What is your, "What's The Big Deal?" curriculum?

[AimeeM]

Singapore - too busy. You have to buy multiple books for ANYTHING resembling review. Underwhelming considering the hype

 

Math Mammoth - weird

 

WWE - read passage, summarize... over and over and over (not sure what the hype is; and yes, I've purchased and discarded/resold many a time)

[radiobrain]

I find this thread amusing.

 

I know that what I like (MCT, LoF, etc.) is only ok for a few people...and the majority of curriculum out there is not my cup of tea.

 

My brain does not work in a way that the typical writer of curriculum caters to. Therefore, my list would be long, have a lot of things that people like on it...so why bother?

 

I throw books out for formatting and font. :tongue_smilie:

[Wheres Toto]

BFSU - too hard to implement and didn't feel like some of the experiments showed what they were supposed to show.

 

Sonlight - a very expensive book list, especially if you want to go secular.

 

FIAR - too scattered. Jumps around to different topics for the same book and my kids hated that.

 

FLL - too slow, boring.

[Julie Smith]

I find this thread amusing.

 

I know that what I like (MCT, LoF, etc.) is only ok for a few people...and the majority of curriculum out there is not my cup of tea.

 

My brain does not work in a way that the typical writer of curriculum caters to. Therefore, my list would be long, have a lot of things that people like on it...so why bother?

 

I throw books out for formatting and font. :tongue_smilie:

 

How could you throw out books for formatting and font, yet keep LoF? Ugghhh that is one oddly formatted book with different fonts used throughout.

[amselby81]

I knew C.C. would be mentioned here a few times. Haha! We do C.C. and I'm not even sure what all the fuss is about. I know I could do the same thing at home. And there's really not a whole lot to it. I actually wish it were a four year cycle so it could cover more material. But I'll tell you the main reason why we're doing it again is b/c it's nice to meet with our group once a week, and it's nice that DD is memorizing the same thing as everyone else in the group. I think it motivates DD and I both. And while C.C. doesn't look like much in the younger grades, the upper grades look totally awesome! But its also pricier too. :(

 

Anyway, we're new to homeschooling and since DD is only prek, we haven't tried much. So my list of "What's the big deal?" is not long at all.

 

-I don't understand Spalding. I have the book and I don't get it, so I think we'll go with All About Spelling once DD gets into first grade.

 

-I also don't get Hooked on Phonics. I'm using the pre-k right now and I hate it. We're trucking through b/c DD doesn't want to stop. I have the kindergarten too, and I just think it's the lamest phonics curriculum. It doesn't have nearly enough practice with each word family. I know people who's child does one lesson of HOP a day, whether they master it or not. Her son is in first grade, and he finished the second grade H.O.P. earlier this year. My friend think that just b/c he finished second grade HOP he must be reading on the second grade level. But he can hardly read anything outside of HOP. And he also reads very slowly and doesn't retain anything he reads. Yeah. HOP is not a complete phonics curriculum and I feel bad for anyone who thinks it is.

[Jen Becker]

Hooked on Phonics -- Single-sound flash cards? Really? Could you try any harder to kill her interest in reading? We did use the readers, but only because I hadn't bought Bob books yet.

 

OPGTR -- Just didn't like it, something didn't click. But we did like TCR100EZ and Phonics Pathways, and it's not too different; not sure what about it turned us off.

 

Cuisenaire rods -- I don't get this! It seems like you're learning colors and lengths more than numbers! Why make the kids memorize the color -> number association, work with the colors and lengths, then translate BACK to the number? The ones that are at least notched to indicate units make more sense to me, but the plain wooden ones make me :001_huh:

 

Moving Beyond the Page -- Bought part of this when my daughter was in preschool. She was already past most of the content in the (supposedly) k-2 curriculum. It was so.... basic. I felt like normal daily conversations covered what they covered.

[Jess4879]

 

Social studies and science textboook/workbook programs for grades K-2

Kids already know their neighborhood has mail carriers and that rain wets plants. Fluffy wastes of time.

