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

[misscometa]

Sadlier-Oxford Vocabolary Workshop Level A 6th grade, to Level blue 5th grade.

 

DS was having trouble with completing the sentences. I noticed that he was having trouble comprehending the sentences, because there are other vocab words he hasn't learned in the past. Everything else he was doing fine, btw:he's a fifth grader.

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

I had the opportunity to grab Saxon Math K for free so figured I may as well check it out and ended up deciding to use it in place of Horizons K. We may come back to Horizons after we finish MEP Reception but life right now is much more pleasant at a slower, gentler pace and DS loves the repetition of the meeting book (it's very similar to what I use to do every morning with him myself) and the manipulatives.

[~Kirsten~]

We started the bulk of our year in June, and none of that has changed, thankfully.

 

My DD really wanted to learn cursive, but after starting it in ZB, she's just really not ready, and I don't want either of us frustrated, so I've hidden the book. :D We're simply practicing manuscript through copy work, and I'm thrilled with how neatly she's printing and how painless it is for both of us.

 

Also, we have dropped Spanish in favor of German. I really felt like we should work on Spanish and agonized over choosing curriculum, but she's been talking about Germany off and on since we studied it last year in kindergarten. She had a conversation with DH about how some day she really wants to learn to speak German, and that sealed the deal. Of course, it's a lot harder to find curriculum for German, but I did have 3 years of it in college (and no Spanish), so we're just going to keep it light and go for exposure.

[littlebug42]

We had been using Abeka math for my youngest dd very successfully. I was given a new copy of MCP math this year for her grade level and it looked pretty thorough so I decided to try it. It sucked all the joy out of my math loving daughter. I ordered Abeka math 2 yesterday for her and she is so excited.

[Tonia]

We just started our fourth week and I've only switched up one subject - we dropped Spelling Workout. I had dd doing that along with All About Spelling until I could figure out which would work better. AAS is a much better fit than SWO for my dd.

 

Thankfully everything else is going just fine!

Edited September 15, 2010 by Tonia

[Pam L.]

Dd begged to use Apologia General Science this year since she remembered how "cool" it looked when older brother used it a few years ago. Well after 3 weeks, she concluded this was not the program she was thinking of and now can't remember which program it was! So, we have both decided to drop it and move on. Not sure what I will use, but just started looking around.

[Holly]

We're using HOD and it's working perfectly! The only changes I've made is to add an afternoon tea time several times a month. We read poems from Ambleside Online and sometimes bake a treat as well. I've wanted to do this since we starting HSing and never been able to find the time.

[Paintedlady]

Try not to laugh, but the night before we started I changed dd's math. I was planning on using RightStart, level D. I tried to convince myself that although dd & I both liked playing around with the Transitions lessons over the summer, that I could teach a full level of it for the year.

 

My biggest problem is that the pages confuse me. The font is small and the pages are crammed with words & diagrams. My brain just freezes every time I look at the page. I tried to get past it but finally realized that it would drive me crazy if I tried a whole year of it.

 

We've been using MUS, (which has refreshingly uncluttered pages) and although I still love it, I didn't have the student book I needed for her. I did have the downloaded Math Mammoth light blue series on my computer though, so on a whim decided we'd just use that. We've been using it for 2 weeks and so far so good.

[meet me in paris]

Dropped:

SL LA for both kids

Minimus Latin

Apologia Gen Sci (TOO much reading - she has 2 outside science classes this year and it was science overkill)

 

Added:

Natural Speller

Copywork/Dictation (made by me - loving!!)

Fix It! grammar

Greek for Children

Apologia Botany (loving!!)

Shurley 3 for my 3rd grader (haven't gotten it yet - hope to love!)

 

That is actually a pretty low level of trade-outs for us. :)

[TrixieB]

My 7th grader is dropping Saxon Algebra 1/2. She and I can't wait till the Singapore Discovering Mathematics order arrives!

 

I don't know why I thought Algebra 1/2 would work for her... she used Singapore Primary from Earlybird through 6B.

[Heather in VA]

Well we are having a great year and luckily the oldest two are in great shape. But for my youngest I'm ditching Science Excursion before we even start it. So now I'm on the hunt for a science program for her.

 

Heather

[Tree House Academy]

We are starting week 5 and made these changes within the first 2 weeks or so!

 

6th Grader:

 

Changed CLE Math to Singapore Math

Changed Le Francais Facile for Right Start French

Dropped R&S Health (didn't replace this)

Dropped R&S Music (didn't replace this)

Dropped R&S Spelling in lieu of Studied Dictation

 

 

 

2nd Grader:

 

Dropped cursive handwriting for now (not ready)

Dropped R&S Spelling in lieu of HOD Spelling

Changed CLE math to Singapore

Added CLE LA and Reading because I was asked to do beta testing (not sure that was a good idea at all!)

