Our Bible Program

As a homeschooling parent, I have looked at and attempted to use many different Bible curriculum.  I have tried to come up with my own.  I have used character-based studies and simply reading the Bible alone.  I have used Bible storybooks for my little children.  In all of these things, I have discovered an incredible Bible program that has worked for my children.

Early on, my first homeschooled daughter enjoyed Christian Light Education's workbook Bible program.  Every time we would ever from that program, it would fail.  I could add stuff occasionally, but the depth of this Bible program made other programs seem shallow and watery.  In fact, my son-in-law, a pastor, looked over the program and stated that he hadn't seen some of the material until he was in a Bible college... and he had used a Bible program all through his homeschooling years!

The irony was that the level I was using with my high schoolers was actually a junior high level.  I haven't used the high school levels yet,  and I am uncertain if I will.  The younger levels are incredible!  Called Lightunits, these little workbooks work in conjunction with Bible reading.  The early levels are more closely related to Bible story books with questions and activities thrown in. However, once the student hits the grade five level, the studies get very serious.  The fifth and sixth grade levels go through the Old Testament.  The seventh grade level goes through the Life of Christ.  The eighth grade level covers Acts through Revelation.

When I began homeschooling my step-daughter, I prayed and asked God what he would want me to teach her in the few short years I would have her in my home.  I felt He wanted me to help her have a solid foundation in the Word.  I looked at the high school Bible programs available and they either weren't very solid or they moved so quickly that I feared she wouldn't get much out of it.  I decided on the Grade Five level of Christian Light's Bible, figuring I could been it up for high school if needed.  I liked the fact that we would spend two years going through the Old Testament.  I put my younger daughter, then in eighth grade, into the same Bible program.  Every morning we would gather around the table and go through a lesson a day.  I would read the lessons to them and we would discuss them and answer the questions and have an enjoyable time.  My girls recieved that foundation I desired for them to have.

My now 11th grader is currently doing the grade 8 program with me in the mornings.  Once again, I thought we would try a different Bible program.  It came with the curriculum package I purchased and was cheaper to use that than to purchase a separate program.  BIG MISTAKE!  We both hated the program and ditched it after a couple weeks.

The Christian Light Bible program is a Mennonite program.  I was worried that theological differences would be apparent and cause issues.  But, with the exception of occasional reference to Non-resistance, I haven't encountered much strictly Mennonite doctrinal issues.  The reference to non-resistance are often presented in such a way as to make my daughter's and I think about what the Bible says and what we believe.

I was surprised that a workbook program could hold such an outstanding, incremental Bible program.   Over the last few years we have delved into the Old Testament and the Life of Christ, using maps and  a concordance. We have researched Hebrew and Greek word meanings, supplemented occasionally with a model of the tablernacle or a study on Psalm 23.  I learned things about the Life of Christ that I didn't learn when I took a college-level class covering the same material.

I totally recommend Christian Light's Bible Units.  Delve into the work with your children!  It is totally worth it!

Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read - A Review

It's her final week.  After two years, my daughter will have completed the Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read program.

Megan in Kindergarten and now, in second grade

Was it really just over two years ago that she first read the book, CAT?  Today she read The Swish-Smacker Dirt Hacker.  

I wanted to write a review of this product because it worked so wonderfully for my daughter.  I was so NERVOUS about teaching my child to read.  What if I stink at it?  What if my child hated reading?  

Despite having four older daughters, I was quite insecure about teaching my child to read.  My older daughters had primarily learned to read in public school, though a couple struggled due to the lack of phonics.  I knew I wanted to use a solid phonics program, but was surprised at just how many there were from which to choose!

I wanted books... Leveled readers that would build, concept upon concept, with plenty of review.  I wanted to hit as many senses as possible... Seeing, hearing, writing, reading... So that she would retain what she was learning.  For the most part, the Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read program hit every area.  

The program begins with short vowel sounds. I didn't use the pre-K levels of Hooked on Phonics, but Megan had learned her letter sounds through our preschool Heart of Dakota program. This was important for success!  Make sure your child learns the letter sounds!

