Curriculum is SO overrated....

[keyjoh62080]

...I wish I had known this before wasting the thousands of dollars that I did....ugh!

[tammyw]

...I wish I had known this before wasting the thousands of dollars that I did....ugh!

 

I tend to spend my money more on books rather than curriculum, though I have purchased some and agree that it's usually not what I expected. Thankfully I haven't spend a ton of money on things that weren't very successful.

 

Maybe you can share what methods have been more successful for you? We tend to do a lot of learning through living books and dvds. My son likes to learn via the computer.

[ChrissySC]

...I wish I had known this before wasting the thousands of dollars that I did....ugh!

 

 

Perhaps you are suffering from lack of definition. Curriculum is not over-rated. Perhaps the resources and subject content that you have chosen are not suitable.

 

Curriculum is not the "math book", but rather the sum of the parts of each subject - the courses that you have chosen to teach and not what you have chosen to use to teach.

 

For that matter, most of the resources at a homeschool level are produced by mothers who have homeschooled. I always check background information. For example, I use ES, which was written by someone with a science background and who homeschooled. :001_smile: Do your own research. Do not go with the pop content of the moment.

[quark]

I tend to spend my money more on books rather than curriculum, though I have purchased some and agree that it's usually not what I expected. Thankfully I haven't spend a ton of money on things that weren't very successful. Maybe you can share what methods have been more successful for you? We tend to do a lot of learning through living books and dvds. My son likes to learn via the computer.

 

:iagree:We too love living books and dvds. I am often disappointed by curriculum although sometimes, I do stumble upon good programs. I also think it's how you use the curriculum that matters. I've had to teach myself to learn to use a curriculum as a tool and not be controlled by it. Once I am able to do that, I find it isn't always as bad.

What's worked for us: Ellen McHenry, Art of Problem Solving and TOPS Science.

What hasn't: curriculum in a box or pre-planned curriculum.

[Melis]

...I wish I had known this before wasting the thousands of dollars that I did....ugh!

 

I know what you mean ;) Sometimes I feel this way too. If time wasn't a huge factor for me, I'd probably do my own thing for almost everything!

[boscopup]

I also think it's how you use the curriculum that matters. I've had to teach myself to learn to use a curriculum as a tool and not be controlled by it.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[kristinannie]

:iagree:We too love living books and dvds. I am often disappointed by curriculum although sometimes, I do stumble upon good programs. I also think it's how you use the curriculum that matters. I've had to teach myself to learn to use a curriculum as a tool and not be controlled by it. Once I am able to do that, I find it isn't always as bad.

 

 

:iagree: completely. I was feeling trapped by my curriculum choices so I was thinking of just throwing all the workbooks in the trash. I came to realize that there were lots of great things in there and that we didn't have to do every.single.page.every.single.day. This is especially true for phonics. While we mostly learn phonics by reading, playing phonics games and using a whiteboard and magnetic letters, I occaisionally find that I need the workbook when DS5 gets stuck in a certain area to give him more practice. We mostly do unit studies based on living books, crafts and experiments. My kids are learning so much from this approach. I know it wouldn't be the same if they were just hearing me read a textbook and then helping them fill out a workbook page. So, while curricula are not the end all be all that I thought they would be, they also have a place in our homeschool. They just have a place when it is right for my family.

 

As for all in a box curricula, I just don't think I could ever stomach that. Honestly, that is one of the main reasons I homeschool....to tailor my curricula to my individual children. I can completely understand why people use them and I know they work well for lots of people, but I am definitely an eclectic homeschooler!:D

[Five More Minutes]

I also think it's how you use the curriculum that matters.

:iagree:I've been happy with many of the different programs that we've purchased, because they save me time and help me think about different ways of teaching topics to my children.

[Walking-Iris]

Thousands of dollars???? Please share what "curriculum" you bought and what about it is not working or is overrated.

 

For me curriculum is the subjects and topics etc that we are going to cover that year---curriculum is also a philosophy of education that I have for our homeschool. People ask me what curriculum I'm using all the time---and I know they want me to say Apologia, Abeka whatever---but really I use soooo many different books, programs and resources and not all do I even use in it's entirety or as the author intended.

