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Anyone Else Addicted to Curriculum Window Shopping?


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<raising hand> Guilty!!!!

 

Around this time of the year, I find myself searching every nook and cranny on the internet to research curriculum that other people are doing and things I might want to try. Even though I do the full curriculum from Seton Home Study School, I'm still super interested in all the other things out there *just in case* we go out of the box!!

 

Anyone else a habitual curriculum shopper?

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Yes, I'm trying to decide on Science and some language arts for 3rd grade. I think we're going to be moving away from Phonics Road but we'll keep WWE and FLL. I think I'm about to pull the trigger on MCT, but I've been checking out Jr. Great Books and anything else that catches my eyes.

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Yes, I'm trying to decide on Science and some language arts for 3rd grade. I think we're going to be moving away from Phonics Road but we'll keep WWE and FLL. I think I'm about to pull the trigger on MCT, but I've been checking out Jr. Great Books and anything else that catches my eyes.

 

What's MCT? I'm really bad about the lingo here. I'm a newbie. LOL We're on our 6th year home educating but I'm abysmal at the abbreviations!

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Sure. I view it as keeping current on education trends and availability. And I enjoy the research.

 

I used to buy a lot more stuff. Now I rarely buy new stuff because for the most part I know what I want to use. This year I'm giving WWE and WWS a try. I'm happy with how my kids are doing in writing, I just need a break from putting it together myself. I'm hunting high school science. Currently contemplating conceptual physics and chemistry, maybe adding either landry summer classes or 2 day lab intensives. To be followed by whatever science they want to study via dual enrollment at either cc or university.

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There are two issues with curric. One is price, the other is thinking I can do all the programs out there at the same time. Mr Q science is free, but I just started looking at it so I don't know if it is good quality or a good fit. I had thought we would start Nancy Larson next year, but of course, as always, I'm again rethinking that choice.

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Sure. I view it as keeping current on education trends and availability. And I enjoy the research.

 

I used to buy a lot more stuff. Now I rarely buy new stuff because for the most part I know what I want to use. This year I'm giving WWE and WWS a try. I'm happy with how my kids are doing in writing, I just need a break from putting it together myself. I'm hunting high school science. Currently contemplating conceptual physics and chemistry, maybe adding either landry summer classes or 2 day lab intensives. To be followed by whatever science they want to study via dual enrollment at either cc or university.

 

I am FREAKED about High School. I have a feeling that I am going to be going out on my own. I have found very few people who actually stay with Seton throughout the HS years.

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There are two issues with curric. One is price, the other is thinking I can do all the programs out there at the same time. Mr Q science is free, but I just started looking at it so I don't know if it is good quality or a good fit. I had thought we would start Nancy Larson next year, but of course, as always, I'm again rethinking that choice.

 

Yes. I already spend 455.00 for the whole curriculum, books, lesson plans, etc so price is an issue for me as well. I'm adding to what I already have and don't want to overwhelm!

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There are two issues with curric. One is price, the other is thinking I can do all the programs out there at the same time. Mr Q science is free, but I just started looking at it so I don't know if it is good quality or a good fit. I had thought we would start Nancy Larson next year, but of course, as always, I'm again rethinking that choice.

(Mr. Q is only free for life science; his other curriculum costs $50 a pop)

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I almost never buy downloads, DVD/audios, or use free stuff. Nearly every time I ever have:

 

The computer crashed leaving me stranded without the curriculum

It was too out of sight, thus out of mind and unused.

Somehow, it actually ended up costing me much more than if I had just bought something else.

 

So now, with the rare exception of The Teaching Company DVDS for some science and history, as soon as I see the words download, free, or DVD, I tend to keep on keeping on without looking too much further at it.

 

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Yes -I just spent half an hour looking at all the samples on the HOD website even though I know I will never use it - just because people keep mentioning they love it. Once again I decided it wasn't for us - but I already knew that from the last time I checked it out LoL.

 

Surfing curriculum is my bedtime activity and getting an IPad for Christmas has really enabled that obsession because now I can do it in bed.

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I almost never buy downloads, DVD/audios, or use free stuff. Nearly every time I ever have:

 

The computer crashed leaving me stranded without the curriculum

It was too out of sight, thus out of mind and unused.

