What curriculum changes have you made since starting the current school year?

[rafiki]

.

[Annie Laurie]

None! Momentous for me. We're 4 weeks in and it's all working out great.

[momtothreeboys]

We dropped SOTW 2, dh thought it was too much for a 2nd grader and my child hated it. Now I'm piecing together an American History course for us. Also we dropped WW3000 for my second grader.

[Paula in PA]

I'm getting ready to drop/put aside IEW's ATF&F in favor of Writing with Skill. I'm hoping this works better for dd because IEW's method is not.

[snipsnsnailsx5]

So its common to make changes after just beginning the school year? lol GOOD!

This is my first year HS'ing and I just haven't been happy with the choices that I made and agonized over all summer long. I really felt I made the best choices, but now using them actually...not so much.

 

DS 11-

Drop MUS switch to Singapore math

Drop LLATL switch to MCT

Drop AAS switch to....? Nothing, except maybe searching for a vocab program

 

DS 8 -

Move up a level in MUS from Alpha to Beta

Finish AAS quickly, and start a new spelling program..probably spelling workout

 

DS 5 -

Move up a level in MUS from Primer to Alpha

Supplement a spelling program (Spelling Workout) along with AAS. He's an emerging reader, so he really can use AAS, but I have yet to see any spelling words? It seems to be more of a phonics program then spelling so far, and we're on step four.

[Heather in VA]

Well I didn't change since school started - heck we've only been going a bit over a week - but right before we started I decided I needed a more straightforward, non-conceptual approach to math for my youngest who is still very literal and concrete and therefore has really been struggling with math when taught the way I like it - discovery, concepts, intuitive etc. So we are doing Saxon math. Surprisingly I don't hate it but I think that's more because I know this is best for my daughter than my loving Saxon LOL. Just goes to show you- 'never say never'.

 

Heather

[SBP]

Well, this is unusual for me, but things here are going so swimmingly that I haven't even considered dropping anything. My only change was to add Getting Started With Spanish. We had the time and we loved GSWL a couple of years ago, so once I realized that the Spanish book was out, we decided to give it a try.

 

We learned our first word today. So far so good :D.

 

SBP

[dsmama]

We've done a few switches as well, mostly because we just started hsing in January after pulling DD7 out of school, and she still needs to catch up.

 

-- From FLL1-2 to BJU English2. I wanted more of a workbook, structured approach that wasn't so repetitive.

-- Adding in Saxon 2, as Singapore moves quickly and we need a pause. I need more of a scripted lesson that covers more skills at a time.

 

We're sticking with Classical Conversations, SOTW2, God's Design for Science, R&S Spelling, and ETC.

[mmasmommy]

This is our first year and I feel like I'm constantly changing, tweaking, and evolving our plans.

 

Dropped WWE (but we are still using the stories as reading comprehension)

 

Dropped Building Foundations of Scientifc Understanding. I really liked the idea but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't wrap my brain around the flow charts and how/in what order to teach it.

 

Added Exploration Education at DH's request. To be honest I really don't like it that much. I think it's a little old for the kids. It may be going on the shelf until next year if I can find something inexpensive to replace it. :glare:

 

Added Trail Guide to World Geography - Is it just me or is this difficult to find the answers to?

 

Added Math Mammoth to supplement Horizons for Multiplication/Division.

 

Added the study of artists through books.

 

Added in poetry.

 

And I still want to add in some sort of writing.

 

I'm sure things will morph even more as we go on because I can never stop looking at new/different curriculum ideas. I know it's making me broke but does that make me a curriculum junkie?!? :D

Edited September 14, 2010 by mmasmommy

[Mom0012]

The only change I've made this year is dropping Shurley English 4 for my son and switching him to Saxon Grammar 5. It has been a very happy change.

 

Lisa

 

ETA: I actually really like Shurley and think it's a great program. It just doesn't work for us.

Edited September 14, 2010 by LisaTheresa

[5LittleMonkeys]

This is week 10 for us and I have dropped Apologia General Science for my dd12. We have switched to doing more self interest projects while I search for some life science curriculum for her. We are doing a PBS\Nature lesson plan based on a documentary right now and she is enjoying it but she requested an actual book with experiments; something she can work through on her own in addition to other assignments like the one from PBS. I am pretty sure I am going to go with CPO.

 

I also dropped Spelling Power for my two oldest. Dd12 doesn't need it at all (natural speller) but my dd11 needs something more targeted and requested a workbook style program. I have just started MegaWords and so far she really likes it.

