Hits & Misses for the new school year ~ care to share???

[Mom-ninja.]

Miss: Hake grammar. My ds hates it. I need to sell it and go back to GWG.

[kwg]

Hits so far:

 

Sentence Family

Discovering Science and Medicine: Disease, Outbreak, and Epidemiology

 

To be fair though we are only on day 4 or so of SF and Lesson 2 (almost 3) of the science lol but both are met with huge enthusiasm and annoyance when not on the schedule (science).

[VeteranMom]

We have just a couple of new things this year. 

 

Hits:

Hake Grammar

Tapestry of Grace

Sonlight Science E

 

Misses:

I just asked my kids and they say they "don't really hate" anything.

 

Still waiting to see:

Critical Thinking- I'm hoping it picks up soon 

[Jilly]

Hits:

 

Moving Beyond the Page

Latin at Thinker's Cap Academy

Time4Learning High School

Spencerian Handwriting

 

Misses:

 

Teaching Textbooks - My daughter likes it but is not retaining any of the information. I am going to see if that improves over time, but if not we may have to find another Algebra program. 

 

[Berta]

BIG Hit:

 

Trail Guide To Learning: Paths of Exploration. After the second day we were ready to send it back. My daughter is an avid reader and sticking to the guidelines of reading 2 pages in one book and 4 pages in another book almost threw her over the edge. Once she got past that she absolutely loved it. She cannot wait to sit down and see what is next. I have to say, I'm VERY pleased with POE, and I too look forward to our school day.

 

Hit:

 

SpellWell Bb. This is our first year using SpellWell. I was a little worried at first because the booklets looked kind of cheap and I wasn't impressed. Spelling is not my daughters best subject but she seems to like it and that is half the battle.

 

Jury is still out on Editor in Chief.

[marlowefamily]

Hits:

- Kolbe Academy Curriculum as a baseline

- Anything ancient history related, especially when we do a deep dive into the material

- Life science with the 1200x magnification microscope hooked up to the digital microscope (kids are making their own slides and are emotionally invested in learning biology)

 

Misses:

- Classical Composition has been the biggest flop

 

Jury still out on:

- The general approach of just skimming over science areas from 3rd-5th grade, the kids really seem to appreciate going in depth

- Latin (Trying both prima latina and new missal latin)

[swellmomma]

Well I got a few good hits in but most I keep missing.....



wait...that's not what you meant, is it?




:leaving:

[marbel]

Economics for Everybody seems to be a hit. 

 

Also a hit though not new:  Glencoe World history with Oak Meadow syllabus.  We started using that with other materials as part of the history rotation.  (Not using it in one year as intended.)  My daughter hated it when we started out.  We took an unintended break over the summer and when we started up again, she has decided she likes it.  I don't know if the material is just more interesting to her now or if she made a shift over the summer.

 

No real misses.  We struggle with math in this house no matter what we use.

 

The rest... don't really know yet.   Fine, I guess. No great, not bad, just... fine.

[BlsdMama]

K, 1, 3:

Miss: AAR - LOVE the program, but the activity guide isn't getting done.  What *is* getting done is Pathways readers, Ordinary Parent's Guide, and AAR tiles. :)

Explode the Code - Haven't had a kiddo NOT like it.

CLE grammar - a surprising hit

FLL - hit, as usual

SOTW - hit, as usual

 

Miss: I hate science, apparently ALL elementary science programs.  Maybe hate is a strong word and remarkably unenthusiastic is better.

 

5th & 6th:

WWE is getting done... IEW is not. 

Rod & Staff Grammar is getting done  - as it always is.  I love it, I really do.

Math - TT is getting done, Singapore - Loving it, but it isn't getting done every day right now.  We are doing LoF as well.

Piano is getting done - paying DD for giving lessons is worth it.

Latin is Mama dependent this year.  Sigh.

 

9th:

Hit: SWB's Story of the Ancient World - waiting for the accompanying study guide to come out.

We're wrapping up WW1 in anticipation of WW2. 

Windows to the World - getting done, solid.

Foeresters - Love it, definitely investing in David Chandler's DVD though.