:iagree:

[winoelle]

Miquon had me wondering what on earth I was thinking when I bought it. Total miss for me and dd.

 

Winterpromise, Apologia, SOTW all could be on that list as well.

 

And that is just the one's I have purchased. There are plenty more I don't get that I have only looked into.

 

Noelle

[truebluexf]

Singapore Math....why so many books and so little teaching?

 

FIAR...made me dizzy just looking at it.

 

Noeo Science....too much going on, too many sources, ugh.

 

La Clase Divertida...yawn...the same video five times?!

[SkateLeft]

HOD

All About Spelling

Life of Fred

 

I've bought all three, and was completely underwhelmed. In my opinion, they're either silly and fluffy, poorly written or too much work for too little gain.

 

I ended up passing the books and materials on to other folks.

[...................]

:iagree:

 

And I'm resentful about how much space it takes up on my bookshelf. I could fit like 3 books where it is. I was so excited when I ordered it, but when it arrived I read it like: :glare: It's just a wildlife guide: just a very old one with bad pictures and lots of outdated information about habitat

 

Lol :iagree:

 

Only I sold mine!

[lorisuewho]

I will start by saying I DO like a lot of what is listed on this thread. I like AAS and ETC. I even liked FIAR.

 

Sonlight was a big mistake for me this year. When I got the materials, I was like. . .WHAT?? This huge binder just to give me a reading schedule? I sent Sonlight back.

 

 

Miquon had me wondering what on earth I was thinking when I bought it. Total miss for me and dd.

 

 

 

:iagree:HA! This was true for us too! I am just not Miquony.

[In2why]

Sonlight and IEW.

I haven't tried Sonlight, I borrowed a guide and studied it for a few days, and I can't justify spending the money for something I can easily do myself.

IEW I really wanted to love this and I do like the folder that acts like cliff notes and a thesaurus, but other than that I don't understand the hype. At least the resale value is high :D

[momma2three]

Lol :iagree:

 

Only I sold mine!

 

I need to do that, because I can't imaging ever actually cracking it with my kids... there are so many far better books out there for studying wildlife. Just from a practical perspective, it's too big to tote around and the binding seems cheap and flimsy and like the book will fall apart if I even tried to use it.

 

And, seriously, whenever I'm trying to fit new books into my school bookshelf I glare at it for being such a waste of space.

[Penelope]

Teaching the Classics. (really? Did everyone not get this degree of basic lit analysis in 8th or 9th grade? Did not get why it is supposed to be so helpful)

 

IEW (I can see why some people like it. I just don't get why it's supposed to be a good writing program)

 

Bravewriter (even once I got past the grammar mistakes and poor writing in the guide. Still didn't get it). :auto:

[TXBeth]

Considering God's Creation, I don't get how it can be called CM. It is just a boring black and white textbook with tons of worksheets.

 

I didn't know CGC was supposed to be CM, but my siblings and I really enjoyed it the year I taught it to them. Lots of hands-on activities and nature walks.

I'm biased, though, because my brother and I sang on the recording. :lol:

 

Social studies and science textboook/workbook programs for grades K-2

Kids already know their neighborhood has mail carriers and that rain wets plants. Fluffy wastes of time.

 

:iagree:

[Mandylubug]

The Weaver Curriculum.. By the end of using it; I didn't understand exactly what I paid over 200 dollars for. The lesson recommendations were so open ended per age group. I did HOURS of prep work, library visits and typically felt helpless and not knowing what I was doing.

 

Math Mammoth just doesn't work for our family. Not saying its bad though.. Just didn't work

 

English for the Thoughtful Child.. OMG SNOREEEEEEEEEEEE

 

100 EZ Lessons was another SNORE for my family.

[momma2three]

Ohmy, how could I forget How to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. DD was asking to learn how to read, so I pulled that book out, and by lesson 2 she had firmly decided that she would never learn how to read. It took 6 months before I could coax her to try another word.

[Quiver0f10]

Oy vey!!! I switch around stuff because I go nuts teaching the same stuff year after year. I need to shake it up....

