Name: Thrive! NCHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-05-22T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-24T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Tagged: Christian Light Education, CLE, CLE Sunrise, Life of Fred, LOF, RightStart

This topic has 12 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 3 months ago by Wings2fly.

Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)

Author
Posts
January 20, 2015 at 11:18 pm
homeschooltraveler
Participant
I have been using CLE math for my DD 8, and my DS 6 this year, and they’re doing well with it. I like the curriculum so far, but am wondering if other CLE users like it in higher grades. We will be moving overseas for an extended period of time with somewhat limited shipping options, so I am trying to plan for a few years down the road. Anyway, if anyone likes/dislikes it could you please share your reasons?
Thanks!
January 20, 2015 at 11:36 pm
Wings2fly
Participant
We are in level 4 and so far we like it. My son does Life of Fred on Fridays though. And we skip the quizzes and tests and sometimes I mark out some of the We Remember problems so there isn’t too much. But I like the worktext being written to the student, and all the review and practice of facts, etc. And there are story themes to make it more interesting. I just ordered the whole next level to keep on going. But for grade 7, I plan to use only Life of Fred for pre-algebra, unless we need something more.
At the beginning of math in 1st or 2nd, they use RightStart level B and so they also use their AL abacus when needed with CLE. But my son in level 4 does not use/need the abacus so much now.
January 21, 2015 at 12:41 pm
Angelina
Participant
A bit off the OP’s question but just hoping I could sneak in for a question directed to wings2fly –
Could you tell me at what point CLE Math eliminates the Teacher Manual and writes directly to the student in the workbook? I used CLE 100 and 200 level and, as you know, both these levels have the parent teach from the TM. I assumed that it would carry on that way (with the TM). Now, hearing that the program does eventually write to the student, I’m a little sorry that I did away with it. Anyway, do you remember when CLE Math changes programming to write directly to the student and has no TM?
January 21, 2015 at 3:58 pm
Wings2fly
Participant
Angelina, did you use the newer Sunrise edition? I am not sure if it matters, but that is what we use. My son did RS level C and then moved into 304. There was some overlap of concepts already covered, but also new concepts I helped him with. Then in 305, he came to me only when he did not understand. Then I would maybe show him on the AL abacus or draw a picture or use other manipulatives, but honestly only ever use the TM for the answers shown on duplicate student pages. And we correct the missed problems together so he learns from his mistakes.
My daughter still uses RightStart B some, but I have her doing some problems in 208 because I do not plan to do RS level C with her. She will just do level 300 and start Life of Fred once a week.
So as far as I can tell, the Sunrise CLE Light Units are written to the student midway through level 200. But I do tend to help her more than I do with my son who is older and in the 400 level. HTH.
January 21, 2015 at 4:13 pm
Wings2fly
Participant
I think this is the post that lead us to try CLE math and it tells a little more about it:
https://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/christian-light-education-math/
There are more posts if you use the tags at the top of the page.
I love that it has a Christian worldview, too.
January 21, 2015 at 4:47 pm
Karen
Participant
We’re up to grade 5 in CLE’s math – and we’ve used it since grade 1. I think the switch to writing to the student happens around book 203. I still need to read to my daughter who’s in book 208, but she’s dyslexic. And I still need to occasionally help my daughter who’s in book 504 with new (And not-so-new) concepts…..but I think that’s due to this daughter not reading slowly and carefully.
My plan is to keep using CLE as long as I can. I’m not sure how far it goes – I have heard of people using it until 7th or 8th grade and then moving to Saxon.
I would like to experiment with Life of Fred, though. It’s the cost and the fear (is it really enough to stand on its own; and if it’s supplementary, do we really need it?).
Oh – I do the same as Wings2Fly and sometimes cross out problems that I know my daughters can do. I guess that’s something else I like about the curriculum – it’s spiral. So, it introduces a topic, you practice a bit (like 3 – 5 problems), then you move on to reviewing the other things you’ve learned. The next lesson, you practice that new stuff more (like 3 – 5 problems again) and continue the review of older topics. In my head, I can understand why a mastery program might be better — but at the same time, it’s so frustrating for my oldest daughter to not “Get” a topic and be forced to work at it over and over and over. I like that I can help her with all the problems the first day, with some the 2nd day and then she can do it on her own the 3rd day.
