Your family is so very supportive. I have to bribe my family into simply looking at what books I bought because I’m so excited and I have nobody. They pretend to care bad then I move along.
haha! Trust me, there's a pretty big portion of my family that just kind of rolls their eyes at my excitement over books and curriculum. That's why it's fun to talk about it on youtube 'with' people who 'get it.' :)
So glad to see you feeling better. I've been hesitant on using The Good and The Beautiful for my soon to be 1st grader but I think I might give it a try. Your sister sounds like a very bright young lady. You and your mom are doing an amazing job.
I felt kind of silly having to talk about this change so soon after the "curriculum choices" video. Ah well, such is life! Granted, she did actually complete the first 13 weeks of the program, due to our rolling start/year round style, so we gave it a pretty solid go, and I think it's a very solid writing instruction program. It's just, yeah, I guess I should have realized before when I was gushing about how impressed I've been with her writing...that what she needed wasn't really instruction on the 'bones' of writing, since she's already a very solid writer.
Thank you! I am feeling far better than I was, but my normal energy hasn't come back yet. I think this, combined with her literature from Sonlight, will be a strong plan.
@@paularodillo yes, we added 2 additional essays for a total of 12. The units typically include 1 paper per unit. With 12 essays and 12 books we countertop as an honors course. We did this for each of the 3 high school levels.
@@simplejoyfilledliving sorry, I knew you already mentioned this in your videos. But, did you use the honors selection from TGATB? Or added your own... Or please send me the link to your video. Sorry for the trouble.
I think you're one of the only people I've seen to use this curriculum throughout high school, it's been helpful to see your videos to wrap my mind around it a little better.
So love the flexibility you have and how you can really stretch your sister to achieve her writing potential! That's so difficult to do in the standard classroom. ❤️
Oh! I am a history Sonlighter mama as well. We sure love their style and my kids are very advanced for their ages in that category. Plus it's fun so there is never complaining when it comes to History.
We love TGTB language arts and we buy all our curriculum wiv the PDF as we are living overseas as well. We don’t like tests. Wen i was studying early education I was assessed in the workplace and was tested verbally, it was more natural. Praying 4 ya!!!
Yes, PDF curriculum is definitely a necessity with being overseas. We used to got our curriculum when we traveled, but that hasn't been possible lately!
I think it's definitely worth trying and I'm interested to find out what her experience and opinion of it will be. Clearly, at this point we take her feedback on her education pretty seriously, while still trying to challenge her and give her opportunities to grow her skills! She loves Sonlight and all the books she gets to read, but I think this will give us what we need for the rest of LA.
TGATB Level 5 also has a set of geography and grammar cards used from level 5 through level 7. All components of Level 5 are completely free to download.
I didn't know that Pollyanna was by the same author! I remember really enjoying that story as a kid. And yes, that's so true, "test days" are usually a shorter day than usual!
Your channel is SO helpful to me as a homeschool mom. Thank you! You mentioned you use Sonlight for Literature (and I believe you said Bible/History?). I would love to know your thoughts on the writing component of the Sonlight Literature program at the high school level. I assume you feel it could be bolstered further if you have added Writing With Skill and then alternately TG&TB. Would love to hear your thoughts! Thank you!
I don't have anything negative to say about Sonlight's writing component at the high school level--I do think that, depending on the student, the student will likely need a little more parental guidance with Sonlight's writing projects vs. these other programs which are laid out with step-by-step, explicit instructions (Writing with Skill) or are just overall easier (TGATB). Our family doesn't mind if some of the resources we use "overlap" in subject area, and this particular student actually needed more practice with spelling, commas, etc...that part of writing (TGATB includes a lot of practice with that), versus original thought and organization of her writing, both of those she has a natural knack for. However, I want to mention that up until this year, we've been using very OLD editions of Sonlight's IGs. We bought a new and updated IG for her 11th grade year so when I get a chance to really look at that I will probably do a video specific to Sonlight high school IG and instruction. I never wanted to do a video on their IG and the way they do instruction because the IGs we've been using are 15+ years old (from back when I was in school), and I know they have updated a great deal.