 

My meh stuff....

 

Math Mammoth...blah....

Mystery of History....that was a bummer.

Oh, years ago...The Weaver Curriculum. That was all the rage for a while...

 

Someone loaned this to me once. I just didn't get it. Not a good fit at all.

[HappyCrazyMama]

The Weaver for sure!:confused:

[WeeBeaks]

FIAR - my kids all disliked it. I like the idea of it, but nobody wants to read the book again. They want a NEW book to read each day. Pile of library books on the same topic is fine, but not the same exact book for them.

 

R&S I find terribly boring. But it works for one child so we do it no matter how much I hate it. I'm sympathetic to the person who said it is torture to teach something so dull (need my caffeine while doing it for sure), but DS is learning finally!

 

Thankfully I'm bored teaching stuff more than my kids are bored with materials. That I can probably live with.

[kamom]

Apologia science. Way too much info for elementary kids. The high school texts bore me.

 

 

Easy Grammar. Too much crossing and underlining and writing initials above too many words.

 

I rolled my eyes when we first tried Apologia, Zoology; it was way over their heards in 4th grade. I resold it and this year, 6th, we did a thorough study with Human Anatomy and they enjoyed it. I learned right along with them. Even in 6th grade some of it was very hard to grasp, like the in depth study of how hearing works. I couldn't even repeat it all!

 

Same opinion here on Easy Grammer.

 

MUS has me puzzled:001_huh:

 

TOG scares me. I am just not that organized!

 

Saxon makes me run the other way. I tried that one for a few months.

 

HOD:001_smile: Though I don't get it I am still tempted to try it because of all the positive stories I hear.

[mommatomany]

Sorry, Jessie Wise, but OPGTR and FLL...yawn. We struggled through half of OPGTR...i wanted it to work because it was so simple. But it bored us to tears.

 

:iagree:

[...................]

Ohmy, how could I forget How to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. DD was asking to learn how to read, so I pulled that book out, and by lesson 2 she had firmly decided that she would never learn how to read. It took 6 months before I could coax her to try another word.

 

100EZ was a failure here too. I tried it with both of my kids, and both of them were extremely STRESSED out about it, because of the way it moved so fast, the way it was scripted, and the way it introduced those weird letter mish-mosh thingies.

 

They both thrived with a regular phonics program and phonics pathways and a few sight words.

[3byzaz]

 

Apologia, especially for younger ages.

 

I totally don't get this, the narrow focus for an entire year, the overkill on grade level, everything about it I just don't like. There, I said it, I will protect myself from the flying tomatoes :-)

 

 

Cindy

 

:iagree:

[mommatomany]

100EZ and WWE

[stripe]

Comstock Nature Study Handbook

 

you know, nearly everything I've looked up in there....isn't there. Go on, try it.

 

I found one online with an intro by her, by Overton and Hill, called Nature Study that's like a hundred pages long and all about things normal kids encounter (dandelion, apple, common fly). I bought a copy so I could hold it. Lots of interesting questions to ponder, with none of the bulk.

 

Simply Grammar struck me as pretty dull. I also own English for the Thoughtful Child, which looks much more fascinating in comparison.

 

I was seriously underwhelmed by the IEW book on poetry memorization. I usually get blasted when I say this, but just buy a nice book of poems! I sold mine and replaced it with a few nice anthologies.

[Rivka]

Wow, I love the Comstock Handbook of Nature Study. And FIAR. And Beast Academy. :tongue_smilie:

 

I completely do not get the appeal of Classical Conversations. Why would I want my child to cram her brain full of meaningless-to-her information, on the vague theory that someday she'll learn the context and understand it?

 

Practically every week there's a posting to my local homeschool mailing list with a title like "Interested in classical education?" And every time it's an ad for a Classical Conversations group. I think that a lot of people wind up believing that that's what classical ed is.

[sewingmama]

Moving Beyond the Page -- Bought part of this when my daughter was in preschool. She was already past most of the content in the (supposedly) k-2 curriculum. It was so.... basic. I felt like normal daily conversations covered what they covered.

