@ I'd be curious to know- now that you've been a part of the Alveary community and used their curriculum/resources for half a year- if you could use Alveary from the start would you have? I'm not asking if you "regret" using A Gentle Feast. I know it's a fabulous curriculum. But do you feel Alveary would've been superior for your family?
@@jadadhite What an insightful and thoughtful question. I do not feel like I would have changed our path at all. I am VERY happy with the course we have taken and grateful we began with The Playful Pioneers from Peaceful Press, moved on to A Gentle Feast for 5 years, and then switched into The Alveary. My personal bend, my motherhood, and my children needed the gentleness of AGF in form 1. We moved into The Alveary with 2 students in Form 2. Most of the ways I see the benefit are in form 2 for us. I don't know that I wouuld have loved the Alveary like I do when I had 3 very little boys and was still forming my own rhthyms etc. It is a very rigorous and FULL curriculum, which even I am having to cut certain things.
Yes, "adjustments" is a much more gentle approach, isn’t it?! I honestly don’t have any negative feedback about what we chose to opt out of for right now. So they truly were just some necessary change due to us being us!
I’ve been waiting for an update video about how the Alveary is going for you. I am considering switching next school year from AGF as well. My number one question is- how is cost comparison from one to the other as far as books/supplies go? An do you enjoy using the Syllabird program? I’m considering not buying that membership bc I am a pen and paper type of person. Is it worth the extra cost? Thanks so much for your time and for making these videos. You have been a great inspiration to me as a fellow homeschooling mom. So, thank you 😊
Hello! I do feel like Alveary is a bit more money overall. The membership is higher and only a one year membership, while AGF is a lifetime membership at a lower price. The features you get with Alveary are pretty phenomenal. I find that their plans are very well written and they have included a lot of things I was personally adding into AGF plans. I like Syllabird and I am a paper and pen girl too. I print off the syllabird plans each week and use them as a checklist, but I do find I need to keep my laptop nearby to access a variety of links, videos, etc. Alveary is RICH and FULL. It is not an entry level feast. It includes more than most folks can use. You will find that you adjust as you go to find the right fit for your family.
@ thank you for responding. I’m thinking it may be a good fit based on the fact that like you, I find myself adding onto or entirely skipping some parts of AGF simply because the plans are not laid out clearly. Like handicrafts. And I’ve had to swap out science and one of the main history spines this year. I really like the idea of having it all laid out for me -and the Albeary science looks fantastic! I also love the integration of geography into Bible and History 🙌
Thank you for sharing your experiences! I’m looking into the Alveary for next year. Currently with CMEC. Do there seem to be a lot of extra supplies needed for science and/or other subjects? Also do you use their math? Thank you for any insight!
Hello Bridget! I do not feel like there are A LOT of extra supplies for science or other subjects, but there are supplies needed. For example, in Science in Form 2, they have an option to buy an entire pack of everything you need for around $100. Since we chose to mix and match science between form 2 grades, I have pieced together the supplies. We have spent about $65 on science supplies for my Form 2 kids. In art lessons, you will need a variety of things as well as for the handcrafts. I feel like this is par for the course with a CM education as we emphasize giving our student real tools and experiences. They do not have their own math curriculum. They use Right Start Math for their lesson plans. We do not use Right Start math.
We love LOE over here. It has worked really well for us. My son's reading took off near the beginning of level C. We have slowed down using it since his reading has actually now exceeded where they expect it to be in the curriculum. I skip things now but I'd like him to finish learning the rest of the spelling rules and phonograms. I really like how it teaches spelling and found videos on RUclips helpful when learning the "finger spelling" method. Look forward to hearing how it works for your son!
Best wishes with LOE! We used another Orton-Gillingham program, All About Reading, with my struggling reader and it helped him tremendously! He really needed that daily repetition of phonograms and a slow, incremental approach.
I’m loving all the kind and encouraging words from mamas that have walked this path. Thanks for making time to tell me it was helpful. Being in the middle of it is a scary place and I’m super thankful for the many resources out there to get my little guy what he needs.
