Changing curriculum

[TCB]

I've been reading about people changing the curriculum they use and it's set me wondering.

 

I don't know if I've just been incredibly lucky or if I'm just making do. This is our first year hsling and there are a few things that I've added and a few things that haven't worked so well. But, on the whole, I'm not finding that I'll be changing that much for next year.

 

Is this because, by some good fortune, I stumbled across what works well for us? Or is it because my budget is low and I have to make do? Being so new to this, I honestly don't know.

 

I was just wondering what others thought. Do you think people mostly change because they have to or because they want to. Be interested to know what others think.:)

[elise1mds]

:lurk5:

[momto5blessings]

I really think it is several things.

 

One, we (people who teach our children) seem to need a lot of reassurance that we are doing well, and like to ask "experts" advise us...and I have seen a lot of people changing curriculums for those reasons (ie: this looks better than what I have been doing --yet it may be not much different at all--OR they switch on advise to use something different.

 

Maybe it is that some of us do have more money to spend, and maybe when that is the case we don't agonize over the choice, or feel bad about getting multiple things/changing things often. But I have wondered about the gaps that might cause.

 

So I am very thankful to have found Latin Centered Curriculum and also WTM and I just don't really look around anymore....seems like all the time the "newest and best" comes out, and then next year it is some other "newest and best".

 

I honestly just try not to look, if it is working for me I don't want to fix it.

 

BUT I do miss the looking:tongue_smilie:

[TCB]

I was trying to reply with quote but don't know how to do that yet! I was interested in the comment about needing reassurance. I guess that's why I asked the question myself.

 

I feel that I need reassurance about not changing too much I guess.

Another thing I'm wondering is about making do. Is it OK to make do? And if so up to what point. I think things are working fairly well for us although we have not done any standardised tests etc. Am I just being falsely complacent? I'm sure these are probably common concerns to people fairly new to hsling. But then again maybe they're not!

[johnandtinagilbert]

I think there are good and bad reasons for switching.

 

bad:

1. The Flavor of the Month

2. My friend loves this.

3. I'm bored, I would like a switch.

 

 

good:

1. We all have to start somewhere.

2. If you've seen a totally different need for dc.

3. Something doesn't fit your teaching style.

4. You need more streamlining, esp. with large families.

 

Generally, I rec....if it works, stick with it. Constant changing creates a strong possibility for gaps...and you don't want those cuz they can be very troublesome to correct.

[johnandtinagilbert]

I was trying to reply with quote but don't know how to do that yet! I was interested in the comment about needing reassurance. I guess that's why I asked the question myself.

 

I feel that I need reassurance about not changing too much I guess.

Another thing I'm wondering is about making do. Is it OK to make do? And if so up to what point. I think things are working fairly well for us although we have not done any standardised tests etc. Am I just being falsely complacent? I'm sure these are probably common concerns to people fairly new to hsling. But then again maybe they're not!

 

to quote, look at the bottom right of each post. you'll see the + sign and "quote" Use "quote" for a singular quote, use + if you want to quote more than one person :)

[TCB]

to quote, look at the bottom right of each post. you'll see the + sign and "quote" Use "quote" for a singular quote, use + if you want to quote more than one person :)

 

 

Thanks. I think I did it :001_smile:

[Mrs Mungo]

I've been reading about people changing the curriculum they use and it's set me wondering.

 

I don't know if I've just been incredibly lucky or if I'm just making do. This is our first year hsling and there are a few things that I've added and a few things that haven't worked so well. But, on the whole, I'm not finding that I'll be changing that much for next year.

 

Is this because, by some good fortune, I stumbled across what works well for us? Or is it because my budget is low and I have to make do? Being so new to this, I honestly don't know.

 

I was just wondering what others thought. Do you think people mostly change because they have to or because they want to. Be interested to know what others think.:)

 

I think some people switch because they want to and some people switch because they need to. Maybe you're fortunate, but you're also very new to this. I didn't switch any curriculum in the middle of the year until our fourth year of homeschooling.

