How often do you change your curricula? What justifies a change?

[IsabelC]

As the title says.

 

Do you think it's best to pick something, stick with it and not consider a change unless you have major issues with it?

 

Do you like to tweak your program repeatedly until it's the perfect fit?

 

Something in between?

 

When I started with the home ed idea, I think I assumed that people would pick a basic approach to education, choose some educational resources and that's that. But every time I think I have us all sorted, I'll start thinking about new programs or different ones, and wonder whether we should have more/less/different. Dh thinks I'm insane to be spending so much time on this; he thinks that as long as what we have is sorta OK, it's better not to agonize over it. I seriously wish I'd started my research about five years before we started homeschooling :lol:

Edited September 9, 2012 by Hotdrink

[justamouse]

I've honed it over the years, and this year I have honed it more.

 

If it's not working for us, I chuck it. That was is PS think. I have the ability to find/create something that WILL work for us, so why work harder and hate something that doesn't?

[Kirch]

As the title says.

 

Do you think it's best to pick something, stick with it and not consider a change unless you have major issues with it?

 

Do you like to tweak your program repeatedly until it's the perfect fit?

 

Something in between?

 

When I started with the home ed idea, I think I assumed that people would pick a basic approach to education, choose some educational resources and that's that. But every time I think I have us all sorted, I'll start thinking about new programs or different ones, and wonder whether we should have more/less/different. Dh thinks I'm insane to be spending so much time on this; he thinks that as long as what we have is sorta OK, it's better not to agonize over it. I seriously wish I'd started my research about five years before we started homeschooling :lol:

 

Well, I did start my research almost five years before we started homeschooling. ;) When I read TWTM, I knew immediately that this is what I wanted for our kids, and dh was agreeable. So it has helped that I had that settled pretty early on *and* that the approach is working for both of our kids. The only major curriculum switch was from HOD for K (since I wanted to do something more than what TWTM recommends for K) to the WTM outline/plan in 1st. I had lots of time to read about and research different programs, and what we have is working well, so I haven't seen a need to change anything.

 

I do think it's a good idea to find something and stick with it for the skills subjects, especially math. Obviously if you choose something that's just not clicking with your child, go with something else. But I think it's really hard to switch between curricula for things like math, spelling, and grammar without running the risk of creating gaps and weaknesses that sticking with a single curriculum wouldn't produce. Content subjects are more forgiving, so it's not so essential to stick with one thing.

 

It's easy to be swayed by whatever the new and shiny thing is that comes along if you're not careful!

[Crimson Wife]

I try to avoid switching mid-level unless it's meltdown-inducing in a normally compliant child (I can think of exactly 2 programs that I dumped in this way, the old Catholic edition of Voyages in English and Peterson Directed Handwriting cursive). But I will switch to a different program rather than getting the next level if I think the other one will be a better "fit".

 

There is so much repetition between grade levels that I haven't found switching programs to cause issues with gaps.

[IsabelC]

Gaps in my bank account are a whole other story, though :001_huh:

[Laura Corin]

I didn't change much. I made a gradual shift from Sonlight towards Galore Park, taking in WTM on the way. I did abandon a couple things mid-year, but they were not core materials. Otherwise, I decided at the beginning of the year what to use in the upcoming period.

 

With Calvin, I moved around too much in maths, although it wasn't a yearly thing: we did Singapore Maths for about four years, then Galore Park for a year (with LOF as a supplement), then LOF for a year (not successful, as Calvin needed something more explicit) then back to Galore Park. Not dreadful, but not ideal. We moved to Galore Park because we wanted to align ourselves with the UK national curriculum for the basics, but then Calvin was enjoying LOF so much that I thought that awakening that passion for maths was more important. LOF algebra, however, was too diffuse and exploration based for him. So back we went to GP, which did not inspire him but got the job done.

 

When he went to school, he was put into the top set for maths, so (limited) curriculum change doesn't seem to have damaged him.

 

Laura

Edited September 9, 2012 by Laura Corin

[Laura Corin]

Duplicate.

