 

I have been around these boards since they began...

I am married for 22 years to my wonderful best friend. We run a plumbing, Heating and A/c company. This year I began working full-time from my home office in his business...BUT we are still homeschooling and my kiddoes are still thriving.

 

I have been at this for almost 13 years. My oldest dd is graduating from college this spring with a 3.9 gpa!!! Homeschooling prepared her for a rigorous college education...and to be honest...I did not actually school her that much in High School. I made the materials available, facilitated and TALKED a lot with her...gave her loads of books and had her write...write...write. She said she was so much more ready to tackle college level work because she knew HOW to learn.

 

DD 2 started college this year. Her first semester...straight A's... YAY!!!!!!

 

DS 16 is working a lot with DH. He is doing several courses...slowly but surely, but has really completed his high school courses. Next Year he will begin to take cc courses to round out his High School experience.

He will probably take a technical training course in oil and gas and also A/C certification courses. I know he'd rather be a rock star....but hey...everyone needs a fall back career.

 

I read the WTM when it first came out...I just can't remember when. It laid out for me exactly what I wanted to accomplish with my kiddoes and I had been putting together myself. I still use other suggestions or plans (such as I love Ambleside Online) but I feel they fit in nicely with WTM plan.

 

My next kiddoes have worked through the stges as laid out in the WTM...tweaked by me :-) DS 13, DD9, DS 5 and DS4 (almost) are enjoying SOTW 2, Latin, Logic, Phonics Grammar etc.

 

I just love this board. It has been a source of encouragement, information and fellowship. I truly love the friends I have made here and even when we get into one of those great debates over math or the BEST way to do something it is always thoughtful and filled with information.

 

Gotta go back to work, make breakfast...school the kids and exercise...AND be a hot Momma when Dh gets home tonight....

 

OH...the Joy!!!

Faithe

[Rhonda in TX]

What a great thread this is!

 

I live in the Houston area with DH and the two kids. We have homeschooled for 2 years. They were in a private Christian school before that. We left suddenly at mid-year and, because we didn't know what we wanted to do, decided to try homeschooling. I had wanted to try it for awhile, and DH was suddenly agreeable. It has worked very well for us. While I won't say that private school would not be an option for high school, I doubt my kids will ever be in public school.

 

A homeschooling friend gave me TWTM to read when we made the decision to homeschool and I absolutely loved it. Now, however, I lean towards a more Charlotte Mason approach.

[Baseballmom]

Hi, I am Dorothy Bauer. I grew up in Minnesota but moved to Texas 11 years ago. We have a 12 yo. son with Microcephaly which means he has a small head (brain.) His doctors said that he would never walk or talk, once he did that they said he would never have any higher learning function. He is determined, and by God's grace he is just below grade level or on grade level in all subjects. He struggles daily but homeschooling has been the key to his success. My youngest, is an 8 yo. son who may be gifted, he learned to read right after he turned four. He asked my how to read, I showed him how to blend sounds for 5 minutes and then he was reading. He is several years ahead in math and does very well with logic. He loves the game mind trap and likes to make up his own mind trap riddles. I started homeschooling 8 years ago when my oldest was four. I am still learning new things everyday and only wish a had a younger child to teach well right from the beginning. Thank goodness the Lord is faithful and will bless my efforts in spite of my failures.

[Strawberry Queen]

Hi, I'm from Alberta in western Canada. I read TWTM when my dd was 4 and now she's 7. I loved it right away. It encapsulated my thoughts on education. I am soo thankful for this book and the encouragement from these boards. I have been able to post all of my questions and glean lots on wisdom.

 

The one thing I didn't want to do in homeschooling is jump around from topic to topic, and then find out that we were missing a base of information necessary for more intensive work. I could have had lots of fun, but would I be setting my children up to succeed? I feel that using TWTM as a jumping off point, I can see my end goal and make decision for this year with that in mind.

 

Aside from homeschooling and reading the boards (yes there is a life outside of these two activities:p) I pretty much hang around home. I love to sew and read and bake. I just need more people to bake for:D. Oh, I'm also babysitting a 3yo aboout 50-60 hrs. a week which makes for a busy house. Especially since the hours are always different. Very frustrating for someone who likes to make up schedules-but oh well, I don't follow the schedule anyway.

[Rhesa]

I'm Rhesa and I currently homeschool in a tiny NYC apartment. I have a son, 7 and daughter, 5. They have been home with me from the beginning, but this is our first "official" year. (The first year we've had to report to the goverment!)

 

When my son was 18 months, I had a very strong urge to check out homeschooling. So, I went to the internet and started exploring! Fortunately, I quickly came across information on WTM, as well as Ambleside Online. I found lots to like in both approaches.

 

I don't post often- but I have learned a lot here!