Latin - Henle.  (I'm not teaching it, not a clue how it's going.  Nice, right?)

Shepherd Biology - DS loves it.

Miss: Notgrass - not a miss exactly, but I don't think it's very solid as a world history curric.  We're using it to add Christian Worldview, but we're just inside the beginning of it.

 

12th:

This is a wrap up year.  Not surprised or overly enthusiastic about any of it, lol, except outside courses - piano and Russian.

 

BEST HIT?  Binding all of the elementary work together by weeks!

 

[....]

Hits:

 

1.  Life of Fred Pre-algebra with biology - my daughter is loving this book right now.  It's kinda on the easy side and mostly review...but if she's enjoying it... *shrug*

2.  Kindergarten binder that I put together - I bought a huge 3-ring binder and placed a gazillion coloring pages, handwriting sheets, mazes, phonics worksheets, pattern worksheets and the first semester of MEP 1 inside.  I gave it a custom cover and my 5 yro thinks that binder is awesome.  In fact, I think she clapped when I brought it out.  Lol.

3.  A World in a Drop of Water + microscope + pond water - my 8 yro is so obsessed with this that she spent about 4 hours with it on Sunday and the entire morning yesterday.  She told me that she likes microscopic animals so much, that she can't eat.  Ahem...   :001_rolleyes:

4.  The Cat Who Went to Heaven - my son is really enjoying this book.

5.  The Great Chocolate Caper - my son likes this so much that I had to tell him to calm down when we were doing the first lesson.

 

Misses:

 

1.  Structure.  My kids are weirdos and do not do well with structure.  I have no idea why this is.  It's only our 3rd week and I've already had to loosen the reigns.  If I schedule things out, they resist.  Resistance is futile, People.   :coolgleamA:  

[SorrelZG]

The K binder is pure brilliance. My littles have binders but not with so much cool stuff, just tracers and math pages. Now I have some great ideas! Thanks, Evanthe!

[BarbecueMom]

Hits:

 

Singapore Math

 

Zaner-Bloser K (he loves handwriting, once he realized it wasn't just tracing handprints!)

 

Evan-Moor Beginning Geography

 

 

Misses:

 

Miquon. :-( We're going to keep at it a bit longer, but DS5 doesn't like it. He uses the rods just fine with Singapore and the Education Unboxed videos, but the Miquon sheets just aren't clicking with him. I'm noticing he has problems focusing on the pages written in certain colors, so I may copy into B&W and see if that helps.

 

Most of the picture book read alouds I've chosen this year have been flops.

[MotherOfBoys]

BIGGEST HIT: MY SCHEDULE! LOVE IT!!!!! and

           WWE1, he likes that it's short. He said he "would do short things like that all day"

 

Hits: Climbing to Good Engish, son likes the simple directions and says "I love this school mom."

        MM was a hit all summer, he likes that it's right to the point and then he is back off to the races.

 

 

Still out: SoTW1, as much as I want him to like this, the first story was a dud today. I think tomorrow, Egypt, will be better though

 

Misses: mom's homemade memory work, I need activities to make the continents and oceans more memorable I guess. Slow and steady we will keep plugging along. Maybe switch to the next memory thing which is the books of the bible for awhile and then come back?

 

I think I'm going to find a book or fun worksheets on continents that don't involve much writing. Wish me luck!

[krismoose]

Hits:

VP Self-paced online NT/Greece/Rome

Latin for Children Primer A online

BJU Math 3 with DL videos online. We fast forward through large sections once he understands the concept, he likes that :)

 

Can you see a trend :)

 

Ds also likes BJU Science 3, it's bite-size and somewhat independent.

 

Jury is still out on IEW All Things Fun & Fascinating, even with me doing the writing... *I* like it though. :)

[Twilight Woods]

Hits:

Being Home. 

TFL

OM Beginning Recorder

ETC

 

 

Misses:

Anything school related. 

Writing. 

 

We are currently using MM which she is fine with not overjoyed.

WWE 2-MEH,

SOTW 1- Completely not interested so I am going to use Adventures In America.