 

It was completely necessary for my middle dd. The phonics program I was using for her wasn't working at all. She was bored to tears and hated it. I didn't want her to hate reading, and that's what would have happened if I had stubbornly refused to switch.

[TCB]

Just checked and I did do it right so Thanks!

 

The Quoting part I mean not the curriculum choice!!

[johnandtinagilbert]

I think some people switch because they want to and some people switch because they need to. Maybe you're fortunate, but you're also very new to this. I didn't switch any curriculum in the middle of the year until our fourth year of homeschooling.

 

It was completely necessary for my middle dd. The phonics program I was using for her wasn't working at all. She was bored to tears and hated it. I didn't want her to hate reading, and that's what would have happened if I had stubbornly refused to switch.

 

Good point. I have very much had to individualize for my dc, moreso in jr. high. Have you seen all the math programs we use - geesh!

[momto2Cs]

I'll admit, I have changed things a few times over the past few years, mainly because...

 

1. My children have VERY different learning styles, so what worked for ds does not always work for dd

 

2. My son's reading level took off so rapidly, I had to readjust my approach to catch up (now if only this would happen for my dd!)

 

3. I have been going through a charter school for the last few years, and had to adapt a bit to what they are trying to accomplish (sticking to state standards). Now that I won't be going through them, I can adjust back to my standards.

 

4. I decided last year that while I had the free access (we have limited $$ for homeschooling), I should give Oak Meadow a try. It was a program I was always very intrigued by, and parts of it worked well for us, but not as a whole.

 

I find that no matter how much I think about changing curriculum, and no matter how many posts I write about it, I always come back to certain things, like SOTW and Saxon Math, because they do work for us. And yes, reassurance is always nice!

[iwka]

My reasons were:

 

1. bc I was looking for something that will teach logical thinking (not what is commonly used now for "critical thinking) in a Christian historical context

2. bc I wanted something that was tried and proven working in the past

3. bc one of my kids is dyslexic

[G5052]

I'm convinced that some people can make almost anything work. Either through training or personality, they will do well with what they have. I have a friend who teaches her kids with the library and public school cast-offs, and they are articulate, spot-on kids in terms of their ability to think and communicate.

 

And some of us do better with certain kinds of curriculum and when we find that, we are successful. I discovered that I better with organized, do-the-next thing curriculum, especially for little kids. I am not a little kid person and am glad that others organized that for me to the point that I just had to implement it. Working with my logic-stage kids on writing essays and figuring out why science experiments don't work is more my thing, but we still depend on others for picking the books and scheduling. I also "don't fix what ain't broke." I've seen how using the same thing year-after-year for the 3 R's really pays off as they enter the teen years.

 

And yes, some homeschoolers look to curriculum to solve problems that they themselves need to address by changing how they implement things or by studying themselves so that they can oversee their children better, but only they know that. For example, having shelves and boxes of science curriculum and supplies isn't going to get it done. You have to figure out how to get it done and have a certain amount of interest and enthusiam yourself.

 

HTH!

[StartingOver]

I have never been one for changing much. I did used Calvert my very first year homeschooling, and found TWTM that year. I haven't looked back.

 

I have changed the way I have taught certain things, but I still use the same curriculum. I have no problem with tearing something apart and reworking it to fit my children.

 

Luckily all of my children this far have been literature based - audio kind of kids. When I find something that teaches a subject correctly ( my opinion of correctly ), I just can't move on from that. All of my children thus far have also been hands on with science and math, so that helps too.

[Stacy in NJ]

easiest quick fix as long as the finances hold out. Changing curriculum gives the impression of "fixing" a problem. It provides the perception of improvement rather than the actual hard work of determining why your child is getting or not getting a particular subject.

 

Basically we don't have to actually determine the problem or solve it as long as we can just "fix it" with a new curriculum.

[rafiki]

.

[johnandtinagilbert]

easiest quick fix as long as the finances hold out. Changing curriculum gives the impression of "fixing" a problem. It provides the perception of improvement rather than the actual hard work of determining why your child is getting or not getting a particular subject.

 

Basically we don't have to actually determine the problem or solve it as long as we can just "fix it" with a new curriculum.