[michellem]

Hi Ladies. My name is Michelle and I live in Tennesee. We have homeschooled for 5 years now. My oldest son is in the 7th grade and my younger son is in the 3rd grade. I started out using Sonlight. After the first year I started putting together my own stuff using the Well Trained Mind Guide. I have been reading on these boards for several years now and have gained a lot of helpful information. I looked forward to chatting with you all.

[umarider]

Last year was my first year HSing my DDs. Prior to that they'd been in PS, but being a military family, we move around a lot and that leaves us vulnerable to varying qualities of schools. Now we are in Hawaii, and unless we wanted to pay MAJOR money ($17k+/child!!!) we would have had to go w/ a PS system that is known to be weak.

 

Now, I've got a teaching degree... so I figured "No Problem!" as far as homeschooling, right? (I hear all you old-timers laughing:) ). So I happily chose my curriculum, figuring I'd be making adjustments during the first year. A friend recommended WTM, but I am a stubborn "Do-it-myself" kinda gal, so I refused to even LOOK as WTM.

 

Last year was okay... we made progress, but not without a LOT of stress! (I was now teaching kids who'd spent their entire lives learning how to press my buttons! Also, I was constantly second-guessing my choices) I would talk w/ a friend, who is a very non-pushy kind of person and also homeschools, and she suggested several times that I read WTM. I kept saying "No", that I wasn't that kind of homeschooler (Don't know what I thought "that kind" really was). Well, my friend got around my stubborness by having her daughter come up to me one day at DD's ballet class; thrust WTM into my hands saying "My mom told me to give this to you!" and then run away! I took it home, read it, and was hooked!

 

This year has been so, incredibly much better! We are all happier and making even more progress. (I still get my buttons pushed,:rolleyes: but I have more confidence & organization)

 

I know that when I return to a regular classroom I will be a much better teacher from the experience I have gained.

[Lisawa]

This is a great thread... I must have missed it...

 

My name is Lisa. Born and raised here in Washington state... that would be 36 years here *Ü* Almost 37! I have been married for 15 years.... I have 3 great kids... Shawn 18 ( I was a single teen mom saved in my 20s my husband adopted my boy) Christian 15 *Ü* and RyLee Kay 11.

 

We have always home schooled going through many a phase, style and method over the last 13 years... settling in nicely to where we are now......

 

I first read the WTM about 8 years ago...before that many other philosophies and ideas on home schooling... settling in on a mix of Classical/Charlotte Mason/ Raymond Moore ideals... I’m a mixed bag! lol

 

I love this board... sometimes to much! I’m here to much... but the wisdom and friendships

I have developed here have been a blessing! If I have a question.. Where do I go? WTM

boards... Want to play Wordless Wednesday… WTM board! Have a prayer request??

WTM board… Well my peeps in RL too but you know what I mean…

[Verena]

Okay, here goes:

I'm Verena, married since almost 12 years, with 3 boys (4, 6 and 9) and a transplant from Germany.

Came *over here* for grad school, met my dh and never made it *back over there*:)

We live in beautiful SW VA and have hs from the beginning. I read TWTM when first ds was tiny and was immediately hooked.

I love this board, too and thank everyone for their wisdom, expertise and giggles!

 

I'm a cellist and play gigs from time to time (orchestral or wedding/parties), and do some teaching also. I love to read, knit, sew, garden, bake, hike, spend time outdoors, play with our dog Jack, and I have a severe weakness for any BBC-produced version of any book ever written by Jane Austen. In my spare time I sit on the couch eating bon-bons :D

 

Our hs is a mix of classical, musical and germanical. This year has been the best so far, I seem to have finally found our stride. I have relaxed, my oldest has learned to see school as *this is not so bad, mom*, and my dh has remained my biggest cheer leader.

 

Now I have to cook dinner, but I'll be back to read more about you guys:)

[Kathie in VA]

Hello all.

I just have to say that I really appreciate these boards. This is where I go when I carve out a few moments for *me*. My dh thinks I'm nuts to want to keep reading about various curriculum and talk about homeschooling methods and tools... but that's what I like right now.

 

We pulled out kids out of private school when my oldest dd was in 2nd grade because of a move. It's funny but I didn't like the idea of classical ed when I first read about it but when I tried to explain it and the other methods to my dh, we both felt pulled toward it. I got and full read the WTM and took off from there.

 

We now have 4 kiddos (dd13yo, ds11yo, ds8yo, and dd-turning 3 tomorrow!) Life here never seems to follow my wonderfully made schedules and plans but somehow the kids are learning something. God is merciful!

[TolleLegeAcademy]

I'm Kim. (I posted as KimW on the old board a few times, but there are usually lots of Kims around, so I changed my screen name here.....) My husband and I have a just turned 6 year old and we decided to homeschool about 4 years ago. I have been home with her from birth; but before I became a momma, I taught children in public schools in Florida for 10 years. This is our first year to report to the school board as homeschoolers, so we're *official* now.