[laurad1125]

We've dropped Jr. Analytical Grammar and gone back to Rod & Staff. JAG just doesn't jive with the way ds and I think.

[Elfinlady]

Added Trail Guide to World Geography - Is it just me or is this difficult to find the answers to?

 

 

I'd thought it was just me! I have to really help DD, and sometimes I have to look it up online because I can't find it in the atlas. I do really like the program though, so it's worth the annoyance to me.

[homeschoolmommaof4]

As per my personality (aka curriculum junkie, lol) we have already ,ade ltos of changes with all 3 kids.

 

Ds 8 was getting stuck and no longer progressing through reading and phonics, so we stopped using the BJU Phonics and reading 1 (for now) and are now using a combo of Rocket Phonics and ETC online. I also added in Great Science Adventures for him, I purchased all of the biology related ebooks and we are currently working through the one that covers plants.

 

Dd13 was really struggling with Saxon 8/7 and BJU Earth and Space science 8 (these are 2 subjects she has consistently earned D's and F's in through the past few years of ps. SO we are spending some time going over specific skills with Math Mammoth books before we pick up where we left off with Saxon. For Science, we jumped back quite a bit (I wanted to focus on getting her to retain info and enjoy studying Science) and she chose to go through the Elementary Apologia Anatomy & Physiology. We are moving through it quicker than the recommended schedule, so when the time comes, we will decide from there what to do the second half of this year.

 

Ds10 hasn't had many changes. We did change him from doing Logic stage Bio via the WTM recommendations (sorta) and he is also working through APologia Botany. Although we are still incorporating many extras that WTM suggests for Science (sketches, experiment logs, reports, etc.) We also changed from Latin's Not SO Tough Level 2 (I didn't realize it was a whole-to-parts text until we started Latin with my dd13) to Lively Latin. He is learning so much more with LL, I am so glad we made that change.

 

Im a hopeless tweaker so I'm sure these won't be the end of our changes for the year, lol. BUT I must say as apprehensive as I was about Rod & Staff English (dd13 is doing 6 and ds10 is doing 4), I am super impressed. It has been very challenging for both of them, but I am giving us permission to move through slowly and make sure they have a really good grasp before moving on. I love how thorough and rigorous it is! I find myself often having to refer to the teacher's edition to make sure I am getting it right myself! And yes, I HAVE already gotten the whole "Why do we even need to learn how to diagram a sentence? I already know my parts of speech!" argument from dd13. I was ready for that and explained how it was necessary to be able to break a sentence down and see how all the parts worked together in order to be a better written and oral communicator. Her response was "I still think it's stupid." :tongue_smilie: Yup, thats my daughter, LOL!

[FO4UR]

We've done 6weeks so far too.

 

I decided to use the WWE 1 workbook with ds7. He did lots of copywork and narrating last year, but I had this and he needs some printing practice (He learned cursive first.) so we are zipping through these before jumping into WWE2. A little time to mature will benefit him in the WWE sequence anyway.;)

 

In math, I started with Miquon, CWP, and daily drill sheets printed online. The drill sheets are LOATHED, and I am suddenly strapped for time (It could be that I have a Ker and a 4yo who are suddenly ready for more of my time school-wise.:001_huh::tongue_smilie:) so Miquon wasn't getting done. sigh...I spent the first few weeks of this year contemplating how to make school less teacher-intensive (yet DONE) before I collapse under 12 hours of Miquon, SWR, and eventually MCT and TOG and ...(exaggerating just a bit:confused:) when the dc are ready.:svengo: So, I pulled out the MM (thank goodness I'm a math curric junkie b/c I had that too:blushing:) and backed up a bit to get ds7 used to the MM format. His vision is tons better now than it was the last time we tried MM, and it's going OK...it's my goal to have his math be *mostly* independent by 3rd grade so I have time for my youngers too.

 

Overall, we are settling into a good groove. SWR, MM, WWE and lots of reading. I'd like to get to more grammar (FLL is hiding in my cabinet until dd5 pulls it out for now), but I'm focusing on keeping the reading momentum...I think I can, I think I can, think I can...

 

dd5 has perfectly little filed folders, and I haven't had to touch them. (YEAH!)

[kwickimom]

I'm dropping WWE if I can ever decide on another writing program. I also bought AAS and may run my DD through it to see if we like it better than SWO. Dropped Zaner Bloser cursive because the girl cannot do cursive with a slant. They taught her horrible cursive in ps second grade and I am hopelessly trying to fix it. I could stick with what I have, but I am going to see if we find some better fits. Its not going horrible, just not as great as I want it to!

