do I *need* an expensive curriculum for K?

[HappyLady]

My DD will officially be a K'er come this fall. So far we've just been using workbooks, printouts from the internet, and games online for learning. We're actually doing a lot of work on the 1st grade level. In my state, I won't have to officially report her until next year.

 

I'm really feeling overwhelmed at which curriculum to choose for her so I was wondering if you think we'd do just as well using what we've been using for K. Or are there advantages I don't know about to actually trying one of the well-known curricula?

 

I guess I'm worried about missing something vital in her education. Everyone I know is using one of the well-known, expensive curricula and I really don't want to buy something I'm unsure of.

 

Can I go another year doing what I'm doing? Should I just relax and stick with what works for us? Can you tell I'm a bit stressed over all of this? :lol:

[lea_lpz]

It is a little mi d boggling how expensive the box curriculum can be. I looked into Sonshine initially and was shocked.

 

I know a lot of people just do the 3 R's for k and that seems fine to me. Really homeschooling is as expensive as you make it.

 

If you would like a Christian curriculum that is similar to Sonlight but more hands on and more affordable, churck out mfw k. It is really affordable and uses a book list so you can get a lot if the books from the library that you'd only use for a unit or so. We've really enjoyed it and feel it gave the right amount of literature, science, art, music, crafts, cooking, hands on math and social studies in addition to regular Lang, math & Bible lessons.

 

Here's the link:

http://www.mfwbooks.com/products/M50/20/0/0/1

 

You don't need it by any means, but if you'd like to have something laid out for you with extras we've enjoyed it :)

 

They have a basic package for $128 and a deluxe for $214. This a complete curriculum with daily math, language and Bible.

 

*edited: link works now

[happymomofboys]

No, you don't *need* an expensive curriculum for any grade. Most people could homeschool with a library card and an internet connection if they had no other choice. We usually pay out of convenience or preference. Some feel more confident using the well-established or well-known. Some find something that they and their kids enjoy using and are willing to pay more for that. I have a growing list of free curriculum you can read here. If what you're doing is working, I wouldn't change it. If you feel like you're going to risk gaps, you can look through this list of various scopes and sequences and state standards. You're doing fine.

[MinivanMom]

No, you do not need an expensive curriculum for kindergarten.

 

For kindergarten age children I've never used more than materials for the 3 R's, which in our case is Handwriting w/out Tears, Reading Reflex, and Singapore Math. I'm perfectly capable of choosing good books to read aloud to my children without the guidance of a purchased curriculum. I'm perfectly capable of buying art supplies and supervising art projects without outside input. I'm perfectly capable of planning hands-on activities like trips to the zoo, growing plants, baking bread, and making butter without somebody else's schedule of activities. There's nothing wrong with buying a full program for little ones if that is what you prefer, but nobody "needs" expensive curriculum for kindergarten.

 

It sounds like what you are doing works. Don't worry about what "everyone" else is doing. You only need to educate your child.

[Punchie]

No. We focused on the "3R's" and added extras as time and interest permitted. Halfway through the year, we added more formal subjects b/c DD's behavior took a nosedive. I figured it was b/c she was bored. You're not going to scar your child for life if you do or don't so something in K. :)

[Walking-Iris]

Really no. MEP is free online and a great intro to math. Singapore Essential math is two really cheap workbooks and gets the job done. You can teach them to read with an inexpensive book such as OPGTR or WRTR and extra workbooks like ETC. Buy them used on Amazon. There are a ton of websites such as Starfall etc to help with reading. Science can be as informal as doing nature study and reading books from the library and watching docs on Netflix.

 

http://www.cstone.net/~bcp/BCPIntro2.htm

 

These lesson plans are free. I don't think a Kinder really needs history. At that age I just focus on reading interesting books about american history topics or learning some geography using a wall map and globe.

 

Peak With Books is inexpensive for literature ideas.

 

HWT is a cheap handwriting book.

 

If you looked through what Sonlight offers for K (for example) you can find http://www.sonlight.com/homeschool-curriculum.html?grade=k&tab=m most of these books used online or at your library. And you wouldn't get even close to paying that sticker price.

