2014 SRC Recap Favorites

Again, I have been totally blessed as a member of the schoolhouse review crew. This was my second year and my kids love to try new things & mix it up a bit. Like last year, we have tried things that we adored and others that didn’t work so well. Here is a review of everything we reviewed this year and how we feel about it after some time has gone by.

Curriculum Recap

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Kinderbach

The fascination faded quick :(.  So much for my keyboard investment…

 

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Science4Us

Too involved for me to want to use long term. Great idea, but doesn’t work well for my desire to have little to no prep.  And I’m such a perfectionist that I didn’t feel like she was getting anything on the computer only if I wasn’t supporting with the printable stuff that went with it.  My problem?  Probably.

 

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Motivated Moms Planner

I wish, I wish.  I am SO domestically challenged.  I keep trying; I might even download the app next year.  We shall see.

 

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Egglo

They loved these and I will be digging them out at Easter time. They still occasionally ask to use the eggs and I’d still be reading the book if it wasn’t locked away with the other Easter books :).

 

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Captivated 

Meh. Preaching to the choir.

 

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Victus Study Skills

This has been staring at me all month. I think we will start with new goals in January.  No point in doing it this close to holiday break :).

 

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CTC Math

Still using and liking pretty well. She just finished first grade, so it didn’t take too long to fix my curriculum buying mistake from last year.

 

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Rhythm of Handwriting

After a summer break, we have resumed ROH and are now on capital letters & words. She has started to write in cursive so it’s sinking in. She still doesn’t love handwriting, but she doesn’t complain much. We use an app (from another company) for review of individual letters so that helps :).   I think she will be finished with it by the end of the year.

 

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Brinkman Adventures

The kids are a bit young. Again, we might bring them out for an upcoming road trip or dog days of winter. Totally not on our summer radar, you know?

 

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Artistic Pursuits

We have paused due to it not jiving with the time period we are studying in history. We also just got back to school & are finding our groove. Probably in the winter. Regularly, if I know her :).

 

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Maestro Classics 

I love these! I wish the kids loved them all as well as Mike Mulligan. I think they ALL need a book accompaniment! We will probably pull them out for composer studies in winter.

 

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Peter Rabbit

There was a period of time where we hadn’t read them due to poor placement on the bookcase.  Now that they are easy to find and get to, we are back to reading them all the time.  Since I bought the set, I gave the two duplicates to my Godson for his birthday.  LOVED these!

 

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Veritas Press 

Still love. My 6 y/o was whining about starting this again. Then she remembered how much she liked it and frequently asks to do an extra lesson. Seriously.   She is still “failing” and I realized it is because the test questions are way date heavy.  Since I don’t care if she memorizes dates, I’ve told her not to worry even though it has a giant FAILED across the score at the end — which is totally lame, BTW.   She answers the game questions very well, but those don’t count toward scoring and I don’t think they are the same questions that show up on the test.

 

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WriteShop 

This was great! If I didn’t feel like she was already spending too much time on school, we would be doing it. We both adored it. I can see doing it in winter when the days are long & indoors :).

 

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Flourish

Not sure what to say about this one. It was great to hear the encouragement and it kick started a reboot that was needed. Now I’m trying to fine tune everything. So I guess it was useful, but I’m struggling with detail & flow. And sleep :).

 

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Happy Kids Songs

They were fun, but nothing my kids ask for. Maybe this winter when they are indoors more.

 

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7 Minute Life Daily Planner

I spent a few months trying to use it.  I find that when I DON’T, I feel much less productive. I’ve switched to trying a Bullet Journal and use my 4 favorite pieces of the 7ML planner at the very beginning of each day.  So I like it, but don’t use the actual book anymore.

 

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My Student Logbook 

Still love. Still use every week. Doesn’t even complain about time it takes because she can see the end. I can’t even tell you how much money that is worth!

 

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Preschoolers & Peace (e-book)

Nothing changed.  Still have mixed feelings about it.

 

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Clued-In Kids

We liked these.  I think I’m going to buy the Halloween one next year because we never do anything for Halloween.  Itty Bitty’s b-day is just before and I’m mentally spent after that, you know?

 

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If He Had Not Come

LOVE!  We read it nearly every day!

 

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IXL 

My PreK asks to do her “computer school” all the time.  I think I’m going to switch to using IXL for her language arts.  The curriculum we are using isn’t really working for us, no matter how awesome of a curriculum it is :(.  So, yay for IXL :)!

 

Top 3 Review Crew Products For 2014

  1. CTC Math
  2. Veritas Press
  3. My Student Logbook 

An honorable mention goes to If He Had Not Come.  If it had been homeschool curriculum & not a seasonal book, it would have had spot #3.

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You can see the winners of the 2014 SRC Blue Ribbon awards (where we get to pick our favorites) at the Schoolhouse Review Crew website.

I’ve been asked to come back to the Schoolhouse Review Crew next year and agreed, so you will see some awesome curriculum and educational activity reviews to look at next year for PreK/K & Second/Third Graders.   I’m so excited!   Look for homeschooling and family reviews to begin again around February.   Until then, wrap up your school for the year & enjoy the holidays!

Jen S.

 

 

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