How do you choose curriculum?

[razorbackmama]

Do you choose something that works best for you? Do you choose something that works best for your children? A combo of both? What if y'all are polar opposites - for example they love crafts and wish books were never invented, and you hate crafts and love books?

[Lovedtodeath]

Have you ever wished for a curriculum that brings the best of all approaches together?

A Many-Faceted Program that Utilizes Varied Resources to Keep Students Interested & Motivated!

You’ve just found it -- literature and activities, family projects, notebooking, student

worksheets, and best of all, family memories! WinterPromise pulls together a variety

of resources so you can tailor the program to meet the needs of your family members’

individual learning styles. You can count on activities that are exciting for kids and

realistic for parents. We’re a great choice if you want a “wake up and go” curriculum

that will also build a family culture all your own.

Take a look at our basic package choices -- whether you choose to visit animal habitats

around the world, journey through the American story, dig into ancient history

or voyage with sailors on tempestuous seas -- we’ve got something that will be just

right for your family! Choosing can be difficult, so we recommend reading through

our introductory material designed to help you along the way.

You’ll want to take note of some really great features in our guidebooks that make

them very practical and comprehensive! We’ve integrated some of the best suggestions

we’ve received from our homeschooling families. We’d really love it if you’d

join our “family!”

This sums up how I choose. :)

[tajott]

Do you choose something that works best for you? Do you choose something that works best for your children? A combo of both? What if y'all are polar opposites - for example they love crafts and wish books were never invented, and you hate crafts and love books?

 

to make up my own, and therefore every thing fits.

[rainforest mama]

Well, I'm lucky so far, because DD10 has the same learning style as me. I choose what looks good to me, and it seems to work well with DD. So, that's why I chose "other" as my answer. I haven't had to choose for either her or me, I choose for both of us.

 

Of course, once DD2 is ready for school, she will probably have a completely different learning style and I'm going to have to adjust to that.

 

Lana

[Avila]

My oldest and I are cut from the same cloth, so this is not an issue for her. With DD2, it is a big issue.

 

Basically, on things I really feel strongly about, I use what I think is right and manipulate it to work for her -- break it into smaller pieces, alternate it with other things, etc. If that doesn't work, we find what does work and use it. I won't use something I hate or think is somehow offensive, but otherwise, I am often more adaptable than she is.

[the floating cottage]

I do a combo. I have found I will spend too much arguing with them if they don't like it. But on the other hand it will just sit on the shelf if it isn't teacher friendly also.

[Annie Laurie]

Very good question that I can totally relate to!

 

My dd and I are just alike in interests and learning style, my youngest seems pretty balanced so far, but my 14 and 8 year old sons are so opposite from me:

 

They are both highly visual-kinesthetic, especially 8 yr old, and they both love science, which bores me.

 

I want to read aloud all day but ds8 has trouble with auditory learning. The part I dislike the most in core 1- the Usborne books with little tidbits everywhere, are what I have noticed that ds8 retains and enjoys the most because of the pictures. I have to add a lot of visual books to SL for him.

 

I would love to not have to bother with crafts and hands-on projects, but this son really needs these things to learn and retain.

 

I would feel comfortable waiting on formal science until middle school grades, (they learn so much from nature study and reading that we do informally) but my sons all have such a passion for science that I really feel I have to do a program with experiments and everything whether I want to or not.

 

I adore SL and really want to use Cores 3 and 4 but we'll probably have to use WP since it will provide what ds needs and I can just add in more fiction reading and read alouds for dd.

 

So I guess my answer is that I try to go by their learning styles and what works for them, as long as it's not too cumbersome for me. If I tried to just keep doing what I like, they would get along, but one of the reasons why I homeschool is to be able to tailor the learning to them, so that they enjoy and remember it.

Edited March 4, 2009 by Annie Laurie

[newlifemom]

So far I have chosen my cirriculum b/c SWB told me what to use.:D Seriously, I have followed WTM for 5 years now. I may actually stray from WTM, but that has been my guiding force in cirriculum thus far. I know, I'm a dork, but I really, truly love SWB.

[Melinda]

So far, I spend hours upon hours researching curriculum until I find something I think looks really cool. I buy it and use it until it doesn't work for us any longer. Then I repeat. :) I do take oldest DS' learning style into account, now that I have assessed him.

