Buying WinterPromise -- why so complicated???

[Janie Grace]

I'm trying to figure out the cost of American Story 1. But I have to go through nine steps to do so? ACK! Completer books, adventure reading, themed add-ons? What the heck -- I just want to know how much this curriculum is. Can someone give me the low down so I don't have to go through nine steps to even know if I can afford this? Thanks!

[Reefgazer]

If you think it's a difficult task figuring out the cost, just wait until you try to get your complete order shipped to you. 

 

Sorry, don't know the complete cost of the curriculum you are asking about.

[ebrindam]

I was actually wondering if anyone has ordered and found that the shipping has gotten better/faster?

[SilverMoon]

I had no problems ordering Sea and Sky a couple months ago, but that was before the website redesign. I only ordered the parts WP makes themselves, called exclusives. The books the guide schedules were much cheaper to find used elsewhere, and we didn't do the timeline.

[sassenach]

Run now, while you still can!

[bella_gitana]

I used WP years ago and recently visited their website. My goodness! I was so lost. It looks so cluttered and complicated. When I used them I only bought their exclusives, and the guides when I could not find them used. The readers I bought used or found at my library.

[Janie Grace]

You guys are scaring me! What's the deal? Slow shipping? Incomplete orders? This sounds like a great program... am I going to regret this? Thanks for the heads up on getting books elsewhere. I usually do that but was feeling lazy and put the package in my cart thinking "surely it's a good deal." Shame on me! Taking those out and will get them separately. 

[Janie Grace]

I used WP years ago and recently visited their website. My goodness! I was so lost. It looks so cluttered and complicated. When I used them I only bought their exclusives, and the guides when I could not find them used. The readers I bought used or found at my library.

The website is terrible. Sometimes when you click on the program it takes you to this step-by-step "how to buy the program" thing but then you have all these open windows each time you click on a step. Another option of clicking on the program takes you to each part of it and there is no guidance for what you're supposed to get. They need a web designer badly.

[sassenach]

You guys are scaring me! What's the deal? Slow shipping? Incomplete orders? This sounds like a great program... am I going to regret this? Thanks for the heads up on getting books elsewhere. I usually do that but was feeling lazy and put the package in my cart thinking "surely it's a good deal." Shame on me! Taking those out and will get them separately. 

You can search the boards, but WP has a long history of bad business.  It took MONTHS, and call after call, after call for me to get my full order. I had heard the complaints, but I thought surely, it cannot be as bad as people say it is.  I paid for it.  

 

You can give them a shot, but don't say we didn't tell you!

 

ETA- I didn't care for the program, either.  Totally overkill.  They would schedule 3 books that all covered the same subject, with no real purpose behind the overlap.  Not cohesive at all.

[Reefgazer]

We are using their Equine Science curriculum this year.  It's a terrific program, the people on the other end of the line are friendly and cordial, and I was charged exactly what the price said on the website.  But my order came only partially complete and I had to call repeatedly to get the rest of the order.  Then one box came, but still not complete.  Another call.  Repeat.  Repeat again.  It's like watching a fish batch spawn, except they batch spawned my books.

You guys are scaring me! What's the deal? Slow shipping? Incomplete orders? This sounds like a great program... am I going to regret this? Thanks for the heads up on getting books elsewhere. I usually do that but was feeling lazy and put the package in my cart thinking "surely it's a good deal." Shame on me! Taking those out and will get them separately. 

 

[Annie Laurie]

We are using their Equine Science curriculum this year.  It's a terrific program, the people on the other end of the line are friendly and cordial, and I was charged exactly what the price said on the website.  But my order came only partially complete and I had to call repeatedly to get the rest of the order.  Then one box came, but still not complete.  Another call.  Repeat.  Repeat again.  It's like watching a fish batch spawn, except they batch spawned my books.

 

I can't believe they still have this issue, after all these years! (I had issues something like 6 years ago, they even lied about my order on the phone.) You'd think they'd be tired of it themselves, isn't it stressful doing business this way? You'd think they would have come up with a way to get the orders out and remember it all by now. They need a web designer and a business manager. They should only be handling the creative end, apparently.

 

That said, I have an old AS 1 from 2008 I think. It's fun and colorful and has engaging books, and I do like it.

[oneddmanybooks]

Yes. Yes, I think you will regret it. I haven't tried AS1, but I did try two others (a few years ago). I just noticed the guides on my shelves again and thought that I will probably just recycle them. I usually give away my stuff, but I don't think I want to do that to anyone. I'm honestly surprised that WP is still in business.

 

Have you considered Sonlight, Beautiful Feet, etc.? Even people who don't like most SL say the American history cores are very well-done.

 

You would be better off just picking books and adding some activities on your own.

 

Run, don't walk, to the nearest exit. :)

 

You guys are scaring me! What's the deal? Slow shipping? Incomplete orders? This sounds like a great program... am I going to regret this? Thanks for the heads up on getting books elsewhere. I usually do that but was feeling lazy and put the package in my cart thinking "surely it's a good deal." Shame on me! Taking those out and will get them separately. 

 

[Shellydon]

I've used AS 1 and really liked it.  I purchased AS2 used because of the hassle of getting books though.

[SkateLeft]

I thought about using AS 1 with my youngest, because he wants to do American history next year, but I had WP shipping nightmares years ago with Animal Worlds and Sea & Sky. Then I remembered how disjointed the reading was, as if they didn't actually read the books, but only counted out the number of pages and slapped them into a schedule.

 

I think we'll either use Trail Guide to Learning's Path of Exploration, or go with Bookshark's 3rd grade. Both cover American History, and I can add the Time Traveler CDs if we need more hands on stuff.

 

Sadly, I think the catalog is the best part of WP.