You are amazing to take so much time to explain this for me. Such a huge help. I am so happy to have found your channel. Thank you for this explanation regarding writing programs and components. SO helpful!
I have a 13 year old who is also a very strong writer and loves to write her own chapter books, loves expounding her vocabulary, and loves to read challenging books in order to improve her writing. I was looking at using Writing With Skill to give her some kind of structure...but do you think that she may do better with TGTB along with free writing and a grammar curriculum? I have been hesitant to use TGTB as it is quite colorful and it may overwhelm her. Though it could end up being good for her because she also loves art.. Do you have any thoughts?
I think it depends on what you're wanting out of her assigned writing and language arts at this point. Writing with Skill is a better resource if you're looking for something targeted toward structured academic writing. TGATB does have the art and geography components, and does include a good number of grammar and spelling exercises if that's more of what you're looking for, but while it has literature-based writing prompts and some writing guidance, I wouldn't lean on it for academic writing instruction. I have a video on my own process for teaching writing in the middle/high school years: ua-cam.com/video/bboLksR-q90/v-deo.htmlsi=JjfsxXZvHmgnpPkv
We'll be using the TGATB LA HS1 too for my 9th grader and I'm adding the Writing with Skills 1, since we are just starting it up. You think it would be too late for the writing skills to start in HS? My eldest mentioned that he wants to hone his writing skills (right the time that you released your 10th grade curriculum), though he already has a collection of personally written poems, I want to hone especially his persuasive and narratives. Also, starting my 2nd grader with Writing with Ease 1...
We're using Writing with Skill 1 for the 5th grader and it's very challenging for her--I saw recommended in the curriculum, if you start it with an older student, you can always "fast pace" some of it as needed before moving on to 2 and 3 I think Writing with Skill is excellent for working on the structure of narratives and formal essays. Especially since he's mentioned wanting to work on his skills, that sounds like a strong plan to me. Writing with Skill is great when you have the elements of creative writing down, but you want to work on the structures necessary for strong academic writing.
I will only buy PDF versions of homeschool curriculum. If you find anymore please share them with us. I have the same printer as you have and I love that if a child destroys a page, I can just print another one out.
In all honesty...we haven't used a lot of explicit writing instruction with her. I did include her in lessons years ago with her older sister (who is 5 years older)...I was using just TPT resources to teach some of the traditional high-school level writing skills for persuasive writing, etc. I suspect she picked up on a lot back then...but something I've noticed is that some kids just seem to have a natural knack for particular skills...and she has a way with words. For other kids, they need more of the structured framework that something like Writing With Skill can provide until they build a habit of writing solid papers. I have always looked at her papers with her and gone over them to talk about improvements, and had her go through the re-writing and editing process, but that's mainly it. Our routine is that the first paper she turns in will never be the final paper, because that's not how it works when writing professionally, either. :) Her personality and brain is a lot like mine, and I also didn't have much writing instruction when I was homeschooled. I had a knack for it and a love for it, and in college I learned a lot about that write-rewrite-edit, process from my professors. Writing has been my 'career' (if a stay at home mom who writes curriculum in the wee hours while her babies sleep can be said to have a 'career', haha!), so I love see her own writing talent blossom!
@@SevenInAll Thank you! My son just turned 9, he also loves to write! And he LOVES to read. This year I started the Robinson Curriculum with him, which is based on lots of reading of very old books (1800s) with excellent vocabulary and sentence structure and the idea that this will organically transfer into their writing. The kids are also supposed to free-write for an hour each day. What is your opinion on that? I'm torn between trusting the Robinson process and providing more instruction- like IEW or Writing with Skill. He is SO young, and he does love to write. I don't want to kill his joy, but I also want to see him grow in his ability!
@@catherineknight317 If a kids enjoys writing and isn't hesitant to write...I personally wouldn't add Writing with Skill. (I don't know enough about IEW to really understand how it works). I do, however, really see the benefit of, even with freewriting, having a student reread their own writing and think about if they really said what they wanted to say, if there's any way it could be said better or more clearly. At that age, I'd make it a habit to once in a while, pick out a piece of writing that he created that really has some potential, and work together to take it a little further. The rewriting process is SO valuable, even in professional writing, so I do try to build an idea early on of never being TOO content with your first draft.