 

I read TWTM a few years ago and keep it close by for reference now that my dd is school age. I am a curriculum/book junkie (pretty sure I was born that way!), I love to read about anything education related and I like to plan ahead just for fun and make adjustments as we go.

 

I usually don't post very much since we're just starting out, but I really appreciate all the wisdom and encouragement shared here. I hope to contribute more as we go along.

 

It's been fun reading about everyone!

 

Take care,

Kim

 

Our New Blog

[mamato3 all-boy boys]

Hello, My name is Alane and I'm a homeschooling mom.

 

We've homeschooled since dh planted the seed into my brain when ds1 was 18 months old. I decided to research it to prove to him it was a stupid idea for our family.:o

 

We spent preK and K using Sonlight's materials. I had read WTM when ds was preK, and thought we'd switch over and use it when he got to 1st grade. Then TOG came up, and I decided to use that for 1st grade. Then I gave birth to my 3rd son and hormones kicked in and I could barely make a decision about what to feed my family for dinner let alone which books to use and which activities to include in my son's first academic year.

 

So, that Christmas I sold TOG and bought lock, stock and barrel into SOTW and the Activity Guide. We used these resources to flesh out our neo-classical education for 1st and 2nd and the first part of 3rd grade.

 

Now, we're studying US History using Sonlight's Core 3. We'll move onto Core 4 for ds#1's 4th/5th-ish grade. After that I'd planned on returning to TOG for our logic and rhetoric classical rotations. But, who knows what'll happen once I've got two students and a kindergartner to teach.

 

I'm very thankful to all the wonderful people who sponsor this board and those who answer, and for all the support that is here. It is a blessing to my planning and my sanity!

[Surfside Academy]

We've been homeschooling for about 2 years now. I always thought I would send my kids to private school but as my oldest grew older I began to have doubts. First there was the cost...no to mention the time wasted in an all-day kindergarten. I have a masters degree in Forensic Science so I figured I could do this! I have to say that it's gone fairly well.

 

There have been a lot of curriculum changes (I'm a bit of a curriculum-junkie) but I'm so thankful I found the WTM. My oldest is very social so I've had to make some compromises like allowing him to attend a coop once a week but it's all good!

 

My new challenge will be trying to figure out how to incorporate my 2nd son into our schedule when he begins kindergarten soon. Yikes! I do appreciate all the wisdom and humor I find on this board.

 

My quiver: ds 7, ds 41/2, ds2 1/2

[Tokyomarie]

Hi, I've posted an intro over at the High School board, since that's the board I read the most. I'll post something a bit different here:

 

I'm Marie, married for 27yrs. I afterschooled throughout the '90s when my girls were in Japanese schools and international schools while we lived in Tokyo. After we returned to the States in 2000, we started homeschooling full-time. We graduated our first two from homeschool. One has finished college and is soon to be married. Our second dd is a college freshman music major.

 

I still homeschool our 13yo son, who is a 7th grader this year. I am an eclectic homeschooler with a classical bent. I read TWTM back in 1999 and really considered closely following it but my younger two students are both twice exceptional (bright/gifted with learning challenges) and their particular learning needs have required me to be more flexible in approach while aiming to cover similar content as TWTM.

 

We are taking a break from our history cycle to do Sonlight's Eastern Hemisphere studies (Core 5); we use mainly SL for history/geography with additions as desired. We're also using some SL assignments for writing, Lightning Lit 7, Wordly Wise, Sequential Spelling, ALEKS math, Quarter Mile math (for computer-based drills), and Singapore Interactive Science. At co-op this semester he will do Japanese I, Lego Robotics, Logic, JASON Project Monster Storms, and Battles of the Bible.

 

I am a leader in our co-op at the middle school/high school level. I'm also involved in leadership on the missions team at our church.

 

I tend to read quite regularly at the High School board, but since my ds is still using mostly middle school resources, I do peek in here fairly frequently.

[3lilreds in NC]

I am married to the most excellent Todd. I have 3 children: Emma, Abbie and Isaac. I have 4 cats: Simon, Miranda, Twink and Dory. I have a dog named Toby. I have a few fish and I love to feed the birds. I'm a Michigan native, have lived in NC for almost 10 years, and am hoping to move back to the Midwest (preferably near my sister) in the near future.

 

This is our 3rd year homeschooling and we love it. The girls are enjoying their baby brother in a way they wouldn't have if they were in school. I love the idea of TWTM, but honestly, we're a bit more laid back - we're currently using My Father's World and really enjoying it. I had a hard time giving up the 4-year history cycle, but this gives us some wiggle room for rabbit trails and such.