Each lesson begins with a video on DVD.  The video is an animated lesson, only a couple minutes in length, that teaches the sounds and the words for that week. We would start each day with this video. Then, my child would read the words in the lesson to me. After practicing the words, there was a short story to read.  Every few lessons the story would be an actual book that covered all the sounds learned in that unit.  Also, after every few units, there would be helper words introduced.  Helper words are nothing more than sight words.  Unlike sight word programs, though, the focus is on phonics, not sight words.  There was only three to five sight words introduced every four to five lessons.  Since we did one lesson a week, this was not at all taxing or overwhelming. 

After five days of reviewing the same lesson, it was usually mastered. We wouldn't move on to the next lesson until it was mastered.  Only a couple times did it take longer than a week to master the unit and read the lesson flawlessly.  After every several units there was a review week.  

The units came with a lot of extras if we needed or wanted reinforcement.  When you purchase Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read new, it comes with a code that gives you access to online worksheets you can print out.  There is also a list of supplemental books that many libraries have that your child can read for extra lesson practice.  I used the worksheets often in the first year or two.  The printables often came with mini-books that I printed out and had my daughter put together.  She loved the mini-books!  I loved the mini-books!  Each mini-book was an extra book to read that covered the lesson.

Every level is structured the same way: Hearing, seeing, reading, and some writing.  By the end of first grade my daughter was excelling.  Over this past summer, after we had finished the first grade program, I had Megan check out and read level 2 readers from the library. I tried the level one, but she complained they were too easy. This year, when we began the second grade material, she was able to advance through most of it in a few weeks. The foundation of her Kindergarten and First grade years was enough to set her soaring on her own!

This week she is completing the final lesson. 

I will be honest and admit that I did supplement.  I wanted more writing so I purchased the Explode the Code workbooks.  The levels complemented the Hooked on Phonics program nicely.  A page or two a day of Explode the Code helped cement the lessons.  I also had my daughter reading other phonics readers.  I  purchased Christian ones, like the Learning to Read series from Christian Light Education, but only the readers were used.  I didn't purchase the workbooks (though I hear they are excellent). I made good use of readers at the library.  I also continued to read aloud to my daughter a lot. 

Overall the Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read program is excellent.   Occasionally I would find a book I didn't like, that conflicted with my Christian views, such as one with a witch.  I just substituted the book with one that had the same sound we were working on.  Most of the books, while secular, are very fun.  Plus, with supplementing with Christian materials, I had a lot to choose from.  

My daughter is now an avid reader.  Every night at bedtime she reads for an hour to herself.  We do a lot of reading at home for school.  She is easily a grade ahead in her reading level, and advancing.  I am not joking when I state that I believe this is due to her strong foundation she received from Hooked on Phonics.  Yes, as corny as it sounds, my daughter could easily state, "Hooked on Phonics worked for me!"

Many other phonics programs are top quality.  At fifty dollars a year, with the amount of materials and resources provided, I thought this program was great.  Like I said, I added occasionally... but I probably would have added anyway.  I like to mix and max, allowing my children to come at various subjects from more than one way.  Right now I am using bits and pieces of three to four different math programs, at least three different reading programs, and a variety of resources for science and history.  To me, this is the benefit of homeschooling.  Hooked on Phonics was varied enough that it was not boring, and yet the time involved was short enough that I could add this or that and it not be too much.  

I highly recommend the Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read program for other homeschoolers... or parents that want to help their child learn to read with a solid phonics foundation.

Language Lessons for the Very Young

My seven year old is progressing quickly in her reading.  I bought her a traditional English program for this year, which included spelling and grammar.  After a week, I put it up.  She was in tears from all the workbooks.

I decided to take a more Charlotte Mason approach to school.  The short, focused lessons are perfect for my ADD children.  I bought Language Lessons for the Very Young from Queen's Homeschool.
 

Queen's Homeschool Language Lessons

I actually downloaded the entire year's worth of curriculum and was able to print out the book.  I figure printing costs were about what shipping would have been, and I didn't have to wait a week for the mail to deliver.

Queen's Website has the following description of this level of Language Lessons for the Very Young:

 This delightful introduction to the language arts is the answer to what our Charlotte Mason style customers have been asking for! Introduces a student who has mastered the art of learning to read to the skills of picture study, narration, copywork, poetry, grammar, capitalization, punctuation, and more - all with a gentle, twaddle free approach. Full-color fine art throughout makes this consumable book for grades 2 - 3 a delight for the eyes as well as the ears.

