SamanthaCarter Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I was really careful only ordering what we needed to get started this year, as it's my first time and I didn't yet know what resources I liked. But good grief, do any of you feel like you are constantly ordering new stuff?? I'm on my third order to Rainbow Resource, second to Amazon, and have bought things from several other places along the way. We are not even through one semester, does it slow down?? Adding that we are not really trying and discarding curriculum, the only real throw out we've had so far is Elemental Science. We're just going through stuff quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 It can, but I started the year without ordering anything at all. In the last couple of weeks, I ordered several things, mostly some used books but also a couple of small things from RR. To make my RR order work though, I ordered things I know I don't need yet and may not need for a year, so it wasn't a huge order to start with. I have to say that in general we have less stuff every year. Part of it is that I've learned what will work and be worth our time. Also, we've built up materials. I'll never need to get another microscope or another rock set or more small white boards or another atlas or a number of other things like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Yes, it sure does. But I do order less every year as I find that we have more supplies and I hardly bought anything at all during Back-to-School sales this year. Mostly I need the space to store the art supplies, trays, games, science pieces, recyclables, etc. It does get better as you learn what you really need and use in your homeschool. I still keep ordering books though, that will never stop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I found that sometimes we went through things quickly when they weren't the right level for my kids. Once we "leveled up" and found things we liked (still looking for a science I like), it slowed way down. Now, I just order when I see something new & shiny that I convince myself I need to have. :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I ordered a ridiculous amount the first year and somehow managed even more the second. But next year I don't think I will need much. Of course that's what I told myself last year and I was completely wrong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Not anymore. I pretty much bought all the things during Kindergarten. Whoops. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMCassandra Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Yes, it can feel that way for the first few years. Eventually it DOES taper off, even for curriculum addicts like me. Eventually you do have a critical mass of stuff and you will get to ENOUGH. For some of us it takes longer than others ; ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 This year has felt like that for me. Seems like new stuff is arriving weekly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 You need less as time goes on. Plus, don't forget your local library. Don't underestimate how much you can save if you borrow books from the library. I haven't ever had to place more than one RR order per year, but I don't like ordering from them so I really make sure I only have to order once in the summer and I am done. What is it that you are ordering as you go along? Are you hopping from math program to math program? Once my older boy got to 5th or 6th grade we really ordered less because I knew what was going to work and I could get a lot more stuff from the library. That was great. Science gets a lot more expensive as they get older though. And I haven't had to buy hardly anything at all for my younger kid. I have been able to use everything a second time with no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 For some people it never slows down. I have been a big spender and hoarder at times, and a very minimalist instructor at other times. I don't think I was a better instructor with either less or more. If you decide to put a strict cap on what you spend and hoard, then you will be forced to adopt alternative methods, and will spend less time instructing and more time letting the student read and discover. That isn't better or worse, but it does look a bit different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 This is from an unschooling perspective, but I think it might give you a bit of a glimpse into the curriculum market and how we got this way: Curriculum wars Stuff is just stuff, but it's very hard to remember that when it comes to our kids' education. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marynamo Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 We have a very tight budget. I don't do curriculum hopping and buy only what we need each year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 So far, we school year round and just move on to the next thing when we finish up what we're working on. So it feels like I'm constantly ordering stuff, but I don't *think* I'm ordering a greater total of curriculum than the average person. But it's not curriculum I have a ton of. It's all the "other stuff". Fiction and nonfiction books galore, Snap Circuits, a new microscope, gobs of art supplies, board games, science kits, Lego Education kits, classical music CDs, and... and... and... I know I don't *need* the vast majority of what I buy, but it's all so much fun! And much of it I excuse because it will be useful for several years so I'm hoping that I'm front loading my purchases and that it won't keep up like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 The first two years of starting homeschooling