:iagree: Excellent post! I think experience is a great friend in this area too. When I was a new teacher there were many things I couldn't quite put my finger on...now, I can identify our problem areas with a blindfold and earplugs :)

[TCB]

It's very interesting reading the replies. I've just thought of a reason why I'm not too tempted to change yet. We're pretty much using WTM recommendations and since the only place I read about stuff is here then I guess it's not too surprising that so far I feel pretty happy with what we're using.:) . Also being too new to know any better!!

[Tree House Academy]

99% of the mid year changes I have made for my kids were because something wasn't working or I saw a need that wasn't being addressed in the curriculum we had been previously using. However, I have also been known to buy the flavor of the month, only to get it in my hands and realize it is NOT someting I want to use. I am just glad we have the "for sale or trade" board and curriculum fairs!

[Homemama2]

Some reasons I've been tempted to switch:

 

1. Grass is greener syndrome (everyone is raving about something...makes me wonder if THAT is better than what I have.)

 

2. Feeling blah about what we are using (this often strikes around Jan-Feb when everything is blah anyway.)

 

3. Too much teacher involvement in some of the curr. I've chosen

 

4. The curr. does not fit my child's needs/ is not age appropriate etc.

 

I don't switch the 3r's except for #4 because I think it could lead to gaps. We switched my oldest ds's phonics in K bc it reduced him to tears everytime I pulled out the book. I was glad I made that switch. I almost switched math curr. this winter bc I was sick of how long it took (#3 and #2) and I wanted something new....I did NOT switch and I'm glad I didn't because now math is going wonderful again. ;)

 

I've heard alot of people say it's not so much what you're using to teach, it's how you are teaching it.

[Wheres Toto]

I've only been "officially" homeschooling for less than a year but we've already changed some of our curriculum. Mainly because I gained a better understanding of my son's learning style and what works best for him. I dropped The Reading Lesson and picked up Progressive Phonics combined with using a lot of early readers; dropped random workbooks in Math for MEP because he was already counting to 100, writing his numbers and wanted to learn addition and I wanted to go in a logical progression; I got more resources for hands-on Science and more literature selections for everything.

 

I'm sure we will change again because as he gets older I want to do more History (SOTW probably) and Science rather than the unit based stuff we're doing now. He's very young (4 1/2) so his needs may change as he gets older. We are limited for funds so before I buy something I'll have to research it a lot to make as sure as possible that we'll like it. The one thing I'm sure we'll never do is a boxed curriculum - that's definitely not my style or his.

[zootle]

These are common concerns for some of us that have been doing this for 13 year. I worried about gaps and not doing enough for my kids until January, when my oldest was accepted to Purdue University next fall. Now I am not quite so worried about the next two. If he made it through then they will also. If what you are doing is working and your kids seem to know as much as the other kids you are around then don't worry about it.

 

If you want to try a different method ie from workbooks to whole books or from textbook to something like Tapestry of Grace I would suggest you look at the options carefully and really think about what the different option offers that you kids aren't already getting. If it offers something that appears better then look at how it is offered. Is it offered in the same way that your kids learn. If not, it isn't a good option. For example, I have one boy that loves to read, so something like Sonlight or Tapestry of Grace is a good fit for him. I have another boy that is dyslexic and hates to read. Sonlight read alouds were good by anything that required him to do much reading was a disaster.

 

Basically, the things you see talked about on this board will all provide your children with a good education if you are working with them and discussing with them what they are doing. Sometimes we just second quess ourselves too much.

Cindy

[Donna T.]

I've used alot of different things with my oldest. By different things, I mean materials. The methods that I use have remained very consistent but I have no problem at all tossing out something if it's not what we want to be doing.

 

I am homeschooling to enjoy the precious time that I have with my children. I think the time I have is too little to spend on things we don't like. For whatever reason.

 

I don't feel an obligation to be wedded to one particular brand or curriculum provider. I heard a statement when I first started out: I am teaching a child, not a curriculum. That really stuck with me. I want the things we use to work (get the job done) but I also want to enjoy what we are doing.

 

Fortunately, I am very happy with what we are doing now. The things we do both get the job done and add enjoyment to our days. So, I don't intend to make any changes for now but I would if I felt otherwise.

