A little help? How did you even get started?

[ImmigrantsWife]

I'm sure this has been asked a hundred times, but would anyone mind sharing with me how you got started? I have seen the 1300 page catalog for Rainbow Resources and I must admit I find it a little daunting. :confused:

 

I don't want to waste time and money on things that don't work. How did you guys decide which curriculum you liked best? Is there any that are definitely not good, in your opinion?

 

Any help you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

[Monk643]

I completely understand what your going through... I am right now trying to piece together my first curriculum as next year is going to be our first year. I too have the same catalog as well as many others. As i have not tried any of them yet I won't comment on what is good and what isn't but i will say, try to get to a used curriculum sale near you or a covention so you can look at the material. Or find someone near you with some you can look at. That has been the most helpful to me. Wishing you luck, as we both make the leap

[plain jane]

I'm sure this has been asked a hundred times, but would anyone mind sharing with me how you got started? I have seen the 1300 page catalog for Rainbow Resources and I must admit I find it a little daunting. :confused:

 

I don't want to waste time and money on things that don't work. How did you guys decide which curriculum you liked best? Is there any that are definitely not good, in your opinion?

 

Any help you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

 

Welcome!! One resource that I found very helpful was Cathy Duffy's book, 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum. I got mine from the library and started from there. She takes you from the beginning with helping you find your teaching style and your child's learning style. From there she makes curriculum recommendations. She also has a website which I find very informative. Here it is.

 

Along with that, I also read the Well Trained Mind and it clicked so well with me that I based a lot of my curriculum choices on Susan Wise Bauer's recommendations. That book is a wealth of information.

 

I hope this helps a bit and gives you a bit of a place to start. :)

[lllll]

..

[LauraGB]

Honestly, I took SWB's advice and recommendations in TWTM. I looked into each suggestion if she had more than one for any subject and chose the one I felt best about for each subject. For us, she did a wonderful job of making the choices easier because she had already done all the research, and felt confident enough to write a book about it ;). Once we were comfortable with what we were doing, I would look into other choices, but for the most part, so far, many of our curricula choices are still the ones she suggests.

 

Good luck with your search! Once you are established, the search actually becomes fun :).

[Nakia]

Step away from the Rainbow Resource catalog. :D Seriously, though, it is way too overwhelming! Get a copy of The Well Trained Mind and order a catalog from http://www.timberdoodle.com I love their catalog. It is small, and their recommendations are fantastic! Good luck!

[Guest janainaz]

Have you read The Well-Trained Mind? That is an excellent starting point and the book lays it all out for you in plain English. Reading the book removed the feeling of being overwhelmed for me. I felt very confident and relieved that I had a better understanding of how to educate my kids, and the suggestions for curriculum for each subject were great. I compared a few of the top recommended ones (for each subject) and just chose from that list. For me, it was not complicated.

 

 

Even if you don't use their curriculum choices, or if you take a different educational approach, it's still the most helpful book I've read.

[Mandamom]

What I did was first figure out what I needed to teach (required by my state) and started filling in the blanks.

 

Is boxed curricula a consideration (Calvert or A Beka for example)?

 

I first started with figuring out what I was required to teach and then moving from there.

 

I started researching styles of homeschooling: classical, traditional, unit studies, literature based, charlotte mason, etc.

 

and looked at my budget

 

 

and basically filled in the blanks.

 

I was an eclectic homeschooling putting together pieces of programs, a classical bent but on my own schedule. I used a lot of library resources to create the bulk of my program.

 

I went to some homeschool book stores and started looking at programs and figured out what would work for me and my children.

[Willow]

From someone who has BTDT, take a deep breath, and don't do ANYTHING for a week or so! ;) Then...

 

First find a math scheme...ask here. A math scheme for a 7 year old who loves math... A math scheme for a high schooler who needs to re-do the basics....

 

Buy the minimum. Try before you buy if possible or buy second hand. Sale boards are on this forum. Start doing math once a day.

 

Then repeat for say, science, LA, History, music whatever....

 

Build it up slowly, don't try to do it all at once. Meanwhile read Well trained mind, read about unschooling on the net, read http://www.amblesideonline.com

read this forum.

 

Go slow. Unless you have a High School senior you have years to make this decision.

 

And remember, some of what you buy will not be a good fit for your kids. this is what 'for sale' boards are for!

 

Have fun, welcome to the journey.

[Hillary in KS]

I began homeschooling in 1999. Honestly, I read The Well-Trained Mind and used all of SWB's recommendations that first year.

