A friend of mine is considering homeschooling and asked for some advise. I wrote this letter and thought I'd post it. It kind of shows my curriculum journey this last year.
In the beginning...
I was completely against homeschoolling. I mean, never, ever, and those people are weird, not going to do it. I wondered if that's what you meant by "futile resistance". Ed is the one and has always been the advocate for me homeschoolling, and now I realize that having spousal support is HUGE. But while he's all for it, it was my job to figure it out. When we were in Georgia I dived like you are doing, trying to figure it out. Unfortunately there is no handbook, no manual, no "right" way to do it. DANG IT!! And I refused to be one of those homeschooling moms that looked like a pioneer lady, from another century. Can't I be modern and homeschool?
Anyway,
I also called on some people I knew to help. I did hear about Well Trained Mind, and that is my biggest resource, really. I've done loads of the curriculums they recommend. It was a bit overwhelming trying to do it all. I've had quite the journey the last year and a half and sometimes I think FINALLY, I'm getting it, just to have the kids change on me. There is constant adjustment, as they grow, and the need for flexibility, which I had to grow into. But I love homeschooling. It's not easy, it's not perfect, it's great, and it's wonderfully fun, it's frustrating, it's soul-searching and inspires prayers. I read once that "You've been teaching your children since they were born, you are just continuing it."
I think you are great to be reading The Well-Trained Mind. I've also read 100 Top Picks by Cathy Duffy, and Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver DeMille. But they are all resources, and ways of thinking and doing your homeschool. I enjoyed the Home Companion to TJed because it actually showed HOW to apply the principles he taught (he's LDS, in case you didn't know).
First things first, make sure you get a copy of "First Things First" for legalities in MO. I think they have it at the library.
But first, I think you need to decide (which will be hard, and probably trial and error) if you want to do a textbook approach, which your kids are probably used to at school, or a real book approach, where the books teach you, emphasis on reading, alone and together.
If you like textbooks, Abeka is what I'd recommend, but I'd go to a demonstration kiosk and look over the stuff. I know many who use and love it and some who think it's way too hard and too parent intensive. But it is a curriculum many private schools use.
I've spent thousands of dollars on "curriculum" this last year. You are welcome to come look at what I've used sometime, if you like. I love to talk about it. Also, your boys are pretty close in age, that teaching them together would be fine, just individual math and language.
I do think it is important to quickly find a math program that suits your child. As Well Trained Mind says, and I agree, once you find a math program that works for you and your child, stick with it through the end. A lot of people like Saxon for high school math, I've tried Math U See, Singapore, Abeka and Teaching Textbooks. I've gone with Teaching Textbooks, partly because it's a cd-rom and my kids love being on the computer; also, because they teach doing the lecture, and then give practice problems and have quizzes and keep a parent grade book. Switched on Schoolhouse also has a cd based math, but a LOT of people that I know, use teaching textbooks. It's easy on the parent, friendly to the child. And they go at their own pace. When they finish a level they move up to the next. It is $120 for each level, but once you have it you can use it for coming up kids. There is a placement test online, but I found level 3 to be fine for Jon in 2nd grade. Rebecca, in 4th grade started half way through level 4 and is on level 5. And if it's easy for them in the beginning, great! Builds confidence. Eliminating math teaching really helped our program because I would get overwhelmed.
For history, I love History Odyssey. This is something you can teach and do as a group. It is really a guide, but it is in chronological order. It uses the Usborne Internet Linked World History Encyclopedia and Story of the World, as well as A Child's History of the World. I love Story of the World. I got the cds at the library and downloaded them on to my computer and put them on my ipod, so we listen in the car, come home and do the mapwork. Each lesson also gives a book list for the library...and our library is packed with great books.
For science...this has been tough for me. I did R.E.A.L. science, but recently, we went to Barnes and Noble and I let the kids pick out books. Jon picked out books on sharks and machines, so that's what we are studying about this summer...ocean wildlife focus, and then technology after that (TJed child led learning). I also bought the Apologia Elementary Science textbooks, and their accompanying notebooks, so one of them is Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day (based on the creation), it is Christian, yet seems to be pretty comprehensive in the older levels. Ed wanted to get them. And a lot of people use their high school science texts. I've also used the Complete Book of Science for 3-4 grades. I've learned with science, it's read a couple pages in an encyclopedia and draw a picture or write a little bit about it. (I'm liking Apologia because it's getting Becca to write more)
I actually used 2 curriculums this last year, and catered them to me, because I thought they were both so good and had what the other one lacked: Sonlight and History Odyssey.
I use Sonlight, which you can buy as a complete curriculum. But, I come and go with it. Some days I love it, sometimes I wonder about it. But it's a good guide. Keeps me on track with our reading. I can do all their things in one sitting, or spread out through the week. I have complete curriculums with them also. They do history, geography (I love their geography, at least for Core 2), science, and language arts. Some think their language arts is kind of weak, I'm on the fence with it. Some weeks it's more than what I did. I love their reading program.