 A varied approach gives the student something different each day, alleviating the boredom that often comes with those repetitive, dry grammar books you'll find elsewhere. Perfect-bound paperback workbook offers 180 daily lessons - one for each day of the school year.

Megan loves the work, and has been doing so wonderfully!  The last couple of days she has been reviewing capitalization rules.  Her assignment today was to write the names of her family members with correct capitalization.  What a great way to personalize her lesson!  She added her four sisters and parents.  Then she wanted to add her aunts and cousins.   She would have added a lot more if she would have had the lines.  Needless to say, the concept has been learned. 

(Blurred last names for safety)

Over the next few lessons she'll learn about capitalizing in paragraphs, capitalizing the days of the week and months of the year, and learn a poem. 

Later in the year she'll learn about subjects and predicates, whether a sentence is complete, singular and plurals, vowels, using 'A' or 'An', nouns, verbs, and punctuation.  Instead of traditional formats, she'll learn all this while practicing copywork, doing narrations, picture studies, and creative writing.  It's all gentle and yet so comprehensive!

No longer are there tears.  My daughter is doing some amazing work and enjoying it immensely!

I compared this program to the traditional English that I had purchased.  This covers the same grammatical concepts, but without the endless workbook pages and the drill and kill lessons.  Plus, it adds so much more depth with the Charlotte Mason extras.  

Being Christian about Curriculum Choices

The array of homeschool catalogs sitting around my house is growing.  These were the ones I could find without rifling through drawers and shelves.  The choices are endless for homeschoolers.  When my grandma homeschooled my uncle, way back in the pioneer days of homeschooling (ha,ha), there were limited options.  My grandma used CLASS as a cover school to keep the local school officials at bay.  Now, with laws in our favor and endless choices and methods, it can all be overwhelming.

After four years of homeschooling, I've come to some important realizations about my views on homeschooling.  Honestly, I've seen this from many Christian homeschoolers.  First, we say that each family should use what works for them, but we naturally compare what we feel is the best way to homeschool with what others are doing.  Even though test results prove that homeschooling is academically superior to public schooling no matter what curriculum is used, we still will fight to the death for what "we" feel is the correct way or the superior curriculum.

I want to apologize for any of the blog posts that I have posted that were critical of one curriculum or method or another.  I personally plan to delete them from my blog.  Why?  Because I have learned that curriculum or methods vary, and each one... even the traditional, dreaded textbooks(oh, my)... can build a quality education.  And, since my main goals may differ for my homeschool than others, I might use different materials to achieve those goals.

What are my goals for my children and my homeschool?  Well, first I want to develop in my children a Biblical worldview and encourage a close walk with the Lord.  Nothing else matters much in comparison to my daughters walking with Jesus, impacting the world for Jesus, being obedient to Jesus, and spending eternity in heaven with Jesus.  Giving my girls the tools they need to live as a Christian in a society that is increasingly hostile toward Christianity is important to me.  Do I want academic success?  Yes, but studies show that homeschoolers, on average, perform quite well academically.  By living to reach the first goals, the goals of being prepared for college, being well-read and well-rounded, and being confident in her own abilities will be met.

This year my curriculum choices are slowly shaping up to a hodge-podge of eclectic materials.  I am actually pretty excited about where God is leading me.  While I loved the previous curriculum and can find little fault in it, this year just wasn't a year where that curriculum was happening, even if I am using a few of the same materials.  So, I have to assume that Christ has other plans than one curriculum or one method to teach my children.  On the contrary, I have picked up resources from all sorts of different publishers and methods.

So, after some prayer, I have decided to keep my curriculum choices more private.  While I will tell anyone that asks, I have decided to be more subtle on my blog.  My reviews will be about specific books, or maybe a choice that has worked well for us in a specific subject or topic.  It will be kind of difficult to review a "curriculum-in-a-box" if we aren't using that.

One thing that worries me is consistency.  I want to be consistent, at least per subject, so that my children aren't confused all the time.  However, there is a lot of play area here too.  From what I have seen, the only subjects where consistency is vitally important is math, grammar, and spelling.  Other than that, if I throw in a unit study in the middle of a chronological path through history because the era peeked my children's interest, then so be it.   If I decide to use a textbook approach to a subject that I'm uncomfortable teaching, then I will do what works for me and my children.

