A few tweaks and changes - Math, Language Arts and More!

We are crossing the half-way mark threshold for the school year, and we've made some slight changes that I wanted to share, as well as a general update on all of my children's individual subjects they are doing. I will be covering everything from math, to language arts, to typing and handwriting, to government and more. If you want to check out our group subjects mid year review - you can find that video right here: • Mid-Year Group Subject...
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[@kaydefreeman3905]

I love your approach to homeschooling and the principles you're instilling! They can have an opinion and input in their education, but there are also boundaries and they have to do some things they don't necessarily want to. It's teaching them resilience and completing jobs, not just constantly feeding the "what I want" mentality....good job Mama!! 👏🏻👏🏻

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

@@kaydefreeman3905 ❤️❤️❤️

[@suellenrodrigues3919]

Great info! I’m also curious what you use for a side board and tv console 🤣 I like those colors!!!

[@jerilyn-ourhomeschooltable]

We love flashcards here too! Oh my goodness…the end 😂 “See honey, you can hang all the pictures!”

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

@@jerilyn-ourhomeschooltable it’s in the best interest of everyone if we leave that job to him for now 😅

[@brendagarcia5634]

😂😂😂

[@bethart1985]

We are on our 3rd reader for TGATB level 3 and the first book was definitely our fave! This is our first year with TGATB and we are loving the language arts! I love how you have something new each day!

[@thepioneerhomestead]

Thank you for this! I have one struggling this year and definitely different between girls and boys I’m learning in their levels. Blessings mama!💗

[@cheriselueck2194]

Very interested in hearing more about the BJU press reading program. Thank you for your videos Lauren. Love your channel 😊

[@beachgurl788]

You got me interested in the BJU stuff now! It sounds so good and as I’ve looked into it, it looks really good! Thinking of trying their math and English for my younger kiddos and history for my older kids!!!

[@kadieschaefer2874]

I always enjoy and appreciate your updates and reviews! Your daughter may enjoy Essentials in Writing! My boys have enjoyed it for years and they are growing in their writing skills! They also offer Essentials in Literature for grades 7 and up!

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

@@kadieschaefer2874 I’ve looked into that one before and it looks great! We *might* do what our co op does next year but not sure

[@kelseapalmer357]

My daughter hated the kingdom of kind for a while but near the end she was OBSESSED!! Hopefully it gets better😊

[@maeb7723]

SAME with my daughter!

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

@@kelseapalmer357 it keeps getting “lost” 🤦🏻‍♀️ so hopefully we’ll make it to the end of the book haha

[@maeb7723]

@@thepracticalhomeschooler hahaha! 😂 That's classic.

[@TheStyleMarket]

I’m looking forward to your video of BJU reading, I’m on the hunt for a reading curriculum for 2nd grade or maybe 3rd grade since my daughter is about to finish TGATB booster C cards and books.

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

@@TheStyleMarket I made a video last year on BJU reading 2 for you to get a better idea, and I’ll try to make one for reading 3

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

@@TheStyleMarket kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJaaXol_Zaeal6Msi=-58JV2bBRGiU5uu2

[@ashleymurphy4813]

Same birthday issue here! My second grader is born in July. Per reading level, she’s at first grade but 2nd grade in everything else. Oh well….🤷🏼‍♀️

[@scotttoney6997]

Level 7 of Teaching Textbooks can be very challenging towards the middle. It gets a lot better towards the end of level 7. My son just finished Pre Algebra and it wasn’t as much of a struggle as level 7.

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

@@scotttoney6997 I didn’t know that. Thanks for the heads up! She’ll be relieved to know that 😅

[@sarasali3077]

Glad to see things are going well overall! As far as the picture falling, I totally relate. My husband says everything is held on with “sticky notes” 😂 but I actually do hang most things with 3M strips 🤪🤣🤣🤣 so we have random things fall too. I’m so bad 😂😂😂

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

@@sarasali3077 sticky notes 😅😂 🫣 this one had two nails in the dry wall but apparently it wasn’t good enough 🫠

[@GardenMinistry.]

Okay if that frame had fallen in my house, I'd definitely lose it! 😂 Love all your updates Lauren! You've steared me in the right direction of my homeschool choices (loving BJU, TT, and BFB). One thing I've decided to try next year in our Spelling is Phonetic Zoo. We need help in that department, and Ive heard great things about it, so we'll see. My one question is are you still using Fix it Grammer as an enrichment source for English, or not anymore? I was considering it but didnt want to add more "busy work" that wasn't necessary 😊

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

@@GardenMinistry. I’m so happy to hear you’re liking what you’ve chosen so far!! I’m not using it anymore. I think fix it grammar is a great resource but my oldest (who I used it for) didn’t like it. However my middle one is interested in it for next year

[@Roxs92]

You should try DENISON MATH FOR PRE ALGEBRA.. its amazing in my opinion.

[@jenniferborka8328]

Would love an in depth video on the BJU press literature video! Also if your girls love writing but not grammar, check out IEW! It's mostly writing and the grammar is quick and easy but effective!

[@Mombritwood]

My son is in 4th grade and I love the way you explain the BJU writing. We have a grammar we love already. Do you think we could just do the writing chapters or would he be missing out?

[@readingbliss2954]

If it’s the editions where it alternates writing and grammar for every other chapter, you can just do the writing chapters if you like and I don’t think it would interfere with anything.

[@Mombritwood]

@ thanks so much!

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

@@Mombritwood yes you can just do their writing chapters

[@candice3174]

Hi thanks for the update. Good to know all is going well with you’ll. Question: Do you use BJU Press teacher manual with the 4th grade readers ?

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

@@candice3174 no just the answer key to the activity workbook

[@kristenpoletti790]

Another great way to memorize math facts is math war. Just grab a deck of cards and take out the face cards. Then have each person place a card down and do addition, subtraction or multiplication. Whoever calls out the answer first gets the cards.

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

@@kristenpoletti790 thanks! Math games are definitely a great way to go about it! Gonna try this one with her 😊

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

TT 7 was a big jump for my daughter. We struggled with that one.

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

@@CalmintheChaosHomeschool oooooh gotcha! I had no idea!

[@lize7665]

Check out Building Spelling Skills levels 6-8 by CLP

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

@@lize7665 thanks!

[@Roxs92]

Question. Did your daughters do abeka math 5th..??? Am considering changing.. my daughter has finish abeka 4th ( but it's january))!! she's not struggling with math, but I wanted to try something new..

[@thepracticalhomeschooler]

@@Roxs92 no we haven’t used Abeka math past 2nd

[@interb9429]

We have went to 7th grade fiftieth in abeka math, which is the intermediate level. It is very challenging and set at a very high pace. It was too overwhelming for my 7th grader, so we switched to Teaching Textbook Pre Algebra. It slow starting but look as though it’ll get harder within about 40 lessons. Abeka is great for drilling and memorization but it seems the logical thinking portion of daily utilizing what they learn isn’t part of the way the curriculum is taught. Teaching textbooks works slow but uses more life logic I feel. So they will grasp real life situation to use the math they are learning.

[@interb9429]

I meant 50th lesson

[@Roxs92]

@@interb9429 thank you!!!!! And by the way. Thank you for replying:)