Where do you find the tests? Are they in each of the 10 unit books? We haven’t bought it ye but planning to purchase the Highschool 1 for my daughter for next year, I didn’t see any mention about tests, and would like to make sure I find them.
We bought the downloadable version, and the tests are in a file called "Answer Key and Unit Checks". Just yesterday I released a thorough review of our experience using HS 1: ua-cam.com/video/lA1f6c6N-yM/v-deo.html
My youngest sister is 19 years younger, this is the 2nd youngest and she's 15 years younger. :P A pretty big age gap, but there's 8 of us, so just a couple years in between each.
The million dollar question..how did you get your copy of the book (not the course pages, but the actual novel) to print? Am I right in assuming you got a pdf and were able to print on 1/2 sheets somehow?
hahaha--YES! I did figure out how to print that book so that it would be just like a book. At first I was like, "I'll never figure this out" but then I got over my fear of technology and did it. haha! I'm planning to make a video on how I did it, but basically, the key is double-sided printing on a "booklet" setting, then using a paper cutting to chop the pages in half, and stapling the book together. I added contact paper to make the cover sturdier.
@@SevenInAll yes, video please 😂😂😂 no, I'll try these steps and see if I can be amazing also with home printed books bc shipping here is a lot from the US!
@@kendraparks3271 Yes...between shipping costs, import costs, and the general unreliability of mail...unless we can get new books via people traveling and transporting books in suitcases...we pretty much do PDF only these days. Although I've got plans for our first visit to the USA in a long time and I'm starting to get way too excited about real book shopping...
Sonlight is a LOT of reading, for sure. I don't feel that TG&TB adds much to the reading load, when she's already used to reading so much. Each unit should take roughly 3 school weeks to complete (we school 4 days a week), and for example, the first book, "Just David," is covered by the first 3 units. So, that's just one book spread out over 9 school weeks. There are short non-fiction readings and poetry readings spread throughout, but the reading load definitely seems light, at least for a kid who already does a lot of reading and gobbles it up. :)
@@allisonkennedy9116 We use Bookshark (Sonlight’s sister company) for history and use TGATB for LA bc I didn’t like Bookshark’s LA either. They work well together!
That is amazing that you listened to her feelings about the curriculum and followed her lead. You have an awesome support system within your family. 💕
That's definitely one of the perks of homeschool--and now with her being in high school, she's really allowed to have input on her own education. :)
I love how you respectably listened to your sister's feelings about the curriculum and changed it for her.
I love how supportive your family is.
I am grateful for a supportive family, too!
Your family is so very supportive. I have to bribe my family into simply looking at what books I bought because I’m so excited and I have nobody. They pretend to care bad then I move along.
haha! Trust me, there's a pretty big portion of my family that just kind of rolls their eyes at my excitement over books and curriculum. That's why it's fun to talk about it on youtube 'with' people who 'get it.' :)
So glad you’re back to full health!! Those test and memory cards are so helpful!!
I still don't feel like my energy is back where it usually is, but feeling a thousand times better than this time last week! I'm grateful!
Hey! Megan here watching :) I’m always curious about homeschooling because I’m thinking of doing it for my two kids :)
Careful...it's quite the adventure! ;)
So glad to see you feeling better. I've been hesitant on using The Good and The Beautiful for my soon to be 1st grader but I think I might give it a try. Your sister sounds like a very bright young lady. You and your mom are doing an amazing job.
Great analogy with the sewing machine. Glad that I'm not the only one who has had a "this wasn't a great fit" moment lately. Thank you for sharing.
I felt kind of silly having to talk about this change so soon after the "curriculum choices" video. Ah well, such is life! Granted, she did actually complete the first 13 weeks of the program, due to our rolling start/year round style, so we gave it a pretty solid go, and I think it's a very solid writing instruction program. It's just, yeah, I guess I should have realized before when I was gushing about how impressed I've been with her writing...that what she needed wasn't really instruction on the 'bones' of writing, since she's already a very solid writer.