I think there are many benefits to each learning method.  I love the Charlotte Mason approach.  I love Unit Studies.  They both seem pretty natural in how people learn.  However, they are both pretty teacher intensive at times, so I have to find a way to have balance and encourage independence in my children's studies.  I am a HUGE reader and love the literature approach to studies, but I exhaust myself trying to keep up with all the books assigned by some of these curricula for two or three children. I can't burn myself out, or neglect being a wife or having a home with regular meals, simply because I am overly devoted to one certain way or method.  And, if statistics are correct, and it won't necessarily mean a large difference in academic performance, then I am going to choose what works best for us. 

We live in a time where, as Christians, we are going to be attacked.  As Christian homeschoolers, we are going to be attacked.  Coming from those that don't live for Christ, I expect it.  But when attacks on materials that Christians are using comes from other Christians, and the materials are God-honoring, then I find is shameful.  There are so many opinions that contradict each other.

For instance, there is a lot of research that shows pushing academics too early is actually harmful to children.  Raymond and Dorothy Moore and others wrote numerous books with the results of tons of studies that show that children that are forced into strict academics before they are ready can be traumatized.  Children that aren't ready to read or do math are labeled as LD, ADD, ADHD, or even dyslexic, when all they might need is more time to mature and lots of reading aloud and hands-on adventures.  And yet, that gentle curriculum that has been around for ages is criticized because it is too "easy".

Another area of inconsistency is the area of reading.  There is a movement going around that encourages children to read older texts and books.  Public domain makes these materials very affordable.  The rich vocabulary of the older books is wonderful.  The reading skills developed by reading these older books are amazing.  Several curriculum publishers use these texts as their main focus, providing a cheaper alternative to homeschooling than the newer, more modern materials.  And yet, one provider uses some older texts in their literature studies, and they get accused in reviews of using "outdated" reading choices.  Really?  Why is it preferred in one area to use older materials, but in another it isn't?  Because the reading choices in one are more decidedly Christian?  So, we have Christians complaining?

I am prayerfully considering what we use and how we use it.  The comparison trap is dangerous territory.    The judging of one person's selections as better or worse than what God has led us to use is envy.  That doesn't mean that we can't look at what is working for others if what we are using isn't working, but be prayerful.  And if something is working for you, share why, but don't down the stuff that didn't.  Chances are, someone else has tried what you think is so wonderful and tossed it.  Chances are, that curriculum that was horrible for you, worked wonders for a different family.

Saved At Sea - A Review

I try to review most of the books Laura reads for homeschooling.  A couple months ago we read the book Saved At Sea by O.F. Walton.  Alick's mother has died and his father was lost at sea.  When Alick, his grandfather, and the neighbor, Mr. Millar, save a young girl from a sinking ship, life changes for those on the island.

Alick forms a special bond with the tiny little girl.  In the investigation into the sinking ship and the little girl, men arrive on the island that talk about Jesus to Alick and the others. 

Laura liked this book, though it wasn't one of her favorites.  I think she was saddened by the death of one of the characters.  I also don't think she understood why the book ended the way it did.  However, it is a good Christian novel that has some very touching moments.  We both loved the way the characters were led to Jesus.

Laura did this book in conjunction with ACE curriculum.  ACE did a great job of delving into the novel at a fourth grade level.  There was information about Scotland, where the book is set.  Laura also worked on dictionary skills, copy work, action words, main ideas, and poetry.  She also learned lessons on pleasing God and acknowledging Him.

God Decided

I left last night to go with my husband to a Revival about an hour away. My problem of which book to read aloud would have to wait. This morning God gave me the next read aloud. I had ordered a couple Christian missionary stories a few days ago, and wasn't expecting them to come in for a week or two. I was pleasantly surprised and shocked when they showed up quickly. I opened my mail box this morning and there they were.

I smiled, knowing that God had provided. Oh, I could have easily read something else. However, I wanted something different than the fantasy and fictional stories we have been reading for the past couple weeks. Yes, it could be coincidence, but I don't tend to believe in coincidence.

We read three chapters of George Muller. I love it! I am always fascinated by redemption stories, and George Muller's story is dramatic. A thief, a liar, and a scoundrel is transformed by Jesus Christ. It's so wonderful to read true stories about how wonderful Jesus is and has been throughout the years.

