Parents that are homeschooling, can you please tell me what is your curriculum preference?

Question

I live in Michigan and just started homeschooling my 11yr old daughter and was just wondering what are some preferable curriculum's that other parents have? Right now I'm starting out with my own. And will continue to use my own, but I was thinking about mixing it up with perhaps my own and boxed..Can someone tell me which curriculum they liked best? One that I was leading more towards is k-12.com

Answer 1

Were using ACE for the most part except for math and science. For those we are using Math U SEE and Apologia Science

Answer 2

I am using the Abeka DVD Program and it works great. My 1st Grader just love it! Go to www.abekaacademy.org

Answer 3

I just kind of use this and that, finding something new each year to add to the mix.

Some popular programs (although not necessarily all-encompassing) or resources are:

A Beka

Sonlight

Alpha Omega

Charlotte Mason (check http://www.amblesideonline.org)

Robinson Curriculum

Oak Meadow

Calvert

For subject-specific resources:

Saxon

Math-U-See

The Key to... series

Writing Strands

Story of the World

Language Arts through Literature

Spelling Power

Spelling Workout

Spectrum workbooks

Lots more!!!

Answer 4

The best curriculum is the one you put together yourself, and that is tailor made for your child based on her strengths, and weak points.

We started with a classical approach that over time became very relaxed as we gained confidence in the children's abilities to learn in even more non-traditional ways, and we ultimately choose unschooling.

We have many materials on hand; we mix an match them.

Math, literature, and writing are still done in a more traditional manner though.

We use several, but Christian Liberty Press is our foundation.

They got our vote for both solid academics, and price.

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

We use Sonlight, and Bethlehem readers, Saxon math, Key books for additional math practice in concepts that need it, Write Shop for writing, Wordly Wise 3000 for vocabulary/reading comprehension/spelling, Memoria Press for Latin, Apologia, and CLP for science, and Bible, later for Bible we also include some books from Positive Action for Christ; as you see over the years you will pick what works best for the children; it is on hand when they want it, and when they are ready for it.

For the ones that prefer to do the piano on their own, although they do enjoy their lessons, I have Piano for Life on the book shelf; this is a self taught video/DVD series that is really good.

Answer 5

school.net

Answer 6

I only home schooled in the summers (my kids) but loved the Abekka program

Answer 7

We don't use any sort of curriculum in our family preferring instead to just 'go with the flow' wherever it leads us.

Answer 8

We like using our own.

Working in textbooks and workbooks is basically a small part of our day (we call it "skills practice")... We have Language Arts, Spelling, and Math school text books we kind of gathered from odd places... the kids do a page per day in each; I'll go over new concepts with them or read their writings and check over their work. If they need more work on something I'll print up some free worksheets from the web.

For my youngest, when he is learning his letters and numbers now, we mostly use the free worksheet sites and a bunch of dollar store workbooks.  

For the rest of the time, we like to read real books from the library, discuss things together, or watch educational TV, or do web searches or do hands-on activities, crafts, experiments, projects... we like the diversity, where learning is part of everything. I've never found that in a boxed curriculum.

Answer 9

I have a 10yo son, my faves are TRISMS, Math U See (VideoText Interactive for pre-algebra and above), and Apologia science.  These are all curriculums he won't let me lend out or sell when we're done with them!

Answer 10

We've used K12 for five years and LOVE it.  We did switch to Teaching Textbooks for Algebra I this year, though.

http://www.k12.com

http://www.teachingtextbooks.com

K12 is very deep and broad in the knowledge they teach.  It is a very systematic approach where concepts/facts are given early on, then built upon year by year.  Now that I've done at least five grade levels of each course (some more, as DS does more than one grade in a year), I can see the wonderful progression.

Once I settled on K12 in my curricula research, I could never find anything on par with it, except Teaching Textbooks comes close, but it's just math, not all subjects.

K12's History, Art, & Science are head and shoulders above any other curriculum, IMO.  Language Arts is also great, but it does have some competition with other companies for *pieces* of it.  LA involves many different "threads":  Literature, Spelling/Phonics, Vocabulary, Grammar/Usage/Mechanics, Public Speaking, Analogies, etc.

K12 is very engaging not only for my son, but also for me :-).  I love learning history the way they teach it!!!  I've learned so much that I *never* had in K-12 school (or college)!  The same can be said for Art, which correlates to the History courses.  It is soooo much fun!

HTH!

Answer 11

There are many, many to choose from.  The first thing I think you should do is find out what homeschooling method you want to use.  Different methods work best for different children.

http://www.successful-homeschooling.com/...

We use Abeka math, phonics and language arts, and we do our own thing for everything else.

http://www.abeka.com

Some other good ones are:

http://www.sonlight.com

http://www.winterpromise.com

http://www.bjupress.com

http://www.aop.com

http://www.aceministries.com

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com

Answer 12

We don't use any curriculum, store bought or created. Many people use k12, and it's something we may approach as our kids are teens, to prepare for college. Right now our plan is to use an ACT prep book as a basis for our own stuff.