 

I must confess to considering K12 for next year - I'm feeling a bit stressed about getting it all done with the baby.

[Allen Academy]

I have a pretty unconventional "why I decided to homeschool" story - I was on my lunch break from work about a year ago and was watching some show on HGTV and in the course of the show, the homeowner showed her homeschool room and said they decided to homeschool because they travel a lot and wanted their children to be able to travel with them. So that night, I mention the thing to DH and he says, "I think homeschooling is a great idea! Let's do it!"

 

Now I am one of those people who would say "Oh you homeschool? I could never do that...†I am a former public school teacher/librarian, and I have no beef with public schools whatsoever. So to DH, I say, "Wait, I was just kidding...†But I looked into it, and the more I read about it, the more I thought it would be perfect for our family. My primary reason is because DH is in the Air Force and we move quite a bit (before DD turns 5, we will have moved 5 times), so I thought it would provide stability for our family (along with other reasons that I kept discovering as I read every book I could find about homeschooling).

 

So, we decided to homeschool DD and any other children we may have some day. She is only 4 now but had been in preschool for a while since I was finishing grad school/working, so we are doing some school with her, just because she wants to. And I like it :)

 

A few other interesting tidbits about me:

 

• I married my high school sweetheart a month after I graduated from high school; we have been married for almost 7 years now.
  
• I once ran out onto the ice at a minor league hockey game in between periods because someone offered me $100.
  
• I make the best cheesecake you have ever tasted - guaranteed - and I don't even like cheesecake :)
  

 

I love to read, scrapbook, and bake but somehow end up spending most of my time online here or looking at all of your wonderful, inspiring blogs.

[DarcyM]

Why'd I have to follow the cheesecake lady?! I had such a great intro planned and now all I can think about is cheesecake. ;)

 

Hi, I'm Darcy. I'm still thinking about cheesecake. I grew up in the Chicago area. I now live in Blinknyoullmissit, Iowa.

 

I started homeschooling when my oldest was 3. He was enrolled in a private preschool and 8 weeks into classes, we showed up and there were 2 very sick children left at school by their *ahem* parents.

 

Now, for most families, that wouldn't be a big deal. But with me I had a 4- month-old, 5 lb oxygen-dependent baby brother on heart monitors who had just been released from 3 mo in a NICU. He was so fragile. And a 22 mo old toddler, to boot. I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't risk the health of one son for the "education" of another.

 

So, I thought I would just do this until my baby boy was strong enough to handle germs. Well... it's 4.5 years later and here I am. My baby will be 5 in May. An absolute miracle boy, and turns out I love homeschooling.

 

My 3 Boybarians are 7 (soon 8), 6 and 4.

 

I also work part-time in NICU Family Support and recently got a hair-brained idea to do some blog design work. I have no idea what I've gotten myself into.

 

I think SWB and JW are fantastic. At least twice a year I resist the urge to drop the boys off at their farm, and ask for the human equivilent of a dry cleaning receipt so I can pick them back up when they're all smart.

 

Allen Academy... pretty please send me the aforementioned cheesecake recipe?

 

I used to post as "earlybird mom" as a nod to my preemie son, but well, I dunno... I was ready for a change. I have met some fantastic cyber-BFFs here, and I have gained so much from the boards.

[Another Lynn]

I meant to intro myself the other day, but I haven't had as much time online as I would like. I'm also sorry to say I haven't had time to read all the other intros (how rude!) but I'll come back and do it soon.

 

I did not post a lot, but I was Another Lynn on the old board, so I just kept the same name. My dh and I have been married 15 years. We have 4 children: ds, 9, 3rd grade, ds 6 K, dd 4.5, ds 2, and one on the way. I went to my first homeschool conference when my oldest was 7 mos. old :) I was a curriculum junkie even before I knew what I was getting into!

 

I started out using Ambleside Online as my guide for most things, but have drifted a bit from that (for one thing, I got us back on a 4-yr. rotation for history). We added in SOTW for the first time this year and we participated in Classical Conversations for the first time this year. We probably won't do that next year since we will have a newborn! We also use SWR, Daily Grams, MUS, CLP's Studying God's Word, AO for literature selections, SOTW, CHOW and OIS for history with an Eggleston book thrown in for American. I'm relying on CC this year for our science, although we did just start reading Science Lab in a Supermarket. I'm looking forward to planning for next year when we will have 5 days at home again instead of only 4 (most likely). As much as we have liked CC, I have felt like I needed to keep cutting back on my other academic goals at home to accomodate it.

 

My oldest two ds also play chess, so they have chess problems and chess games every day. This is dh's contribution to our homeschool and I have to say he's doing a good job! Before Christmas they both won first place for their grade level in the KY State Championship and my K-er tied for National Kindergarten Champion in Houston.