I ordered the books through Ywam Publishing. They sent me a catalog with my purchase. I'm totally digging the books and other materials they carry. They have several books that I am wanting to add to Laura's history studies both for the World History this year and the US History I plan to begin next year. They have books for all ages, but I don't mind reading to my children if the book seems a little above their reading level or just because I love it. The Christian Heroes Then and Now series looks to be my favorite. They even have study guides and map activities to go along with the books. I'm thinking of looking at some of the teen books for my older girls. My oldest, who will be going to college next year, would get a kick out of these books. Many of the adult books look wonderful too...for me.

Greek Gods Handled Well

When I came to the lesson today for Laura's history, I was a bit worried. Studying Greek culture means studying Greek gods. I don't mind Laura learning about this as long as it isn't glorified. I hoped that the gods would be handled with care. All too often I've seen things like this take on a mystical, sci-fi tone that excites the kids but doesn't show the truth about our God. Heart of Dakota, in my opinion, handled this very well.

In A Child's History of the World we read about the different Greek gods and where they got their names. We even read a couple stories or legends about these gods. Then, Heart of Dakota had us look in Acts 14. We read about Paul and Barnabus by a temple of Zues. We read about how when Paul and Barnabus prayed and a man was healed, the local citizens thought Paul and Barnabus were gods. It was interesting to see how the locals were willing to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabus even after the two insisted they were just men and their power was from the one true god.

This could have been a controversial topic. It was handled very well. Laura learned about the beliefs of the Greeks and how many Romans adopted these beliefs. She learned about the different Gods. She was also learned why Christians believe these beliefs are false. She learned about how other Christians, founding Christians, dealt with the issue of false gods.

We aren't done with our study of the Greeks or the Romans by a long shot. However, if the topics continue to be handled so well, I will be more than content. I can honestly say that Heart of Dakota is wonderful about getting kids into their Bibles to coincide with History and Science studies.

Christian Light Lightunit's - Bridges Beyond

Laura had her first reading quiz today. This was more difficult than she was used to. She has a high reading level, but I've long since wanted to be able to gauge her comprehension skills and challenge them. I love living books, and Laura reads lots of them, but I wasn't really happy with any of the programs I had seen or tried. Laura can narrate to me all day. However, if I would ask her questions, she sometimes would have trouble. So, I began using the Christian Light fourth grade reading program using the LightUnits and the reading book, Bridges Beyond.
I've read a lot of negative reviews about reading books that contain a group of stories. I was worried about it limiting Laura. However, I'm not really worried about that anymore. First, she reads other books for History and Science and because I pick books from reading lists that I want her exposed to. Second, the stories in Bridges Beyond are not easy stories. They are challenging, with vocabulary that I never saw with my older children in their public school reading books. For instance, Laura's first story had her learning the meaning of the words chinked, foolscap, galls, inkwell, quills, and curtsy. I had to use her glossary for the meanings of a couple of those myself.
A major goal of the reading program is to teach children to think clearly and logically. The answers are sometimes challenging and require independent analysis and thinking skills. This is something that Laura needs to practice. She isn't always happy about it either. She would be content to read and narrate, and not have to look deeper. Plus, this program makes it easy to schedule in other reading with living books because the reading is only three days a week. In the back of the teacher's guide is a list of books for further reading separated by grade levels. There are also short stories that you can read aloud to your child with questions to ask that will help measure their listening skills.
We are only a couple of lessons into the reading program. However, I purposely read through the entire book. It's a very good quality program. This is not a dumbed-down program. It's challenging and wholesome. Just a few of the character traits and scripture truths portrayed in the stories are answers to prayer, bravery, contentment, doing good to others, honesty, faithfulness in small things, gossiping, obedience, personal responsibility, and thankfulness.
We are only a couple of weeks into the program. I'm sure more time would be needed for a review that is more comprehensive. For us, for now, it is working and working well.

The Little Green Frog Review

ACE School of Tomorrow has a little book for fourth grade called The Little Green Frog. Laura is on chapter 4. I decided to sit down today and read it so that I could help Laura if she ran into problems when answering the questions.