The Anne White Guides are so helpful for Plutarch, and we also absolutely love Little Pilgrims Progress (though we have an older printing) and because of so many kids we read it every 2-3 years before starting Pilgrims Progress again. Formal Spanish also was on our chopping block unfortunately, but I can speak a few things and so sometimes I just start talking to my kids in Spanish and they try to figure it out. Though its not their favorite when I do that, but my high schooler is doing independent German lessons, and she will mimic me by speaking to me in German because I can't usually figure it out (though I know a few from my Grandma and she hates when I figure it out). She did this with Latin too when we did that, and it cracks me up because she thinks its a small way to make fun of me, but it secretly a homeschool mama win😁 My kids absolutely love Shakespeare and I hope to be able to attend some plays with them some day.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on how the alveary book lists compare to those of Ambleside online or even cmec. I know they’re deemed as more progressive or modern books so I’m curious about your thoughts. From a fellow homeschool mom currently in decision making process 😅
We dropped Spanish because it wasn’t sticking two years ago; we switched to ASL and are doing great. We tried Shakespeare but due to having a new baby, we stopped it and will pick it back up next year. I had to drop a few extracurriculars because I couldn’t handle it. I’m grateful for that Grace.
We are doing spanish 3 times a week and I feel like we are so far behind but that is currently all we can fit in and im just going at our pace. I was having a really hard time with plutarch until I bought another resource that is alittle easier to understand for my daughter. We do hymms, composer study, and art at our Charlotte mason co-op once a week so that takes some off of my plate. We are loving this curriculum I didnt think I would enjoy the Alveary as much as I do.
We struggled to add a foreign language as well! I love that you’re using LOE. We loved Foundations!!! Also, I am a type A person! But my children are not. Often MY systems don’t work for them and flexibility is so important! I love that you consider them and their needs above the curriculum or what others say you “should” do. Way to go Momma!
I love your use of the puppets as well! We do the puppets but it never occurred to me to pull them out while we listen. I have them color while we listen and then they will reenact parts with the puppets. But it is harder sometimes for them to make those connections after the fact!
Thanks so much for the encouraging words. God is kind and helps us learn to meet our families where they are and how to use our gifts and personalities to be a blessing to them!
Hi Ashley! Not right now. We are in the thick of it. I’m sorry you’re also facing this. It’s tough on a mama’s heart to see her kids struggle. I’m so thankful that the Holy Spirit knows them and can guide us!
I love your dress my daughter and I have the same one and love it. I would love to learn how you do your nature co-op it’s something that I would love to do something more in nature with my children
I think you explained how your brain and “system” works so well. I feel it 🤣 some things are just very innate and the process is more of an internal feeling than a clear cut system. I enjoyed your update 💙
Thanks for validating my brand of chaos. LOLOL. Nice to be seen and understood, even as a mama. Sometimes, I feel like an imposter making videos and offering suggestions to others, lol.
We started the year with the Alveary too and we had to drop A LOT. This was our second year with the Alveary and it just feels like the feast was too large for us. 😩 We are just burnt out. My kids take an art class, a Spanish class, and also attend our local BSF. We were just tapped out and lost some of the joy and love of learning. I love the book selections so I decided to use their books and ditch their plans for now and almost turn them into unit studies. We ADORE the book selections but I feel like our neuro atypical (ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and dysgraphia) family doesn't click well with the typical CM schedule/lesson style, especially with having a toddler and having a large age gap between my older two. 😅 So currently we are focusing in on the US history, we are using some unit studies and we already have to dig in to the US history topics and time period the Alveary has planned. I still stand by the Alveary being an AMAZING program and I NEVER thought we would love Shakespeare as much as we do thanks to the Alveary. My 5th grader became obsessed with Hamlet! We just got to a very similar spot as you guys. ❤ I literally cried a bit and felt so horrible pulling way way back and dropping stuff but at the same time, I felt such a huge relief.