Edited September 9, 2012 by Laura Corin

[Hunter]

I've always been a terrible curriculum hopper. I'm TRYING to reform, and now I need a really good excuse to switch things. BUT now, it's like...I get excited when something unexpected or bad happens, so I have a good excuse. I was just a LITTLE too accepting of my printer suddenly breaking. :lol: I made major last minute changes to my Fall plans that I am SO happy with for NOW, but...what will my mid Fall excuse be to switch up again? I wonder if I will be looking to sabotage myself somehow. :001_huh:

[kolamum]

Not often at all. We used FIAR in the younger grades, & now use SL, all though we had a year with WP & will have one more as well.

 

We made the switch originally from FIAR because we'd outgrown the curriculum. It's not meant to last forever & our time with it was well & truly over.

 

We went with WP, because it was a literature based programme & my children wanted more history. I liked the book selection for the history we were doing at the time & I loved that they'd used HSITW Cds to go with it.

 

We moved to SL this year {& plan to stay there hence forth} because I liked their book selection better this year & I like what it has to offer for the remaining grades for my children.

 

Having said that, due to an age/grade gap & having my children together I will have a child in WP next year as a bit of a "gap" year for him. I'll also be using their Geography Core with the SL Core simply because we all ready own the WP Geography core. :)

 

 

I think a change is warranted if the curriculum simply doesn't fit the learning style of a child. Like was previously mentioned, I try not to switch mid year, but we did have to make a math & spelling change shortly after starting our 2012 year.

[Lily_Grace]

We change yearly for some subjects, and sometimes even within the first month or so we'll realize something isn't a good fit and we'll change then.

 

I work backwards, though. I don't go looking to see what all is out and then make a decision. I have a list of wants that I expect a curriculum to fulfill, and discount all others that don't measure up. So even though we may change yearly, it's because of different maturity levels and what we want our year to look like.

 

I'll also admit that I've never used a curriculum strictly as its intended. We use Learning Adventures this year. I skip most of the history portions and use other resources: Jackdaws, websites, videos..I add more to make it what we need, I don't expect the curriculum to be an exact fit.

[PeterPan]

I try to avoid switching mid-level unless it's meltdown-inducing in a normally compliant child

 

:iagree: This is where we're at. But it sounds like the process you're going through is more just the normal insecurities. They're what comes with choosing things eclectically. There's two sides to it. You're going through a mess now, being so intentional and thinking through things, and on the other hand you're heading off at the pass some problems other people will have later who DIDN'T think through things carefully. You're not educating a generic child, which is what curriculum is written for. You're teaching a specific child, which means there are going to be specific tweaks to fit them. That's normal and ok. And I think in a few years you're going to look back and see how well those tweaks worked out for you.

 

Don't get lost in worry. If it's really just this emotional/woman/insecurity level, find some ways to deal with it: dartboard (to make the decisions you can't :D ), 1 month wait on anything you find so you can cool off, yearly review with someone you trust like a teacher or veteran homeschooler, etc. I went through a lot of that when my kid was the age of your oldest. Now it's a lot easier, because it's more in the realm of waiting to see how her preferences become apparent.

[Soror]

Well, for skill subjects we've stayed the same for the most part. I've always done RS, I've done HWoT until this year and I have it coming in soon, with reading I switched as we changed levels. The content subjects I'm still undecided but that isn't a big concern for me imo.

[Hedgehogs4]

My criteria for change is if I'm bored with it. If I am interested in the curriculum, I can usually make it work for my kids. This has happened with Phonics Road and FLL. I got through half of PR 1 before deciding that I would not be able to make it through 4 years of that method, though I am delighted that from what we did, she learned all of her phonograms very well and got a good basis for spelling. It's a great program, I just didn't enjoy the implementation. The change wasn't huge--we just jumped over to AAS, which we had on our shelves, anyway.