[texasmama]

I changed some of our language arts program because the SL one was not working for either of my ds's. It was too advanced and led to frustration and not learning. So we switched to FLL and WWE and dropped SL. This was a necessity for us because we had a bad curriculum fit, which happens.

 

I am not one to switch up curriculums without a good reason. I don't need the learning curve of a new one and neither do my kids....but I am willing to switch if what we have is not serving us well. I am two years into this hs'ing journey and have just begun feeling that everything is working for us.

 

I think that part of the issue with switching is that there are so many choices available...and many of them are equally good and at least some of those good ones would work for any given child. It is very hard to choose. I think that there might exist a program that would be a "better", more interesting, compelling, etc. history, science, etc. program...but if what we have is working for us, then I am unwilling to switch. I don't like change, though.:D I find homeschooling using familiar curriculums while juggling everything else I need to do challenging enough for my brain.

[shanvan]

another reason that hasn't been mentioned. Some people have to switch because of circumstances in their lives. I have an acquaintance who mostly designed everything herself. The family enjoyed their schooling and did well. BUT when the grandmother became very ill and required daily care, they switched to DVD curriculum for a year or two.

 

There are all kinds of life changes that might make a family decide to switch.

 

I will also add that for me, the 'curriculum' is in my head. Maybe it is because I have a background of teaching, or because of all the wonderful books like WTM. But I have a very clear idea of our goals for each year and what our areas of concentration need to be. Then I factor in what else might be going on in our lives (like a major health concern for me this year) and choose the resources that fit best.

 

One last thing--gaps happen no matter what curriculum you use and whether or not you switch. It is entirely possible to use different resources each year without developing any more gaps than someone who uses the same publisher every year--if you know what material and skills need to be taught.

 

I'm thankful to have so many wonderful choices!

 

Shannon

[StephanieZ]

There are many reasons to change up curriculum. . . and you might find yourself doing that after a few years. . .

 

Some change motivators:

 

+ Kids change/grow so what used to fit doesn't fit as well any longer

+ Mom or Kids are bored with same-old-same-old

+ Younger dc doesn't respond as well to same thing older dc used

+ New programs come to your attention that you didn't know about when you made your earlier choice(s)

+ Mom sees "gaps" in older dc's studies and seeks out sth to fill those gaps, either for that older dc or for the younger ones coming up

[mcconnellboys]

I've not switched around much over the years, either. When I find something that works for the kids, whether I particularly like it or not, I tend to stick with it. I wonder if this is sort of like buying new shoes on a regular basis, or shopping for clothes, or re-arranging the furniture? Some people just do those things more than others, I think.....

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

I've been reading about people changing the curriculum they use and it's set me wondering.

 

I don't know if I've just been incredibly lucky or if I'm just making do. This is our first year hsling and there are a few things that I've added and a few things that haven't worked so well. But, on the whole, I'm not finding that I'll be changing that much for next year.

 

Is this because, by some good fortune, I stumbled across what works well for us? Or is it because my budget is low and I have to make do? Being so new to this, I honestly don't know.

 

I was just wondering what others thought. Do you think people mostly change because they have to or because they want to. Be interested to know what others think.:)

 

I think this is an interesting discussion. I have to say that reading these boards could give a very false impression about to what degree people change their curriculum choices. Day after day, you see multiple threads about people wanting to change this or that. However, except for a few people who are true curriculum junkies, you're not really seeing the vast majority of posters changing the vast majority of their choices, you know?

 

In your own post, you say that you won't be changing that much, implying that, in fact, you will be changing something. I suspect that's the case with most of us, that we'll be changing something, not necessarily doing a complete overhaul. For example, my recent struggle has been with math. Although I love my choice and ds does well with it, I'm concerned I've lost the shine in his eyes for the subject, so I've added a discovery-based element and I'm looking into some more options for supplementing. Not a big change, really. Additionally, I've worked up enough confidence with science to go at it on my own (something that was always my goal anyway). So, out of all eleven subjects we do here (writing, grammar, spelling, math, history, science, nature study, art, music, foreign language, and handicrafts), one is being tweaked and one is changing altogether. Both are evolving, just as I expect all subjects will as I learn more about myself as a teacher and about my dc as students.