We havent started science yet.... I am thinking Sassafras.... 

 

I am thinking about just going with SWSV and GWG since we are currently using Spectrum workbooks until we figure things out a bit more. 

She also said she wanted to go back to AAR..... 

 

Maybe by Jan we will have a definite plan. ;)

[ladydusk]

Misses: mom's homemade memory work, I need activities to make the continents and oceans more memorable I guess. Slow and steady we will keep plugging along. Maybe switch to the next memory thing which is the books of the bible for awhile and then come back?

 

I think I'm going to find a book or fun worksheets on continents that don't involve much writing. Wish me luck!

Geography Songs are a hit here. Even my then 3 year old could sing the Continents and Oceans.

 

ETA I'm not big into workbooks but the Evan Moor Befinning Geography (K-2) book is outstanding.

[IHaveNoIdeawhatIAmDoing]

 

ETA I'm not big into workbooks but the Evan Moor Befinning Geography (K-2) book is outstanding.

 

 

We tried Beginning Geography this year and there were activities in it that we couldn't do because they would ask us to cut things out when we needed what was on the other side of the page. Was it just my copy or was yours like that too?

[swellmomma]

books like Evan moor books are made to be photocopied to be used.

[ladydusk]

We tried Beginning Geography this year and there were activities in it that we couldn't do because they would ask us to cut things out when we needed what was on the other side of the page. Was it just my copy or was yours like that too?

It's designed to be copied. I have three kids, so I wanted to make copies nyway. I try to purchase reproducible books because of that.

[BarbecueMom]

We tried Beginning Geography this year and there were activities in it that we couldn't do because they would ask us to cut things out when we needed what was on the other side of the page. Was it just my copy or was yours like that too?

They are supposed to be copied, but I'm out of ink. It happened to us once so far, so we just used the non-cutting side first, then went back to the cut-and-paste activity. If both sides need cutting, I'll get copies.

[SweetMissMagnolia]

History is a hit this year-(3rd grade abeka)--in the previous years I've tried notebooking history and using TSOTW book but he never really showed interest. Health isn't going so well. He THINKS he knows everything already and is kind of resistant to doing it.I'm trying to decide if we're going to keep it in our schedule,go through it and touch on things he really needs to learn,or just put it aside for now-haven't really decided yet....

[mommyto4]

Everything is going well so far... still loving Singapore, SOTW, and ETC.  I was a bit worried about ES Earth Science for the Logic Stage, but we are loving it!  And WWS1 is going well so far too!

 

Very, very relieved everything is working so far!

[SorrelZG]

Added WWE 2 and MM Blue and I'm here to add them both to my hits list although MM Blue is not working out as originally planned. Not in a bad way, just a different way. If I'd foreseen this I may have bought the complete MM Blue instead of just the 1-3.

[macmom28]

2.  Kindergarten binder that I put together - I bought a huge 3-ring binder and placed a gazillion coloring pages, handwriting sheets, mazes, phonics worksheets, pattern worksheets and the first semester of MEP 1 inside.  I gave it a custom cover and my 5 yro thinks that binder is awesome.  In fact, I think she clapped when I brought it out.  

 

Would love to know your sources for some of these pages!   :thumbup1:

[Wildiris]

Biggest Miss: is Life of Fred Fractions. It's just too wordy and lightweight for DD. Everything else is perfect.

[PeterPan]

La Clase Divertide--This man can really move a class!  Uses a textbook with lots of online resources, which explains why some kids who have struggled with languages are doing well in it.  My dd actually looks forward to the class sessions.  Very, very pleased so far.

[Clear Creek]

Our biggest hit of the year by far is our new Friday afternoon tradition.  We sit around the dining room table as a family and everyone enjoys a hot or cold beverage (I have kids who will drink hot cocoa in this Texas heat, lol) and a baked treat like brownies, and each of the kids gets the chance to share something interesting they learned in science and/or history and their best (in their opinion) piece of written composition.  I read some poetry and maybe a short story.  The kids really enjoy this time, and I think it gives them a sense of purpose to all that they study during the week - everything seems more important to learn if it might be discussed on Friday afternoon, and they write with the goal of producing a piece that they can share with pride.