I’m so glad you’re feeling better, home, and healthy!☺️♥️
Thank you!
I am excited to hear how TG&TB works for your family. Feel better my friend. So glad you are doing better ❤
Thank you! I am feeling far better than I was, but my normal energy hasn't come back yet. I think this, combined with her literature from Sonlight, will be a strong plan.
Great video! It’s always helpful to hear someone else’s thoughts.
Thanks for listening!
We loved TG&TB high school levels. Karie is almost done with Year 3. We add 7 books to each level for a total of 12.
Hi Colleen, do you add book study/report for the additional books? Thank you.
@@paularodillo yes, we added 2 additional essays for a total of 12. The units typically include 1 paper per unit. With 12 essays and 12 books we countertop as an honors course. We did this for each of the 3 high school levels.
@@simplejoyfilledliving sorry, I knew you already mentioned this in your videos. But, did you use the honors selection from TGATB? Or added your own... Or please send me the link to your video. Sorry for the trouble.
I think you're one of the only people I've seen to use this curriculum throughout high school, it's been helpful to see your videos to wrap my mind around it a little better.
@@simplejoyfilledliving nevermind, already watching your videos... Thank you for your detailed videos.
So love the flexibility you have and how you can really stretch your sister to achieve her writing potential! That's so difficult to do in the standard classroom. ❤️
Yes, it's not something that's realistic in a typical classroom, but we appreciate the flexibility for now!
Oh! I am a history Sonlighter mama as well. We sure love their style and my kids are very advanced for their ages in that category. Plus it's fun so there is never complaining when it comes to History.
Oh, growing up with Sonlight, there definitely was never complaining when it was time to sit down and listen to the books! We loved it.
We love TGTB language arts and we buy all our curriculum wiv the PDF as we are living overseas as well. We don’t like tests. Wen i was studying early education I was assessed in the workplace and was tested verbally, it was more natural. Praying 4 ya!!!
Yes, PDF curriculum is definitely a necessity with being overseas. We used to got our curriculum when we traveled, but that hasn't been possible lately!
I’ve heard wonderful things about TGTB high school! I can’t wait to hear your final thoughts.
I think it's definitely worth trying and I'm interested to find out what her experience and opinion of it will be. Clearly, at this point we take her feedback on her education pretty seriously, while still trying to challenge her and give her opportunities to grow her skills! She loves Sonlight and all the books she gets to read, but I think this will give us what we need for the rest of LA.
Great info! Thanks for walking us through I learned a lot!
Thanks for listening!
So happy you are feeling better!
Me, too!
I’m so glad you are feeling better.
Thank you!
Great share of your experience regarding the curriculum.
Thank you for listening!
So glad that you are feeling better.
Thank you!
TGATB Level 5 also has a set of geography and grammar cards used from level 5 through level 7. All components of Level 5 are completely free to download.
Yes! We haven't yet had anyone at that stage or level yet. My youngest sister is currently in level 4.
I've heard great things about their high school program. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it
I've been very interested in it, so we'll see how it goes!
Just David is such a sweet book! Same author as Pollyanna!
We like tests! It means shorter lessons for my kids that day :)
I didn't know that Pollyanna was by the same author! I remember really enjoying that story as a kid. And yes, that's so true, "test days" are usually a shorter day than usual!
My niece is using TGATB LA year 1 this year and loves it!
That's good to know! My sister definitely seemed excited as she started looking through it.
@@SevenInAll I hope you give this one a good review bc I also bought it for my son for next year! 😬😬😬 high school! Agh!!!!
Your channel is SO helpful to me as a homeschool mom. Thank you!
You mentioned you use Sonlight for Literature (and I believe you said Bible/History?). I would love to know your thoughts on the writing component of the Sonlight
Literature program at the high school level. I assume you feel it could be bolstered further if you have added Writing With Skill and then alternately TG&TB. Would love to hear your thoughts! Thank you!
I don't have anything negative to say about Sonlight's writing component at the high school level--I do think that, depending on the student, the student will likely need a little more parental guidance with Sonlight's writing projects vs. these other programs which are laid out with step-by-step, explicit instructions (Writing with Skill) or are just overall easier (TGATB). Our family doesn't mind if some of the resources we use "overlap" in subject area, and this particular student actually needed more practice with spelling, commas, etc...that part of writing (TGATB includes a lot of practice with that), versus original thought and organization of her writing, both of those she has a natural knack for.
