Blessedfamily Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 My time is so limited, I'm hesitant to join other groups. I usually just ask questions here, since so many curriculums are used here. I understand many have their own groups or forums started by users or the company or author. Do you find any of them especially helpful? Also, which curriculums have groups/forums? I think I've read here that there are groups for- Sonlight TOG Singapore Math Dr. Nebel's BFSU (which I use) (If you have a link, feel free to post it.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Depends on how confident you are and how much you "stick" to a particular curriculum. I used the Sonlight forums quite a bit for several years when they were free, and then left when I had to pay for them. When we used TOG, I found the Yahoo Group to be better than the forum. Of late I have this one that I occasionally dip into, but it's becoming less frequent. With two in the Logic Stage, I have my groove and am busier than ever. I'm not one that obsesses over curriculum though and I tend to use things as they are, so YMMV... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetbaby Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Yes! I have found curriculum forums/groups to be extremely helpful because there are experienced users of a particular curriculum who have used all grade levels and are available to answer more specific questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I find it helpful to use forums for a specific curriculum when I want help on using that program or to offer help to those who are wanting to use it. I like and use MFW and post on their forum (and moderate several mfw-customer run yahoo loops) to help others who might be trying to use it or use parts of what they offer. I've done well with the program for 6 years and want to offer helps for getting it done. Not as easy to do on a forum like this no matter what program it is. -crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I gain new insight and have questions answered at the BFSU and Miquon groups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Sonlight - I find helpful when I want to know how others are doing things and get new ideas. I enjoy the Sonlight forums just to hang out as well. Singapore math - I only go there if I'm looking for a specific answer - about the curriculum or a math problem. IEW - yahoogroup - very helpful if you are new and trying to learn the structure of IEW. This also has lots of helpful files for IEW users. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I find it helpful just to be able to step in and ask a quick question or to be able to read up on lots of posts about a particular curriculum if I am trying to decide to use it. For most of these types of forums, I can't imagine spending much time there if it's all just about one type of curriculum. I'm on the RS, IEW and SWR Yahoo Groups, but I rarely read the messages -- just every once in a while when I have a question about something. Now, I will not join the SL forums, because I know I'd want to check in over there all the time like I do here. I suspect it could be the same with TOG. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i.love.lucy Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I enjoy the HoD forums and "see" people from here over there. The author of the program and her sister (aka her editor) are on there a lot too and do provide valuable insight. It's just not as busy as here and I enjoy all the varied conversations here a lot.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I like this forum because you get the good, the bad and the ugly. Sometimes when I visit other forums it's only people's glowing reviews. I think the yahoo groups layout is frustrating and don't visit those much. I think specific forums or groups are good when you have a particular question or if you use their curriculum, but for research I like to visit here and also homeschool reviews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I used the Sonlight forums quite a bit for several years when they were free, and then left when I had to pay for them. I did that, too! I enjoyed the forums, but didn't feel they were worth paying for. Of course, I'm pretty cheap... ;) (Did I say cheap? I meant frugal.) :rolleyes: Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I like this forum because you get the good, the bad and the ugly. :iagree: I tried another forum a few times for a specific curriculum, and I read through a bunch of threads, but I found that there was very little help there - questions weren't answered quickly, or they weren't answered at all, or they were fuzzy - I'm talking about answers from the moderators, because they seemed to be the ones who did the question-answering. I like it here much better because you really do hear everything you could possibly want to know about a curriculum, from any of several thousand people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I like this forum because you get the good, the bad and the ugly. Sometimes when I visit other forums it's only people's glowing reviews. I think the yahoo groups layout is frustrating and don't visit those much. I think specific forums or groups are good when you have a particular question or if you use their curriculum, but for research I like to visit here and also homeschool reviews. :iagree: I understand that publishers don't want people to bash their products on their own board, but I don't like the unbalanced reviews. I like to know what people don't like about programs. Reading a negative review won't necessarily prevent me from buying a product. What one person hates in a program might be okay with me. Once I have actually purchased a program, I find the specific boards helpful for answering questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Oh there are a ton more. (CW, WP, AAS, MFW, ect...) For me each group has value. For example I love the SL forums, because you are free to discuss other curriculium like here on WTM. TOG forums you can't discuss other curriculium but they do have great emotional support and if you have a question about why something is the way it is you get a response from the author. It is a trade off. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blessedfamily Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Thanks for the info. I didn't realize how the other forums worked. Very informative for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahv Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Does anyone have the link for the Miquon group? I'd be interested in that one... :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama2cntrykids Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 :iagree: I understand that publishers don't want people to bash their products on their own board, but I don't like the unbalanced reviews. I like to know what people don't like about programs. Reading a negative review won't necessarily prevent me from buying a product. What one person hates in a program might be okay with me. Once I have actually purchased a program, I find the specific boards helpful for answering questions. :iagree:with you. Thanks for articulating that for me, lol:D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blessedfamily Posted May 8, 2009 Author Share Posted May 8, 2009 Does anyone have the link for the Miquon group? I'd be interested in that one... :lurk5: I only saw a Miquon/Singapore group at Yahoo. Maybe someone else has more info??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 I did not find the MUS group helpful. They were just all MUS cheerleaders. The Winterpromise group is helpful and full of wonderful people. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Here you go. (Miquon yahoo group.) Heather (who is not admitting right now how many yahoo groups she is on.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 I've found curriculum specific forums and email lists to be really, really helpful, especially when just starting with a curriculum. It helps to get the most out of it by hearing other people's solutions to common kinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahv Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Heather (who is not admitting right now how many yahoo groups she is on.) HaHaHa! (sigh) ;) I find individual curriculum forums to be helpful because these are people who have usually been with the program awhile and have even tweaked it in different ways. It's like "the next step" in choosing a curriculum for me...:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy in TN Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 The Winterpromise group is helpful and full of wonderful people. :) :iagree:This is true of both the WP forum and the WPfamilies Yahoo Group! Mandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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