For fun: If you couldn't buy or didn't have "curriculum" to use...

[Sue G in PA]

What would you do? How would you teach? What would you use? I feel like I've been letting curriculum rule my school. And as good as I think ours is (we mainly use HOD and MFW for high school), I almost feel suffocated by it. I'm a "box checker" and if I have a teacher guide like HOD or MFW I feel like I MUST finish it by year's end of I get very stressed, lol. I have issues. So...just for kicks...I started thinking about what I would do if I couldn't afford to buy any more curriculum. If I only had our library, the books I already have here at home, the internet, my printer and my own creativity...what would I do?

 

So...tell me...if you couldn't use curriculum (or you don't use it by choice)...how do you "school"? I feel like I need to be freed! Thanks!

[Ellie]

Library. Educational videos. Field trips. Camp Fire/American Heritage/Girl Scout/Boy Scout/4-H/whatever badges. Oh, wait...I *did* do that! :laugh:

 

Today, now that I know about Charlotte Mason, I'd probably follow AmblesideOnline. Back then, I just sort of let my mind wander, lol.

[Ghee]

One thing I did this year, because I wasn't sure if I wanted to use/invest in Wordly Wise, was to set up their word lists in Spelling City. Free.

 

I also use the library quite a bit for the kid's literature.

 

I made up my own US States and US Presidents units. I created my own notebooking pages (set up sort of like a study guide) that they fill in as I read to them, then they color in things like the state flag, the state bird or flower, etc... on another page. My youngest just does a handwriting sheet as opposed to a notebooking page. I did something similar for our mythology units.

[duckens]

Math: Flashcards and math games. We would make up our own math games.

 

Learning to read: Bob books and just writing the letters. "Write 3 letter Rs. They go like this: R." Learn to read games.

 

Reading: Award winners

Elementary: Caldecott and Zolotov

Middle School: Newberry

High School: Classics (anything with a Cliff's Notes)

 

Writing/Grammar:

Journaling and making up stories.

 

History/Science: Usborne Books. Our library has a ton, and their quicklinks really round out a subject, whether it be ballet, frogs, or Shakespeare.

 

Art: Usborne drawing books and art history books.

 

Geography:

We do what Ghee does: I made up my own US States and US Presidents units. I created my own notebooking pages (set up sort of like a study guide) that they fill in as I read to them, then they color in things like the state flag, the state bird or flower, etc... on another page.

 

Dd6 also writes the name of the state flower and bird on the appropriate page.

 

Spelling:

Vocabulary lists from science or history (once they learned the basic rules for spelling)

 

Field trips, many nature collections, miscellaneous experiments, and badges earned by scout-like clubs. PBS: Nova, Nature, American Experience, and, of course, Wild Kratts.

[Ravin]

No curricula? Math: Living math type stuff. Work on basic arithmetic and practical application type stuff (measurement, time, etc.)

Language arts: Read to DD, have DD read, discuss books, have her do dictation, narration, and copywork based on books we're reading. Grammar would be tied to writing.

Latin: We wouldn't.

Geography: Library books and the map on the wall, I've got an outline for what I want to do for Geography next year without curricula.

History: Library books and build a timeline.

Art: Have supplies in stock, visit museums

Generally: Lots of following rabbit trails and going to museums, etc.

[elegantlion]

Well the books I already own would get us through the next 3 years probably. I'm a really good thrift store shopper and library sale shopper. However, not everything I own is the best fit for ds, especially math and science.

 

I am finding that I'm looking to ds' interests and what is already on my shelves before thinking about packaged materials. It greatly decreased my budget for next year by doing that.

 

I'd also look at Internet open courses to provide a lot. Let them guide the structure of the class instead of trying to make them fit into my plan.

 

The problem with free is there are so many options now. You really need to look a little, define what you want and how you need to use something, then choose fewer materials. I ran into that this year. We tried to use too many resources for one subject and it's been a struggle.

[Annabel Lee]

Math: I would need to find some sort of sequence to follow to know what to present next. My library carries the What Your ___ Grader Needs to Know series, so I might use that for a sequence. Or, there are lists online. Once I have a list of what to teach, I'd flesh it out with Khan Academy, Family Math Middle School & living math books I already own, any other math books I can get from the library, math games (hands-on and online), real-life math application such as budgeting. As the kids get older and math more difficult, I'd probably rely increasingly on online freebies from Khan, BrightStorm, Alcumus, open courseware online, and CK12.

 

English/Literature: First I'd use up what I already own, which would last us a good year or two. Then...

• Writing: Write across the curriculum according to WTM 1st edition, find rubrics or formal writing instruction online (CK12?) or at the library.
  