 

FLL is a wonderful grammar curriculum, but the scripting gets tiring for me. I have a solid grammar background and don't need that much hand-holding so in lieu of FLL 4 we are jumping over to AG. It looks spot-on for us.

[Mommyfaithe]

I change up every year...at least something:D

I need to have some new, interesting materials, because I learn along with my kids....and if I get bored.....they get bored.

 

I will change if a curriculum just plain old' stinks....and we have had some major stinkers throughout the years. No need to be miserable to prove a point to NO ONE!

 

Faithe

[angela in ohio]

I prefer to pick something decent, stick with it unless there is an issue, and then spend the time on improving my skills as a teacher and my knowledge base.

 

Researching curriculum is fun. It can become a hobby totally unrelated to actually homeschooling. :D

[Hunter]

I prefer to pick something decent and then spend time on improving my skills as a teacher and my knowledge base.

 

Researching curriculum is fun. It can become a hobby totally unrelated to actually homeschooling. :D

 

:blushing: oops :leaving:

 

The first time you catch yourself thinking or using the term "instant gratification" you are in DEEP trouble. :lol:

Edited September 9, 2012 by Hunter

[SkateLeft]

For content subjects, like history and science, I don't think curriculum hopping matters much. But, I'm a big believer in being consistent with math and writing instruction. .

 

As I've said in other threads, learning writing and math can be hard. I think sometimes we want to switch curriculum, because we're trying to find painless or frictionless ways to teach. As long as materials are developmentally appropriate, then I stay consistent.

[Ohmomjacquie]

I thought we had it figured out last year. Then when dh list his job I went looking got cheaper options. I realized the workbook method we were using was not my idea if a fun learning environment, read the wtm and thins about cm. we switch to mfw and couldn't be kapper. I think I would go crazy if I switched every year!

[Closeacademy]

In the early years, I tried out a lot of different methods and curriculum in search of what was a good fit. Some years some things worked very well but I would know that the next year it wouldn't work so I would change. Ability, maturity, interests, etc. were all things I take into consideration.

 

I found that I like different curriculum for different stages of learning. Some programs are great for preK-2nd, some for those middle years and some for older ages.

 

We are at a good place now for learning and finding things that are meeting our needs currently including a co-op that is mainly academic.

 

My motto is "Do whatever it takes to help them to learn the skills they need in life."

 

:001_smile:

[laughing lioness]

My criteria for change is if I'm bored with it. If I am interested in the curriculum, I can usually make it work for my kids. QUOTE]

 

:iagree:This is so me.

 

I change up every year...at least something:D

I need to have some new, interesting materials, because I learn along with my kids....and if I get bored.....they get bored.

 

I will change if a curriculum just plain old' stinks....and we have had some major stinkers throughout the years. No need to be miserable to prove a point to NO ONE!

 

Faithe

:iagree:And this is so me.

 

I prefer to pick something decent, stick with it unless there is an issue, and then spend the time on improving my skills as a teacher and my knowledge base.

 

Researching curriculum is fun. It can become a hobby totally unrelated to actually homeschooling. :D

 

Yeah, baby.

 

When I started with the home ed idea, I think I assumed that people would pick a basic approach to education,

 

I have a basic approach, I choose ed materials within that approach. There is so much to choose from now.

 

We change yearly for some subjects, .

Yep. After 2 years of loving LoF for h.s. math we switched to Foerster's.

 

And as I've said before I take the Lasagna learning approach. Layering info. WE don't use CC anymore but we do a lot of memory work and listen to their CD's. We aren't using SOTW this year because we've done it so many times, but we'll listen to the CD's. We are adding in the resources that we already have, getting new material as needed (for ed, boredom, etc).

[alisoncooks]

We're still just starting out homeschooling, but I know when I do/don't like a program. And -- for me -- whether or not *I* like it (and can bear teaching it) is very important.

 

We have hopped through about 6 phonics programs in the past year... BUT I realized within a few days that they would not work for me. (Here's where I should've gone to a curriculum fair this year...there's a lot to be said for seeing something in PERSON!) I'm thrilled with where we are now.

