Would you keep curriculum for 8/9th grade if your next child is only going into 3rd grade?

[lynn]

How much is curriculum going to be rewritten over the next few years to be in line with Common Core.  

[hjffkj]

Yes I would if it worked for my child who used it.  I'll be ignoring the Common Core standards when I pick curriculum. That doesn't mean I won't pick things aligned with it, it simply means it will not be a factor when making curriculum choices.  But I fully intend to give my children an education that requires more than CC so this isn't going to be a problem for me.

[redsquirrel]

I would and I do.  Common Core has little to no impact upon my day to day homeschooling. I don't avoid it but I don't see how I would even bother to align myself to it.  I didn't buy or not buy materials that corresponded to No Child Left Behind, so I don't see how CC would be any different. 

 

 

[rieshy]

I too ignore Common Core standards but I don't keep "curriculum" for that length of time just gathering dust.  Chances are I wouldn't want to use it after all and old curriculum is next to impossible to sell or even give away.  I've been trying to get rid of Chalk Dust Video Algebra I for years.  

 

Now literature, poetry, well written history and even some math books are a whole different story.

[bettyandbob]

If it is complete and I had storage space then I'd probably keep it. If I had to purchase supplements to make it complete (workbooks, labs, etc), then I'd sell it.

 

You probably don't have a good idea whether this curriculum fits your younger child's learning style, so it's kind of a gamble to keep it. You might end of using it as a supplement or reference because there is just better stuff available for the younger child. And when the younger child is ready for it the years that have passed will have made it not good for resale.

[HollyDay]

Depends upon what it is and if I had the storage space for it.

[MeghanL]

Even though there's a 3-year gap between each of mine, I keep everything! 

And, since each year is getting more expensive, I would certainly keep it if it was a small fortune to buy new! I'm especially thinking of materials for middle school science!

[Catwoman]

Yes, I would keep it.

[Amy in NH]

Skills and content are the same regardless of what grade level standards the public schools choose.

[OneStepAtATime]

I agree, it depends on what it is and how much storage you have.  If it is history stuff, I'd probably keep that since older history (except for new discoveries) wouldn't really change.  If you had a language arts program that you really liked, I'd keep that, too.  I would also keep math if it was something that had worked well with your older ones.  I don't know about science...  But no I would not be stressing over Common Core as my decision on whether to keep material around.

[Mergath]

It would depend on the subject.  If it was science, I'd probably ditch it, given that the content would most likely be over ten years old by the time I got around to using it.  A lot can change in ten years of scientific research.  If it was something like math or grammar though, I'd hold onto it.

[Guest Kkgfong]

rieshy

 

Did you like Chalk Dust Math Algebra 1? did it work well? do you have 5th edition Algebra 1 DVD's that go with the Ron Larson elementary algebra 1 book? and solutions manual. I'm looking to purchase if reasonable. 

 

karen Fong    kentonfong@sbcglobal.net  

[Arcadia]

I have very old (80s/90s) physics and math high school textbooks. About a decade old math, chemistry, biology textbooks. They all make good references.

If you are going to make a nice amount re-selling or you are out of storage space, then sell/donate it. Else for a 5 year gap, I'll just keep all the gently used curriculum.

 

ETA:

One of my cousin and I have a 12 year gap.  His books make good references and nice for enrichment when I was a kid.  I have a 9 year gap with my only brother.  Not much change to make my books useless for him.

[Seasider]

It really, really depends. If it's a curriculum that has consumable student workbooks to go with it, and you decide to keep it, get those new workbooks now so you can store it all together. In a few years those workbooks might be replaced with a newer edition and not match up with the old text.

[Seasider]

Do consider that resale value. You might could sell it now and actually make a bit of money, but if you wait then decide to sell it in 5-6 years because you changed your mind about what to use, it likely won't have resale value by then because newer editions may have been released.

[Ali in OR]

If I liked it I would keep it for the next kid.

[AHASRADA]

I kept all curriculum from ds for dd (3 year gap). They ended up having very different learning styles and very little was reused. There is a 10 year gap between dds 1&2, and I have just come to the realization that most of what I have is not worth storing and moving from house to house for 10 years on the off chance it might work for her. Who knows, everything might be on the iPad or Kindle by then anyway.

 

I am keeping easy readers, classic lit., and a few reference books, esp. history. The rest needs to go.

[Ruby Rose]

No! That's way too long. Plus I enjoy shopping curriculum.

[texasmama]

I have that exact age/grade gap, and yes, I would keep it.  Storage space is not a problem for me.

[coffeegal]

Yes! Sometimes it's wonderful to browse your shelf instead of curriculum shop when you run into a problem. Also, if I know I'm going to re-use it because I love it, why repurchase it in 5 years? I have plenty of storage space.

 

If you move a lot or are tight on storage space, it might make more sense to sell then repurchase. Transporting and moving books can be expensive. ;)

[chocolatechip]

Do you like the particular curriculum? Do you realistically see yourself using it for your 3rd grader in the future, barring complications? If you do, I'd absolutely keep it.

 

If you feel kind of meh about the it, or really dislike it, I'd toss it. Of course, I doubt you'd still have it if you hated it!  ;)

[LisaKinVA]

Certain things, yes...most things, no.

 

Foerster's Math (Alg 1, Alg 2, Pre-Calc, Calc), Jacob's Geometry...keepers, with the videos. Life of Fred and Art of Problem Solving...yup.

 

Science, usually not.  Computer-based programs...nope.  Typing curriculum...yes.  

 

Grammar/English has mostly been consumable, so no.

 

Literature texts, maybe.  General books (histories, historical fiction, literature), yes.

 

History, probably.

 

My Teaching Company Audio/Video...yes.

 

ETA:  My youngest is currently 5.  If we have another child, I won't be saving any of the lower-elementary books for him/her (except perhaps the Veritas History Cards/CD Roms, and living books).

[Carrie12345]

No.  But I am limited on storage space, so that's a big factor for me.

 

I started out saving curriculum from my now-16yo for my now-11 and 12yos and found I didn't want 90% of it once we got there.  Between my own styles changing, differences in individual kids, and the constant introduction of new materials, I just don't find giving up the space to be worth it.  And a lot of stuff looses resale value after a while, leaving me trying to decide between offloading for pennies on the dollar (if not the recycling bin) or trying to force my kids into a square hole.

[TammyS]

Yes, IF: you liked it very much and it will be expensive to replace or you fear that newer versions will be changed in ways you won't like (for example, I do not like newer versions of Saxon math, so I'm keeping my 15 year old's books for my 3 year old).

 

Otherwise, no.

[scrapbookbuzz]

yes!!! you donkt know that you wonkt use it. and it's using your money wisely and being a good steward to reuse it. plus, for an example, right after i sold one of my sonlight cores, i realized it would be perfect for my son the next school year. *facepalm* don't sell i until you're absolutely 100%sure you won't use it again.

[Ann.without.an.e]

I have that gap between #3 and #4. If I love it and being up-to-date doesn't matter then I keep it.

[jenslp]

It would depend on the curriculum really.  I would likely keep most of it since with a classical education things really shouldn't change all that much.  Even when books are updated or revised, usually there aren't substantial changes so if you like a curriculum I would hang onto it. 

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

I keep most everything until the younger one is past it. Saving pennies where I can.

[Janie Grace]

No. I need variety as a teacher and I try to tailor choices to each kid.