• Spelling: SpellingCity, SheppardSoftware, and the How to Teach Spelling K-12 TM I own, plus Elizabeth B's spelling page online.
  
• Penmanship: I'd use the homemade notebook style shown on Donna Young's site for practice & review. My kids already know cursive, so this would just be "brush-ups" on whatever letters or formations seem to be slipping. I plan to do that next year, anyhow. If I needed printouts, the Zaner-Bloser site allows you to create them for free. DY's site also has animated cursive tutorials. If I want a full program, I own the Presidential Penmanship CD-Rom which is K-12 or K-8.
  
• Grammar: KISS, since it's free. I'd see if there are any other free, vintage texts online as well. We'd diagram sentences from regular books & from the child's own writing.
  
• Vocabulary: I have enough dictionaries to do this even if I lost internet connection. I could use spelling words or words from literature.
  
• Reading/Literature: WTM method using whole books we own or from library; I also have Reading Strands to draw from. I'd use CHOLL & free literature guides online (Glencoe has many; also some curriculum companies post a whole guide as a sample). AO & other lists would come in handy.
  

Latin: I don't know what I'd use for this. I'd have to search online & my library system. I might have to find someone locally who knows it, or skip it.

 

Modern foreign language: see above, same as Latin.

 

Art: There are tons of free art resources between the internet & the library. Sometimes there are free trials offered by online programs such as Mark Kistler Online Drawing Lessons, etc. Donna Young has some free art lessons on her site. This wouldn't be hard; but we'd need the supplies & materials. For artist appreciation, we'd use the library, internet, & museum visits.

 

Logic: I'm not sure what I'd do for this beyond free online games & whatever books I can scrape together from the library. We might have to forego formal logic.

 

Bible: We'd start with The Bible, and then explore freebies online, at our local library & church library.

 

Science: CK12, ACS free middle school chemistry, free downloads or large try-before-you-buy samples from Ellen McHenry & other curriculum providers. Currclick sometimes has free downloads. We'd have to use the library a LOT. We'd get involved in local bird count & aquatic life monitering programs that collect, analyze, & report wildlife data. Nature & outdoors & our local university would become a bigger part of our curriculum. The uni. has hands-on kits available for checkout, but the wait is long. Guesthollow would be helpful, too.

 

History: Library, Project Gutenburg & other free online books, such as the G.A. Henty series that is posted online as well as H.A. Guerber's series; other online free resources such as SheppardSoftware, encyclopedias we own, and I'd do it per WTM. Primary resources from fordham online, we already own atlases, maps, & a globe. I'd just make copies from the Geography Coloring Book I have or have the kids trace with tracing paper, depending on the assignment. I'd get free brochures from our state chamber of commerce for the kids to use to decorate their state history notebooks. Guesthollow & AO would come in handy.

 

Geography: I'd tie it into history as much as possible, but we'd also study local geography. We'd read all the front introductory pages in our atlases that teach all about geography & maps. SheppardSoftware online is free, and if Seterra is free I'd use that, too. NatGeo has free printable maps. For cultural geography, we'd use the library.

 

Music: We'd check out books from the library or look up articles online on famous composers, while listening to their music. We could listen from GrooveShark or check CDs out from the library. We'd just work our way down the timeline chronologically, using free notebooking pages online that are already part of my plan for next year. I also had saved some music theory YouTube videos, but I don't know what I'd do for actual music instruction.

 

It sounds messy, but I would have to use a summer to prepare. I'd want to plan everything in advance complete with web links, reading schedules & coordinating literature guides, and have it all printed out & ready to go. I'd end up with schedules for each subject that look a lot like Guesthollow's. I'd have to do this so that I would have my picking & choosing done. I'm not good at narrowing things down on the fly. I'd want to look at all the reading lists from AO, Great Books, etc.; all the resources available. But I also know I need to force myself to choose so I wouldn't get overwhelmed with a schedule that's too full.

 

This was fun! It's a real eye-opener to how much money I could be saving; really gives me a lot to think about.

[Michelle My Bell]

Ambleside Online

Allinonehomeschool.com

Baldwin Books

 

Library

Local Parks, Museums

[Farrar]

Math: Games, math walks, shopping math, and I would print worksheets online

 

Everything else: Hello, library.

 

Also, I would build routines. We already have many, but some of them are simply "do the next thing if X curriculum." If we were going completely without any curricula, just books and activities, then I would try to make a loose schedule or routine for that.

