I am going to be home schooling and I have NO IDEA what cirriculum to use. I have heard tons of names like sonlight, alpha omaga, etc. I don't want something where he has to memorize bible verses and it is our first year doing this so a simple one would be good. Thanks!
It helps a bit if you can provide ages and what kind of learning he seems to do best with [if you know]. For example, does he seem to like hands-on stuff best or does he prefer quiet seat work? As for your curriculum, you decide what you do or don't do. For example, just because a curriculum may have Bible memorization as part of it doesn't mean you have to do it. Take what you like and what works for you and use that. Discard the rest.
ACSI math has been good for us. It has Scripture through it, but you don't need to memorize it. It will be good for you as a teacher, because the TE is so easy to follow and nicely laid out. The book is nice for the child for the same reason. Zaner Bloser Spelling Connections is super easy, with plenty of practice. You don't need the TE at all. Bob Jones Heritage Studies are nice. It also has Scripture, but again you don't have to memorize it Bob Jones English is easy and can also be taught without the TE, although it's nice to have for extras. www.readingatoz.com is a perfect reading program for someone just starting out. This is what we use, and I'm like you- I need it simple, even after 4 years.
Hi! I'm in my first year of homeschooling--Since my ds is in kindergarten I just made up my own curriculum focusing on the 3 R's. However, next year I am in the same boat as you (wanting more of a secular curriculum). I have been looking on www.HomeSchoolReviews.com and reading about the different curriculums and what other parents found to be the pro's and con's of the different ones. I think reading and social studies we will continue to do on our own but I do want something more for math and science...... Sorry I can't offer more advice. Good-luck and I'll be watching this thread also. Maybe it will help me too!
Too much emphasis on curriculum In my opinion, we put far too much emphasis on curriculum. I work with homeschoolers and I always recommend that they begin by understanding the principles and philosophy before diving into curriculum. New homeschoolers are nervous and insecure, and they frantically search for the "right curriculum", which doesn't exist. Your curriculum needs depend on your teaching style, your children's learning styles, your personal life situation and your goals. These factors can change over time, so it's best to approach curriculum slowly. Take some time to learn about homeschooling first. Establish routines and get comfortable with the process. Gradually add resources. You don't need a complete set of books on day one. Go easy.
Great Advice...can you tell homeschoolwell is a veteran of homeschooing That said though, I still wanted some curric on day one! If you can let us know ages, grades, number of kids and maybe whether the kid(s) are more visual, auditory, hands-on etc learners...we can lead you toward a good fit. Also Cathy Duffy's Top 100 Picks is a great book!
How to Begin When do you plan to begin? Since it is November now, are you planning for next September? If so, you have lots of time to read about homeschooling. Read first and wait to order curriculum.
I agree with homeschoolwell. There's a lot to take into consideration when choosing materials. What is your educational philosopy (what do you want & expect your child to to get out of their education)? What is the child's preferred learning style? Which method of homeschooling do you plan to go with? How rigid are the laws in your state & how will they affect your chosen course work? Many people choose a full 'boxed' curriculum when they first start out. For some, it's because they don't really know about all the options. For others, it's because they think it'll be easier having it all planned out for the first year while they get used to homeschooling. However, 'boxed' curriculum is not a good fit for many people. Quite a few people end up feeling that 'boxed' curriculum was a waste of thier money & end up wishing, by the end of the first year, that they had gone with something else. Although, there are many peolpe for whom 'boxed' curriculum is a great fit. However much time you have before you begin homeschooling, use that time to do as much research as you can. Figure out your educational philosopy. Do you want your child(ren) to cover exactly what the public schools do for each grade? Do you want them to learn foreign languages? Do you want them to have more of a focus on History or Science (or Art or Music, etc.) than the public schools? Observe your child & determine their preferred learning style. Know the laws in your state. How much record-keeping is required? How often do you have to report? Are tests or other assessments required & how often? www.hslda.org is a good place to find the laws for each state. Research the different methods of homeschooling & see which one(s) may be a good fit for you & your child(ren). Think about how much parent/teacher prep & participation you want/expect to put in. Some materials require a lot from the "teacher", while others are more self-instructional (requiring little more from you than assigning the work & checking it once it's completed). I know it sounds like a lot to do before you begin. However, I truly believe that proper research & preparation, prior to starting, will give you a better chance of starting off well. In the few months between deciding I was going to homeschool & actually starting, I read every book about it I could get my hands on. I also researched tons of websites about it. By the time I started, I knew what method would best fit my dd's learning style, my educational philosopy, and our schedule (my ds was a 6m.o. preemie when I started hsing dd & our schedule was rather odd). Even with being prepared, the first curricula/materials you choose may not be the best fit. You often have to try a few before you find the one that is best for your family. If you give us more info - ages & levels of kids (not what grade they're in in ps, but what level of work they're actually at), method, any special needs, etc., we may be able to suggest some materials that you may want to consider. However, before choosing anything, I would strongly suggest finding out as much as you can about it - the pros & cons. What one family dislikes about a material is often what another family likes about it, and vice versa.
