we used Christian Liberty Press' full curiculum (CLASS) for first grade. We've moved on to mix-n-match (now doing 3rd and 1st grades), but it was pretty decent for our first year of hs'ing. I think it's reasonabily priced, too.
This being my first year homeschooling, I went with the boxed Abeka 5th. My dd struggled with math in ps she was in a lower math class last year,and felt like the dumb one when it came to math. I can only sing praises of Abeka it moves quickly, but there is reveiw everyday. The review is what really brought it home for my dd. Science is also a favorite my dd hated science in ps, but now looks forward to it. The history is dull, but has been spiced up with lapbooking. Spelling was not working so we ditched it for a different curriculum. Penmanship has improved but you can get worksheet for free that are just as good, I only use it because it came with the box set. We also enjoy the readers. Abeka language has also worked well for us somedays she enjoys doing language other days she is bored because it is not challenging her enough. Hope this helps.
I have found all your answers very interesting. I have to say I think I need to stick to what we are doing now, sort of a mix and match thing, unless someone can tell me why I shouldn't for high school. I was probably leaning a little toward a boxed plan for Crystal for next year because I was afraid she would miss something but she showed me yesterday that she can do more our way. Yesterday she did her math and then wanted to do more. It is early algebra for 8th grade. She did the next page and kept going. After each page we checked her answers and she was totally getting it! She did 6 pages where in the past we struggled to get 1 page done. She was going to do more but decided to save it for today. I am so happy for her. I could tell she felt great about herself. Beth
Beth, that is wonderful, you have to be so proud. My dd who is the 8th grade will do the same thing from time to time. Yes, I am like you I don't know which way to go next year. Need to do alot of looking.
That is awesome Beth, sounds like what you are doing is working. It is wonderful to see a child become more confident. I have enjoyed seeing my dd confidence level rise this year. It no longer takes us hrs to get through one sheet of math she is finished in 15-20 mins. When a child beleives in themselves they can go so much further because they are not held back by fear of failing or looking like a dummy etc..
That is what is so great about home schooling. When the students really understand, they can run with it, and their confidence and progress is not squelched because a schedule demands that they stop now. We push ahead when things are going well. For example, we do 2-3 lessons in math a day when the student understands things. Other times I will skip part of a lesson and hit it another time. like counting by fours, when were still stuggling with counting by twos. Then other times we will do no workbook pages and have math lab instead for a day or two to work on concepts that are not coming along as well. Overall progress with math is ahead of schedule. Odd and even took a little extra time, as did counting by twos. We also had to spend extra time drilling counting by 10's. We were skipping 20 and 50 some of the time, or mixing. This was also causing problems counting to 100 when a jump from 40 to 60 was made. ditto skipping when counting by fives. We practiced these things with extra activities I made up, or found online, and then later counting change went very well. So well I that I dumped a princess bank and put assorted change in muffin-tin cups as a test, just to be sure. 12/12!!
We are using My Father's World this year for kindergarten. Next year for first grade we are looking at Living Books Curriculum, it is a Charlotte Mason based curriculum and we really like the layout of it, we just have a wee bit of sticker shock It's quite a bit more than My Father's World was. I haven't stuck exactly to MFW, I have changed some things and added a lot of things as he is ahead of their phonics schedule and was getting really bored. But for now we really like doing the unit study thing and all the fun hands on activites. Next year I know we would probably add to what we have too. I like using a curriculum so I have the basic outline of what they should be learning that year, I am still too nervous about screwing this whole thing up to go totally on my own but I hope to someday Maybe second grade will be the year But I do like adding my own touches to the things we are doing and planning extra things. Like this week we are straying from the curriculum for a few days and doing a unit on fire safety that I planned myself.
Hi All, I am looking for a new cur. as well....but am considerate of $!! I have very 3 different needs for my 3 very different children (Imagine that!) My youngest son is 4yrs old, counts to 100, recognizes #, skip counts, knows all letters and sounds....He is just starting to write with a very immature grip, and is ready to start reading.... My middle son reads close to a grade above level (7yr old/2nd gr) at about 2.7 level, but is having a harder time with math...loves to try remembering multiplication but not interested in add and subtraction! He needs help with spelling and grammar. My oldest son falls along the autism spectrum...really sensory integration disorder. He decodes words well but struggles with comprehension in reading and math. He has trouble saying everything he wants to say, and has problems with "what, who, why, how, how many"... type questions...things for application and to show real understanding...He is 9 years old and reads at about 3rd grade level, but his math is at about 2.5 grade level. He recalls math facts (+ and -) but I am not always sure that he really understands the concepts of more and less, or number representation. He could really use a boost in his self confidence as well. I need curriculum suggestions. I am willing get whatever we need as I realize I am all over the spectrum. I don't know how to start piecing them together. Any and all suggestions/opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for all your help and prayers.
Peacemaker, you might want to check out Heads Up Now. Melinda is a homeschooling mom with experience with special needs. She has lots of neat stuff that can help your "challenged" learner, plus has all kinds of practical advice (which she is very willing to offer when asked!). She's a speech/language pathologist, and has a regular column in our homeschool magazine. The web site is www.HeadUpNow.com
For your other two, or maybe one of them, Christian Liberty Academy has a good curriculum at a low price. I'm not sure if you want a Christian-based curriculum, but you can look at it and see if it may work for your children. Here is a site to access them: http://ebiz.netopia.com/clpress/ By the way, WELCOME!
I just wanted to mention that my youngest at 8 was frustrated and could not 'get' math, or so he claimed. This year in 4th grade its his favorite subject! He even put that on a questionaire thing he filled out! Just to encourage anyone with an 8yr old boy give them time, it will probably lighten up once multiplication comes in, that seems to have been a helpful change for me. Now adding is easy and subtracting but he hated the written work is what I found otu so he said he hated it and could not do it and all kinds of things. Just my little thoughts on it. Be blessed
Thanks all. THe headsup site is wonderful. I am reading article after article, ordering her book and the writing program as well as a few other items. It looks to be a wonderful resource. I will drop her an email as well. I really appreciate the suggestions. I am interested in a Christian based cur but it is not a breaking point for me. I know I need to get them moving, like Melinda...I know the potential is there, just finding the keys to unlock/unleash it is the challenge. Thanks much.
This is the first year we have used a packaged curriculum, and I went w/ LIFEPAC by Alpha Omega. However, I'm using it more as just a backbone to help keep ME the teacher on track since I'm now back in college (started graduate school this past summer). I no longer have all the time in the world to research and create elaborate units (I LOVE themes!) for my homeschooler, using mostly free resources: the net and our library. I greatly expand upon things that catch my dd8's interest and freely edit/skip things in the workbooks that are redundant/busy work. But the workbooks HAVE helped me to slow down and elaborate on concepts I notice I take for granted and to try to remember that even though I have a brilliant 2nd grader who is an old soul and way beyond her years in many aspects, she is still only 8, and has never formally considered the differences between a phrase and a sentence. Make whatever you choose work for you and use it how you see fit. Most importantly, don't be afraid to change if something isn't working, even if it means shelving (even temporarily) that expensive boxed curriculum.
