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Now that school's been underway for a few weeks, what's working well?


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How about you?

 

Teaching Textbooks, Pre-Algebra. Ds said something I never though he'd say - "I like this math program". He likes the way things are explained, and I like that someone else shows him what he did wrong and how to correct it. No more math fights. Yay!

 

I bought it used here on the FS board.

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This is our first year with MCT and we are loving it. Also, I switched from AAS to Spelling Power when I realized that my kids are natural spellers and the last levels of AAS weren't going to be ready for me anyway. I can't believe how much the kids and I love Spelling Power.

 

We are in our 3rd year with Singapore and loving it. I feel more at ease with it the longer we use it. It seems like the farther we go, the more natural mental math becomes to the kids.

 

Going full-on inquiry in science has been liberating and fulfilling.

 

Starting our own brand of circle time, including yoga, has been a wonderful way to begin each day. The absolute best new thing, however, has been the change-up in our schedule. I now do all group/content work with all three kids in the mornings and do one hour of intensive one-on-one with each kid in the afternoon. It makes for a longer but more serene day!

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AAS. Love it! Even better... DS doesn't hate it. :)

 

MM. We switched from RS, and it's working better for us. I miss the concept of RS, but with a new baby ... RS was not getting done. MM is. So it wins.

 

Everything else - same old, same old, but thankfully it's all working.

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:blushing:

 

We haven't started yet. That's working really well. :thumbup:

 

(Lest anyone think I am a slacker, we always start a couple weeks later than public schools here. We make up for it by not taking off several days a month. Sheesh, with furlough days and holidays and planning days, p.s. kids take off an awful lot of time.)

 

Cat

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Pre-K is a blast, since the twins are Eager Beavers to do anything that I designate as "school." :Angel_anim: :Angel_anim:

 

FLL & WWE are smooth sailing.

 

1st grader ADORES cursive.

 

AAS is going along nicely. Student LOVES it. :Angel_anim:

 

Math Mammoth is a hit, and is saving my sanity as a break from Horizons. :tongue_smilie:

 

Bible, Science, Music, and Geography are fun and break up the table work.

 

It's all good in 1st and Pre-K. ;)

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Geography task cards and Your Business Math are a huge hit with the kids. For me, giving my kids a checklist to complete has been the best thing I've done this year. It's like night and day with these kids completing their work. Best of all, I don't have to nag. Writing everything out in their planners gets to be a little tedious, but it's worth it.

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Actually, for the first year ever, everything seems to be working well. The biggest new hit is SWB's Advanced Language Lessons. Sweet-pea is doing very well with it. Also, we are doing Mind benders from Critical Thinking Company and the girls both loved those.

 

I was planning to do copy work this year for handwriting but Boo-Boo is disappointed that she no longer has a workbook from Handwriting Without Tears so I do plan to get her one of those. Sweet-Pea much prefers the copywork.

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We are really enjoying Heart of Dakota and Sonlight Core W. DD is really loving Sonlight LA for Core W and has produced some excellent writing samples right from the start.

 

We are liking Latin..phew!!!! I was afraid we would never get back to it...but so far, it has been pretty painless.

 

We have been on a slow schedule for the first 2 weeks...plan on going whole hog starting Monday....eeeek.

 

OH, dd is really enjoying Life of Fred again this year. She is using this in conjunction with CLE math.

 

Faithe

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Hits: CLE Math 1 and 3; HOD Preparing Hearts, Bigger Hearts and Little Hearts; Mapping the World with Art; Sonlight's Brit Lit Core; Latin Primer; IEW Writing (especially SWI C); DITHOR (I wasn't sure about this at first, but the more we do, the more I like it and the kids are really learning a lot).

 

The only thing I've had to switch up is taking my 7 yods out of Singpore math. I don't think it's really him, it's more a problem with me! But anyway, we switched to a more traditional math program and I'm happy and he's happy so all's good.

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English from the Roots Up is a big hit. I'm thrilled about it! :001_smile:

We're using the flashcards and started Greek/Latin workbooks.

 

The Brain (Ellen McHenry) is a perfect fit for us. I'm so excited about trying her other curriculum.

 

I was worried about the kids doing two different history programs, but I love it, and I think the kids do too. Every Friday both girls do an activity from SOTW's AG. We're finally after all these years enjoying the baking, sewing, and crafts.

