Public school vs homeschool curricula

[IanSebast]

I've read different posts about X curriculum being a certain way because it was designed for a classroom setting. I use public school textbooks for math and grammar (without teacher's manuals), and they have worked okay so far, though we're looking for something else. What are the differences, if any, between the curricula used in the different settings? Is there a difference in pace, amount of material? Have we been missing out? I would like to know now that we're thinking about switching grammar and math. Thanks!

[Ellie]

I've read different posts about X curriculum being a certain way because it was designed for a classroom setting. I use public school textbooks for math and grammar (without teacher's manuals), and they have worked okay so far, though we're looking for something else. What are the differences, if any, between the curricula used in the different settings? Is there a difference in pace, amount of material? Have we been missing out? I would like to know now that we're thinking about switching grammar and math. Thanks!

Often, public school materials are just inferior academically. Think about how much we've all ready about the quality of public school education. Think about the number of people who are homeschooling today because their dc were getting such a bad education in public schools. Why would we want to use those materials at home?

 

Also, there are assignments or projects, depending on the subject, that were meant for a group of students. Sometimes there's a truckload of busywork, to keep students busy while the teacher is working with other students. Sometimes it's that the teacher manuals have most of the actual teaching, and the student books just have seatwork, such that if you don't have the manuals, you don't know what to teach before you give the dc their assignments.

Edited June 13, 2011 by Ellie

[TheAutumnOak]

One difference I notice is with grammar like Rod & Staff...Since it is written for a classroom, there are lots of written assignments because you can't do oral grammar excercises with a class, so the students need to write down their answers...We just do some of it orally to fix that for us...

[ondreeuh]

Public school curricula is by and large entirely secular. It is written to meet state standards.

 

Homeschooling curricula is more often than not Christian-based. State standards are usually not referenced at all.

 

We're in an interesting situation - needing to find inexpensive, secular materials that work well for small multiage groups. Programs written for homeschooling look really good, but we have to meet state standards and the content can't be religious.

[MusicMama]

Glad to see another LDS family!

 

Most public school curriculum has been carefully chosen and sifted through so that it will conform to state standards. California and Texas have some of the largest purchasing power, so as Cali and Texas go, so goes the publishing companies in many cases. In my mind it is so sanitized, the life has been purged out of it.

 

For every subject, a hs curriculum has much more freedom in when and how topics are presented. And they aren't full of busy work. You are more likely to find a curriculum to fit your family's needs in the hs arena than the ps arena.

[zenjenn]

A lot of people do "public school at home" and are happy with it. Some states even have state-sponsored homeschooling programs that operate pretty much like that.

 

Yes, public school texts are designed for classroom use. This means that people producing these materials try and create a product that is going to get consistent, measurable results statewide. That means teaching to a common denominator that is lower than what most homeschool parents find necessary (not because homeschooled children are intrinsically smarter, but children who live in homes with parents invested in their education are usually ahead of peers who do not live in such an environment.) It is also problematic for children with learning difficulties, because learning difficulties are the exception not the norm. The product is targeted to be effective on average kids who often do not live in an environment that is conducive to them meeting their academic potential.

 

For example, take math. Most public school math does a lot of "spiraling" (repetition of repetition). A lot of kids don't need but it doesn't necessarily hurt them, and it creates better results on group-wide standardized tests. Any average kid will have improved performance with enough spiraling regardless of how little math reinforcement is present at home. Above average or average kids with math reinforcement at home don't particularly need it, but aren't hurt by it. Kids with learning difficulties probably need something else besides a bunch of redundant spiraling. The result is a less-than-optimal curriculum for individual kids, but it may be optimal for a GROUP of kids, when looking at test output.

 

The other issue with public textbooks is political. The textbook industry is a highly political one, and the books used by public schools are not always chosen for being top quality, but those produced by who-knows-who, bizarre content requirements, who stands to profit, etc. The materials chosen by schools are not necessarily either the most economical or the most effective for learning. For example, my mother was a teacher in California for 20 years. In her time as a teacher, there were times when phonics were *forbidden* and only whole-language reading materials were approved. There were also periods where whole-language was forbidden and ONLY phonics was allowed.

 

Of course these are decisions made by ivory-tower education scholars and politicians - anyone who actively works with children knows that it is helpful to look at a subject from many approaches, and that some children respond differently to different approaches & teaching styles.

