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herdingkittens
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| Posted: Aug 04 2012 at 9:35pm | IP Logged
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I am torn! 
We have always used CHC Language of God grammar books. My kiddos like them, I like how our faith is reinforced in them, they seem to be doing the trick. We also have used Hillside Press's beautiful grammar books, but not as our main source (they like Hillside's, too).
However, as I am adding children in to the mix, I am also adding dollars, I am trying to find ways to lessen our book spending. I already have the books from hillside for up to 6th grade, but I am thinking we could save $90 a year just in CHC workbooks for grammar (when all 6 are school aged) if we dropped them and went with non consumables.
Still want to keep the handwriting and spelling books though... 
I know I can drop them and be okay, I just need someone to tell me it will be okay. And I know I cannot be the first one in this group to come to this realization.  I did not realize what a creature of habit I can be.
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Aug 06 2012 at 11:26am | IP Logged
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herdingkittens wrote:
| I know I can drop them and be okay, I just need someone to tell me it will be okay. |
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It will be okay.
In fact, it can be more than okay - it can be a COMPLETE RELIEF, both on your wallet, your time spent, and the quality of learning that happens!
Replace workbooks with:
** engaging grammar videos (like Schoolhouse Rock),
** short oral lessons and ask the kids to identify the nouns (other basic parts of speech) in a sentence,
** short lessons mentioning one grammar concept at a time - like capitals at the beginning of a sentence, abbreviations for words like doctor, commas.
You can borrow Schoolhouse Rock from the library or from Netflix if you use them. And everything else is free...and short! Grammar is dry - keep little oral lessons short and keep them connected to whatever your kids are already reading!
Sounds like a FANTASTIC plan to me, herdingkittens! 
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Kathryn
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| Posted: Aug 06 2012 at 3:02pm | IP Logged
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Mackfam wrote:
You can borrow Schoolhouse Rock from the library or from Netflix if you use them. And everything else is free...and short! Grammar is dry - keep little oral lessons short and keep them connected to whatever your kids are already reading!
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I cannot seem to find the Schoolhouse Rocks series on Netflix. What am I possibly doing wrong?
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Kathryn in TX
(dd 16, ds 15, dd 8, dd 5)
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pumpkinmom
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| Posted: Aug 06 2012 at 3:56pm | IP Logged
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If you really want to keep them you could make them nonconsumable. Put a page protector over them to write on or just do them orally and they will save for the next one. I really like them, but I just have two so it isn't bad at all.
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Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Aug 06 2012 at 6:15pm | IP Logged
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Kathryn wrote:
Mackfam wrote:
You can borrow Schoolhouse Rock from the library or from Netflix if you use them. And everything else is free...and short! Grammar is dry - keep little oral lessons short and keep them connected to whatever your kids are already reading!
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I cannot seem to find the Schoolhouse Rocks series on Netflix. What am I possibly doing wrong? |
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Not sure, unless maybe you're looking only in Instant Play. Unfortunately, it isn't in Instant Play, but you can borrow the DVD from Netflix.
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Pilgrim
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| Posted: Aug 06 2012 at 7:47pm | IP Logged
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I have done what pumkinmom said, using the workbooks still, but making them non-consumable. I love the idea of the page protector for that. Thank you!!!!! I really like the help of having it all planned for me, as I just don't have the time, but I also like the manageability of CHC, as it is thorough enough, yet takes so much less time than other packaged curriculums.
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herdingkittens
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| Posted: Aug 18 2012 at 9:39pm | IP Logged
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Mackfam wrote:
herdingkittens wrote:
| I know I can drop them and be okay, I just need someone to tell me it will be okay. |
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It will be okay.
In fact, it can be more than okay - it can be a COMPLETE RELIEF, both on your wallet, your time spent, and the quality of learning that happens!
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Thanks Jen! I have grown to depend on them these last few years, but I am entering a new season of life and am seeing the need for that shift.  It never ceases to amaze me how different each year looks from the previous one, and I just love that! We are never bored!
I am still going to use my trusty Hillside Ed books (I need this to keep me on track, and I still feel like I need the format), but what a bundle that will save. Needless to say, my husband was thrilled with this small revelation!
We are going to cut the Handwriting books, too. I heard someone do a talk on Cursive First, and it really seems like a good fit, too, so we will give that a whirl this year.
So far, I am saving over $100 this year from these little cuts. I must say, though I am a little sad to say goodbye - they are lovely little books. Still keeping the spellers, though!
pumpkinmom wrote:
| If you really want to keep them you could make them nonconsumable. Put a page protector over them to write on or just do them orally and they will save for the next one. I really like them, but I just have two so it isn't bad at all. |
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Cassie, I LOVE this idea!  I have a bunch of page protectors that I got for super cheap (for our notebooking), and envision cutting out the pages and popping them in page protectors and putting them in a binder for use. This is a HUGE $ saver! There are a couple of consumables that I had written off, that I may rethink in this paradigm...
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Aug 18 2012 at 9:57pm | IP Logged
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herdingkittens wrote:
pumpkinmom wrote:
| If you really want to keep them you could make them nonconsumable. Put a page protector over them to write on or just do them orally and they will save for the next one. I really like them, but I just have two so it isn't bad at all. |
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Cassie, I LOVE this idea! I have a bunch of page protectors that I got for super cheap (for our notebooking), and envision cutting out the pages and popping them in page protectors and putting them in a binder for use. This is a HUGE $ saver! There are a couple of consumables that I had written off, that I may rethink in this paradigm... |
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This works really well and you can write on the page protectors with dry erase markers or china pencils but you won't get the clarity of writing that you get with regular pens and pencils. (goo gone really works to get the pages nice and clean again) Just something to keep in mind. I use it for some reading workbooks where the writing is big enough that the blunt writing works ok.
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All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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Topic: Getting rid of workbooks to save $ ...
