What are you doing this year that is working well? Is it a new curriculum, a new method, or something else? We aren't too far into the school year, but so far our literature/read aloud selections have fit well. I separated my boys this year so they each have their own list of read alouds. It has made a huge difference since they are very different in their listening skills. Also Singapore Math has been a huge plus. I'm so happy we changed. Science is working well too. I put together a study on the human body and personalized what each child reads/does based on their abilities. I tried combining them before and it hasn't worked well. Separating them for part of science has worked well.
This year has worked well, on the most part, with my 7th gr. I changed everything and he is actually liking school. Most of it was a grade level under where he should be, but he doesn't know that and it has really helped him build and like school. We use Daily Grams and Easy Grammar Plus. We both love them and it is really helping. We are also using Writing Strands and Easy Writing. Like Easy Writing, not sure about Writing Strands. Choose A Reason for Spelling. He is a poor speller. I like it and will probably use it for my younger two, but it hasn't helped him. The biggest thing that has worked well we just started two weeks ago and it has made a HUGE difference and that is a VERY set school schedule for him. It has helped him stay focused and get his work done and it has relieved A LOT of stress between the two of us. Praise the Lord. He has thanked me for it everyday since we started it. And all of his work is getting done in a timely manner, well all of it except spelling. This year has been MUCH better for the two of us. Thank you God.
We were slow getting started and are finally getting into a solid routine. My youngest (K this year) is going to be like me in school. Anything I hand him is done as quickly as possible to move on to play time. I can relate so much better to this than to my older son who can take forever to do anything (and is so much like his father, LOL). They do both seem to be enjoying Galloping the Globe and Considering God's Creation. The notebooks that we are making are a big hit. Which surprises and excites me since I wanted us to like lapbooking and it just didn't happen so I was hoping notebooking would be a better fit, but wasn't counting on it. Explode the Code seems to be working well with both (level 1 and 6 respectively) although they don't particularly love it.
Horizons Math continues to work for my kids. My K'r doesn't love it as she is more of a reader, but she does well. My K'r is doing GREAT with her reading! Being around while older sibs were homeschooled has made an impact I think! She's already doing long vowel sounds with silent e, plus blends and combos like ch, th, and sh. I think she's ahead of the game! Older DD is finally clicking with spelling! We like Spelling Power! She successfully spelled what I consider some pretty hard words for a 6th grader. She got "received" correct today and it was a new word! Even I have problems with that one. I like our routine. And the kids like piano lessons which they started for the first time this year. Life is pretty good right now! Edie
Our school this year is a perfect fit! My ds loves all his subjects, except spanish but it's not the program, he just doesn't like spanish. I'm really liking geography matters and apologia again is a big hit. My dd still likes her abeka.
Rod and Staff: Both kids hate it. LOL. I think it is a great program and quite solid. Saxon: My dd likes it but my ds does not. I DO not and will not buy it again. I don't hate it...I just think it's set up like constant review but not real learning. Now...as their teacher I can fill in the gaps which all teachers need to do anyway..but I would have liked my guide (curriculum) to be a different approach. Mystery of History vol. 3: GREAT! Love it! Both kids are doing well. I miss the fun projects as both my kids are too old for the crafty things and have no real interest anymore. Illuminations vol. 3: I am reviewing this program...it goes along with MOH. I love it. The only things I use that correlate with this program are MOH, the Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide, and the living books. I do use the copywork suggestions and bible reading. However my grammar and science is different. Even so, I do love it. Apologia General Science: My dd LOVES it! I love it! Big hit. Rod and Staff Spelling: ds could care less as he gets 100%'s no matter what he uses. dd is not gifted in spelling but was indifferent to the program. Phonetic Zoo: spelling program by the Institute of Writing with Excellence. I am reviewing it so I gave it to my dd since she was iffy on R&S. She is doing very well! Artistic Pursuits: I love it. My dd(5) loves her program but gets antsy with the art appreciation lessons. My dd (12) thinks its okay. That's a thumbs up from her though...lol. Okay that was a basic rundown...I didn't really follow directions...sorry!