[Ecclecticmum]

Get Ruth Beechicks 3 R's book, and call that a K program :p

 

If you want more than that, get Beechicks Language & Thinking for young Children, have a look at the Mott Media stuff, and perhaps something for Math like Rays Primers (on Mott Media site, the Classic Curriculum workbooks series 1 is to be done before Rays), or FREE programs like MEP or CSMP (for more of a story based maths, with a cool little box calculator that looks intriguing). If you feel for any reason you need to work on listening skills, differences, or notice any areas where something may be amiss, Developing the Early Learner is good too.

 

You definitely don't need an expensive curricula, lol. It all depends on what particular style you do (Classical, Waldorf, Eclectic, Unit Studies etc) as to what to suggest.

 

But what your doing is perfect. If she's happy and your happy, and your both learning, thats what matters. :)

[PentecostalMom]

You don't "need" it, but it sounds like you need something. Maybe one of those "complete" books like this? It would help reassure you that she is getting all of the basics and give you plenty of time for whatever you want to do. You say that you have been doing a lot of first grade work, so here is a link to a first grade one, but there are several others. You can usually get them at Sam's, WalMart, Books-a-Million or Barnes and Noble. They are not expensive and may give you peace of mind; along with plenty of time for reading aloud, playing, nature walks, etc.

[Farrar]

I think most complete K curricula are a complete waste of money. I mean, kids at that age vary sooooo much. If you try to get everything in a box, there will be some skill subjects that are just off - the math and reading will be too hard or too easy. Plus, the best curricula for those things are individual resources.

 

I second many of the simpler resources mentioned above, like MEP Reception and Handwriting Without Tears. There are lots of good phonics resources online. We especially liked Progressive Phonics, which is free and they've expanded a lot since we used it. You could look at Five in a Row or Peak with Books if you wanted something that felt more complete, but you could also just keep it light. At that age, we mostly played games, got outside, played, took field trips and did very little formal learning.

[ajfries]

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who responded! This is the exact place I find myself in. I'm a type A check the boxes, work the list personality, and so the idea of an expensive curriculum (or, ahem, ALL of them) appeals to me.

 

I totally agree though, we'll be focusing on the three Rs and I think we'll do science and history via unit studies and just "doing".

[mumto2]

Just wanted to say you can skip the fancy curriculum for quite awhile if you use the internet and the library. The beauty of home ed is that when that doesn't seem to work any longer you can buy something more formal. You don't have to do that for September. November or March(or whenever) will be just fine starting points too.

[Um_2_4]

There is so much for free on the net that wasn't there even 5 years ago. I really think I could have taught my Kg classroom for free (except printing) if I had all these resources years ago.

 

Even knowing that, I had to keep myself from buying AAR pre level 1 for the twins just out of convenience. I have tons of LA books for kg in boxes, but the time to go through and put it together was giving me pause. I did not buy it and I am so happy I didn't. I am this weekend planning the next 9 weeks (we school year round) and printing/copying everything I need for them (we are doing letters of the week, so crafts to go with them etc.) and putting it into a file box.

 

And Farrar is right, a box curriculum might have some things too easy and others too advanced, especially if you have been doing some 1st grade work.

 

If you are worried you might "forget" to cover something you could look at your state standards (just google it) and/or sign up for some online program as a supplement (jumpstart (we have, kids love it), time4learning(tried, wasn't a fan), reading eggs(DD LOVES it, I credit it with her reading at a year ahead of her grade level) or simplehomeschooling (has science topics and story comprehensions) and there are more).

[Holly]

I agree with PP. You don't need an expensive K curriculum. If you have the money and want some ready-to-go plans, you might want to look into it.

 

I used this site quite a bit when my oldest was about that age. http://www.worldbook.com/typical-course-of-study

We did school like you are doing...I focused on the 3Rs and found free lessons on the computer to cover the suggested topics from the site. We also did a lot of FIAR lessons. I even did this method after we started reporting to the state...I'd send them in a list very similar to the Word Book course of study and cross things off as we covered them. We now live in a state with minimal reporting. I currently have a K'er, and we focus her lessons on the 3Rs. She joins in with my older DC for the rest of her school and we occasionally manage to squeeze in a FIAR book.

[IceFairy]

We piece it together for K....but my younger is tagging along with her older brother on a few things. We tried the expensive box route... Winter Promise, Memoria Press, and Oak Meadow... when we were starting out and trying to find our way....it was a HUGE waste of money and time.