My experiences
Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 12:40 pm
I'm using Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory this year after having used Little Hearts for His Glory last year. Continue to love the history-driven, thematic, and literature-based approaches encompassed in the program. It's also great that it can stand on its own: it's a complete curriculum without having to add anything else. But I've found that the topics give me ideas to expand upon for additional projects (for example, this week and next my girls are making animal habitat books after we read about forest animals in the Jamestown unit). I'd have a hard time coming up with creative tie-ins like that on my own, but the curriculum seems to shake the cobwebs out of my mind. 
Another thing I love this year are the read-alouds. We are currently doing the biography, and my girls are eating it up - they yell, "Aww!" when I close the book and announce we'll continue tomorrow. I love that they are so excited that they want to know more, which is testament to the great titles included with the curriculum (I purchased both the classics and girl-themed sets along with the curriculum guide). I am looking forward to reading great literature in many genres throughout the year.
Finally, I cannot say enough about the Singapore Math that is recommended with the program. We used it last year and are continuing with great enthusiasm. Hardly anyone in my homeschool association uses Singapore - most use Saxon or Horizons, it seems, and (as someone else on one of these threads has said) many of their kids hate or are overwelmed by that. I think the difference may very well be the concrete-to-pictorial-to-abstract approach of Singapore...and that is made even better by Carrie Austin's own "Math Exploration" activities in the curriculum. We do those activities every day and I have no doubt that my girls not only enjoy learning math but are understanding it quickly and easily.
Another thing I love this year are the read-alouds. We are currently doing the biography, and my girls are eating it up - they yell, "Aww!" when I close the book and announce we'll continue tomorrow. I love that they are so excited that they want to know more, which is testament to the great titles included with the curriculum (I purchased both the classics and girl-themed sets along with the curriculum guide). I am looking forward to reading great literature in many genres throughout the year.
Finally, I cannot say enough about the Singapore Math that is recommended with the program. We used it last year and are continuing with great enthusiasm. Hardly anyone in my homeschool association uses Singapore - most use Saxon or Horizons, it seems, and (as someone else on one of these threads has said) many of their kids hate or are overwelmed by that. I think the difference may very well be the concrete-to-pictorial-to-abstract approach of Singapore...and that is made even better by Carrie Austin's own "Math Exploration" activities in the curriculum. We do those activities every day and I have no doubt that my girls not only enjoy learning math but are understanding it quickly and easily.
