Hello everyone, I just wanted to let everyone know that I enjoy this site. I have been lurking around here and now I'm addicted and check it every day. The information that people share is great. Thanks so much.

As for me I live on 7 acres with my critters. (Husband, 4 yr. daughter, goats, chickens, dog, cats, pony, sheep and the assorted other pets.) I was thinking on homeschooling my daughter and would love to hear from others what program they think is the best. (Books etc.) We are also going to try our hand at growing 5 acres of alfalfa to feed our critters and sell (or barter) any excess. Anyone out there with good info. on natural pest management for the alfalfa?

Hope everyone is haveing a great day.

Shari

-- shari (smillers@snowcrest.net), September 17, 2001

Answers

Response to Just wanted to let everyone know.....

Hi Shari, ABeka Book has a very good phonics based program for beginners. For me, their blue-back speller is a must in teaching reading. I ask for the books in manuscript, not cursive. Have you checked into the homeschool laws and support groups for your state?

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), September 17, 2001.

Response to Just wanted to let everyone know.....

Hi Shari, We have used ABeka and Saxon both. I prefered the ABeka illustrations, and color. Saxon was good if there was a hard to learn idea, they repeated parts of the last lessons and would go a little further. However, my son would get bored with repeating, and always wanted to do the color Abeka pages. I do not know if Saxon Math ect. has changed in the last two years. We used it three-or four years ago. Definately find a Co-op. Ours participated in a monthly "swim" at the civic center, and they informed me about spelling bees, etc. I didn't do much with the Co-op, but I liked the newsletter they sent. I kept a teachers journal, just for myself. In Iowa I had to show this to the assistant and discuss the general progress every quarter or semester (legally required), here in NE it is not required. There are two ways you can file for homeschooling here. I think Rule 13 is the religion and belief one, and they do not require as much as if it was the other option. (shot records, etc.) Also heard that any belief would qualify under that one(rule13). You do have to file paperwork every year though. Good luck and God Bless! Brenda

-- Brenda (brenclark@alltel.net), September 17, 2001.

Response to Just wanted to let everyone know.....

Welcome! I used Calvert School boxed curriculum the first year with my son (Kindergarten curriculum - he started it when he was 4). It was a really good starting point. This year I am using various resources and planning my own schedule to suit his needs. As he is ahead in about everything. I also recommend attending a homeschool conference if you can swing it. They have lots of resources and have great informational lectures.

Anita

-- anita (anitaholton@mindspring.com), September 17, 2001.

Response to Just wanted to let everyone know.....

We manage 50 acres of organic hayfield, and had to give up with alfalfa, there is no cost effeective manner to keep the beetles from eating it up entirely!!!

Besides, a red clover, timothy, and orchard grass mixed pasture hay produces a fine hay high in protein IF cut at the right time. This type of hay is good for all types of farm animals and is easy to manage organically.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), September 17, 2001.

Check out the site www.attra.org for some rather good info also.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), September 18, 2001.

We use the Handbook for Reading from A Beka. I just go straight through the book, a page at a time. I do not use their phonics curriculum guide because it is geared toward a classroom of students and is tedious to use with just one child.

For penmanship, I buy a tablet of primary paper, the kind with a top and bottom line and a dotted middle line. They usually have a recommended grade level on the cover; we use the size recommended for 2nd-3rd grade. My children have found it easier to use the smaller spacing even when just starting out. They use the regular size pencil, also. I write sample letters for them to copy. If your handwriting isn't good and/or you don't want to take the time to write the letters, I recommend the Italic Handwriting series by Getty/Dubay. You can get them from Great Christian Book's homeschooling catalog at www.christianbook.com (click on homeschool).

We also use Saxon Math, and I love it. It is easy to use and the younger grade levels are a lot of fun as well as challenging. If your daughter is rather bright, knows colors, shapes, numbers, can count higher than 20, I recommend skipping the kindergarten level and going right into first grade. You can get Saxon at Great Christian Books cheaper than anywhere else I've found.

At your daughter's age, I would not recommend you do anything else with her. We do not actually start history or science until 4th grade; instead, we read, read, read historical/geographical picture books (fiction and nonfiction) and lots of nature science type books from the library. We also read aloud from longer, chapter books. (Once the children know how to read well on their own, they start reading chapter books themselves, but even my 13-year-old still loves our family read-aloud time.) We have found historical craft books which tell a lot of history with projects to do and recipes to make, and science books with simple experiments. Janice Van Cleave's books are good for experiments and cover a good range of age levels. Also available from GCB.

I might as well say it straight out, when we lived in the states, I did 90% of my school shopping with Great Christian Books. Ask for their homeschool print catalog; it contains a wealth of information besides just listing the stuff they sell. I learned a lot just by reading the reviews, especially the ones by the Andreola family. Their stuff is almost always at least 10% less than what you'd pay retail and they are always having inventory sales as much as 75% off. If you are not Christian, don't be turned off by the name. They have LOTS of stuff every homeschool can use.

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), September 19, 2001.