 

I love coming to this board and gleaning from everyone's experiences. The upgrade is really nice too!

[Narrow Gate Academy]

We've been homeschooling from the start. My oldest DD hated anything that involved large groups when she was young. We did our own preschool thing. When I ran out of ideas of preschool type activities to do with her, we started working through Phonics Pathways. DH started out saying that she should go to public school. By the time Kindergarten came around, he realized that she was learning more at home than she would in school. He also figured out that both DD and I would be much happier homeschooling together and didn't want to be the "mean one" who made her go to school. This is our fourth official year homeschooling, and we are loving it. I wouldn't call DH a homeschool advocate yet but he's coming around as he sees things working well at home.

 

We currently have 3 kids: Jessie (almost 9), Violet (almost 7), and Benny (almost 4), with one on the way in mid-May.

 

We basically follow the WTM outline, but substitute curriculum as needed to make it work for our family.

[cupajoe]

Hi. My name is Erika. I'm homeschooling my 4 dc (Noelle-13, Brandon-10, Shelbi-8, Bella-5). This is our fourth year homeschooling.

 

I rarely post, but certainly frequent the boards to gain valuable insight and advice into this journey I feel I'm still beginning. I am amazed at the wisdom present on these boards, and honestly feel I don't have much to contribute. Hopefully one day I will feel seasoned enough to share my recommendations, etc.

 

I have been married to my husband (an active duty Army officer) for 14 years. We met my freshman year at Wake Forest and began dating immediately, so we've pretty much been dating and/or married my entire adult life!

 

I began homeschooling because I felt completely called by God to follow His lead in this area. I started out following a CM approach using Ambleside Online. I've definitely morphed and now incorporate primarily classical ideas and methodology into our homeschool.

 

That's about all for now. Thank you to all of the regular/frequent posters on this and the old board. You couldn't possibly know what a help you've been to me personally throughout the past few years!

Blessings.

[Guest]

It's been quite some time since I've frequented this board, so a re-introduction is in order.

 

I live just south of Ft. Worth, TX with the two loves of my life, my hubby and son. We are in the 4th yr of hs'ing ds who is 8 (3rd grade). I have used a Christian Classical / Charlotte Mason approach from the beginning.

 

Blessings,

 

Denise

[MicahMaloo]

We are in our 2nd official year of homeschooling our sons, grades first and PreK. I have frequented (mostly lurked) the WTM boards for about 3 years now ???

 

We are Christian Classical homeschoolers that follow a cross between WTM, Trivium Pursuit and Textbooks! :D

[VaKim]

Hi. We are in our 5th year of hs my two girls, ages 13 and 9. We are very eclectic, and use whatever works and is interesting at the time. I do like chronological history, composer study, artist study, poetry memorization and study, and we are doing Greek. So I guess there are some classical elements in there. :)

I have been reading here every day for a long time, but rarely post. I mostly just see what I can learn from all these extremely intelligent people. I do like to answer any questions I can, and have asked a couple questions and gotten great answers. :)

[cajun.classical]

I'm Angelina in Louisiana and have been lurking and occasionally posting here for a couple of years. I'm in my sixth year of homeschooling, but before that I was a classroom teacher. I've taught literally every grade--from kindergarten Latin to College Literature and Composition. I was involved in the founding of a Christian CLassical School and was a teacher there as well as the Curriculum Coordinator until the Lord called me to homeschooling--in an unmistakable way! The transition from classroom to homeschool was terribly difficult; I quickly realized that classroom techniques had no room in a homeschool. I was frustrated and discouraged. I read and read about homeschooling, but still found that most homeschooling books were too influenced by institutionalized education. I finally found my way after reading When You Rise Up, Charlotte Mason's writings, and The Latin-Centered Curriculum. Now, I love homeschooling, and I think I'm a much better teacher than I ever was in the classroom. And the best part is, we are having so much fun--and the stress and frustration is all gone!

[JeanM]

Hi, my name is Jean. I'm homeschooling two boys, ages 8 and 6. We live in Michigan with one dog and assorted fish. I love reading about curriculum, and lurked a bit on the old boards. I'm going to try to be more active here.

 

Jean

[Qs3]

Hi everyone! I'm Quincy. I've been a lurker for several months, but I couldn't resist the new boards. So, here I am.

 

I moved to the Atlanta area about 9 months ago with my dh of 8 years and our ds7, dd4, and dd2. Previously we lived in Idaho. (And had a very short stop in Louisiana.)

 

We always wanted our children to have a classical education, but the schools were too expensive. Our ds attended Christian private school for Preschool and PS for K. After moving to LA, we put him in PS. Unfortunately, the whole experience was less than great. A month later we took ds out, and our homeschool adventure began! I came across these boards before I read TWTM, but when I finally read the book I knew that it was the perfect fit for our family. We're half way through 1st grade and loving it.

