DawnL Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 My oldest is a 7th grader and this is her 4th year homeschooling. I have always been eclectic with our homeschooling but I think my daughter is old enough that she needs more. What I am giving her isn't challenging enough. I'm trying to look at boxed curriculum and see if there is something out there that would be a good fit. Something that doesn't need a lot of prep time and that gives my daughter more of the responsibility of her own education. I will be overseeing everything, of course, and helping whenever she needs it. But it sure would be nice if she could have her days planned ahead and she doesn't have to rely on me to get her stuff together. I don't know if a box curriculum is best, or if I need to just plan every single lesson for the year over the summer with the eclectic curriculum I put together for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSprout Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 What materials have you used with her successfully? I doubt you'd be able to just pick-a-box, unless it was a box of stuff that is already working for you. For us, it works much better to have a spreadsheet and a couple of key forms I made. I have a serious box-checker kiddo, and there is really not a all-in-one that would even work for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifesadream83 Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Moving Beyond the Page & Sonlight are the two I know and love at least until SWB writes an entire curriculum. I usually piece together from my favorite resources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTJo1996 Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Have you looked at Timberdoodle? I would describe their boxed curriculum as "eclectic in a box". Timberdoodle doesn't write any of their own curriculum. They basically researched the best of everything and put it into a box with some manipulatives and resource materials. It comes with lesson plans too. If I were to do a box, I would buy this. They will also customize the box. For example if you already are happy with your math choice, they will deduct the math from their box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cottonwood Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 My 7th grader is using Moving Beyond the Page this year. Its very challenging, open and go, all planned out for me with a Parent Overview section in the back that spells it all out for me. It meshes many different methods in the curriculum. Their website describes the mix of methods they have included.. Classic Education, a little Charlotte Mason, Montessori, etc. Sort of eclectic in that way, anyway. LOL We really love it and find it very rigorous. It's listed as a gifted curriculum but even so, there is usually more than one option available in completing assignments..one that is easier, one that is more challenging. You can buy the whole box or just one unit at the time if you don't want to commit without trying it. There are also samples on the website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 There are many to choose from depending on what you want. These are just a few. Calvert School Keystone K12 as an independent Memoria Press {use this at least one grade BELOW. It is rigorous!} ABeka Bob Jones distance learning Oak Meadow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capecarnation Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Please be aware that the math used in MP is at least a year behind that of Singapore Math. That was our experience. We have decided to move away from MP: * many books that were suggested in the Lit & Enrichment section of the teacher's guide are not found at any of the libraries within a 50-60 mile radius from us. Some of them are out of print, I think. The others are too expensive to purchase through MP. * math is very weak in MP for the current grade, or our son is exceptionally bright (some truth to that) * no science at the 2nd/3rd grade level * reading / writing isn't as in-depth as it could be. MP rep's stated that they intentionally do this at the lower levels to establish a foundation. Our son was bored. * Latin isn't taught as well as Songschool Latin and Latin for Children (Dr. Christopher Perrin) The MP curriculum-in-a-box looks pretty. It is not always clear as to which books you need and which ones weren't included in a shipment. We found it easy to set up the classroom and seatwork or each day, but in the end a good brick-and-mortar school and an attractive-looking curriculum package don't always amount to a quality homeschool education. Again, that is our opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stphoebe Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 If you are looking for a Classical Latin curriculum my humble opinion is Memoria Press would be rather challenging..here is the book list for 7th grade. They do suggest beginning or continuing Latin where they are. Seeing my own kids in action I realize every kid learns differently isn't that a great thing about homeschooling? Literature * As You Like It * As You Like It Student Guide * As You Like It Teacher Guide * Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare * Poetry & Short Stories: American Literature * Poetry & Short Stories: American Literature Student Guide * Poetry & Short Stories: American Literature Teacher Guide * Tom Sawyer * Tom Sawyer Student Guide (Beta) * Tom Sawyer Teacher Guide (Beta) * Treasure Island * Treasure Island Student Guide * Treasure Island Teacher Manual * Wind in the Willows * Wind in the Willows Student Guide * Wind in the Willows Teacher Guide Classical Studies * Book of the Ancient Greeks * Book of the Ancient Greeks Student Guide * Book of the Ancient Greeks Teacher Guide * Iliad * Iliad Student Guide * Iliad Teacher Guide * Odyssey * Odyssey Student Guide * Odyssey