Sorry, one more question about CW Homer....

[Kfamily]

and I've just done a search and probably should have thought about that sooner but I still have one more question. DD11 will not have had a heavy background in grammar or comp. but we will finish WT2 (which is supposed to be followed with CW Homer) in Jan. and I think I will purchase everything early to get a look at it myself and start the Harvey's grammar right away (is this a good idea?). My question is should I get Homer A or Homer for older beginners? Is is too behind for a 7th grader to be in Homer A and maybe just starting B? I'm thinking this is good for us as we are just beginning.

 

Thanks again!!

[HollyDay]

Personally, I would start with Homer A. It is a huge leap in skill and teacher learning curve.

 

Grammar wise, I would consider another program to go with Homer other than Harvey's if you have not covered a fair amount of grammar. I use Harvey's more as a review tool rather than a complete grammar program.

 

Just my 2 cents

[Kfamily]

I was thinking we should start with Homer A. Another grammar program I was considering was Growing with Grammar grade 6. Would this combine well?

 

Thanks!:001_smile:

[Patricia in WA]

I will preface this by saying that I do not own the Harvey workbook so I don't know if it is done differently in the workbooks but.....

 

In the Homer B workbook (just because that is the one that was sitting next to me) the grammar lessons in Harvey do not coordinate with the grammar analysis you do in the model. For example, in Week 17 The Harvey assignment is the colon. The grammar analysis in the lesson is on parsing conjunctions. The core has almost everything* you need to teach about conjunctions but the colon is not discussed in the Homer workbook for Week 17 at all. You could easily bring it into your lesson but the workbook doesn't address it that week or in the weeks that follow.

 

To me this is beneficial if I want to use another program other than Harvey. I don't have to rearrange chapters to fit Homer. I just plug away at the next topic introduced in whatever grammar text I want to use.

 

 

* I say 'almost everything' because some people need more information if they are not familiar with conjunctions. You could easily find it in Harvey's or whatever Grammar book you are using.

 

 

As to your Homer A or Older Beginners question, well, that is a bit more difficult. Do you think she will need the slower pace of Homer A and B? Do you think she will pick up the concepts quickly and be able to forge ahead? It does get pretty heavy. The 6 sentence shuffle and all the parsing can be difficult at first. My DD at 11 would not have handled a faster pace well and she is strong in grammar but not strong in getting her ideas down. You can always speed up if you find A and B too slow for her. I believe the main difference is that A and B take the skill levels slower giving the child more weeks with each skill to master them. Older Beginner has less time on each skill so as to teach all the skill levels in one year.

 

HTHs,

[Kfamily]

I am settled on Homer A. Now to decide on Harvey's or GWG. It is good to know I don't have to use Harvey's. I am being such pest because I really want to stick with a good program. I saw that GWG will have a grade 7. Isn't Diogenes after Homer? Is a grammar program needed at this level?

 

 

Thanks for putting up with too many questions.

[Patricia in WA]

Well I just pulled Diogenes out and that is another different beast. :D

 

DD is starting it sometime in the near future and to be honest I am afraid to even open it. :001_huh: But I did just for you...quickly and I did not linger long. :tongue_smilie:

 

 

Harvey is scheduled in Diogenes as well. It continues to say optional which to me means use Harvey or any other grammar program you want. As I mentioned before I am still undecided if we will formally study grammar. I like the applied approach in CW and can't find room in the schedule for more expecially when the 7 year old is thrown in the plans.

 

I believe Harvey can be found somewhere online for you to look over before you buy it. Found it here. The layout is a little bit different but not by much. It will give you a good idea is it is what you want or not. GWG is a great program also, so do not despair if Harvey seems daunting. Also have you read this one?

 

I enjoy answering questions on the programs my family enjoys. Keep asking....... although I am leaving now for hours and hours of my sons' baseball games.

 

HTHs,

[HollyDay]

I use GWG with Aesop and it works very well.

[Kfamily]

I'm still deciding between the two grammars but I feel good about where I am and know that we will go with Homer A.

 

I feel much better.

Thank you immensely!!

 

Now, on to French......:lol:

[Patricia in WA]

French.......Have you looked at Galore Park? :D

[Jackie in AR]

I am settled on Homer A. Now to decide on Harvey's or GWG. It is good to know I don't have to use Harvey's. I am being such pest because I really want to stick with a good program. I saw that GWG will have a grade 7. Isn't Diogenes after Homer? Is a grammar program needed at this level?

 

Yes, you'll still have grammar in Diogenes.

 

Have you seen the Harvey's Elementary Grammar Workbooks that were written by the folks at CW?

 

If your dc will be beginning Homer, it will be a perfect time to start the first workbook. Workbooks I and II work all the way through the Harvey's elementary book as your dc moves through both Homer and Diogenes (Maxim and Chreia). The schedule to move through the books is incorporated in the weekly Homer and Diogenes lessons, which are included in the student workbooks for Homer and Diogenes.