What to do when you don't feel convicted to use any curriculum

[MrsMe]

I'm rather at a loss. It's probably because of my inexperience, but I have a lot of curriculum. Mainly because I'm either second guessing myself or because mainly the all-in-ones don't work.

 

HOD: Hated history & science, loved the bible portion (but without the rest some of the bible was empty, because it's drawn on the history.

 

MFW: Hated portions of the science, bible was so-so, too dry and verses too long for dd, liked the History, but not loved it.

 

WP: In love with the thought of WP AS1. Looks great for Am History and am planning to start it in the fall. I did the first week and decided to do the quick state study in MFW Adventures, before we tackle AS! It's just more involved.

 

Saxon: Love it won't change

R&S Reading: I think it's a great program but time consuming. Don't want to change.

AAS for spelling: Quick and it's working.

 

So what do I do? I find myself piecing some of this stuff together and it's taking me forever. I don't want to miss the good stuff out of each of these, but I not convicted to use any of it. I don't love it, KWIM? I love Saxon, close to love R&S Reading and AAS Spelling. But for History and Science, I'm just not seeing it. You know how you have things you just won't change? I have 3, but the rest, I love portions of it, but to put it together is daunting.

 

HOD, my dd hated...hated the history. So I had to drop it. I bought WP AS1 and decided after a week it was best to start at the beginning of the year and really delve into it. So I'm going to save it for August. She likes crafts. So then I decided to use the MFW Adventures history I already had, but "some" portions I like, some I hate. We bought MFW Adventures way too early for her to be able to do it, which is why I had it. She seems to be a bit more of a person who wants to play instead of do academics, so some things were just over her level and now she's ready for it so I'm doing all the state study portions of it. Of course I feel like I have to use it as well. But nothing is speaking to me!

 

Any thoughts or advice? What do you do when nothing really talks to you?

[i.love.lucy]

I'm probably no help because I love HoD. Love it, love it. It's what I was lead to first after looking at Sonlight and some other things, so I am done looking.

 

However, it almost seems like around here fewer people use an all-in-one (then again I'm new here), so you should get plenty of advice. What about Mystery of History? I've heard very good things. Or can't you just do history and science like a unit study? Find what's interesting to you both and dig out some good books for those from the library or something?

 

Do you want an all in one and are looking for recommendations, or more like validation that you should keep on piecing things together? To me, whatever works for the teacher is the best program!!

[dalynnrmc]

What do I do when nothing really speaks to me? I pick a spine and tweak it and add to it.

 

I finally found that WP did exactly what it is I was doing, all without me having to do it! (History and science!) We were using Mystery of History and bouncing from there, adding literature.

 

I also use the language arts program put out by Bright Ideas Press (publishers of MOH). We don't use all of the aspects of it - we use R&S grammar and Spelling Power instead of the scheduled Grammar Punk and Natural Speller, for instance - but we use a lot of it and the literature guides are a *must have* for us and are fantastic.

 

 

So, a good answer is to find a program that allows you so many options that you can pick which of those predetermined options (possibly with minor tweaking) works well for you. We like WP, and we like ILM. If I were more experienced and had more money, we'd probably like TOG well. Maybe Biblioplan. Sonlight looks great but it's not our learning style here. I like the looks of MFW for the younger set (K and 1 maybe), but after that it's not my cup of tea really.

 

JMHO and YMMV and all those other acronyms. ;)

[ElizabethB]

Have you tried TOG? You could try out their sample weeks.

 

We are enjoying Real Science for Kids Chemistry, for the rest of science, I just go pick out library books, our library has a great collection.

 

Recently, I got a Peterson field guide color in book, it's been a big hit with my daughter who enjoys coloring.

 

For history this year, we read overview history books, then I read about the things on our color in timeline figures while my daughter colored them in, that worked well for us.

 

How old is your DD?

[SherryTX]

We love Singapore math and will no doubt stick with it for several years.

I am using Easy Grammar - takes a bit of work from a teaching end, but so far so good.

That's about it so far for curriculum.

We use the Usborne's Encyclopedia of World History (the internet linked one) and my daughter LOVES it!! It can take a bit of work to create projects for her, and she spends a good bit of time on the computer here and there on the links - which are great.

I have the handwriting without tears for her cursive writing, but we haven't started it yet.