Teacher Guide Christian Studies (7-8) * Book of the Ancient World * Book of the Ancient World Student Guide * Book of the Ancient World Teacher Guide Classical Composition * Classical Composition IV: Refutation/Confirmation Student Book * Classical Composition IV: Refutation/Confirmation Teacher Guide American/Modern * College of the Redwoods Pre-Algebra Solutions Manual * College of the Redwoods Pre-Algebra Textbook * Geography III: Exploring and Mapping the World Student Guide * Geography III: Exploring and Mapping the World Teacher Manual * Pre-Algebra Quizzes & Tests * Pre-Algebra Quizzes & Tests Answer Key * Pre-Algebra Visual Aids * Seventh Grade Curriculum Lesson Plans Science (7-8) * Exploring Planet Earth * Exploring Planet Earth: Questions, Reviews, & Tests Latin (5+) * Fourth Form Latin Flashcards * Fourth Form Latin Instructional DVDs * Fourth Form Latin Pronunciation CD * Fourth Form Latin Quizzes & Tests * Fourth Form Latin Student Text * Fourth Form Latin Student Workbook * Fourth Form Latin Teacher Key (for workbook, quizzes, and tests) * Fourth Form Latin Teacher Manual English Grammar * Rod and Staff Grade 8 English: Student * Rod and Staff Grade 8 English: Teacher * Rod and Staff Grade 8 English: Tests * Rod and Staff Grade 8 English: Worksheets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Do you want a box of books from a single publisher, or a box of books from a single source that might consist of materials from different publishers, or do you want to enroll your dc in a distance-learning school of some kind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Calvert 7th grade will be very challenging and the manual walks the student through almost everything, every day. The grammar is a little weak, so you need to supplement if you want an extremely thorough grammar. The Online Spelling grades itself, and the only thing you need to remind your child to do, that the manual doesn't, is to study flashcards every day. If you enroll with ATS you will also have a good amount of teacher feedback and accountability. She can also actually call teachers at any time M-F 9 hours per day, if she has any trouble they will look up the lesson and walk her through it. Never use their math. The Science is very very fast paced and textbook boring. You will use 5 or 6 of the Prentice Hall Science books, and they are pretty challenging. Science gets just as much time as Writing/LA in this course, which seemed silly to me. I would rather have focused more on grammar and spent less time memorizing Science stuff. On the other hand, my son covered SO MUCH Science with Calvert this year, (and yes actually retained a lot of it), that I feel comfy skipping formal Science next year for our eclectic 7th grade. The downside is that their high school program is very different from the K-8, so even if you like 7th and 8th grades, you may not want to stick with them through high school. They are very very expensive, and not a great return policy. Also, they are very secular and you might find some objectionable assignments if you are Christian, so you would have to make your daughter aware of those. But, in the end, if you want a School in a Box that will teach your daughter how to study, how to take tests, and walk her through every step of a very challenging course, Calvert might work for you. I feel like 6th grade Calvert with ATS was like Middle School Boot Camp. It shaped my son into a study soldier!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 American School's GENERAL high school program is doable for some 7th grade girls, but I generally encourage waiting till 8th grade. The GENERAL program STARTS easier than the college prep, so can be started earlier. You can add college prep classes as electives, or add your own college prep courses or CC classes to turn the high school experience college prep. Some late middle schoolers really thrive on the correspondence school box and outside expectations. AS was a life saver for my oldest. It was the most PERFECT thing ever for HIM. If I had to name 5 things that I am most thankful for in my life, AS for my oldest son would be one of them. AS is more expensive than it was. It was affordable even for low income families. Now you'll probably need to be at least lower middle class to afford it for one child at a time. AS is accredited and legally recognized as a high school. A diploma allows an underaged student to start at the local CC as a FRESHMAN and have access to federal grants and loans reserved for freshman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Saxonhomeschooler.com has traditional content - student text with activities and resources, including TE, online for usually 100 a course. You didn't mention secular or Christian - I would say BJU if I could not mix with Abeka. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petepie2 Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 It's really going to depend on what you're already using successfully. Memoria Press is rigorous (and their Latin is awesome!), but you obviously can't jump in at any point in their writing program or Latin program or even into Rod & Staff's English 8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capecarnation Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 In my experience Memoria Press offers a well-rounded classical education, but at the 2nd/3rd grade level it just does not have a lot of meat. No science. Very little history. The math is weak. The readers at the second grade level did not interest our son, and my wife doesn't think our son is going to want to read Charlotte's Web. Their approach to teaching Latin at this level is not as good as it could be. My wife, who teaches the English/Humanities/History side of things said the Reading is hard to complete because the books mentioned are often not available at local libraries or are out of print (apparently you can