were our big spending years, too. I think you just need to start off with more because you're new to it and are trying out different things to find what works best learning style-wise for each individual child, and teaching style-wise for you. Finishing things more quickly than anticipated and needing to get more is also very typical with younger grades. Having supplements that can be used over several years (like Jackie's suggestions in the post above) can help stretch things out. Other possibilities: if a student is working below level they can move very quickly through material, and will slow down when they are using material that is a bit more challenging. Also, pre-school / Kinder / 1st grade ages tend to have a short attention span, so they often need more resources so you can hop back and forth between materials as interest in one particular item flags and you want to keep the momentum going on the topic. And, if you find you have a student with special needs (accelerated, gifted, late bloomer, learning disabilities, etc.), you will have to try more than the usual amount of materials in a single year to find a good fit. If you are in the position of having the financial resources and house space to experiment, then enjoy this first year or two of having lots of "toys" ;) to play with. Once you all settle into your comfort zone in a year or two, you'll do some streamlining. Welcome to homeschooling, and enjoy the journey! :) Warmest regards, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 That hasn't been my experience. I'm a minimalist. We use the library. Free online resources. Not a lot of stuff. We have had a couple of years when we changed things up, accelerated, bought ahead when there were more acquisitions, but that has been the exception. It sounds like you are still finding your feet. You will level off. Eta: I also make our own manipulatives or use things we already have, rarely use a teacher's guide, and unschool science/ do outside science classes and nature studies, so we don't have need of a lot of $$ science tools. If you buy all the bells and whistles, that stuff really adds up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 I found that sometimes we went through things quickly when they weren't the right level for my kids. Once we "leveled up" and found things we liked (still looking for a science I like), it slowed way down. Now, I just order when I see something new & shiny that I convince myself I need to have. :laugh: This might be what we are dealing with here. I bought level 1 of AAS for my third grader and as you can imagine we flew though it and are on level 2 now, since we liked it. Also I only ordered one semester of math and he flew through that, we liked it and so now I've ordered the second semester. Then we had to replace chemistry - he wanted chemistry but our first attempt didn't work (in this case, not yet developmentally appropriate.) I bought a bunch of items for the labs and experiments. For K, my daughter stated with the second semester of Horizons K (she had already done enough math in preschool that the first semester seemed insulting), and after a while I thought I needed the teachers manual and bought that used. Now I'm pretty sure I just don't love Horizons for her. We are not going to dump it, but we are also trying something to do alongside. Also she's already used up her handwriting book so we need more. Surely it will settle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I spent more the first couple years with just one student than I have this year with 3 students. My K'er just needed math. I'm using free resources for reading and spelling/handwriting. My 2nd grader is still finishing up phonics and reading from last year, so I've just had to purchase math for him (he's not ready for grammar and writing). My 5th grader is finishing math from last year (very difficult Prealgebra program = 1.5-2 years). I've purchased some LA stuff for him. History was pretty cheap (one book), and science we're continuing from last year. I did buy ahead in math some for my oldest. I already have the algebra I plan to use with him when he finishes Prealgebra. I bought it maybe 3 years ago because I got a great deal on it (it's a book that is out of print and the price keeps going up). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Samantha, you might also want to try used. Curricula is about the worst investment you could possibly make! There were several multi-hundred dollar programs I longed to use with my twentysomethings that I was never able to scrape up the money for, despite skipping meals and doing all those other things we don't mind doing for out kids, that I fished out of the Bargain Bin for my little for $5 or less. Some of the activities are dated, like an overemphasis on learning analogue time and the different denominations of US coins or even the occasional suggestion to have your kids play cowboys 'n injuns, but for me that's just a reminder to use the curriculum to teach the child instead of using the child to teach the curriculum. It also helps me to put things in perspective to look at the classifieds and remember that the dollar bin is the ultimate fate of all new and shiny things. No matter what we buy, eventually we will find ourselves making multiple trips to goodwill like the woman in the article I posted or all the empty nesters on the used curriculum boards with the lengthy lists of treasures they offer "free for shipping". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 This might be what we are dealing with here. I bought level 1 of AAS for my third grader and as you can imagine we flew though it and are on level 2 now, since we liked it. Also I only ordered one semester of math and he flew through that, we liked it and so now I've ordered the second semester. Then we had to replace chemistry - he wanted chemistry but our first attempt didn't work (in this case, not yet developmentally appropriate.) I bought a bunch of items for the labs and experiments. For K, my daughter stated with the second semester of Horizons K (she had already done enough math in preschool that the first semester seemed insulting), and after a while I thought I needed the teachers manual and bought that used. Now I'm pretty sure I just don't love Horizons for her. We are not going to dump it, but we are also trying something to do alongside. Also she's already used up her handwriting book so we need more. Surely it will settle. Sounds like you are in a very normal stage of finding what works and what amount of material you need. :) The nice thing is you'll be able to save the AAS and Chemistry for future use, which saves you buying later on. It also sounds like you are doing a good job of starting to homeschool: starting gently with just a few core subjects (language arts, math, science), and then you can add in the second line of subjects (geography, grammar, vocabulary), and then a third line of optional subjects (logic/critical thinking, art, music, foreign language), if desired and as you all are ready. But that does also mean a second and third wave of purchases, in order to get new, additional subjects up and running. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I'm always amazed at how much people buy. We need very little--an algebra text, history program, science book and spelling program. Most was found used and altogether cost very little. My kiddo doesn't care for or have any use for manipulatives, and most science lab stuff I can find around the house. I am planning to add in a writing program, but that does it for the entire year. We aren't curriculum hoppers, but we've also been at this for many years. I definitely wouldn't buy much for littles, especially until you understand better what they truly need. Make the library your best friend. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gil Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 We homeschooled officially for only several months. We'd started academics much earlier than others and personally. I'm not a curriculum hopper. My kids are young, so we didn't need much. They could read and write already so we used math books that I already owned, composition books of which I have a tremendous store of, 3 ring binders which I owned already and library cards. There are a lot of free texts out there. We also went through a fair amount of white board markers but nothing obscene. We're minimalistic in general though. Next year we're going back to homeschooling (hopefully) and we're going to be making a lot of use of eBooks so I'll be printing a lot, but I still don't anticipate needing much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 Just wanted to clarify, it's not so much the expense that was getting to me as much as the shopping around (new, used, free or library) and the volume of books, papers etc hanging around the dining room. But mostly the shopping - not one of my strong points. About expense, I think I'm pretty savvy, and when I worry about the money, DH assures me that he trusts me and that it beats private school tuition. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 Sounds like it's a matter of time and experience from what you all are saying. And learning to live with that much more clutter. :sigh Did I mention managing clutter is not one of my strong points either? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 If you want to feel better, look up some elementary teacher blogs and look at all the paperwork! :scared: *That's* a lot of stuff (so much that some make a little side money selling the printables so people don't have to make it all from scratch). If it helps, think of books/curricula as things you're renting. When you're done with them, you can resell or donate. I've been happy to find local options--you may, too, depending on where you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I think they need/use more when young. Books are shorter. Etc. I don't buy as many books now, but the books get more expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elisabet1 Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I don't know. I never really had that much stuff to home school. I do not know what you are ordering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I think it would take a lot less stuff to homeschool if I had never discovered the WTM forums and all the great recommendations... ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco_Clark Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Another minimalist here. We have a very small house, and homeschool "stuff" has to live on a single bookshelf and storage bench in our kitchen along with any board games and art supplies we want to access. It doesn't just have to be worth the money and time to me, it has to be worth the SPACE. As a result I prefer programs like ELTL that require a single reusable book, and can be implemented with just blank paper. And having a "spine" in content works that we can flesh out with library books and the 'net. Manipulatives and kits are few and far between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I'm sure this depends on your type of learners too. My kids are hands-on learners who are into everything, all the time. They never stop moving and building. While they like books, language is not their preferred learning mode and building takes a lot more