 

I also interlibrary loan or borrow anything I'm interested in before I buy---if i can find it. There's also so much available online for free that a whole year's curriculum could easily be made for the cost of printer ink.

 

I honestly believe that if you buy one year's worth of everything from one publisher and try to follow that to a T as scripted and scheduled out without deviations ---burnout and boredom will likely follow.

[Willow Creek Academy]

What on God's green earth did you buy that cost "thousands of dollars"?

[boscopup]

What on God's green earth did you buy that cost "thousands of dollars"?

 

Some of the boxed curriculum can get that much if you're buying for multiple children, especially things like DVD lessons and all that. Several of those run around $1000 per grade level.

 

Some curriculum will be expensive but include a lot of good literature (like Sonlight), so if the curriculum doesn't work, you at least still have good books to read that were worth *some* money. But if you get something like all BJU textbooks with DVDs and then find that you don't like it for your 10 kids, yes, you've spent thousands. :)

[Willow Creek Academy]

Some of the boxed curriculum can get that much if you're buying for multiple children, especially things like DVD lessons and all that. Several of those run around $1000 per grade level.

 

Some curriculum will be expensive but include a lot of good literature (like Sonlight), so if the curriculum doesn't work, you at least still have good books to read that were worth *some* money. But if you get something like all BJU textbooks with DVDs and then find that you don't like it for your 10 kids, yes, you've spent thousands. :)

 

Wow. My budget is $1000 a year in total for all kids. But I buy a lot of used items, especially when I was doing CLE with the olders, and I utilized the library a ton.

[Joyofsixreboot]

As others said, I use my curriculum as a jumping off spot. I have "winged" it and have followed a curriculum when I needed time. You are the teacher, not the curriculum.

[datimasa]

:iagree:I've been happy with many of the different programs that we've purchased, because they save me time and help me think about different ways of teaching topics to my children.

Ditto

[datimasa]

I also think it's how you use the curriculum that matters.

 

:iagree:I've been happy with many of the different programs that we've purchased, because they save me time and help me think about different ways of teaching topics to my children.

 

 

Ok, I fixed the quote. Ditto to both.

 

I could not teach them everything I want them to learn on my own. Mainly because my own education was sorely lacking.

Edited November 12, 2011 by datimasa

[Guest]

I LOVE curriculum, and I love that there are so many great choices out there. I would hate having to try to teach everything on my own. However, I think choosing the perfect curriculum is overrated. Although...sometimes I still find myself trying to find the perfect curriculum, too. It does not exist. Sometimes you have to pick what fits you the best and ignore the imperfections.

[KathyBC]

Wow. My budget is $1000 a year in total for all kids. But I buy a lot of used items, especially when I was doing CLE with the olders, and I utilized the library a ton.

 

Yup. Now multiply that by how many years you have been/will be homeschooling. Thousands.

[....]

Did you see my "I'll never use curriculum again" nervous breakdown thread? http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=286345&highlight=considering+writing+curriculum

 

Last spring, I had our year's curriculum sitting in my shopping cart and was ready to click the submit button...when I started really thinking about what I was buying. I was going to spend $500, it'll get here, it'll be great the first couple of weeks...then it'll be a little boring, I'll start tweaking it...after 3 months, it will look nothing like it did when I bought it.

 

I use curriculum for math and language arts. Those are just things I can't teach without help. (However, I have thought about going without curriculum for math, I think I could do it.)

 

I am finding that the longer I homeschool (I'm homeschooling 4 kids this year), the less curriculum I need to teach them...

 

I'm planning for the logic stage next year and if you read TWTM, she doesn't really call for using a lot of curriculum. Basically, you need to cover math, grammar and Latin. Everything else, you're just buying resources (like Usborne's Ancient Times) and doing your writing assignments, research, reading, projects, etc - from those. It's all mapped out in there and I just don't think we need to spend a lot of money to cover that stuff.

 

If you can come up with your own curriculum for your students, you should try it.

[....]

Some of the boxed curriculum can get that much if you're buying for multiple children, especially things like DVD lessons and all that. Several of those run around $1000 per grade level.

 

 

I don't want to get specific...but we know families who use a particular program and it IS about $1,000 per grade level. :svengo:

[....]

For that matter, most of the resources at a homeschool level are produced by mothers who have homeschooled.

