Hey, with some of our shopping posts I noticed a lot of people just ordered the lessons like we did with some of our 5th grader's classes... My questions are, DO you use teacher manuels weekly, daily or what? ALso do you not order them to save money or just because you find you don't use them? I find myself loving the Considering God's Creation teacher book! the one I got is second hand and the other teacher wrote lightly with her pencil in it with outlining the important things! I LOVE THAT I go straight to those first, then go back over whatever else I think we need to go on. These Science things are awesome! I love the projects, we are working it one lesson a week so far and that is good! Something for each day we have class, I went to an hour long 2-3 days a week class this year for him. Then again I have had Teacher books in the past that I did not even open except to grade tests.... I never knew there were such awesome helps fro me out there! WHOO HOO! So tell me for my last question or questions; What teacher books do you use, and why? WHat do you not use and why not? Whats your favorite teacher book?
Definitely want a teacher's manual to use. If I don't have one I tend to just stumble around and not have a good plan of action. Ann
I need the answers some days - just need it. So my teacher's manuals are used for grading. I do use the Prima Latina one everytime we do latin and of course my spelling one has the spelling words in it so I need it.
I use them for Bible and Phonics. I have one for Miquon and use it on occasion. I don't have them for anything else.
I use them For most things now that the kids are older. When they were younger I didn't use them. I think Teacher's manuals are better these days, they have more helps and extra ideas. When you have more than one child you're homeschooling, I think it helps cut down on prep time. That doesn't mean I use it and do exactly what it says. It means I draw ideas from it, and go from there. I like my Rod & Staff English Teacher Manuals. They have good info. and good help for me, who does not know the technical jargon of English!
I agree, I did use them in the begining with first and second grade mostly to get ideas of how to teach extra stuff, and then it was just the answer keys, this year mostly I ordered answer key stuff, but the science came with a teacher manuel so that was cool! Especially since the review questions are there too, I could let ds read the chapter in question if I watned but it sounds like you are supposed to read aloud the lessons his has so I do, it is easy as pie for a class I relied on SOS for ! Weee!
I like have the TMs because it helps with ideas and other stuff I wouldn't have thought of. Since I dont have anything for Social Studies and Science it's hard to think of things, at least for me. I have stuff in my head but it's making it into reality not so easy. Last year using the TMs made it easier.
I haven't used any of them yet. Some days I wish I had to give my mind a break, but I end up figuring out how to teach it and add more to it on my own. I do on the other hand by answer key books just in case I get stuck on something while grading.
Depends on the subject. I use it for science and history, maybe a little for English. I use the math TM's only for grading.
hehe I keep reading the TM's and check to see if ya all are saying TEacher MOM! lol hehe TM , hehe nice to have a laugh!
For me it depends on the subject. For example, I do not feel confident about teaching phonics and reading. I selected products that had good teacher manuals that are an integral part of the program/system. For example, with Explode the Code, I found the TM to be an indespensible part of the whole. It actually taught me how to teach in many regards. With Horizons math, I did not elect to purchase the TM. I feel good about teaching math, and can confidently seek help and alternative presentations as needed.
exactly how I did it, and I am glad I finally have a hang on sciences because I have good TM material where as I too did not get one for math 5, and only got the minimum required for english and spelling none. Thats why I was wondering about this, cause really not using it much in past I am seeing I may have missed something fun! hehe
I need one for math otherwise both my kiddo & I would be completely lost. I completely ignore it in History because our focus is invariably on things not in the manual. I never used it with English, which is my strongest subject until this year & It's more the glossary I need because I keep running up against grammar I never got taught. Science I need an answer key, not necessarily a manual.
About half and half. Do not use - science (book is complete without), handwriting(wasn't one), spelling (bought it due to recommendations, but have only used it once- waste of $). Use - math (mostly to make correcting quicker) and Bible/History/Language - without the teacher's manuel I wouldn't know how to do My Father's World - its wonderful!
I use the teacher manuals/lesson plans for Abeka and Bob Jones. I like the way they are laid out and how they tell me what to do. Other publishers aren't as user friendly as those IMO.
Great thread, reading with interest. I don't use the Rod & Staff grammar tm hardly at all, but it's my strong subject. I use the math one just to make grading faster. We haven't started science yet but will be using Considering God's Creation, and I agree with that one - it seems that the tm is what makes the curriculum and the student book is just the worksheets mostly. Mystery of History hasn't arrived and I've no clue how it works, but if there's something I'll probably use it. I use the first grade (LifePac) bible tm all the time. With that one, again, the tm makes the curriculum and the student work is just work and not learning material if that makes sense. I haven't used it much on the third grade level though. I plain FORGET to use them most of the time. I've no system yet. I need a system....
I agree that with CGC, you really MUST have the TM! It would be VERY difficult to use just the Student workbook. I've found the same true with Great Science Adventures. With Mystery of History, there isn't a seperate TM. The book itself has booki lists, ect. which I found very valuable. The same with All American History, which I am now using. That program has three seperate books: one Student Reader (ie: textbooks), one workbook (per kid), and the TM. The TM has booklists, an overview of each unit, additional activities, etc. Again, the most important thing for me is the book list.
LOL If the curriculum is so complicated that I need the teacher's manual then it is too complicated for me! LOL (I didn't read anyone else's responses yet though.) But no, I may use the manual as a reference guide but generally I don't use them.
You may want to check the Considering God's Creation Science, with three boys for sure! This is awesome ... though I don't know your boys ages, my ds10 is really enjoying science this year and I am enjoying teaching it for the first time! Wee! It's teacher books are that clear, has sections , for discussion and what to say, infact if you want you can just read it off to the child, I did that the first week, this being our second I summarized it a bit then instructed him according to the steps provided on what to do with his projects this week. Each lesson lasts about a week long and you have projects for nearly each day! We actually look forward to Science! ( for me that is weird haha I am not a scientist) Anyway I wanted to give you the heads up, someone on this list gave me the name and I went WOW! She gave me more detailed on what the kids do and I got excited about science! so hoping to pass that on to anyone out there! It could span from 2-8th grade I think if your kids are in there anywhere!
