I'm having a curriculum midlife crisis!

[PinkInTheBlue]

Ever since I found our groove in homeschooling I've been a strong supporter of sticking with a curriculum and seeing it through. Of course that's assuming it's working for you. Jumping around makes gaps and holes.

 

That said, I've never loved Saxon math. I loved Horizon math but once we hit 4th grade with the oldest and it did not have a teacher's guide, I felt the need to have assistance. I'm a bit math phobic and really want the best math foundation for the guys. Saxon has great explanations and the benefit of the Dive CDs, but my guys really don't like how dry it is and I don't either. It gets the job done but they really dread it.

 

I've always been intrigued by Chalkdust but had forgotten about it until the last few days. I relooked at it and remembered how much I was attracted to it. Years ago I wanted it but couldn't afford it. Now I can and my oldest is being pretty worried about moving to pre-algebra this October. I think it would work well for him. Any thoughts? I've searched and read we have several happy Chalkdust users. Anyone ever used it and been unhappy? I love the way it seems to look and work.

 

I'm also unhappy with science. I'm using Exploring Creation Astronomy and have used a few others. I've done it the WTM way and that worked great for the younger years but not now. Nothing is really hitting it though. I got a few Prentice Hall Explorer books from Amazon marketplace for really, really cheap because I looked at a local ps book recently and thought, "Well, maybe we'll just do that". I like them but I'm unsure.

 

NOW someone posted about this CyberEd Pluto thing and I spent a whole evening looking around on it and am intrigued. I think the boys would be interested instead of bored, like they have been. I'd love any further thoughts on that one. I'm really torn on the science part. I definitely have decided to go with a secular science. I just really want one that's interesting.

 

I'm also adding DandyLion Logic, Latina Christiana I, and Lightning Lit 7 as soon as they all get in. I'm in a complete upheaval and having so much fun! Am I going through a curriculum midlife crisis or just spicing things up? It's gotten pretty stale over here lately.

 

Sorry for the ramble. ANY thoughts would be appreciated, whether on curriculum or my mental state! LOL

 

Oh, I also jumped ship on a writing curriculum 3 times in the last 6 months only to come full circle and end up happy and right back on Writing Strands. What's going on?? LOL

[Kathleen in VA]

I've noticed several ladies post about how they like Chalkdust Pre-Algebra. I used Teaching Textbooks with dd15 and she absolutely raved. We are a very math-phobic bunch here. Some say that TT isn't quite as instensive and comprehensive (lacks a geometry intro) as Chalkdust, though. They do sell a Geometry course so I figure we'll get to it eventually. Once I found TT I just can't imagine using anything else. I bought TT5 for ds12 who struggles and he is absolutely beaming. I'm very shy now about using something else now.

 

I know you said you wanted a secular science course but I just have to say how much we love Rainbow Science. It comes with everything you need, too - no scrambling for experiment supplies. Oh, and I how the author throws in a bit of sideways humor now and then.

[Miss Sherry]

I just wanted to ad in that Teaching Textbooks has computer software for it that has an explanation to EVERY problem in the textbook that can be accessed if needed. I don't know of any other program with that. My son really like using Teaching Textbooks. I think one of the things that was so appealing to him was that he did not need to ask his MOM to help him if he got stuck on something because he could look at the explanation on the computer program. Boys do get to where they do not want to be so dependent on their Mom.

[8filltheheart]

Jessica,

 

If you want to have teacher assisted math, CD is a solid program. I have never used the pre-alg program specifically, but the texts are good standard texts. Mr. Mosely is very good about answering questions via email or phone; his video explanations are excellent. I have used only his geometry courses (both. He has 2 different ones. I used the older version with my oldest and the newer version I am using currently) I actually like a different alg program, so I haven't used his alg program. But the math series is a well-respected program and when I found a tutor for my oldest for pre-cal b/c I was feeling out of my league, his tutor used the same textbook as CD.