 

If you are just looking to teach your child content then I agree MBTP probably won't work. MBTP is more about the processes used to teach the content rather then the content itself. I always liked that the content was basic - I can adjust it to add in things that are new to my kids ( I love to tweak :D).

 

Yes my 5yo already knew that a frog lives in a pond and a polar bear lives in the artic but she has never made a bar graph that compares animals habitats before or prepared a photo collage from photos she took herself at our local natural habitat.

 

To like MBTP you have to really like hands on activities and not just be buying it for the content it contains. The ultimate goal of MBTP is to create a free thinking, independent learner - not just someone who knows a lot of "stuff" KWIM.

 

I also think it is easier to see the progress if you buy the whole year curriculum rather then just individual units - the skills learned are progressive and build on things previously learned.

[Miss Marple]

Sometimes samples can be deceiving. MCT is one such curriculum. Even flipping through a friend's copy of the full grammar book I didn't get an accurate sense of what the program is really like. It wasn't until I got the complete set that I finally understood why MCT got all the raves.

 

I don't see how people can stand to use Saxon math and R&S grammar year in and year out, with multiple children no less! I can tell from previewing the books that they are both solid programs, but I think I'd poke my eyes out if I were forced to use them long term. :tongue_smilie:

 

:iagree: with it all. Love MCT; Saxon and R&S would/have been torture for us!

[Mommy22alyns]

HOD for me too. I've looked several times and I just don't get it.

 

Miquon. I had it, tried it, still don't get it. Same with Cuisenaire rods.

 

Beast Academy.

 

MCT.

 

CC - looks deathly boring and SO expensive!

 

Sonlight. P 4/5 was sweet, but beyond that? I can add those books to another curriculum. It just doesn't seem like much to me.

 

And YES, that Nature Study Handbook! Yeesh. I had it and got rid of it so fast my head spun. More deathly boring-ness.

 

Singapore. Shoot me now, but why should I have to buy 8 separate books for one year of math?

 

BFSU. More boring.

[lorisuewho]

But if I sell my Nature Study Handbook that I never use and probably never will use, I will never be CM. I WANT to be CM. By getting rid of the out-of-date handbook, I am admitting that I AM a nature study failure. If it remains on my shelf, there is the hope that one day I will take my children outside and they will come across something really interesting, we will look it up in the book, and watercolor a page about it and I will finally earn my CM badge.

[Michelle My Bell]

Those of you that have tried HOD and didn't get what all the fuss was about, tell me, did you use a program below Preparing? I really think HOD isn't a strong praise worthy program until you get to Preparing. Is there anyone who tried HOD Preparing on up and didn't get what all the fuss was about?

[Mommyfaithe]

But if I sell my Nature Study Handbook that I never use and probably never will use, I will never be CM. I WANT to be CM. By getting rid of the out-of-date handbook, I am admitting that I AM a nature study failure. If it remains on my shelf, there is the hope that one day I will take my children outside and they will come across something really interesting, we will look it up in the book, and watercolor a page about it and I will finally earn my CM badge.

 

:D

Blowing the dust from my copy......:lol:

[momma2three]

But if I sell my Nature Study Handbook that I never use and probably never will use, I will never be CM. I WANT to be CM. By getting rid of the out-of-date handbook, I am admitting that I AM a nature study failure. If it remains on my shelf, there is the hope that one day I will take my children outside and they will come across something really interesting, we will look it up in the book, and watercolor a page about it and I will finally earn my CM badge.

 

LOL, this is why I have not sold it either.

 

Except that absolutely nothing in the CM method really resonates with me. So I don't even really /want/ to be CM.

 

I want to be kind of person who wants to be CM. And I just will never be. :crying:

[delaney]

:iagree:

 

And I'm resentful about how much space it takes up on my bookshelf. I could fit like 3 books where it is. I was so excited when I ordered it, but when it arrived I read it like: :glare: It's just a wildlife guide: just a very old one with bad pictures and lots of outdated information about habitat and population.