[Jyniffrec]

We dumped the McGuffey readers and added The Fallacy Detective.

[AnneGabe]

The only thing I've changed is switching from Horizons to Math Mammoth. Huge relief for my daughter.

 

One thing that is a significant thing I'm NOT switching is First Language Lessons. I was pretty sure I was going to go with something else this fall but lately my daughter has really started to like the lessons. It only took 50 lessons to get here, though :tongue_smilie::lol:

[lovetobehome]

We have kept all our mainstays I guess...TT math for both, RS English for both, WWE for DD and IEW for DS, AVKO for DS and AAS for DD.

The Sonlight? I haven't gotten to in 2 weeks since my 3yo stopped napping and is wrecking all my plans, LOL!

I have had to scale back to the essentials to keep myself from going loony. I am having them read a lot, and we are in 2 co-ops (gym, art, variables, liturgical year, and greek). I want to do a lot more, but maybe next week....

[robsiew]

This is our 3rd year and I'm happy to say we aren't changing anything! :D I did get in some money though and am able to order additional logic materials so I'll add that, but everything else we're really happy with.

[dripdripsplat]

We school year round, so I'm not exactly sure when this year started, but we were lead to do a MAJOR re-haul on our goals and classes about a week ago.

We started the Loop Schedule method about 2 months ago, and we were all loving it, but I have really been feeling like God wanted me to slow down and just enjoy the kids. I really feel like I should be spending more time doing projects and reading with them... So that's what we are going to be doing starting next week.

It's really hard for me, because I'm fighting the feeling that they're going to be in college still trying to figure out 2x2=4 (which is over-exaggerated, as they are already past that type of math). I know that they'll get it all in them eventually, but I really love my schedules, and I feel like I'm being stretched.

 

So, we've gone from the schedule of:

English, Science/History, Spelling, Guitar, Math, Typing, Japanese, Reading, Bible, Hebrew, Handwriting, Logic

To the schedule of:

Math, Spelling, Handwriting, Guitar, Reading... Reading... And more reading.

 

(did I mention that I REALLY love my schedules :001_unsure:)

[lamamaloca]

We dropped catechism memorization, but otherwise are using what we've started with, and have only tweaked our schedule or my method of presentation. I'm still figuring out what works for us with WRTR, and we're adding the McCall-Crabbs reading comprehension books to our language arts.

[TechWife]

This is our fifth week. We have dropped Chalk Dust Algebra I. Right now we are doing some review w/Key to Fractions booklets, then we will start with MUS Algebra I. Rocket Boy is very visual, so I am hoping this will be a good match. It is a stretch for me because I am not visual, but I'm going to have to work around that.

 

I added SOTW, vol. 4 to History Odyssey, Level Two Modern Times. I really like SOTW and we didn't have them when DS was younger. I was pleased to find out that he is in the upper age range for the books, so I don't think he'll tire of them too much!

 

I want DS to read his history independently this year, but he said he misses the read aloud time in the morning after Bible. I have decided to add in some books that aren't on our lists for the year - after all, we can never read too many books! So far, we have read Dangerous Journey and are currently reading Mere Christianity. I'm glad he said this, 'cause I missed it too!

Edited September 14, 2010 by TechWife

[mommyto4]

After one week, we dropped SWO for both boys. My ds6 is now doing AAS and my ds8 is tested on 10 words I choose from his work and our Science and History curriculums.

 

I was thinking I would have to drop SM for my oldest, but we are doing much better now!

 

Julie

[shanvan]

at the last minute I bought and am using Lial's Basic College Math with DS instead of Chalkdust PreAlgebra as I had originally planned.

 

Other than that we are doing well so far. We haven't added in all our curricula yet and we're only on week 2.

 

Shannon

[tennismomkelly]

We underwent a major overhaul. The only curriculums that we used last year were Singapore Math, Latin for Children, and Handwriting Without Tears. Everything else is new for this year. Last year was our 1st year HSing so we were really just going thru the motions trying to figure out our likes, dislikes, and overall goals. So far, I'm very happy with everything that I've chosen for this school year. The only other change that I'm making is dropping science to 2 days a week instead of 3.

[Just Another Jen]

We dropped Memoria Press K and are going with what turned out to be sonlight k. My little guy has motor delays and sensory stuff going on so I just ordered a updated ig. My older all boys all used sonlight so its nice going back to it. I was already using the etc primers with success and so adding the sonlight la will only help us.

