What "types" of school or curriculum do you use?

[Elijahsmama]

We are currently using PACYBER with Little Lincoln as the curriculum. It's mostly videos, games and worksheets. My son for the most part enjoy its. However, I have some personal issues with it. So we are not sure what we are doing in the future.

[normadenardo]

My daughter is 15 and life is our curriculum...  I know that sounds strange. Everything you do is a learning experience... a lesson. Everything you participate in can be creatively used as "school curriculum". If you are really observant, you will see where your child's interest lies and then you can build on that. Let them be absorbed in it... for as long as possible and build on it. One of the worst things you can do when a child is interested in something is take it away and say.. " ok time to do different lesson", because you just took away their passion.. their love of learning.. their motivation to stay on track.. to REALLY learn about something.  Say .. The eiffel tower... my daughter ( from about the age of 5) LOVES it. Something about it fascinates her. It doesn't really fascinate me that much.. but it did (and still does) her. So we read about it.. we drew it we looked up the history of it, the math, the angles, the location, why it is there etc. We looked on the internet.. google earthed it, got about a bazillion books about it. No I didn't make her write an essay on it,  instead I took note of what she was doing.. drawing, reading, etc... that is true learning.. She will never forget those lessons because it was what she wanted to know about and I took the clue and built on it. It could be anything.. she loves to cook.. experiment with food.. still does.. build on that .. whatever your child is interested in, She loves to write and sing...... allow them to blossom.. at their own rate. Thats my take on curriculum.   Love you all for taking the step of teaching your own 

[Joey]

I did the Calvert curriculum with my son at age 5 and again in 3-5 grades.I love it.He then was in B.O.S.S for 2 years,the students have to be on-line in a structured classroom environment with a teacher during all the classes.He did ok but it was really a very weighty curriculum.He spent alot if time with the tutorersHe attends public high school now for the past 2 years,it's his favorite school experience by far and he's a straight A student.

[PrairieGirl]

We have done Calvert through our local school district for three years now. This will be our last year with them. I really wanted to love Calvert. I chose Calvert about 9 years ago... I didn't know much about CM, or Unschooling etc back then. I really really wanted to love Calvert though. In some ways it's helped me figure things out, and figure out that I can do this. In other ways it's been way to easy for my daughter, we had already covered every thing they did for K, just in "unschooling" her first 5 years of life. So she was bored out of her gourd with it. The school said we could go as fast or slow as we wanted, we finished K in about 2 months, but then they wouldn't order grade 1 cause they said it was too much money... so we did other things, then she did grade 1 and still just like with K she knew all of it.. it wasn't challenging and it was kind of boring for her. And myself the books were just so so... not as rich as the ones I have always read to her since birth. Although I will admit she like some of the dumber stories, that drove me up a wall! lol

 

So around about April we will be done with Calvert. I may use K for my middle daughter cause some of it I think may suit her better, but I am not sure yet. I am excited to be going off on our own though. Where we are mainly going to be using Eclectic Education Series, with a little Pathway readers added in. (they are religious, as in Mennonite, but most of the stories are just about good morals not religious doctrines. Which Calvert has a ton of things against our religion in it...-holidays, political agenda etc etc... so I figure just like I have avoided the things with a religious agenda/slant with Calvert, I can do the same with Pathway). And a few reading selections from Old Fashioned Education, I really like her suggestions for science. Also we will be on the time table of nature from Amblesideonline.com 

 

I sometimes also review what Jenny Westbrook suggest for reading and sometimes use her suggestions and sometimes not...just depends. She's so fun to talk to though and bounce ideas off of. (BTW, any one not familiar with her, she is a sister who has developed a JW homeschool curricula... she tries to keep it CM inspired). 

[Elijahsmama]

Just have to comment... I really appreciate all of your input. My husband is having anxiety because I am now throwing so many things at him about our sons education. He was never that keen on homeschooling in general because he didn't really know better, but has since come around. I think once it's your own child that your dealing with life becomes oddly confusing and really clear all at the same time.

