I am researching curriculum, For my boys. They are still young but I want to choose the right program for them. They are 18 months a part and will most likely start HS at the same time. I'd like to know of some options that will work for them, (and will be easier to teach as I am not the smartest mama) I'd like to know of the best program/curriculum that will not break the bank. I'm hoping that my boys can share certain things as they will start learning at the same level. Thank you so much for your help.
Have you considered My Father's World? We're using the K level set and really enjoying it. Check it out!
Five in a Row was my favorite thing to do with my boys. I used it for part of Kinder and all of 1st grade. I only moved on to something else because the boys requested more work. It's very simple to teach, and they really learn a lot. I found that all but a few books wer available at my local library and the ones that weren't I was able to borrow from others I know who have used it. The guide itself isn't very expensive, and we had the cookbook as well, which was lots of fun!
My fave for K is "Come Sit By Me". They do unit studies based on books that you can usually get from your library. It's designed to be used by 4 - 7 yr olds. I find that there are lots of activities that my K son and my 3.5 yr old can do together.
Have you considered not using a curriculum? At least not in the early years? A library card and math book? I know that can be difficult when you are starting out and feel you have something to prove, but I found that reading and playing games (educational and otherwise) and just enjoying each other's company was a wonderful way to spend my children's early homeschooling years. Karen (in our 12th year of homeschooling, 4 kids)
Thank you all very much! Great info, and something to look into. Karen- I have thought about that actually. What age did you begin using an actual program? I have friends who have never used anything other than life experiences and made up curriculum, and I'm nervice about that because my own educational level isn't that high.
Have you heard of Charlotte Mason?? I urge you to read through the links I am providing. She believed in a gentle approach to learning, one that is literature rich, heavily focused on nature study and God's Word. I adore her teachings and my Gracie who is 7 is thriving with this method. It isn't a "curriculum" as you will see. I have been homeschooling for years and I can still get lost in these links. They provide so much information and inspiration. Many of the books are available at the library and many you can purchase are used for many years. http://www.charlottemasonhelp.com/ http://amblesideonline.org/ http://amblesideonline.org/WhatIsCM.shtml http://amblesideonline.org/New.shtml http://simplycharlottemason.com/
Well, I've never used a full curriculum. When my oldest was 4th grade (? I think?) I added Spelling Power. Then sometime after that we added Singapore math. I tried things here and there. I was never interested in a full curriculum from one source. I used more didactic stuff as we went along. But I always pick and choose.
While there are several products and series, some of them I understand to be high quality, available that will teach academic skills like reading and math to children between 6mos and 4yrs. This is a time when you can begin to do 2 things: Mostly you should use this time to learn about the different homeschooling philosophies and methods out there and begin observing your boys whenever you can to see if you cant glean some useful intell aobut their learning styles, likes, dislikes etc, but know at this stage especially children change from week to week and month to month. and decide what are feasible and realistic goals and plans about your life and where you are planning to go and be within months. Check your library for videos/dvds like: Your Baby Can Read Monki See, Monki Do Right Brain Baby Development Leap Frog Ready for Phonics and Beyond Phonics, Muzzy (Even in English its educational as it teaches months, days of the week, times of the day, counting, and different types of fruits) Any Educational video targeted toward Pre-K - 3rd grade on Reading, LA or Math could be helpful, especially if the kids are willing to watch it or just be in the room while its on. You can even get them used to forieng languages by playing some DVD's in their alternate languages. Oh, ALWAYS leave the captions on your TV when its playing and turn on Subtitles on DVDs. Count and sort and play with them. Look at some series like Jones Genuises Early Learning program. It might be something you are interested in, if you decide to take an academic path with your young ones. Check out Brillkids forum - all about baby education and such, but remember to do what is beneficial to your family FOR your family, dont get "Wonder Baby fever" Read any Doman books you can get your hands on. I liked Teach your baby to Read and Math, as it made me feel justified in that I'm not "crazy" for wanting to teach my children between 4months and up as much as possible while it is literally effortless. Look around, there may be a family in your area that is eager to network with anyone else who is interested in Baby/Toddler Ed. Its not a race, but if your interested or curious, you deserve to inform yourself.
http://www.blessed2bless.us/by-others/homeschool-not-about-education-by-chris-davis.html This is a link to a whole other way of looking at homeschooling. It may make you feel that this man is off his rocker. Let is sink in. I think the mentality of the school system makes it hard to see other ways of learning.