 

Now, I don't have a problem with those kinds of resources at all. In fact, I bought all the handwriting print-outs (cursive, manuscript and copybook) from Teach Me Joy. They are awesome.

 

However...if you see advertising geared to homeschooling families, it's not the mom-and-pop businesses, it's the $1,000 per grade level curricula. :glare: When we first looked into homeschooling, I thought that was pretty much what you had to buy. (Not that no one should be able to advertise, I honestly just feel like those programs are priced too high for what they offer.)

[boscopup]

I don't want to get specific...but we know families who use a particular program and it IS about $1,000 per grade level. :svengo:

 

It's still MUCH cheaper than private school though. ;) Most private schools are no less than $5k/year per kid... some much, much more than that.

 

So if the homeschooler's alternative would be private school, homeschooling is a bargain, even if they're spending $1000 per grade level.

 

Nothing wrong with spending $1000/year per kid or less than $1000 for the whole family. Whatever your family needs and can afford, do what's right for you. :)

[....]

Nothing wrong with spending $1000/year per kid or less than $1000 for the whole family. Whatever your family needs and can afford, do what's right for you. :)

 

I totally agree with the "do what works for your family"! Everybody's situation is different. And I do have warm, fuzzy feelings for things like My Father's World and Oak Meadow. :001_wub:

[butterflymommy]

It's still MUCH cheaper than private school though. ;) Most private schools are no less than $5k/year per kid... some much, much more than that.

 

So if the homeschooler's alternative would be private school, homeschooling is a bargain, even if they're spending $1000 per grade level.

 

Nothing wrong with spending $1000/year per kid or less than $1000 for the whole family. Whatever your family needs and can afford, do what's right for you. :)

 

This is our situation-- it is either HS or private school which would be 10k/ yr for the kids, double that when they enter high school.

 

To answer the "1000s of $$" question-- we spent about that between 1 level of SOS (9th grade), Rosetta Stone, MFW for 4 kids, and R & S workbooks. Prior to that we probably spent about $5000 over a number of years which includes a year of correspondence school. We save everything non consumable so have gotten some re-use out of it.

 

The biggest waste was the online correspondence school, but it was the only way I could get DH to let me take the kids out of school.

[ereks mom]

For me curriculum is the subjects and topics etc that we are going to cover that year---curriculum is also a philosophy of education that I have for our homeschool. People ask me what curriculum I'm using all the time---and I know they want me to say Apologia, Abeka whatever---but really I use soooo many different books, programs and resources and not all do I even use in it's entirety or as the author intended.

 

I also interlibrary loan or borrow anything I'm interested in before I buy---if i can find it. There's also so much available online for free that a whole year's curriculum could easily be made for the cost of printer ink.

 

I honestly believe that if you buy one year's worth of everything from one publisher and try to follow that to a T as scripted and scheduled out without deviations ---burnout and boredom will likely follow.

 

:iagree: You sound EXACTLY like me!

[leeannpal]

Perhaps you are suffering from lack of definition. Curriculum is not over-rated. Perhaps the resources and subject content that you have chosen are not suitable.

 

Curriculum is not the "math book", but rather the sum of the parts of each subject - the courses that you have chosen to teach and not what you have chosen to use to teach.

 

For that matter, most of the resources at a homeschool level are produced by mothers who have homeschooled. I always check background information. For example, I use ES, which was written by someone with a science background and who homeschooled. :001_smile: Do your own research. Do not go with the pop content of the moment.

:iagree:And the plural for the word is curricula.

[keyjoh62080]

For those that have asked...I think I purchased just about every curriculum on the market over the past 2 years of homeschooling. I was trying to find my way just to see that what I am using is SO simple and inexpensive. I really wish I had someone to tell me the does and the dont's in my first 2 years,

 

I have a few friends that have decided to homeschool this year and I am trying my best to help in every way that I can so that they dont make the same mistakes that I have.

 

It's just a little depressing thinking of how much of my DH's hard earned money was wasted.

 

Alot of times I feel like a crazy woman. I dont know how many times I put things away....pulled them out....put them away...pulled them out....put them away again....pulled the same books out again. It's insane.