Ooh logic of English was exactly what my daughter needed. It did take time and I was getting nervous it wouldn’t ever click and maybe logic of English was actually a bad choice then all of a sudden things clicked she’s reading every free second. I’m constantly tearing up finding her staying up late bc she just had to read next chapter. Rn I’m totally letting her indulge 😂
Hi Amy! I chose to look at the Grades, 4, 5, and 6 plans and pick and choose what I knew would interest them most. It was important to me that this shift to a more lab based science was exciting and engaging as I want their buy in for the future. So we did Grade 4 plans for term 1 and have chosen Grade 6 plans for term 2. I have not yet decided which ones for term 3.
@ thank you for your response! We are starting The Alveary as soon as I get all the books in! I have a 5th, 3rd and 1st grader. I’m just trying to decide on how or if to combine any of them. The easiest would be my 1st and 3rd for science. I’ve considered going back a tad to 4th grade science for my 5th grader as she might enjoy it too. It’s difficult to choose!
Combining 1st and 3rd makes sense for sure. I would personally combine those student in several subjects. They are both "Form 1". We do Family lessons together each morning and I have all my boys combined for them: Poetry, Recitation, Bible, Bible History, Handcrafts, Paper Sloyd, Folk Songs, Art, Current Events, Shakespeare, and Composer Study. Then my older two who are Grade 4 and Grade 6 do Science, US History, World History, Natural History, Geography, and Literature together.
I hope Logic of English works for your son!!! As a mom of a severely dyslexic son and also a certified dyslexia and OG trained specialist, I agree that it’s so important to go with an OG program!! 🩷🩷
I love that your son listens in on his younger brother’s Pilgrims Progress readings. 😊❤
I have just a little mom guilt for not adding him into the lesson formally, but it is about the only snuggle time my 8 year old gets to himself.
I just love listening to you and how your family runs! It blesses me every time 🫶🏽
I am honored that you watch and find it encouraging. All glory to God, friend.
@ I'd be curious to know- now that you've been a part of the Alveary community and used their curriculum/resources for half a year- if you could use Alveary from the start would you have? I'm not asking if you "regret" using A Gentle Feast. I know it's a fabulous curriculum. But do you feel Alveary would've been superior for your family?
@@jadadhite What an insightful and thoughtful question. I do not feel like I would have changed our path at all. I am VERY happy with the course we have taken and grateful we began with The Playful Pioneers from Peaceful Press, moved on to A Gentle Feast for 5 years, and then switched into The Alveary. My personal bend, my motherhood, and my children needed the gentleness of AGF in form 1. We moved into The Alveary with 2 students in Form 2. Most of the ways I see the benefit are in form 2 for us. I don't know that I wouuld have loved the Alveary like I do when I had 3 very little boys and was still forming my own rhthyms etc. It is a very rigorous and FULL curriculum, which even I am having to cut certain things.
I love the language you use--adjustments instead of ditched!
Yes, "adjustments" is a much more gentle approach, isn’t it?! I honestly don’t have any negative feedback about what we chose to opt out of for right now. So they truly were just some necessary change due to us being us!
I’ve been waiting for an update video about how the Alveary is going for you. I am considering switching next school year from AGF as well. My number one question is- how is cost comparison from one to the other as far as books/supplies go? An do you enjoy using the Syllabird program? I’m considering not buying that membership bc I am a pen and paper type of person. Is it worth the extra cost? Thanks so much for your time and for making these videos. You have been a great inspiration to me as a fellow homeschooling mom. So, thank you 😊
Hello! I do feel like Alveary is a bit more money overall. The membership is higher and only a one year membership, while AGF is a lifetime membership at a lower price. The features you get with Alveary are pretty phenomenal. I find that their plans are very well written and they have included a lot of things I was personally adding into AGF plans. I like Syllabird and I am a paper and pen girl too. I print off the syllabird plans each week and use them as a checklist, but I do find I need to keep my laptop nearby to access a variety of links, videos, etc. Alveary is RICH and FULL. It is not an entry level feast. It includes more than most folks can use. You will find that you adjust as you go to find the right fit for your family.
@ thank you for responding. I’m thinking it may be a good fit based on the fact that like you, I find myself adding onto or entirely skipping some parts of AGF simply because the plans are not laid out clearly. Like handicrafts. And I’ve had to swap out science and one of the main history spines this year. I really like the idea of having it all laid out for me -and the Albeary science looks fantastic! I also love the integration of geography into Bible and History 🙌
Thank you for sharing your experiences! I’m looking into the Alveary for next year. Currently with CMEC. Do there seem to be a lot of extra supplies needed for science and/or other subjects? Also do you use their math? Thank you for any insight!