I think Rod and Staff has an amazing Grammar/English program. Even in the Well Trained Mind they mention if you start in 9th grade, you need to start with the level 5 Rod and Staff. It's good stuff. I've only heard praise for it...except one negative from Becca that it's too "christian". Their sentences are all biblical or science factual, truths. But you can use it for handwriting, memorization, poetry too. Jon loves it, I think because it's straight forward.
Created for gifted english classes is Michael Clay Thompson language arts/writing program. I just used it with Rebecca and she loved the Caesar's English. But by the time we got to Paragraphtown she'd forgotten the grammer, and back to Rod and staff we went. I'm currently checking out Bravewriter for writing. I've heard good things about it.
We do Spelling Workout, and Sequential Spelling. Jon loves the first, Becca loves the second, and the first for fun, doing the puzzles.
I ordered Building Thinking Skills from Critical Thinking Co. for both of them, and Mind benders for all 3.
On days when I can't get my act together, they do Brainquest workbooks I got at Barnes and Noble. And we watch educational shows (like Wild Kratts on PBS, Magic School Bus, History dvds from the library) I do lots of car school, math songs, geography songs, primary songs, stories on cd, story of the world, etc. They LOVE Magic School Bus science, as well as Sonlight science dvds where they do experiments.
Some days are super, others aren't so great. I love when I have at least 4 good days of school. Usually one (when Ed is off) our school day changes. Sonlight schedules for either 4 or 5 days school days.
I also use Edu-Track to keep track of my school hours and what we did, and recently started counting "life skills" of chores, hygiene, bedroom cleaned up, babysitting, either as art, pe, or science, as well as LOTS of outdoor time for PE. I started with a planner though. Piano is music, but we are studying Mozart right now, and I plan on incorporating more biographies.
For art, I got Atelier art. If you do that, you may like Level 2 or 3. I got 4, which is fine for Bec, and the other 2 do it, but it's more challenging. I've heard good things of Artistic Pursuits as well. BUT I was told, not to worry about art my first year of homeschooling, so I didn't, and I'm glad. It became a concern when it was time.
I like Abeka for handwriting. Typing Instructor for typing (but we don't do this yet).
I really like www.timberdoodle.com I think their curriculum grade level ideas are good. I actually was doing some of their recommendations before I found out about the website.
A "good" school day for us looks like this:
620am get up and pray when dad goes to work. Read scriptures til 7
7am learning with the big kids, science, history book, poetry
8am math for one, english for another
9am Child of the Day leads the Pledge of Allegiance, says all the prayers for the day, gets to sit where they want in the van, gets to choose which chores they want to do for the day out of the chore pockets, and is my helper, and breakfast
9:30 Morning Chores, hygines, make bed, get dressed
10:30am Table work= math for one, english for the other, work with Savannah, continuation of history or science projects
noon lunch
1pm whatever
I do another Kidschool when the little girls wake up, reading primary readers, and scripture memory, Mother Goose. The big kids like to be with us because really it's for everyone. And we work on a song, read the Friend, geography, etc.
The little girls like to be at the table with the kids, so I have coloring books for them to do. For Kade, you may just need some toys, give Eden the responsibility to play with him. Your school time may be when he naps...that's prime time. I sometimes put Bella to watch a show when I need to think with the other 3. Remember, it took me a year to get to that place where it kind of flows. I had to figure out a routine, and my kids had to figure me out, and me them. Structure helps a lot. If Ed's schedule was consistent we'd have more, but we love it when he's home, so we have to be flexible (I have to be flexible)
For extra curricular it is common for the new homeschooler to be over inundated with activities...hence we are busy and trying to tone it down. We do Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, sometimes Runge homeschool or library homeschool activities, Speaktaculars (speech and debate experience for young kids), Tae Kwon Do, Piano, Savannah does dance Wed mornings during piano lessons for the others, of course Co-op, which is where we met a lot of our friends, book club at the library, volleyball (over tonight) and baseball (starts Mon), and I've been taking my kids to Columbia for the Young Liber Heroes Club (a TJed club), which I'll send you another email about because I'm thinking of heading up a club in town. Right now any free day we have is sacred, and we strive to have them. As long as my mornings are free, I feel pretty good about what we do. But I'm a sucker for play dates, so.............
In our homeschool group, there is a robotics club and 4H, both I think are good and interesting, just can't schedule them in right now.
I think one of the hardest things, for me, when I started homeschooling, was I thought I knew my kids. I've learned so much more about them since we've been home. I'm still learning their learing styles and personalities...because they are constantly changing as they grow.
But, I also realize it's not for everyone. Plugging into our homeschool group really helped me in the beginning. Having a support system, to me, was huge, and still is.