 

Soooooo...I cleaned out my so called curriculum closet and 'gave' everything away that I am not using and only kept what I need. I had to do that in order to get off the CRAZY roller coaster that I was on. Because I gave it all away instead of trying to resell it all I am feeling a little bit of guilt.

 

Sorry for venting!

[quark]

Alot of times I feel like a crazy woman. I dont know how many times I put things away....pulled them out....put them away...pulled them out....put them away again....pulled the same books out again. It's insane.

 

Been there! Done that! :grouphug:

[elegantlion]

I found it so much easier to buy once I found a PHILOSOPHY of education to follow. Curricula is bright and shiny and oh so tempting. :lol: I don't have any $ to "waste", I have to use what I buy. I have a decent budget, but at this level I have to know how each part is going to fit into the whole before I even purchase.

 

And I didn't request a Rainbow Resource catalog, that has been a big help.

[Swimtaxi234]

I only bought one thing that I really hated (Shurley Grammar). I hated it from the first lesson, but I felt that since my friends loved it and dog-gone-it, since I bought it that I needed to stay with it.

 

Thankfully I found the strength to get rid of it and stop being a slave to the "I bought it, I must use it" theory.

 

Anyway, my comments are basically about wondering if you are suffering from that same theory.

[redsquirrel]

I found it so much easier to buy once I found a PHILOSOPHY of education to follow. Curricula is bright and shiny and oh so tempting. :lol: I don't have any $ to "waste", I have to use what I buy. I have a decent budget, but at this level I have to know how each part is going to fit into the whole before I even purchase.

 

And I didn't request a Rainbow Resource catalog, that has been a big help.

 

That. Right there.

 

Once you have an educational approach that truly works for you, things get easier. I can look at something and tell in a heartbeat that it won't work for us because it doesn't fit in how I do things. I may think it is super cool, but I know I have to put it back and go back to what works for my kids.

 

I am willing to try something new, but it had better be really good and I won't pay a lot until I know it works for us.

[Rosie_0801]

It's just a little depressing thinking of how much of my DH's hard earned money was wasted.

 

Fortunately for me, dh used to be a teacher. When I have a fit of the vapours of such things, he reminds me that a certain amount of wastage is expected and necessary. The wastage is no longer considered the curriculum budget but the professional development budget. :)

 

Rosie

[BlsdMama]

I found it so much easier to buy once I found a PHILOSOPHY of education to follow. Curricula is bright and shiny and oh so tempting. de[

 

I couldn't agree more. Once you know yourself and your family, the money is better spent. Otherwise it would be a bit like a stranger doing my grocery shopping. : D

[happycc]

Fortunately for me, dh used to be a teacher. When I have a fit of the vapours of such things, he reminds me that a certain amount of wastage is expected and necessary. The wastage is no longer considered the curriculum budget but the professional development budget. :)

 

Rosie

 

Love your husband already and haven't met him.

 

My husband was just complaining about how much we were spending homeschooling.

But if you think about it ...lots cheaper than PS believe it or not...

 

PS price

 

1)School supplies at the beginning of the year at least $50

2) School supplies at home

3) school supplies for locker/backpack

4)school supplies for the middle of the year

5)teachers presents -Christmas and end of year

6)birthday presents for the birthdays your kids go to

7) birthday parties for the class

8) items for class parties

9)Scholastic book fairs

10)fundraisers-Jamba juice, bake sale, calenders

11)Spirit wear

12)PTA fees

13)school clothes

14)school lunches

15)picture fees

16)lice medications

17)PE uniform

18)elective fee

19)field trip money

20)gas money

21)money for projects

22)the many obligatory sleep overs and slumber parties

23)money for teacher appreciation week

24)additional workbooks/materials to help with homework

25)day care money if you end up working

26)private counseling if the school feels your child needs it

27)school library fee

28)medications if the school feels your child needs it

29)another set of asthma medications, peak flows, advil etc for school use

 

any one has more?

[FairyMom]

Fortunately for me, dh used to be a teacher. When I have a fit of the vapours of such things, he reminds me that a certain amount of wastage is expected and necessary. The wastage is no longer considered the curriculum budget but the professional development budget. :)

 

Rosie

 

 

Love it! :lol: So that's what you call it!