[WTMindy]

I put other. I don't know that I pay attention too much to styles alone, but I think about the holes that I want to fill and research the best way to fill them. I want my kids to learn in all styles so I have them doing some learning by reading, some learning by listening, some learning by doing and discussing, some learning through song and memory. We do a little of everything and it depends on what I see the needs are.

[WTMindy]

So far I have chosen my cirriculum b/c SWB told me what to use.:D Seriously, I have followed WTM for 5 years now. I may actually stray from WTM, but that has been my guiding force in cirriculum thus far. I know, I'm a dork, but I really, truly love SWB.

 

I'm a dork too! :-) The philophy of WTM has not let me down in the 7 years of homeschooling. I don't do exactly the curriculum that she suggests, but I stay very true to the learning that she has recommended.

[Dayle in Guatemala]

I chose both. When it comes to history, we do what works for me since we all do it together. When it comes to other subjects, I really take into account the child and their abilities to learn a certain way. That works for both of us in the long run, because if they aren't struggling so much, it's ultimately easier on me.

[razorbackmama]

I chose both. When it comes to history, we do what works for me since we all do it together. When it comes to other subjects, I really take into account the child and their abilities to learn a certain way. That works for both of us in the long run, because if they aren't struggling so much, it's ultimately easier on me.

 

The bolded part is something I hadn't considered - doing it all together vs. individually. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[newlifemom]

Hey Christina,

 

You were supposed to send me a link.;) PM me, k?

[SnowWhite]

I chose combination.

 

I originally planned to use all workbook style stuff like CLE. That is because it is what I was used to and what made me comfortable.

 

When ds was 5.5, I realized that was not going to work. (because he was consistently crying over his first experiences with LightUnits).

 

He would thrive best in a complete unschooling setting, most likely. However, I am too controlling and inhibited to manage that. So I have settled upon something I can love and he can tolerate (WinterPromise with BJU Math and science- well, actually, both WP and BJU science).

 

He's a sciencey kid who is great at reading and enjoys stories, so this combo seems to fit us both in some ways.

[Wendy in ME]

For example, I have ages 4 - 12 so I will be teaching on different levels so I need something that helps me organize that. I also work full time so I need something that I can basically do 4 days a week and is laid out for me. I don't have time to research my own books etc. The best curriculum out there is no good if you can't even get to it on a regular basis. I make adjustments to the chosen curriculum for each child if needed.

[Veritaserum]

Top priorities:

 

1. Easy to use (for me and the kid). If it's unbearably cumbersome to set up, understand, or implement, we won't end up using it. I love open and go programs.

 

2. Enjoyable (mostly) for the student. If it brings out strong feelings of loathing, there's probably something better out there. It's very important to me that my children love to learn and that I don't replace that with a hate of learning.

 

3. Thorough without lots of filler, busywork type of stuff. I like streamlined programs with built-in review, but we have to be able to move on once my child has really mastered it.

 

I choose curriculum based on reviews and (ideally) looking at samples. If I can I like to buy a used copy to further investigate.

[Bee]

A little of both. I like having some sort of schedule to follow whenever possible.At the same time I generally find that I "tweak" whatever curriculum I buy so we can't be tied down by too strict a schedule.

Oldest dd generally learns best the way I love to teach.Lots of good literature and discussions. Youngest dd is so very different.She would do well at unschooling but I don't have the time or energy to do that.Her second choice is textbooks since that way her work is over and done with when she's finished the lessons for the day.I'm ok with that for math and LA but not for the other subjects.However, I think I may try it next year for her and see how it goes.

I love being able to see samples.It can make choosing so much easier.I also work full time so I have to choose things that are not parent intensive.I love Oak Meadow but I just can't do it.

Sometimes I try something just because it seems like so many other people love it (like R&S grammar) and find that it just won't work for us at all.I try to encourage the children to give me input on what they would like to learn and what I should use to teach them but that usually doesn't work out so well.Mostly all I hear is, "Whatever you want, Mom."

[dragons in the flower bed]

I try to choose something that's true to the subject being taught. Usually, within that framework I can also choose something that suits my child. Sometimes even when limiting for those first two priorities, there are choices left, and that's when my teaching preferences and my budget get a say.

 

There are only, I think two programs I have looked at and said I would never be able to figure out how teach it: Classical Writing and Mapping the World by Heart.

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

I do my best to choose things that work best for my kids, but sometimes I just have to throw in the towel and go for something that is easier for me.