Read a great phrase this morning...... If you focus too much on the tool, you lose sight of the unique benefits of its use. Just some food for thought.
Wow, Brandi! That was a very thorough answer. I couldn't agree more. New homeschoolers invariably start with the cart instead of the horse, but the cart (i.e. curriculum) should never drive the operation. Begin at the beginning and establish a solid foundation and you will have a better chance of achieving success. Good luck!
Here are a couple of books that helped us a LOT when we started thinking about homeschooling... Mary Pride's Complete Guide to Getting Started in Homeschooling: http://www.home-school.com/catalog/pages/mpguide.php3 We checked this out of the library and it was fantastic! It starts at the very beginning - why people homeschool, what homeschooling "looks" like, which kinds of kids (and moms!) do best with which kinds of curriculum, etc etc.. If you can't find it at your library with this title, look for The Big Book of Home Learning, Volume 1. It's the older edition of the same book. Mary Pride also has a website: http://www.home-school.com/ I haven't hung out a lot on the website, so I don't know if it is as helpful as her book. Cathy Duffy wrote 100 Top Picks For Homeschool Curriculum: Choosing The Right Curriculum And Approach For Your Child's Learning Style. We bought it at a Half-Price Books, but you could check at your library for it, too. It goes through a long list of curricula and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each of them. There are SO many curricula out there, and sorting them out gets very confusing and overwhelming! She talks about whole "box" curriculum programs, which include practically everything you need for the whole year; as well as individual products (different math curricula, or language arts, or whatever), so it's helpful whether you want to go with just one company's stuff or mix and match. I think most people mix and match to some degree. Cathy Duffy also has a website: http://www.cathyduffyreviews.com/ I hope that helps!!
HUffinMiffen? If I spelled it phonetically sorry, Houghton, Miffen, or something like that has curriculuim in all grades, I think you can find thier web site pretty easy. They are secular , most PS schools use them , but I have seen some new work they have in California Enlgish new edition , that looked pretty good, So I would say if you are not looking for Christian based, then that would be a place tolook. What I hve found is the ones like BJU, Abeka, though they have scripture are very solid studies! AOP has tons of bible and scripture through all the subjects! We loved it for that! but I understand that is not for everyone. What is that other one? Macmillian? Check them out, you can see them at Staples too!
I keep a running list of free resources. Next year, we might be completely working from free curriculum resources. (Right now we are half and half with some purchased resources.) Here are my recommendations for you to investigate... (All assumes you are teaching elementary ages, let me know And I can send you middle school links...) First, check out the "Typical Course of Study" on the World Book Encyclopedias page: Pick your grade and they lay out the typical topics covered in that given year.... http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?curriculum Use that info to help you guide your student to the goals you wish to reach this school year... LANGUAGE: Spelling: http://www.zaner-bloser.com/spellingconnections/practice-pages.html Spelling games that go with the previous link... http://www.spellingconnectionsonline.com/ Free Grammar Workbooks to print, from Scott Foresman... http://www.sfreading.com/resources/ghb.html Further Practice "Practice Books" to print that compliment the above link... http://www.sfreading.com/resources/practicebkpg.html Handwriting Practice... http://www.handwritingworksheets.com/ Journal writing.. Have child write in a journal everyday (WITHOUT Grading it, giving them a creative outlet to practice writing with no one over their shoulder)... My kindergartner write in a journal everyday, right along with doodles on the page.... http://k6educators.about.com/od/languageart1/qt/journaltopics.htm MATH Completely free Math Curriculum... http://ceure.buffalostate.edu/~csmp/CSMP Program/Primary Disk/Start.html Another free math curriculum... http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/primary/default.htm SCIENCE: Free Science for grades K - 4 http://www.eequalsmcq.com/Elem Life Science info.htm History / Geography / Social studies: Use the Typical course of Studies link above, to find a framework, then build on that with resources found online, in your library or your own books at home... Art Music etc: Supplement with out of the house activities, such as dance, karate, etc... And stop by my site to see all the free stuff out there.... http:/www.jennifererix.com good luck and welcome!
Thanks for all the information. I'm always looking for new and different things as my kids get bored with their regular work and sometimes need a new type of curriculum.
The one thing I heard a lot from homeschoolers was the money wasted on curriculum that didn't work. I had floated the idea to dh with the premise that I would be saving money. (over private school) SO I bought a Saxon book and have gotten to be good friends with google. As we go, I have added stuff, and moved stuff around and found things on the internet...I also buy stuff from used book stores (a bunch) I am a book a holic. (I have used my "savings" on tuition for my "budget" for books so I am always under!... a bit.) Scholastic is having a sale!!! and it is only two hours away, so I will probably go to that...there is a thread about it...dd(teacher) is going to go too. We also have texts that people have given us. Currently we are borrowing Spelling Power, to see if it is for us. (I am liking it...but it is only day 3)
Thank you to everyone! We ended up going with Horizons math and Explode the Code with Pathway readers, though I don't really like them. We are moving along, trying to stay motivated and a lot happier.