[momtoccm]

I'm Sarah. I'm not sure if I ever posted on the other boards. I read it some a couple years ago. Then I got overwhelmed with a bunch of back to back moves and am just starting to get caught up again. We moved to NC, just outside of Charlotte, 3 months ago and hope to stay here for a while. I have three children (8 yob, 5 yog, & 3 yog).

 

Sarah

[OneRoomHomeSchool]

Hi! Thought I'd better get my intro in here, even though I've been posting. ;)

 

While Dh and I have 9 children (ages 4-31), between us...we are HS'ing *our* two sons (ages 4 & 6), yet I do afterschooling in the summer with *my* three (ages 10-13). Clear as mud? :p lol

 

Anyway, as you can see from my siggy we are using the following (as soon as it arrives!): Explode the Code, Language Lessons by Sandy Queen, Singapore Maths, and 100 EZ Lessons...along with copywork, daily narration and recitation and lots of read alouds.

 

I'd say we follow a 'blend' of WTM, Trivium Pursuit and LCC...but also love Ruth Beechick methods for LA. So, while we are classical homeschoolers we are not purists to any 'camp'. :D (most of us are not, I guess).

 

What we like from LCC is a main core focus...and the focus on latin.

What we like from WTM is the 4 year cycles and notebooking.

What we like from Trivium Pursuit is the waiting a bit for formal grammar and also not introducing the ancients to our littles.

 

So, there ya have it! :rolleyes:

[Rhonda@LivingWater]

I read through them all to make sure I did not post again, I don't know how I missed this thread.:o

I am Rhonda from Tennessee.

Married for 19 years, three kids ages 10, 8, and 6.

We have homeschooled from the beginning and I am currently teaching 5th grade, 2nd grade, and Kindergarten/First.

We use a mix of Classical, CM and Beechick so I suppose we are eclectic. :)

The WTM was the first book my dh picked out when we were deciding to homeschool and I refer to it often. I have to confess, I have the first edition because I have had it so long.

These boards are a great help to me, I receive a lot of encouragment and information and I hope I can occassionally be a help to someone else!

[Pretty in Pink]

hi all, i'm elizabeth. dh and i have three boys and baby on the way. this is our 5th year homeschooling.

 

 

my dh is active duty Marine Corps. we just love the military lifestyle and have totally embraced all that it has to offer!

 

anyway, i read TWTM last summer and it just clicked for me. this is our first year implementing a "classical" curriculum. we are strongly considering a switch to TOG at this point.

[Linda in NM]

I'm homeschooling for life my 13 yos, who is a championship hockey player--goalie for the Bantam AA state team for New Mexico. It's an exhausting ride, but he loves it--hockey on an almost daily basis.

 

My favorite educational philosopher is Charlotte Mason, although I do ascribe to some of the classical educational ideas as well. We follow an eclectic curriculum (foreign languages, VideoText for algebra, Trisms for history, IEW for writing, etc.--lots of additional stuff). We love living books and reading aloud...science is my son's favorite subject, and we're enjoying Rainbow Science this year (along with the Planet Earth videos).

 

I'm a professional instructional designer (although I'm not "active" these days--I'm just teaching at two online universities and working as a professional editor--also online!) I love my laptop.:)

[SandraDumas]

age 27

located in the South

2 dc, 6 and 4

been posting here for about 2.5 years

may delete this account and use my new screen name for security reasons...my dh made my account with my real name. (I hate that!)

[Philothea]

I first decided that I wanted to homeschool when I was 17 and it was also then I knew that I wanted to be married. So when I met my future husband at 19, we already had the same goals in mind. We were both traditional Catholics, for those of you who don't know, most traditional Catholics homeschool. So there was no tension on the HSing issue from the start.

 

Ever since I was pregnant with my first child, we have been looking forward to the day we would homeschool. Well, I should say I have obsessed over it. I bought all the K books that I wanted/needed when my son was 3. We started K last year in may when he turned four. I just love doing this every day and cannot imagine being happier doing anything else.

 

Our main reason for homeschooling is so that our children can get a great education in line with our religious beliefs. We also like that we can choose what our children are exposed to and to whom.

 

I have been so encouraged by all of the knowledgeable parents here and I am glad to be part of this forum.

 

I'm currently finishing up my BA in history. My pet "causes" are homeschooling and helping others eliminate or reduce TV watching in their lives. That said I do like a good movie, my favorite is A&E's Pride and Prejudice. My favorite authors are Austen and Dickens.

[LeeBelle]

We started homeschooling our then 2nd grader and 1st grader four years ago after 2 years of public school. At the time it was a temporary solution to living in a poor school district (Washington, DC) while my husband was stationed at the Pentagon.