January 21, 2015 at 7:09 pm
Angelina
Participant
Thanks so much, Karen and wings2fly, I appreciate the details…
Angie
January 21, 2015 at 8:46 pm
homeschooltraveler
Participant
Thanks for the info ladies! I haven’t tried Life of Fred, and it looks very promising. Anything that could help my daughter enjoy math more is a plus.
She’s doing much better and feeling more confident after the time we’ve spent working on homeschooling this year, but she came in from public school not very confident at all. We have been playing catch up, and it still isn’t her favorite subject by any means.
Again, thanks for the input. I’m hoping to be able to use it for a while as I have liked how much progress the kids have made since starting it.
January 22, 2015 at 7:30 am
Karen
Participant
Wings2Fly – you said you do Life of Fred on Fridays. Do you finish the whole CLE math curriculum in one year? Or is that time made up by not doing the quizzes and tests?
I really am intrigued with LoF – I think my oldest would enjoy it for a change, and I think my 3rd daughter would probably do good with it…..But I have trouble figuring out in which book to start them, and I hate to spend a bunch of money on it if it’s not necessary (or if I bought the wrong books!).
January 23, 2015 at 12:58 am
Wings2fly
Participant
Karen,
My son started LoF before we did CLE when I was looking for something more independent for his math. I did not think the elementary set was enough on its own. I searched and searched until I found CLE and liked the samples. We have been with CLE about a year, as we started mid year last year. We had only 6 weeks off for summer and he did two LoF books then. I skipped the 401 book since it is review and we just kept on going to the next book. There are 13 lessons per light unit with no quizzes or tests (which are just more practice problems without any new lessons, IMHO). My son likes LoF and I hated to drop it. And he sometimes has the same concept from his CLE math, but in a little different way of showing it in LoF and that seems to really challenge him. I like that he gets math in a different way like that. And he looks forward to his math on Fridays with LoF. That is our lighter school day when we occasionally have a field trip or run errands. I tried to match up the books as best I could, so I can help you with that. I wrote them on the CLE scope and sequence I printed. The author recommends starting at the first book, but you would not have to. But there is more to learn in them than just math. He talked a lot about Archimedes in one of the earlier books. And he often talks about thinking through purchases to make a good decision. If they are in level 5 CLE, I wonder if the intermediate set of three LoF would be right. The Fractions book on up are set up differently and have more problems and lessons and would take longer to get through, which is why I plan on trying to do only LoF when we get to that point. The elementary books are $16 each and have 18 lessons each. So we get through 3-4 books per year. I have him do a book on winter break and summer break so he is still doing some reading and math. And we get through 11 light units in a 36 week school year. I feel he is a little behind since we had to transition into CLE. I have heard they are a whole level more advanced than other curriculum. So we just keep going at a good pace for him.
January 23, 2015 at 1:20 am
Wings2fly
Participant
Also, the Life of Fred books are non-consumable so all of your children can use the same books and then you could potentially sell them. That was helpful for me to justify their cost.
January 24, 2015 at 5:04 pm
Karen
Participant
Thank you for that info — I’ll more seriously consider them, then.
Right now we struggle to get all the CLE math lessons into our 180 day year because of reaching day 180 (I include field trips, etc. in our day count) rather easily. And because my daughter doesn’t really like math – so it’s the last thing she wants to do. We’re slowly working on this, and the last two weeks, she’s been doing pretty good.
For my part, I’m trying not to stress about finishing the lessons – it really doesn’t matter, esp. since now (in PA) the public school superintendent will NOT see her portfolio (and therefore won’t see what math lesson she got to).

January 24, 2015 at 7:24 pm
Wings2fly
Participant
We do not need a portfolio either, but my goal is to have them ready for algebra in 9th grade. And I would like for them to have practical problem-solving skills to use in everyday life. I think of LoF like a big word problem with math applied to real life situations in the story. My son likes it and looks forward to the break from CLE. But the variety and quantity of practice problems are not there, which is why we use CLE too. And I am glad we used RS to lay a strong foundation, but it was too challenging and frutrating at times. I like the small increments CLE makes. I don’t consider math such a struggle for him like I used to. But with any of these three programs, I have found it most helpful to use the free website xtramath.org periodically to help them master their facts.