[serendipitous journey]

The biggest waste was the online correspondence school, but it was the only way I could get DH to let me take the kids out of school.

 

maybe a consoling thought: that wasn't a total loss, then ;).

 

and :grouphug:

[MSNative]

Fortunately for me, dh used to be a teacher. When I have a fit of the vapours of such things, he reminds me that a certain amount of wastage is expected and necessary. The wastage is no longer considered the curriculum budget but the professional development budget. :)

 

Rosie

 

Rosie - I love your posts! Are coffee and chocolate expenses included in that budget, too?

 

Back to the topic, in the earlier years, I spent more on curricula. Lots of skills workbooks that just sorta added up. But now that two of my boys are out of that stage, I find more of my budget goes to stuff rather than books - mainly science stuff: kits, lab supplies, etc.

 

Buying used curricula helps a lot. So does having friends who also homeschool and will let you check out their books before you buy your own. I've also finally realized that for many books, you just have to keep at it. Too often I used to get bored and put it aside and try something new. Now unless it is really bad, I continue on with it and my kids really don't mind. They aren't going to ever love spelling, but they have to do it.

Edited November 13, 2011 by MSNative

[Alessandra]

Fortunately for me, dh used to be a teacher. When I have a fit of the vapours of such things, he reminds me that a certain amount of wastage is expected and necessary. The wastage is no longer considered the curriculum budget but the professional development budget. :)

 

Rosie

 

This is priceless!

[zenjenn]

I found it so much easier to buy once I found a PHILOSOPHY of education to follow. Curricula is bright and shiny and oh so tempting.

 

:iagree:

 

I think the trick is to define your goals and methods.

 

The mistake I see a lot of people making is they don't know what to do, so they invest in curricula hoping that the the materials themselves will eliminate uncertainty and make clear the way.

 

For most people, it just doesn't work that way.

 

After all, if you are a person who could not accept what the public school system offered you at face value, you're probably not the kind of person that can accept what a curriculum is offering you at face value, either.

 

Once you define your goals and philosophy though, curricula becomes very valuable. You're unlikely to purchase boxed curriculum though, because you want every item you purchase to be purchased for a specific purpose, and the materials then just become a way to save time and keep things organized.

 

It is for this reason I have zero regrets about sort of pseudo "unschooling" when I first pulled my daughter out of public school. It helped that she was in early 1st grade when we did, but by not investing myself financially or emotionally in a curriculum I was able to really have the freedom to solidify my plan of action through experimentation. I just bought a year of MM and some language arts books from Barnes and Noble, and heavy use of the public library and the internet. :D

 

Not to say that there are not a few things on my shelf that haven't seen use, but they are small, individual things. There is no opportunity for a large amount of waste.

[kristinannie]

Fortunately for me, dh used to be a teacher. When I have a fit of the vapours of such things, he reminds me that a certain amount of wastage is expected and necessary. The wastage is no longer considered the curriculum budget but the professional development budget. :)

 

Rosie

 

 

So true!!!! I have done a lot of professionaly development in my first year of HSing! :lol::lol::lol:

[NorCalMom]

Fortunately for me, dh used to be a teacher. When I have a fit of the vapours of such things, he reminds me that a certain amount of wastage is expected and necessary. The wastage is no longer considered the curriculum budget but the professional development budget. :)

 

Rosie

 

This! I list my "occupation" as Director of Child Development, so for me it's just another write-off. :lol:

[mamakim]

For those that have asked...I think I purchased just about every curriculum on the market over the past 2 years of homeschooling. I was trying to find my way just to see that what I am using is SO simple and inexpensive. I really wish I had someone to tell me the does and the dont's in my first 2 years,

 

 

:grouphug: Thing is . . . nobody could have done that for you, exactly. For sure if you'd had a friend to help you sort out how you envisioned teaching, what methods would work best for you, etc, maybe you wouldn't have spent quite so much. But it's not like someone could have let you know about the good, simple, inexpensive way to homeschool that you've worked out. Because you've found the way that is personal to you, your teaching style, and your children's learning style. It's great that you're helping your friends to find their best teaching tools, as well, and it will be fun for you to see the different styles and tools they end up with, most likely looking different than yours.

 

FWIW, you've done really well to do this in 2 years! Takes many people way longer.