 

Now we've moved to a much better school district in a different state and yet I am still at it!!! I've also added my two younger kids to the mix, so I'm currently home teaching a 5th grader, 4th grader, 1st grader and a kinder! I love the control and flexibility that I have over what we teach our kids. I love that my kids are each other's best friends. I love that I get to see the lightbulbs go off when one of kids learns something new. And I love that I am gaining an education that I never received through high school, college and graduate school!

 

One of the neatest things that have happened since I began teaching my children at home is seeing friends who laughed in disbelief when I told them that I was going to homeschool now becoming homeschooling families themself!! And now I'm the expert :)

 

Blessings,

 

Lee

[amanda]

Hello!! I am Amanda. I have been married to my wonderful husband for almost 6 years. We have 4 amazing children..7yo dd, 3yo ds, 2yo dd, and 8 month old dd. We discovered TWTM when our oldest was 4yo and knew it would be the right fit for us.

[Testimony]

My name is Karen aka Testimony. I have two sons. I wish that I could have more, but that's it. It is medical. We have homeschooled since the beginning. When they came out of my womb, I read to them. I was called to homeschool.

 

My sons are 10 and 8 years old. They are in 4th and 2nd grade. I could have put the 10 year old in 5th grade or maybe even 6th. He is very strong academically. He could read by about age 4, but I waited to age 5 to really help him with phonics. It came so easily for him and for me. However, he is a December baby. His maturity is different. I just maintain him in the 4th grade. He does well, but 4th grade has given him his challenges.

 

My second one is harder. Academics don't come easy for him. He struggled with reading and so I kept him back in kindergarten. I am glad because it built his self-confidence academically. I took my time with him in phonics. I even put aside the phonics and now...He is reading on a third grade level and understanding what he is reading. His struggle now is math. So, I am junking the books and making up my own math for him.

 

I am going less textbooks as I work through each year of my homeschooling. I go more with what I have. I have a lot of books and so my children can read them. I relax more. I don't stress about having to complete a textbook. If it takes us two years to finish a book that its OK.

[Tina Duke]

I haven't frequented the board much in the last couple of years or so so I thought maybe an introduction would be in order. I don't usually go to the general board so I hope it's ok to post this here. My name is Tina and I've been married to my dh Rick for 20 years. We have 3 kiddos. Andrew is 12 and in 7th grade, Ben is almost 6 and in K and Leah turned 2 at the end of Dec. We've always homeschooled. I used SOTW and the activity guides with my oldest when he was younger. We've just started using Biblioplan and I think it will be a good fit for us. I *think* I've decided to stay on the same topic with the boys even though they are spaced pretty far apart, at least for the next douple of years. I think it will make it easier for me. Not to mention that with Ben I think he will enjoy learning more Am History in the next couple of years. I'll probably do SOTW and act guides with him too...probably starting in 3 grade or so. Anyway, I used to come here often but I've mostly lurked lately, and just wanted to say Hi!

[Denise in IN]

I'm copying this from my post on the General board, since I like to hang out in both places. :)

 

I'm Denise, and I live in northeast Indiana, close to Ft. Wayne. My dh grew up here, and I've lived here almost 17 years. We just built a house right next to dh's parents.

 

We have three boys, ages 8 1/2, 6 1/2, and 3 1/2, and one girl, age 3. Our daughter was born in China and adopted by us at 18 months (thus the small age difference between ds 3 and dd!).

 

We're in our fourth year of homeschooling; my sons are 3rd and 1st grade. We are loosely following TWTM at this point. I discovered these boards 2-3 years ago while looking for good curriculum advice, but I've stayed around for all the good enabling and good company! I can proudly say that I now make my own yogurt, own a front-load washing machine, make vanilla, drink Mike's, own more bookshelves (and booKshelves), and use Foil Hat soap! :D

 

I like to scrapbook, bake, eat chocolate, read, listen to music, and play the piano in the spare moments when I'm not taking care of my family or on the computer. :rolleyes:

[twoblessings]

I am a homeschooling mom of 2 dd's ages 13 & 6. This is our 3rd year homeschooling. We want to homeschool through High school but, we will take one year at a time and see where we end up. Dh and I have been married for 13 yrs. We live in Michigan. Both husband and I were born and raised here.

 

I lurk on this board more than I post. I just have to say, I love this board it really helps me sometimes, and sometimes it gets me into trouble :)

 

Many blessings to all!

[Guest denise]

Hello, I am new here !

 

I am looking in to History and have some concerns about upper grades and Gov. History civic Economics.

