tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post844685705182297916..comments2023-05-03T05:22:30.162-04:00Comments on Mary Haseltine: Curriculum Choices 2013-2014Mary @ Better Than Edenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05409924891343767874noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-53551080349507297252013-08-21T21:48:21.612-04:002013-08-21T21:48:21.612-04:00Thanks for the tip on the classical biography audi...Thanks for the tip on the classical biography audiobooks! We did some Singapore and switched to math mammoth because of price. We are enjoying it with Rays Arithmetic. Meganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08572988683401402516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-56558315069345150072013-08-19T10:53:35.763-04:002013-08-19T10:53:35.763-04:00We use many of the same books.... My girls were dr...We use many of the same books.... My girls were dragging their feet when it came to the idea of going "back to school", but we got new desks yesterday and I think they will be ready before I am!Jill Foleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15919221814694982320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-7838048752934554772013-08-19T06:58:31.756-04:002013-08-19T06:58:31.756-04:00This absolutely made me laugh! I also need some s...This absolutely made me laugh! I also need some special ed in the mp3 department :) <br /><br />My husband is always emailing me free downloads from places like Catholic Lighthouse Media and then he gets home and asks if I downloaded them....I don't know why he keeps doing it--my answer is always the same, umm...no. It just seems so complicated, I'd rather he just do it for me and then load it on to my (ridiculously old) ipod so I can just plug it in and not have to know how any of it works :) Thank you for making me feel a little less lame!Cristinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01242595555985631574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-46495474717204696222013-08-19T06:52:57.674-04:002013-08-19T06:52:57.674-04:00I don't have anything profound to add to this ...I don't have anything profound to add to this discussion, but I just wanted to thank you for sharing! I've got a plan for some Kindergarten-lite for my about to turn five year old and I love to see what everyone else is doing and what is working for them--especially when it's working with a house full of boys! <br /><br />Cristinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01242595555985631574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-9594493243532202222013-08-18T22:23:55.396-04:002013-08-18T22:23:55.396-04:00Yes it does! Thank you so much Mary. :-). Yes it does! Thank you so much Mary. :-). Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18034084071411439315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-30144667538533706612013-08-18T13:50:29.123-04:002013-08-18T13:50:29.123-04:00No produce, don't worry ;) I'm not too wo...No produce, don't worry ;) I'm not too worried about technology, to be honest. I figure it's something that's all around them and they will be exposed to it more than enough especially as they get older. Also, my husband knows a lot about that kind of stuff so I think we're okay. For now I'm more concerned with keeping it at bay as they are younger since I think it can be used as a crutch and a substitute for real learning. I just don't buy that small children NEED to be online or using the latest forms of technology since we've done just fine (better!) for hundreds of years without it and the children I see who are exposed to it aren't really doing much for the cause ;) I fully intend on them knowing how to search online (alone...we do a bit of it now together already) and navigate social media responsibly as they enter the teen years but for now I LOVE that they don't think about that stuff and are just busy being little boys building tree houses outside as I type. And tv is pretty much just a waste of time (and can get very dangerous) at this age in my opinion...unless I'm using it for teaching something. The mp3 thing, however, we MAY need some special ed for...for me :)Mary @ Better Than Edenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409924891343767874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-76955869603281010742013-08-18T13:36:11.778-04:002013-08-18T13:36:11.778-04:00I'm not familiar with Math Mammoth. Singapore...I'm not familiar with Math Mammoth. Singapore does add up but I don't use the textbooks for the younger grades and once you have the Home Instructor's Guide (which to be honest, I BARELY used in the younger years except for answer keys!) you don't have to buy that again. My sister even has the kids do their work in a separate notebook so that she can reuse the workbooks which is smart. I have yet to do that! I ended up selling the textbooks on Ebay since we never used them.<br /><br />I know a lot of people do Math U See and love it. I didn't like the idea of having to buy the manipulatives and I like that Singapore seems to stress the mental math. That said, I do use my own version of manipulatives (Legos or beans) if I see the need but that's pretty rare. Singapore also received glowing reviews from someone I knew who was an engineer and for whom math was really important (it is to me, too) so that was probably the number one factor in my decision.Mary @ Better Than Edenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409924891343767874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-44040686941874886462013-08-18T13:26:20.228-04:002013-08-18T13:26:20.228-04:00You know, I read that a couple places but I haven&...You know, I read that a couple places but I haven't really found anything inherently anti-Catholic. I think the sections on the Crusades and the Counter Reformation are well done. I would say that the chapter about Martin Luther and the Reformation shows that the book has a Protestant leaning and leaves out some awfully problematic (and lesser known) ideas that Luther espoused. It does seem to soften Luther and fuzzify his ideas and make him into just a nice guy trying to right wrongs when there is much more to the story than that. But I don't think I would go so far as to say it's anti-Catholic. I think it's a great opportunity to show how even with the best books we always need to read things critically and in the light of faith. I plan (at some point) to make sure that the boys know that there is a lot more to the story and the problems with the way Luther addressed his issues with the Church and not have them listen to that chapter over and over. At least being aware of the Reformation and the split among Christians helps them understand why there is a different denomination church every few blocks while we're driving and why we go to the church that we do and believe that it is the one true Church. I think it's important to explain things like this and have open dialogue with them about that stuff as they are ready for it and it comes up. Hope that helps!Mary @ Better Than Edenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409924891343767874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-6027646300604280012013-08-18T13:00:18.854-04:002013-08-18T13:00:18.854-04:00That boy of yours is really gifted. I know some p...That boy of yours is really gifted. I know some people would