Liking a regular public school textbook?

[Janeway]

In the past, I could not stand public school textbooks. I found them to be watered down, distracting, wavers off topic, busy, and political-even when the topic does not call for it.

 

THEN..I was in the used book store yesterday and saw a book called Prentice Hall Earth Science (2006) and Holt Eastern Civilizations. Both looked great!!! I want to use them!

 

Am I delusional? Seriously...I might be delusional. It might just be a hormonal thing. lol

 

Please tell me if any of you found value in public school textbooks? Maybe I just was rushed and did not look close enough. I put them on hold to be picked up today if I wish.

Edited July 29, 2016 by Janeway

[maize]

Some textbooks are quite good :) I certainly wouldn't reject something just because it is marketed to public schools.

[freesia]

Some of my kids prefer textbooks. We use the Earth Science and I like it.

[Janeway]

Here is the Asian Cultures book.... Found it online for free...   https://tusd.haikulearning.com/abruner/6corehonors/cms_page/view/11891953

 

The Earth Science one is 2006. Is that too old?

[regentrude]

The Earth Science one is 2006. Is that too old?

 

No. I can't recall any groundbreaking discoveries in Earth science over the past decade that would have to be incorporated into a high school text.

[EKS]

There are some excellent textbooks out there. It can just take some patience to find them.

[Kel & the Kids]

My ds much prefers our provincial science texts over any "homeschool" curriculum I've found, and has for several years. At first I felt like a failure, but really? There is nothing wrong with it and he is excelling 😀

[Hilltopmom]

We used the earth Science, it was better than anything I found "for homeschoolers".

We used Holt for Biology & Environmental Science. Cheap to find used too.

 

I just switched my kid with LD over to all public school special Ed textbooks & am very pleased! Nothing was appropriate that was made for homeschoolers, & I got tired of trying to modify everything.

[kbutton]

Here is the Asian Cultures book.... Found it online for free...   https://tusd.haikulearning.com/abruner/6corehonors/cms_page/view/11891953

 

The Earth Science one is 2006. Is that too old?

 

I am curious after looking at this site...is this supposed to be publicly available for free? It sounds like Haiku Learning is a site that hosts schools who want to put courses and handouts, etc. on a site for students. 

 

I am wondering if this is available in error.

 

There is also a literature book on the same site.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

It's not necessarily bad, just because it's been brought together in one cover.  There are bad textbooks and there are textbooks that are pretty good.

 

 

[....]

We have a growing textbook collection, too- even though we don't use them for school.  I really like the Penguin Edition high school literature series from Prentice-Hall.  I have half the high school texts.  Also, Campbell Biology...Holt Biology...Lial's Beginning Algebra and Basic College Mathematics.  They can be good to see if you're on track when you don't use textbooks in your homeschooling.  

 

I need to collect some chemistry and physics texts.

[Dmmetler]

DD went through a phase when she was nervous about reading "big books" (chapter books/kids novels), but was ready for the content. I bought about 3-4 sets of old school readers cheap or got them free (DD's former school gave me a set of the McGraw-Hill ones), and they were awesome. Starting at about 3rd grade, a lot of the selections were chapters from those same big books that DD said were too hard, so she'd read them in the big, illustrated school book where they might only take 5 pages or so, get excited about the story, and then go to the library to see what happened. I don't know that she would have made that jump to reading longer, more challenging books without the readers to provide a bridge.

 

We also use a lot of Galore Park, which is a textbook, just from the UK, Cambridge Latin, and probably at least 100 lbs of college science textbooks.

 

 

 

 

[foxbridgeacademy]

The Earth Science book is the one I've preferred out of several regular textbooks and more HSer curriculum I've bought/seen.  

[Citrusheights5]

We use textbooks when they work.  The science book is actually really good, but I am using their online program of it since it has the entire book, as an audio book in both English and Spanish as well.   If you purchase the teachers versions, it then allows you to create student accounts and give you access to the workbooks if that is your kind of thing. I really don't and use it the way that fits my schedule best. 
]

 

This year I am actually using an English Textbook.   My son is dyslexic, and this year we are pushing towards more independence and think this will book is actually REALLY well done.  We will not be using it the way the schools dictate, but it makes for a great jumping off point to teach literary devices.  I really like the way the close reading is modeled.  Hoping this will save my voice, and some time allowing us to discuss instead of it all being instructional, at which point I am wiped out. 

 

Here is the info to sample the California Version of the Textbook it is called Collections (6th grade), I was given.  

 

Go to learn.hmhco.com/CASuccess

 

1. Select "Sample now"

 

2. Enter sample word: CAELA17

 

3. Complete the form

 

4. Write down Username and Password

 

Sample Now!

[J&JMom]

I am getting ready to start my fourth year and I have used public school textbooks almost exclusively with my now 6th and 8th graders.  Now, for the most part, I use them as a spine to guide our study for the year and supplement with projects/labs, read alouds, documentaries, field trips, etc. Works for us. I have looked at homeschool curriculum and find them too tedious/amateurish/religious/ or expensive for my taste.

[Guest]

The older the better on Regents Earth Science here....they have more details and the level of math used isnt watered down. The newer books have good photos, and may be updated on earthquake prediction. We used both.

[cintinative]

I personally like some of them, so no  you are not crazy. Yes to the prior comment that you need to evaluate them. That can be tricky because many homeschoolers don't own them. I have not thought to look at a used bookstore. Was it Half Price books? Where did you find it?

[Kat w]

I love everything McGraw Hill.

Their elemtary grades economics/govt is REALLY good.

 

Our old PS uses them. I go in and say, may I please have one per grade :)

They knew I knew, my tax dollars go there! Lol ( we attended their in the SN program, they knew me and knew...I knew. ;))

 

Love those books so much, boys love them, I love them.

I also get their 'reader' for the SN 'grade level'.I ordered some social studies for home. They really go into the writing style, prewriting really.

 

Love them! :)

[Peaceful Isle]

I love Houghton mifflin math for k and 1st grade. I know, I can't help it. Such big colorful books! I am also trying a public schooly approach to reading for my son next year using Reading Street (Foresman) I am hoping it works well because it is supposed to include grammar and vocabulary as well.

[lllll]

nm

Edited November 5, 2016 by cathey

[Lucy the Valiant]

We're Dolciani fans in this house (for math), and they're just "regular public school textbooks" published by Houghton Mifflin. (After all the excitement here about "Dolciani," I was a little surprised to learn that, haha.)

[Mom22ns]

We used some public school texts scattered throughout our homeschooling journey. Everyone looks for different things in a textbook, but really, there are textbooks to fit every personality type. Some are pretty and full of pictures. Some are simple and full of text. Some are conversational and some are very too the point. There is nothing wrong with finding a textbook you and your kids like and using it. Just it is compiled information, doesn't mean it isn't a legitimate source of information.

[Mrs. Tharp]

Yes! They can be wonderful! We used Calvert for 1st grade and they use Houghton Mifflin readers. Combined with Calvert's phonics suggestions, it was a lovely intro to reading. Both boys loved the books so much we still own them, five years later. We have lovely memories of using those books. I only wish their second grade books had been as good...sigh. But be that as it may.

 

This year was chaotic and science was lots of Horrible Science plus a McGraw Hill textbook. The kids were fine with it. It presented info on many topics in a concise way and the photography was well done. No complaints.

 

I am considering using a Calvert history course this year and purchased all of the textbooks used on Amazon. I am impressed! The books are well written and contain an incredible amount of information. 

 

Also, both boys prefer to just "get er done" and textbooks help us along in that goal.