JadeOrchidSong Posted September 12, 2014 Author Share Posted September 12, 2014 The best thing for ds11.9 is using Apologia General Science!!! He has the daily schedule and the student notebook and lab kit besides the textbook. So he can do it totally independently. Even though he is frustrated and even sheds tears for the hard questions, overall, it is a great fit! Same is true of WWS 2. He cries, he struggles, still he make progress and does his work!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 I think the "love" in this house right now is mostly for Treasured Conversations (dd#2 & dd#3 - still in the honeymoon stage), reading St. Patrick's Summer, and whatever games of Simon Says we squeeze in between school subjects. Everything else so far is either "tolerate" or "loathing with an attitude of just-get-'er-done." There are things I think will grow on them, but it is too early in the school year to know for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 So far, this year feels very VERY packed. I don't think I've over-scheduled, but my word it just feels like we are working from sun up until sun down every day with no time for anything else and STILL getting behind. English has been a pretty big hit so far this year. DS15 likes his Comp. 2 class at Write at Home. It's not the most rigorous, but it uses fun prompts to teach skills and he's neither bored nor overwhelmed. Using Anki SRS and a list of vocabulary has been both a time-saver and helpful with memorization. Analytical Grammar is finally sinking in this year and he feels like he's really succeeding with it. Last year it was a struggle, so this is a real relief. DS15 is REALLY loving Teaching the Classics using the DVDs and Jill Pike's syllabus. He even asked if Adam Andrews taught anything else because he would take any course that he offered. Because we're doing this right now, we haven't even started with actual literature yet. Saxon Algebra 1 has been tough and LONG, but he's understanding things that he didn't when he did Teaching Textbooks in 8th grade. It eats up a HUGE portion of the day though and that is frustrating. Continually reviewing Khan Academy for geometry has been beneficial. He even started taking notes while watching the videos. Funda Funda U.S. History has been a favorite subject, but it is incredibly time-consuming; particularly with my very slow-working child. Connect the Thoughts Current Events has been a favorite as well. Lots of great discussion points. We are definitely planning to continue this every year. Karelskint's Marine Biology has been hard and maybe a bit overwhelming. He originally wanted to do it in one semester, but we've decided that it just wasn't going to happen. Though DS has the same teacher for Spanish 2 this year that he had for Spanish 1 last year, she changed the curriculum. We are finding that last year's curriculum in absolutely no way prepared him for that change. Even the teacher is fumbling around with lots of work but little direction. He's getting the work done, but we're both frustrated at the way it is beginning to pan out. Extreme emphasis on little things for studying that are graded are crowding out ACTUAL time that could be spent on other study methods more suited to the student. I appreciate her ideas, but she is spending more energy on forced studying than on actual content. Bible is a required subject and I hate both the curriculum and the teacher. DS isn't thrilled either, though at least it's pretty easy and not terribly time-consuming. He says the class is a joke and not worth his time. Extracurriculars like driver's ed and karate on top of a full day at co-op are killing me. We are gone everyday for something necessary and it's only going to get worse. We're trying to drop karate at least, so hopefully that will help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted September 13, 2014 Author Share Posted September 13, 2014 Contessa20, Where can I find Connect the Thoughts Current Events? Is it a book? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 We're hating school. Again. As always. I truly have NO idea what to do with this kid. :( :grouphug: Erin, I'm sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Contessa20, Where can I find Connect the Thoughts Current Events? Is it a book? Thanks! http://www.connectthethoughts.net/upper--current-events.php It's downloadable units. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted September 13, 2014 Author Share Posted September 13, 2014 Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 We're still finishing up our "old" stuff, but of the things we've started recently, the favorites here are Treasured Conversations (DD feels so smart since it's mostly review so far, but I make her do the copywork in cursive and that takes effort, and I'm glad we're not doing separate grammar and writing curricula) and Khan Academy Pre-algebra. She likes doing math on the computer and is proud of her progress. Not a curriculum, but a surprise hit here is graph paper. DD likes to use it for every subject, not just math. Naturally, I discovered this after I bought a 500 sheet package of notebook paper. It'll get used eventually, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tea 4 Three Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 My sister and I decided to combine our talents and worked out a deal for this year. I am teaching her three along with my own 4 mornings each