I need advise on choosing a new curriculum. I am currently using A Beka. My child is 7 and half way through?

Question

3rd. I have been told that A Beka is one of the more challenging, but it doesn't seem to be much of a challenge for her.

Answer 1

My son also found A Beka not very challenging...and he hated the workbooks.

I found Math U See to be a great match for him - it's taught by DVD and you determine how many pages out of each lesson she needs to do, so she can move through it at her own pace.  It's also taught for mastery of concept, rather than jumping around from thing to thing.

You may want to try lapbooking with her - this has been huge for mine.  It's taught him to take notes, research, understand context clues, write summaries, and really dig into a concept.  My fave lapbooking company is http://handsofachild.com/ (they're having a huge sale today and something glitched in their server, but try it after about an hour or so and the site/sale should be up.  They'll probably have the code somewhere on the "Our Products" page.)  They have them (complete and ready to go) on every subject and level.

I wouldn't worry too much about grammar right now - I know companies like A Beka and BJU push it this young, but honestly, kids this young either don't have the abstract thinking to really grasp grammar, or they honestly don't care.  In my experience, if you start it around 3rd or 4th grade (or even 5th), she'll likely catch on to it very quickly - and she'll retain it a lot longer.

For reading - the library!  Free and more complete than any reading curriculum.  Read alouds, books on her level, and non-fiction books about anything she could want to know.

For art, there's a great book called Discovering Great Artists - it's an art and art history curriculum in one.  And it's fun!

I would really suggest to incorporate history/social studies with reading and read-alouds.  At this age, she'll get much more out of that than coloring the pilgrim on the worksheet page :-)

For science, Apologia gets my vote, hands down.  There are lots of elementary books - Astronomy, Botany, Zoology (Birds/Bats/Bugs and Marine Biology) - to keep your child going till she's ready for the deeper stuff.  It's written on a very conversational level and you can download free notebooks for each book.  There are hands-on projects in each chapter...my son adores these books.  They're the only ones he won't let me sell!

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

k12.com

This is a very challenging curriculum. Depending on where you live it may be free, if not you can purchase it. They are more advanced and wonderful if you like premade curriculum.

Answer 3

I have a 3 year old that is about on a 1st grade level. I find it easier and more beneficial for us to follow the grade level expectaions(GLE) found on the states board of education. I then found several different texts, websites and curricula to use for teaching.

Having kids that are ahead of where they are 'suposed' to be is a challenge, but also has its benefits. Although my daughter always wants to learn, because she is 'ahead' we can take our time and I can find more fun and creative ways to learn. We also have more time to explore an array of things that are not on the GLE's.

Good luck!

Answer 4

I would consider k12 because they do individualized curriculum for each child. They will put your child where they need to be

http://homeschoolanswers.blogspot.com

Answer 5

You can look into Christian Liberty Press, they use some Abeka as part of their curriculum choices.

They take an eclectic approach when putting a grade level together, so you may already have some that can still be used.

CLP does not look challenging, but it is, and it is also one of the least expensive.

She is still young but down the road we supplement the writing  with Write Shop, and add additional science from Apologia, as well as Bible from Positive Action for Christ.

Not because CLP is not sufficient, but our children like more variety, and each learns different.

CLP has been our foundation from the beginning, and if I had to do it all over, I would use them again.

http://ebiz.netopia.com/clpress/

http://www.highschoolscience.com/

http://www.positiveaction.org/

http://www.writeshop.com/

Answer 6

A Beka is more challenging in many ways, but obviously it is not what your daughter needs right now.  I would urge you to seek materials from several publishers, rather than trying to get it all from one.  Singapore Math might be more her style, or Horizons.  For language Arts you should really look for what interests her, its okay for her to work a year or two ahead if that is where her skills place her.

Without knowing your daughter, I can't recommend specifics, but I suggest you read, "The Well Trained Mind".  Also, you might try a placement test for any packaged curriculum you use, if she tests at the 5th grade level in reading and the 3rd grade level in Math, she should be free to work at the appropriate level in each.

Answer 7

You may want to go to the public library and check out the book "What Your Third Grader Needs to Know" and some of the other books in the series by Hirsch.  These may provide you with a better over view of what you should be including in your curriculum rather than relying solely on a purchased curriculum.    Schools not only have the text book curricula, but the state scope and sequence of the standards of what is expected to be taught.  You may also want to check out your state's standards.  This is a link to the Alabama standards and lesson plans:  http://alex.state.al.us/browseStand.php

You may decide to stay with A Beka, but choose to fill in with other resources to fulfill the state standards.  One of the great joys of homeschooling is the freedom to enrich your child's education.    For example, if you are studying seed germination and plant growth you have the freedom to compare an avocado seed, beans, and another type of seed.  Take a trip to a botanical garden during different seasons.

The public library where I work has a large selection of teaching resources for homeschooling families.  Yours probably does as well.  You won't have to buy anything additional.

Addition:  The recommendation for Math U See is spot on.  This is an excellent program that even math phobes such as myself can understand.

Here is another great site for homeschooling information--http://www.bellaonline.com/site/Homescho...