Thanks again!

[PrairieGirl]

Quite honestly my husband, listens to my excitement and dribble, but doesn't really get involved much in the actual homeschool choices. He pretty much entrusts me with the decisions on it completely. He works very long hours and doesn't have much time for extra stuff, so he just trust that I am doing things right for the children. However, we were married for 6 years before having children, and knew each other about 5 years before that... so he knows me pretty well and trust me completely. The only involvement he has in their schooling, is once in a while drives to a field trip, and once in a while he will want him and I go to out together when he gets home from work, and he will go in and finish what I tell him to do with her while I get ready. (once in a very very seldom while that is!!) other then that it's all on me. We're both good with that! lol 

[PrairieGirl]

oh and he does give me X amount out of our taxes each year to spend on their school stuff... he just hands me the money and it's all up to me what it's spent on.

[Elijahsmama]

Quite honestly my husband, listens to my excitement and dribble, but doesn't really get involved much in the actual homeschool choices. He pretty much entrusts me with the decisions on it completely. He works very long hours and doesn't have much time for extra stuff, so he just trust that I am doing things right for the children. However, we were married for 6 years before having children, and knew each other about 5 years before that... so he knows me pretty well and trust me completely. The only involvement he has in their schooling, is once in a while drives to a field trip, and once in a while he will want him and I go to out together when he gets home from work, and he will go in and finish what I tell him to do with her while I get ready. (once in a very very seldom while that is!!) other then that it's all on me. We're both good with that! lol

Not that it's a competition but I we almost 20 years before having our one and only. We are old lol My husband totally leaves it up to me, for school stuff I have changed the last few months from being a nazi teacher... To whatever he'll learn to read ....kind of person. My husbands is use to crazy, so he just goes the flow. It's worse now that i am older.

Hower, I must say. This past weekend was my work weekend and I asked hubby to spend time reading. The next day he commented on my "stay with it attitude." Elijah cried the whole time him and didnt remember words he literally 30 seconds before. He said it was frustrating. I KNOW... It's good they get reminded what we do from time to time. And we have only one.

[normadenardo]

"Hower, I must say. This past weekend was my work weekend and I asked hubby to spend time reading. The next day he commented on my "stay with it attitude." Elijah cried the whole time him and didnt remember words he literally 30 seconds before. He said it was frustrating. I KNOW... It's good they get reminded what we do from time to time. And we have only one."

From my experience... and my oldest three went to public school, and my youngest (almost 16) being exclusively homeschooled... if we are even near the point of tears.... we stop. totally stop. Reading (and this starts with recognizing words) in my experience should be pleasurable. If something is not clicking and they can't or won't remember the words then it's time to move on to something else. Or... just read to your child with no pressure to make them remember words. Those things will come with time. Cuddle up and make it enjoyable.. or just look at the pictures. When upset is involved I have noticed that their little brains just shut off.  This is what worked for us. My daughter reads everything now. 

[Elijahsmama]

From my experience... and my oldest three went to public school, and my youngest (almost 16) being exclusively homeschooled... if we are even near the point of tears.... we stop. totally stop. Reading (and this starts with recognizing words) in my experience should be pleasurable. If something is not clicking and they can't or won't remember the words then it's time to move on to something else. Or... just read to your child with no pressure to make them remember words. Those things will come with time. Cuddle up and make it enjoyable.. or just look at the pictures. When upset is involved I have noticed that their little brains just shut off.  This is what worked for us. My daughter reads everything now.

I totally agree. It's not worth the tears. How can your brain be able to process new things when you are that upset? We spend specifically 15 minutes "reading". We read other times together but during those 15 minutes he know it's just more than listening to a great story I forgot to tell my husband my new philosophy... He knows now! Since we started that he purposely looks for words he knows. And gets excited. So much better!