We dropped our self inflicted highland latin/lcc schedule. We are going to use sonlight core 6 because it has most of the reading I planned on anyway. I am keeping "american studies" one afternoon a week and we'll work on American geography and culture then. We are dropping Latin as well in favor of Greek- which she loves.

Edited September 14, 2010 by rivendellmom
spelling

[AppleGreen]

We're trying something a little different than I'd originally planned for history and science. Instead of doing them both a couple of days a week we are about halfway through a history intense period, where we have done little from our science curriculum. After our one week break, we will start back up with a more intense science focus. I am not really sure how it will work, particularly b/c we are history people (well I am!), so we'll try to keep the history thread going as well. It just felt like we were doing too much and not focusing on quality, but rather quantity. We also are trying MCT and Megawords on a more rotational basis-do a two week MW unit, then flip to MCT b/c ds said it was too much rattling around in his brain at one time. Too soon to see if these adjustments will be a good thing or I'm back to the drawing board!

[Zoo Keeper]

Scheduling changes here. Science is one day week, instead of three days a week; it was just too much. A n d the chemistry books I thought I would be using (God's Design, we've loved using it for the past two years) are stuck back on the shelf for now; we found out the hard way that my guys are not ready for it yet. So, I'm still searching for something very simple for chemistry this year.

[JenneinCA]

We have swapped out Sequential Spelling for Spelling Power for ds9. Sequential Spelling was too much writing for too little spelling. I am hopeful that Spelling Power will be more focused on spelling.

 

We have tweaked what exactly we are doing for Trail Guide to US Geography. That is turning into more independent reading and less notebooking. We have also decided that I will make the quilt squares with their input rather than having everyone make their own quilt. It was busy work for my oldest, too much drawing for my middle guy and too many chances for 'perfectionistic meltdowns' for my little guy. On the other hand, I think it will be fun.

 

I think we may end up adjusting what we do for All About Spelling for my youngest, it is too much repetition for him when we do everything. Ultimately we may swap him into Spelling Power if it really gets slow.

 

But this is a really short list and I am very happy with how well things are going.

[Annabel Lee]

Big suprise (haha, NOT), it feels as though at least 1 subject is always under the microscope for analysis/revision around here. I bought Megawords for my older son and sent it right back after looking through it. No actual change, just a change I was going to make and then didn't. Also, I was *this close* to returning the SM I got over the summer but then a book fell open as I was packing them up, *sigh*, and I just had to look through it again. I really, really want to implement it as a light supplement, not an entire extra program.

 

No change to the main "menu", but I've tweaked how we use some things to eliminate overlap, added Writing Tales, and I have Latin and EftRU on the shelves to implement once we get in a groove w/ the rest of our schedule. One new thing at a time; I'm not fond of being overloaded.

[Luckymama]

We're going to ADD Figuratively Speaking for beginning literary analysis and the Young Writer's Program of NaNoWriMo!

[tagglelim]

Scheduling changes here. Science is one day week, instead of three days a week; it was just too much. A n d the chemistry books I thought I would be using (God's Design, we've loved using it for the past two years) are stuck back on the shelf for now; we found out the hard way that my guys are not ready for it yet. So, I'm still searching for something very simple for chemistry this year.

 

 

We just started the Pre-Level 1 Chemistry from Real Science 4 Kids and LOVE it. It is ultra simple, with kid-friendly happy-faced atoms. I am finally understanding some chemistry myself! :001_smile:

[Tracy]

We dropped copywork since we are doing so much in SWR.

[apCrazy4Jesus]

We are in week 6 and I am happy to say no changes have been made.

[mjpeter]

Being our first year, I've made quite a few changes in the last 6 weeks. The only thing I took out was Apologia Elementary Science.

 

Otherwise, things I've added:

 

MM and LOF as math supplements, FLL 1&2, SS Latin, ETC

[Zoo Keeper]

We just started the Pre-Level 1 Chemistry from Real Science 4 Kids and LOVE it. It is ultra simple, with kid-friendly happy-faced atoms. I am finally understanding some chemistry myself! :001_smile:

 

 

Thanks for the suggestion! I'm chemistry-challenged myself, so happy faced atoms are probably what I need.

[dm379]

Dropped Sonlight 3 and switched to SOTW. Or at least we will once it gets here.

 

Dropped Spanish, added Latin

 

Dropped both McRuffy Science and NOEO Chem II science and am making my own

[tinkgumby]

We're only on our second week (didn't start until after Labor Day because of a new baby), and already have changed science programs from Considering God's Creation (it just wasn't getting DONE, though I love the student pages) to Elemental Science Chemistry. We can't wait to get started on it!