What's really working the best for us this year is that both my students are now on appropriate doses of appropriate meds and can pay attention, learn, and get nearly all the work done in a day that's supposed to be done in a day! Ben's dr took him off his for about three weeks, and that was a real nightmare for us at school and for his mother at home! But he's back on it now and doing great! He's his pleasant and cheerful and sweet self again! It's hard to believe (and hard for his mother to believe) that it was only about two years ago that she was totally opposed to prescription meds, but she found out how good life can be with an appropriately administered prescription... Em's also on an appropriate dose of an appropriate med and is also her pleasant and cheerful and sweet self again! AND she has glasses, so her schoolwork has picked up a lot. It is soooooo hard to teach when they can't listen all the way to the end of your sentence, and can't remember it any longer than it takes for you to say it! As for subjects that are working well: Both are loving doing their R&S English, Ben in 3rd and Em in 2nd. They can't wait to get to do their English lesson. :shock: Both are doing well with Christian Liberty Spelling, Ben in 3rd and Em in 2nd. Both are doing well with Pathways reading, Ben in the third of the second grade readers, and Em in the first of the second grade readers. Actually, when they can focus and attend, they're doing great in pretty much everything.
We have changed to SOS. What a lifesavor! It has made a huge difference. Before I was stressed out and so were my kids. I didn't have enough time to teach everything. Now, they can do it on their own. If they bomb something we zero it out and then I sit with them and help teach it to them. What a difference that has made in my life. Because of my work schedule.
In general, we seem to have finally found what works well for all the kids. Specifically, All About Spelling has been a huge success and blessing!!! Wish I had found it when we first started hsing! My oldest continues to love Apologia science and will actually go ahead in the reading just because she is so enthused. Of course, that could be because she wants to be a marine biologist and we're currently using "Swimming Creatures....".
All About Spelling is a great program! I have it for my Kindergartner. Just so you know, Phonetic Zoo is fairly similar in the approach so as your children get older you may want to try that. My 12 year old is doing well with it.
We switched to the adult version of Sequential Spelling, and it's fantastic. We both love it. I can already see a difference in his spelling ability. R&S English is going great. He's not enjoying Zoology 2 as much as I expected him to (he's usually REALLY into aquatic stuff), but I think it may be a shift in his attention span this year. Ever since he was introduced to tiny legos, it's all he can think about. :roll: I try to incorporate them into school work as much as possible. :lol: Miquon is going GREAT! Finally, a math that works for us! I never thought I'd see the day! He zipped through orange and is into red now. I expect we'll finish 3-4 of the 6 books this year. (We started over since it's a totally new system, so orange and red are a little below his level, but there are still some higher concepts he hasn't seen in other publishers. It holds his interest quite well.) Latin for Children is a HUGE HIT!!! He's obsessed - and that's an understatement. If he could, he'd do nothing but latin all the time. Mystery of History, as expected, is a little over his head (written at the 4-8 grade level, but adaptable), but in any case, he really enjoys the activities. We got the CDs, so he listens to the stories and then does the activity. He doesn't have an overall picture of history yet. I still haven't found a timeline I'm happy with. *sigh* Mardels has allowed me to view two different ones, but neither worked for us. (I love Mardels!) The amazing lady I always work with there is still trying to get in touch with another publisher for me to find the right timeline. When I find "the" one, I'll know it. He's soooooo visual. If it's on a poster, I can guarantee he's got it memorized. I just have to find the right one. :roll:
We are very happy with our curriculum choices this year and have no dislikes. Things are good for us, school-wise, praise God! I am even learning a lot too! We are doing: Easy Grammar – it really IS easy and we enjoy that! Teaching Textbooks Math – We had to skip some lessons because it was TOO easy and a lot of review. My dd has gotten bored doing stuff she already knows how to do. Mystery of History I – We are loving this! The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide – This is cool, learning a lot! Engish from the Roots Up – We are learning 4 new root words per week, doing it 2 days. We like this too. Considering God’s Creation Science – LOVE LOVE THIS!!! Picture Smart Bible – This is really fun way to teach and learn the Bible all the way through. In my home, this qualifies as art too! Imitation in Writing – Greek Myths – We really like this, VERY cool!! I have learned a lot about greek myths – like I didn’t know cupid came from the greeks! Spelling Power the big orange book – this makes spelling easy and she is actually spelling good, much better, so kudos to the makers of this program! We are also using Add-A-Century Timeline and we are liking it too. It is a very easy way to do timelines for someone like me who doesn’t want to take up a whole wall in my house!
We switched to Singapore Math...soooo much better than MUS for us! Also, switched to Spelling Power, they don't fight spelling anymore. I really love this approach. We are now doing Mystery of History and really like it. I don't feel that it covers subjects as thoroughly as Story of the World, but I like the Christian perspective and the kids love making the timeline. My first grader does My Father's World and he rarely complains about school. I like their approach to math and he seems to be learning his math skills much easier than my girls did with Math U See.
I switched my younger daughter (1st grade) to CLE math and loved it so much I bought the CLE social studies. My older daughter is continuing again this year with SOS for all subjects except Bible (Lifepacs) and math, which she is using Teaching Textbooks. LOVE TT!