 

I imagine if you look at the ratio of keep to scrap for individual posters rather than the entire depth and breadth of all the threads on the boards, you would probably see that most of us are pretty much like you, with not a lot changing for next year (barring, of course, those ages when a curriculum is finished and a new choice must be made).

Edited March 18, 2010 by Alte Veste Academy

[anabelneri]

I'm pretty new at homeschooling too, but what I've found is that if you need a change in curriculum, you'll know it. I've actually changed quite a bit over the course of this year, but I think things are pretty settled now.

 

When the year started I'd planned to be a "textbook" WTM homeschooling mom. I had FLL, WWE, AAS, SOTW (including the activity guide), and I was mixing Right Start and Singapore. We dropped FLL because my dd raced through it (finished 1st grade stuff in 2 months). She loved it, but it was clear that we needed something else. Same thing happened with AAS. SOTW was slightly different -- she'd listened to the CDs and could quote huge chunks of it (thank you SWB for being a decent writer), found the narrations tedious and hates coloring pages, so didn't like a lot of the activities. She does like the hands-on parts, though. But mostly she wants to hear the stories. And math was like pulling teeth. Singapore somehow wasn't building mental skills, and while Right Start was doing great in that way, she hated the manipulatives and she hated the way it was taught. So I started making worksheets out if it, and that worked a little, but she still didn't like it (and it increased my prep time by at least an hour for every lesson taught).

 

Grammar I solved by throwing money at it -- we're using MCT now. Grammar Island is a much, much better fit. But we're with a charter school and I still had the money in my budget with them. I also figure that at the rate we were going with FLL I was going to be buying another grammar program by February anyway & I might as well get it over with. I'm so glad I did.

 

Spelling I solved by switching to a random program I found on a free shelf -- Sequential Spelling. Even if I bought SS it would be cheaper than AAS.

 

SOTW I'm fixing by changing how we approach it. Instead of following SWB's chronology, we're doing it by civilization, but still using her materials. Since we spent basically 10 weeks on Egypt, we had lots of time to delve into library books about it. And we've skipped the coloring pages and only do some of the hands-on stuff. Now we're in Greece, moving on to Rome soon. We'll do China in the spring. Isn't costing us a thing, but it's been helpful to read here on the boards how other people use SOTW.

 

Math -- We've used/looked at 5 math programs this year. I think we're finally settled on one that works. I base that on two things: (1) she's learning math, and (2) we don't yell at each other in anger every day. Woot! And it's free. :) That's way, way cheaper than Right Start.

 

So I guess I see it both ways, in the end. It's totally possible to "make it work" with what you've got, especially if you can't buy anything new. At the same time, there's definitely times when changing curriculum might be the best thing to do. I was making Right Start work, but it was driving a wedge between me and my daughter. I could've made FLL work longer. Without the charter school money I'd've had to. I could not have make AAS last any longer without spending another bunch of money on it. And I AM futzing with SOTW to make it work. And in the end, I'm very, very glad to finally (!!!) have settled into material that works for my daughter.

[johnandtinagilbert]

Some reasons I've been tempted to switch:

 

1. Grass is greener syndrome (everyone is raving about something...makes me wonder if THAT is better than what I have.)

 

2. Feeling blah about what we are using (this often strikes around Jan-Feb when everything is blah anyway.)

 

3. Too much teacher involvement in some of the curr. I've chosen

 

4. The curr. does not fit my child's needs/ is not age appropriate etc.

 

I don't switch the 3r's except for #4 because I think it could lead to gaps. We switched my oldest ds's phonics in K bc it reduced him to tears everytime I pulled out the book. I was glad I made that switch. I almost switched math curr. this winter bc I was sick of how long it took (#3 and #2) and I wanted something new....I did NOT switch and I'm glad I didn't because now math is going wonderful again. ;)

 

I've heard alot of people say it's not so much what you're using to teach, it's how you are teaching it.

great post.