[siloam]

Haven't changed anything here.

 

Heather

[DarlaS]

I mostly added some things & did make 1 switch.

 

I decided to do Elemental Science with ds 6 instead of RSO.

 

I added Mosdos lit for my 13 yo.

 

I added Megawords for my 10 yo.

 

I will add more as we finish things. I currently have no writing program for my 5th grader, and am waiting to start something (probably IEW) when she finishes Growing with Grammar 4. We will then spend the rest of the year working on writing, but will probably not start another grammar until next fall (I'm hyperventilating a little about this--but I think it will work out for the best.).

[kristavws]

We have dropped SWO - this program works great for my oldest who is a natural speller, but is not working at all for my youngest. I just ordered AAS for him.

 

We have added in the Harmony Fine Arts Program - looking good so far!!

 

We have also decided to use Elemental Earth Science and Astronomy in place of RSO. I also ordered a couple Science in a Nutshells to go along with it, because we are a family of science junkies.

 

Krista

[Closeacademy]

I just added in Spanish and we are working toward learning cursive. Everything else is working very well.:001_smile:

[Guest momk2000]

For Grade 4:

Dropped: All American History 1 and Sequential Spelling

Picked up: BJU Heritage Studies 4 and Building Spelling Skills

 

For K:

Dropped: A Reason for Handwriting K (like this for upper levels, but find the lines in the K book to be too wide, making it more difficult for dd )

Picked up: In the Beginning from CLP

[nukeswife]

We're only in our 2nd week, but did a little tweaking.

 

For my oldest: He saw the Soaring with Spelling I had laying around and asked to try it for 6 weeks instead of going with spelling power.

I also just received the Beta testing weeks for Writing with Skill so we're putting SWI A aside and will use WWS, which looks great.

 

For my middle and only girl: Switching up McRuffy from using the full LA to the Dynamic phonics book because she wants to read and she wants to do it NOW, She's getting there maybe this will help move her along. She also asked to try TT which her brother uses so she started TT3 Monday and we'll see how it goes.

I'm also adding in WWE 1.

 

For my youngest: Everything is going great and he loves all his McRuffy stuff, so no changes for him.

[mama25angels]

No changes yet, but I promised to give things at least 6wks. to see how it works before changing anything and we've only been doing everything for about 3wks. I am making notes to see what if anything will need to be changed after the trial period. Right now everything seems to be working, thank goodness. I do have some more things that I will be adding in, but nothing major.

[Tress]

I have decided to keep using R&S Spelling 2, but not as a spelling curriculum only for vocabulary.

 

It became very obvious that my dd needs a lot more *input* for English before she will be able to produce *output*, she needs to read, read, read before being able to spell. I saw the same thing happening with Dutch, but somehow I forgot it when I was planning English :glare:.

[skueppers]

This is our first year, and this is week 4 of Kindergarten. So far we've:

 

• Tweaked our schedule to make it more flexible.

• Dropped a separate handwriting program; our German program has integrated handwriting.

• Switched from MEP and Miquon to Math Mammoth. She needed more hand holding, and needed the book (not Mom!) to provide it. I hope to go back to MEP and Miquon later, we'll see.

• Stopped formal phonics instruction after lesson 119 in the OPGTR. I know this is not a popular move here, but she hates it and I seriously doubt that she's going to develop reading problems at this point.

[Ravin]

We've gone ahead and started spelling. I'd planned on starting after the first 12 weeks, once we'd finished up our phonics curriculum. DD didn't want to wait, so we're alternating the two now.

[AngieW in Texas]

significant change from last year to this year:

switched youngest from Sonlight to Oak Meadow (I loved SL for my two older girls up through 8th grade, but it just didn't fit my youngest) - my youngest is MUCH happier with OM

 

changes so far for my 10th grader:

dropped programming as an elective because I wasn't able to spend the time necessary to do it with my dd

added Visual Link Spanish as an elective rather than using it just for exposure during the summer as I had planned

 

changes for my 7th grader:

I still haven't settled on a math program. I was going to continue with Key to series and add in Lial's BCM, but Key to stopped working for her and BCM was far to visually distracting for her to deal with. I'm currently using a prealgebra workbook I picked up for her at a teacher store. I tried using PASS with her, but that has also fallen apart, so I'm going to try MUS Prealgebra for her. I wasn't going to go near that program after the disaster it caused for my oldest, but my youngest is a completely different child and it may work well for her.