pay a pretty penny to get them from MP), and the Grammar & Spelling takes too much time teaching new words and not enough time teaching how to write sentences. Even at the 4th grade level in the material she looked at the problems mentioned above still persisted. We like the "curriculum in a box" approach MP takes, we just feel it is rather incomplete. Once you get up to the 8th grade, according to the MP sales lady we talked to, you can buy the curriculum they use at the school itself, it just isn't packaged for homeschool use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenDaisies Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 In my experience Memoria Press offers a well-rounded classical education, but at the 2nd/3rd grade level it just does not have a lot of meat. No science. Very little history. The math is weak. The readers at the second grade level did not interest our son, and my wife doesn't think our son is going to want to read Charlotte's Web. Their approach to teaching Latin at this level is not as good as it could be. My wife, who teaches the English/Humanities/History side of things said the Reading is hard to complete because the books mentioned are often not available at local libraries or are out of print (apparently you can pay a pretty penny to get them from MP), and the Grammar & Spelling takes too much time teaching new words and not enough time teaching how to write sentences. Even at the 4th grade level in the material she looked at the problems mentioned above still persisted. We like the "curriculum in a box" approach MP takes, we just feel it is rather incomplete. Once you get up to the 8th grade, according to the MP sales lady we talked to, you can buy the curriculum they use at the school itself, it just isn't packaged for homeschool use.We love MP. The funny thing is I am a math and science person, so the fact that this program, which seems so weak in math and science, appeals to me so much really surprises me. We didn't start with MP, but over the last 2 years we have made the gradual transition. I think for me it is the orderliness of the products and how well they work together. I think it is the depth of each subject and the mastery achieved. The beauty of MP is how flexible they are. If you call or email, they will remove entire subjects or trade out books from their packages. Many people don't like the younger years because MP does concentrate on reading and writing skills, but there is quite a difference when you hit 4th. We don't use every product in the package. We sub out math, although I do use R&S Math for drill because Singapore does not have enough. We haven't used their science, but I am considering moving BFSU to the summer (when we have more time) and using their science during the school year. The grammar is light because it is a supplement to the Latin, and because they concentrate on handwriting in the early years, composition isn't introduced until 3rd and ramps up in 4th. Regarding out of print books, they update the lists every summer, in an attempt to replace the out of print books, but if they have a lot of stock of an out of print book, they may keep it for a bit. I do wish they offered a few choices in their Literature packages, because I would like more flexibility in making selections for each child. I believe they have plans to introduce more Literature guides, but they are releasing a new grade level per year, so it probably won't happen for a while. Eighth grade is supposed to be released this summer, followed by ninth grade the following summer and so on. Here us an article on MP's philosophy on Science: http://www.memoriapress.com/articles/nature-science Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Regarding capecarnation's comments, most boxed curriculum seem super easy in the young elementary grades, particularly the reading if you happen to have a student who picks up reading and math easily. Those same curriculum become very challenging once you hit the junior high years. So you need to be careful basing a recommendation for a seventh grader on experience with the second or third grade level of a particular program. I agree with the Calvert recommendation if you want something secular written to the student but it is very pricey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capecarnation Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 I am sure all curriculum become much more challenging in the junior high years, as they should. I still maintain that MP is a bit weak in the earlier years. I don't think it has much to do with writing being a supplement to Latin, but rather too much time is spent on spelling and writing sentences without descriptors. Being able to write descriptive sentences is not quite the same thing as writing full-blown stories or essays. That they offer Latin is not an excuse to put teaching the primary language of this country, English, on the back burner, if that is truly the case. We found another, much more in-depth and engaging Latin program and will be going with that one. MP is flexible, and we found the orderliness of the package attractive, but deep this curriculum (at least 4th grade and lower) is not. We spoke to a rep at the GHC in Cincinnati and she said that, though the 9th grade and up material is purchasable in its raw (as used in their school) format, she said it is going to be quite some time before those grades are packaged for homeschoolers. She also said that because of peoples' difficulty in being able to acquire suggested books they are looking to rewrite material to cover the resulting gaps, and/or going to using different books to help with the core. If you like boxed sets MP is one of the better ones, but if you wanting a strong assebly of courses you will have to build that yourself. We will keep an eye on MP to see if things change. I wish the OP the best :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakelly Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 I agree that Timberdoodle.com has great "grade in a box". If you are an ecclectic homeschooler, you might want to start there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capecarnation Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Mamakelly, and whoever else recommended Timberdoodle, thank you so much! I am unable to find the full listing of books used in the core curriculum packages (they can be found individually), such as the math book used, and some of the core matetials might be a little weak, but overall....wow!!