 

After the first year, I knew what worked and what didn't. By this, I mean, I knew what materials I *liked* and what just didn't seem to click with ds #1. (Every curriculum *works*, but you won't like all of them.)

 

So the first year I followed what was recommended in the book. Over the summer, as I planned for the following year, I knew what I wanted to continue using and what I wanted to replace. I read on the internet and mostly asked friends what they used for those subjects. I preferred asking friends with older dc, and I spent a lot of time talking with moms who were further along in the homeschool journey.

 

As much fun as the Rainbow Resource catalog is, I only use it to order the items I want. I don't browse through it looking for ideas.

 

HTH!

[Starr]

I started with the Well Trained Mind. If you have specific questions for a particular age I'm sure you will get plenty of help.

[Liz CA]

 

I also bought the book "The Well Trained Mind" and chose one of the author's suggestions. Whenever she had more than one option, I looked it up online and researched it a little.

Then, over the years, I received a lot of good reviews on this board.

 

Keep the Rainbow catalog and choose a few fun items for birthdays and Christmas, however, I think they carried a few items TWTM suggested as curriculum as well. Don't let the size of that catalog discourage you!

[ImmigrantsWife]

Thanks for the quick replies, guys!

 

I have read SWB's book, but not the other you mentioned. I'll check it out.

 

My kids are ages 12, 11, 9, 5, and 3. I did the PA Cyber school with my 12 yr old last year- it was a pretty good curriculum (Calvert; anyone ever try it?) Also, with the cyber school, you don't pay anything extra- the cyber school bills the public school district. I thought the Calvert math was good until I saw the Saxon math curriculum, now I think I like that better. The US history could have been a little more exciting and/or detailed.

 

That's what gave me the idea to jump ship from cyber school to my own curriculum- the freedom to teach my kids the way I want to. I've always done the "after-schooling," but as they get older there is just so much more that I want to do that it just doesn't seem fair to expect them to pay attention to me for 1-2 hours after they have just spent 6 hours in a regular classroom. It just seems to make more sense to teach them everything myself.

 

I am thinking of HS'ing through 8th grade, them sending them to "regular" high school. I am hoping by then they will have had a solid foundation of classical education and also of our personal values. Right now they go to a Catholic school and even there I am surprised at some of the behaviors and attitudes I see in the kids. I'm not a fanatic or anything, but we are religious and conservative and I am disappointed in what my kids are exposed to, even at a religious school.

[StephanieZ]

Another vote for reading TWTM and starting with SWB's suggestions. It's a GREAT way to start!

 

If your dc are young enough to start with one subject at a time, then I suggest doing that. . . I started with teaching my child to read. . . then math. . . then SOTW & some science, etc. . . It's lovely to be able to ease into it! It's much less intimidating if you just research one subject, get started with it. . . then spend a month researching the next subject, etc.

 

If you can't do that, then I'd start with TWTM's suggestions across the board for sure!

 

ETA: I think I was typing while you were posting. . . so I see your kids are way past my one-suject-at-a-time approach. I've heard good things about Calvert, so I am sure your kids have a solid foundation. I think you'd be in good shape to read TWTM and judge from there what appeals to you to try!

Edited June 3, 2010 by StephanieZ

[elizabeth]

The Well Trained Mind was a lifesaver. I was absolutely overwhelmed without SWB preselecting by listing a few options for math and the other courses that are out of my comfort zone. You cannot go wrong, at least one of the options for each subject will just resonate with you when you look it up online. Had I seen RResource without knowing what I was looking for egads I would have run screaming in the other direction!!!

[Aubrey]

Embrace the idea that you will spend time & $ on things that don't work. It's easier not to beat yourself up if you know ahead of time that that's just part of the process.

 

Go to a convention to see some things in person.

 

Read around here, see whose phil of ed you agree w/ (generally), & see what they use. Then explore those things further. Personally, I'm a Spy Car wannabe. :D I'll take whatever he likes & be pretty sure at this point that I'll love it too.

 

GL! (Oh, & save the RR catalog for later when you're less overwhelmed. I've yet to look at one. They're just too dangerous!) ;)

[Garga]

Some things to do before starting, in no particular order.

 

Know why you're homeschooling. If it's because of bullies (for example), you might want to just go with cyberschool. But if it's because of religious reasons, you'll want to find non-secular curric., etc.

 

Find out all your state laws to see which subjects you must teach.