 

 

 

[swellmomma]

We had our first week of school lite so now I can actually post to this thread.

Hits thus far Handbells, my kids were mad when they learned they would not be practicing when they went to gramma's this weekend.  They are loving them.  And Konos.  I got it for the youngers and they love it, dd14 quite enjoys it though she is not required to do it.  ds15 is not as thrilled, but then again he is not thrilled about anything related to school.  We don't have any misses yet, but the year is still young, I am sure by the time we are done week 4-5 I will have a few misses to list.

[Hoot]

Our biggest hit of the year by far is our new Friday afternoon tradition.  We sit around the dining room table as a family and everyone enjoys a hot or cold beverage (I have kids who will drink hot cocoa in this Texas heat, lol) and a baked treat like brownies, and each of the kids gets the chance to share something interesting they learned in science and/or history and their best (in their opinion) piece of written composition.  I read some poetry and maybe a short story.  The kids really enjoy this time, and I think it gives them a sense of purpose to all that they study during the week - everything seems more important to learn if it might be discussed on Friday afternoon, and they write with the goal of producing a piece that they can share with pride.

 

I really love this.  We may try it.

[Tranquility7]

Laughing Lioness, I'll happily post a pic of our maps ~ I just have to take one & then figure out how to post or link to it :).  Check back often!  Haha!  And yes, it's flat.  We store it by sliding it behind the bookcase.  LOVE!

 

Hey, did you ever get a pic of this?  I've been planning to do the same thing but can't figure out the best way to mount the maps on the foamboard.  How did you do it?

[bobbeym]

Confirmed hit for Notgrass Exploring America. It's the only class that had everything completed last week.

 

I think Power Basics Geometry and Fallacy Detective will be hits but it's too soon to tell.

 

Complete miss - DH keeping up with everything daily.  Way too much work wasn't done last week. I'm trying not to stress over it.

 

[madteaparty]

We're still in ramp up mode. Really loving Galore Park for English. I bought the full set of MCT and I cannot call it a miss, because *I* was too intimidated by it and did not attempt to teach, it was far, far too much for us. Galore Park is excellent; it is not clear to me why it isn't a more popular curriculum.

[Vida Winter]

La Clase Divertide--This man can really move a class!  Uses a textbook with lots of online resources, which explains why some kids who have struggled with languages are doing well in it.  My dd actually looks forward to the class sessions.  Very, very pleased so far.

 

My daughter took his classes for 2 years. We love Senor Gamache!

[tabinfl]

Some we used last year, and it's still working well (SM, ETC, AAS). Still feeling out some of the rest, but a few stand out already.

 

Hits:

Reflex Match (online facts drills) -- the kids ASK to play! Dreambox too, but we knew this from last year

Song School Latin -- fun, and they're really enjoying learning word roots/derivatives

Atelier art -- about my weakest subject ever, so the step-by-step & videos are awesome for me, plus I like them learning the fundamentals instead of just doing random "art" projects and not getting any of what's behind it

 

Misses:

Reading Eggspress -- used Reading Eggs last year, and it worked well. The next level, though, is very hard to navigate & not really a next step -- more like a few steps down the road

Life of Fred -- I don't know. The stories are fun & engaging, but it's a bit fluffy even for the kids

Sticking to my overly-ambitious weekly schedules. I need to plan out three weeks a month and leave the fourth to finish everything left un-done from the first 3

[M&M]

Hit

 

Not starting school this week and renting a house at the beach.

[Mrs Twain]

New hits

 

School Composition for Use in Higher Grammar Classes (Maxwell, 1902)

(I returned my copies of WWS and am using this instead. I am so happy!)

 

IEW Fix-It

This is our replacement for Editor in Chief, and I think it is very good so far.

 

We joined CC this year. It is getting many goals accomplished which I had wanted to do but was not doing well by myself at home, including memorizing the timeline and more history, and especially public speaking.

 

Mind Benders. Good logic practice for 5th grade.

 

R&S Spelling plus Spelling Power. I just wish I had started R&S Spelling earlier with my eldest child.

