So how much of your time is spent researching resources for teaching.

[spradlin02]

Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the amount of research I feel I need to do to get resources for topics. How much time to you spend researching resources?

[Mrs Mungo]

Quite a lot. Today I am researching online classes for eldest. It's time for her to be responsible to someone else for some things.

[Carrie12345]

Too much, but mostly because I enjoy it! My list for next year is pretty much set, but I can't stop myself from checking other things out.

[Jen in PA]

I spend tons of time researching, but it all pays off by making our actual school time so much more efficient.

[DianeW88]

A ridiculous amount. Offset only by the equally ridiculous amount I spend planning school. And, the icing on the "ridiculous" cake is that.......I LOVE IT!! Send help. And, Amazon gift certificates. :lol:

 

Diane W.

married for 22 years

homeschooling 3 kiddos for 16 years

[spradlin02]

I enjoy the research, but with two months to go before I become Mr. Kotter, I'm getting a little overwhelmed.

[Guest rubilynne4]

too much. :D

[Carrie12345]

I enjoy the research, but with two months to go before I become Mr. Kotter, I'm getting a little overwhelmed.

 

IMO, the best thing to do is to determine what you DON'T like, and burn that file into your head. Then your eyes don't even notice those programs.

 

Focus on your main ideas for your big subjects, like math, English, history and science. It makes it easier to ask yourself "Do we really NEED this?" when you see tempting extras. Yes, an entire basket weaving curriculum may look fascinating, but will your kids be art-stupid if you don't buy it? No.

 

If you know you have the basics covered, ordered, and delivered, the rest is just icing to blow (or not to blow) your money on. Unless you decide you really hate something mid-year, and then you get to start all over again! :D

[MommaOfThree]

Too much. It's how I procrastinate.

 

:iagree:ME TOO!!!!

But at least we can blame it on our commitment to our kids' education....

[spradlin02]

If you know you have the basics covered, ordered, and delivered, the rest is just icing to blow (or not to blow) your money on.

 

Ahhh, but the icing is my most favorite part. Especially those big flowers that sometimes come on cakes. I make sure to time my serving to get the flower and it doesn't seem like I'm being childishly greedy.

[KristineinKS]

Too much. It's how I procrastinate.

 

Same here! I spend FAR more time researching than I do actually teaching. And sadly, most of what I purchase never even gets used. I seem to lose track of reality when I got caught up in my planning/research. It's the most enjoyable part of homeschooling for me, but at the same time, the most overwhelming.

[ahousefullofjs]

Too much, but mostly because I enjoy it! My list for next year is pretty much set, but I can't stop myself from checking other things out.

:iagree:I need a 12-step program for my researching problem. :lol:

[Imprimis]

I'm a consummate researcher. And I enjoy it :001_smile:

 

The research part is easy for me; it's the "make a decision already" part that I struggle with :glare:

[WarriorMama]

Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the amount of research I feel I need to do to get resources for topics. How much time to you spend researching resources?

 

Too much. Major research junkie here.

 

I have to draw a line or I'll have GREAT resources and not be spending any time using them. ;)

[Mom in High Heels]

Oh, waaaaaay too much. Way. Too. Much. I know what I'm looking for and when I find it I get happy, think this is it, until I come to the hive and see something else and then I start second guessing and researching all over again. It's awful. But I enjoy it. I'm sick. Sick, I tell you.

[Mejane]

Let's just say I much prefer the researching and planning to the actual teaching. It's a pickle.

Edited July 2, 2010 by Mejane

[Whereneverever]

Way too much. I love it- even when it's overwhelming.

[runmiarun]

My name is runmiarun and I have a research addiction. And my eldest is only 4 but I've almost got his elementary years mapped out or I did until I started reading some of the other threads and now I'm finding more things to research. Then today I stopped at Target for toilet paper and came home with flash cards and workbooks from the dollar zone.

[elegantlion]

I love the research part. I have two spiral notebooks filled with notes for high school and my ds is going to be in 7th grade. :001_huh:

[Ellen_TX]

A ridiculous amount. Offset only by the equally ridiculous amount I spend planning school. And, the icing on the "ridiculous" cake is that.......I LOVE IT!! Send help. And, Amazon gift certificates. :lol:

 

Diane W.

married for 22 years

homeschooling 3 kiddos for 16 years

:iagree:

 

Hello my name is Ellen and I am a curriculum, homeschool planning addict.

[3lilreds in NC]

My name is runmiarun and I have a research addiction. And my eldest is only 4 but I've almost got his elementary years mapped out or I did until I started reading some of the other threads and now I'm finding more things to research. Then today I stopped at Target for toilet paper and came home with flash cards and workbooks from the dollar zone.

 

MIA: THIS IS YOUR INTERVENTION. STEP AWAY FROM THE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS.

 

I would have been the same way you are if I'd figured out I wanted to homeschool earlier. Might have been a good thing, might have been a bad thing. What you need to do, my dear, is go outside and PLAY with your children! :lol:

[kalanamak]

At least 2 hours a week.

[Jeanne in MN]

I'm always researching curriculum, parenting, teaching/learning styles, homeschooling high school and so on. I spend too much time sometimes, but I do love it!!

[Dawn in OH]

Too much. It's how I procrastinate.

 

That describes me perfectly.

[jenL]

I LOVE researching! To me, it is fun - yes, I am a complete dork. I have learned to curb my desire to buy what I find though (thankfully!).

[mcconnellboys]

A lot. It's my life right now. When they move on then I will do other things....

[Rosie_0801]

I spend lots of time! Sometimes I think too much time, but other times I think that since I have very small children and energy is not abundant, it might just be that this is the stage of life for reading and thinking so when they are a bit older, I'll have the info to DO.

 

Rosie

[EKS]

A huge amount. I think my time is divided evenly between researching, planning, and teaching.

[Rosie_0801]

I spend lots of time! Sometimes I think too much time, but other times I think that since I have very small children and energy is not abundant, it might just be that this is the stage of life for reading and thinking so when they are a bit older, I'll have the info to DO.

 

Rosie

[anotherbrother]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who does this. The only thing that's ever set in stone is math and there can always be more of that :rolleyes:.

[Annabel Lee]

Too much. It's how I procrastinate.

 

:iagree:Same here. It's become almost a hobby. I told dh the other day that I'm officially a nerd now since my IRL friends & I were discussing which edition of Webster's dictionary was the best.

 

My oldest homeschooler is only going into 4th gr. & I already know what we're doing for high school math & writing if everything goes well; AND I have plans for if it doesn't, too. :D

[Peela]

Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the amount of research I feel I need to do to get resources for topics. How much time to you spend researching resources?

 

Way, way more than I would feel comfortable admitting, over the years. But I enjoyed it.

The good news is I don't spend any time doing it any more- the time for it passed.

[Cinder]

Let's just say I much prefer the researching and planning to the actual teaching. It's a pickle.

 

:iagree:

 

This is me.

 

Cinder

[2cents]

I live for researching curriculum! :) It is like a hobby for me. I spend a lot of my free time researching, planning and creating curriculum. It's my fun stuff!

[G5052]

As we pass the decade mark in homeschooling, I pretty much know my style and what works for us. The older one is in an academic co-op for most subjects, and this is the last year before my younger one will be as well. So my picking is centered around summer, recreational reading, and a few lessor subjects that we add to the co-op choices. I also go over all of the co-op choices myself (and read all the books!) so that I can help during the school year.

 

Frankly it's a nice place to be. I'm focusing on understanding the content of the subjects in-depth now versus trying to find curriculum that works. I'm more of a coach than a teacher.

[lllll]

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