how long do you save curriculum for another kid?

[caedmyn]

I have quite few books/curriculum that was used at one point but we are not currently using.  Generally this is stuff I liked and would use again except the material or style of teaching was not a good fit for my 3 dyslexic kids.  Some of it are things I'd like to use as a supplement or elective, but haven't gotten around to it (and realistically, might never get around to using them). Kid #4 is in kindergarten, and I don't know yet if he's dyslexic.  If he is, #5 is only 2 so I'll be saving books that won't be used for a long time.  Is it worth saving books that may not be used for 3-6 years?  We have plenty of room for books so I don't need to clear out books due to lack of space.

[Lori D.]

I vote no -- "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry" (lol)

I'd only keep a handful of items that I had an *active* plan for using and scheduled for use either for this spring semester, or in the fall semester. Beyond a year in advance, it's too "iffy" that it will ever get used. SO many new things keep coming out, that by the time your youngest gets to the stage where s/he *might* use it, something that is a much better fit for that child might have come out that you would prefer to use.

If you find you absolutely want/need to reuse in 3-6 years, you can always re-purchase -- and either find it cheaper or even being donated (due to used), or find a newer/updated edition. Also, saving usually means one feels at some point as though one really *should* use it "since I've kept it this long". And that may involve heavy tweaking to make it fit that future child -- which may be something one just don't have the time / energy / interest in doing at that future point.

Or, you may not even be homeschooling in 3-6 years -- I've seen that happen to more than one friend who planned and advance purchased items for 3-4 years ahead, or who saved favorite items to use with a caboose baby, only to find that life circumstances had radically changed.

Also, even if you have the bookshelf space, I personally think it helps *mentally* to only have things on the shelves that I'm actively using, or will soon be using, rather than having something that is just a useless brick sitting there and taking up space physically, as well as in my brain (lol). It also tends to lull me into thinking I have useable resources ready to go, when the truth is that it only *might* be useable years down the line.

Just my 2 cents worth. BEST of luck, whatever you decide. Warmly, Lori D.

Edited January 3, 2019 by Lori D.

[Tanaqui]

Is this stuff very expensive or hard to find?

[MeaganS]

I've saved almost everything, but then I've used almost the same curricula for all my kids and it works for me. It's stuff I feel comfortable with and can tweak easily. I knew when I finished OPGTR 1.5 years ago with dd6 (my 3rd time through) that I'd be using it for dd3 in a few years. I don't have a lot of fluff in my curricula, so it takes very little space. I also use a lot of pdfs so obviously those are worth keeping. So I guess I'm in the "keep it" camp unless space is an issue. 

[HomeAgain]

I have 10 years between.  I don't like to give up shelf space to EVERYTHING, and I don't mind rebuying popular options when/if I need them again, so those things are the first to go.  The things I find myself keeping are:
-well loved.  They were really enjoyed and I want to use them again.
-well made.  They taught something very well, or were extremely sturdy
-re-usable.  This usually falls into one of the first two, but they are things that are open-ended
-hard to find/expensive. 

Things I get rid of:
-readers
-popular items
-dated items
-things we liked okay, but not enough to be set on without exploring newer options
-Caldecott winners.

[desertflower]

I have, but then again my kids are pretty close in age. I will save personal favorites for grandkids, but not everything. 🙄

[Petrichor]

I'm keeping things, at least for now. We might have more kids. And the 3yo is, well, 3. But so far, she seems SOOOO much different than DS, and the materials that didn't work for him might work great for her.

Math is probably the only subject that I've purchased excess of. That and preschool/kindy workbooks. As for the stuff I have for grade 1 and up - I only have 1 history curriculum, 1 science curriculum, 1 grammar, 1 writing, 1 vocab, 1 phonics, etc. I do have an extra math program that I could get rid of, but I want to hold on to it because I think there's a good chance that DD will like it. I'm hoarding random materials for upper grades, but it's mostly because I found them for <25 cents at the library bookstore and I'm waiting for DS to get to the age where he might use them - I have a hard time understanding what kinds of things would be useful until we get there, if that makes sense.

The materials that I have are ones that I either put a lot work into - either through putting new bindings on the books, printing PDFs, or by stalking out curriculum sales and buying bundles of things to save money.

The stuff I do have might take me a long time to sell, and it might be difficult for me to find it at a good price again later. The only materials I've ever purchased new are ones that I plan to keep for quite a while.

Running out of shelf space is a problem for me though. I deal with it by getting rid of other books - picture books and other books I could easily get from the library, and donating them back to the library's bookstore.

 

 

 

[sweet2ndchance]

I still have my original copies of Spell To Write and Read that I used when my oldest kids were in grade school / middle school 15 or so years ago. I had intended to use it their half brother who just turned 6 but then I discovered Logic of English and I'm considering getting rid of SWR and just keeping LOE in case any of the kids want to homeschool their own kids.

