Thank you for saying this. I don't trust her, because of this origin story. I was, and am, so surprised that most people don't agree or even remember that it happened. This issue of "Mormon curriculum" was a successful invention of an opportunistic competitor. No one talked about that before GR was launched. I've never found a parent who believes this myth who can point to a place in TGTB's curriculum where Mormon doctrine was "slipped in". We use some resources from TGTB. Not exclusively. But I personally appreciate their "high-level-only" mentions of God. It allows me to insert my family's specific beliefs easily, and without always needing to explain what makes us different.

Wow! The proof is in her family. My wife and I recently had the pleasure of getting to know Rebecca and Jonathan Spooner, a truly remarkable couple whose warmth and generosity are matched only by their incredible talents and accomplishments. Rebecca and Jonathan have nurtured an extraordinary family. Their children are a testament to their love and guidance, each one shining with their own unique talents and bright personalities. In a world where genuine, loving families can sometimes feel like a rarity, the Spooners stand out as a beacon of hope and inspiration. Their dedication to each other and to their children is truly heartwarming.

7 minutes into the video and we are still bashing this woman. You both are obviously entitled to your opinions but this just feels like a bashing video on the lady vs the curriculum. I came to this video for info on the curriculum. Just say your opinion and move onto the facts or being helpful.

I felt icky listening to you complain. To each their own I guess

Just a heads up..some of her words about "God told her", "she doesn't vet other curriculum writers but most she does", and several other things are straight from Masterbooks Facebook page. The Mom's of Masterbooks page will literally block you for even mentioning TGTB in passing. It's insane. I knew the minute she started this video and started talking about writing for a company, exactly which one she was about to say due to the verbage she was using. Gather Round is a huge "ick" for me! I've tried Gather Round and it was full of errors, ridiculously lacking, and so so expensive for what you get. You are spot on here. I also left the Masterbooks page after being told I was literally sending my children to hell because I used TGTB handwriting😳

I remember this drama on KZfaq with her. I also felt icky about it some. I have attempted Gather Round units here and there. I don’t really love them…especially reading. I did choose to use the government this year to introduce the topics to my girls. We use it weekly because I couldn’t use it daily 😂 It is a lot of reading. I agree with most of these points about it all!

I do enjoy the Gather Round curriculum for certain subjects....I never watched the video you were talking about but do know the creator finds herself in drama with other companies time after time. Most recent was both Campfire and Gather Round going at each other and that rubbed me the wrong way for them both personally, but they both offer good units that work for some families.

Because she likes to eat apples on Wednesdays 😂😂😂 made me laugh. I completely agree with you. GR is a hot mess and the creator, there's so many things I could say but I won't even waste time with it. Such a mess. 🤦🏼‍♀️

I was there in the beginning of GR. I was a moderator of their FB group and I saw some stuff. All I'm going to say is you are 100% on target in my opinion/experience.

I have had similar feelings. I didn't try GR for the longest time because of the icky feeling I got when I watched her video years ago. After seeing so many youtube mommas rave about GR, I finally bought a few units to try this year and our first one was Chemistry. I was excited to try it because of the concept of chemistry in everyday life. I thought it would be a better way for my youngest to understand it, but it was a bust. I have a kid each in high school, middle school, and elementary and was hoping it would be perfect to have them all together for a subject. I've been hestitant to start another one because it just didn't work for us. It was painful to get through each day and my kids didn't enjoy it. I also had a lot of chemistry education and thought it was lacking in depth. I haven't seen any reviews on the GR chemistry unit so I wonder if it was not a great one to start with. Maybe the others are better. I have the Pyschology and Entrepneurship units. Hopefully, they work better. It's a great concept of gathering them all together. I have been having my 2nd and 8th grader combine for science with the TGAB units this second half of the year and it has been going great! (I am loving their new ones so much better than the older versions!) So I'm going to finish out the year with TGAB science units for them. My 11th grader is doing a Chemistry class online with Journey Homeschool Academy and it's working much better!

I am a Christian woman, and I use the good and the beautiful language arts. We are all on our own journey and shouldn't judge others for what they choose to do. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts❤

My issues with GR is the fact that is reads terribly...basically like Wikapedia articles. I really wanted to like it because the concept is great, but I just don't like reading it aloud. The art is really nice though.