 

Evan- Moor Daily Reading Comprehension. This is just what my kids need for test practice.

 

Studies Weekly as a supplement for science and history/Civics. This is independent and seems to be very good quality. I am using the tests that go with it as open-book quizzes to test retention.

 

Lots of old hits, too:

R&S English

Horizons math

CWP

IEW writing

BFSU

Mapping the World with Art

[macmom28]

Hit

 

Not starting school this week and renting a house at the beach.

:wub:  :wub:  :wub:

[Guest]

We're still "ramping up", but SOTW as a bedtime story for my Ker is a hugely surprising hit; I was planning on playing the CDs as "background noise" but he loves the library book, so I'm renewing it.

 

It's too early to tell about Saxon K, but he loved the first lesson and my first "21st century kid using a 20th century curriculum" moment was when the teacher's manual said to give him 5-10 to "make something with pattern blocks"  and instead of a flower or a triangle, he wanted to make an animated video like the lego videos and didn't want to stop after 2 1/2 hours.

 

[NatashainDFW]

So far:

 

Hits

• MFW Exp-1850 history and bible are getting done!
• SM, CWP, IP all things that have been misses in the past
• A Reason for Handwriting transition book....who knew that cursive was the answer?
• Life of Fred - we are quickly going through the elementary series and ds is loving it

Misses

• MFW K - love the layout and the idea but I need to ramp it up because it is just so far behind her

[4ofus]

Hey, did you ever get a pic of this?  I've been planning to do the same thing but can't figure out the best way to mount the maps on the foamboard.  How did you do it?

 

 

I did do this & just came online to try & figure out how to post a pic.  

 

 

 

Sorry it's so small.  It seems it was too small, or too big :).

 

Anyhow, here's my son on the kitchen floor working on some geography.  The map is propped up against the kitchen island.  Hopefully you can get the idea.

[Ameena]

Still in ramp up mode here, but so far

 

Hits:

 

~SL Core B with readers & read-alouds. DD likes the program, and I like having it all planned out. She gets a BIG kick out of the timeline book too - I just wish there were more historical stickers for the timeline than SL gives.

~School shifted to the dining room, right off the kitchen. Very handy - I can give dd work to do on her own, and step away to shuffle laundry or do dishes quickly but still be close enough to see if she wanders. Will be lovely this winter to school next to the nice warm kitchen!

 

Misses:

SL Core B Science. While I love the books - it's not meaty enough for my tastes, but dd is okay with it. We'll stick with it a few more weeks & try to make it work. Might look for something to dovetail with it to supplement.

 

[Tranquility7]

 

I did do this & just came online to try & figure out how to post a pic.  

 

 

IMG_3032.jpg

 

Sorry it's so small.  It seems it was too small, or too big :).

 

Anyhow, here's my son on the kitchen floor working on some geography.  The map is propped up against the kitchen island.  Hopefully you can get the idea.

 

 

Pic looks great, that is exactly what I'm trying to do!  How did you mount the map to the foam board?  What kind of glue?

[AmandaVT]

Hit so far:

 

AAS - huge hit with both DS and I. We've been finishing each lesson with a few rounds of hangman on the whiteboard too which he loves. He's also been walking around quizzing DH and I on the phonogram cards. 

Math Mammoth - so far so good. Pretty easy for him so far, but I'm guessing it'll pick up.

Lollipop Logic - he loves it

FLL - I never thought my kid would like memorizing poems so much! 

Bike Riding - we've been going almost every day and he's quickly getting too fast for me to keep up.

 

Miss:

SOTW. :-( I'm super bummed about this and am hoping that he just needs a little more time before he enjoys it. I can't figure out why he doesn't like it. He loves being read to and loves maps, so I figured he'd be all over this one! We've tried it 3 times and he morphs from a happy, eager to learn kid to a fidgety 5 year old who whispers "The Caterpillar" while I'm trying to read to him. My only thought is that he's still young and I don't want to push it. 

[4ofus]

Pic looks great, that is exactly what I'm trying to do!  How did you mount the map to the foam board?  What kind of glue?