However, I want to mention that up until this year, we've been using very OLD editions of Sonlight's IGs. We bought a new and updated IG for her 11th grade year so when I get a chance to really look at that I will probably do a video specific to Sonlight high school IG and instruction. I never wanted to do a video on their IG and the way they do instruction because the IGs we've been using are 15+ years old (from back when I was in school), and I know they have updated a great deal.
You are amazing to take so much time to explain this for me. Such a huge help. I am so happy to have found your channel. Thank you for this explanation regarding writing programs and components. SO helpful!
Hey so glad your feeling better NG better. Keep resting. 🙂
Thank you! Definitely taking life at a slower pace this week.
Oh man I’m glad your better!
Me, too!
I have a 13 year old who is also a very strong writer and loves to write her own chapter books, loves expounding her vocabulary, and loves to read challenging books in order to improve her writing. I was looking at using Writing With Skill to give her some kind of structure...but do you think that she may do better with TGTB along with free writing and a grammar curriculum? I have been hesitant to use TGTB as it is quite colorful and it may overwhelm her. Though it could end up being good for her because she also loves art.. Do you have any thoughts?
I think it depends on what you're wanting out of her assigned writing and language arts at this point. Writing with Skill is a better resource if you're looking for something targeted toward structured academic writing. TGATB does have the art and geography components, and does include a good number of grammar and spelling exercises if that's more of what you're looking for, but while it has literature-based writing prompts and some writing guidance, I wouldn't lean on it for academic writing instruction.
I have a video on my own process for teaching writing in the middle/high school years: ua-cam.com/video/bboLksR-q90/v-deo.htmlsi=JjfsxXZvHmgnpPkv
I hope you continue to feel better.
Thank you!
We'll be using the TGATB LA HS1 too for my 9th grader and I'm adding the Writing with Skills 1, since we are just starting it up. You think it would be too late for the writing skills to start in HS? My eldest mentioned that he wants to hone his writing skills (right the time that you released your 10th grade curriculum), though he already has a collection of personally written poems, I want to hone especially his persuasive and narratives. Also, starting my 2nd grader with Writing with Ease 1...
We're using Writing with Skill 1 for the 5th grader and it's very challenging for her--I saw recommended in the curriculum, if you start it with an older student, you can always "fast pace" some of it as needed before moving on to 2 and 3 I think Writing with Skill is excellent for working on the structure of narratives and formal essays. Especially since he's mentioned wanting to work on his skills, that sounds like a strong plan to me. Writing with Skill is great when you have the elements of creative writing down, but you want to work on the structures necessary for strong academic writing.
I will only buy PDF versions of homeschool curriculum. If you find anymore please share them with us. I have the same printer as you have and I love that if a child destroys a page, I can just print another one out.
Yes, that is super handy, the ability to print out the same pages again as needed! It really is a huge convenience!
What did your 10th grade sister use in her younger years to get to the point of being an amazing writer?
In all honesty...we haven't used a lot of explicit writing instruction with her. I did include her in lessons years ago with her older sister (who is 5 years older)...I was using just TPT resources to teach some of the traditional high-school level writing skills for persuasive writing, etc. I suspect she picked up on a lot back then...but something I've noticed is that some kids just seem to have a natural knack for particular skills...and she has a way with words. For other kids, they need more of the structured framework that something like Writing With Skill can provide until they build a habit of writing solid papers. I have always looked at her papers with her and gone over them to talk about improvements, and had her go through the re-writing and editing process, but that's mainly it. Our routine is that the first paper she turns in will never be the final paper, because that's not how it works when writing professionally, either. :) Her personality and brain is a lot like mine, and I also didn't have much writing instruction when I was homeschooled. I had a knack for it and a love for it, and in college I learned a lot about that write-rewrite-edit, process from my professors. Writing has been my 'career' (if a stay at home mom who writes curriculum in the wee hours while her babies sleep can be said to have a 'career', haha!), so I love see her own writing talent blossom!
