How to use Cathy Duffy’s top picks?

[hs03842]

How do you experienced homeschool moms use the top pick list? 

Edited June 8, 2020 by JoyKM

[PeachyDoodle]

Honestly, I don't. I sometimes refer to her site if I am looking for new ideas, and that's about it. I might read the review of something if I am not familiar with it and want a quick overview of what it's like. But I don't really pay much attention to whether it's made her top 100 or whatever it is. 

When I consider a curriculum, I am only looking for one thing: Is it a good fit for MY kid? Somebody else's opinion may or may not be helpful. I am regularly involved in conversations here and elsewhere online, so I generally have a pretty good feel for what the pros and cons of various curricula are and that helps me narrow down the things I look more closely at. But in the end, I'm going to evaluate everything for my own purposes, whether I get a recommendation from Cathy Duffy or a WTM boardie or a random Facebook group. I will say, though, that the boardies are excellent at covering every conceivable angle of any given curriculum! If you have a question about something specific, chances are it's been covered here ad nauseum! 

[wendyroo]

I don't.

I do often use Cathy Duffy's site.  If I'm looking for different options for, say, a middle grades writing program, then I will go to her site to browse what programs she has reviewed in that category.  It is a good way to "find" programs that otherwise I would not know to consider...though there are still a ton of programs out there that she has not reviewed, so it is far from a comprehensive list.  I also will often look up her reviews of any program that I am considering using.  She lists a lot of information (like Religious Perspective) so I can evaluate the basics of various curricula quickly.

However, I put very little stock in what she calls Top Picks.  Kids are SOOOOO different, that I think it is nearly impossible to say that any given curriculum would be a really good choice for all of them.  To me, saying that Noeo Science is a top pick is akin to saying that Old Navy jeans are a Top Pick for kids.  Sure, if your kid happens to be the right size and shape, then they probably are a top pick.  But there will always be some kids that are just Wrangler or Levi shaped.  One of the main reasons I homeschool is so that a school district is not trying to cram my Levi shaped kid into a pair of Old Navy blue jeans because it is a "Top Pick" and then assuming that if the fit is less than ideal that it must be the fault of the wearer.

Wendy

Edited to add...Yeah, what PeachyDoodle said!!

Edited March 11, 2020 by wendyroo

[Momto6inIN]

I used the first few chapters of the book (which take you through step by step in determining your goals, teaching style, philosophy of education, and kids' learning styles) extensively when I first started hs'ing. I still find it extremely helpful to re-visit these chapters every now and again as I grow and evolve as a teacher. I often recommend the book to new hs'ers with the caveat that they need to read and go through these chapters first and resist looking at the reviews until they know what they are looking for in a curriculum and why.

I use her actual reviews, however, on the website and in the book, in much the same way that Wendy and Peachy do.

[lulalu]

I read her descriptions and reviews. I find it very helpful and she does a good job reviewing. From those I am able to usually find things that interest me, then I look for other reviews. 

[....]

Her book was very helpful for me when we first started homeschooling - about 11 (?) years ago.  I actually should've put more trust in what she was saying about learning styles back then.  I probably would've saved a lot of money and a lot of curriculum-switching.  My two oldest are kinesthetic learners and they fit the category Cathy Duffy called Wiggly Willy in her book.  Instead of using the recommendations for that learning style, I just kept trying to shove my oldest two into the most rigorous curriculum I could find.  Ugh.  My biggest homeschooling mistake....

Anyway, yes, it can be a very helpful book when you're first starting out.  Definitely on my list of top 5 homeschool books for new homeschoolers.

[Emily ZL]

It's great to get a basic overview of a curriculum, like if a program comprises a single worktext or a set of two teacher's manuals and two workbooks per year or whatever. Sometimes you can quickly eliminate things that sound awful to you right away or come from a perspective you don't agree with. But I always find myself wishing she were more candid. She is so carefully neutral. She rarely mentions downsides. That's where the boards are better. If you are having trouble searching the boards and finding good content, try using Google to search "well trained mind forum" plus the curriculum name, and you should get lots of threads with candid opinions.

[Ellie]

22 minutes ago, Emily ZL said:

She is so carefully neutral. She rarely mentions downsides.

She also only publishes reviews on things she likes. 🙂

[hs03842]

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Edited June 8, 2020 by JoyKM