Homeschool Curriculum

There is so much to think about and consider homeschoolling. I thought when we came to GA that I'd just get some work books at Barnes and Noble and do my best to keep them up to par with their classes in MO, after all it's only 3 months. Boy, what was I thinking? We were ALL bored! As I started researching I was in a hurry to get some sort of curriculum that would be good for us, so I ordered the first thing I thought looked good, thinking, there really can't be much of a difference, can there be? Wrong. I ordered first KONOS, but it took a month to reach me. Meanwhile, it was recommended to me to read The Well-Trained Mind (thank goodness!). So then I ordered more stuff. I actually went kind of nuts ordering stuff, kind of paranoid thinking, I have to get this stuff or my kids are going to be missing out and not learn anything! I kept doing the Barnes and Noble stuff, which was ok, and we managed. I discovered a lady who keeps a house full of used homeschool curriculum...used bookstore style. I got a KONOS book there. My KONOS review is like others...it is very creative and has lots of great ideas, but a lot of prep time. I was actually a bit confused by how all the curriculum works. Perhaps if I put a bit more time into it I could figure it out easy enough. Fortunately, I received my other curriculum. I LOVE "The Story of the World" for history...the kids love it too. I LOVE the "Writing With Ease"...it's so well done and great for this age, elementary. I love the "First Language Lessons". Again, very well done because they help me teach. They tell me what to look for, what to ask, give the students things to do. They are learning a LOT. And of course I LOVE LOVE LOVE the "Math U See". Rebecca is way passed her classmates in that area. They are still in addition and she is into multiplication. Jon is doing addition and really doing well at it (of course, he's also trying to keep up with Rebecca).

The problem I have right now is just trying to map my curriculum for the next year. Even though they were in school for the first few months, Jon started first grade when we got here. We started on Lesson 1 in many of the books. Rebecca is breezing even by passing some of her lessons because she knows the stuff. However, there is a lot of material to cover before they go on to the next level. I tell myself I don't need to worry too much about it because they are learning at their own pace. But I'd still like them to be at grade level at the beginning of next school year. I think we will continue lessons through the summer mixed in with vacations. I actually have it scheduled 4-6 weeks of school followed by a week of vacation until Sept. Then I think we will have a "Not Back to School" party and go on plenty of field trips that week. I read from some other moms when looking back they wished they'd have gone on more field trips and relaxed more. I have to remember to relax. I want to just throw all this information at them. But they are only in elementary. Makes me appreciate this time I have with them.