One huge thing to remember about curriculum: No one curriculum is "The answer" for everyone. I suggest: 1. Buy used- this will give you a taste without a lot of money. 2. Borrow- if a fellow homeschooler can let you borrow, you might be able to read through some of it to see how it works. 3. Go to homeschool book fairs- but don't let anyone sway you in your decision making. This can be overwhelming, so please go with a "researching" mind. You don't have to buy anything, instead you might just want to look at the various options and get a feel for how they work. 4. Ask for samples- Not a lot of companies do this, but I know ACE did for me. It is a workbook type of curriculum. I am glad I checked it out, because I don't think it would have worked for us. 5. Find out what return policies are- I know some companies (like math-u-see) have a 90 day no questions asked return policy. I would be willing to bet the materials have to be in like new shape, but at least I know I can look and really see the book in depth and return it if it doesn't appeal to me. 6. Use the library--your kids are so young and you have a great opportunity to help them learn the basics. Beyond that-use the library. Have them pick a "science" book and a "history" book on whatever they are intrigued by. That can be your science and history. No need for workbooks or tests or such. 7. Find people with kids that are like yours- While this is not a guarantee- it can lead to some good curriculum finds.
I would also like to add that the learning styles you are dealing with will determine how you teach whatever you choose (this is what I think of as the main strength of homeschooling.. jmho of course.) For instance, I was attempting to teach dd about history a few days ago. I thought I had been clever- was showing a carefully selected video. She is such a good sport, so she sat through it but she REALLY didn't want to. Until... I showed her something else about art. Ah! She LOVES art. She adored that part and was glued to her chair. It didn't matter that the website was actually for adults or older kids, and that she couldn't read the blurbs. She LOVED it! She is also very auditory- which means phonics works very well (and sight words are a complete bust). And she's a step-by-step learner, so for math she needed manipulatives to get the concepts down. I am also very careful to explain the whys of math.. I don't expect her to make connections yet (which is different than ps), so when she does it's a huge deal. We don't do a lot of memorizing, because again that isn't her biggest strength, we mostly use it to back up what she can already do. She loves music, loves to be read to, and loves to draw. She needs verbal explanations. She loves worksheets, and LOVES to review. My ds is in ps, but his strengths are completely different. He doesn't want to be bored with verbal explanations (and glazes over fast), he wants to jump in and DO. He hates worksheets, and HATES HATES having to review what he already knows, and will get extremely upset at busywork (you can imagine how fun homework is :roll. He is much more visual than his sister. Now- my dd is also overcoming some major confidence issues due to ps, so it will be interesting to see if some of what she prefers to do changes when she feels more comfortable. I will say that I am blessed in an odd way- I saw how ps attempted to teach her, and what REALLY wasn't working, so I went in a different direction. They did some of my 'trial and error' for learning styles for me. It was much easier for me to see that, for instance, I had to EXPLAIN to my daughter that the teen numbers are 'naughty' and that the one goes first, even though they didn't sound like it. She needed to hear me say that- just seeing it wasn't enough. Sight words were failing her- so we went with phonics. Etc, etc. Every child is different, and as long as your teaching matches their strengths, you'll win. just my .02 from the newbie trenches
Now I always recommend McRuffy. The reason being is that the TE is awesome and it is super fun. It takes all the guess work out of everything. It tells you what to say if you need it, what to expect, how to do it, etc. I use it for LA, math, and science. Also since you want to start them together all you would need is an extra workbook added in. This also cuts down on any costs you have with the curriculum you buy, since they are together on the subjects.
Go check out Time4Learning ! This is what we use and I love it Its a Online month to month type program, There are no contracts and its only $20 a month..IMO the best part is it gives you access to 3 different grade levels at once which not only allows your child to work at his own pace but you could allow more than one child use the same account and switch back and forth grade wise Good Luck and I hope this helps you out in your search
You should check out Kathy Duffy, Top 100 Picks.. (not sure the exact name..) but it is a great resource to help you get started with homeschool, it reviews alot of homeschooling curriculm for you.. At the beginning she ask you general question about your teaching style and your child's learning style and will suggest what curriculm will fit you best, and its not just one it's several things to chose from.. Pray, pray and pray some more. God knows exactly what your children need. I have friends who do tons of different stuff than I do.. You will found out that no two homeschooling family are the same.. If you need more help just pm and I will be willing to help you out.. Happy homeschooling...lol..
I'd suggest schoodoodle.com for art/project supplies, work/activity books and ed. games. Netflix if very helpful. read, read, read & praise, praise, praise Good luck on your journey
I haven't tried this program yet myself but I've reviewed it and am seriously considering purchasing it for my kids who are 21 months apart. It seems the best choice for my young kids who would be only a grade, maybe two apart in school. The company is called Heart of Dakota and they have curriculum packages for various age groups (for reasonable prices) called Little Hands to Heaven preschool, Little Hearts for His Glory K-1st, Bigger Hearts for His Glory, etc.