 

We purchased & returned/sold 2 math programs before stumbling upon (and LOVING!) Singapore. I do not anticipate changing this until we have to.

 

So, we're chipping away at our subjects 1-by-1, filling them in with things we love as we find them.

[angela in ohio]

When I started with the home ed idea, I think I assumed that people would pick a basic approach to education, choose some educational resources and that's that.

 

That really is what many (most?) homeschoolers do, you just don't see them on the WTM forums discussing curriculum. ;) Roughly 80% of the homeschoolers I have known and know IRL just stick with something (usually A Beka, Sonlight, or something similar, but sometimes unschooling) the whole way.

[janainaz]

If a curriculum is effective - I don't switch. Everything I've selected has always been based on what has made logical sense to me. If I can understand it, I can teach it. Everything I used with my ds12, I've been able to use with my ds7.

[dbmamaz]

I'm very eclectic. every subject for every kid is hand-picked. This is only our fourth year of homeschooling, so i havent been able to re-use anything yet - although i might soon.

 

For math, my younger one is not in to curriculum so we switch back and forth between various supplements. My older one struggles more with math, so we went through 4 or 5 things before we found what works and we'll stick with that for sure. US history we are using Joy Hakim all the way through, for both kids, so thats at least 2 years without changing. This year my teen will use LLLOTR which is just a one-year thing. He's used a different science program every year, as well . . again, often because they werent part of a series or there was something I liked better.

 

again, mid-year changes only if its not working - but my kids are very tempermental, challenging 2E kids - so it tends to either work or NOT work.

[JESSICAinMD]

I switch when something isn't working. If it causes constant tears, daily frustrations, doesn’t align with my values, or doesn’t help my child learn, I switch. I try never to switch to the newest curriculum out there just because of reviews and wanting to be on the bandwagon. (The exception was Beast Academy.)

[robsiew]

This is my 5th year hsing and I think my answer is different now than it would have been 5 years ago!

 

In the beginning I just didn't know my teaching style and my kids' learning styles. I'm not one to cater to everyone, however it does make sense to me that I do what I can to help each child achieve success, which usually means teaching different children different ways to some extent.

 

Now, the only reason I change a curriculum is if either a child or I have a major problem with it that can't be fixed within the confines of the curriculum. I have explored different things and have come to know how my children best function and how I best function.

 

This year I went back to All About Spelling after dropping it because it takes a lot of teacher time. My kids hated spelling and even though they were independent with SWO, it wasn't worth it. So, I re-bought AAS and all 4 kids are as happy as clams. I came to the point where I'm resigned to teaching ALL DAY LONG! :001_smile:

 

The only other changes I made this year was to my dd's material. She entered Logic Stage this year, but she's not really ready maturity wise to handle much of the Logic stage curriculum my ds used last year. So, I had to readjust for the way she learns. I went back to MOH for history because she likes to lapbook and they have a great lapbooking program to go along with the lessons. I changed a couple curriculum of hers because she just needed something different than my older ds did.

 

My boys at the end are using exactly what they did last year because it works. They'll be fine through 4th grade, then we'll have to see from there which Logic road I take with them. I doubt it will mean new curriculum though, but who knows. We'll likely be in Japan by then so things could change because of moving to another country!

 

The only time I look at "the latest and greatest" is if I am looking to fulfill a need I have... not just to browse. Too easy to think the grass will be greener.... when you have something that works, go with it! :D

[boscopup]

I also change things if I'm bored. There are definitely some curricula that my son has done fine with, but I was bored to death, and I knew that we'd BOTH be happier with a change. Really, my oldest child could learn from anything - he's advanced and picks up everything on his own before I teach it half the time. My biggest challenges with him have been finding materials that don't review and review and review, because he doesn't need it. Once I figured out what he needed and how I like to teach, I was able to find curricula that fit us both well.

