Anyone have a silly reason...

[Guest]

for not liking a curriculum?

 

I'll share mine. SWO--we can't stand the paper they use.

[Peaceful Isle]

Hmm.. I can't stand the color of sonlight's worksheet papers. Yellow...really?:tongue_smilie: I still use sonlight, but that color will forever drive me crazy. he he

[karensk]

I am bothered by Comic Sans font...the overuse of it in homeschool materials.

 

Even more annoying is the use of one column instead of two (e.g., one column of text with rather narrow margins on 8-1/2 x 11" pages). Makes me feel like my head is an old-fashioned typewriter every time I get to the end of the line.

[elegantlion]

I saw this mentioned the other day and I agree. Any workbook over about 30-40 pages that is perfect bound. My ds has a hard time writing in them. We solve it by cutting off the binding, hole punching, and putting into a binder.

[Gratia271]

I saw this mentioned the other day and I agree. Any workbook over about 30-40 pages that is perfect bound. My ds has a hard time writing in them. We solve it by cutting off the binding, hole punching, and putting into a binder.

:iagree:

[Oak Knoll Mom]

Using confusing fonts in books geared toward new readers. l--is it a capital I? Or a lowercase L? Or maybe it's a 1. We experienced readers have no problem figuring it out, but it can be oh so confusing to a little one.

[Mommyfaithe]

I hate workbooks or textbooks with extra glossy paper. It makes the light glare off the page and gives me a headache...and you can't cleanly erase anything. grrrrrrrrr.

 

~~Faithe

[meet me in paris]

I am bothered by Comic Sans font...the overuse of it in homeschool materials.

 

 

me, too! So silly, but such a pet peeve.

[Guest]

I have noticed that, too. I guess the writer is trying to use a font where /a/ looks like a written manuscript /a/

[Wheres Toto]

I have noticed that, too. I guess the writer is trying to use a font where /a/ looks like a written manuscript /a/

 

This is actually the reason I use Comic Sans in a lot of stuff I do - I want it to look like handwritten letters so it's not confusing to my son. I also have a font called Billy's Crayons that actually looks like a kid wrote it in crayon.

[DarlaS]

I have noticed that, too. I guess the writer is trying to use a font where /a/ looks like a written manuscript /a/

 

Probably. But Century Gothic accomplishes the same thing while looking less casual. See? :D

[JudoMom]

Hmm.. I can't stand the color of sonlight's worksheet papers. Yellow...really?:tongue_smilie: I still use sonlight, but that color will forever drive me crazy. he he

 

I know! I still don't get it. I understand their reason, but yellow, white and buff? ::shudder::

 

I am bothered by Comic Sans font...the overuse of it in homeschool materials.

 

It drives me nuts, too. But I think this goes back to when I was working and a co-worker seriously overused it.

 

Probably. But Century Gothic accomplishes the same thing while looking less casual. See? :D

 

I love this font.

[DarlaS]

Hmm.. I can't stand the color of sonlight's worksheet papers. Yellow...really?:tongue_smilie: I still use sonlight, but that color will forever drive me crazy. he he

 

 

Confession time--I copy these for that very reason. :leaving: Mostly when I did SL science, we didn't use the worksheets at all.

 

(I don't do it to resell though. So far we've not completed a science from Sonlight. When we do, I'll toss the student pages unused.)

[Orthodox6]

Anything at all from Usborne. The overcrowded, manic graphic layout drives all of us bonkers !

[Jen500]

Anything with 'light' in the name makes me think of light in the sense of being easy and not very rigorous. (I don't think I've used anything with 'Light' in the name so I'm not commenting on the actual content of these programs :001_smile:)

[cathmom]

I hate the name Math U See. I really, really, really loathe and detest it. I never looked at it because I couldn't stand it. Now two of my dc use it but I completely ignore the name because I still hate it.

 

It's the editor in me, I guess.

[nukeswife]

I hate the name Math U See. I really, really, really loathe and detest it. I never looked at it because I couldn't stand it. Now two of my dc use it but I completely ignore the name because I still hate it.

 

It's the editor in me, I guess.

 

for not liking a curriculum?

 

I'll share mine. SWO--we can't stand the paper they use.

 

:iagree:

 

The Math U See one gets to me because it looks like text speak and I can't stand that either.

 

The SWO papers, although I don't use SWO, Saxon Math K-3 uses the same type of thin newsprint paper and I hate it. My dd loves her Saxon math but tells me at least once a week that she wishes they used thicker paper. When dh is around he tells me it's because I made my kids paper snobs by only using 28lb paper in our laser printer. :lol:

[Amy Jo]

Using confusing fonts in books geared toward new readers. l--is it a capital I? Or a lowercase L? Or maybe it's a 1. We experienced readers have no problem figuring it out, but it can be oh so confusing to a little one.

 

:iagree: -- and its a book on TEACHING phonics :confused:

[Heidi]

I won't even consider SWO because of the pictures on the front of the books. I don't like them.

 

And although I'm far from needing it, I initially starting looking into Classical Writing because the title sounds so... intelligent, cool, important... something. Much better than Writing Tales, but from what I hear they are fairly comparable writing programs. :001_huh:

[cathmom]

:iagree:

 

The Math U See one gets to me because it looks like text speak and I can't stand that either.

 

 

 

One night I was even lying in bed trying to come up with a different name for it. Before I fell asleep I came up with 20/20 Math! Ugh - could we pay him to change the name????

[karensk]

I don't remember how it came to my attention, but I stumbled upon this article on the inappropriate uses of Comic Sans....there's even a group, Ban Comic Sans (I'm not a member :)).

 

I totally agree that it's easier for a beginner to read this /a/ than the traditional /a/.

[TXMary2]

I can't stand straight black and white books - especially science. It must have color somewhere.

[coffeefreak]

I would never look at Spell to Write and Read and it was pure stubborn pride. :blush:

 

When I started Homeschooling, there was this lady who told me I should be using it and she should know because she was a former school teacher. She then proceeded to grill me on my other curriculum and let me know that I would need her help someday, and she was the "go to" person for that group of women because she was a certified teacher. :glare:

 

As for other curriculum, I'm going to admit something else. . .I steered clear from MFW up until this semester because it was THE curriculum at my old church. :blush: I wish I hadn't been so stubborn on this one, but I really do hate it when you have these groups that try and FORCE their curriculum on you. If you don't use the curriculum d'jour, there's something wrong with you. It just turns me off.

 

Anyway, I'm over that now. I'll eat crow and say MFW is great. Just don't tell anyone from that church :scared:

 

Dorinda

[coffeefreak]

I totally agree that it's easier for a beginner to read this /a/ than the traditional /a/.

 

I only had a problem with Comic Sans in Queens Language lessons, because of the copywork. Arial would be a better font for copywork.:D

[m0mmaBuck]

I haven't even considered Abeka because it's the curriculum my mother-in-law insisted I use (because they use it at the Christian school where she teaches).

[GESTEP]

oops!! wrong post-Sorry

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Using confusing fonts in books geared toward new readers. l--is it a capital I? Or a lowercase L? Or maybe it's a 1. We experienced readers have no problem figuring it out, but it can be oh so confusing to a little one.

 

Using obscure words just so that you preserve the phonics that are being presented. There was a Veritas Press reader that used words like rod = gun, rig = wagon because the story was focusing on short vowel sounds. My kid couldn't figure out if he was reading the word correctly because they were totally outside his experience. (No feedback of ah ha, that's the word.)

 

On the flip side, I also don't like low level readers that use sight words from TV/movies. We have a level 2 reader that is Star Wars themed. If you haven't seen the movie, then Darth Maul is going to be pretty mysterious.:tongue_smilie:

[Sebastian (a lady)]

for not liking a curriculum?

 

I'll share mine. SWO--we can't stand the paper they use.

 

Reading comprehension guides that use too particular of a handwriting style. I have a pristine VP First Favorites because they have copywork pages that use D'Nealian and I use Italic.* Similarly, my son is a little flustered by the cursive in the 2nd grade ABeka spelling book.

 

Kids' science books that feel like they have to s-t-r-e-t-c-h out the content on a page. There is a book in SL 6 that could be about half the size, but they use big font, large kerning and bigger photos that were really needed. I don't know if the publisher things that it makes the book seem more impressive on the shelf or if they think it's necessary in a book for middle school students.