 

 

It's a peel-on, peel-off dry erase map I found at Home Depot right before we started for the semester.  I would have never thought to look there, it was a total surprise!

 

We already love maps & this just brought our interaction with them up a notch :).

 

Good luck!

[umsami]

Hits:  Math in Focus, Galore Park English

 

Misses: BraveWriter Arrow (although may be too early to tell).

[Aloha2U]

CAP's Writing & Rhetoric (Book 1: Fable) is officially a hit!

[Mom0012]

So far,

 

HITS:

 

AG is a big hit.  I love how streamlined it is. I just hope it sticks for BOTH of my kids. 

 

SWR - returning for a final few months with this after switching to Megawords for the last 1 1/2 years.  We can be done with spelling by December instead of 2 1/2 years from now.  Yay!

 

SL Core H - Sonlight has always been a favorite here.  I love hearing my little girl telling me how much she loves the book she is reading.  I love reading with my kids.

 

Saxon Math - perfect fit for my super bright "Perfect Paula".  I feel like I will be set through high school with this for her.

 

Bulging Box of Horrible Science - This is what my dd will be doing for science this year until she finishes these books.  Easy, but extremely engaging, fun reading for my dd, who has a very full schedule.

 

OSU Spanish - A breath of fresh air after another online program we tried.  Again, I feel like I'm set all the way through AP Spanish with this if it continues to be so great.

 

Apologia Science class for my son - He was so nervous the first day, he almost had an anxiety attack, but he came out so happy because he felt successful and because the other boys were so incredibly nice and welcoming.  This is a perfect fit for him because of the mp3 and the conversational tone of the text.

 

 

MISSES:

 

Writing for my son - I'm winging it and not 100% sure what I should be doing.  Focusing on outlining and writing from an outline and summarizing from newspaper articles.  It actually isn't going badly.  I just don't feel super confident that I'm doing the right thing with him.

 

Our Schedule - I really overscheduled this year and we're really going to be under the gun to get all of our schoolwork done during the week once our remaining coop classes start.

 

 

Hey, I'm feeling better already!  I haven't felt like this year was going to be so great, but when I see how many things are working well for us, it kind of gives me a lift.  Sort of like a gratitude journal. :001_smile:

[Mom0012]

La Clase Divertide--This man can really move a class!  Uses a textbook with lots of online resources, which explains why some kids who have struggled with languages are doing well in it.  My dd actually looks forward to the class sessions.  Very, very pleased so far.

I'm glad to hear about this.  We used the elementary program, and I've been considering his high school program for my son.  When did you have to register in order to get a spot?

[lots of little ducklings]

 

 

Tea time with read alouds and poetry every afternoon. They absolutely love this! The big girls are allowed to watch a video while the toddler naps, and it was always a struggle to transition out of that when she woke up. Now they look forward to her getting up because we set the table with linens and candles and flowers, make fancy tea and cookies, and use the fancy china.

 

Brilliant! I'm copying this one. Thx for sharing!

[My3girls]

Grade 6

 

Hits... Math Doesn't Suck, Writing With Skill, The Secret Garden, and The Lost World

 

Still out of review... BFSU, Sequential Spelling, OUP Ancients, LoF, Vocab from Classical Roots

 

No misses yet.

 

Grade 2/3

 

Hits... Usborne Encyclopedia of World History, ETC (for the girls... I'm not sure they are really learning anything)

 

Misses... Anything by Magic School Bus apparently.  I thought they were appropriate for their reading level (and still do), but they seem to think these are for little kids because the ps they went to showed the movies in K and 1st.  I'm all but you didn't read the books! 

 

Still out for review... BFSU, FLL2, WWE2, SpellWell, LoF

 

They are complaining that MM is too hard, but I think it's just not easy so they are having to adjust.  They complained about having to read so much at the beginning of the summer, but now they are reading even more for school and reading on their own in their free time.  So I am holding out hope that they will start to enjoy Math in time and appreciate the challenge.  It's hard being a Mathy mom with no mathy kids! I'm really hoping I convert at least one!  lol