 

DS2 is a completely different critter - struggling with some things (particularly reading). We're doing well with the basics though. I have no clue what grammar he'll need in the future (he is still in speech therapy partly due to word order issues in his speech, so grammar is not something that comes naturally to him as an English speaker), and I can see writing needing to take a different route also. So I know there will be some trial and error with him as I figure out in general what types of things work well for him. My oldest finds all subjects easy, except the physical act of writing. Middle child, OTOH, has major swings between ease of subjects. So I've gotten K figured out, but when we add in other subjects, I don't know where he'll be headed.

 

DS3 is a sponge, and I think he'll be able to reuse a lot of curricula that DS1 used (and DS2's math, since he's started with Singapore, which DS1 only switched to at 4th grade level).

 

I have switched things in the middle of the year, and I have no problem doing so. If I'm going to switch, I might as well do it as soon as possible to avoid getting behind. If I wait until the end of the year, scope and sequence differences will mean I'm spending more time filling in gaps. I've even *gasp* switched math! And it wasn't that the old math wasn't working. DS1, as I said, will learn from just about anything - particularly math. But I knew he would enjoy Singapore more than Math Mammoth, and I wouldn't have to spend so much time crossing out problems and taking out the incremental nature that MM has that DS1 didn't need. We had to go back a semester when making the switch, but he was ahead already, so it didn't matter. We've switched grammar several times before landing on one we both like, and I don't think he's been hurt by that at all. We started at the beginning with our current grammar program, which starts at 3rd grade level anyway. Other programs we used always started at the beginning each year, so we went form halfway through a 2nd grade book to hopping into the beginning of a 3rd grade book without a problem. I've also changed writing, but I think it has been a good progression based on what DS1 needed each year (WWE1 and 2 for 1st and 2nd grade, then IEW for 3rd and 4th grade... with plans to go to WWS for 5th). I've changed spelling a gazillion times, and some things have worked fine but just weren't my teaching style. Finally landed on one that works for us both, and I'm seeing the results in his writing. Yay!

 

I am definitely fine with switching history/science willy-nilly. I haven't even done formal science much the last few years, and last week at Disney, DS1 asked Crush the sea turtle how many jellyfish he eats per day. DH and I were both thinking, "I didn't know sea turtles ate jellyfish!" :lol: Sure enough, they do. He didn't learn that from science curriculum. He learned it from reading science books in general. His science and history knowledge are well beyond my own. We did SOTW for history for 2 years, and then DS1 read all 4 volumes himself - multiple times - and I decided to try Sonlight Core D (US History) this year, and we'll continue with the 2nd half of US History (Core E) next year. After that, I'll decide what to do based on our needs at that time. Oh, and we technically did not finish SOTW2 before switching to Sonlight, but I couldn't wait to switch, and again, he'd read the whole thing anyway, so it was really ME that hadn't finished SOTW2. :tongue_smilie:

[FO4UR]

I have 2 kids that I could use just about any materials to teach. I pick what is most efficient and enjoyable from off my shelf. I have an abundance on my shelf b/c my oldest has some learning quirks and I've had to try several things to keep him moving along.;)

 

 

Curriculum hopping with him is sometimes a necessity. (or maybe I'm justifying) He gets so far into a program and then he hits a spot where I can see that he is not.going.to.budge. another inch with it. (It isn't behavioral. It's developmental. It's frustration.) He is never going to be a sequential learner who moves in neat and tidy stair-steps along with a curriculum.

 

 

The curriculum has to become a mere tool that I use. I *have* to dig into finding my own philosophy and honing my own pedagogy. I am getting pretty good (finally!) at finding what skill lapse is dragging him down, and focusing on that for a while. In a few months, he'll grow beyond that lapse and onto a new struggle. Simply finding a curriculum to "fit" him is a futile errand. I have to keep on top of him and pull from multiple resources. (Which means I need to know exactly what I'm teaching...not just the name of the curric we follow.)

