Questions about Lightning Literature

[Pegasus]

1. Can it only be purchased through Hewitt Homeschooling website? I can't seem to find it anywhere else. If that is the only place, what is their return policy like? I think I need to see this product (more than just the posted samples).

2. Can it easily to used secularly? The book choices and samples looks fine but their statement of faith makes it clear that they use a Christian perspective. I apologize in advance for how I am phrasing this, but just how Christian is Lightning Literature?

3. How important is the teacher book? Can it be used successfully with just the student book?

Many thanks!
Pegasus

[Laura Corin]

I bought from Hewitt - I don't know if there are other options. So far it's completely secular.

Best wishes

Laura

[Cathy in TX]

I bought from Hewitt, too. The teacher book has the schedule, answers to discussion questions, and answers to the workbook pages. I'd say it is pretty important.

We are almost through LL8. Like LL7, it's been completely secular.

Cathy

[mooooom]

some of the upper grade courses aren't. I had a catalogue once and there were little doves or something on certain courses - I know the two world lit courses were NOT secular (bummer). If you look at the online sample of the Medieval course, you might think that is not secular either, but it looks easy enough to work with.

Hewitt does have a Yahoo groups and the LL writer is on it to answer questions.

[Cathy in TX]

After reading mooooom's post, I pulled out my catalog. Three high school level courses were marked with a cross, indication Christian content: British Christian Authors: Late 19th-Early 20th Century (no surprise there!), World Literature I Africa and Asia, and World Literature II Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

Hope this helps,

Cathy

[Kareni]

I believe that Hewitt is the only supplier; however, once in a while you can find LL for sale used. Check the sale board here and at Vegsource.

Regards,
Kareni

[mchel210]

I just found this too. How long does it take usually? I had never seen this before...but it looks like a wonderful program. I had been looking into different options for Literature but had never seen the Hewitt site.

The samples seem pretty straight forward on what to do each week. I am looking for something fairly easy to follow as my son needs a lot of structure. He tends to do very well when I say ...You have to do x, y, and z today. I noticed that has taken a huge role in ending the fighting over work.

Thanks,
Michelle

[WagsWife]

I just found this too. How long does it take usually? I had never seen this before...but it looks like a wonderful program. I had been looking into different options for Literature but had never seen the Hewitt site.

The samples seem pretty straight forward on what to do each week. I am looking for something fairly easy to follow as my son needs a lot of structure. He tends to do very well when I say ...You have to do x, y, and z today. I noticed that has taken a huge role in ending the fighting over work.

Thanks,
Michelle

We just started it a few weeks ago, but it seems to go like this: The student reads about a chapter a day of a book or reads a short story, (she is on Tom Sawyer right now.) At the end of each week they answer some comprehension questions. Once they are done reading the book, they spend a couple of weeks doing worksheets teaching them about elements of literature, before starting the next book/story.

[mooooom]

http://corefoundations.wordpress.com/

Hewitt provides a weekly schedule, this woman has broken it down to a daily. I think she has LL7 & 8 and a few of the hs courses already.

[Jenny in Atl]

We are using the Medieval Bit Lit, and so far it has been rather easy to secularize.

[Christine]

Doggone. . .just lost my post.
there is a woman who has put together a daily schedule.

Thank you for this. I had an unusual spike on my blog yesterday, and when I went to check it out I "discovered" this forum. I stopped going to the WTM forums ages ago as I found them terribly "cumbersome" and I could never find what I was searching for. It is wonderful to see these and know that I have yet another wonderful resource.

I feel compelled to comment here. . .

3. How important is the teacher book? Can it be used successfully with just the student book?

This seems to be the only question not previously answered. The teacher book is only for grades 7 & 8. If I remember correctly (I rearranged them, as I didn't like the layout), it is simply an answer book containing answers to all the comprehension questions and workbook pages. For the upper levels there are no workbook pages, and the comp. answers are in an appendix at the back of the student text.

*******************

The LL schedules I posted on my blog are actually different from our family schedules as I wound up adding ~3-4 additional readings each year on ours because I found their pace a bit more relaxed than we are acustomed to.

I also discovered that due to the fact that each lesson is independent of the others, my children tend to "dump" the information rather than choose to retain it. Therefore, while it is incredibly easy to use LL as an independent study, I find it much more beneficial to work with them on it, and "remind" them of things learned in the past.

My original intent was to use LL throughout the hs years. However, I find that it does not go into literary analysis as much as I would prefer for the upper levels. I believe that you could still easily use LL in the upper levels and add lit. analysis on your own should you be so inclined. I have yet to decide if I'll go that route.

I apologize, as I seem to have gone into more than you originally asked for. . .

[Pegasus]

Thank you, everyone. I appreciate all the information. I love to get more information that I ask for, Christine, so thanks!

Pegasus