Hello Bridget! I do not feel like there are A LOT of extra supplies for science or other subjects, but there are supplies needed. For example, in Science in Form 2, they have an option to buy an entire pack of everything you need for around $100. Since we chose to mix and match science between form 2 grades, I have pieced together the supplies. We have spent about $65 on science supplies for my Form 2 kids. In art lessons, you will need a variety of things as well as for the handcrafts. I feel like this is par for the course with a CM education as we emphasize giving our student real tools and experiences. They do not have their own math curriculum. They use Right Start Math for their lesson plans. We do not use Right Start math.
@@kindletogethernessthank you so much!
Also you are amazing! I appreciate your videos
Thanks so much for watching and for the kind words!
We love LOE over here. It has worked really well for us. My son's reading took off near the beginning of level C. We have slowed down using it since his reading has actually now exceeded where they expect it to be in the curriculum. I skip things now but I'd like him to finish learning the rest of the spelling rules and phonograms. I really like how it teaches spelling and found videos on RUclips helpful when learning the "finger spelling" method. Look forward to hearing how it works for your son!
I’m loving the feedback I’m hearing about LOE. I’m excited to see my guy progress and for things to click for him.
Best wishes with LOE! We used another Orton-Gillingham program, All About Reading, with my struggling reader and it helped him tremendously! He really needed that daily repetition of phonograms and a slow, incremental approach.
I’m loving all the kind and encouraging words from mamas that have walked this path. Thanks for making time to tell me it was helpful. Being in the middle of it is a scary place and I’m super thankful for the many resources out there to get my little guy what he needs.
The Anne White Guides are so helpful for Plutarch, and we also absolutely love Little Pilgrims Progress (though we have an older printing) and because of so many kids we read it every 2-3 years before starting Pilgrims Progress again. Formal Spanish also was on our chopping block unfortunately, but I can speak a few things and so sometimes I just start talking to my kids in Spanish and they try to figure it out. Though its not their favorite when I do that, but my high schooler is doing independent German lessons, and she will mimic me by speaking to me in German because I can't usually figure it out (though I know a few from my Grandma and she hates when I figure it out). She did this with Latin too when we did that, and it cracks me up because she thinks its a small way to make fun of me, but it secretly a homeschool mama win😁 My kids absolutely love Shakespeare and I hope to be able to attend some plays with them some day.
I love how you play with languages and your kids get exposure that way.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on how the alveary book lists compare to those of Ambleside online or even cmec. I know they’re deemed as more progressive or modern books so I’m curious about your thoughts. From a fellow homeschool mom currently in decision making process 😅
I jotted this down as a future video idea. Thanks for mentioning it.
We dropped Spanish because it wasn’t sticking two years ago; we switched to ASL and are doing great. We tried Shakespeare but due to having a new baby, we stopped it and will pick it back up next year. I had to drop a few extracurriculars because I couldn’t handle it. I’m grateful for that Grace.
Good for you for knowing what is serving your family well and what isn’t. Our kids will learn even from those choices. ❤
We are doing spanish 3 times a week and I feel like we are so far behind but that is currently all we can fit in and im just going at our pace. I was having a really hard time with plutarch until I bought another resource that is alittle easier to understand for my daughter. We do hymms, composer study, and art at our Charlotte mason co-op once a week so that takes some off of my plate. We are loving this curriculum I didnt think I would enjoy the Alveary as much as I do.
I’m so happy to hear you’re enjoying Alveary! Which Plutarch resource has been helpful?
We struggled to add a foreign language as well! I love that you’re using LOE. We loved Foundations!!! Also, I am a type A person! But my children are not. Often MY systems don’t work for them and flexibility is so important! I love that you consider them and their needs above the curriculum or what others say you “should” do. Way to go Momma!
I love your use of the puppets as well! We do the puppets but it never occurred to me to pull them out while we listen. I have them color while we listen and then they will reenact parts with the puppets. But it is harder sometimes for them to make those connections after the fact!