[angela&4boys]

Only one change thus far, and we are in our 5th week.

 

13yo ds asked to drop the DIVE cd for Saxon. I thought he'd love not having to read through the lesson. Go figure! :tongue_smilie:

 

Great thread, Michele!

[golfcartmama]

I dropped Writing Strands 2 and Complete Writing Lessons for Primary Grades...still waiting on Write Source 2...making due with Write Shop Primary for now, but I don't love it.

 

Ordered GWG...Rod & Staff 2, which we were/are using, although I love the program, my son HATES it and isn't retaining much and the Biblical names are difficult for my just emerging reader. I am keeping it, but going to try GWG for the rest of the year and then move to Grammar Island for 3rd, maybe....I didn't think he was ready now.

 

On another note, I added Evan Moor Daily Geography, didn't think we needed a Geo program outside of SOTW maps. I was wrong, clearly.

 

I haven't totally ditched Saxon, but MM2 has taken over for now. I like some parts of Saxon (like the explanations for some problems), but my son really likes MM, so we're in a holding pattern.

 

It's my first year hs, so I'm just getting a feel for his style, my style and managing life thrown in.

[mom31257]

I did drop one book from dd's SL Core 100 Bible and replaced it with something else.

 

I haven't started one thing that I had hoped to before now. I wanted to do some piano with both of them, but it's been a busy start to the school year, so we haven't. I hope to add it in October.

 

My grandmother died last month, then my mother went in the hospital for 5 days. I am also director of a co-op that starts next Monday, so I've got lots going on with that right now.

[Moniksca]

We're only in week 2 and haven't added all our subjects in yet, however, we won't be starting Elemental science - Chemistry just yet in order to study rocks and minerals since we found some great rocks from our camping trip last week.

[Elfinlady]

Just this morning decided to swap Trail Guide to World Geography for Trail Guide to US Geography. I'd started my 4th grader on the intermediate level, which is too hard for her.

 

I had already bought US Geography for next year, and was browsing it this morning. I realized that I don't particularly care if we do the Primary level of World Geography, but I do want to do the Primary level of US Geography. So we are making the swap, and will try again with the Intermediate level of World next year. :D

[Mom22ns]

We are in week 5 and made our first (and hopefully only) change for the year. We dropped SOS Secondary Spanish and went back to Rosetta Stone. The kids hated SOS. Last year they said RS was boring, but now that they've tried SOS, they thing RS is great! :lol:

[MrsMe]

 

1. Dropping R&S English 3 for BJU English 4. R&S is just a snoozer.
   
2. Dropping R&S Spelling, not because I don't like it, but due to time. I'm going to try studied dictation this year.
   
3. Adding Apologia Science to HOD, not because we need it, but because I love the look of the Anatomy & Physiology Book and dd keeps asking for more science.
   

 

[Omma]

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.

 

The same type of thing happened to us, so I also skipped that whole time period and went on to American History. We are just getting to that time period this year, and it is so much better now that my dc have grown a bit.

 

I put together a combo from MFW Adventures and Winterpromise's American Story 1 and we had a great year. I loved the book recommendations at the back of My Father's World Adventures, BTW.

 

Blessings,

 

Brenda

[Violet Crown]

Dd7:

 

Dropped Rosetta Stone Spanish (before we started it... actually had to phone Rainbow Resource to cancel the order) ... took up Salsa Spanish. So much better! And cheaper!

 

Dropped Progressive Recorder Method for Young Beginners ... took up choir lessons.

 

Dropped A Beka worksheets for arithmetic practice ... took up Math League tests.

 

Dropped Artistic Pursuits ... took up drawing pictures of fairies.:lol:

[Stellalarella]

I dropped the Critical Thinking program for ds12. This is my first year HSing all the kids and I found that I was just overwhelmed in teaching, administering, coordinating all the subjects for all the kids.

Maybe we'll add that in now that we have wrapped up the 1st nine weeks. Or maybe not. :001_smile:

 

I've experienced some frustration with curriculums, but we have tried to "push through." One thing that has helped me to stick it out is learning the "WHY" behind the curriculums. Listening to SWB's audio lectures has helped me with FLL and WWE. Reading Liping Ma's book on Mathematics has helped me become more enthusiastic about the challenging Singapore Math program for K, and the conceptual presentation of MUS.

[Homeschooling Hannah]

We've dropped WWE level 3 that my twins were working on. I just don't like it. I decided to write letters 3 or 4 times a week to different family members. So we are not using an official writing program.