[Jen in PA]

I chose our math based on how I think. I want dd to think like I do on math issues because I think my preferences have served me well, and it's a bias I was totally willing to push. For other things I have tried to balance between the ease of "do the next thing" (e.g. ETC), and the freedom of following the history and science recommendations from TWTM. I am also guided very much by price.... we have access to excellent library resources, and I use them extensively. DD is a visual learner (as am I), and I am thrilled to have access to wonderful science and history offerings on dvd.

[Tess in the Burbs]

this is my third year homeschooling(!) and I am still learning about my kids and their styles. I am still figuring out what works and what doesn't. I am still finding surprises that work and surprises that don't. So based on that time I choose the next year as best I can, lol.

 

math is always a potential change, but I am trying to get through Horizons 3 and then change to Teaching Textbooks possible....

 

I tend to look at things at convention and ponder them all year for the next year.

 

Imagine my surprise when Apologia Astronomy got a thumbs down today(first day)! I hope it gets better but I think they would prefer library books!

 

so I choose on a combination of what I think will be a good fit for them and what I am willing to do ;-)

[siloam]

I chose the combo option, but I have children that are polar opposites. My oldest is an auditory/visual learner, and my other three appear to be hands on/visual. I am more hands on in learning, but don't like little kid learning crafts. SL worked wonderfully for my oldest, Winter Promise for the younger three and we landed on TOG though. It has enough reading for my oldest, includes hands on for the younger three, and plenty lots of flexibility for me.

 

Heather

[laughing lioness]

I basically choose curriculum that fits our scope and sequence. My kids are all strong auditory learners -though much of that could be because of how we've trained/homechooled them.

[ABQmom]

I said combo. I research curriculum and as long as it looks like I can teach it with no problems and the kids will be able to do it--I choose it. But at diifferent times in my life, I may be looking for different things. Maybe one year I need more self teach kind of stuff. Maybe another year, we can afford to spend more time on fun and cute. Maybe I need to spend more time with one child, so teach intensive is okay. I think though that you've got to find something that helps the child learn and something you can teach, or else, how can it happen?

[bnbacademy]

I have been homeschooling for 4 years and changed curriculum 2 times in the past year. I find the need to change curriculum this year as just a need for change.

 

I've also discovered that the success of the curriculum rests a lot on my attitude toward it. It is difficult for me to teach from a text I no longer enjoy, and despite my best efforts, my children are aware of my lack of enthusiasm. From there, it's a slippery slope toward either tweaking a program so much that it is unrecognizable or starting something different. Therefore, I just don't think I have it in me to teach from something only my children love... as much as I love my children.

[Dobela]

I do a combo. I try very hard to take in my child's special needs and build curriculum around those. But, while he would probably do best with all kinesthetic, unstructured freestyle kind of education. Not that one exists like that. I need more structure, and sometimes I just need to use a textbook to make sure we arrive at C after doing A and B. I don't pick heavy handwriting companies because he has had fine motor problems, and I don't pick Sonlight because he would never sit still for that much reading every day (and I have a toddler in tow).

[sandra in va]

I typically choose curriculum based on:

 

-the content covered by a curriculum (am I pleased with it?)

-if it is feasible for us to do (do I have the time/energy to do it?) - important since I am time-limited with 5 kids in school now.

-the learning style of my kids (will it maximize their learning?).

 

It would be best if all three of those lined up - but often I have to settle for two of them. I have to be very selective about what takes up my limited teaching time, therefore the curriculum really has to be feasible! So, it may end up being a choice between content and kid's learning style. That is a tough one because I value them both.

 

No easy path! Each pick is really deliberated upon (truly ad nauseum). :tongue_smilie:

[Peela]

I have to do a combo because my two kids are quite different yet close in age. My son could have done with a lot more hands on, but I found hands on burned me out so quickly. My daughter could have done with more arty stuff- again, it burned me out. So they did that in their spare time (and we did some in schooltime, just not as much as I feel we could have or should have), and my style is to do a lot of reading with them. I managed to get them both reading prolifically fairly young, and to love me reading aloud, so we were set :) I still read aloud to them about 90 minutes a day, and its our favourite time of the day (they are teens now). While I read, dd does her art. Ds...well, generally he just eats. Then we discuss. I know I have contrived it so that they enjoy this and this is "our" style- it is definitely my style to prefer to teach by reading and discussion, but they may have thrived more with other styles. Ideally, yes, I would cater more to them, but I have temperamental energy levels. I have done it this way because I crash and burn rather easily. I can go from enthusiastic and energetic to barely able to function in half an hour.