This little book touched my heart. It is about a little girl whose parents are missionaries in China. They send the little girl, Biddy, to England to stay with an aunt because she's had some health issues and can't seem to get well in China.

This little girl is adorable. She's an awesome model for other little girls to read. First, Biddy loves Jesus. She talks about Jesus quite often in the book. The cast of characters is wonderful.

This book shows how a simple love for Jesus not only guides the little girl but touches the lives of all the characters in the book. Through-out the whole story is a little knick-knack, a Little Green Frog, that Biddy keeps to remind her of her home and friend in China.

I loved it and can't wait for Laura to really get into it more.

This book reminded me of the simplicity of the gospel. So often we complicate things. This book reminded me that following Christ isn't supposed to be hard or complicated, and above all turning to him is supposed to be my first priority. I didn't have a solid beginning in following Jesus as a child. This book showed me what I could have had, what I hope to still have, and what I want for my children. It showed me what simple faith truly is and what it can do.

The Beginning of Back to the Basics

It was back to the books today after a long holiday weekend. Tasha is working steadily through her work and making very good progress. For Laura, it was the first day of what I call "Back to the Basics" programs. After realizing that my daughter lost a lot of retention over summer vacation, and seeing that she is not where she should be in some areas, I've changed things drastically.
We went to work-book, mastery type learning for the core subjects. I know this isn't as popular on all the blogs as many of the other curriculum, but I have to do what is best for my daughter. She learns well this way. Slowly I hope to add other things back in to give her a more rounded experience. Workbook programs do help me in a couple different areas. First, I know that the basics are being covered. I know she is getting a solid educational foundation to which we can add. Second, I feel like I'm not as overwhelmed, which I hope helps her to feel more relaxed and more able to focus on learning and not trying to get this and that done.

It must be working. Laura took the initiative to do her own experiment in learning about the earth's rotation and axis. She found a sponge ball we had and put a long nail through it to demonstrate the axis and how it works.

So far, though I never expected to go to this type of schooling, it seems to be working well. We'll take things day by day. I am surprised to find that the work is more in depth than I thought it would be. I feared the work would be too easy, or boring. I've flipped through the material we have gotten so far and am impressed that it isn't as simple as I imagined. It's actually quite thorough. Of course, I'd rather it be knowledge from living books, but I will see where this new direction leads.

Back to the Basics for Fourth Grade

After much thought and prayer, we are making some adjustments in our homeschool. First, we will either homeschool year round or spend time daily in the summers doing math and reading. I don't like the way Laura's skills dropped. I think there is a better way, and I plan to use it to help her skills stay strong.
Second, we are having to simplify our curriculum this year. This saddens me. I wanted to use everything Heart of Dakota offered, but it just isn't working completely for Laura. I still plan to use the History and Science, but I don't think we'll do every activity and read every book from all the packages. I think we'll use the material from the economy package with the science, but pick and choose from the basic package and the deluxe package. Laura loves the Draw and Write projects, so I'm considering that her art. I think our pacing of the program will change, and we'll just take it as slow or fast as we need to for awhile. I may even switch off the science and history so she doesn't feel so bogged down. I plan on using the History from Heart of Dakota as read alouds. The projects are wonderful, and we'll pick and choose from them for reinforcement. If we do decide to homeschool year round, then I figure she'll have more time with the program. Heart of Dakota is an amazing program, and I recommend it completely if you love Charlotte Mason. I guess I'm more eclectic.
I am switching her more to a basic, mastery program for her main subjects. I'm going to try a couple different things. We worked very hard last year, and I don't like feeling that we have to start over cause she forgot stuff. Ironically, the stuff she remembers is the simple things like the workbook science work we did that I supplemented here and there or the books I read to her.
I've learned one thing for certain...each child learns differently. No matter how awesome the program, it won't be right for everyone. And despite all the criticism of workbook-based programs, some children love them and thrive on them. They may have to be supplemented, but at least a parent can supplement at the level that works for their child and not at what some curriculum specialist says is best.
I've studied the research. Curriculum choices and amount spent don't matter a whole lot in the end results. Home schooled children still usually test very well and have a deeper love of learning. I believe the main reason is because they get to have programs fit them, not them fit a program.

Wrong Judgement Call? ACE paces.