 

Go to your library and check out every book on homeschooling to figure out what kind of homeschooler you expect you'll be. Will you want lots of text books and workbooks, will you rely on lots of real-life examples and field trips and never touch a text book, or somewhere in between.

 

Google "classical education" and "charlotte mason" and "unschooling."

 

To get ideas of what curric is out there, google some more. For example, google for "homeschool math curriculum", and start jotting down what comes up. Go to homeschoolreviews.com to see what other people have to say about each curric. Do this for each subject you're required to teach.

 

Search this board for the different types of curric, to see what these guys have to say.

 

Start a few threads once you've narrowed down your choices to get more specific info or answers to specific questions.

 

Try to find a homeschool co-op in your area, so you can ask a real person questions.

 

If possible, get to a convention (once you've narrowed down your choices) to see the materials in person.

 

DO NOT buy ahead for the future. Get just what you need now, and only the books. Wait to get maps and globes and all the STUFF that's out there until you're really sure you need it. You don't need a model of all the planets up front (for example). Wait and see if you really need it or not. Just buy the books you need now, and then see what works or doesn't.

 

ETA: Just read your updated post with kids ages, etc. Some of my stuff doesn't apply, but some might! Have fun!

Edited June 3, 2010 by Garga

[KidsHappen]

I began homeschooling in 1999. Honestly, I read The Well-Trained Mind and used all of SWB's recommendations that first year.

 

After the first year, I knew what worked and what didn't. By this, I mean, I knew what materials I *liked* and what just didn't seem to click with ds #1. (Every curriculum *works*, but you won't like all of them.)

 

So the first year I followed what was recommended in the book. Over the summer, as I planned for the following year, I knew what I wanted to continue using and what I wanted to replace. I read on the internet and mostly asked friends what they used for those subjects. I preferred asking friends with older dc, and I spent a lot of time talking with moms who were further along in the homeschool journey.

 

As much fun as the Rainbow Resource catalog is, I only use it to order the items I want. I don't browse through it looking for ideas.

 

HTH!

 

 

This is how I started as well. At some point I realised that I had created my own curriculum plan. I used to browse the Rainbow Resource catalog but I haven't even had time to crack the cover on last year's and the new one is already coming out. I am at the end of my journey now so I don't know that I will have much use for the new one. :001_smile:

[....]

I think the curriculum selection will come to you the more you look at it, but I think your biggest challenge when you first start out will be juggling the kids and scheduling. I would look at combining classes. I also use the older kids to tutor the younger ones (my 8 yro is actually a VERY good teacher).

 

Here...this sounds stupid, but maybe it would help you if you saw a snapshot of someone's day and what we use (I also have a big gaggle of kids)...

 

We play outside after breakfast. Sometimes my 2 yro waves at the kids at the bus stop, who look at us with scorn...:001_smile:

 

8 yro and 7 yro go to their bedroom with a timer and do Independent Reading for 20 minutes (anything they feel like reading). Later, they record their reading into a Reading Log.

 

Get the 5 yro and 2 yro into "something" - playdoh, set up a dollhouse city, etc...

 

8 yro and 7 yro work through a lesson in McGuffey Readers. 7 yro is doing a short Phonics Review (Hooked on Phonics) with me. I give 8 yro a Syllabus with an Independent Block - which are assignments she completes independently (like CLE LA, a writing assignment, copywork, Current Events online, an exercise from her math workbook-Singapore). This frees me up to work with the 7 yro, who struggles with everything. :tongue_smilie:

 

7 yro works through CLE LA lesson, WWE and takes a break. I might do WWE with 8 yro. Take a break. Be careful with breaks and the # of children, they tend to disappear in the house.

 

Snack for 5 yro and 2 yro, maybe take them outside... Sometimes they want to watch Princess and the Frog or there is a stuffed animal zoo in the living room. :D

 

Come back...knock out Math-Horizons/Singapore and any science reading we have. I will pull 5 yro aside to do Singapore Math. Release 5 yro back into the Wild.

 

Prima Latina or German (we alternate) - usually about 15 minutes in the dining room.

 

Quick lunch and 2 yro goes down for her Mega-Nap (this kid sleeps for so long, that I have had to go check on her).

 

Start 5 yro on any worksheets or workbook exercises I have. 8 yro and 7 yro do History (CHOW), their United States Workbooks (geography) and they usually dive into a giant discussion about "something" that they don't understand and need the answer to right now...

