We have reached the point in the school year where it is time to begin evaluating the materials we used and deciding if we want to use the next level in the fall. This is always a fun time of the year because I love shopping. I'm not buying things yet but I am making my list (and checking it twice!).
Our choice in Singapore math was a good one and we will continue to use it. It is getting harder for Babalu but we are working through 3A/3B slowly. Rookie is flying through his books but first grade math is pretty easy compared to third. I've been grateful for that.
Our experience with the biology book from Pandia Press has been fairly positive and the kids have enjoyed it. It is nice having the info given to us, then a worksheet and then an activity. I also appreciate that we don't have to do science every day so it gives us flexibility.
Our Language Arts and reading have been acceptable but not great and we will not continue with Sonlight or the Evan Moor daily workbooks. I have tried to like Sonlight's programs but I just can't. I'm not sure why. But I do love many of the books they suggest so I am using their lists as a starting point for read alouds and the boy's reading lists.
Our history using pandia press and our geography using various things has not been as successful and I had hoped. But these are hard subjects to get my boys interested in and I'm hoping that with more activities next year will be better. They are learning the basics and at their ages this is all I ask of them this year.
Sonlight is supposedly rolling out a new secular program called Bookshark, or something, I think. ? Not sure though, if you like the books but not the format then maybe it won't be what you want? I didn't love SL's language arts so much. It was fine but it was kind of uncreative after a while. I think they could put more effort into making teaching that stuff a bit more interesting.
ReplyDeleteI also didn't care for SL's language arts program. I tried to but just couldn't. I didn't know about bookshark, I have to check it out. Thanks so much.
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