There are times in homeschooling when all pre-conceived notions get challenged and the learning curve grows tremendously for the teacher. I can feel that this is one of those times. The lady that is helping me to get things set up in homeschooling my high school daughter is very well educated. A licensed teacher and a Pastor's wife, she saw the problems with public schools years ago. Living in a rural area kept her from having access to a Christian school. She home schooled her children and many others for years. She still has a full time student now, plus a few she tutors of various grades after school.

In helping me with my daughter's high school, she pulled out ACE paces. I'll be honest...I groaned a little. Laura did not like the ones we did last year. Yet I'm kind of stuck because I can't afford to buy a whole curriculum at the moment. We don't have access to the stuff we need. Add to all the negative reviews of ACE paces I'd read online, and I was nervous.

This lady assured me that this is a quality curriculum. It has been around for a very long time. She basically said that Laura was probably bored because she has a higher reading level and I should have advanced her.
She told me to put my daughters through the online diagnostics test. We did that today in a few of the subjects. I was shocked at what they told me. They showed me areas with Laura where she has gaps in her education. Tasha, because she has been in public school, basically has no knowledge of diagramming sentences. They just don't teach that around here anymore.

Tasha begins her first paces tomorrow. It'll be interesting to see if they are challenging for her. I have looked over the material, and I honestly think they aren't the way they've been described in other reviews.

It's a mastery program. For me, I guess I didn't understand that completely. Many of the subjects in public school are taught in a spiral system. Things are reviewed so much that the teachers figure eventually the kids that don't get it at first will figure it out or a teacher will notice. Practice is good, but ACE uses a bit of a different approach. There is no moving on to the next thing if the first thing isn't mastered. That way, until a student totally understands a concept, nothing is added.

The criticisms I've read are that it's too easy. From what I've been told if your kid is flying through the paces, get one that is more difficult or just let them fly through them until it gets more challenging. I've also read that it is a workbook nightmare. I think you should pick and choose. If you want a more literature approach, then either add literature or use a different program. However, for some subjects I think some mastery is important.

I LOVE literature approaches to subjects. I am a living book fan all the way. Yet a part of me is intrigued by using ACE for some subjects. Mastery is necessary for some subjects. Grammar, Spelling, Math... all subjects where I think mastery isn't focused on enough.

I'm going to be open minded with the ACE paces. I may even order a few for Laura to fill in those gaps the diagnostic test revealed. If my girls don't like them, we'll have learned and can try something else. On the other hand, they may think they are great.

I think I just have a lot to learn about home schooling my children. I think in time I'll learn what works for my kids and what doesn't. Ironically, every time I feel that something is not the best, I hear the opposite from someone else. I guess each student learns differently and each homeschool is different. I'm still a novice, having just been doing this for a year.

I totally wasn't impressed by a workbook series I tried, but a lady I know uses it successfully and loves the results. Her children are scoring well and learning a lot about God and their academics.

There was a family that home schooled in my church that made such an impact on me that I was totally influenced to consider homeschooling myself. I learned that they use ACE paces as their main curriculum. I guess it works wonderfully for them. I've learned to keep more of an open mind.

Choosing a Fourth Grade Curriculum

After thorough research and lots of praying, I have finally chosen Laura's curriculum for next year. For History and Science (And possibly reading) she is going to be using Heart Of Dakota's Preparing Hearts for His Glory.

In Preparing Hearts, Laura is going to get a year on World History using A Child's History of the World and other texts. I am very impressed with this program from my research. It is very bible-based, which is what I want for Laura right now. So much of the planning is done for me that, with my college classes and other children, I won't be stressing if I have covered enough or planned well. It uses Living Books and short lessons. There is exposure to poetry, art, music, and nature.

I began by ordering a couple books from the program off e-bay to see if I would like them or not. Every single book I have received has impressed me. There is such a variety of books. I am looking into Drawn Into The Heart of Reading for Laura's reading program also, because the variety and quality of the books are so good.

As for the Science, I decided to try it first. The Bigger Hearts and Preparing Hearts both use One Small Square Books for part of their science. I picked up a couple from the Bigger Hearts list for us to try this year. Laura has been working on 'Woods' for over a week. I'll be honest, she's only about 15 pages into it. The book looks small until you open it. Every page is jam-packed with information. There's notebooking activities and activities. And, for the first time all year, she loves science. Oh, she tolerated the Ace Paces. She was interested in some of the things I set for her to study on my own or through the Learn At Home book. She really seems to be getting a lot out of what she is learning with this book.