 

 

 

*Having commented twice on Veritas Press, I feel like I also need to say that we loved their cards for Greece and Rome, that the catalog makes me feel smarter just for having it in my bookbag and that I've had great experiences with their customer service. [Just to be fair.]

[ondreeuh]

I will agree with this .... also, early readers that aren't leveled at all. DK comes to mind. Their level 1 readers are far into advanced phonics and were very frustrating for us.

[Lovedtodeath]

I am bothered by Comic Sans font...the overuse of it in homeschool materials.

 

Even more annoying is the use of one column instead of two (e.g., one column of text with rather narrow margins on 8-1/2 x 11" pages). Makes me feel like my head is an old-fashioned typewriter every time I get to the end of the line.

 

I have noticed that, too. I guess the writer is trying to use a font where /a/ looks like a written manuscript /a/

 

Probably. But Century Gothic accomplishes the same thing while looking less casual. See? :D

:iagree:I actually use this font for our workbook pages when I want Emily to fill in the blanks or do copywork.

[ElizabethB]

I will agree with this .... also, early readers that aren't leveled at all. DK comes to mind. Their level 1 readers are far into advanced phonics and were very frustrating for us.

 

They are actually leveled...just with sight words, not phonics!

 

They are using the Dolch Words taught to that point.

 

But, leveled readers and sight words bother me for other reasons, my scores of poor remedial students and hundreds of others like them come to mind.

 

Also, the general dumbing down of vocabulary that results from limiting yourself to the most common 1,000 words for 90% of your text, stemming from the whole sight word teaching system. I hate insipid vocabulary controlled texts and horrible abridged versions of what used to be good literature before it was destroyed and damaged beyond repair.

[Wee Pip]

SWO's paper felt yucky to my fingers.

 

Titles that dare you to prove otherwise: Handwriting WITHOUT TEARS (Oh yeah? Then why is my kid crying?) (btw, still use it tho, but never liked the title)

 

Leveled readers rated for level PRE-K (seriously? is my 4yo *that behind* because she can't read it yet?) (and actually the whole grade leveling of books because it's based upon white space on a page. It could use college level vocab, but be deemed 1st gr reading material due to it's white space.)

 

Old fashionedy curric with wholesome morals - I just could never get into it.

 

Anything scripted. I keep trying, but can't get past the scripting.

[Hedgehogs4]

Anything at all from Usborne. The overcrowded, manic graphic layout drives all of us bonkers !

 

interesting, and :iagree:...it seems that certain publishers are trying to make their books all appear like webpages. the "Who Was..." series of books were a great find, so i thought, until every page has several text inserts of this and that--a kid can't just read a book without being interrupted by other factoids all over the page.

[TwinMominTX]

I so agree with this. I have completely abandoned these for us as read alouds as they are so hard to read and have the kids be able to follow.

[johnandtinagilbert]

Abeka drives me crazy with the arbitrary scripture references...crazy!

[johnandtinagilbert]

:iagree:I actually use this font for our workbook pages when I want Emily to fill in the blanks or do copywork.

I'm a Century Gothic girl too. It's at the top of my fonts now b/c I use it the most!

[MissKNG]

I don't care for workbooks that are spiral bound. I don't like glossy pages. I don't like stuff I have to print off as a worksheet.

[frankcassiesmom]

I am just rolling over here about Comic Sans Font. In the graphic design world there is NOTHING that makes something more unprofessional than Comic Sans Font. Followed closely behind by Papyrus whose ONLY purpose should be in Egyptian themed products.

[MamaMamaMama!!]

Anything at all from Usborne. The overcrowded, manic graphic layout drives all of us bonkers !

 

HATE Usbornes! I switched from SL solely because of them! Now MFW uses them too but the ones they use are much different than the ones SL uses.. Specifically Usborne History of the World, Book of Knowledge, Houses and homes and the other ones liek them.. WAY too cluttered. Science texts arent like that.

 

 

As for other curriculum, I'm going to admit something else. . .I steered clear from MFW up until this semester because it was THE curriculum at my old church. :blush: I wish I hadn't been so stubborn on this one, but I really do hate it when you have these groups that try and FORCE their curriculum on you. If you don't use the curriculum d'jour, there's something wrong with you. It just turns me off.