Thanks so much for the encouraging words. God is kind and helps us learn to meet our families where they are and how to use our gifts and personalities to be a blessing to them!
I enjoyed this, thank you! Do you have any other videos about your son’s struggle with reading? I’m in the same boat.
Hi Ashley! Not right now. We are in the thick of it. I’m sorry you’re also facing this. It’s tough on a mama’s heart to see her kids struggle. I’m so thankful that the Holy Spirit knows them and can guide us!
I love your dress my daughter and I have the same one and love it.
I would love to learn how you do your nature co-op it’s something that I would love to do something more in nature with my children
I need to talk about that more! It’s a common request. And thanks about the dress! Their dresses are so comfortable and feminine.
I think you explained how your brain and “system” works so well. I feel it 🤣 some things are just very innate and the process is more of an internal feeling than a clear cut system. I enjoyed your update 💙
Thanks for validating my brand of chaos. LOLOL. Nice to be seen and understood, even as a mama. Sometimes, I feel like an imposter making videos and offering suggestions to others, lol.
We started the year with the Alveary too and we had to drop A LOT. This was our second year with the Alveary and it just feels like the feast was too large for us. 😩 We are just burnt out. My kids take an art class, a Spanish class, and also attend our local BSF. We were just tapped out and lost some of the joy and love of learning. I love the book selections so I decided to use their books and ditch their plans for now and almost turn them into unit studies. We ADORE the book selections but I feel like our neuro atypical (ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and dysgraphia) family doesn't click well with the typical CM schedule/lesson style, especially with having a toddler and having a large age gap between my older two. 😅 So currently we are focusing in on the US history, we are using some unit studies and we already have to dig in to the US history topics and time period the Alveary has planned.
I still stand by the Alveary being an AMAZING program and I NEVER thought we would love Shakespeare as much as we do thanks to the Alveary. My 5th grader became obsessed with Hamlet! We just got to a very similar spot as you guys. ❤ I literally cried a bit and felt so horrible pulling way way back and dropping stuff but at the same time, I felt such a huge relief.
I’m so glad you ditched what didn’t serve your family, friend. Burnt out mamas don’t make great teachers, do they?!?
Ooh logic of English was exactly what my daughter needed. It did take time and I was getting nervous it wouldn’t ever click and maybe logic of English was actually a bad choice then all of a sudden things clicked she’s reading every free second. I’m constantly tearing up finding her staying up late bc she just had to read next chapter. Rn I’m totally letting her indulge 😂
What a WONDERFUL thing to hear! I’m praying this will be the thing that helps it all make sense for him.
Hello! Which grade of science are you using for your 4th/6th graders?
Hi Amy! I chose to look at the Grades, 4, 5, and 6 plans and pick and choose what I knew would interest them most. It was important to me that this shift to a more lab based science was exciting and engaging as I want their buy in for the future. So we did Grade 4 plans for term 1 and have chosen Grade 6 plans for term 2. I have not yet decided which ones for term 3.
@ thank you for your response!
We are starting The Alveary as soon as I get all the books in! I have a 5th, 3rd and 1st grader. I’m just trying to decide on how or if to combine any of them. The easiest would be my 1st and 3rd for science. I’ve considered going back a tad to 4th grade science for my 5th grader as she might enjoy it too. It’s difficult to choose!
Combining 1st and 3rd makes sense for sure. I would personally combine those student in several subjects. They are both "Form 1". We do Family lessons together each morning and I have all my boys combined for them: Poetry, Recitation, Bible, Bible History, Handcrafts, Paper Sloyd, Folk Songs, Art, Current Events, Shakespeare, and Composer Study. Then my older two who are Grade 4 and Grade 6 do Science, US History, World History, Natural History, Geography, and Literature together.
I hope Logic of English works for your son!!! As a mom of a severely dyslexic son and also a certified dyslexia and OG trained specialist, I agree that it’s so important to go with an OG program!! 🩷🩷
Thanks girl! Day 2 was yesterday and he knows a lot of the beginning lessons, so we are going sort of fast to get where he actually is.