Menu Close

Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) Core Writing Curriculum Review

IEW Core Writing Curriculum Review

(There are affiliate links in this post – click here to learn more. IEW® and Structure and Style® are registered trademarks of the Institute for Excellence in Writing. L.L.C.)

Writing is one of those subjects that puts fear in the hearts of homeschooling parents everywhere. After all, it’s been enshrined as one of the historic “3 R’s” so we’d better not mess it up, right?

Even if we aren’t aiming to raise the next Dickens or Tolkien, at the very least we want our kids to be able to write a professional cover letter or a college application essay.

Our Homeschooling Family’s Experience with Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW)

Our Homeschooling Family's Experience with Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW)

(There are affiliate links in this post – click here to learn more. IEW® and Structure and Style® are registered trademarks of the Institute for Excellence in Writing. L.L.C. Fix It!™ is a trademark of the Institute for Excellence in Writing, L.L.C.)

We started using Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) products four years ago when my oldest son was in 4th grade. Since then, there hasn’t been a year we haven’t used at least one IEW product! 

Up until now, I haven’t had a chance to collect my thoughts and share about our IEW experiences. But that’s about to change! 

If you’re searching for a high quality language arts or writing curriculum, or if you’re wondering if IEW is the right choice for your family, you’re in the right place so read on!

Our Experience with CTC Math Homeschool Curriculum: A Mini Review

Our experience with CTC Math homeschool curriculum - a mini review

If you’re like me, you read more than one review when considering a homeschool curriculum purchase. 

And, if you’re like me, you get frustrated when the first half of every review repeats the same basic product info. 

So, in this review, I’ll skip all the basics. This won’t be “All You Need to Know” about CTC Math. And it won’t be the  “Complete Ultimate Comprehensive Guide” to homeschool math curricula. 

In this CTC Math Mini Review, I’ll assume you’re already semi-familiar with the program and you’re just trying to decide if it will work for your family. (If that’s not the case, check out the CTC Math website to see what it’s all about or read Cathy Duffy’s review for a quick summary. Then come back here for my two cents.) 

One More Day in the Life of a Homeschooling Family

One more day in the life of a homeschool family

If you don’t homeschool, have you ever wondered what it is those crazy homeschooling people do all day?

And, if you already home educate, isn’t it fun to get a glimpse into another homeschool to see other ways of doing things?

That’s why I like to do “Day in the Life” posts from time to time. You can check out other days in our life here and here. But for now, here’s a look into our homeschool on…

Tuesday, January 11, 2022

How to Plan Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BFSU) Curriculum

How to Plan BFSU curriculum

If you’ve read my review of Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BFSU) science curriculum, you’ll know it’s no secret that I love it!  

The content is awesome, it’s organized logically, and it encourages students to observe, question, and think their way through the lessons (rather than just memorizing science jargon that’s thrown at them). 

Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of my BFSU review to learn more about the curriculum and how it works. 

But, even though I love BFSU, there was a steep learning curve for me as I tried to actually implement it. The thing is, I was creating work and frustration for myself that could’ve been avoided! The steep learning curve was my own fault!

Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BFSU) Review – Part 2

This is Part 2 of my review of Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BFSU) – the K-8 science curriculum my family has been using for years in our homeschool. In Part 1, I covered the basics – the overall approach and layout of BFSU. In this post, I’ll get into the more detailed pros and cons and share some bonus information to help you on your BFSU journey. 

Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BFSU) Review – Part 1

Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding BFSU Review Part 1

I’m so excited! I’ve been waiting years to write this review and the time has finally come! We started using this three volume science curriculum eight years ago when my oldest son was in kindergarten. He’s in 7th grade now and we’re using the final volume this year.

I don’t recall how I first found out about Dr. Nebel’s science series, Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BFSU for short), but I’m so glad I did!