 

We are thinking of dropping Prima Latina. Can anyone give me any encouragement to keep it up. :tongue_smilie:

[Guest]

Dropped/changed:

Sonlight K - didn't like the IG; kept the read-alouds

Spell to Write and Read

WWE 1 (I originally thought it went with FLL1, but I don't necessarily think they are appropriate for the same age, we may try it again next year.)

[suzziesnowflake]

Dropped everything but Rod and Staff math and Seton Religion.

Picking up Calvert 6, typing (by Write It), Verticy Yellow Grammar, Blend Phonics, and Websters Blue Back Speller!

When your ds has dsylexia you never know what will work till you try it!:confused:

[ChiMomNP]

We have dropped Oak Meadow 6 History/LA. My son hated it. It was too easy.. :001_huh: I thought just using Oak Meadow would be easier for all of us this year and I thought that would be good. Not so much! So I'm looking to add in Sonlight 6 (which we had plan to use with Oak Meadow originally). He wants more to read, he thinks Oak Meadow does not have enough reading. I'm so busy in grad school that if he wants to spend the whole year reading that might be just fine.

[Lovedtodeath]

We are not changing anything so far... though I may end up supplementing science a little since DD thought that is started out boring. It seems to be improving though.

[ColoradoMom]

We dropped Writing Strands for Jump In Writing. We started the Jump in Writing two years ago but stopped because it was really too advanced for him (he 13 now) but now it is just right. :001_smile:

 

We were going to do BJU Geography even though it is 9th grade and not 8th, but then I changed my mind and bought the History as well. So it was a pricey mistake this year - BUT I will use it next year so no big deal.

[momto2Cs]

We're entering Week 3. And it looks like we are going back to option 1, the Middle Ages, versus option 2, American history. Other than that, we haven't changed much of anything!

Edited September 19, 2010 by momto2Cs

[Beth in SW WA]

Dropped (never started) formal science & experiments at home. The CC experiments are perfect and the CC science cards for memory work are ideal. We'll save ES for later this year or next.

 

Dropped BF American to focus on CC history timeline and cards.

 

Dropped dd 8th's logic class. No time.

[swimmermom3]

Our biggest change is the unexpected addition of my dd to our student roster. Swimmer Dude's curriculum is fairly teacher intensive because he was the only one home. I have had to make some of his work more independent to make time to work with my daughter. Also, I had planned to have Dude start his science with a unit on oceans, but he couldn't wait to dig into the renewable energy unit, so that's what we are doing. I wasn't quite prepared for that.:tongue_smilie:

[Capt_Uhura]

We have gotten up to full speed yet in order to drop anything! :glare: We're in week 3. We moved into a new house about 2.5weeks before school started so life has been crazy. This year will require planning in my part so I need to get into the habit of spending Sunday evening doing that so that the week is pick up and go. Next week the boys have a class Tues-Fri all day so I hope to get my head together then.

[Guest Cindie2dds]

We love Oak Meadow; but since we have decided to school year round, it has made room for most of Ambleside Year 1. We have also added Miquon back in. It's been great getting into a good rhythm.

[Wendy in ME]

We dropped MCT and have gone back to good old Rod and Staff for English and spelling

[Robin's Song]

We're actually adding a few things that I bought but shelved because I didn't think we would have time for them (Song School Latin, Discovering Great Artists, R&S phonics/spelling, Ambleside literature). We're having a blast. We even have time for lots of park days, field trips, and music lessons. I couldn't be happier with the way things are going.

 

ETA: We will probably speed through BF history (snooze so far--I think it will get better).

 

Okay, I will also admit that WWE and FLL are a huge snooze, too (ducking). I've managed to keep my daughter engaged by using every ounce of creativity in me. We'll stick it out this year and see how it goes...

Edited September 28, 2010 by Robin's Song

[Classically Minded]

We dropped Apologia Astronomy and picked up WTM rec's for science with the encyclopedia as spines. We also added in RSO Life for labs.

 

We also are putting our composer study on hold till I can pick something to introduce music.

[lwilliams1922]

DD#2

I dropped our father's world science and switched to elemental Bio.

 

Decided to wait till Nov to start FLL and WWE. DD needs more time time to ramp up penmanship.

[3babiesmommy]

Let's see:

 

DD9: Added Abeka Language to Paths of Exploration, added some CLE math to Math on the Level

 

DD7: Dropped Singapore Math and went back to CLE

 

DD4.5: Started Memoria Press K (original plan was to work through MFW K first)

 

Way less changes compared to previous years. Loving Paths of Exploration and Memoria Press K!