There’s actually quite a few moms, like myself, that are not comfortable with “The Good and the Beautiful” because the founder is Mormon. There are even moms that are upset that they thought it was a Christian curriculum and only found out the founder’s religion after they bought it. As a reformed Presbyterian, I do lean towards curriculum that is supportive of not only our Christian beliefs but, if possible, our denominational beliefs. When I use a curriculum from a Catholic, secular, or non-reformed author I’m hyper aware of where I might need to edit based on our family’s beliefs. Catholics have curriculums completely devoted to being in alignment with their denominational beliefs. So, it’s not a rarity to have a curriculum in alignment with a denomination or for a family to desire it. As far as “Gather Around,” I considered the curriculum and I agree that I don’t think it’s “enough.” Whether she was being self-serving or just created something that fit her convictions after she realized she needed to leave “The Good and the Beautiful,”I don’t know.

Thank you for sharing your experience! I’ve debated using this curriculum and I agree, it’s expensive when you need to buy multiple levels for a curriculum that only lasts a few weeks (individual units). It makes sense why you would question her motives, and I’ve had many of the same thoughts you expressed. Even if people are upset by your opinion, it’s your opinion, and it’s better to say it and open up discussion than to let the opinions of other people shut you down. ❤️

I would like to support people that believe the same as me but I don't always think it's possible. I look at what my kids need and what works best for us. I used two different Gather round holiday units and it worked great for us. I use Good and the Beautiful language arts and it works well too.

Amen! Also the maker of gather round does not have academic credentials where tgatb does. My reason for homeschooling was to choose academically sound materials.

And the owner of GR is raising the price. Especially on the digital. I can't remember exactly, but it's going up quite a bit.

Ohhh! I feel exactly the same way. Her video bashing TGATB planting those seeds of,”Oh you shouldn’t use it” and then coming out with a new curriculum. It was very brazen of her at the very least! It was very surprising to me that she has kept that video up! I definitely have looked into the curriculum after other moms raved about it, but it just never appealed to me.

The problem with “God told me” is that God has spoken the same thing to all of us. It’s the Bible. He doesn’t deliver individual messages to certain people, as He is not the author of confusion (I Corinthians 14:33) and He has made it clear (Galatians 1:8-9) that no other message is valid. Every whim or thought is not a message. Man inserting himself is always problematic. Most of the time a “message” one receives is in direct contradiction to another’s.

💯 agree with you on this. I saw that video and thought it was icky and she clearly had motives. Thanks for making this video, very refreshing to see a video on this.

So u didn't like it when she dropped it, but bought it, and u still dont like it? I wouldn't have even ordered it. Seems many families ditched it within 2 years of it coming out. I have been homeschooling for 4 years, and i have looked into a whole variety of curriculums... and i have found there is a huge part of the christain homeschool community thay will stand 10 toes down on a shit curriculum due to them being "friends" or in the same "click" its a very highschool mentality. Either way i remember when she did her leaving g&b and the community seeming to be "parted"... i find it funny people are still going on about this yeara later. But happy u got this off ur chest ❤

I agree the origins of Gather Round is rooted in dishonesty. Clearly Christians have different levels of conviction regarding supporting dishonest behavior, but I’m not comfortable with it. We’re also academic homeschoolers and from looking jt over, GR is just not a fit, personally.

This video is just so judgmental and not fully true on so many levels. You keep repeating how it’s “very expensive” or an “arm and a leg”…. It’s 50 dollars to get the digital for your entire family. BJU that you compared it to is hundreds of dollars for one course and you don’t even keep the videos. And Rebecca’s main conviction for leaving TGTB was because of the religious difference. Mormonism isn’t a denomination like catholic or baptist like you mentioned, it’s a different religion and that was her personal conviction that we have no right to judge. Her video is still up because it’s still her personal conviction. I have used a little of both gather round and TGTB and chose neither as our core so I’m not saying this as someone who rides hard for either. I just found this video to be mean and judgmental and part of the problem not the solution

She was hinting at her Bible curriculum masterbooks. That was before gather round

You sound a little bitter towards Rebecca. I do not use Gather Round. I know of her and have enjoyed her curriculum reviews in the past. Rebecca has the right to express her opinion of whatever curriculum though I may or may not agree with her just like you have the same right. However, it sounds like you just did the exact same thing that you said Rebecca did in her G & B video. I have not watched Rebecca's video nor do I plan to. I regret watching this video but at least I know how you feel about Rebecca.

You only used one unit. So not sure you can have an opinion. You can’t judge her heart bc you don’t know her.

You are kinda rude about Rebecca. I’ve met her and she is the sweetest person. I watched it play out too but I still don’t have an attitude towards her. You seem gossipy ? How does this bring Glory to Jesus ?