Meanwhile they do a lot of hands on stuff with Scouts and music and other classes I pay for.

[Aurelia]

We do the "combo." For the most part, I go with what works best for DD, although with reading we went with what I wanted because the curriculum I chose made sense to me, even if it has a workbook. :tongue_smilie: We did have to go through several reading and math programs to find our fit, but now that we've hit our stride, things are going swimmingly.

[Narrow Gate Academy]

I put other. I also don't pay much attention to styles. I look for curriculum that meets my goals for what I want to cover. I can change how I present the info to help with understanding. I try to mix it up so that we do some reading, some listening, and some hands on.

[wide eyes & laughter]

Obviously, it has to meet the goals and long-term vision for our home school. For instance, I've seen excessive use of media as debilitating to the otherwise imaginative, creative mind. So, for the most part, I wouldn't choose curricula that uses computer regularly. It wouldn't fit dh & my goals for our dc.

 

Otherwise, I choose curricula that spans the learning styles easily - visual, auditory, kinesthetic. Each of my 3 dc learns best by different style but I also want to strengthen their weaker parts.

 

The only reason I've resold curricululm is b/c it hasn't worked for *me* - as in too much planning or didn't, upon closer look, fit into our family's educational vision.

[Plucky]

Combo here, too. It needs to be something that fits both the kids and my personality so that it gets done. I've burnt myself on good curriculum. I just couldn't look at it anymore. When I have a kid that desperately needs a change based on learning issues I don't have a problem switching. I outsource some things though so that I can concentrate on my kids most important needs at the time. I have one that needs me a lot.

Edited March 6, 2009 by True Blue

[Tabrett]

I chose "other". I try to buy the curriculum that has the highest review among the posting boards. There are certain curriculums that are suggested over and over. I research those curriculums and see which one I think is the best fit for my family as a whole. That is normally how I choose.

 

I think the forums give the best review of the curriculums.

[Lovedtodeath]

I chose "other". I try to buy the curriculum that has the highest review among the posting boards. There are certain curriculums that are suggested over and over. I research those curriculums and see which one I think is the best fit for my family as a whole. That is normally how I choose.

 

I think the forums give the best review of the curriculums.

 

You do have to be careful though. I remember when CLE Math was recommended all over the place and it turned out to be the same 4 people mentioning it in every thread. :lol: We did a poll and found out that not many people on the boards used it at all.

 

And when I first found out about WT I was all over it. I have recommended it all over the place. I am so excited and I haven't even used it yet.:tongue_smilie:

[PeterPan]

I have parameters of practicality I have to live within (time, background knowledge, need for preplanning, that sort of thing), and within that I try to find things that fit dd. But yes, it means sometimes I have to suck up and do something I hate or use materials that wouldn't be my particular favs for ease of use. In the end though, the lesson is that *you* are the magic, not the curriculum. You have to look at the materials and think about your dc and pray and ponder and rub rocks and whatever it takes (or whatever you do to find inspiration) till you see how to make the curriculum fit your situation and how to adapt it to your dc. THAT is the magic, when you take something humble and make it fit them. You're almost never going to have a perfect fit straight out of the box. You have to add you, the magic of your knowledge of your dc and how to get it into them.

[Colleen]

I've honestly never given much thought to my style or to my children's style. I've chosen material that sparks my interest and/or that which just makes sense to me, for whatever reason. From the time I started homeschooling, I've had a pretty good intuitive feel as to what I'll like and what will work for us. That method (or lack thereof) has nearly always resulted in success. Way back when, for example, I started my oldest, then 6, on Singapore Math. At the time, I didn't know a soul who was using it. (I still don't know anyone in "real life" who uses it, actually.) It wasn't referenced by the Well Trained Mind. It wasn't sold by Sonlight. In short, it was an unknown. But I happened upon it, was drawn to it, and went for it. All these years later, it's still a good fit for me ~ and for my children. Similar story re Sonlight, btw.

 

Long story short, I've usually relied on intuition.

[Laura W.]

Combo here.

 

Of course, I narrow down first so that I only consider curricula that fit our family's goals. I give my children's learning style a higher priority, but I don't get something that I wouldn't enjoy teaching.

 

Blessings,

 

Laura

[Melanie]

I choose what works for me, because it's my rodeo. :D I can and do modify programs for a particular child if needed, but starting with something I like and understand makes that process a lot easier.