pieces, parts, and space. I would much rather have the clutter and mess along with happy, engaged kids though so all the stuff is worth it to me. At this point I just embrace it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Remember what you buy for the older will get reused by the younger kids. After all three kids are done with the curriculum, you can sell them or give to bless others. I have two boys two years apart. They use history and some other subjects together. Once the younger son is done, I sell my books to declutter and get some money back. To make you feel better, I have spent lots of $$$$ this year because I had to buy middle school science, writing, history, math, etc for my older son. For my younger, I also had to buy writing. But what I bought for older will be reused by younger and get sold afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I only bought used TMs for AAS 2, 3, and 4 and didn't buy any of the word cards and stuff after I bought the AAS 1 and found we didn't need any manipulative to do it well. I also sold them after use. So that saved a ton of money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carriede Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 I'm trying very hard (and succeeding!) to not by everything in sight. My oldest is only in kindergarten. I did just order a globe which arrived today. I'm so excited about it!!! It looks beautiful on top of the bookcase. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 ohhhh! a globe! yay! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 ohhhh! a globe! yay! :)More $$ out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 The first couple years I bought so much more than I did this past year. ... and for whatever reason, even though her *stuff* was much more expensive (total), my 7th grader is taking "less stuff" than my kindergartner, lol. I spent almost twice as much on her materials, but for some reason when I put their spreads on the table for our annual "the lot is in!" pics, my 7th grader's spread was just TINY compared to the monster that was my kindergartner's load (probably because his religion, science, and social studies is literature based this year, plus manipulatives, etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 ohhhh! a globe! yay! :) Our big globe broke. It didn't have a safe home. I replaced it with two of these- one for each kid old enough to use it. http://www.officeplayground.com/Fantasy-Squeeze-Globe-P1070.aspx Much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 We were on an exceedingly tight budget our first few years of homeschooling. We were fortunate to have access to a couple of public libraries as well as the juvenile collection of our local state university (also free). (We also had a number of thrift stores with good book collections.) So, homeschooling can be done inexpensively depending on your proximity to good libraries. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto4inSoCal Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 I read a study a while back that compared people that has spent a lot of money on curriculum vs people that had spent little to no money. Surprisingly there was no change in the kids education. You can buy all the extra's but you don't have to and your kids can still have the same quality of education. We are part of a charter that give us funds to buy whatever curriculum we want (secular) so I end up with a lot of stuff we probably don't need. I have a friend that uses ambleside and her son is getting an amazing education based on books they get at the library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusyMom5 Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 This is my first year, with 3 different grades, so I do feel like I am always needing something, or wanting to tweak someone's stuff. Several veterans told me to not over-buy, and to take it slow, so I did not buy everything I thought I would need before we started, incase some programs did not work out. We are finishing some of the things already, and need the second part of the programs. I've ordered something probably every month since I started. I keep a running list of what I still need to get, and try to find it used if possible, but buy new if I need to. I do feel like I have needed and used most everything I bought! I have a room for HS stuff, but I have found having each kid his own box for school stuff works really well- I got those boxes that have hanging files in them, and can put worksheets, folders, and books in them for each kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 This is my first year, with 3 different grades, so I do feel like I am always needing something, or wanting to tweak someone's stuff. Several veterans told me to not over-buy, and to take it slow, so I did not buy everything I thought I would need before we started, incase some programs did not work out. We are finishing some of the things already, and need the second part of the programs. I've ordered something probably every month since I started. I keep a running list of what I still need to get, and try to find it used if possible, but buy new if I need to. I do feel like I have needed and used most everything I bought! I have a room for HS stuff, but I have found having each kid his own box for school stuff works really well- I got those boxes that have hanging files in them, and can put worksheets, folders, and books in them for each kid. We're like homeschool twins! We're using stacking plastic storage bins in the dining room for cubbies, not pretty, but functional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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