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Kindergarten is going GREAT! DS is so excited to "do school" that he's pulling other books off of the shelves that I've purchased for the future, and wanting to drag those in as well. We're doing Saxon Math K, HWT, and Progressive Phonics (which HE loves, but I'm not crazy about-- thinking about ETC instead, maybe). Today he wanted to start reading SOTW 1. I think we just might. :) I'm glad he's so excited and want to make sure we use that attitude as long as he has it!

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Recently switched dd7 from Singapore 1b to TT3 and it really seems to be working well for her. She asks to do 2 lessons per day.

 

We have instituted 90 minutes of FOB (flat on bunk) time. This has actually been a lifesaver for us!

 

We have also instituted a no tv rule until at least 8pm each night. It's going well!! Lots more puzzles, coloring books, board games, etc.

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Surprisingly, ds8 highlighted Catholic Faith Delivered's Faith & Life lessons as his favorite thus far. Singapore MPH Sciejce 3/4 is a huge hit here too. Ds is engaged, thinking, writing, curious.. Happy mommy!

 

We both enjoy History even more now, lingering a bit longer in a period of History, unhurriedly savoring the juicy stuff. I'm so glad I went with my gut and went with my own program.

 

He also likes Spanish. We're using Spanish for Children Primer A, and it makes sense to him. He's memorizing a conjugation now. I have to remember to only speak to him in Spanish during Spanish lesson ;)

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Two new programs this year are working very well for us. Youngest dd is using Explode the Code, and we both love it. I will continue it with her. I am also using Writing Tales 1 with my 5th grader who has struggled mightily with writing. It is a simple, straightforward, helpful program. I will likely use it with the other two and will continue with Level 2 with my son.

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:blushing:

 

We haven't started yet. That's working really well. :thumbup:

 

(Lest anyone think I am a slacker, we always start a couple weeks later than public schools here. We make up for it by not taking off several days a month. Sheesh, with furlough days and holidays and planning days, p.s. kids take off an awful lot of time.)

 

:iagree: :blushing:

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I am delighted with MCT

 

How about you?

 

Love, love, love MCT! Using MCT Grammar Island with youngest, MCT Magic Lens 1 with son, and MCT Magic Lens 3 with teen.

 

I'm so impressed with this program, and so happy I learned about it here!

 

As always, SOTW is a hit. I'm using SOTW 2 with youngest (my two older kids used and loved ALL the SOTW books, as well!)

 

For my son, the new version of TT Algebra 1 is going well. We had used the original version with my teen, and, while the content is the same as far as I remember, the ease of use of the new version made it worth purchasing.

 

My teen is taking an online AP Lit class with Blue Tent online (taught by one of the members here) and she is enjoying it.

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English from the Roots Up is a big hit. I'm thrilled about it! :001_smile:

We're using the flashcards and started Greek/Latin workbooks.

 

The Brain (Ellen McHenry) is a perfect fit for us. I'm so excited about trying her other curriculum.

 

 

We love English from the Roots Up! It's been a huge success for us.

 

Loved Ellen McHenry's Chemistry, and looking forward to The Brain (which we have, but haven't started.)

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SOTW is going surpisingly well for us this year. My 8 yo is loving the mapwork from the AG, so we've just been listening to the chapters, doing the maps and maybe supplementing with a book or two from the suggestion list.

 

And Prima Latina is going surprisingly well. I am enjoying learning it along with the kids. They like the DVD.

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For my youngest, Life of Fred - she begs to do several chapters per day.

 

For my 11yo, History at Our House is thoroughly enjoyable. We also like

CLE math.

 

For my 16yodd, Physics and Alg. 2 with Derek Owens is off to a splendid start/ she is completing both with the honors option.

 

so far, so good!

Dana

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Everything.:001_huh::D

 

They like or love just about all of the material we're using, and the timetable is going down well too. I've planned for 3 long days per week. The remaining 2 days are sometimes groups, sometimes a day out with friends. If we get anything done on those days it feels like a bonus!