[Sue G in PA]

Thanks for all the inspiration! These plans sound fabulous. I need to start thinking outside the box. Using what I have. We belong to a co-op that has many classes planned for us already...that curriculum will need to be purchased. Other than that...I really want to do my own thing sort of. I have a ton of R&S English levels...prob 2-7...that will take is through high school. Lots of books. Tons of books. Writer's Jungle for writing. WWE2. Copywork and dictation from our reading. History is planned with co-op. I need science for high school. Lots of great ideas here!

[JudoMom]

I could school through high school with what I have on my shelves, with the exception of sciences (I could do Computer Programming and Physics, and I might be able to dig out old college texts for others, but I'm not sure). Those I would look at classes online (like Coursera).

[Hunter]

Do you have TWTM first edition? It uses mostly trade books as textbooks.

 

Have you read Guide to American Christian Education in which the teacher is the textbook.

 

Waldorf teachers draw the "textbook" on the blackboard, and students copy it. I just draw on paper for students to copy. Also Waldorf teachers retell advanced books in easier language to students. Grammar is taught by color coding and discussing the copywork or student created summaries.

[AK_Mom4]

Well, I would be hitting up used bookstores for some advanced math books - we are well beyond the days of kitchen table math. I have 3 or 4 Calc books and a bunch of higher math of my own so I guess I could skip Dd a few levels and use the Calc books and go slow. I have good set of college science books so we would be good there.

 

History, Lit, and composition we would have to hit up the library. Foreign language would be a tough one - definitely have to hire a tutor there.

 

We could definitely do it without ever buying anything (except maybe one more math book)

[Arcadia]

I need science for high school.

 

My library systems have curriculum from kindergarten all the way to college including for Art and Music :) Full sets of SAT, ACT, LSAT, GRE and GMAT as well. Our libraries have free wifi internet as well.

I buy textbooks because I like to stick post-its on them and not have to worry about overdue library fines. If science labs are included under curriculum, then I am probably outsourcing the labs.

[Hunter]

I need science for high school.

 

 

Have you read the first edition TWTM science for grades 7-8 and high school? The 7-8 instructions explain how to use the Eyewitness books. The high school great books instructions can be applied to modern books and magazines.

 

Also see if your library has any AP Environmental Science test prep books, that you can use as a spine for library books.

[happymomofboys]

I would use the curriculum materials linked on my Your Free Homeschool list and the library. I'm actually collecting links to free materials for the express purpose of having them to fall back on if I can't afford to buy curriculum in the future.

[TraceyS/FL]

I could go a long while - now, after my recent purchases anyway! I wouldn't hit a snag until middle school math, and that is a maybe on that child. I think someone borrowed my LoF Fractions book, I have decimals. Need to ask about that.

 

As I was sorting books I realized that I finally felt like I had the major pieces I wanted, and the library could be used for what I was missing. Probably my weakest area content wise is Modern History. My parents probably can cover that with movies/documentaries and books for me though... although not at a younger level. Hmmmm, need to buy HO Modern to have a guide.

 

But, my youngest won't run out of what I have sitting here until high school I think. So overall, I could do it.

[Ecclecticmum]

I've started to get annoyed at the box checker mentality too (and this coming from a planner queen) it just makes everything hard to get through.

 

I *know* its not exactly what you want (well change the math to living books, and the phonics to any library phonics, and it would be more like it.

 

My new plan, is no plan, lol.

 

5-15 minutes a day of phonics from Dancing Bears

15-30+ (depending on games) of Rightstart

 

So other than those, I have a bunch of 'activity' books in a box, kids can choose what they want to do if we have time that day.

 

* Oak Meadow 1 (we more concentrate on the crafts, any nature bits, eventually it will work for creative writing prompts etc)

* BFSU & NEE (These plus OM, are a more 'mummy' adds in if theres time, if theres not, who cares. I tend to use slim post-its as bookmarks for wherever we're upto

* Whole bunch of old workbooks that are partially completed (SM etc) for if their "bored'

* Few different open-ended science pre-k "lab" books.

* "Dangerous" Science experiment books (like exploding sandwich bags etc)

* Maryann Kohl Books

* History "do it' books (hands-on part of Hideaways in History, make it yourself activity books, SOTW AB)

* Anti-Colouring Books

* Logic Books

* Out of Sync Child has fun

* A billion other interesting goodies lol

 

I am hoping *eventually* DH will put up raingutter shelves in the Atelier, and I'll just plop all those books there instead, then kids choose what they want to do. I have other stuff (writers ideas books, bravewriter) that I'll add to that box once the eldest gets past phonics stage.