 

8 yro and 7 yro are usually finished at this point (and it's around 1), but they listen to their Sonlight Read-Alouds at night before bed (as a bedtime story). They also might do Snap Circuits after dinner.

 

After 8 yro and 7 yro disappear with their Lego Star Wars, never to be seen again...5 yro sits down and works through a page or two of CLE Learn to Read and does her lesson from My Father's World K. I spend a total of an hour on the 5 yro. At the end, we might read a Sonlight K Read-Aloud (right now we're reading 100 Dresses and Llama with no Pajama). Then, she runs away.

 

In the afternoon, I'll teach piano to the 5 yro and 8 yro.

 

We also do things like take classes (8 yro takes Pottery), cub scouts, girl scouts and we're in a homeschool group that meets once a week at a park.

 

:D Does that help at all? Good luck with your School!! You can also look around at other people's signatures and see what they're using...go online and check out the different curricula out there...

[gpsings]

Initially, someone mentored me...but after that it was all trial and error. Sorry I couldn't be more help. :(

[justamouse]

Wine. Lots of whine. :001_smile:

 

Give yourself grace to make a mistake or two, perhaps seven. Be willing to change horses midstream. Have a place you can go and scream. Quiet time is GOLD, Use it.

[Mommyfaithe]

Wine. Lots of whine. :001_smile:

 

Give yourself grace to make a mistake or two, perhaps seven. Be willing to change horses midstream. Have a place you can go and scream. Quiet time is GOLD, Use it.

 

:iagree:

[Sasharowan]

I had it easy. I first started thinking of homeschooling when my oldest was 2. I spent the next 2 years reading everything I could get my hands on. We went to park days, co-ops, and field trips with other homeschoolers and I asked questions. Whenever we had a playdate with someone that had older kids and already had som curriculum, I asked to see it.

[....]

I had it easy. I first started thinking of homeschooling when my oldest was 2. I spent the next 2 years reading everything I could get my hands on. We went to park days, co-ops, and field trips with other homeschoolers and I asked questions. Whenever we had a playdate with someone that had older kids and already had som curriculum, I asked to see it.

 

:iagree: Talk to as many people as you can and ask a ton of questions. I used to call my friend and say, "How are you doing? BTW, on page 23 of Lightunit 204, was your son able to get through that lesson?"

 

I still ask people in our homeschool group EXACTLY what curriula do they use - and I'm still learning stuff from people. One lady told me about this incredible history/literature schedule she uses that ended with a class on Literature Analysis of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy!!! :thumbup:

[katemary63]

I'm sure this has been asked a hundred times, but would anyone mind sharing with me how you got started? I have seen the 1300 page catalog for Rainbow Resources and I must admit I find it a little daunting. :confused:

 

I don't want to waste time and money on things that don't work. How did you guys decide which curriculum you liked best? Is there any that are definitely not good, in your opinion?

 

Any help you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

One thing I do, if I can't get to a convention or homeschool store to actually see the choices is to order several selections of a certain subject from Rainbow and look them over thoroughly. I just pick one and send the rest back. I decide which ones to order by reading online reviews at homeschool websites or searching this forum for people's recomendations. Good luck!

[RoughCollie]

I did a lot of research when I started homeschooling 1st grade. I read SWB's book. I used FIAR, SOTW, Singapore Math, Zaner-Bloser handwriting, and various reading programs. If First Language Lessons had been available, I would have used it.

 

I supplemented with books and history-related activities.

 

The choices I made then are the same choices I would make now, if I had it to do over again, except I'd hope there was a reading program I liked available now.

 

My kids learned a lot, and they enjoyed it so much that they kept telling people that they were not in school. I enjoyed it, too.

Edited June 3, 2010 by RoughCollie

[mcconnellboys]

I agree with this completely. Take your time and only do one small bit at a time. Don't even look at the big picture, just do one small thing and then the next and then the next. Before you know it, you'll be done. After 11 years of hsing, this is still what I do as I make my plan each year.

 

If you have a very mathy kid, for instance, you will need one sort of program. If you have a child who you think will need lots of repetition in math, you may need a very different sort of program. If you have a hands-on learner, you may need lots of manipulatives.

 

There is lots of curriculum out there. One good thing about books like the RRC catalog is that they give very good descriptions of most things they carry. These may help you decide if something is a good fit for your child.

 

And there is also good, sound FREE programming available for many things now online, such as MEP math or KISS grammar, for instance.

 

So don't get overwhelmed by the big picture, just look at one detail at a time.....