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenDaisies Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 I am sure all curriculum become much more challenging in the junior high years, as they should. I still maintain that MP is a bit weak in the earlier years. I don't think it has much to do with writing being a supplement to Latin, but rather too much time is spent on spelling and writing sentences without descriptors. Being able to write descriptive sentences is not quite the same thing as writing full-blown stories or essays. That they offer Latin is not an excuse to put teaching the primary language of this country, English, on the back burner, if that is truly the case. We found another, much more in-depth and engaging Latin program and will be going with that one. MP is flexible, and we found the orderliness of the package attractive, but deep this curriculum (at least 4th grade and lower) is not. We spoke to a rep at the GHC in Cincinnati and she said that, though the 9th grade and up material is purchasable in its raw (as used in their school) format, she said it is going to be quite some time before those grades are packaged for homeschoolers. She also said that because of peoples' difficulty in being able to acquire suggested books they are looking to rewrite material to cover the resulting gaps, and/or going to using different books to help with the core. If you like boxed sets MP is one of the better ones, but if you wanting a strong assebly of courses you will have to build that yourself. We will keep an eye on MP to see if things change. I wish the OP the best :) MP may lack breadth, but what it covers, it covers to mastery and therefore depth. That said, my kids don't really start MP until 3rd grade. We already had materials we liked in the early years and I didn't see the need to change. Again, many people don't like the gentle start, but there are many who love the simplicity of the early years. The limited amount of original writing in the early grades is one of the things I like about it. I'm certainly not trying to convince you, but hope others see both sides. There is something for everyone and, as much as it surprised me, I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petepie2 Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 MP may lack breadth, but what it covers, it covers to mastery and therefore depth. That said, my kids don't really start MP until 3rd grade. We already had materials we liked in the early years and I didn't see the need to change. Again, many people don't like the gentle start, but there are many who love the simplicity of the early years. The limited amount of original writing in the early grades is one of the things I like about it. I'm certainly not trying to convince you, but hope others see both sides. There is something for everyone and, as much as it surprised me, I love it. I agree. And I think it's also about seeing education as a marathon and not a 50 yard dash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 MP may lack breadth, but what it covers, it covers to mastery and therefore depth. That said, my kids don't really start MP until 3rd grade. We already had materials we liked in the early years and I didn't see the need to change. Again, many people don't like the gentle start, but there are many who love the simplicity of the early years. The limited amount of original writing in the early grades is one of the things I like about it. I'm certainly not trying to convince you, but hope others see both sides. There is something for everyone and, as much as it surprised me, I love it. I agree that this approach is a solid one for most children and boxed curriculum generally have to aim for what works for the majority of kids. I find that true with MP and almost all other boxed curriculum I've seen. The development of children in the early elementary years is very variable and, personally, I think the worst possibility is to push too hard in the early years and turn a child off to learning. When it comes to writing in particular, fine motor skills develop later in many children and have no relation to intellectual ability. I think if a family needs a boxed curriculum and finds something they like, it's okay if it's easy in the early years. It will ramp up. How hard a child works in the early years has no relation to their future academic performance, as long as they continue to work steadily in a developmentally appropriate way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saddlemomma Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 I'm an eclectic tweaker. No getting around that. Every curricula I tried, either didn't fit because I felt it wasn't rigourous enough or it was nothing but workbooks and b.o.r.i.n.g. Thankfully, DD and I think the same way. So, my challenge was to find a curriculum that listed several avenues, with rigorous offerings, but let me tweak to my hearts content. This year I found it -- TOG! Both DD and I are so, so happy with this curriculum. By the time she finishes high school, DD will have been exposed to a great many of the great books listed on college reading lists, participate in in-depth socratic discussions, be well-versed in many different worldviews, be familiar with a variety of poetry, and