How much do you actually reuse for your kids?

[carina]

I'm planning first grade and it seems a bit spendy to me but I'm telling myself that TOG and LOE will be reused by our younger two so it's really not that expensive in the long run. But then I think, what if I change my mind? So, were any of you able to pick some core curricula and stick with it for several kids?

 

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[Kiara.I]

So far we're re-using math, spelling, writing...science and history are being done together, so that's not quite the same.  Anyway, I haven't changed my mind.  But I know many do, so....who knows!  It may yet happen for us.

[Lori D.]

I'm planning first grade and it seems a bit spendy to me but I'm telling myself that TOG and LOE will be reused by our younger two so it's really not that expensive in the long run. But then I think, what if I change my mind? So, were any of you able to pick some core curricula and stick with it for several kids?

 

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Well, the first thing to know about homeschooling more than one student is that SO often what works for the first one does not work for some or all of the next ones.   ;)

 

And, it's important to realize you are paying for quality education; if your family will learn best with several of the more expensive programs, then invest in those. But if your family will learn equally well or better with less-expensive materials, go with what helps you best accomplish your educational goals and is the best fit for your family. :) Price does not make a curriculum great. ;)

 

re: expensive curricula

- Reselling can re-coop some of your money (although TOG has a no re-sale policy, so that is a commitment).

- Buy used when you can -- local used curriculum fairs and Craig's List; sale/swap boards (here, Homeschool Classifieds, etc.)

- Borrow back/forth with a local homeschooling friend -- loan things you're not using that year, in exchange for things she's not using that year

- Look for the rare sales from vendors

 

 

Side note about TOG -- everything I have heard from others: this is not usually the best choice for young children, and esp. just one early elementary age student. TOG is fine for elementary ages WHEN you also have middle/high schoolers and you need everyone on the same program, but it is a program that works best for older students, not for your first student when in the early elementary grades. The comments I've heard from parents who used is that it is too much for the student, too much for the parent, and is too much about the history when the early elementary grade focus and energies really need to be poured into developing a strong foundation in reading, writing, and math skills.

 

JMO, but perhaps consider holding off and purchasing TOG in about 6 years, when it's a better time and fit for your oldest AND you'll have youngers to blend in with it to make it really worthwhile. You also will have had some time to see how all of them learn to know if this expensive program really IS going to be the best fit for your family. And you'll have had some time to get to know yourself and your homeschooling style and needs to really know if TOG is a fit for YOU.

 

 

BEST of luck, whatever you decide! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[MeAndTheBoys]

I have reused quite a lot but I have also NOT reused quite a lot :)

 

Don't buy anything terribly expensive with the idea that, "It's okay, I'll reuse it," unless you have REALLY taken a good look at it and know that you even want to use it ONE time, much less 2 or 3.

 

We have reused Sonlight lower cores P 3/4 up through A (although this second time through, I've really tweaked it to fit better).  I've resold a LOT of LA materials--different writing programs like Writing Strands.  Reused a lot of math and reading TGs from Christian Light--  Sold, donated or tossed tons of workbooks and TGs that go with them.

 

If it's cheap, I don't feel so bad about it.  The 2 Winterpromise cores that I had to try to resell and Sonlight Core D--more painful.  We will reuse some of the books that came with Core D, but that IG--I really ought to sell it----

 

B

[JudoMom]

I do reuse some things, but plenty of things I haven't reused.  I would suggest that you NOT use reusing a criteria in purchasing something.  Either you like it and can afford it for the student you're purchasing it for, or you don't.  Otherwise, you risk feeling guilt when you don't reuse it with another child.

[sweetpea3829]

I reuse a LOT!  That said...different things work for different kids.  

 

ToG...oh man...that was the most expensive mistake I made.  It really is not a great program for youngers.  I know some have made it work but...it is overwhelming, especially for a family that is just starting out.  

 

Here's how I reuse...

 

With math...we have four kids.  The oldest uses MUS because its incremental, slow approach is best for her LDs.  The second oldest uses Singapore.  The middle boy started using Singapore, struggled, and switched to MUS, but will switch back to Singapore when he has a better foundation.  The youngest will probably use Singapore.