[Mynyel]

Honestly...I know everyone started by suggesting a book to read :) but you could spend a lot of time reading several books on different ways of homeschooling and not like or agree with them.

 

The reason I suggest not reading a book is because I had 4 things suggested to me when I first started. Beautiful Feet, Sonlight, Trivium Pursuit and Charlotte Mason. I was overwhelmed with all of them. I didn't even know about Rainbow Resource at the time and probably would have exploded if I had. Here is what I wish I had known...

 

Find a used book sale in your area...or if it is within comfortable driving distance go there as well. Look at things...perhaps even buy a few inexpensive items that intrigue you.

 

Find homeschoolers in your area and see if they will let you see what they use...most of us love sharing why we love or don't love a particular curriculum.

 

Once you are familiar with what kinds of things are out there to use then it is easier to pick apart different styles of homeschooling. You may not pick only one style. You may incorporate several ways.

 

That being said...you will probably not buy one type of curriculum and stick with it. You will change as will your children and you will have to change what and how you teach as well. So look and see what works for now and go from there!

[Pretty in Pink]

I didn't even have internet access in my home when we first started so I was blissfully unaware of all the options available at the time! It was actually really easy for me to get started - I went to Walmart and rounded up some basic school supplies and a math workbook and then hit my library for a stack of children's books. That's it.

 

We did unit studies back then. We'd spend a few weeks on dinosaurs, then a few on space, and just followed my child's interests like that. I'd sit down on Sunday evening and make up handwriting worksheets for the week, by hand, and file them in his notebook. I'd plan a few crafts and gather supplies. It was all very, very simple back then. I did that for three years I believe.

[freeindeed]

The Well-Trained Mind was the first homeschooling book I read. I just used it as a guide and purchased items accordingly.:) I also agree with a pp about reading Cathy Duffy's book. It really helps you to see what fits best with your family.

[Susan in TX]

I started homeschooling back in the early 90s and there just wasn't too much to choose from back then. I bought and read through Mary Pride's Big Book of Home Learning which reviewed all the curricula available at the time. It was a great resource since this was pre-internet. My choices were very limited because we didn't have much money so we went with Rod and Staff.

 

As time went on and certain things, like R&S math, weren't working, I searched for something else that would work. Sometimes I got lucky, like with Developmental Math...other things we tried and they didn't work, so we tried something else. I've been homeschooling for seventeen years and it's still like that. So there is lots of trial and error. Fortunately, most homeschool curricula has a high resale value.

 

I've come to the conclusion that the hardest thing about homeschooling is not the actual teaching, it's the figuring out what to teach and how to teach it.

 

Susan in TX

[fhjmom]

I recommend Cath Duffy's book, too! I think the title is a little misleading and I wish I had picked it up earlier. LOL! I just checked it out from the library yesterday and the first couple of chapters are all questions and a survey that you answer to help you think about what your goals are, what your teaching style is, what is your child(ren)'s learning styles, etc. Then it talks about how those things fit with the different styles of homeschooling and which curricula fit those as well.

 

I haven't even gotten to the chapters covering curriculum reviews and I would highly recommend it to anyone just getting started on homeschooling (or thinking about HS-ing) based on just the first few chapters.

[krisandpaula]

We just started down the homeschool path in March. Before I found WTM and these amazing forums, I got a lot of good curriculum information from HomeSchoolReviews.com. I started with Math and began reading reviews from parents that had used the stuff. I landed on several programs that we are sticking with for next year just from reading reviews.

[coop]

You may want to think about attending a homeschool conference. They usually have a curriculum sale to along with it. I found it really helpful to pick up and look through some of the books I was thinking about using.

 

Do you know other homeschoolers? I started with Sonlight after talking to a good friend who also homeschooled. Our kids were similar in age and interests so that worked out perfectly.

[Susan in TN]

So many here have given great advice! But I'll share my story in case it helps.

 

When I read The Well-Trained Mind, I knew that this was the direction I wanted to go with homeschooling. So I used virtually all of her top recommendations. Along the way, we found that a couple didn't work well for us, so we made adjustments. BUT, I think it helped immensely to have just a few recommendations from SWB, and go with those.

 

I will admit that I am a big "planner" - and I will spend/waste ;) countless hours browsing through curriculum catalogs. I love them. But my motto remains - stick with it (the curriculum) until you are absolutely sure it won't ever work and can't be tweeked to suit.

 

Have fun!