3browneyedboys4me Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 I just gushed at the boxed on my front door step. I can't understand how curriculum has that affect on me, but it does. LOVE to see boxes with good books inside. :) I' can't wait to familiarize myself with all the books and see how they work for us. I have hope again! sigh.... such a good feeling~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyagain Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 :hurray::hurray: Happy Box Day!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threeofakind Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 I'd be interested in what you think of them too btw =). I love hearing about curriculum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I'm interested in hearing how this goes for you. I have seen people react in two different ways, to a switch like this. It's usually either tears of sadness, or tears of relief. There have been decades of success of people using Paces and then American School, when the family's home is a place where education is valued and supported. Not every lesson needs to include higher order thinking skills and lots of writing. Those things can be covered in other ways, in impromptu unschooling moments, and Bible study and work. Paces and AS are like public school and like public school, the children coming from homes that provide enrichment activities and resources, study the Bible, and work hard, soar above those that don't include those things. Your base curriculum isn't ALL that your children will be learning. It's just a PIECE of the big picture. I know some people that have switched to Paces and/or American School who say they feel like they have become parents again instead of being a teacher, and that was an important feeling breakthrough to them. And others who only did it for as long as they NEEDED to, and were so thankful to return as soon as possible to what they were doing before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thowell Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I would also love to hear what you think. I am seriously looking at a similar switch for next year. I will be taking on a full time work at home job and all in all I am just feeling very burnt out with pulling everything together ourselves. I want to go to the library because we want to and get the books we want to read not to fulfill our curriculum. Please keep us updated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3browneyedboys4me Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 I am going to try to get it organized tonight and start tomorrow. We'll see how that goes. :) I'll keep you posted on how they like it. I have a sense of relief about me. At this point, I'm just glad to have a 'doable' plan. ;) thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Love Box Days!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyR Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Are you talking about the Ace Paces? If so , yes, they can be like a life preserver when burn out is evident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomandlorih Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I'd be interested in what you think of them too btw =). I love hearing about curriculum! :iagree: :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3browneyedboys4me Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 Are you talking about the Ace Paces? If so , yes, they can be like a life preserver when burn out is evident. Yes!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyR Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Yes!! :001_smile: Good luck with it. Hope you had a great day! Its a freeing feeling when your children take over and become more independent! I wish there were more curriculums out there made in the style like ACE and CLE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Yay . Two families that I know of at my church uses PACES. One is a mom of 8 dc and the other 9 dc. The one with 9 dc has graduated a daughter who is in medical school and doing very well . Have fun setting it all up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jg_puppy Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Good luck with the new curriculum. :001_smile: I wish there were more curriculums out there made in the style like ACE and CLE. Me too. I love CLE math. It is a great curriculum, and it is something that gets done. I don't care for CLE history and science, but I wish I could find something similar in set up for history and science. Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wy_kid_wrangler04 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Good luck with the new curriculum. Me too. I love CLE math. It is a great curriculum, and it is something that gets done. I don't care for CLE history and science, but I wish I could find something similar in set up for history and science. Janet Have you looked at LifePac? I think that is similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3browneyedboys4me Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 We all love it! It's absolutely everything that I needed!!! The kids had no complaints and finished in a very timely manner. They all seemed to really like the structure. Maybe it was a relief to them too?:lol: This way they know what is expected of them and they aren't waiting on me for anything! Love that!! This was the first time in a LONG time that my house was quiet this morning! Everyone was working IN THEIR ROOMS! :w00t::w00t::w00t::hurray: The other GRANDE change I made was going to scholaric.com and using it to quickly lesson plan their lessons. Last year I used excel but it took me days sitting down and working thru their books, lessons, and creating the various spread sheets for each child. With this program, I did it all in less than an hour! I'm just so thrilled right now. :tongue_smilie: Special thank you to "hunter" that kept me on track with what I needed and kept me from purchasing another 'pretty' curriculum that would no doubt sit on myshelf undone b/c it wasn't what I NEEDED! I'm thankful for the wisdom you ladies offer me- daily!!!!!:grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyR Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Have you looked at LifePac? I think that is similar. Yes, we've tried Lifpac. Can you say ick???:ack2: They are awful. The two best I have used are CLE and Ace. I like CLE's math and LA. But being Catholic the science and history doesn't line up with our faith. And I so wish someone would come up with a similar program for these two subjects. Even if it were secular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa H. in