Homeschooling advice and reccomendations?

Question

I am a teacher - I teach adults, though I come from a Montessori/Child Development background. I am going to start homeschooling my oldest kids who are entering grades 8 and 9.

I am not worried about accreditation. I am more interested in doing things myself, I just need the right resources.

Computer-based/online is fine as are workbooks. I do want a structured curriculum with lots of practise work that is more student-led than instructor-led. I want them to have self-paced learning with me supervising them so they can go as fast or as slow as they like, but be thorough enough to gain 100% mastery of the subjects I introduce to them.

I've looked at a few of the homeschooling websites, but I haven't really found what I am looking for. Can anyone recommend curriculum that I can pass down from one child to the other, self-paced with lots of hand-on practise?

Thank you.

Answer 1

http://www.amblesideonline.org/

Welcome to Ambleside Online, a free homeschool curriculum designed to be as close as possible to the curriculum that Charlotte Mason used in her own private and correspondence schools. Our goal is to be true to Charlotte Mason's high literary standards. Ambleside Online uses the highest quality books and costs no more than the cost of texts. The curriculum uses as many free online books as possible, and there is no cost to use this information or join the support group.

Answer 2

We use Sonlight and we really like it.  It's very literature based. There is a lot of reading.  As you progress through the program, the parent's time involvement doesn't really increase, but the student's does.  They take progressively more of their schooling onto themselves as time goes by.  You could easily teach your two kids together and tailor the LA and Math to each one.  It is a Christian program.  Here's their link:

http://www.sonlight.com/

Answer 3

I homeschooled my children through the Christian Liberty Academy. It was a good experience for all.

Answer 4

I have found that there is really no ONE curriculum that will work in the manner you ask about. I home school 4 of my 5 kids right now and each one works so differently to cram them into a one-size-fits-all curriculum would be the death of them.

I use Math-u-See it's a totally different approach for instructing math and has DVD for instructions www.mathusee.com . I've also heard good things about Teaching Textbooks http://www.teachingtextbooks.com/

I use Learning Language Arts Through Literature for english (available at www.amazon.com)

Rosetta Stone for spanish www.rosettastone.com

for science and history I have a couple of textbooks that we use as a jumping point, they just don't have enough info in the books to satisfy my kids appetite. So DK books are great as well as any others that deal specifically with the topic my kids want to study.

If you decide to go the design your own curriculum route you'll find that your options are many and you will be researching and finding better ways to learn than just sitting at a desk reading what someone else discovered. Reading what someone else discovered isn't a bad thing, but it also doesn't have to be the end of your understanding about the subject. It's just more fun to learn when it's hands on.

As far as passing things down from one child to the next, since they are close in age you could have them working together for some subjects, English would work well at this age. This would give advancement to the child who needs a challenge and practice for the child who needs some extra help. Don't make it a competition well he knows more than you type of thing. or they'll resent working together.

If you make home schooling a life style, not just learn this between 8-3 you'll also have better success. Give your children the summer off to de-school, they will no longer be in the same atmosphere even if you do create an 8-3 style of learning in your home.

Answer 5

For math I recommend Teaching Textbooks (with the CD's) http://www.teachingtextbooks.com

Or Saxon, http://saxonpublishers.harcourtachieve.c...

For Language Arts, there are many excellent options, it kind of depends on what approach you want:

Lit Based?  Look at Hewitt's Lightning Literature, http://www.hewitthomeschooling.com

Grammar oriented, where you add your own literature?

Great Source:  http://www.greatsource.com/store/Product...

Or if you don't mind Christian content, A Beka has an excellent language arts program:

http://www.abeka.com

If you want to see a variety of what is available, both religious and secular, I suggest you go to http://www.rainbowresource.com and look around.

If you want an excellent Christian Science curriculum, go to, http://www.highschoolscience.com  (The site has curriclum for all grades).

If you want secular materials for science and other subjects, I suggest a browse through the following catalog:

http://www.glencoe.com/catalog

My best advice is to shop around, and try to attend a homeschool convention or curriculum fair in your area.  Don't necessarily take every subject from one publisher, instead take the time to select what works best in each subject, for each student.

Answer 6

The best comes from books. I suggest you go to a Mardales.

Answer 7

Well, this can't really be "handed down", although the materials can be, but I highly recommend K12.  The courses are both broad and deep, and mastery-based.  They can go at their own pacing in different courses, and can mix and match grade levels.

The high school courses, however, are teacher-led, but use the same model and scope & sequence as the Kdg-8th courses.  Some students have been able to use K12's 7th grade courses as high school credit b/c they are so academically rich.

I've used K12 for over 5 years and my son and I love it!

http://www.k12.com