As much as I appreciate your "schooling" method my personality is more structured. I would like to be more like you. My sister and I are really different in that way, she is really laid back about stuff. I am trying to be way more flexible. And even in the few small ways I have progressed I see it works better.

[normadenardo]

I am glad he is getting excited about it.  

[lovjahupepl]

I have 6th graders with some learning struggles.  So I have been through so many course trying to find the right fit for them while allowing me some free time as I work from home.

 

They are visual learners and do best when we sit and discuss things together and I write examples they do not understand on the board.  I have spent so much money trying to find the right all-in-one curriculum for them (Calvert, Time4learning, etc).  While the programs were decent they just didn't work for my kids. 

 

It wasn't until I invested in the Westbrooke Curriculum written by a JW Sister (a $25 investment) that I started to see major progress.  I do not use the entire curriculum however some of the suggestions given in the lesson plan I have implemented and they follow all the theocratic readings she includes in the lesson plan.

 

I also take advantage of the home school buyer's coop which allows me to purchase programs/tools at a reduced rate since it is a group buy.  It is there I have learned about so many wonderful programs for teaching them. Here's what I am using this year.

 

Grade 6

 

Math:

(We have used Teaching Textbook for several years but I find they were not able to work through problems on paper.  They had a workbook but when you gave them problems outside of that they didn't know how to approach the problem.  So this year I changed math programs.  The main thing I use is mathhelp.com as it helps me refresh my memory of math.

 

  - Mathhelp.com 

has a teacher demonstrate a few math problems.  We sit down together for this and I explain anything they don't understand, we work through problems I make up and if they need additional work on a concept we use IXL.com for extra practice.

 

===> IXL.com (give extra practice in math)

===> Reflex Math (great if child is having trouble with basic math (add, subtract, etc.)

===> Xtra Math  (great if child is having trouble with basic math (add, subtract, etc.)

_________________________________________________

- Language Arts - Use Westbrooke Curriculum

===> IXL.com (gives extra practice in Language Arts)

_________________________________________________

- Spelling - Westbrooke Curriculum

- Reading - Westbrooke Curriculum (Incorporates Bible/Watchtower, etc.)

- Science - Westbrooke Curriculum

- Geography - Visualize World Geography

- Brainpop - Helps cover various subjects (math, english, history, science, etc)

[normadenardo]

AngelaH..... looks like you did your homework  ;)

[PrairieGirl]

That's awesome Heather. We are old too. lol I'm in my 40's. lol 

 

I think it works better when one is making the choices, rather then two. I hear so many people, my husband wants this or that regarding the children, yet they aren't the ones implementing it, and it's not working for the children... so kind of silly for the person not actually implementing it to make the decisions, kind of like if I went to his work and told him how to do it. He was kind of used to his dad running the house like that-his dad picked all the furniture, decor, what could be bought for food or not. So at first he wanted to do it that way too.... the problem is his dad and him have awful taste... his poor mom's house looked like a bachelor a pad, not a home. I wouldn't of been able to live in a home how it was... kind of scary even... lol So I showed my husband the family book where it said just because you are the head of house, doesn't mean you have to make all the decision, let your wife make house hold decisions like how to decorate the house, and for wives not to be dictating what the husband did at work etc... it took him a little while to give that up... but in the end he was happier when or home started looking like a home, and not just a bunch of garbage he had found by the side of the road. (not that there is anything wrong with that in itself, I love some of the garbage like our china cabinet found on the side of the road... but there has to be some distinguishing of real garbage from treasure! lol haha). lol

 

Any who, him and I are both grateful we waited til we were most comfortable and trusting of each other before we had children... makes it a lot easier. And BTW, he does not relish in doing school work with the kids at all!!! lol haha

 

I thankfully have not had tears, or even near tears with schooling thankfully... hopefully we won't. But, I too have been researching homeschool since I was pregnant with our oldest and have gotten a lot of sage advice, and have been dedicated to not pushing our children ahead of what they can handle, and just taking it one day at a time. 