Somehow, it actually ended up costing me much more than if I had just bought something else.

 

So now, with the rare exception of The Teaching Company DVDS for some science and history, as soon as I see the words download, free, or DVD, I tend to keep on keeping on without looking too much further at it.

 

I do use "Bill Nye the Science Guy" DVDs pretty often, but yeah otherwise I know what will happen too.

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Yes -I just spent half an hour looking at all the samples on the HOD website even though I know I will never use it - just because people keep mentioning they love it. Once again I decided it wasn't for us - but I already knew that from the last time I checked it out LoL.

 

Surfing curriculum is my bedtime activity and getting an IPad for Christmas has really enabled that obsession because now I can do it in bed.

 

I have iPad envy!

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Yes, I do this all the time. It's probably the reason why we've hopped through about 10 different phonics programs in 2 years.

I, also, am swearing off pdfs. They won't get done.

 

 

I just acquired a new writing program this week, but I'm still researching others...

 

The one thing I can say to my defense is that I rarely actually USE them and then quit. LOL

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It's a terrible problem here. My husband will tell me to "give it a rest," but he doesn't understand what fun it is. Unfortunately, I think I pretty much have made the decisions for next year and just need to do the actual buying.

 

My DH is like that too, but then he says he's so grateful to me that our daughter's schooling means so much to me that I'd spend so much time on it.

 

EEEEEEEK - does that mean I am one of those horribly selfish home schoolers that Pastor was talking about in that blog??? OH NOOOOOO!!! <LOL>

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I am. I just caved to MCT and now I'm investigating the higher levels of it, as well as high school sciences. Math is also a favorite to research, because I know DD will eventually be moving away from Math-U-See.

 

 

I was really intrigued by Math-u-see for a long time. We wound up not switching to it and kept on Seton Press Math, but I liked it a lot.

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Yes. Oh yes. I have been on a strict budget the past few months, but got a big job yesterday and so this morning . . . shopped! I bought the HOE verbal problems book, which we'll use this summer, and then saw Halcyon's post about Human Odyssey being such a great price on Amazon, so I bought that too even though we won't need it for a year! Over Christmas break I bought Jacob's Algebra, Zaccaro Algebra, and Kiss My Math, even though all that is at least a year away too!!

 

No more buying *anything* till February. Unless a copy of LOF PreA w/ Econ or Physics pops up on eBay . . . . :lol:

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Yes. Oh yes. I have been on a strict budget the past few months, but got an big job yesterday and so this morning . . . shopped! I bought the HOE verbal problems book, which we'll use this summer, and then saw Halcyon's post about Human Odyssey being such a great price on Amazon, so I bought that too even though we won't need it for a year! Over Christmas break I bought Jacob's Algebra, Zaccaro Algebra, and Kiss My Math, even though all that is at least a year away too!!

 

No more buying *anything* till February. Unless a copy of LOF PreA w/ Econ or Physics pops up on eBay . . . . :lol:

 

 

Oh that sounds so fun!!!!!! I want to buy!!!!

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Unless you buy during the January sale (runs through tomorrow the 20th!) Then it's $25 per download. That's not a bad price for such a meaty curriculum.

 

 

Wow - 50% off is a great price! I have already chosen our science or I would be seriously tempted. LOL However, it's PDF's and online. I know what will happen with those...<crickets>

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I get sucked into MCT too lol. I have been bouncing back and forth with Memoria Press and MCT for grammar. Honestly though I don't know where dd will be in 6 months. DD tends to go in spurts and bursts, so she will be where she is and then jump a whole grade ahead in a few weeks.

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I get sucked into MCT too lol. I have been bouncing back and forth with Memoria Press and MCT for grammar. Honestly though I don't know where dd will be in 6 months. DD tends to go in spurts and bursts, so she will be where she is and then jump a whole grade ahead in a few weeks.

 

 

I am finding this too. At the start of this year, Melissa was still an abysmal speller. Now She can get 100%'s on her first pretest of the week. I notice her spelling has made a HUGE LEAP. I am wondering now if she needs enrichment, or to just let her basque in the glow of A+'s!!! :)

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We currently piece together our whole curriculum, but occasionally I get really tempted by box programs. Memoria Press always catches my eye, as well as MFW. Um, and Winter's Promise, but luckily they get pretty poor reviews here, LOL. But their catalog is so lovely...

