mom2bee Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 (edited) Reading: I learned with the boring old HOP set, before color pictures and cute readers. I was fine with that. I don't think there is any real reading/phonics curriculum I'd have loved. I just wanted to get it over with. I do wish my parents had known about Spalding though. It is sooo neat! Math: Probably something plain and diligent, like Math Mammoth, where the student is taught IN the text, instead of misc. Public School texts that we studied from for ourselves. Hands on Equations for intro to Algebra I just wish my family had been more serious about math in general. I like AoPS stuff now and plan to eventually order their library for myself. But the way math wasn't actively taught in my homeschool, I think I'd have HATED AoPS if I'd been given it. Foreign Language I'm uber envious of all the stuff out there nowadays! Everything from Little Pim to some of the Highschool stuff, we didn't for a foreign language for languages sake at all, but I was allowed to dabble in all the library materials I wanted. Your turn? Edited August 16, 2012 by mom2bee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowbeltmom Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Math: Singapore Math followed by AoPS I also wish that I would have been exposed to more classical children's literature in the elementary grades. I did read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books on my own outside of school, but with all the homework I had, it was hard to fit in any extra's. Since homeschooling, I have realized just how many great children's books I missed out on. At least now I get to experience them with my kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 What I'm using now. All of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1GirlTwinBoys Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Teaching Textbooks Narration with WWE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linders Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 SOTW. Oh, yes, I would have loved world history, and in such an engaging format, rather than the same US history over...and over...and over... Life of Fred. Lots of whole books vs. the literature books that only had excerpts (I did read a lot on my own). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 MCT LAs Singapore Math SOTW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Reading with Blend Phonics or Word Mastery or Webster's Speller Spelling with Spalding Story of the World Grammar Land by Edith Nesbit School House Rock videos Classical Rhetoric Prufrock Press Logic books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinsfamily Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Singapore Math AoPS SWR any Latin...I had no idea people were still learning it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Math: Miquon, Singapore, AoPS (along with a teacher who would have lovingly pushed me to face challenging work with a good attitude since I'm a perfectionist!) LA: Bravewriter (along with a confident/competent teacher!), Lots of GREAT literature being read and discussed so I could have worked on critical thinking skills in an enjoyable way, Spelling practice only for words I had actually misspelled in my writing, no grammar until late elementary with MCT + diagramming because I loved it so much! Science: Lots of good books, documentaries, and journaling/notebooking (I hated and still hate experiments!) History: SOTW, Sonlight historical fiction books, documentaries ... and a bunch of educational iPad apps (if they had existed back then)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Sonlight Further Up and Further In Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Sonlight! I am a no frills kind of person so MOST of what I use for my kids would not have worked for me . I hate the fluff and they love it! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 MCT Latin (any Latin) in elementary school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Wow great question. Math... RightStart as a young kid, Saxon in high school. I loved math...loved Calculus...and used to need very little explanation. Just give me one example and let me go. Reading/LA/History... Something like Sonlight, History Odyssey, or SOTW. Language...I took Latin, but really enjoyed the Minimus books. Much better than our dry curriculum. For normal languages, haven't found anything I loved. I actually do much better with an in-person teacher, so if something like Skype language instruction had existed back then (it didn't...olden days), would have loved it. Science...I hated science in elementary, middle, and high school, but discovered a love of it (and talent for it) when I did a post-bac program for med school. Not sure what would have intrigued me...maybe something like Magic School bus? Art...Meet the Masters or Artistic Pursuits. Both are good IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mschickie Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Sonlight!!! I have always loved history and reading.. a perfect fit. Math would probably be Saxon, it would have worked very well for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama27 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Sonlight!! I love to read and would have LOVED "just reading" for school work. Even their science. This could explain why I've tried this a billion times with my weirdo kids who like textbooks for pete's sake! Math on the Level or Rightstart. Playing games to learn math? Great!! Only doing 5 review problems a day? Heaven on earth! Did that work with my weirdo kids? NO! ugh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 (edited) I would have thrived with Sonlight. Interestingly enough, we aren't using it right now. Edited August 16, 2012 by Guest spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I don't remember much from my early education. I wish there would have been more lit in my higher classes. I did not care for textbook history at all. I hated grammar but haven't tried out much there yet to find anything I would have liked. I think RS Math is fun and ds seems to enjoy it. Dh has said he wished they would have had Beast Academy growing up. Also, I notice that ds likes entirely different curriculum than me so I've tried to gear it more towards him, while using things I also like teaching. I'm interesting in dd1 getting bigger though as I think her learning style is more similar to my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I would have loved most of MP's offerings. All those lovely lit guides and Prima Latina and composition books! I also would have liked Singapore, MM, or Miquon. Anything that showed me math had a purpose and could be manipulated, unlike the Abeka plug and chug that I learned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gratitude Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Rod and Staff Grammar. When I reached college I realized that I had been taught how to write and read great literature in honors English, but that I had never been taught grammar to help study and understand the details of English writing. I was interested in writing and have wanted to know grammar every since! My parents gave me great kids literature, from ages 3 - 12, but it completely dropped off in Junior High. I wish they had kept building my reading by giving me books that would have encouraged my thinking instead of my falling into reading what all the other Junior High and High school girls were reading. The 3 books in a year for Honors English had little impact. Literature through high school I think could make a huge difference in a young persons life. Singapore math ~ I loved math and I think it would have benefited me learning some of this type of math young. Bible as a subject. I learned precious little from church, and I know this could have been a great blessing to have studied Bible during my school years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 What I'm using now. All of it. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Sonlight! I enjoy it as much as my kids and I would have loved it as a child. The other is Math-U-See. I struggled with math my entire life because I needed to really learn and understand before I moved on. My school used a spiral approach and I always felt I was one step behind understanding the concepts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Almost everything I use with DD. Honestly, I can't remember a single textbook in PS that was at all engaging, exciting, or interesting to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Element Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I had some good school experiences (shared inquiry literature, c-rods in elementary math, etc.) but there was no consistency. My school district was really experimental with its curricula and methods, which would have been awesome if it didn't mean "changing gears" every year. I definitely think I would have benefited from the classical 4-year history cycle, and a deeper focus on science, with all the K-8 teachers having some kind of cohesive plan instead of just doing a little bit of the same thing every year. And Singapore Math, of course. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruthie in MS Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I think I would have loved Five-In-A-Row and Sonlight. I love to read and there were so many great children's books I missed out on. I was fed mostly junk in my public school years. For math, I would've thrived on something hands-on and that progresses when I'm ready like Math on the Level. I can't afford the MOTL books myself otherwise I would try to use it with my children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Beast Math. I have light bulb moments with it all the time. I wish I was thought with such spacial math program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parker Martin Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 What I'm using now. All of it. Same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parker Martin Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 (edited) nm Edited August 17, 2012 by Parker Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
napualani Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Any Latin program, any grammar program with diagramming, and any Montessori materials for primary grades. Darlene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeverFamily Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I really wish I could of had a classical education. TOG and SOTW- I think I would of actually retained history this way, and at the same time enjoyed it. Science- more living books. I would have also loved keeping a nature journal. Math- RS, Singapore, Miquon, any of these. I would have "understood" math, not just know how to plug and chug. The first math course I finally began to "understand" math was my college algebra class. Spelling- Either AAS or PR. I would have loved to actually learn the phonetic rules of spelling, not just memorize lists. Grammar- Something, anything, so I could I have learned grammar while in elementary. The most I remember learning in PS Elementary were nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. That's it. I wish I would have learned to diagram sentences while in elementary. I had to fix this lack of knowledge in Jr. High and Highschool (when I was homeschooled) and I still struggled with it. Writing- I really wish I would of had the opportunity to use any one of the great programs available. Apparently I HATED writing while in school, my mom says that I used to think all the assignments were pointless busywork. I was probably right:lol:. Something like WWE, IEW, Bravewriter, CW, CC, would have done wonders for me. Reading- I really, really wish that I would have been encourage to read all the great literature available. Instead I grew up hating reading. I used to always comment that if I had time outside of "school work" I would probably enjoy reading. My mom did a great job of reading to me A LOT when I was little, but I just didn't ever catch that reading bug once I got into school. Notebooking and Lapbooking- I would have LOVED creating notebooks and lapbooks. Can I just go back and redo my own education.:lol: I really feel as if I have learned more teaching my daughter Kindergarten than I did my whole elementary career! I can't wait for first grade;)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I would have loved Sonlight and also SOTW to read :) I didn't do well with Saxon... I could have used a great tutor for math once Algebra started. I liked reading enough that I read through everything I could get my hands on.... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5LittleMonkeys Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Math Mammoth in the lower grades to cement mental math. MUS for fractions, decimals and percents. I haven't explored many high school level maths yet so can't really say past 7th. Copywork and dictation to start, IEW, then WWS (and I'm sure SWB's higher level writing programs would make my list). Throw Killgallon in among those programs too. Lively Art of Writing in highschool. Grammar Land to start out along with an excellent Latin program, then Analytical Grammar in middle school. Visual Latin. SOTW. Real literature. Teaching the Classics and Windows to the World. Pretty much what I'm using.