 

I also really admire those who can unschool... I would actually LOVE to unschool, but between my ADD and my chronic health issues, I don't think I could do it justice, although I do think its probably the best way for children to really learn. After all that's pretty much how we continue to learn as adults too.

Edited February 24, 2015 by PrairieGirl

[lovjahupepl]

I have 6th graders with some learning struggles.  So I have been through so many course trying to find the right fit for them while allowing me some free time as I work from home.

 

They are visual learners and do best when we sit and discuss things together and I write examples they do not understand on the board.  I have spent so much money trying to find the right all-in-one curriculum for them (Calvert, Time4learning, etc).  While the programs were decent they just didn't work for my kids. 

 

It wasn't until I invested in the Westbrooke Curriculum written by a JW Sister (a $25 investment) that I started to see major progress.  I do not use the entire curriculum however some of the suggestions given in the lesson plan I have implemented and they follow all the theocratic readings she includes in the lesson plan.

 

I also take advantage of the home school buyer's coop which allows me to purchase programs/tools at a reduced rate since it is a group buy.  It is there I have learned about so many wonderful programs for teaching them. Here's what I am using this year.

 

Grade 6

 

Math:

(We have used Teaching Textbook for several years but I find they were not able to work through problems on paper.  They had a workbook but when you gave them problems outside of that they didn't know how to approach the problem.  So this year I changed math programs.  The main thing I use is mathhelp.com as it helps me refresh my memory of math.

 

  - Mathhelp.com 

has a teacher demonstrate a few math problems.  We sit down together for this and I explain anything they don't understand, we work through problems I make up and if they need additional work on a concept we use IXL.com for extra practice.

 

===> IXL.com (give extra practice in math)

===> Reflex Math (great if child is having trouble with basic math (add, subtract, etc.)

===> Xtra Math  (great if child is having trouble with basic math (add, subtract, etc.)

_________________________________________________

- Language Arts - Use Westbrooke Curriculum

===> IXL.com (gives extra practice in Language Arts)

_________________________________________________

- Spelling - Westbrooke Curriculum

- Reading - Westbrooke Curriculum (Incorporates Bible/Watchtower, etc.)

- Science - Westbrooke Curriculum

- Geography - Visualize World Geography

- Brainpop - Helps cover various subjects (math, english, history, science, etc)

Forgot to mention they love the computer so for Electives they are learning to work on various projects in

 

- Graphic Design & 3D Modeling (Sketchup, Kerkythea)

- Animation

[PrairieGirl]

oooh we love brainpop, we are right now getting it through the local school district, I don't know if we continue to get it free when we leave or not, but I will buy it from KOLA if I have to. Next year I will probably buy reading eggs from KOLA for my middle girl, my oldest loved it, it came with the program we are doing through the local district though.

[Esined]

I'm following this thread with interest because I've always been interested in homeschooling my daughter. I really like the idea of unschooling and am also interested in Montessori education. And as an educator myself I also think project-based learning is super effective and fun. My daughter is 3 and is already fascinated by the idea of school and being in a classroom--she asks all the time about taking a backpack and riding a bus to school---and is very social and VERY energetic (I'm 38, so not quite in my 40s yet but she definitely gives me a run for my money!). So I think a lot about how to meet those needs. I also need to work outside the home at least part-time (like 20+ hours a week right now). Have any of you been able to make homeschooling work while working outside the home?

[Elijahsmama]

I'm following this thread with interest because I've always been interested in homeschooling my daughter. I really like the idea of unschooling and am also interested in Montessori education. And as an educator myself I also think project-based learning is super effective and fun. My daughter is 3 and is already fascinated by the idea of school and being in a classroom--she asks all the time about taking a backpack and riding a bus to school---and is very social and VERY energetic (I'm 38, so not quite in my 40s yet but she definitely gives me a run for my money!). So I think a lot about how to meet those needs. I also need to work outside the home at least part-time (like 20+ hours a week right now). Have any of you been able to make homeschooling work while working outside the home?