GA Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 :D:D:D:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wy_kid_wrangler04 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Yes, we've tried Lifpac. Can you say ick???:ack2: They are awful. The two best I have used are CLE and Ace.I like CLE's math and LA. But being Catholic the science and history doesn't line up with our faith. And I so wish someone would come up with a similar program for these two subjects. Even if it were secular. Oh, sorry! I didn't know. Like I said, I never looked at them, just heard about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I haven't seen every workbook of every subject of every curriculum, but in GENERAL the problem with the workbooks starts when the workbooks try to include too much information in too few pages. I've been told that Paces are smooth sailing through grade 8 in all subjects. Their scope and sequence is public school level. The original Alpha Omega was written off of a private school scope and sequence and too often tried to cram too much information into too few pages. If a teacher was prepared to talk a student through the pages, they worked, but otherwise, the student started failing. The newer life pacs and CLE are both rewriting their curriculums and experimenting with ways to make the curricula easier to use, and I know a lot less about the specifics of how successful they have been. It's easier to work more quickly through a PS curriculum, than it is to try and talk a child through a lean private school curriculum. The old CLE/AO Algebra and Chemistry were a nightmare! Unless they were being used as a review or by a very well trained teacher, they were just unusable. Even some of the upper level Paces in math and science can get a little problematic, but in writing the scope and sequence, the authors have carefully written the curriculum so the hardest and most poorly written Paces can be skipped. I really like how they have rearranged the high school science scope and sequence, knowing that many of their students are going to finish with the 10th grade physical science stretched out over 2 years, for grades 11 and 12. They scheduled 8th-earth, 9th-biology, 10th-physical, 11-chem, 12-Physics. It really was an ingenious way to scoop up the lagging students and still accommodate the gifted ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thowell Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Was there somewhere to see samples of this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyR Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I haven't seen every workbook of every subject of every curriculum, but in GENERAL the problem with the workbooks starts when the workbooks try to include too much information in too few pages. I've been told that Paces are smooth sailing through grade 8 in all subjects. Their scope and sequence is public school level. The original Alpha Omega was written off of a private school scope and sequence and too often tried to cram too much information into too few pages. If a teacher was prepared to talk a student through the pages, they worked, but otherwise, the student started failing. The newer life pacs and CLE are both rewriting their curriculums and experimenting with ways to make the curricula easier to use, and I know a lot less about the specifics of how successful they have been. It's easier to work more quickly through a PS curriculum, than it is to try and talk a child through a lean private school curriculum. The old CLE/AO Algebra and Chemistry were a nightmare! Unless they were being used as a review or by a very well trained teacher, they were just unusable. Even some of the upper level Paces in math and science can get a little problematic, but in writing the scope and sequence, the authors have carefully written the curriculum so the hardest and most poorly written Paces can be skipped. I really like how they have rearranged the high school science scope and sequence, knowing that many of their students are going to finish with the 10th grade physical science stretched out over 2 years, for grades 11 and 12. They scheduled 8th-earth, 9th-biology, 10th-physical, 11-chem, 12-Physics. It really was an ingenious way to scoop up the lagging students and still accommodate the gifted ones. From my understanding CLE's old Light Units were rewritten A/O Lifepacs as they had a contract with them to use them in the Mennonite schools. Some parts were rewritten to accommodate the Mennonite faith but most of the content was the A/O content. When I first homeschooled I was dead set against using Ace. Everyone saying they were just read and copy and not challenging. So I refused to use them. I was in awe of the A/O catalog ( and still am every year when I get it , they have ingenious marketing for sure). But when I got them and started using them my daughter would just run as soon as I pulled one out. I looked through the whole program and it was sometimes just to opened ended. Now if they have been rewriting A/O maybe its different now then it was 8yrs ago when we firs started. I don't know. CLE has been rewritting their own curriculum and let me tell you its a thousand percent better than A/O. Anything that is CLE Sunrise Edition is better than A/O. The lessons are seperated, as well as quizzes. The teacher manuals are helpful ( where as when we had A/O the manuals were a waste of paper). Its just an all areund 'meaty' program for being a workbook style curriculum. Your child definitely will get a good education by using it. Now if you want a gentle approach , which there is absolutely nothing wrong with that either. Ace is better. But A/O still needs to work on their curriculum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 where does one see samples of Ace? is it religious or secular? If religious, from what perspective are they? Can those of other faiths use them comfortably? How do they handle labs in high school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KayT Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Christian Book has samples of ACE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Paces are politically incorrect and unabashedly old school Protestant. As much as I admire their scope and sequence, they are totally inappropriate for some families, who cannot find a way to adopt a sense of humor about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3browneyedboys4me Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 Paces are politically incorrect and unabashedly old school Protestant. As much as I admire their scope and sequence, they are totally inappropriate for some families, who cannot find a way to adopt a sense of humor about them. :iagree: I am not bothered by it, nor my children. We just look beyond the cartoons and 'life lessons' and look at the work. But, I have boys and chances are unless it was something amazingly entertaining they wouldn't read it unless they had to!!:tongue_smilie: I think it would be a huge turnoff for someone of a different faith. As we are Christian, I can manage through it and not find it offensive. However, if you are another faith, you might want to get your hands on it and look through it first. You might try looking at the samples on http://www.christianbook.com. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Are you still liking it? I have ordered the first PACE for three subjects for each kid to test it. I did the same for Lifepacs. They have tried CLE and my youngest is ok with it. The older ones complained about it being so old fashioned, too much sentence diagramming, etc.... However, after placing my orders I am reading more and leaning towards ACE. In fact, so much so that I think I will just have them start with those and not even introduce Lifepacs (are they returnable if unused?) Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I am an ACE user too. I would not want to use it for 12 years for 6-7 subjects because no matter how much "humor" I adopt about certain things, I believe what filters into my children matters. I'm also hesitant to teach my children to laugh at the beliefs and ideology presented in the Paces, because we have IRL friends who have similar beliefs. Shall I teach my children to laugh at people with different beliefs? But I use ACE just for Word Building, and I would be fine using it for some other subjects as well but I have other resources I prefer for all of my other subjects. The wonderful thing about ACE is that it gives me a breather in that subject. It's so easy to implement and very thorough, predictable and even portable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Ok, so my question to all of you (and I haven't ever seen PACES but I have ordered a few workbooks to check it out that aren't here yet)......what other curriculum is independent that IS more politically correct? The sit around the table and do work together isn't working anymore. I am sick and tired of the heavy groans and sighs and my oldest particularly just needs something with check off boxes that he can do ON HIS OWN so that we don't kill each other and he actually gets some work done. I know workbooks aren't ideal, but we are at the very end of our "you get the privilege of homeschooling" rope and I am about to lose it. Is Calvert workbook based? Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hearts4homeschooling Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Having a sense of humor, doesn't involve mocking in my opinion. Calming Tea you are right that a certain sensitivity should be used when encountering different beliefs, and I might not always be as sensitive as possible, especially when I think the curriculum is mocking a certain group. Two wrongs don't make a right though, right? I've been encountering such issues in Bedell lately, and...I think I could have sometimes handled it better. My comments were not mocking, but more dismissive and hurried. "More is caught than taught." Sometimes we worry so much about what a student catches from their text. What are they catching as they observe US reading the text? Hmmm...lots to think about. Dawn I like American School for grade 8-High School. They will easily accept 8th graders if you write "N/A homeschooler" when asked about completion of the 8th grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Did you get the science? We just went CLE for Math and LA for my oldest and she LIKES it. And I'm having a new baby soon. We NEVER get science done here. Need something independent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 (edited) Did you get the science? We just went CLE for Math and LA for my oldest and she LIKES it. And I'm having a new baby soon. We NEVER get science done here. Need something independent. Also take a look at Evan-Moor Daily Science. I'm not sure what grade you are looking at. Grade 4 Five One Congratulations about the baby! :party: Edited October 11, 2012 by Hunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thowell Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Did you get the science? We just went CLE for Math and LA for my oldest and she LIKES it. And I'm having a new baby soon. We NEVER get science done here. Need something independent. My dd9 is doing the Abeka science almost completely independent and she loves it. She does the reading and questions and keeps a science journal where she adds her experiment notes and sketches she chooses to add. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 My dd9 is doing the Abeka science almost completely independent and she loves it. She does the reading and questions and keeps a science journal where she adds her experiment notes and sketches she chooses to add. So, what exactly do you need to buy for A Beka science? Just the text? They always have SO many books listed - answer keys, teacher's guides, blehblehbleh :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaneP Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyagain Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 For those of you that went with Paces, I'd love to hear how it's going for you!:) I'm looking into using either Paces or Lifepacs for next year (or maybe next semester) because I'm just worn out. I have a few samples of both and while "I" prefer the Lifepacs, it looks like the repetitiveness of the Paces will work better with my kids with learning disabilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 We switched to CLE for LA/Math and so far so good. Picking up some PACEs in the new year for some other subjects that NEVER get done here like SS and Science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 I have a few samples of both and while "I" prefer the Lifepacs, it looks like the repetitiveness of the Paces will work better with my kids with learning disabilities. I know exactly what you mean. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thowell Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 So, what exactly do you need to buy for A Beka science? Just the text? They always have SO many books listed - answer keys, teacher's guides, blehblehbleh :). She is doing the 4th grade level and we have just the text. Not sure if we are missing anything by not having the other books but she enjoys what she is doing and it ended up being really cheap since I got the text for $2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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