 

Our timetable has set start & finish times, but with the possibility of finishing early if they work well. That's proved very popular.:D

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Sonlight Core F has turned out to be a great fit for us. CLE Math is working well for both of my kids and CLE LA is still a great fit for my daughter. We are using the Apologia elementary series for the first time, along with the Bill Nye Science dvds, rather than SL Science and that has been a nice change of pace. Getting Started With Spanish has been a lifesaver and is helping us get through La Clase Divertida 2. Writing Tales is still going well for my daughter.

 

Overall, we're having a good year. I'm having a hard time deciding whether to stick with Saxon Grammar for my son or if he should do a year of R&S grammar this year.

 

I've been tempted by Mapping the World with Art and to drop everything we're doing with Spanish and move straight into SfC, but I think I'm just going to continue on the way I planned and add those things next year.

 

Lisa

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...starting my ds 4 in K under the "old time" rules (he turns 5 before the cut-off dates that were used when I was a child). Having 2 to teach is going along really well, and has cut down on the intensity of the 1:1 tutoring that naturally occurred when it was just dd and me. I thought having 2 would mean double the work, but it hasn't at all, and the pace of the day moves along in a more relaxed manner.

 

We're having a blast! (I'm expecting this to last exactly 1 more day now that I've written this down).

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We started using MCT this year, as well, and it is going remarkably well! The kids love it and want to keep on reading past where I planned to stop. They are getting into the poetry part more than I thought they would, too.

 

So far, everything is going well. I just posted a recap of the past three weeks on my blog.

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Not the first one to say this, but all 3 love MCT.

 

Dd 12 also likes our Cornelsen German book this year, which is a first, none of them particularily liked doing German so far (poor them, having to do it 3 times a week!)

She also likes the new Singapore Maths Series she's started and keeps quoting things from it.

 

Dd11 likes our new history core book a lot (SWB's grown up series, forgot what it's called again). This would be my favourite, too.

 

Ds adores any and all maths programms I put in front of him, so My Pals Are Here and MEP work well for him.

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This is our first year with MCT and we are loving it. Also, I switched from AAS to Spelling Power when I realized that my kids are natural spellers and the last levels of AAS weren't going to be ready for me anyway. I can't believe how much the kids and I love Spelling Power.

 

We are in our 3rd year with Singapore and loving it. I feel more at ease with it the longer we use it. It seems like the farther we go, the more natural mental math becomes to the kids. We are thoroughly enjoying LOF as a supplement.

 

Going full-on inquiry in science has been liberating and fulfilling.

 

Starting our own brand of circle time, including yoga, has been a wonderful way to begin each day. The absolute best new thing, however, has been the change-up in our schedule. I now do all group/content work with all three kids in the mornings and do one hour of intensive one-on-one with each kid in the afternoon. It makes for a longer but more serene day!

 

I'd love to hear all about this circle time, I need ideas.

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historyatourhouse.com is a hit with both girls.

 

ditto singapore math. (we tried discovery and switched to New, and are much, much happier. neither of us can say why, but we both are, so that's a go!)

 

and the Cambridge Latin Course is the unexpected highlight! we love it, she's doing well, time flies....

 

fwiw,

ann

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MCT is a huge, out-of-the-park home run with my 3rd grader.

 

That is really the only new thing I added this year but I need to get science together for my 1st and 3rd grader and get started with a foreign language. I'm open to suggestions! :D

 

i am going to feel stupid -- but MCT??

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We are enjoying Trail Guide to World Geography. The daily questions have really helped me to pull out the map and talk about geography. We are also liking Nancy Larson Science 3. I can just open my manual and go. Science is getting done much more regularly. My other hit is Apples and Pears spelling for dd7. It's always the first thing she wants to do.

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Planners!!

 

I am so so happy with our planners! Each child has their own planner (except for the 4yo) and they know just what to do once they finish with each subject. I can easily see what is left to be done and can easily check the work they have completed.

 

Using a planner - consistently - has changed our school around. Yay!

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Planners!!

 

I am so so happy with our planners! Each child has their own planner (except for the 4yo) and they know just what to do once they finish with each subject. I can easily see what is left to be done and can easily check the work they have completed.

 

Using a planner - consistently - has changed our school around. Yay!

 

I didn't put this in my first reply, but I am loving Homeschool Tracker Plus. I am only using it my dd right now, but it has kept us right on track especially for things that are not "do the next thing" type of work. Love it and wish I had bought it 5 years ago!

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