 

 

Ahhhh, the catalog. I can feel the paper in my hand and the slick way the pages turn. I can smell the ink and the paper. I adore it when the catalog comes in. I read every single page and dream about what's upcoming in our journey....

 

I'm a geek. I embrace it.

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I spent the morning printing out the Mr. Q Advanced Chemistry I bought for DD next year and putting it in a 3-ring binder. I was tempted to get the elementary chem for DS, but he'll be using Ellen McHenry's The Elements and Tiner's Exploring the World of Chemistry because I already have those from when DD used them. I may spring for the MP guide to the Tiner book since it's only $8.

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I spent the morning printing out the Mr. Q Advanced Chemistry I bought for DD next year and putting it in a 3-ring binder. I was tempted to get the elementary chem for DS, but he'll be using Ellen McHenry's The Elements and Tiner's Exploring the World of Chemistry because I already have those from when DD used them. I may spring for the MP guide to the Tiner book since it's only $8.

 

 

See now, THAT is a smart lady!!! Print it up when you get it and then you'll be ready when the time comes. I always put that part off.

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For dd right now at 5 we are working on multiplication facts and understanding how it relates to division. Honestly the only thing holding us back from moving on in Singapore Math is the memorization of the facts, though she really loves SchoolHouse Rock on youtube. I am going to just work on the facts and practical uses of the facts until next school year and probably skip 2b and move onto 3a for next year in September. She's been fascinated with the universe and tectonic plate movements for close to a year so we will be doing Mr. Q science (earth) next year and I am trying to find some really good age appropriate outside reading for next year. She also loves loves loves grammar. She can identify the basic parts of speech--articles, nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc.

 

Next year we will be doing Spanish, Greek and Latin because she's fascinated by language. We might even toss in some Mandarian Rosetta Stone because she absorbs languages.

 

She's difficult sometimes because she absorbs so much so quickly and she's one of those kids who gets frustrated if she already knows it and I encourage repetition

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For dd right now at 5 we are working on multiplication facts and understanding how it relates to division. Honestly the only thing holding us back from moving on in Singapore Math is the memorization of the facts, though she really loves SchoolHouse Rock on youtube. I am going to just work on the facts and practical uses of the facts until next school year and probably skip 2b and move onto 3a for next year in September. She's been fascinated with the universe and tectonic plate movements for close to a year so we will be doing Mr. Q science (earth) next year and I am trying to find some really good age appropriate outside reading for next year. She also loves loves loves grammar. She can identify the basic parts of speech--articles, nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc.

 

Next year we will be doing Spanish, Greek and Latin because she's fascinated by language. We might even toss in some Mandarian Rosetta Stone because she absorbs languages.

 

She's difficult sometimes because she absorbs so much so quickly and she's one of those kids who gets frustrated if she already knows it and I encourage repetition

 

 

Wow - you have a great little learner!! Mel is almost 10 and still working on the multiplication facts and basic division.

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See now, THAT is a smart lady!!! Print it up when you get it and then you'll be ready when the time comes. I always put that part off.

 

 

Yep. That's what I have to do to. I have to get it all organized for the year and printed and everything. My incentive tI do that is pretty dern low. So I usually don't plan to use those materials any more. :)

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Yep. That's what I have to do to. I have to get it all organized for the year and printed and everything. My incentive tI do that is pretty dern low. So I usually don't plan to use those materials any more. :)

 

So...does that mean I should be searching my hard drive for all the PDF's I downloaded and print them up now??? LOL

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I spent the morning printing out the Mr. Q Advanced Chemistry I bought for DD next year and putting it in a 3-ring binder. I was tempted to get the elementary chem for DS, but he'll be using Ellen McHenry's The Elements and Tiner's Exploring the World of Chemistry because I already have those from when DD used them. I may spring for the MP guide to the Tiner book since it's only $8.

I'm trying to figure out a way to fit in Mr. Q's advanced chem. Bah humbug.

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