[Mona]

I purchased science from them and knew better to just order exclusives and the guide from reading lots of reviews.

Those WP exclusive items took about 3-4 weeks to arrive. I was nervous, but they did arrive.

You might want to try the sister site to try out some of the curriculum and see if it will work for you.

They've broken it down some of the WP stuff in to unit studies here: http://spiritedautumnhope.com

 

[shinyhappypeople]

Maybe they've gotten better.  You'll probably be fine if you order just the exclusives, and give yourself plenty of lead time.  Then report back here on your experience :)

[teeniebeenie6]

AS1 has really great reviews. We are using an older version of it this coming year. The book selections are great. I buy only exclusives from Winterpromise and buy books elsewhere to save money. I've read customer service has been better the last couple years. If you search the boards most of the bad reviews are from years ago. I am also a part of their forum. It is quiet but there is lots of great info on the individual programs. They also have a Facebook page. You can see customer comments on there too.

 

Here is a review of AA1 which is a mix of AS1 and AC1 from one of our board members: http://www.thecurriculumchoice.com/2012/03/winter-promise-all-american-1/ She used a lot of Winterpromise items.

[warneral]

If you do it, definitely just order the exclusives from them and source the books yourself.  It sounds like, from your other thread, that the program itself is good! 

 

I have to say, the website setup is terrible!  It was pretty simple a year ago when I considered the Quest through Middle Ages program.

[kolamum]

I you're worried about slow shipping I'd suggest just obtaining the lovely WP Exclusives & obtaining your books via Amazon or Book Depository. I do this, but I live overseas so I find it lovely to just grab the Digital versions & print them out avoiding shipping all together. :)

 

For AA-1 You'd need:

 

AA-1 Guide {ebook is $10 less then the Print version}

Christian Character Traits For Kids {this is the Bible supplement so if you don't want to add Bible this is what you'd eliminate.. Again ebook is $4 less}

Early American Painter Picture Studies {ebook is $4 less}

State Study Worksheets {If you're using this theme with more then one child I'd urge you to get the digital of this so you can run off as many copies as you need for the children in your home. $5 less for the e-version}

Timeline Notebook {I'd go with a hard copy of this, especially if you live in the USA because it's beautifully done on card stock. If you all ready use a timeline you don't HAVE to have this, but we absolutely love this timeline it's perfect for storing all your NBing pages in each year..}

Optional but if you want it then you could get the Early American Trades & Crafts Kit

 

Everything else can be obtained differently if you wish.

 

I'd order the Time Traveler Cds & the US Maps {also by HSITW} from TOS because you can get free shipping every day {or use to be able to} if not order them through HSBC where you can often get free shipping. {You'll need the Explorers, Colonial Life, Rev War.. I don't think you need the others for this theme}

 

Books you'll need are:

Discoveries Of The Americas

Exploration & Conquest

The New Americas

 If You Lived In Colonial Times

Liberty! How The Revolutionary War Began

If You Lived AT The Time Of The American Revolution

How The US Government Works {the cover they show for this now isn't the one we have}

Lewis & Clark For Kids

Amazing, Impossible Erie Canal

A Pioneer Sample

They're Off Story of The Pony Express {beautiful book}

Interactive 3D Maps {check Scholastic's current $1 sale}

Easy To Make Plains Indians Tepee Village

Native Homes

Life In A Longhouse Village

Benjamin Franklin American Genius

Trailblazing Life Of Daniel Boone {adore those books by National Geographic!!}

George Washington For kids

Minn Of The Mississippi

Tree In The Trail

Westward Ho! {we ended up only reading one story from this book & skipping the rest}

The Tragic Tale of Narcissa Whitman & A Faithful History Of The Oregon Trail

Escape To Freedom

Life On A Plantation

Kids Learn America {lovely book even if you do skip the geography portion of this Theme}

The United States Of America A State By State Guide

 

The Adventure Reading are the beautiful Read Alouds so you WANT those:

Naya Nuki

The Sign Of The Beaver

Ben & Me {the only one we did NOT like, we just couldn't handle the way B. Franklin was portrayed}

Regina Silsby's War {my boys LOVED this book & are so excited to know there is a sequel, but if you are trying to remove the "christian" from this theme this is the only book you'd need to remove aside from the Christian Character trait}

Fever 1793 {LOVED}

Little House On The Prairie

Riding Freedom

The Voyage Of Patience Goodspeed

By The Great Horn Spoon

Bandit's Moon

 

A link to the correct area to see book covers & info is here.

 

HTH! 

 

We did AA-1 A few years back now & we really loved it. Just one word of warning, there are a LOT of hands on projects with the Time Travelers, we opted to do all the notebooking, but dropped some of the extra crafts & cooking. :)

[Tohru]

You can always just call them :D

[dsmith]

I bought Sea and Sky for my older special needs son, and they were very helpful. I bought digital except for the older learner's guide and the timeline (which I love!) and a few other items, and purchased most of the books used. I received the non-digital items within two weeks. They have been quick to respond to any questions. We are thinking of doing the one year American History next.

[Serenade]

You can always just call them :D

This is what I did last summer when I ordered. I laboriously went over every detail with them via phone, including expected ship date, etc. Everything came pretty much as scheduled, although I think I had to follow-up with an e-mail once. I have ordered from WP through the years, having place my first order probably 6 years ago. I have even had some serious issues with my orders. But I have found that if I follow up consistently and regularly, I don't have problems. No, I shouldn't have to do this, but I do because the materials are worthwhile.

[Jilly]

I haven't ordered from them in a while, but I wanted to say that we used AS1 when the twins were little and they loved it. They still talk about it all these years later and remember that year as one of their favorites. :)

 

If I was you I would only order the exclusives from them and get the other books somewhere else. Another option is looking on Ebay for a used set.