 

Anyway, I'm over that now. I'll eat crow and say MFW is great. Just don't tell anyone from that church :scared:

 

Dorinda

 

I didnt use MFW for a long time because David Hazell was too pushy at the booth at convention. He followed me and kept asking me questions..:lol: Now we love MFW and I cant wait to "meet" David Hazell this year and tell him..

 

 

Im afraid of WTM books like FLL, WWE, and STOW because WTM seems so hard to me.:tongue_smilie:Im learning that I can make anything work for me.. but at first I was intimidated. Some of your siggy lines are soooo long...its scary.

[Caribbean Queen]

I don't like Bob Book(lets). I'd rather have a real book than a bunch of cheap booklets that are stapled together. I sent my mom a link to samples of Bob Books just so we could laugh at how badly the pictures are drawn.

[Guest]

I didnt use MFW for a long time because David Hazell was too pushy at the booth at convention. He followed me and kept asking me questions..:lol: Now we love MFW and I cant wait to "meet" David Hazell this year and tell him..

 

 

 

I was very turned off from MFW from a convention I attended.

[Wheres Toto]

I am just rolling over here about Comic Sans Font. In the graphic design world there is NOTHING that makes something more unprofessional than Comic Sans Font. Followed closely behind by Papyrus whose ONLY purpose should be in Egyptian themed products.

 

I used to work for a Pharmaceutical Advertising Agency and the choice of fonts was a major, big deal. Some are definitely considered too casual/unprofessional to ever be used.

 

I use Comic Sans because everything I do is for a 4 or 2 year old and they both like the more casual look of it. My son especially is a perfectionist and would try to match a font exactly.

 

I just started laughing because I realized how many of our signatures are in Comic Sans (including mine).

Edited March 27, 2010 by dottieanna29

[ondreeuh]

 

Leveled readers rated for level PRE-K (seriously? is my 4yo *that behind* because she can't read it yet?) (and actually the whole grade leveling of books because it's based upon white space on a page. It could use college level vocab, but be deemed 1st gr reading material due to it's white space.)

 

The Fry's Readability Graph is used to calculate grade level based on the number of multi-syllable words and the number of words in sentences in 3 randomly chosen passages. Other methods seem similar. http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/fry/fry.html

 

I've never heard that the white space on the page has anything to do with it.

[frankcassiesmom]

I used to work for a Pharmaceutical Advertising Agency and the choice of fonts was a major, big deal. Some are definitely considered too casual/unprofessional to ever be used.

 

 

Yeah fonts are a BIG deal!

[Tam101]

I am bothered by Comic Sans font...the overuse of it in homeschool materials.

 

:iagree:

 

I say we all boycott Comic Sans! I'm so tired of looking at it.

[BearWallowSchool]

:iagree:

 

I say we all boycott Comic Sans! I'm so tired of looking at it.

 

You all made me change my signature...I felt bad that everyone had to look at it. :lol:

[Tenaj]

I was very turned off from MFW from a convention I attended.

 

I had exactly the same reaction from David Hazel at a convention I attended but I love, love, love MFW. I just told someone recently that I really want to meet Marie Hazel because I'm guessing that Mr. is dealing more with the business side of things and that Marie has more of the "heart" for education.

 

I almost didn't go with MFW because of my disagreement with some things that Mr. Hazel said during a speaking session at convention.

[Tracy]

I love the idea of MCT, but I don't know if I can get over my distaste of the font in the beginning book.

 

Tracy

[Sandy in Indy]

Using confusing fonts in books geared toward new readers. l--is it a capital I? Or a lowercase L? Or maybe it's a 1. We experienced readers have no problem figuring it out, but it can be oh so confusing to a little one.

 

That's a pet peeve of mine as well. Why set a book in a non-serif font when there are so many easy-to-read serif fonts to be found?

[DianeJM]

Turn-offs for me are:

~ too-thin paper

~ shiny paper (but if I like the content I make myself deal with it)

~ visually confusing text

and most of all:

~ teacher directions/instructions that I can't understand!!! (I've discovered some of my learning disabilities through trying to teach my kids, especially executive function. I sometimes read the teacher instructions and then say, "what am I supposed to do here?" There's a clue that this program is not for me, lol.)