Good luck in your homeschool efforts and adventures!
In the beginning...
I was completely against homeschoolling. I mean, never, ever, and those people are weird, not going to do it. I wondered if that's what you meant by "futile resistance". Ed is the one and has always been the advocate for me homeschoolling, and now I realize that having spousal support is HUGE. But while he's all for it, it was my job to figure it out. When we were in Georgia I dived like you are doing, trying to figure it out. Unfortunately there is no handbook, no manual, no "right" way to do it. DANG IT!! And I refused to be one of those homeschooling moms that looked like a pioneer lady, from another century. Can't I be modern and homeschool?
Anyway,
I also called on some people I knew to help. I did hear about Well Trained Mind, and that is my biggest resource, really. I've done loads of the curriculums they recommend. It was a bit overwhelming trying to do it all. I've had quite the journey the last year and a half and sometimes I think FINALLY, I'm getting it, just to have the kids change on me. There is constant adjustment, as they grow, and the need for flexibility, which I had to grow into. But I love homeschooling. It's not easy, it's not perfect, it's great, and it's wonderfully fun, it's frustrating, it's soul-searching and inspires prayers. I read once that "You've been teaching your children since they were born, you are just continuing it."
I think you are great to be reading The Well-Trained Mind. I've also read 100 Top Picks by Cathy Duffy, and Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver DeMille. But they are all resources, and ways of thinking and doing your homeschool. I enjoyed the Home Companion to TJed because it actually showed HOW to apply the principles he taught (he's LDS, in case you didn't know).
First things first, make sure you get a copy of "First Things First" for legalities in MO. I think they have it at the library.
But first, I think you need to decide (which will be hard, and probably trial and error) if you want to do a textbook approach, which your kids are probably used to at school, or a real book approach, where the books teach you, emphasis on reading, alone and together.
If you like textbooks, Abeka is what I'd recommend, but I'd go to a demonstration kiosk and look over the stuff. I know many who use and love it and some who think it's way too hard and too parent intensive. But it is a curriculum many private schools use.
I've spent thousands of dollars on "curriculum" this last year. You are welcome to come look at what I've used sometime, if you like. I love to talk about it. Also, your boys are pretty close in age, that teaching them together would be fine, just individual math and language.
I do think it is important to quickly find a math program that suits your child. As Well Trained Mind says, and I agree, once you find a math program that works for you and your child, stick with it through the end. A lot of people like Saxon for high school math, I've tried Math U See, Singapore, Abeka and Teaching Textbooks. I've gone with Teaching Textbooks, partly because it's a cd-rom and my kids love being on the computer; also, because they teach doing the lecture, and then give practice problems and have quizzes and keep a parent grade book. Switched on Schoolhouse also has a cd based math, but a LOT of people that I know, use teaching textbooks. It's easy on the parent, friendly to the child. And they go at their own pace. When they finish a level they move up to the next. It is $120 for each level, but once you have it you can use it for coming up kids. There is a placement test online, but I found level 3 to be fine for Jon in 2nd grade. Rebecca, in 4th grade started half way through level 4 and is on level 5. And if it's easy for them in the beginning, great! Builds confidence. Eliminating math teaching really helped our program because I would get overwhelmed.
For history, I love History Odyssey. This is something you can teach and do as a group. It is really a guide, but it is in chronological order. It uses the Usborne Internet Linked World History Encyclopedia and Story of the World, as well as A Child's History of the World. I love Story of the World. I got the cds at the library and downloaded them on to my computer and put them on my ipod, so we listen in the car, come home and do the mapwork. Each lesson also gives a book list for the library...and our library is packed with great books.
For science...this has been tough for me. I did R.E.A.L. science, but recently, we went to Barnes and Noble and I let the kids pick out books. Jon picked out books on sharks and machines, so that's what we are studying about this summer...ocean wildlife focus, and then technology after that (TJed child led learning). I also bought the Apologia Elementary Science textbooks, and their accompanying notebooks, so one of them is Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day (based on the creation), it is Christian, yet seems to be pretty comprehensive in the older levels. Ed wanted to get them. And a lot of people use their high school science texts. I've also used the Complete Book of Science for 3-4 grades. I've learned with science, it's read a couple pages in an encyclopedia and draw a picture or write a little bit about it. (I'm liking Apologia because it's getting Becca to write more)
I actually used 2 curriculums this last year, and catered them to me, because I thought they were both so good and had what the other one lacked: Sonlight and History Odyssey.
I use Sonlight, which you can buy as a complete curriculum. But, I come and go with it. Some days I love it, sometimes I wonder about it. But it's a good guide. Keeps me on track with our reading. I can do all their things in one sitting, or spread out through the week. I have complete curriculums with them also. They do history, geography (I love their geography, at least for Core 2), science, and language arts. Some think their language arts is kind of weak, I'm on the fence with it. Some weeks it's more than what I did. I love their reading program.