@@SevenInAll Thank you! My son just turned 9, he also loves to write! And he LOVES to read. This year I started the Robinson Curriculum with him, which is based on lots of reading of very old books (1800s) with excellent vocabulary and sentence structure and the idea that this will organically transfer into their writing. The kids are also supposed to free-write for an hour each day. What is your opinion on that? I'm torn between trusting the Robinson process and providing more instruction- like IEW or Writing with Skill. He is SO young, and he does love to write. I don't want to kill his joy, but I also want to see him grow in his ability!
@@catherineknight317 If a kids enjoys writing and isn't hesitant to write...I personally wouldn't add Writing with Skill. (I don't know enough about IEW to really understand how it works). I do, however, really see the benefit of, even with freewriting, having a student reread their own writing and think about if they really said what they wanted to say, if there's any way it could be said better or more clearly. At that age, I'd make it a habit to once in a while, pick out a piece of writing that he created that really has some potential, and work together to take it a little further. The rewriting process is SO valuable, even in professional writing, so I do try to build an idea early on of never being TOO content with your first draft.
@@SevenInAll Thank you! I'll do that!
Where do you find the tests? Are they in each of the 10 unit books? We haven’t bought it ye but planning to purchase the Highschool 1 for my daughter for next year, I didn’t see any mention about tests, and would like to make sure I find them.
We bought the downloadable version, and the tests are in a file called "Answer Key and Unit Checks". Just yesterday I released a thorough review of our experience using HS 1: ua-cam.com/video/lA1f6c6N-yM/v-deo.html
Clearwater press - Adventure Novel is a fun writing curriculum for already skilled writers.
Thanks for the recommendation!
I didn't realise you have sisters so young, I thought they were all closer to your age or just in the last year or so in high school.
My youngest sister is 19 years younger, this is the 2nd youngest and she's 15 years younger. :P A pretty big age gap, but there's 8 of us, so just a couple years in between each.
OMG the comments are working from my account, don't know why it wasn't working, letting me comment .
Glad it's working now!
The million dollar question..how did you get your copy of the book (not the course pages, but the actual novel) to print? Am I right in assuming you got a pdf and were able to print on 1/2 sheets somehow?
hahaha--YES! I did figure out how to print that book so that it would be just like a book. At first I was like, "I'll never figure this out" but then I got over my fear of technology and did it. haha! I'm planning to make a video on how I did it, but basically, the key is double-sided printing on a "booklet" setting, then using a paper cutting to chop the pages in half, and stapling the book together. I added contact paper to make the cover sturdier.
@@SevenInAll yes, video please 😂😂😂 no, I'll try these steps and see if I can be amazing also with home printed books bc shipping here is a lot from the US!
@@kendraparks3271 Yes...between shipping costs, import costs, and the general unreliability of mail...unless we can get new books via people traveling and transporting books in suitcases...we pretty much do PDF only these days. Although I've got plans for our first visit to the USA in a long time and I'm starting to get way too excited about real book shopping...
PS this is Felisha from Lishieandfamily, I am trying to comment from my account but the button is grey not letting me comment ?
Ugh, that's annoying!
Do you feel like the reading with Sonlight and TGATB is too much?
Sonlight is a LOT of reading, for sure. I don't feel that TG&TB adds much to the reading load, when she's already used to reading so much. Each unit should take roughly 3 school weeks to complete (we school 4 days a week), and for example, the first book, "Just David," is covered by the first 3 units. So, that's just one book spread out over 9 school weeks. There are short non-fiction readings and poetry readings spread throughout, but the reading load definitely seems light, at least for a kid who already does a lot of reading and gobbles it up. :)
Thank you for responding. We use Sonlight and I don't think I could part with it. I'm just not wild about Sonlight LA.
@@allisonkennedy9116 We use Bookshark (Sonlight’s sister company) for history and use TGATB for LA bc I didn’t like Bookshark’s LA either. They work well together!
Lol I didn’t like tests at all 😆
haha, I think it's pretty odd to like them!
I like tests lol 😄
haha, we appreciate them a great deal!