First I am old... Actually 48 next week (ugh!!) and I have one child a very active 6 year old boy. He wipes me out! I also work part time, two days a week. One or two days during the workweek plus every third weekend. My mother lives super close so she watches him during the week.

As far as homeschool, I am currently using a cyber school program... Not sure if we are gonna continue. He is only in kindergarten. I know how to work the cyber school system now so I am flexible with his school. On the days I work I log him in just for attendance. And maybe send somethings to mom to work on. We are able to make stuff up on weekends or evenings. I am learning not to put pressure on him or myself. Things will click.

It's not the easiest thing I have done but I think totally worth it.

[PrairieGirl]

lol Heather I'm not much younger then you... so I totally understand! lol

 

Hey Denise, welcome to our group we got started here. I like Montessori too! A lot! I try to get those kinds of manipulatives, and games, etc... or make them. love them. My oldest thought she wanted to go to school too but knew nothing about it really, other then what she thought like that it would be playing with other kids all day.

 

I have never worked outside the home in our marriage, but I think you could do it. Our seat work for k took 15 to 30 minutes a day, first grade was about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours (closer to 1 hour). 2nd grade is taking us usually around 45 minutes, but up to 1 1/2 hours. I do not ever plan on doing more then 4 hours a day of seat work and that would be for like high school. Til then I try to keep it in the 2 hour range or less.... 2 (hours being upper range and not yet! lol)

[Mom2Savannah]

My daughter is 15 and life is our curriculum...  I know that sounds strange. Everything you do is a learning experience... a lesson. Everything you participate in can be creatively used as "school curriculum". If you are really observant, you will see where your child's interest lies and then you can build on that. Let them be absorbed in it... for as long as possible and build on it. One of the worst things you can do when a child is interested in something is take it away and say.. " ok time to do different lesson", because you just took away their passion.. their love of learning.. their motivation to stay on track.. to REALLY learn about something.  Say .. The eiffel tower... my daughter ( from about the age of 5) LOVES it. Something about it fascinates her. It doesn't really fascinate me that much.. but it did (and still does) her. So we read about it.. we drew it we looked up the history of it, the math, the angles, the location, why it is there etc. We looked on the internet.. google earthed it, got about a bazillion books about it. No I didn't make her write an essay on it,  instead I took note of what she was doing.. drawing, reading, etc... that is true learning.. She will never forget those lessons because it was what she wanted to know about and I took the clue and built on it. It could be anything.. she loves to cook.. experiment with food.. still does.. build on that .. whatever your child is interested in, She loves to write and sing...... allow them to blossom.. at their own rate. Thats my take on curriculum.   Love you all for taking the step of teaching your own 

Ditto!

[Mom2Savannah]

I like Montessori but that's all I know.  I wish I learned Math that way.  I think it would've make it more concrete in my mind.

[Mom2Savannah]

I like Montessori but that's all I know.  I wish I learned Math that way.  I think it would've make it more concrete in my mind.

I mean "that's all I know" for different Math programs out there.  

[wciam2]

I have 6th graders with some learning struggles.  So I have been through so many course trying to find the right fit for them while allowing me some free time as I work from home.

 

They are visual learners and do best when we sit and discuss things together and I write examples they do not understand on the board.  I have spent so much money trying to find the right all-in-one curriculum for them (Calvert, Time4learning, etc).  While the programs were decent they just didn't work for my kids. 

 

It wasn't until I invested in the Westbrooke Curriculum written by a JW Sister (a $25 investment) that I started to see major progress.  I do not use the entire curriculum however some of the suggestions given in the lesson plan I have implemented and they follow all the theocratic readings she includes in the lesson plan.

 

I also take advantage of the home school buyer's coop which allows me to purchase programs/tools at a reduced rate since it is a group buy.  It is there I have learned about so many wonderful programs for teaching them. Here's what I am using this year.