 

Of course, as a homeschooling parent, you do not have to restrict yourself to the restrictions the state places on teachers. Using public school texts may work, but it may also be restrictive.

[Spy Car]

Two of the very best and most popular programs with homeschoolers were written for classroom use: MCT Language Arts (Michael Clay Thompson) and Primary Mathematics (Singapore Math).

 

As were a host more.

 

Bill

[Daisy]

I think it just depends on what your child needs. There are many textbook-based publishers (secular and Christian) out there that homeschoolers use and love. There are also materials created specifically for homeschoolers that are well-loved.

 

Disclaimer. This is my opinion which will likely differ from another's opinion. LOL.

 

I think where I see the biggest difference is that textbook-based publishers tend to create materials that work with the average student. Good or bad, interesting or boring, isn't really the focus. It is about helping the average student meet state standards for achievement. The TM's provide additional information to the teacher to assist them in meeting the needs of students who are struggling or advanced. There is usually far more material than you actually need because they are trying to provide the teacher with support materials for every possible student need. They are also usually scripted which can be a help to parents who feel uncomfortable going it alone. Getting all the components can be very expensive, and knowing what to buy and what not to buy can be complicated.

 

Materials published by homeschoolers often have a tighter focus. They tend to be written for a particular demographic, learning style, or teaching method. They can be easier for the homeschool parent to use because they don't overwhelm the parent with so much material to wade through (not always true though). They may or may not have been created with standards in mind. More often than not, public school pacing of standards is not the primary objective. While still covering important concepts, ease of use with multiple-leveled children, maintaining an enjoyable learning environment, and use of whole books is given a high priority.

 

I think there is benefit to both. I use textbooks for math and English but prefer homeschool-based materials and just good literature for our other subjects. It doesn't have to be either/or.

[IanSebast]

I never realized there was much more busywork with ps textbooks than with hs ones, I guess that is because the only hs math I ever saw was saxon, and ds HATED it :D. We use SOTW and love the way it is presented, and he loves history. I don't mind secular vs nonsecular, we live our religion, so including it in our schoolwork is icing on the cake, but not necessary. I'm just concerned about jeopardizing my children's education to save a few bucks, or simply due to my own ignorance in picking out the "best" curricula for us. The thing is, I didn't grow up in the US, so my only experience with ps are the two years of high school I did (junior and senior) upon my arrival to learn the language and obtain my diploma. I need some light...Oh my! I want good programs for math and English, minus the unnecessary drills, and group projects. Any ideas? :confused:

Edited June 14, 2011 by IanSebast

[LittleIzumi]

I never realized there was much more busywork with ps textbooks than with hs ones, I guess that is because the only hs math I ever saw was saxon, and ds HATED it :D. We use SOTW and love the way it is presented, and he loves history. I don't mind secular vs nonsecular, we live our religion, so including it in our schoolwork is icing on the cake, but not necessary. I'm just concerned about jeopardizing my children's education to save a few bucks, or simply due to my own ignorance in picking out the "best" curricula for us. The thing is, I didn't grow up in the US, so my only experience with ps are the two years of high school I did (junior and senior) upon my arrival to learn the language and obtain my diploma. I need some light...Oh my! I want good programs for math and English, minus the unnecessary drills, and group projects. Any ideas? :confused:

 

A lot of schools here use Saxon ;). There are very few curricula that truly mesh with the LDS faith so I just use secular (although there is a history program written from the LDS perspective. My girls are too young for that). Assuming you're LDS from the siggy, anyway. I LOVE Singapore for math, and a lot of people adore MCT for English. No drills or group projects in either. Singapore moves quickly but is fun and very solid. It makes math seem easy, which is a big deal for me, lol. I am math-phobic normally.

[merry gardens]

Yes this is very true. Although I have never seen anything like MCT in PS texts. I think I would have loved to have them as a kid.

 

Not all PS texts are bad. My least favorite that I've seen are usually history and science texts.

I use Singapore Math, (us edition, which are not the texts developed for California ps standards.) I really like them, but they occassionally have group projects or word problems that are clearly geared towards school away from home. For instance, in the first grade books, the lesson for telling time show the child get up and then go off to school.

 

Singapore Science also has several group projects too. Here's one group project it had where my homeschooled children had an advantage over most US public schooled children: the writers of Singapore Science expected the children to explore the school garden! We just went outside and did the activity in our yard. I wonder how many American schools have school gardens set up for that?