One thing I did notice, after comparing lots of programs, was the Heart of Dakota's book selections and Sonlight's book selections are often the same or similar. The books are just used at different levels in each program. The only other programs I seriously was drawn to was Sonlight and Weaver. Weaver held my attention for awhile, but after prayer and research I just didn't think it was for me. As for Sonlight, I am still drawn to that amazing program. For now, however, I am planning to wait. I have been completely drawn to Heart of Dakota. There philosophy matches mine more than any other program I have researched.

I also think there is a lot of freedom with Heart of Dakota. The program only takes about four hours per day. Plus, it plans for four days a week, so I will have plenty of time to plan other things on the fifth day if I want.

I am ordering things a little at a time to ease the hit to my tight budget. I believe it is totally worth it to buy quality curriculum. I've spent time seeing if I can save by finding any of the books at my local library. Sometimes that doesn't work, however. I checked out Charlotte's Web from the library, but ended up buying it because Laura loved it so much. That seems to happen with books on the Heart of Dakota or Sonlight reading lists. You may check it out to save money, but some you just end up buying anyway because it is loved so much.

Harcourt Flash Kids Cursive Writing Practice Book Review

Laura just finished the Cursive Writing Practice Book published by Harcourt Family Learning. This workbook is published for grades 2-4. The book retails for only $3.95 at Barnes and Noble. Each letter is covered with four pages of practice as well as a simple sentence. It helps children practice letters, words, and sentences. There are over 100 pages of cursive practice. This book keeps the children's interest with a focus on amimals and animal facts and illustrations.
We did this book rather quickly ( a page or two per day), but we skipped some of the practice. My goal with this book was to teach my daugter the basics of cursive writing. This was her first year doing cursive. Looking through the book you can tell that her writing was rough in the beginning. However, by the end of the book there was improvement.
I liked this book as a beginning cursive writer. The examples are all in dashed lines that can be traced. There is ample room for practice. Plus, the price of this book is very reasonable.
Now that Laura has finished the book we are moving on the A Reason For Handwriting Cursive. Laura learned the basics and now I want her to practice writing words and sentences. A Reason for Handwriting uses Bible verses for practice.

Harcourt Flash Kids Review

############ When I first decided to homeschool Laura, I made a went to a Christian bookstore to look for curriculum. What I saw was used, and I didn't want to order new stuff sight unseen. So, I went to Barnes and Noble. There, they had quite a selection of Spectrum and Harcourt Flash Kids workbooks.

I picked up the Harcourt Flash Kids workbooks for Language Arts, Reading Skills, Cursive Writing, and Writing Skills. They also have Spelling but I am using a Modern Curriculum Press.

I like some of these books. They are colorful and my daughter, for the most part, picks up on the instructions easily. However, they don't seem to be a complete curriculum. I know Harcourt Flash Kids sells complete Curriculum books that are really affordable. But I feel I have to supplement. I just recently picked up Wordly Wise, and am looking at more comprehensive Language Arts programs.

The Language Arts book is comprehensive in that it covers all the necessary skills. However, I sometimes use the worksheets in the 'Learn At Home grade 3' book to complement whatever skill is being taught in the Flash Kids book. Plus, Laura is learning about different Grammar skills, but I wonder if there is enough practice with those skills. For instance, she was learning about commas today. She would re-write a sentence using commas, but there wasn't much else for practice. And, once we are done with commas, there isn't any review later to make sure she understands the principals.

The Reading Skills book is pretty simple for Laura. However, Laura is a good reader. I like the book. It's good practice for things like Main Idea, Context, and Sequence. However, we do a lot of other reading, including many Sonlight literature selections and A Beka readers.

The Cursive Writer is fine to begin cursive writing with, but I think we need something else for more complete writing practice.

I don't like the Writing Skills book. I think the explanations are too confusing for an eight year old.

I haven't used the other workbooks offered.

Basically, the Harcourt Flash Kids workbooks are just that...workbooks. They are great for supplementing or using to prepare for Standardized Tests. But if you use them, please have other materials to work from also.