So this is our first year venturing into unchartered territory, and it's been mind-numbing to wade through all the choices and then get even more confused when I start reading reviews. We've lived in rural SD for the past three years, and there aren't very many other homeschoolers and certainly no coops or support groups that I've found. I've talked the two only local homeschoolers I know, and one completely follows HOD. The other uses a different boxed curricula. We are a Christian family but would prefer to keep our subjects secular. I've got three daughters starting kindergarten, 4th, and 6th grades.
I've been a stay-at-home mom since our firstborn, but I'm a former high school math teacher with a BS in mathematics. I'm really excited to use Singapore math with them, but I'm finding they aren't testing anywhere near grade level. A suggestion I've seen mentioned a couple of times here is to just start everyone at 2A (except my DDK) to get a feel for the Singapore Math system and learn their key methods for solving problems. However, my DD11 is horrified at the thought of taking 2nd grade math even when I explain that it's only for "review" and should go quickly. Can anyone help me decide what do or how to make this work for my girls?
The area I'm totally clueless about though is language arts. In fact, this is an area that I've pretty much avoided my entire life. My brain basically shuts down when I try to research what's out there and what all I need to be teaching. Just so I'm clear, my girls need curriculum for grammar, spelling, vocabulary, handwriting, and reading. Am I missing anything? I'm really hoping to find the same curriculum for both girls at their individual levels where they can work somewhat independently. Please, please, please give me suggestions and break it down in simple terms for me.
Other than that, this is what I've got chosen so far:
Science: Noeo Biology 2 (DD9 and DD11 will do together)
History: SOTW 1 ( all three girls will do this together, DDK will just listen to the readings and color)
Latin: Lively Latin Big Book 1 (DD9 and DD11 will both do at their own pace)
The girls will also be reading age-appropriate literature throughout the year, and I will seek out what other families do along with those books.
I greatly would appreciate any other input, advice, recommendations, or ANYTHING because I'm basically freaking out about this whole process. Thanks so much, and I'm looking forward to being a part of this community.