 

 

This is all for the 3R's. The history/literature/science is something that I purposely want to be fluid and living. I have high standards and specific goals, but the actual materials we use are allowed to vary greatly. I don't see that as "hopping," just "shopping.":001_smile: Until dh started labeling history and science as "school" in front of my dc:glare:, they never knew that all of the wonderful books we read are "School." (...b/c I'm a great "shopper":lol:)

[jujsky]

I've changed twice. I used Calvert for pre-K and K, and I used K12 for 1st-3rd. I don't like being a curriculum hopper. I'm afraid if you jump around too much, you risk missing things due to different scope & sequences. We switched from Calvert because it wasn't working for us. Some of the books were boring and the lesson manual made things difficult because it had the lessons for all subjects listed each day. If you didn't get to something in one subject and wanted to skip ahead in another, it was cumbersome to do so. K12 was better as the lesson listed self-adjusted. I liked the program and it was solid and rigorous BUT it took too much time. It was a full 180 days of curriculum so I spent all my time cramming in school at home instead of homeschooling, if you know what I mean. This year we've pulled from different curriculum resources and I've even put some things together on my own. I'll see how it goes. I won't feel as bad switching up a subject or two if they're not working doing it this way.

[IsabelC]

Thank for the insights.

 

I think I have a couple of issues: one with shifting our emphasis from the unschooling side of things to the more structured homeschooling side, and another around coming to terms with the fact that we just can't do everything that would be worthwhile doing!

 

We will be starting the new school year in February, but I school year round so that's still four and a bit months to settle in to the new stuff we've started and figure out whether it's working. I really want to decide on our choices for next year and resolve to stick it out for a whole year without dropping or changing any materials.

[Dolphin]

This is my 5th year hsing and I think my answer is different now than it would have been 5 years ago!

 

In the beginning I just didn't know my teaching style and my kids' learning styles. I'm not one to cater to everyone, however it does make sense to me that I do what I can to help each child achieve success, which usually means teaching different children different ways to some extent.

Now, the only reason I change a curriculum is if either a child or I have a major problem with it that can't be fixed within the confines of the curriculum. I have explored different things and have come to know how my children best function and how I best function.

 

This year I went back to All About Spelling after dropping it because it takes a lot of teacher time. My kids hated spelling and even though they were independent with SWO, it wasn't worth it. So, I re-bought AAS and all 4 kids are as happy as clams. I came to the point where I'm resigned to teaching ALL DAY LONG! :001_smile:

 

The only other changes I made this year was to my dd's material. She entered Logic Stage this year, but she's not really ready maturity wise to handle much of the Logic stage curriculum my ds used last year. So, I had to readjust for the way she learns. I went back to MOH for history because she likes to lapbook and they have a great lapbooking program to go along with the lessons. I changed a couple curriculum of hers because she just needed something different than my older ds did.

 

My boys at the end are using exactly what they did last year because it works. They'll be fine through 4th grade, then we'll have to see from there which Logic road I take with them. I doubt it will mean new curriculum though, but who knows. We'll likely be in Japan by then so things could change because of moving to another country!

 

The only time I look at "the latest and greatest" is if I am looking to fulfill a need I have... not just to browse. Too easy to think the grass will be greener.... when you have something that works, go with it! :D

 

First year we had a lot of change. I think part of that was that ds was in 3rd grade. He had some opinions about things. I had to learn what I could teach with AND what he would learn best with. Also, the surprise remediation I had to do to fix the three years he was in school.

 

We spent that first year just getting spelling and math down, we tried a lot, but by the end of that year we discovered our math spine and main supplement. I did add something else to it this year (BA), but that is just for fun:D. We got spelling sorted, and it started to improve.

 

The second year we went through the other subjects. We tried LC1 again, and it just didn't work, so we found Galore Park Latin Prep.

 

I don't see as much jumping ahead for this third year. We changed as ds is going into logic, and I now have a kindergartener. I think I bought much more wisely. I know what to look for in a teacher manual for me, and what types of things work best with each kid. I think it gets easier if you want it to. Some people just like switching it up to keep it exciting and that can work too.:001_smile: