How do you decide on which homeschooling curriculum to use with your child?

Question

I would like to begin homeschooling my 4yo son this fall. Choosing a curriculum has proved difficult. So far all the really great ones have something to do with christianity, nothing wrong with the particular religion, but I do not want to purchase a bunch of illustrated books about the bible... no offense to anyone, I will simply pick and choose which books I allow my son to view. If you could recomend a decent curriculum that has nothing to do with religion at all, or has something to do with nature and being earth friendly, I would SO appreciate it!! thanks to you all!

Answer 1

If you think Sonlight looks good, but want something secular, take a look at K12.  We've used it since right after my son turned 5 (he's 10 now) and we LOVE it.

K12 uses a lot of the same books as Sonlight and some of the same scope & sequence.  However, K12 teaches to *all* learning styles, which is the #1 issue, IMO, with curriculum.  You *have to* fit it to your child's learning style and your own learning/teaching style.  I passed on Sonlight b/c reading from books all day was not my son's, nor my, learning style.

In some states K12 has free virtual public school programs.  If you're willing to put up with some rules and testing for the public schools, then it's a great way to go.  If you don't want to be part of the public system, then you can purchase K12 to use on your own (and it's 10% off this month).  That's how we've always used it.

K12 is secular, but it has a lot of good, moral stories - think Dr. William Bennett's "Book of Virtues" books, and the "Adventures from the Book of Virtues" cartoon.  Mix that with the Core Knowledge Foundation, a classical sequence (The Well-Trained Mind), computer applications, and great literature, and you have K12.  The content's breadth and depth is amazing!

I've written a lot about K12 on this forum. You can search the archives for more info, or join a K12 group on Yahoo Groups.

http://www.k12.com

Answer 2

I agree it is the most difficult task.    I think you need to really think about your educational philosophy and your child's needs.    We can get stuck into the workbook-do all the problems-fill in the blanks programs and burn out our kids while we suck all of the fun and excitement out of learning.

It would be great if you could just buy school in a box and have it work for you but it seldom does.  

I could not use some of the faith based curriculum because  it not only taught bad religion but the subject matter was also flawed.

I cobbled together my own curriculum, for better or worse.  And some of the Christian based materials are excellent.   Saxon math, Horizon Math, Apolgeia Science I found to be very good.   Also Math-U-See, Easy Grammar, Easy Writing, Spectrum Phonics.    Please don't knock Sonlight.  I don't use it, but I have their catalogue and it is an excellent resource.  You can just order the bits you want, it gives comparative reviews on many of their products to help you make up your mind.

Some people avoid "curriculum" altogether and use their own resources, the public library, the internet and the child's own imagination to lead the way.

So don't beat yourself up about finding a curriculum at the tender age of four.  You can make it up yourself.

Answer 3

Just want to point out that you do not actually need *any* curriculum in order to home educate. I'm 15 and one of nine siblings all of whom have been or are home educated sans any curricula.

Don't feel (or allow anyone to make you feel!) that you must spend money on pre-packaged products, especially not for a 4 year old.

Remember homeschool is an alternative to school; it should not mean your son simply 'doing school' at home. That's why, in my country, the term 'homeschool' is not used. People here say 'home education' or 'family based education' or 'community based education' instead (that's our government's latest *buzz word* (or *buzz phrase*) when it comes to home education!).

If I was in your position, I'd just concentrate on the 'community based' aspect of your son's education and get out with him into your local community, make use of the community's available resources and participate in as many community activities as you can rather than worrying about curricula etc.

However if you feel you really must have a curriculum, my suggestion would be that you put together your own from the best and most interesting of what is available in your local library, bookshop etc. You might also find it helpful if you can get to your local library and talk to the children's librarian there; he or she should be able to give you heaps of suggestions about resources etc that you and your son could make use of.

Answer 4

Try "Learning FUNdamentals 3-6 starting school" by Colin Rose and Gordon Dryden (only $9 )

It is completely secular and covers all areas including reading, writing, creativity, music, science and nature, self esteem, values, math, vocabulary, thinking skills.....

Answer 5

I love Sonlight! Yes it's Christian. We are using Core 3+4 this year and the Bible lessons consist of a reading, learning about American Indian tribes +  beliefs (and reminders to pray for them), a memorization, and a lesson on who God is or a personal value. All of this can be easily skipped by skipping the first section on the lesson plans.

The history is wonderful they use historical novels and text books to teach, the time line is great because you use it every year so that you can see what was going on when and what else was happening elsewhere.

I will say if you order this be prepared to read a lot! Have a drink on hand.

Answer 6

Sonlight is a great curriculum - if you want to avoid the Christianity part it would be quite simple - just don't do the Bible lessons. They are not required and they are not fully integrated into the other subjects.

BUT if that seems like too much work, or you are really wanting a secular program that is similar to Sonlight (ie: book heavy and very classic in approach) Then try K12. You can purchase it as an independent homeschooler at http://www.k12.com/schooling_programs/k1...

It is an excellent program and is very flexible. I think you'll like it.

Answer 7

Go to local book stores and see what they have for that age group.  At 4 you just need some story books, basic preschool books, and art supplies.  You don't need a boxed curriculum.

Answer 8

Before you decide what curriculum to use, you should really think about the way that you wish to teach your son.  Do you want to follow a "formal" curriculum, set up like traditional school, or do you want to be more informal, using a philosophy like "unschooling"?  

Your son is only 4, so you have lots of time to figure this out.  It's also never too late to change tactics after you've started either!  Most parent I know that started out thinking that they would follow a very formal curriculum became a lot more relaxed about things as time went on.  I know that I have become a lot more relaxed since we started homeschooling 5 years ago (although my dd is a lot older than your son).

At 4, the best thing that you can be doing is reading lots of books with your son!  Play little math games and things too.  Just make it fun for him!  There is lot's of time to get down to the nitty gritty, if that's the path you want to follow.

I would suggest that you really do some research into homeschooling.  If you google "homeschooling" and "unschooling", you will find many great resources.

Also, there are some wonderful books to read too.  

A great book on unschooling is " The Unschooling Handbook : How to Use the Whole World As Your Child's Classroom".  

Even if you don't want to follow a strict curriculum, "The Well-Trained Mind", by Susan Wise Bauer is a wealth of information regarding resources and books to use.  It has suggestions for both Christian and Non-Christian curricula.

If you are Pagan, there is a wonderful book by Kristin Madden called "Pagan Homeschooling".

You might want to find out if there are any local homeschool support groups in your area.  They can be a wonderful resource for parents.  They usually have lots of field trips to choose from too.  It really helps to get together with other homeschooling parents from time to time.

Another suggestion for non-Christian books would simply be to use workbooks like the ones from Scholastic, McGraw-Hill Spectrum Series, etc.  They are available in big stores like Amazon or Chapters too.  If you have a Teacher Store in your area, they would probably have lots of books that you could use too.

Answer 9

At that age you really don't need a set curriculum.  The library and your local discount store has everything.  Go to the library and check out a book called, "What your preschooler needs to know:  read-alouds to get ready for kindergarten" by E.D. Hirsch (he has them all the way to 6th grade) and also "The Big Book of Home Learning : Preschool and Elementary" by Mary Pride.  It should give you a head start on what books to get and how to start you child on the road to reading and learning.  

If you wanted to do some worksheets, go to the store and get something from School Zone publishers like "Big Kindergarten Workbook".  Maybe some specific areas like Math or Spelling for preschool and work from there.  

You don't have to have a boxed set and spend a lot for them to learn at that age.  The only difference between the two is price. For the next few years of your son's life I would cruise the library quite often.  Just do a search for homeschooling books.  I wouldn't start looking at curriculum for him till at least 3rd grade.  BTW, all the above mentioned are secular.

Answer 10

AT this age you don't really need a curriculum , but if you want one (Not Christian , not anti-Christian either) you can choose CALVERT or just buy the book What your preschooler should know +What your kindergartner should know (try amazon)

.THere is a lot of info there.

ALso , for learning how to read buy BOB BOOKS every child I know loves them and my son who is 4 is reading at 1st gr level.

For reading &More go to www.starfall.com and internet4classrooms.com

for writing go to www.handwrittingforkids.com

For the rest, buy books in garage sale and visit your library often. Google "books preschool" OR kindergarten books and you will find a lot of good books to request from your local library.

You can make your own curriculum and it's very easy .Buy or borrow this book "Home learning year by year" and it tells you what you need for pre-k , k until 12 grade for reading,math,science,etc .

Sonlight curriculum is ok but is very expensive and not worth the money.You can purchase the books or use your library for much cheaper . Look at their website and see what books they use . ALso is way too much reading and not enough hands-on art+Craft+music.Children this age need more play time and experimenting with playdough,creative art and music not reading all day,though I think it's very important to read at least 3 books/day.

Answer 11

Honestly, at age 4, you really don't even need to use a curriculum.  I'd really suggest capitalizing on his interests and working in the skills that he's ready for.  You may want to use things like lapbooking (http://www.handsofachild.com/shop/Defaul... has some incredible units designed especially for preschool and early elementary, just choose the "shop lapbook project packs by age range" button on the left side of the page) or teaching with toys (you can get books at the library on how to teach science with toys); read fun books and learn about whatever piques his interest.

The skills that you would want to teach would vary by where he is; counting, letter formation and recognition, maybe short sight words, classifying by size/shape/color, comparing more and less/empty and full, things like that.  For a child this young, you honestly don't need a formal curriculum - he'd probably fight you on it, anyway.

If you do want to do a curriculum, I would strongly recommend either the lapbooks or Before Five in a Row (or Five in a Row, if he's ready) http://www.fiveinarow.com/ .  The two can easily be combined, as well.  Both are very skills based, are made to hold his interest, and are easy for you to plan and implement.

I drove my 6yo into the ground four years ago with a formal curriculum, and I know plenty of other moms who have done the same thing.  I wish someone had warned me off of it then!  There really isn't a need for one until he's older, and by that time, you'll get to know his skills and abilities well enough that you'll have confidence in picking out a curriculum to fit him.

Hope that helps!

Answer 12

We are not religious and we use Sonlight. We skip all the Bible lessons and drop the books about missionaries or other religious figures unless I see there is something really fabulous about them.  I supplement heavily with other books because my children are voracious readers, but SL gives me a great framework to build upon.  

That being said, why are you worrying about a "curriculum" for a 4 year old?  I would much rather see you do library trips, zoo and park outings, go to the local stories and get to know the people there.  In other words - LIVE.  Don't "buckle down" and put your kid at the desk for hours at age four. Shut OFF the TV/Videos/Computer and go out into the world.  Read lots together, even have some goals to accomplish, but please, don't stuff the kid into checking boxes and filling out worksheets.

Answer 13

Here is a website that might help you find a good curriculum for your son. It has reviews on the products so you should be able to get your questions answered there.

http://www.homeschoolingtogether.com/app...