Of all the choices, what homeschool materials do you recommend for an 8th grader?

Question

I'm working on my secondary ed teaching degree, so I'm a busy parent, but I have a very smart daughter who would love to be homeschooled. I've looked at Abeka and Oak Meadow. I'm wondering what you all would recommend for our situation.

Answer 1

I would recommend Christian Liberty Press, since they take an eclectic approach, and take the best of several great home school providers as well as their own materials.

CLP incorporates Abeka, Bob Jones, Modern Curriculum Press, Saxon, and other materials with their own.

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

The answer, and test packets/answerkey's for these books; as well as teacher guides if you would need those; are much less expensive as well.

Acomplete grade year for 8th or 9th grade runs around $200.00 all books and planners included.

We also use the Dive CD for Saxon math; these are also available for several other subjects at http://www.diveintomath.com , Apologia Science, and a Search For Order In Complexity (Biology) from CPL starting in either the 8, or 9th grade.

Depending on the electives you like we have studied Latin from Memoria Press, http://www.memoriapress.com , and for a wonderful writing course we added Write Shop.

http://www.writeshop.com

All these lend themselves very well for independent study, and require minimal preparation on the part of the instructor.

Answer 2

I recommend you look for some homeschooling message boards where you could discuss your goals and your daughter's interests in more detail.

For instance, A Beka is a (specific type of) christian curriculum. It presents creationism and refutes evolution. Does that fall within your families beliefs?

My best advice is that you simply bring your daughter home. Start talking to her about her interests and start exploring the curriculum availible out there but DON'T go spend money on anything yet. Make her first months of homeschooling about persuing interests and exercising the valuable skill of research.

Homeschoolreviews.com has curriculum reviews you might find useful.

Homeschoolworld.com, homeschoolspot.com and homeschool.com all have active members who would be more than happy to help you look at curriculum. If secular choices are what you're after there's a great list at http://intothesunrise.blogspot.com/2006/...

Answer 3

I would consider either Abeka or Alpha Omega.  

Do take a chance to look at AO before you pick.  It comes with ten workbooks per subject that kids fill out at their own pace. It is the easiest that is available for mostly self-study. There are four core subjects-- Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Science.  the workbooks are about 40pages each and take three to four weeks or less for the child to complete. It is simple to take four small workbooks (magazine size) out at a time, for the child to do.  When those are done move to the next level.  There are ten levels per year. Very self instructing.

Abeka is a good curriculum, but requires more parental involvement on an hourly basis than Alpha Omega does.

Answer 4

Have a read of 'The Well Trained Mind.' They do have a website, but their book is chock full of info. Even if you don't want to go for the Classical Education style, they have lots of recommendations to make on curriculums and reading books for all the age groups.

Answer 5

Although a lot more work up front, this is what has worked for us (8th grade last year)...

We mix it up and pick the material individually for each subject.  We even used a public school textbook for one subject but I wish we had not.

We also purchased some SparkNotes ACT prep material, a State Standardized Prep book for the 8th grade (*** see note below), and some other suplamental stuff.

Test prep: I had my son take one of the practice tests 2nd semester.  He said: Dad, this isn't really an 8th grade test is it?  He found it very easy.

If you have a list of the courses your daughter will be taking, have her do some research herself and make several recommendations to you.  This way she will be personally invested in the process and the materials.

Answer 6

If this is what you mean;

- advanced calulator

-5 notebooks

-textbooks

-stuff like that

Answer 7

If you are new to homeschooling, I would recommend Calvert School.  This is a "school in a box" with everything you could possibly need.  It even has a daily schedule.  My son did this for 6th and 7th grades, and he taught himself.  After that, we were more confident and moved forward with online AP classes (PA Homeschoolers online is a good source for online AP classes)  

Calvert only goes through 8, but a single year would be fine and would get you on your feet and get you through that transition to homeschooling.  It is the initial fear part that is the worst, and it was nice to have a boxed curriculum to follow, very easy for me as the parent.  The curriculum is very thorough and rigorous.

Answer 8

I would look into K12 since your DD is "smart" and you're so busy.  If there is no virtual [public] school option in your state (or even if there is), you can purchase the curriculum on your own and use it.  That's what we've done for five years and LOVE K12.

http://www.k12.com