My MCT Order arrived yesterday!

[MariannNOVA]

I went by our house on the way to guitar lesson, and a package was there for me!

 

I had to wait TWO hours for an opportunity to open the box! Finally, after dropping the girls and a friend off at Church for movie night, DS and I were at Basketball practice and I looked through a couple of the TMs...chomping at the bit b/c I wanted to dive into the package and pour through all of it.

 

After b-ball, we headed to Church for the final 2.5 hours of movie night (don't think those 'kids nation' gentlemen will EVER again schedule a double feature -- Oh My! -- way too much time to expect kids :willy_nilly: to :willy_nilly: sit :willy_nilly: still :willy_nilly:).... but I lugged my stuff in, found a nice big table, and began doing my lesson plans for about the next 6 weeks - which had been my plan whether or not the MCT arrived.

 

For Grammar Island and Grammar Voyage, the TM says that one might expect to go through the book in one month -- and I looked through both, planned them out on paper, and we should be able to complete them in about 3 weeks - give or take a day here and there.

 

I LOVED the vocabulary books -- especially for DD10 - Caesar II -- I cannot wait to be able to sit sometime this weekend and go through the other books, and finish my plans.

 

And I think that Grammar Island will be a good fit for the twins -- 3rd grade. It has a rather nice 'tone' to it. When I first looked at the samples online, I was not impressed with it, but it reminds me of a nice little writing guide I had for the twins when they were in 1st grade, WRITE ONE, and we all liked it.

 

So far, I love the FLOW of it. I am not the kind of person who can sit there with 9 different books open trying to follow where to go from one to the next -- I'm OLD! I need 'user-friendly'...and I do agree that the BEST thing to do is to be consistent and use whatever curric you have consistently -- and while I can do that with pretty much anything, it's always so much better if we LOVE what we are using...b/c, for me, that is one of the reasons why I homeschool: because I want the opportunity to teach with materials that I love.

 

It's SNOWING HERE!!!!!!!!!! So glad I went to WalMart to buy boots for everyone yesterday! Good day to curl up with curric and PLAN!!!!!

[elfgivas]

"all i want for Christmas is MCT",

but its looking like a purchase for another year :(

 

enjoy!

ann

[MariannNOVA]

"all i want for Christmas is MCT",

but its looking like a purchase for another year :(

 

enjoy!

ann

 

I hear you! I am going to have to go by our house today and look for more curric to sell as I've not even made a dent in what this all cost! I will likely have to part with Phonetic Zoo spelling CDs - which is okay b/c while we all LOVE PhZoo, the twins do not like the CDs....but I know what you are saying.

[Miss Marple]

and while I can do that with pretty much anything, it's always so much better if we LOVE what we are using

 

Exactly! Which is why sometimes the "flavor of the month" is a nice change from the standard fare. While I can probably accomplish similar goals with Rod and Staff grammar/writing, I would rather cut the grass with scissors than have to plod through 5,6,7 years of that. Probably just a personality issue - I love change.

[MariannNOVA]

Exactly! Which is why sometimes the "flavor of the month" is a nice change from the standard fare. While I can probably accomplish similar goals with Rod and Staff grammar/writing, I would rather cut the grass with scissors than have to plod through 5,6,7 years of that. Probably just a personality issue - I love change.

:lol::lol::lol: Funny you should say that -- the entire thing began in August with my unhappiness with R&S Grammar -- I thought that DS was going to give himself a concussion if and when his head hit his desk...that's how bored he was.

And, yes, I agree with the personality issue -- DH and I have owned 9 homes in 14 years - and are getting ready to put the current one on the market in the spring...mainly for no other reason that we love change -- we respect whatever type of RE market we are in, but we love change.

Edited December 5, 2009 by MariannNOVA

[rafiki]

.

[MariannNOVA]

And, yes, I agree with the personality issue -- DH and I have owned 9 homes in 14 years - and are getting ready to put the current one on the market in the spring.

 

 

I had to chuckle at your home comment. We lived in our first home a year, then sold it, our second home 3 years and sold it, and our third home 2 years and it's on the market now. All of which we went through the building process with as well.

 

We finished Grammar Island in 3 weeks, reading together and examing the sentences closer on the white board together.

 

:lol::lol:OK, then! Your post that I quoted in red above, could have been written by me! :lol: We've gone through the building process with three of the homes.....and will with the 'next' one.

And, yes, I've anticipated completing GI in three weeks...good to hear that's how long it took you - makes me see I'm on the right track.

[Miss Marple]

While we can't do much moving (not much available in our small burb) I do rearrange furniture, closets, table-tops, etc. quite often. And, just for fun, I try to take different routes to get to a known destination - I like to vary the scenery:driving:

[rafiki]

.