 

We also use Beast Academy with the eldest boy.

 

For all of them, I do not let them write in their workbooks.  Instead, I remove the binding, three hole punch the pages and insert in a 3-ring binder.  Every trimester, I plan which pages they will be working on, pull them and file them in my planning binder.  Each week, I stuff those pages in their daily work folders.  Every night, I stuff the next day's work in dry erase pockets.  

 

They complete the pages using Vis-A-Vis wet erase markers.  I correct them, put the child's initial in the upper corner, clean them off and re-file them back into their appropriate binders.  

 

Math is the subject that we have had the most success with reusing consumable curricula.  Language Arts doesn't really lend itself to readily, though I have done the same approach with all of their Explode the Code Workbooks, and Spectrum practice workbooks.  

[SevenDaisies]

I have done very well with reusing material thus far. There have been a few things I have tried and not liked, but all in all I spend a good bit purchasing for my oldest and a small fraction buying consumables for my younger two. It's always a gamble though.

[Coco_Clark]

I'm half-half. You win some and you lose some, ya know?

 

I'm now using LOE with my second kiddo and I'm sure I'll use it with my third too. It's just an awesome program, and multifaceted enough that I think it will work for *most* kids. My first loved the jumping running games, my second the card games, that kind of thing.

 

They have different math programs, though. In fact my oldest has used no less than FOUR math programs. :/. At least #2 used one of his many cast-offs.

 

Never made the TOG jump myself.

[SilverMoon]

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Edited May 17, 2022 by SilverMoon

[FO4UR]

I have reused very few things.

 

The things I was CERTAIN to reuse (and therefore plunked down $300 for) were complete flops.  

 

The things that were worth the $ are things that taught *ME* how to teach.

 

 

SOTW is just fine for 1st-4th.  It's more than fine, and more than enough.  If you complete all the AG pages and read all of the extra reading, your kids will know more history at age 10 than most college graduates. 

 

Before investing in LOE, check out Writing Road to Reading at the library and read it 3x cover to cover.  Is this the method that you want to use to teach?  LOE, SWR, and several others are all spin-offs of WRTR. 

 

 

 

I am a believer in investing $ into my dc's educations once everything is well-researched.  I spend on living books.  Those are maybe the one item that truly gets reused over and over again.

[blondeviolin]

We have successfully reused (or are currently reusing) Miquon, Funnix, WWE, FLL, Singapore Math 1 and 2, Beast Academy 3. I have a feeling LOE Foundations will be reused because it really is well-done. I'm not sure if we'll reuse LOE Essentials, but if it helps the one child I purchased it for without driving me up a wall, that's a win in my book. The same goes for Teaching Textbooks for my oldest.

[FO4UR]

We have successfully reused (or are currently reusing) Miquon, Funnix, WWE, FLL, Singapore Math 1 and 2, Beast Academy 3. I have a feeling LOE Foundations will be reused because it really is well-done. I'm not sure if we'll reuse LOE Essentials, but if it helps the one child I purchased it for without driving me up a wall, that's a win in my book. The same goes for Teaching Textbooks for my oldest.

 

 

My list of keeps for my dd2 is Miquon/Singapore (US edition and CWP), Happy Phonics, SOTW series, FLL 1/2 (old hardcover), and the rest of my keeps are living books and files on my computer of things I've made for my Big Three.

[Jess4879]

Not as much as I planned to.  :glare:  Some things have been a good fit for one child, but not for another.  I've also gotten better at tweaking things to make them work.  Then there are things like AAR/AAS that we all love and we've more than gotten our money's worth.  My big challenge is to not get distracted by new, shiny things.  Someone posts here and I can't help it, I HAVE to check it out.  At one point recently I actually had intentions to buy a 2nd Chemistry curriculum, even though we already have one that will work perfectly fine.  Oi.

 

 

[momacacia]

I will reuse spelling portion of Phonics Road I anticipate for all my kids (until it's "broken", so far working great a second time), anticipate TOG reuse, I have 3 different math currics at various levels (all of MM through middle school), lol, so surely there should be something for everyone there. Science I anticipate being reused at elementary level as well as when we move into Ellen McHenry materials.