Okay good! I thought I was the only one who hated that ugly book. So many other great colorful nature guides on the shelves!

 

BFSU-what??? why print a book and then make you do it out the order it was printed. Bleh

MEP math-really? what a nightmare for me to even attempt. written for a class and so many things don't translate well to one kid

HOD-even though I am secular it looked like a bunch of workbooks and was so broken up and disjointed

WP-ugh-love the look but I bought and sold it

Trail guide-all of them -yuck for us

MBTP-another ??? what the heck

OPGTR-yuck

FLL-yuck

 

As for TOG-so flippin pretty!!! I have it, use is secularly, and will continue to keep it on the shelf for now. It is so comprehensive and does such a great job with lit and discussion. Not so much for the younger years

 

as for MM-I have found that they teach time in the most inventive way I have ever seen! They do it without the minute hand at first! Fixed my DD's problem with time.

Edited April 2, 2012 by delaney

[KirstenH]

But if I sell my Nature Study Handbook that I never use and probably never will use, I will never be CM. I WANT to be CM. By getting rid of the out-of-date handbook, I am admitting that I AM a nature study failure. If it remains on my shelf, there is the hope that one day I will take my children outside and they will come across something really interesting, we will look it up in the book, and watercolor a page about it and I will finally earn my CM badge.

 

This is so true.

[5LittleMonkeys]

Classical Writing. Tried it. Teaching\learning to write should not be that painful and convoluted.

[KirstenH]

LOL, this is why I have not sold it either.

 

Except that absolutely nothing in the CM method really resonates with me. So I don't even really /want/ to be CM.

 

I want to be kind of person who wants to be CM. And I just will never be. :crying:

 

Oh, even yesser. I'm almost over it, but I can relate to this so much. I've spent the last seven years wishing I was that kind of mom ... the sweet, gentle mom who loves nature and gardens and fairy stories and all that.

 

I'm not. I'm a snarky, demanding mom who loves tech toys, dystopian lit, and sci-fi. I also love my kids to pieces and they find me hilarious and interesting. It works for us, so I don't really have CM envy anymore ... even if I occasionally am convinced that means there's something very wrong with me.

[lorisuewho]

LOL, this is why I have not sold it either.

 

Except that absolutely nothing in the CM method really resonates with me. So I don't even really /want/ to be CM.

 

I want to be kind of person who wants to be CM. And I just will never be. :crying:

 

:lol:

This is my next step: admitting that I will never be CM. The first step is selling the Nature Handbook. At this time I can't even take the first step. I just KNOW that NEXT year will be the year for me! We are going to do the composer studies, and artist studies, and watercolor in our nature notebooks! And then, we will come inside and sit by the fire and do handiworks!

[kandty]

Saxon

Rod & Staff

Math Mammoth (yes, you see it in my signature but we use it to supplement since I feel like I have to since I bought it :tongue_smilie:)

MFW (I tried very hard!)

 

I am sure there are more, but I am too embarrassed to admit to any more! :lol:

[Alyeska]

Rosetta Stone language programs. :confused: It is a big guessing game, imo, and a big ol' waste of money.

 

Math-U-See. The year we used this, dd was in 3rd. It had very little review and set us back 6 months or more in math.

 

Spanish for Children.

 

I could list a ton, but those are the biggies.

[oraetstudia]

But if I sell my Nature Study Handbook that I never use and probably never will use, I will never be CM. I WANT to be CM. By getting rid of the out-of-date handbook, I am admitting that I AM a nature study failure. If it remains on my shelf, there is the hope that one day I will take my children outside and they will come across something really interesting, we will look it up in the book, and watercolor a page about it and I will finally earn my CM badge.

 

:lol::lol::lol:

[momtoamiracle]

ok, ya'll are scaring me with MM and BFSU! I intend on using both of those for next year and beyond!

 

 

 

I also don't understand the hype of HOP. That would drive my son crazy, it's sooo slow. I just watched a preview of it and was appalled. Took 30 seconds for a dancing letter to get across the page. Starfall.com when he was 2 was appropriate. At age 5 he needed something more hands on and faster.