 

I am one of the people that will recommend CD over TT. TT is marketed to the homeschoolers. It does not have to pass any state curriculum review boards. For some subjects, that may be a benefit. For math, it makes a difference IMHO. I will aslo make an observation that will probably raise a significant amount of ire among a lot of posters. When you have that many people who say that their child has never done well in math and now understands it and is making high As................well, I don't believe that anyone is that good of a teacher. I have students that are excellent in math and they have to work extremely hard in high school math and often don't make As. What is actually in the math course makes a difference. ;)

 

My kids have all used MUS's alg/geo (another homeschool marketed math program). They fly through it making high As w/o effort. Follow that yr with standardized high school alg and geo texts......Foerster alg and CD geo......and they work their little tahooties off and some of them have only managed to maintain Bs. The difference? MUS is arithmetic based in approach. Foerster is application heavy with tough word problems. CD is proof based geo. The subject matter of the material covered b/t standardized texts and TT may be the same. How it is expected to be applied and the level of difficulty of the problems, therein lies the difference. Not a perfect analogy.......but think in terms of Singapore's challenging word problems as the basis of a prorgram compared to simple word problems (for my imperfect analogy, both may technically be addition and subtraction problems, but the work/understanding/comprehension required to solve are not comparable.)

 

And yes, there are hundreds of TT fans out there that are going to disagree with me.

 

As far as science, my middle school kids are using PH science books in conjunction with CyberEd Plato. Excellent combination. My kids really like the CyberEd Plato and have learned a lot from it. I really like books. It is a nice mix b/c they compliment each other.

 

ETA: But if what you are using isn't broken......you don't need to change. However, sometimes we as teachers need to change simply so we don't go crazy. If you wanted to not spend a lot of money and still shake things up a bit, CyberEd Plato is cheap as are the PH textbooks (I don't use anything other than the student books. The answers are not that difficult) Maybe changing just one thing will ease your pain.;)

[Lori D.]

It took us 4 years to figure out what worked for everyone back in those early elementary years, and then we were on curriculum cruise control for 3 years -- until we hit high school last year, and I feel like it's been like starting all over again!!

 

I'm beginning to think that this is pretty normal, though. Along about middle school/high school our children's needs are changing, as are the presentations of the textbooks. Our students are moving solidly into that logic stage, and heading toward the rhetoric stage. They need more challenges (like Logic and Literary Analysis), so we parents need to start researching and find materials appropriate to that.

 

And then the curriculae changes, too. Many programs stop at 6th grade so you do have to find something else; or if they do continue in the upper levels of education, some, such as Saxon or Apologia, become more formal and textbook-y in middle school/high school -- and if you've had a more relaxed approach to science (for example, us: lots of real books, hands-on discovery through 8th grade), the curriculae for math and science feel more abstract, dry and formal.

 

So I'd say you're actually in a very normal phase of homeschooling. At least there are many of right there with you! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[jamnkats]

Jessica,

I am one of the people that will recommend CD over TT. TT is marketed to the homeschoolers. It does not have to pass any state curriculum review boards. For some subjects, that may be a benefit. For math, it makes a difference IMHO. I will aslo make an observation that will probably raise a significant amount of ire among a lot of posters. When you have that many people who say that their child has never done well in math and now understands it and is making high As................well, I don't believe that anyone is that good of a teacher. I have students that are excellent in math and they have to work extremely hard in high school math and often don't make As. What is actually in the math course makes a difference. ;)

 

 

I agree, BUT when the TT-educated kids are taking college tests and placement tests, I give those much more weight than the mom-evaluated "A". And that is what swayed me to TT. Kids taking objective college placement tests are scoring very well after having a TT-education. That is good enough for me.

[Kathleen in VA]

A few testimonials about TT. Also, do a search through the search feature on this board to see other testimonials regarding test scores.

[8filltheheart]

I agree, BUT when the TT-educated kids are taking college tests and placement tests, I give those much more weight than the mom-evaluated "A". And that is what swayed me to TT. Kids taking objective college placement tests are scoring very well after having a TT-education. That is good enough for me.

 

Well, I have my own proof.....it is good enough for me. A ds who maintained a 4.0 in cal 1,2,3 and differential equations. :)

 

I also have to question how/and where into college level math kids are placing since their pre-cal program is new and they don't even have a cal program. Multiple choice tests are not the equivalent of a thorough assessment of math application.

[Peela]

Ever since I found our groove in homeschooling I've been a strong supporter of sticking with a curriculum and seeing it through. Of course that's assuming it's working for you. Jumping around makes gaps and holes.

 

 

I don't agree that this is necessarily true, although I understand the reasoning behind it. I feel that most programs have weaknesses and strengths. Sticking with one program, you get both- it's weaknesses and it's strengths. I also feel that sticking with one program for years and years can be boring and uninspiring.

Yes, jumping from program to program, curriculum hopping, because you hope the next program will be the magic answer rather than you having to do the work of teaching or facilitating your own children- it's not going to get you where you want and you will waste time. But I feel that changing programs can also be very useful for a fresh approach, and the belief that " jumping around makes gaps and holes " is not going to apply to every situation.