[Miss Marple]

LOL! OK, I have to know: do either of you vary your hairstyles frequently? My dh cannot understand why I'm always going for a new style - but after wearing the same style for, say, 6 months, I'm tired of it and want something else. I can't grow it out long anymore because I get too antsy for a new "do".

[swimmermom3]

Exactly! Which is why sometimes the "flavor of the month" is a nice change from the standard fare. While I can probably accomplish similar goals with Rod and Staff grammar/writing, I would rather cut the grass with scissors than have to plod through 5,6,7 years of that. Probably just a personality issue - I love change.

 

:DOh I am with you on this. My SIL started homeschooling about 20 years ago in Japan. The last time she bought any new piece of curriculum for her children was the year the oldest (now 26) turned the same as as the youngest is now (14). Twelve years and not a single new book. She is very proud of the fact. Her oldest is working on his doctorate in theology so the plan works well for her. I, personally, would lose my mind.:tongue_smilie:

[rafiki]

.

[King Alfred Academy]

You guys are cracking me up with the "needing a change" stuff!

 

We have only been using MCT two weeks, but are totally loving it. It is exactly what we needed. Pretty sure my ds loves it because we cuddle up on the bed and read it together having great discussions about words and sentences. Big change from handing him a workbook and having him fill in the blanks. Looking forward to adding in the other aspects of the program.

 

About the moving...so with you guys! My dh and I have been married for almost 12 years and have moved 13 times...including 5 cross country moves. BUT...looks like we will be staying put for a few more years here in CA. :glare:

[rafiki]

.

[Matryoshka]

Hey everyone. :)

 

Just wanted to weigh in and say that people who get comfy with their choices can love MCT too.

 

I've lived in the same house 15 years and have no plans to move anywhere else till I'm too old and feeble to cope on my own. I never change my hairstyle (what hairstyle? It's all one length and I cut the ends off once a year). I buy one black purse at a time and use it till it falls apart. Sometimes after it falls apart. I've used Singapore math and loved it since my kids were pre-K and am now finishing up with year 6 and had a big panic that it was ending! In fact I did a lot of panicking last year because I ended up pretty darn happy with all my elementary curriculum choices and was forced to find new stuff for middle school! Aaah! It was that juncture that led me to MCT (though I've gone back a level to catch up now). I've kind of got a plan now for the next three years, and in that mix is MCT.

 

That's not to say I don't try new things and dump something that's truly not working. I've added tons of new things since finding this board, for example! But I'm not the type to change for the sake of change or fix what ain't broke. :) Tho' I do think I'm going to have to mix Island in with my younger dd, 'cause I don't think I'll be able to help myself. ;)

 

Anyway, nothing wrong with liking to mix it up, but I just wanted to say that MCT can also be lovely for us types who like our comfy old shoes as well. :D

[HSDCY]

I am with matroyshka, I don't like changes, but we like MCT here and plan to stick with it like we did with Singapore primary math.

 

We are at the end of Caesar's English I (only 3 more lessons to go), and I can honestly say that his method works! Never would I think learning vocab could be so painless and enjoyable. Ds constantly tells me he sees or hears "Caesar's English words" on such and such occasions. I am soooo happy that I found MCT.

[Miss Marple]

Twelve years and not a single new book.

 

Oh, my, I would have shriveled up! Many times I vary curriculum for my sake, not the boys' sake.

[MariannNOVA]

Oh, my, I would have shriveled up! Many times I vary curriculum for my sake, not the boys' sake.

 

:iagree: -- same here!

 

As for moving and hairstyles -- well, I have to say that I pretty much always get my hair cut the same with a slight variation here and there but ti doesn't change much - I have terribly fine hair so I don't have many options as far as length -- too long and it is stringy! Maybe that's one reason why we move so much! :lol: Can't change my hair, so I change my house!:lol:

 

And for those of you who like to re-arrange their furniture......THAT's ME! In fact, we are going on month three in the extended stay hotel b/c of water damage and repairs being done to our home, and the housekeeping staff must think I am crazy! There can't be but five pieces of furniture in the non-bedroom part of our 'suite' -- and three of them are chairs that go around the table. BUT, twice already I have had DH re-arrange the furniture in here -- b/c I'm sure that the Marriott Corp doesn't have enough experience in this area :glare:. Tonight, we were putting up our very small Christmas tree, and I would have had him move the TV/stand to a different but the cable wouldn't reach and we didn't happen to have a longer one of our own.

 

And, when my dad passed away 18 years ago, my sister and I re-arranged the furniture in the room ~ we wanted it to be more comfortable and the chairs for the family were in the wrong place, we thought ~ where he was laid out in the funeral home -- and had family photos in frames all over on tables, etc. So, yeah, I am with you there!

 

What were we talking about?:001_huh: