agst1967 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Ok, here is the deal....I know *most* people are very passionate AGAINST Shurley! I've read threads until my eyes bleed...and yet, when I look at in, it really seems to make sense to me!! So, I am looking for advice as to why not? What was it that you disliked so passionately about it! Give it to me straight! This is for DS next year...4th grader. I know there is no diagramming...and many feel that is very important! However, my DD(17) who is graduating from PS (always attended PS) this spring..is #1 in her class and has NEVER diagrammed! She learned the parts of speech and that was about it. She got a 32 on her ACT and a 35 on the English portion! So, it was clearly not necessary...for her anyway! What else do people not like? Is it parent intensive? (Although, I don't really mind if it is WORTH it!) We are using MCTLA (LOVE!), but I want some basic grammar to go along with it! We are using GWG 3 this year, and I like it, but it seems very disconnected sometimes, and I am not sure how much retention is there! It is great because it is independent work, but if in the end, there is no retention..then it is clearly not worth it! I also considering R&S, which I know is a beloved program! We are using it for math this year as a supplement to McRuffy 3rd and it has been a perfect compliment! Old school...which I love when mixed with more ecclectic programs like McRuffy! Thanks!! Alicia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I know this is not what you requested, but we actually love Shurley. I would also like to know why others dislike it, and/or what it lacks. Best wishes making your decision! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinRTX Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Well, I only did it with two of mine. One hated it and one loved it, but the one who loved it would have loved any grammar program and the one who hated it would have hated any so it really is a wash. But I thought it was too teacher intensive and I did not like the writing portion. It is very formulaic and I wanted that with my grammar-hater who also cannot write. It did not help at all. She hated the topics and got bored with the sameness of the topics and did not improve at all. I did not use it with my other because she writes beautifully and I did not want to change her style. (And I thought the topics were boring). It is great for grammar, but not for writing. I only used 6th for both of them and 7th for the grammar hater. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agst1967 Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Thank you! So, what if we just used it for the grammar? There is writing in MCTLA and I was thinking of having a "free-writing" Friday...just to keep writing fun! Any thoughts? Alicia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 (edited) I loved the concept of the program, and I may even go back to it in the future. My kids really like it. That said, it was to teacher intensive for me with the 3 of them. Although they are close in age, they were at very different places as individuals. I needed something they could do more individually...when my gentle guidance. We switched to R&S, and it is a much better fit. Small chunks everyday. Shurely has a similar program for private schools...I wish I could get those books. Now that I think about it, it's what I love about R&S... it's set up for a classroom, so I can be the hovering parent. Edited February 9, 2011 by simka2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnllj7 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Hi, I have had alot of people tell me not to use Shurley....but guess what, we use Shurley. I have tried Easy Grammar, Abeka, and several other Grammar programs. Shurley makes since to me, I hear all the time it is too intensive for the teacher. Well, that is what I am, So i sit with my daughter and we go over it together. I personally dont feel it is so intensive. When she does the vocab, she does it on her on. I check it afterward. We go over the sentence answer flow together, I actually enjoy this part, It helps me concrete things in my mind. Use what works best for you. and What you like, if you like it, it is easier to teach. Nancyt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinRTX Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I just used it for grammar for my second child (the one that loves grammar), so that should be fine. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLA Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Another vote for Shurley. We really like Shurley and do just a few of the writing exercises since we also do IEW. And you can add a diagramming book for 5 more minutes a day. I don't find Shurley teacher intensive at all. It takes me about 15 minutes of instruction per day, the rest my daughter does on her own (5th grade). We came ti Shurley after all 4 levels of FLL and Shurley has been a great next step (thanks to OhElizabeth for guiding me to Shurley). And for what it's worth, we used GWG for one year when I needed something they could do on their own for a year and there was very little retention at all. KLA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agst1967 Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Wow!! I honestly did not expect so many positive words regarding Shurley!! Maybe it really is about following your heart! Maybe I was lead to ask this question to encourage me to go with my heart! I guess it is the cost of the program that makes me want to be really sure it will be a right fit for us! It would be a really expensive mistake! I don't mind spending the money...if it will work!! Thank you all!! Alicia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agst1967 Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 I'm considering using the Jingle Time CD with MCT LA-my DD really likes chants, jingles, and silly songs, and we spend a lot of time in the car anyway. Has anyone tried this, and if so, did it work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Wow!! I honestly did not expect so many positive words regarding Shurley!! Maybe it really is about following your heart! Maybe I was lead to ask this question to encourage me to go with my heart! I guess it is the cost of the program that makes me want to be really sure it will be a right fit for us! It would be a really expensive mistake! I don't mind spending the money...if it will work!! Thank you all!! Alicia I found it here http://www.swhomeschool.com/servlet/the-Shurley-English/Categories for $49.00. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agst1967 Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 I found it here http://www.swhomeschool.com/servlet/the-Shurley-English/Categories for $49.00. Thank you for the link!!! Alicia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildiris Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Another positive vote for Shurley. I "juice-up" the writing to make it more interesting and pull from other writing resources if necessary to make the writing work for my kids. For grammar, this is the one program I've used that where learning grammar sticks. Even my 2nd grader clearly understands the five parts of speech she's learned so far, and she understands how these parts of speech are used in a sentence. The down side of Shurley: The first year the program is novel. The second year it becomes repetitive because the format does not change. By the third year the kids start to rebel. Hake grammar is similar; however, after using both programs I prefer Shurley English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Lava Mama Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 It's VERY teacher intensive. VERY! I only started using it because I really felt like "I" wasn't strong in that area, and I felt like my kids, too, were pretty weak. It's very good. My kids aren't exactly crazy about it, but they have made HUGE strides in their understanding. The jingles are very helpful. We don't use the writing part, so I have just skipped over that part and can't comment. I also add some diagramming. My only problems with it is that it's so teacher intensive, and that the pages are cluttered and hard to follow sometimes. It's hard to tell when a lesson ends unless I am paying attention to the top of the page that lists the lesson number. Also, sometimes the lessons are too long. I break them up because it's just too much. I am doing this much less as we go along because we are "getting" the format, but in the beginning, we took the lessons over 2 or 3 days. I feel like it's what we needed. I understand a lot more than I did before we started. I'm not sure if we will keep going with it for years and years, but at least one more year. Good luck! Hot Lava Mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captivated Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I am just about to start Shurley for the second time around. My 2nd and 3rd grader are starting Shurley 3 next week. I was going to wait till next year but I figure we are just waiting around. :) My oldest, 20 years old and a sophmore in college, said that Shurley English was the single best thing that prepared him for college writing. We combine that with IEW and have a winning combo. He told me I "HAD" to do that with his younger siblings if I want them to succeed. :) I only do Shurley 3, 5, and take two years for 7. We'll combine IEW when we start 5. I love the results Shurley gives us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisak Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 We are using Shurley this year for the first time. My daughter is in 5th grade. I find it very teacher intensive. I have struggled with the schedule way too much. We were only on week 3 after 7 or 8 weeks of school. We were hitting maybe 1 time a week because it is hard to schedule. I finally decided to give it a better try. So we are doing the following: M: Week # Lesson One; label the sentences, look up 2 vocabulary words T: Next 2 vocabulary words, Journal writing W: Lesson Two; label the sentences, look of 2 vocabulary words Th: Next 2 vocabulary words, journal writing F: Lesson Three; label the sentences I teach the new concepts usually on Monday. We finally just gave up the writing. I couldn't get a handle on it. She hated the topics. So I decided that writing in her journal was at least writing. We are now on Week 9 and we began this pattern about 4 weeks ago. She is doing much better with this schedule. I bought the Vocabulary Workbook from Shurley and found it not useful at all for homeschoolers. The words in the workbook never match the words in the manual. Sometimes she uses it just to play a word game. I think the program is very thorough in the teaching and that is good for many people. I doubt we continue it next year, even though I have already bought level 6 TM. It can be sold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncmom2dawters Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 We've been using Shurley for two years and I love it! My children have learned quite a bit. After two years though, the writing lessons are getting a bit dry. I'm exploring other writing options for next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoe Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 We loved it. I grouped my kids together so the teacher intensive part of it wasn't a problem with me. My oldest is a senior this year and still remembers most of the jingles. I don't use the writing portion of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinsfamily Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 We loved it. I grouped my kids together so the teacher intensive part of it wasn't a problem with me. My oldest is a senior this year and still remembers most of the jingles. I don't use the writing portion of it. How did you group your dc? I am planning on starting Shurley sometime in the next year or so and would love to combine my oldest two. I am planning on doing levels 2, 4, 6, and 7. Could I combine a 1st and 3rd grader into Shurley 2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoe Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Yes, I think you could group a first and third grader together. Is your first grader reading? That might be the only tricky part. I would start with level 2. Your third grader could do all the assignments while your first grader did assignments orally with you. The lessons are pretty much oral anyway and could be completed together with both kids. I had my kids each take a sentence to label---orally while the other children listened. You may need to read that sentence for your first grader until reading skills are cemented. And I would skip the test for your younger student, if not both students. Also, the vocabulary could be done together with the older student, or you looking up the words in the dictionary. We didn't use the writing in Shurley, so can't comment on that part---I didn't feel it was developmently appropriate. I had to group kids or go crazy! :001_smile: I now only have three kids at home to teach each day and I finally feel like I can breathe. Next year I will only have two kids (both in the same grade)! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinsfamily Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Yes, I think you could group a first and third grader together. Is your first grader reading? That might be the only tricky part. I would start with level 2. Your third grader could do all the assignments while your first grader did assignments orally with you. The lessons are pretty much oral anyway and could be completed together with both kids. I had my kids each take a sentence to label---orally while the other children listened. You may need to read that sentence for your first grader until reading skills are cemented. And I would skip the test for your younger student, if not both students. Also, the vocabulary could be done together with the older student, or you looking up the words in the dictionary. We didn't use the writing in Shurley, so can't comment on that part---I didn't feel it was developmently appropriate. I had to group kids or go crazy! :001_smile: I now only have three kids at home to teach each day and I finally feel like I can breathe. Next year I will only have two kids (both in the same grade)! :D Thanks. My younger one is just starting K next month but is already reading chapter books so that won't be a problem a year from now. I don't plan on using the writing, either. The 1st grader will use WWE and I *think* the 3rd grader will be using WT1. We'll see about that...I have a year to decide :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cheryl in SoCal Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 I used Shurley Levels 3 through 7 with my older children. I really liked the jingles and question/answer flow but Shurley leaves way too much for the last year (Level 7) and doesn't cover them very well or for long enough. IMHO it's ridiculous to leave things like clauses, verbals, verbal clauses, etc until the last level and cover them so little. I was going to use the new Magic Lens with my older kids but had to back up to the Voyage level because they had forgotten so much that Shurley covers very little but MCTLA covers from the beginning. With my younger crew we will be using MCTLA and incorporating Shurley's jingles and question/answer flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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