 

Sure, I'd change things if they weren't working for a kid, but as long as they're working and now that I've been "trained" in some of them---might as well stick with them.

[hornblower]

If you only had one child, would you not get the the best curriculum you thought would work for that child, assuming you could afford it in the first place?

Having subsequent kids use it or being able to re-sell it is not even just icing on the cake, it's a small sprinkle. 

[carina]

If you only had one child, would you not get the the best curriculum you thought would work for that child, assuming you could afford it in the first place?

 

Having subsequent kids use it or being able to re-sell it is not even just icing on the cake, it's a small sprinkle.

See, I'm pretty sure I'd still be looking at the same curriculum if it for just one DC. I LOVE history, so TOG appeals to that for me as well as all it has to offer as a system. And if we don't have the money to buy the whole LOE foundations then I plan on just using their teachers manual + their youtube videos and activities book. The whole curriculum would be nice though, but I guess we'll see what all we have money for this summer.

 

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[BusyMom5]

Well, if I were you, I'd get LOE over anything history or science related for Kindy/1st.  We are using it for 1st grade, and will be using it again w/ my youngest.  I am also using portions for my 4th grader, so it's definitely been worth the $$!  You can do so much history just using books from your library for that grade!

[abacus2]

I have not reused as much as I thought I would. So far I am sticking with math. My two oldest have needed very different language arts things so I haven't been able to reuse there so far. I am reusing some Sonlight and MFW things, but I upgraded my manual and bought more books, so the savings were less than I anticipated. I concur with others that reusing is a possible bonus, but depending on that plan is unwise. 

 

ETA: I used to wonder why so many people didn't reuse things they intended to. Then I saw the excitement and light bulbs replace the dutiful drudgery in my second dd when I changed some things to suit her better.

[Peaceful Isle]

This next year I will be using, and re-using what I already have because money is absolutely not there.

 

Things that are consumable, I will have to buy over again, but that is about it. 

 

The one product that I know I will totally re-use after I am done is Story of the World. We love it here. 

 

 

If I had my way, I would have lots of money, and be able to buy whatever new, shiny books each year for my kiddos, but alas, 'tis not so. 

[SnMomof7]

Always prioritize skill subjects. Especially in the lower grades. Invest in math and LA before going all out on expensive, lit based subjects. Especially before third grade :).

 

I've been through a ton of curriculum. Especially in the first three years with my oldest, a little with my 2nd, but now we've found our groove. All those expensive programs I justified to myself and DH...never were reused. :/. I just gave a lot of things away, honestly. My lit based program books are all still here, though. We love books ;), just not programs heavy on read alouds (not realistic for us).

 

We are reusing now that we've found where we fit as a family, but it is mostly readers, answer keys and teacher manuals :). It does help a bit, but the programs we are using now aren't super-expensive in the first place, either :).

[SparklyUnicorn]

I reused most things.  Some stuff I had to buy new workbooks for.  Some stuff I didn't use again at all.  I have not spent a ton though.

 

Probably the biggest waste was buying sets of reading books thinking my second kid would read them, but he didn't end up having the same interests.  Not the end of the world because they weren't too expensive.

 

The stuff I've reused 100% were history, grammar, vocabulary, and poetry. 

[elliotterae]

I'm a curriculum junkie. I'm doing good to finish one year of something without switching, let alone reuse. At least so far.

[alisoncooks]

I'm a curriculum junkie. I'm doing good to finish one year of something without switching, let alone reuse. At least so far.

+1, especially with the oldest (the Guinea Pig).

Youngest child is starting to reuse some things -- or rather, use some of the SAME things her sister used, but since they are consumable workbooks, they aren't actually reused. :p

[My4arrows]

We have actually reused quite a bit so far, but I have never bought with that intention- meaning justifying the price because it'll be reused. My first two children are so very different so I've had to buy some different curriculums for each of them to suit thir needs. One uses MUS for math, the other MM and will transition to using BA the next year, my youngest is beginning with the MUS we have and then we'll see from there where they go. Although it's nice to be able to reuse, I also love that homeschooling also allows us to customize their education!