 

 

anything else I really don't know about...oh, yeah, I like the looks of the Apologia books, but don't like the fact it focuses on only one aspect per book, which is why I got BFSU - everything was included and I didn't have to spend $30 per book, per subject...

[lorisuewho]

ok, ya'll are scaring me with MM and BFSU! I intend on using both of those for next year and beyond!

 

 

 

 

All you have to do is start a new thread, on what is your favorite math curriculum or favorite science curriculum. Then lots of people will tell you how wonderful both of these are and you will be reassured in your choice!

[Mommyfaithe]

All you have to do is start a new thread, on what is your favorite math curriculum or favorite science curriculum. Then lots of people will tell you how wonderful both of these are and you will be reassured in your choice!

 

:iagree:

:D

[abrightmom]

HOD for me too. I've looked several times and I just don't get it.

 

Miquon. I had it, tried it, still don't get it. Same with Cuisenaire rods.

 

Beast Academy.

 

MCT.

 

CC - looks deathly boring and SO expensive!

 

Sonlight. P 4/5 was sweet, but beyond that? I can add those books to another curriculum. It just doesn't seem like much to me.

 

And YES, that Nature Study Handbook! Yeesh. I had it and got rid of it so fast my head spun. More deathly boring-ness.

 

Singapore. Shoot me now, but why should I have to buy 8 separate books for one year of math?

 

BFSU. More boring.

:iagree: with almost all of this except I like some of HOD. The younger HOD guides are a bust here.

 

Haven't used Beast Academy but might try it.

 

Others that make me go :001_huh: include

 

Writing Strands and WRTR

[momtoamiracle]

All you have to do is start a new thread, on what is your favorite math curriculum or favorite science curriculum. Then lots of people will tell you how wonderful both of these are and you will be reassured in your choice!

 

 

LOL! I read such good reviews I felt good about them. I guess not all things fit all people...

[awisha.]

My contribution to this thread is an Australian product. Fitzroy Reading program. I used the readers (excellent) with the matching workbook (ugh) last year with DD and she didn't learn a thing about reading. She was stalled on the first workbook.

 

But we love, love, love OPGTR here, we started in January this year and DD is zooming along!! We still use the fitzroy readers but that's it from that program.

[kristinannie]

But if I sell my Nature Study Handbook that I never use and probably never will use, I will never be CM. I WANT to be CM. By getting rid of the out-of-date handbook, I am admitting that I AM a nature study failure. If it remains on my shelf, there is the hope that one day I will take my children outside and they will come across something really interesting, we will look it up in the book, and watercolor a page about it and I will finally earn my CM badge.

 

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: I love it!

 

 

Here is my list:

 

Ball and Stick Handwriting Programs: Could there be a more ridiculous way to teach handwriting? Do you really need to pick up your pencil 2-4 times per letter?

 

Sonlight (we have enjoyed a lot of their books on their lists, but the program is way overpriced for what you get and I don't like a lot of their selections anyway)

 

HOD :confused:

 

Singapore Math (I really, really, really, really, really wanted to like this, but the multiple books were really annoying and the cutesy pics annoyed DS. Also, I hated the reliance on counting when learning addition and subtraction as did DS. He kept saying, "Why can't they just as 7 + 2? Why do I have to count butterflies?")

 

I can't decide about AAS. Sometimes I think I like it and sometimes it just seems like it takes a lot of extra time to teach for not a huge payoff.

 

MUS (there are so many who love it, but a whole year on addition? OUCH!)

 

RSO Earth and Space (this had expensive experiments with little payoff and no real info)

 

R&S looks needlessly painful

 

 

 

 

As for some of other peoples' lists. I was so :confused: about MCT until I saw it all at a convention last month. I have to say I do get it now. If I wasn't going to have my kids study Latin, I would buy it in a heartbeat. We love Miquon and C-rods here. It is a difficult program to understand (especially if you don't buy all three teacher books), but I can't believe how well my son has done using this!

Edited April 2, 2012 by kristinannie