get the civics she needs. We can pick and choose what we want to concentrate on for her studies from the buffet of offerings, and use their suggested primary texts, or the suggested alternate texts, or substitute our own choices from our personal library or local library by matching their threads (topics) to other books. We have had a fabulous academic experience this year because of this program. For the very first time in homeschooling I wasn't dissatisfied with our curriculum and scrambling to beef it up and wondering what I would find to try next year. I actually had fun planning each week, picking and choosing what we would focus on, and adding fun supplements -- just tweaking for fun, not out of necessity! What a blast! DD has experienced her best year yet. She has made me promise to keep using TOG through high school. She finds the books engaging and interesting. She actually told me she loved history and geography this year. While DD has always liked history, she usually finds the assigned texts boring, and she always hated geography before. Not this year. Ben Franklin is her newest hero. She is constantly talking about him. Church history was an eye opener for her too. She now realizes that both sides of the Reformation conflict did horrendous things in the name of religion, which is in direct contradiction of Christ's teaching. We had some fabulous discussions about this. While I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, for our methodology and style, I can't recommend TOG enough. Maybe that's why I never got the TOG fog everyone talks about. It's not an open and go style of curriculum. It's a buffet of educational offerings from which you make choices. If you're child is advanced - choose a higher level; if your child is struggling - choose a lower level. Don't like the primary sources or like to use SOTW; go with the alternate reading schedule. As an eclectic tweaker -- that's heaven! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbelle Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 We have been using bits and pieces of our favorite providers, using quite a bit of MP along the way and really liking it. This coming year DS1 is going to be doing MP7th grade, but we are doing our own math. I look forward to seeing how it works out! He needed a challenge and I feel like this will give him one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capecarnation Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 With a background in education, and having first-hand access to people who have taught using other homeschool curriculums, as well as relying on my own extensive research in this area, I am immeasurably confident that MP accurately represents the structured learning environment, with a Christian theme, that MP wishes to portray. The MP boxed curriculum has its faults, even at later grades, that aren't always resolvable without bringing in other curriculum, but I commend their efforts! Everyones' teaching methods, as beautifully illustrated in this thread, is different, and sometimes we as homeschool teachers have a tendency to defend our teaching styles or the learning styles of our students, rather than discuss the material itself. Even public school teachers aren't immune from this phenomenon ;) Obviously the information provided in this thread, relating to ealier versions of MP than the typical 7th grader might need, is of little relevance to the premise of this thread, but it is my hope that some reader here will take into account the range of experiences, at different 'grade' levels, partcularly with the MP curriculum, before making a purchasing decision. All The Blessings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HFClassicalAcademy Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Just caught this post and I wanted to write about my experience with boxed curriculum. I have used MP 1st and 2nd grade for one of my kids and I thought it was just right. He just started 3rd grade and it has gotten a little more challenging. I agree that MP might have it's weaknesses, but over all it is a solid program. They definitely expect mastery on all their subjects and this provides a challenging curriculum for the student. Not very hands-on, but I think it is just right for a classical style curriculum. You really have to take your child's learning style into consideration. My son is doing well with it and we have him do lots of enrichment activities through our co-op once a week (art, science lab, and religion). Outside activities also round his education out fairly nicely (piano lessons, tae kwon do, and field trips). Now he isn't my only child, I have 7 kids total. But he is the only one who has done the entire MP curriculum. My oldest is finishing 6th grade and I'm planning on doing MP for 7th and 8th grade before moving him into Kolbe. I will also be moving my second oldest into MP for 5th grade and staying with them until high school where we will also do Kolbe. As for my younger kids. My 6 year old is about to begin with MFW 1st grade and my 4 year old just started with MFW Kindergarten and Hooked on Phonics K. This works in our family because these programs don't require a lot of time and prep on my behalf. Also, these two boys learn very different from my older three, so MP wouldn't work for them. I am hoping to move them into MP and then Kolbe eventually. So as you can see...I have pretty much become a boxed curriculum gal. I used to be totally eclectic and do WTM style on my own, always pulling from different sources. But as my family has grown, I have less and less time to do this. That and I'm TIRED! I want to make it as easy as it is for me while still giving my kids a great education. We shall see what my 2 babies do when they start school!! I hope this helps someone! Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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