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 ~~Most unit studies we have used: FIAR, FUFI, WBRM, AWOA, POAG ~~Copywork/dictation PLL, ILL, LLATL ~~Many of the older books I have downloaded per Ambleside, Old Fashioned Education ~~Wonders of Creation and Apologia ~~Nature Studies ~~CHOW ~~Books, books, books and vids Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 (edited) Okay, this is what I personally wish my SCHOOL had used? Or that I had at home to use as a supplement? In the exact same neglectful and abusive, but high-expectation circumstances I endured? World Book Encyclopedia whatever was current, and The Golden Book Encyclopedia 1970 edition. A large print dictionary with clear and simple respellings for pronunciation. Spalding 6th edition handwriting I think I could have figured out YesPhonics for spelling A complete set of Climbing to Good English. Share a Scare and Once Upon a Time and Make Me Giggle Write Like Hemingway and Writing Tools The Parent's Guide to Raising Researchers A complete set of McGuffey's Eclectic Readers preferably somehow with audio support. A complete set of Saxon Math 1st edition. I really think I could have used these myself. I would have loved reading Bedell, including volume 9 which hasn't been released yet. Science Matters to help me prioritize high school science. Henle Latin, Loeb's Caesar, The Devil Knows Latin Balancing the Sword Draw Write Now and the Drawing Textbook. Jack's Harmonica Songbook Books on ballet including general conditioning, nutrition and any other way to link ballet up to general health and physical fitness. The Encyclopedia of Country Living Teenaged Liberation Handbook And more than anything I wish I'd had: Every Human Has Rights and We Are All Born Free and Stand Up for Your Rights. These books would have changed my life to such an extent that I cannot even imagine it. I use some of these things now with my tutoring students, but this is what I wish I could send back to MYSELF. These are the things that would have changed my life and opened doors for me that were closed. These are the things that would have changed how I saw myself, and how I interacted with others. These are the things that would have helped me meet the expectations that were put on me, despite no one providing the resources to get there. Edited August 16, 2012 by Hunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srs Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Math: something manipulative based (RS, etc) would have been a lot of fun. Also the mental math approach would have helped. English grammar at all, especially young. My first (and only thorough) exposure to formal grammar was foreign language study in high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Story of the world. I have never had a sense of the flow of history until I started homeschooling. Sotw from the beginning would have been very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Defininitely Teaching Textbooks. I shed many tears over math in school. :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Song School Latin, or Song School any language. SOTW. Hands on Equations - though I didn't find algebra difficult, this is still a great way to introduce younger kids to the concepts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Tapestry of Grace Miquon, MEP and Singapore Math MCT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALB Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I would have thrived with Sonlight. Interestingly enough, we aren't using it right now. Yeah, this came to my mind, too! Maybe someday.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyJen Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Life of Fred MCT History Odyssey NOEO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I actually have all 16 books of the 1960 Golden Book Encyclopedia set and they are fascinating. It's interesting to see how some things were viewed back then and the illustrations/pictures are so sweet! I think the 1959-1970s are all the same except for the covers. There was an entirely new edition written in the 1980s with blue covers. Mine are the yellow 1970 ones, and I really like them, except for a few racist articles. The books are very readable from cover to cover. I surely do wish I'd had these as a child. I didn't write any fiction in my list yet, just reference books and curricula. I'm still thinking about that. I'd never really thought about what I'd send back to myself if I could. It's an interesting thing to think about. One book can entirely change a life path. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razorbackmama Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Phonics - I actually taught myself to read from Sesame Street. Oh for the days when they actually taught phonics on Sesame Street....sigh. I was a natural speller, so honestly I don't think I would have enjoyed what I use with my kids, who are mostly dyslexic. LOL Math - I probably would have enjoyed Singapore. I was a pretty mathy kid, so anything would have worked. But Singapore and the AoPS stuff probably would have been right up my alley. Science - Apologia history - Sonlight writing - IEW and that write a novel in a year curriculum or whatever it's called ROFLOL grammar - Analytical Grammar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raceNzanesmom Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Living history of any kind! I so wanted to love history, but it was sooooooo boring. Now that I've used living history with my kids I LOVE History. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 MCT, Life of Fred, and AoPS. I'm so lucky dd and I are very similar learners, so I can use stuff I love with her!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELITEANDLOVINGIT Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 (edited) I think I would have loved Oak Meadow, or any Waldorf curriculum; I an was artistic child and nothing anyone did in 1 -4th grade made any sense to me at all. I hated all of it, except for art, color, and listening to stories. I felt most of the time like I was floating without an anchor in a sea of chairs, bright lights, and text books. My favorite things were crayons and colored pencils. What I needed most when I was young was love, encouragement and a sense of ownership in whatever I was doing. My children are dramatically different in their needs; one is just like me and I believe will relish art the other is so scientific, I can't even keep up most of the time. Thank god she is leaning towards theoretical physics now, at least I visualize most of it, even if I have no idea what they are talking about. Edited August 17, 2012 by kerryfrank73 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom2011 Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Any of the lit. based history (we use BP). I HATED history in school, found it soooooo BORING and learned nothing. Oh how I wish it were taught the way my kids are learning it - they LOVE history! Teaching Textbooks - math wasn't always my best subject, I likely would have thrived with TT. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I loved workbooks. They were easy for me, and made me feel like I wa accomplishing much. However, going through ds' schooling now, I know I would have enjoyed: Math Mammoth! I would understand math so much better too! History Odyssey using SOTW BFSU Rosetta Stone PLL and ILL Nature Study Composer Study Artist Study Artistic Pursuits Reading of living books! All of them :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 D'Aulaire's Book of Norse Myths. We only had the Greek, LOL. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 At school, any maths that wasn't new maths (a horrible experiment), any grammar, any systematic history or geography (we had random and very superficial social studies), systematic spelling (NZ used spelling lists and whole language even in the 1970's). Proper reading instead of school journals (I am dreading my son getting these), any Latin. School was easy but I don't think I put in any effort after the third year and I left at 15. At home I had good books and resources but I would have liked my parents to not leave my education to the school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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