disagree but I say feed him what he wants! If he can do it and wants to do it, take full advantage now. That way if things do slow down either on his end or because of family situations (or fun things like vacations and taking time off just because!) then you have plenty of room to not worry or feel like he's behind. He is such an awesome kid!Mary @ Better Than Edenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409924891343767874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-51830445224246934262013-08-18T08:23:37.806-04:002013-08-18T08:23:37.806-04:00Mary, another thing that you will probably want to...Mary, another thing that you will probably want to do (or need to do) at some point is technology, because it is apparently one of your weak areas. I don't homeschool, and I have taught in public school, so—all right, obligatory pause while everybody rolls their eyes—I imagine that you will want to do this with other parents? As a co-op? <br /><br />Just saying something about technology to get the ball rolling. Feel free to throw rotten eggs and produce at me now. :-)Melissa H-Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03674140433439195917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-75833558034551720252013-08-18T08:15:07.980-04:002013-08-18T08:15:07.980-04:00I love reading these. We do mostly MODG, but we ...I love reading these. We do mostly MODG, but we do switch out a few subjects (math and science).<br /><br />I'm curious about Singapore. We had been using Math U See, but I thinking about switching to Math Mammoth, which I hear is similar to Singapore but not as expensive. <br /><br />And, I totally agree on memory work..it is so important and it's something i was REALLY lacking on in my own public school education. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-51903962617973845642013-08-17T22:26:46.075-04:002013-08-17T22:26:46.075-04:00Hi Mary! Thanks for sharing all of your curriculum...Hi Mary! Thanks for sharing all of your curriculum choices. I'd like to know more of your thoughts on SOTW. I heard they were pretty anti-catholic starting with the second and want to know how you deal with that. I like the idea of telling history as a story but have never taken the plunge due to that concern. Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18034084071411439315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-14260118290728983212013-08-17T22:23:08.051-04:002013-08-17T22:23:08.051-04:00It intimidates me too. I'm really thinking I&...It intimidates me too. I'm really thinking I'm not called to it, as least for now. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on it.Karihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09208276783281736857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-71711871996322138192013-08-17T20:09:42.563-04:002013-08-17T20:09:42.563-04:00I've heard of it but you want to know somethin...I've heard of it but you want to know something really lame and embarrassing? I still don't know how to do the whole MP3 thing. I buy CDs because the downloading and figuring out what device is supposed to work with what still scares me! How ridiculous is that? I really need to figure this out because yes, that sounds like an incredible resource! I'm still not sold on the electronic book thing. I think it's great for some things but I'm not sure I want the kids using that in place of real books yet. Oh my, I really am sounding like an old lady now, aren't I? Now excuse me while I go chase some kids off my lawn...Mary @ Better Than Edenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409924891343767874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-84248943577200557282013-08-17T20:09:00.932-04:002013-08-17T20:09:00.932-04:00I love reading these posts too - I'm still try...I love reading these posts too - I'm still trying to decide if we're going to start anything formal (or even semi-formal) with John Paul this year... He just turned 4, but he's SO ridiculously in love with anything and everything academic. I kind of feel like I could bribe him to do ANYTHING if I promised to teach him the parts of speech!Rosiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12888635342531960478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-20827643612878149932013-08-17T20:05:54.581-04:002013-08-17T20:05:54.581-04:00When I first started I looked into MODG a lot and ...When I first started I looked into MODG a lot and even got some of their lesson plans and books. Then I realized as I started using the materials that I just didn't like some of it. I knew I wanted a different math and the Mommy, Renoir thing just seemed really dated to me. By the time I switched out the things I wanted to, I wasn't really at all doing MODG anymore. I think part of it, too, was that the list of books required as they get older looks really intimidating to me. I don't know why seeing things laid out like that turns me off so much but it does! It's not like I don't have a million books on our shelves already so it's not that I'm afraid to buy the books! Who knows. Anyway, I did use their book lists for suggestions (Teach Your Child to Read and the Golden Children's Bible to name a couple) and I know many of the veteran homeschoolers have successfully used MODG and loved it so you may, too! Mary @ Better Than Edenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409924891343767874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-57259144632689399672013-08-17T18:43:30.096-04:002013-08-17T18:43:30.096-04:00I have so many this to comment on! I agree with so...I have so many this to comment on! I agree with so many of the things you are saying! and I want to pick your brain about other things. But I'm headed to confession and Mass now. Will definitely come back tonight. Thanks for linking up, Mary. Micaela Darrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04601442850363152303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-33490401759283497872013-08-17T16:53:31.219-04:002013-08-17T16:53:31.219-04:00Thanks for sharing! I hear a lot of people around...Thanks for sharing! I hear a lot of people around here use Mother of Divine Grace. Have you ever used any of their materials? I was just wondering if you've had any experience with it, since I hear about it so often. God Bless!Karihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09208276783281736857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-27725509471288392852013-08-17T16:35:08.218-04:002013-08-17T16:35:08.218-04:00I love these posts too! It is always nice to see ...I love these posts too! It is always nice to see how others do things! We also love audiobooks. Have you seen Librivox.org? It is amazing. And if you ever wanted to get more Mason-y (lol) almost all the recommended books from Ambleside Online are found there as audio books for free! Also if you own a Kindle or Nook you can also download a bunch of them free.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640846201971673514.post-16444768046515922662013-08-17T15:41:01.317-04:002013-08-17T15:41:01.317-04:00Oh goody! I love these posts! And I'm glad y...Oh goody! I love these posts! And I'm glad you saw Micaela's link-up - I was going to tell you =) I'm hoping to get mine up soon. This time of year is so exciting! Theresahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09440812661317797011noreply@blogger.com