 

Grade 6

 

Math:

(We have used Teaching Textbook for several years but I find they were not able to work through problems on paper.  They had a workbook but when you gave them problems outside of that they didn't know how to approach the problem.  So this year I changed math programs.  The main thing I use is mathhelp.com as it helps me refresh my memory of math.

 

  - Mathhelp.com 

has a teacher demonstrate a few math problems.  We sit down together for this and I explain anything they don't understand, we work through problems I make up and if they need additional work on a concept we use IXL.com for extra practice.

 

===> IXL.com (give extra practice in math)

===> Reflex Math (great if child is having trouble with basic math (add, subtract, etc.)

===> Xtra Math  (great if child is having trouble with basic math (add, subtract, etc.)

_________________________________________________

- Language Arts - Use Westbrooke Curriculum

===> IXL.com (gives extra practice in Language Arts)

_________________________________________________

- Spelling - Westbrooke Curriculum

- Reading - Westbrooke Curriculum (Incorporates Bible/Watchtower, etc.)

- Science - Westbrooke Curriculum

- Geography - Visualize World Geography

- Brainpop - Helps cover various subjects (math, english, history, science, etc)

Thank you for the recommendation!  I've looked into WB Curriculum for 6th grade this Fall 2015! 

[lovjahupepl]

I have 6th graders with some learning struggles.  So I have been through so many course trying to find the right fit for them while allowing me some free time as I work from home.

 

They are visual learners and do best when we sit and discuss things together and I write examples they do not understand on the board.  I have spent so much money trying to find the right all-in-one curriculum for them (Calvert, Time4learning, etc).  While the programs were decent they just didn't work for my kids. 

 

It wasn't until I invested in the Westbrooke Curriculum written by a JW Sister (a $25 investment) that I started to see major progress.  I do not use the entire curriculum however some of the suggestions given in the lesson plan I have implemented and they follow all the theocratic readings she includes in the lesson plan.

 

I also take advantage of the home school buyer's coop which allows me to purchase programs/tools at a reduced rate since it is a group buy.  It is there I have learned about so many wonderful programs for teaching them. Here's what I am using this year.

 

Grade 6

 

Math:

(We have used Teaching Textbook for several years but I find they were not able to work through problems on paper.  They had a workbook but when you gave them problems outside of that they didn't know how to approach the problem.  So this year I changed math programs.  The main thing I use is mathhelp.com as it helps me refresh my memory of math.

 

  - Mathhelp.com 

has a teacher demonstrate a few math problems.  We sit down together for this and I explain anything they don't understand, we work through problems I make up and if they need additional work on a concept we use IXL.com for extra practice.

 

===> IXL.com (give extra practice in math)

===> Reflex Math (great if child is having trouble with basic math (add, subtract, etc.)

===> Xtra Math  (great if child is having trouble with basic math (add, subtract, etc.)

_________________________________________________

- Language Arts - Use Westbrooke Curriculum

===> IXL.com (gives extra practice in Language Arts)

_________________________________________________

- Spelling - Westbrooke Curriculum

- Reading - Westbrooke Curriculum (Incorporates Bible/Watchtower, etc.)

- Science - Westbrooke Curriculum

- Geography - Visualize World Geography

- Brainpop - Helps cover various subjects (math, english, history, science, etc)

 

--- added 04/15/2015 ---

1. NOTE:  Westbrooke Curriculum is written by a JW Sister.  It is a lesson plan that tells you what to do day-to-day.  You will still need to purchase the books she list in the curriculum to use the course.  She has a store where you can buy them or you can try elsewhere (ebay, amazon, etc.)

    

2. The Homeschool Buyers Coop I mentioned above is located at: http://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/

[NSSewer]

I found Kahn Academy very helpful. He shows step by baby step how to solve any problem in any subject, we make good use of the math section.

It states:

https://www.khanacademy.org/The site offers over 2400 free videos from arithmetic to physics, and finance.