 

We either had too much planned and it wasn't getting done, or towards the end I was flying by the seat of my pants, and everything was taking longer. (Oh, I also have books I still have to read in that box like Child of Wonder, Kingdom of Childhood, and my kindle, which has several more books I need to read on it (rest of Simplicity Parenting, 101 reasons why I'm an unschooler, Big Book of Unschooling etc).

 

Or I was printing out stuff from week to week from the computer. I have a clickman coming, so will just print out that stuff, bind it up, and plop in the box.

 

But at the end of the day it will be that Phonics & Math is the only thing I concentrate on. Other stuff will be chosen by kids if we've finished those two for the day, and aren't busy. Same as my daughter wants a horse unit study. It will be printed out, and plopped in box, but only done in her free time.

 

Well, untrue about phonics & maths is all, DS can do phonics if he wants, but I have him on Home Speech Therapy, so that is something else he does, and I cannot drop that. So he really does that instead of phonics.

 

So if I didn't have any "curriculum" I would just grab a phonics book of some description that we could use, and let the kids play with the manipulatives and use MEP or something (its really hard for me 'not' to use a curriculum for maths, simply for the fact that whilst both DDs would eventually get with a living math program, DS would backslide terribly, he's very picky with books and likes lots of pictures (and doesn't really want you to read it, prefers to let you knew his version of the story).

 

I just use mostly open and go "activity" books, nothing with a set year on it (except Oak Meadow, which I just use as an expensive glorified ideas book right now). And I just do math & phonics, thats it.

 

Moral of the Babble: I suppose I'm already doing that....I think?

[Tracy]

I have a friend, a mother of 5, whose dh has been battling cancer and unable to work, for the most part. She starting using WTM for history and language arts. I would also familiarize myself with CM methods to supplement.

 

For math, I already use CSMP, and I would stick to that or look at MEP.

 

For science, I would continue to use BFSU. You can't beat $100 for all K-8 science.

[Luckymama]

Math would be a bit tricky for dd. I haven't investigated the library's offering for higher math, so there might be books available. I have AoPS Number Theory waiting.

 

I could use textbooks from the library for physics and chemistry, along with books I already have. I would use my grad school botany resources for biology. I would probably look at the free CK-12 books as well. I'd need to do some serious planning for labs. We'd take advantage of the local astronomy club, the local geological society, the local nature society, the botanic garden at the university, etc.

 

English and history/social sciences would be easy using already purchased books, the library and online resources----but it would take a lot of time to create cohesive high school courses!

 

Foreign language would be the hardest to do for free.

 

I would definitely take advantage of the online courses from coursera and the others!

[freeindeed]

I probably have enough books here to cover everything except math through the college level. ;)

I *could* just use what I already own, plus add in nature studies/walks, field trips, and lots of interest led learning. I do this for a week or two from time to time, and we enjoy it, but I just can't completely let go of my need for curriculum.

[justme824]

Let's see...

 

Books I have and the library should get us very far. There are lots of book lists out there for the different subjects so I'd research there and get what is available at my library only.

 

We use MOTL & LOF so I am covered through pre-Algebra. If I had to go at this on my own (rather than get the rest of LOF which is the plan) I'd have to do some research, but I am confident I'd be able to figure something out.

 

It really wouldn't be much different than what we do now, I'd just have an issue with math when we hit Algebra.

[AngelBee]

Math you could use Khans Academy.

[ondreeuh]

I would probably put my child in public school if I didn't have any curriculum to use. It's not my business what other people do with their kids, but I know my limitation and my children's needs, and I couldn't give them the education I want if I didn't have curriculum. I can't rely on my library or even my own genius to come up with projects that would teach my kids the skills they need - content, yes, but I need more help for skills (especially since I have a very dyslexic child who is very difficult to teach).

 

The good news is that I have a large stock of curriculum, so I would be able to use what I have. I could take us through freshman year in history and science, and I could get through middle school with literature. I could get through Alg 2 in math, and I could use the open courses for more high school classes.

 

Despite having all of that, I am shopping for my rising 6th grader because a) it's tremendously fun for me, and B) I think he would do better with a different style of education (thematic learning) and that's not what I have. I really could do almost no shopping for my 5 year old because I've got so much good stuff and he's easier to teach, but that doesn't stop me either. ;)

[Paige]

I would make a list of what they should learn for each subject, and then just make it up with a white board, pencil and paper. I think I could do that through at least 8th grade. Sometimes I wonder why I don't just chuck it all and do something like that. I would need books, videos, and cds from the library for history, science, and literature, but I think I could handle math, grammar, phonics, and spelling on my own if I had to. I would need the list to satisfy my box checking needs.