I think Rod and Staff has an amazing Grammar/English program. Even in the Well Trained Mind they mention if you start in 9th grade, you need to start with the level 5 Rod and Staff. It's good stuff. I've only heard praise for it...except one negative from Becca that it's too "christian". Their sentences are all biblical or science factual, truths. But you can use it for handwriting, memorization, poetry too. Jon loves it, I think because it's straight forward.
Created for gifted english classes is Michael Clay Thompson language arts/writing program. I just used it with Rebecca and she loved the Caesar's English. But by the time we got to Paragraphtown she'd forgotten the grammer, and back to Rod and staff we went. I'm currently checking out Bravewriter for writing. I've heard good things about it.
We do Spelling Workout, and Sequential Spelling. Jon loves the first, Becca loves the second, and the first for fun, doing the puzzles.
I ordered Building Thinking Skills from Critical Thinking Co. for both of them, and Mind benders for all 3.
On days when I can't get my act together, they do Brainquest workbooks I got at Barnes and Noble. And we watch educational shows (like Wild Kratts on PBS, Magic School Bus, History dvds from the library) I do lots of car school, math songs, geography songs, primary songs, stories on cd, story of the world, etc. They LOVE Magic School Bus science, as well as Sonlight science dvds where they do experiments.
Some days are super, others aren't so great. I love when I have at least 4 good days of school. Usually one (when Ed is off) our school day changes. Sonlight schedules for either 4 or 5 days school days.
I also use Edu-Track to keep track of my school hours and what we did, and recently started counting "life skills" of chores, hygiene, bedroom cleaned up, babysitting, either as art, pe, or science, as well as LOTS of outdoor time for PE. I started with a planner though. Piano is music, but we are studying Mozart right now, and I plan on incorporating more biographies.
For art, I got Atelier art. If you do that, you may like Level 2 or 3. I got 4, which is fine for Bec, and the other 2 do it, but it's more challenging. I've heard good things of Artistic Pursuits as well. BUT I was told, not to worry about art my first year of homeschooling, so I didn't, and I'm glad. It became a concern when it was time.
I like Abeka for handwriting. Typing Instructor for typing (but we don't do this yet).
I really like www.timberdoodle.com I think their curriculum grade level ideas are good. I actually was doing some of their recommendations before I found out about the website.
A "good" school day for us looks like this:
620am get up and pray when dad goes to work. Read scriptures til 7
7am learning with the big kids, science, history book, poetry
8am math for one, english for another
9am Child of the Day leads the Pledge of Allegiance, says all the prayers for the day, gets to sit where they want in the van, gets to choose which chores they want to do for the day out of the chore pockets, and is my helper, and breakfast
9:30 Morning Chores, hygines, make bed, get dressed
10:30am Table work= math for one, english for the other, work with Savannah, continuation of history or science projects
noon lunch
1pm whatever
I do another Kidschool when the little girls wake up, reading primary readers, and scripture memory, Mother Goose. The big kids like to be with us because really it's for everyone. And we work on a song, read the Friend, geography, etc.
The little girls like to be at the table with the kids, so I have coloring books for them to do. For Kade, you may just need some toys, give Eden the responsibility to play with him. Your school time may be when he naps...that's prime time. I sometimes put Bella to watch a show when I need to think with the other 3. Remember, it took me a year to get to that place where it kind of flows. I had to figure out a routine, and my kids had to figure me out, and me them. Structure helps a lot. If Ed's schedule was consistent we'd have more, but we love it when he's home, so we have to be flexible (I have to be flexible)
For extra curricular it is common for the new homeschooler to be over inundated with activities...hence we are busy and trying to tone it down. We do Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, sometimes Runge homeschool or library homeschool activities, Speaktaculars (speech and debate experience for young kids), Tae Kwon Do, Piano, Savannah does dance Wed mornings during piano lessons for the others, of course Co-op, which is where we met a lot of our friends, book club at the library, volleyball (over tonight) and baseball (starts Mon), and I've been taking my kids to Columbia for the Young Liber Heroes Club (a TJed club), which I'll send you another email about because I'm thinking of heading up a club in town. Right now any free day we have is sacred, and we strive to have them. As long as my mornings are free, I feel pretty good about what we do. But I'm a sucker for play dates, so.............
In our homeschool group, there is a robotics club and 4H, both I think are good and interesting, just can't schedule them in right now.
I think one of the hardest things, for me, when I started homeschooling, was I thought I knew my kids. I've learned so much more about them since we've been home. I'm still learning their learing styles and personalities...because they are constantly changing as they grow.
But, I also realize it's not for everyone. Plugging into our homeschool group really helped me in the beginning. Having a support system, to me, was huge, and still is.
Good luck in your homeschool efforts and adventures!
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