I have my original First Language Lessons that had years 1 and 2 in one book smallish but thick book. I much prefer that format to what is currently available for FLL so I am glad I hung on to it.

I have all my Five In A Row manuals and books with no intention of ever getting rid of them even though I don't currently use them. Again, I'd love to hand them down to my kids that I did use them with if they want them. If not, I'd love to be the cool grandma that reads classic books and does projects with her grandkids when they visit.

Pretty much, if I love it just the way it is and I would be sad if it became unavailable in the format that I have it, I keep it. If it is a resource, like Story of the World, that the kids read for fun even after we finished using it for school, I keep it. Speaking of SOTW, I have the original audiobooks for 1 and 2 with Barbara Alan Johnson which I am SOO glad I saved since you can't get them any more to my knowledge and we much preferred her voice to Jim Weiss. Blasphemy to some I know.

[Garga]

I personally am a keeper. If you have the space, then I’d say to keep it.  You can cull it later if you realize it’s not a good fit. 

[nixpix5]

I have such a hard time parting with resources. There has been so many times that I pull from other curriculums that just teach a concept better or provide additional ways of looking at something. I do often give away resources I know I won't use again or atleast in a while when I meet a family that needs it. 

[klmama]

I have kept many items to use again with my youngest, so 5 years.  If I could have a do-over, I would have sold the items that were currently very popular and had high resale value; that would have freed up a lot of cash and space.  By the time youngest dc was old enough to use them, I discovered some weren't a good fit for rhat dc;  unfortunately, they were hard to sell because of newer editions.  If I had sold and then wanted to use them again, I could have purchased the same older editions for a song.  

[Petrichor]

On 1/3/2019 at 9:46 AM, sweet2ndchance said:

I still have my original copies of Spell To Write and Read that I used when my oldest kids were in grade school / middle school 15 or so years ago. I had intended to use it their half brother who just turned 6 but then I discovered Logic of English and I'm considering getting rid of SWR and just keeping LOE in case any of the kids want to homeschool their own kids.

I have my original First Language Lessons that had years 1 and 2 in one book smallish but thick book. I much prefer that format to what is currently available for FLL so I am glad I hung on to it.

I have all my Five In A Row manuals and books with no intention of ever getting rid of them even though I don't currently use them. Again, I'd love to hand them down to my kids that I did use them with if they want them. If not, I'd love to be the cool grandma that reads classic books and does projects with her grandkids when they visit.

Pretty much, if I love it just the way it is and I would be sad if it became unavailable in the format that I have it, I keep it. If it is a resource, like Story of the World, that the kids read for fun even after we finished using it for school, I keep it. Speaking of SOTW, I have the original audiobooks for 1 and 2 with Barbara Alan Johnson which I am SOO glad I saved since you can't get them any more to my knowledge and we much preferred her voice to Jim Weiss. Blasphemy to some I know.

I also prefer the small but thick format of the original FLL. I was so happy when I found a used copy (that had already been spiral bound - not sure if it was originally sold spiral bound).

I also prefer printable PDFs for that reason - you can print "booklet size" and it's a much easier format to hold and teach from.

[JaLeSherman]

So far I have kept LOE and Artistic Pursuits. Both are insanely expensive yet deeply loved here. Plus my kids are all close in age, so when they look over each other's shoulders and get excited for that work coming to them, I am definitely keeping it. I think SOTW will be kept,but we will see. We're only in Ancients anyway, but so far it looks insanely popular with my children.

As far as science books, it's the only thing I struggle with. Science is constantly changing and updating, so even with my four very close in age, I don't want to use outdated information between the eldest and youngest. It's not like phonics instructions or math where things are (for the most part) pretty consistent. Even History is still finding clues about the past to have a clearer picture or corrected information, thus my hesitation on SOTW. 

So in your shoes, I'd keep things that are not likely to change, and discard those that more than likely will. 

Edited January 7, 2019 by JaLeSherman

[Melissa in Australia]

I kept almost everything.

 I have the full range form preschool right up to year 12 

I am only just recently starting to get rid of things that the twins are finished with. 

[J-rap]

I usually kept everything that I thought I might use again, as long as I had the space.  I don't understand why someone wouldn't, actually!  

I suppose the only times I didn't were when I was almost completely sure I wouldn't use it again and it was an expensive curriculum that I could make money on by selling it NOW.

[Momto6inIN]

If I enjoyed teaching it, I keep it. If it was a sludge for me, I sell or donate it. I started to get rid of some stuff after youngest DD (age 6) used it ... and then I found out I was pregnant again at 45 🙂 So now I'm keeping everything!

[Another Lynn]

I mostly keep because sometimes looking at resources later with a different perspective is helpful.  It might help me remember what I liked or didn't like with fresh eyes. 

[Phryne]

I would keep the stuff if I had the space.