What is a Program That Made Your Eyes Glaze Over?

[OregonNative]

For us right now it's BSFAA. :001_huh: WOW!! Just trying to read how to implement it is overwhelming.

Edited November 29, 2010 by OregonNative

[OnTheBrink]

Classical Writing. I wanted to like it. I really did. But, I just didn't, for long.

[Guest Cheryl in SoCal]

What's BSFAA?

[robsiew]

Classical Writing. I wanted to like it. I really did. But, I just didn't, for long.

 

:iagree: I sadly need to agree with this. It just made writing too difficult to teach IMO... after listening to SWB's writing lectures I had little guilt left over not liking CW. ;)

[OregonNative]

What's BSFAA?

 

Sorry-Bible Study For All Ages.

I'm sure we'll enjoy it once I can figure it out:001_huh:

[swimmermom3]

A Beka Language B

[KatieH]

Classical Writing. I wanted to like it. I really did. But, I just didn't, for long.

 

I can see this! We only do CW every other week. On the off week we do a CHC grammar book. I think if we were doing it every week I would really dislike the program. But breaking it up with a nice, easy grammar book seems to help a lot.

[Crimson Wife]

The old Catholic edition of Voyages in English. Not because it's difficult to understand but because it's so dry. I had similar feelings when I previewed R&S Grammar.

[coffeegal]

Classical Writing. I wanted to like it. I really did. But, I just didn't, for long.

 

:iagree: I still want to like it and use it, but it drives me completely batty. It's also the one curriculum my dc have strongly requested I NOT use again.

[Mom-ninja.]

I feel that way about Nebel's Building Science Foundations.

[Paula in PA]

First Start French.

[prairiegirl]

I am ashamed to admit this on a Classical Ed board, but....any latin program has made me feel like a failure. I just cannot wrap my brain around learning it and believe me, I have tried two programs and it just isn't working.

[bluemongoose]

LLATL...boring! And so scattered!

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

LLATL...boring! And so scattered!

 

 

:iagree: Also, Writing Strands was a bomb here.

[Kates]

Yep, LLATL and Writing Strands. Both were epic fails.

 

The Latin stuff from Memoria Press also...I'm a Latin teacher (i.e., I really enjoy Latin), and all the materials practically made my eyes roll back in my head. My son actually cried when I told him he had to listen to the CD - offered to do extra work in return for not having to listen to her.

[Mommy22alyns]

*cough*Saxon*cough*

 

Oh, and Prima Latina too.

[5Wizards]

Saxon

[anneofalamo]

Saxon!! oh my gosh, we burned the books and the relief that flooded my very soul! I still see those yellow books elsewhere and my eyes glaze over and I think I have a visible twitch....;)

 

and I could just slap a big ol' wet kiss on those that say writing strands?

I keep trying, and for some reason can't get from day 2 to the last day?

I think it may become fodder for a fire soon!!???

 

but, I struggled with implementing SoTW3? yeah, I admit it!! It was a pass down to us from another homeschooler, and I was lost and didn't get it? Because it was so unlike what I had learned in PS history? where were the memorization, the dry, tedious things I had learned?

We tried again with SotW 1, and my children and I now enjoy History. I am glad I persevered! :tongue_smilie:

[....]

For us, it was that Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lesson...:glare: Yeah, right. I thought my kids were going to call Child Protective Services every time I brought that book out...

[Cherryanne]

Yeah, right. I thought my kids were going to call Child Protective Services every time I brought that book out...

 

:lol: I was given the book by a friend and I just couldn't wrap my head around it. If your child already knows the sounds of the letters it seems very hard to implement.

[Joyofsixreboot]

For us, it was that Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lesson...:glare: Yeah, right. I thought my kids were going to call Child Protective Services every time I brought that book out...

:iagree: I let her do starfall and she taught herself to read. Why'd I torture us?

[TXMary2]

I am ashamed to admit this on a Classical Ed board, but....any latin program has made me feel like a failure. I just cannot wrap my brain around learning it and believe me, I have tried two programs and it just isn't working.

 

This. And Spelling Power (if I remember it was 90 something pages of how to use the program!)- we still use Spelling Power but not as written. I basically use it as a word list. Classical Writing- returned it the next day. For upper levels, I also returned a writing program by James Stobaugh.

[Mommyfaithe]

TOG...oh...too much! (bought and sold this one 3 times so far...lol...)

Saxon Maths...even though we used it for YEARS!!! :glare:

Traditional Logic....had kids do this online....made my head spin.

 

Faithe

[Heidi]

The Writing Road to Reading.

[Greta]

Lingua Latina. I love the idea of it, and I really wanted it to work. But, wow, I just can't grasp Latin without some explicit grammar instruction. I think we'll pick it up again later on, when we understand Latin grammar better, and it will be great for getting from grammar/translation into fluent reading. But it's not so great for Latin newbies, in my opinion.

 

I had forgotten about 100 Easy Lessons since that was so long ago, but that was an utter failure here, as were Bob Books. My dd cried when I had her read the first Bob Book!!!! "That book was stupid! Do you think I'm stupid?" Yeah, that makes you feel like the homeschooling mom of the year.

 

It's funny to see one of my favorite curricula in this thread! I love Learning Language Arts Through Literature! We do use the old edition, though, which is free of the busy work in the newer books. I love Nebel's science book, too, and would be using it if the one for my dd's grade level had been published. But his publishing schedule is just behind her learning schedule!

[Amy loves Bud]

I'll say it:

 

Rod and Staff Grammar.

 

I wanted to like it, so I could be a true WTMer, but :thumbdown: it was like slow, incredibly slow, torture.

[PuddleJumper1]

For us, it was that Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lesson...:glare: Yeah, right. I thought my kids were going to call Child Protective Services every time I brought that book out...

 

:iagree: on all parts. My oldest still dates from the experience :001_smile:

[plain jane]

There are a few for us. :o

 

BFSU

SOTW3 :o (LOVE SOTW2 and SOTW1 but 3 just didn't do it for us :()

Traditional Logic

CKE Earth & Space

History Pockets :o

[MissKNG]

Literature Pockets!

[SilverMoon]

Easy Grammar. To quote my ds, who had been a grammar geek before that book entered our house, "Wow. I never knew grammar could be so boring."

 

Abeka language arts. The sheer amount of busywork did us in.

 

I've only glanced at the Choose-your-topic Pockets at a local store. They are Evan-Moor products, which we generally enjoy, but those would flop in this house.

 

I see some of our favorites in this thread too. :p

[HollyDay]

CW

[Jane Elliot]

Real Science 4 Kids Chemistry, Levels I&II bored me out of my mind. (I'm not sure if that's what you mean when you say "made your eyes glaze over".)

Edited November 30, 2010 by Luann in ID

[Hedgehogs4]

FLL 3. I could not tolerate the scripting. I need a little guidance, but not every word spelled out. :tongue_smilie:

[Hedgehogs4]

TOG...oh...too much! (bought and sold this one 3 times so far...lol...)

 

Faithe

 

this is funny...you know what they say the definition of insanity is??? (doing something over and over expecting a different result)

[Melora in NC]

My brain glazes when I try to figure out how to implement BSGFAA, so we do it My Way. We do the reading, I ask the questions that go with that particular lesson, we talk about application, and we look at the comical stick figure illustrations. I'm sure we could get more out of the lessons if I did the full program, but what we Do is pretty good and actually gets done!

[idnib]

I love Nebel's science book, too, and would be using it if the one for my dd's grade level had been published. But his publishing schedule is just behind her learning schedule!

 

Volume 2 is out and available here, if that helps.

 

http://www.outskirtspress.com/store.php

 

(Type Nebel in the search box.)

 

Should be available elsewhere soon if you can't find it other places.

[LaissezFaire]

Real Science 4 Kids Chemistry, Levels I&II bored me out of my mind. (I'm not sure if that's what you mean when you say "made your eyes glaze over".)

 

We are using that this year and I keep finding myself skipping science because I am NOT liking it. Definitely not doing RS4K next year.

[5Wizards]

We are using that this year and I keep finding myself skipping science because I am NOT liking it. Definitely not doing RS4K next year.

 

We did 2 weeks of RS4K chem. this year (level 1) and dropped it. I'm much happier with RSO Chemistry instead.

[HappyCrazyMama]

My brain glazes when I try to figure out how to implement BSGFAA, so we do it My Way. We do the reading, I ask the questions that go with that particular lesson, we talk about application, and we look at the comical stick figure illustrations. I'm sure we could get more out of the lessons if I did the full program, but what we Do is pretty good and actually gets done!

 

That's how we use it too, minus the stick figure illustrations. Just read and discuss.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

I know I shouldn't say this but.....High School Apologia books.

One of my sons, who was thinking a future in science got turned off science completely after doing one of their book. I tried to help another son with Apologia General Science and abandoned him with words to the effect of, "You're on your own this year for science if you want to stick with that book". He dropped it so fast.

This is funny because we love the elementary books.

[alegnab]

The Spelling Power instructions were so incredibly boring to read. Even the Quick Start instructions (or whatever they were called) were boring and far too long. I think the basic instructions could have been written on one page.

 

I just couldn't keep up with all the reading for TOG. I love history, but I thought the teacher's info each week was so boring to read. And my sons hated TOG. It is the only thing that they've begged me to sell (and my oldest is 19yo, homeschooled since birth, so we've tried oodles of curricula).

 

Spell to Write and Read instructions were quite difficult to understand (that's why there are classes that teach how to teach it). Fortunately, I found a site online that explained it clearly, and the program caused my two older boys to do a complete turnaround in their spelling. My two younger use All About Spelling, which teaches almost identical stuff as SWR/WG but is so much easier to use.

 

Although it doesn't make my "eyes glaze over," I, like others have said, also wanted to like Writing Strands and bought four levels. I've tried it with three different kids, but I've hated it every time. One of these days I'm going to try to sell all of it.

[Heather in Neverland]

cw

 

writing strands

 

saxon math (we, too, burned it...literally...in our fireplace and did a little happy dance)

 

Switched on Schoolhouse

 

LifePac Bible

 

FLL

 

Henle Latin

 

 

 

But we LOVED 100 easy lessons (both our kids did great with it) AND easy grammar AND all 4 volumes of SOTW. :lol:

[Mommyfaithe]

this is funny...you know what they say the definition of insanity is??? (doing something over and over expecting a different result)

 

Yeah well, if the shoe fits.....:tongue_smilie:

 

~~Faithe

[Moniksca]

The Spelling Power instructions were so incredibly boring to read. Even the Quick Start instructions (or whatever they were called) were boring and far too long. I think the basic instructions could have been written on one page.

 

.

:iagree:

[BatmansWife]

I agree with a few others.....Spelling Power.

[3lilreds in NC]

FLL 3. I could not tolerate the scripting. I need a little guidance, but not every word spelled out. :tongue_smilie:

 

Yes. This drove me insane. I wanted to love it, I really did, but I thought I was going to lose my mind.

[Woodland_Mom]

Classical Conversation's "Essentials for the English Language" (grammar curriculum) completely boggled my brain. The first year we used it, I felt lost. I didn't like the program at all and even spent part of the year supplementing with other things. We are now in our 3rd year of "Essentials" and I really like it. It basically took me a full year to figure out how the curriculum/classes worked and how the course was structured. I'm glad I stuck with it because my son has made HUGE leaps in his grammar and writing skills.

[Violet Crown]

Peterson Directed Handwriting. A dog's dinner of a teacher's manual, and useless add-ons like a tape of songs for learning which is the baseline, and a CD-ROM to show you how to write the letters. I wasn't shocked to discover that their website is similarly confusing and useless.

 

But ... once I read through the TM three or eight times, and figured out what was up, it proved a fabulous handwriting program. Relatives at Thanksgiving this year ooh'ed and aah'ed over dd7's beautiful cursive.

[phathui5]

Saxon Math 1. It was just so boring.

[newbie]

Any kind of Jacobs math.