week and she brings me dinner each day!! It is FABULOUS for both of us right now. My husband thinks we need to school year round. She is a fantastic cook ;) LOVE, LOVE, LOVING it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 I hummed and hawed over getting MCT all year last year and finally took the plunge with it this year. My youngest LOVES it. He's flying through it and begging for it when I tell him he has to stop for the day. My oldest is taking Minecraft Mod this year and really enjoying it. The other hits are just the same ones that were loved last year. LoF Beast Academy MBtP (just selective science and LA units) RS4K (supplement only for my youngest. He flies through them pretty quick) A variety of different puzzle type toys to help with various different skills (such as block builder, IQ Link, Equilibrio, and so on) Home Art Studio (only the youngest two love this one) I have allowed my oldest to map where he's going in science for the first half of this year. He has been requesting different things and I'll help him find books to cover those subjects. He LOVES it. I just did it because I was stuck on what to do with science for him for now. Everything else that we do has been tolerated but isn't really loved. They are more than willing to work with me on those though so long as they get the other stuff that they love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Lively Latin, including the history pages. I was shooting myself in the foot by skipping the history pages to focus only on the language with my history loving DS. I've actually heard the words "I like Latin" this year. Horizons Math was a last minute decision for DS but my instinct was right. Still loving Baird's Graded Arithmetic and I'm loving The Verbal Math Lesson for DD. Oh and Phonics Pathways. I had misjudged and underestimated PP in the past but I am really appreciating it this year. Our content subjects and extras for this year are only just getting off the ground so nothing to report there, yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaTX5 Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Still loving CLE Math :-) Switched from BJU English, R&S English, and CAP W&R to Treasured Conversations and my writing phobic 4th grader is loving it! :-) Switched from AAS to Apples & Pears and loving it! :-) (switched because I was having a hard time fitting the teaching in and my 4th grader figured out the pattern to the spelling words and would not retain the spelling instruction bc if he got one right he 'knew' which rule to follow) First time the kids are taking classes and they are loving it! (I guess it is not really a co-op as the teachers are paid and it is a drop off situation?) Everything that wasn't working at the beginning of the year we have already changed! ;-) I have learned that not everything I think will work out great at the beginning of the year will make it to the end! ETA: When I saw my signature I also remembered that we started out with MFW ECC and switched to MOH 1 as MFW was so dry and hodge podged and we are loving that too! (We did MFW Adv. in US History and he loved that, but ECC was so completely different!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathnmusic Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 CLE LA and math - so straightforward, content-packed, in daily bite-sized pieces, with lots of review built in Sequential Spelling - for the first time, no complaints about spelling, they ask to do it Abeka health, safety and manners - gets in all those topics that I've neglected with dc like importance of good posture & hygiene, how to properly greet an adult, healthy eating and body weight, etc... Phonics Pathways for my littles - they ask to do their "reading"! It's so easy for me, no teacher prep or learning curve (failed SWR here!), very simple, clear steps to reading Guitar & Robotics class for ds - he loves them Going in with 4 other families to do our own Creation science class with one dad taking lead with discussion, showing video and Q & A, we do potluck lunch afterward and playtime for kids/chat with parents - we all look forward to it each Friday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justified Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 We are loving the iPad. It just makes learning that much more interesting. DS loves Saxon 5/4 and ipad apps like Dynamic Division, Llama Drama, Mt. multiple, Love2count2. Finally gave up and bought the WWE workbooks...life is so much better. Youngest DD is loving MM2 and iPad apps like montessori add/subtract large numbers, addimals and Squeebles. She can't wait to learn multiplication like her big brother. We all tolerate FLL. It's just a necessity in my eyes. I just focus on the end result. We don't hate but maybe just drag our feet a little. We are loving Lingo Spanish app and Arbordale's audio iBooks that are in Spanish and English. This makes science planning a breeze with their included activity guides. Love that I gave up homeschooling in the mornings. The day is more enjoyable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 We are actually having a really great school year so far. Loving: CAP W&R Narrative 1 CAP Reading and Reasoning ASK science kits US History (using TQ, SL, and VP) AAR FIAR Doing the job as usual with no complaints: AAS MM WWE FLL R&S spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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