 

My son will be in 5th grade next year, and I want to knwo how to add this in the latter grades if using The Well Trained Mind programs

 

Thank you for your time

 

Denise in TX:)

[Guest Shaner]

Howdy,

 

I'm Gregory and while we have been thinking and talking about home schooling for the past few years, we finally got really serious about due to some negative social issues in my childrens ps. We are starting in a few weeks and are very excited. I work from home so my wife will be the main lead, but I get to help out every now and then!:D We have two munchkins, dd9 and ds6, live in rural western slope Colorado (thats the nice way of saying we live in the sticks) and are very excited about what we have read and learned through the WTM and all of the forum support!

[nuttman]

Hi Ya'll. My name is Keith. I've been married for 34 years to my wife Kathy. We have 5 kids of our own who are grown. Two of them are still in college. A few years ago we obtained custody of 3 of our grandchildren. The youngest was just a few months old at the time. Three years ago we adopted them, but we chose to leave their last name alone.

 

All of our children went to public school. When the youngest grandchild, Connor, was 4 I went thru 100ez with him and he did great. I retired in 1999. Two years ago, I started homeschooling all three of them. However, on Christmas Eve my wife found a lump in her breast. Being the unselfish wife she always is, she kept that burden to herself until after the holidays. Then on January 2, she told us the news. The doctors found another lump in her other breast. We had to put the kids back in school. There was no way we could handle it all. Kathy went through a double masectomy. several months of chemo and radiation, but is doing really good now. So this year, I started homeschooling them again.

 

I do all the teaching and stuff. Kathy is the school nurse and lunch cook. She does listen to them read some and also at nights.

 

Cory is 13, Kayla is 10, and Connor is 7. I really enjoy having them home and working with them. Cory still would like to go back to school, but I think it is grwoing on him.

 

I really enjoy reading the posts on this site.

[HSMom2One]

Hello friends,

I've been to the WTM website often, but did not check out the forums until recently. Now I wish I'd done this months ago because its such a wealth of info.

 

Short and sweet bio:

Been married to Michael for going on 14 years, and we have a blended family. Six grown ds's between us (with d-in-laws and grandchildren too), and finally one dd age 8 - a late in life surprise. :) We decided to withdraw from ps last year and hs for the first time in our lives. What an adventure!

 

Read WTM last fall and knew it was the right thing, plus I work part-time at a classical Christian school teaching art to k-6 graders. Dd is doing really well with hs, but misses friends a lot. She is very social so I go out of the way to connect with other children and groups.

 

Any other older parents raising young children? Grandparents hs-ing little ones? I'd love to connect.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

Oregon

[VanessaS]

I've been to the WTM website often, but did not check out the forums until recently. Now I wish I'd done this months ago because its such a wealth of info.

Same here. I read TWTM last year (as well as some Charlotte Mason books) and was very impressed. It's the education I wish I'd had myself.

 

My DS is still too young for "real" homeschooling, but we've started with some preschool-type stuff since he's so eager to learn. I'm brushing up my Spanish and math knowledge while we wait.

 

I'm absolutely fascinated by the conversations going on here. I just found out about LCC and TOG yesterday.

[Paula in PA]

I was a lurker / sometime poster on the old boards and am trying to get back into posting some here.:) My goal on the board right now is to make it to Larvae status.

 

I first learned about hs from a magazine article, then ended up with 'Homeschooling for Dummies', which led me to the WTM. Those 2 books are what convinced dh that this was the right path for our family and we all absolutely love it!

 

I am 40, married 16 years to dh, 39. We have 1 dd7 (almost 8:eek:). We started on this path when dd was 3 and hope / plan to continue up through high school, if possible. We are secular, so have had the normal problems finding curriculum, but have found it's getting easier each year :).

 

Paula

[HSMom2One]

I was a lurker / sometime poster on the old boards and am trying to get back into posting some here.:) My goal on the board right now is to make it to Larvae status.

 

This is one thing I have not been able to track down. Where do you find out more about our status? There are some very serious posters here I've noticed, and I'm still in the visiting mode since I've only posted about 6 times.

 

Lucinda

[Elm in NJ]

I'm Elmeryl (39) married to Julian for 13 and a bit years. Have 4 boys ages 12, 8, 7, 7. I have been homeschooling for nearly 6 years. I am originally from Freetown, Sierra Leone but went to school in Scotland for 6 years before moving over here. I have lived in NJ for 18 years. Four years ago, I took all 4 kids and we took 10 suitcases and shipped(freight) about 10 more boxes and went to Freetown for 8 months and then to London for 2 months. It was a very expensive but worthwhile trip and apart from my 8 year old who doesn't adapt well to anything, all the others want to go back for a visit although as many twins have told me, a 3 week visit this time.

 

 

Elmeryl (using a variety of curriculum including CLE maths and reading IEW, Pass guides for science and history Science Explorer, SOTW, Kingfisher History, Latin Prep, Elementary Greek, Apples and Pears and a host of other things).