 

We are secular, so we started the beginning of the Usborne book (I realize for some here, they may decide to skip part of the first section), and so they only "science" we have really talked about so far is a bit of biology, and geology. However, I am not too concerned with that for the next few months.

We also refer to Isaac Asimov's Chronology of the World History. I like to read it to give me some info and ideas.

I take my daughter to the library and we select books based on what she is learning and her areas of interest.

 

That is it so far for us - I don't plan on getting any other curriculum any time soon. I did purchase a Latin book, and once I have gotten about 1/4 of a way through it myself I will start working with her on Latin.

 

We kinda have a structured and partial "unschooled approach". I haven't found any of the history curriculum that I have investigated that really covered what I thought would we need to right now. Really, I think the ONLY subject that really needs a hard core curriculum (at least for my daughter) is math. We will probably add something more structured for science in a few years.

 

Not sure if that helps - but I think sometimes we drive ourselves crazy looking for the "right" curriculum. Sometimes you just have to piece one together that will hold your kid's interest, and not keep you up to 3:45 AM CST (hah), and will get the job done.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

First, I'd say that you should give yourself permission to pick and choose rather than going for a whole set. I have been homeschooling for over 6 years and this is the first year that I've had science and history from the same company. I did First Language Lessons and some Story of the World for a couple years. But other than that, everything has always come from different places. I think it is a little like putting together a wardrobe. Sure it's lovely if I can find everything at one store. But I'm not surprised if my shoes are from one shop, pants and top from another and my coat from somewhere else.

 

Second, it is ok not to have heart flutters everytime you open a spelling book or a science curriculum. Don't let perfect become the enemy of the good. There is such a thing as good enough, especially if your kids are younger and are likely to be going over the topics again. It isn't as if they need to understand everything about photosynthesis or the Jamestown Colony or the Biblical prophets or commas the first time you go over it.

 

One visual that I like is the idea of coat hooks. You are first putting up hooks, then going back and putting more and more detail on them.

 

 

BTW, one of the best ways we've found for doing Bible is just to read the Bible. I know it sounds sort of cheesy, but there is a lot for me to dislike in many Bible curriculums. Just reading and talking about what we read is pretty good IMHO.

[ElizabethB]

BTW, one of the best ways we've found for doing Bible is just to read the Bible. I know it sounds sort of cheesy, but there is a lot for me to dislike in many Bible curriculums. Just reading and talking about what we read is pretty good IMHO.

:iagree:

 

Our history was mostly reading out of the Bible this year. Combined Bible/history.

 

Even Bible curriculums that I don't have theological differences with just seem too scripted to me, I'd rather just read and discuss the actual Bible. In K, we did "The Rhyme Bible," I don't know how they got it so Biblically accurate while making it rhyme and writing it at a level my daughter could read on her own, we really enjoyed it. This year I read out of the NIV to her, and she memorized and read a bit out of the NIV as well.

[gandpsmommy]

Choosing individual texts or programs and using them together can be just as rewarding and effective as using an all-in-one boxed curriculum. It is the strategy we have used since beginning K-5 with dd, and it has worked well for us. Actually, with my personality, I can't imagine having to use an all-in-one program. It would drive me crazy not to be able to choose the best fit for our family for each subject.

 

My recommendation would be to read through TWTM and whatever other guides you find helpful, peruse these boards (especially the curriculum board) and start investigating different options that stand out to you. It sounds as if you already have a few things that are working well for you and you wish to keep. Build on that.

 

This is how it has worked for us specifically. When I was looking for a phonics program to start teaching dd to read when she was 4, I didn't have the first idea how to start teaching her to read. I knew I wanted a phonics approach, but I didn't know much else. I went on Amazon and searched for phonics programs. And then I read reviews of the different ones available and looked at samples from the book. I ended up choosing a program that virtually no one else on these boards or in my limited interactions with other hsers irl has ever heard of or used. But it has worked beautifully for my dd and now my ds because I chose a program that specifically appealed to me. I also took advantage of the resources available at my local library. They happened to have a few of the popular reading programs frequently mentioned on these boards and promoted in TWTM. I was able to take them home and look through them. And it was clear that they employed too complicated and cluttered an approach for my style. So, I was able to purchase the other program with confidence that it was the best choice for us.

 

Much of curr. choosing is trial-and-error. That is how we ended up finding a math curr. that we love. When I was planning K5 for dd I compared the math programs that I knew about from hsing catalogs and this board and chose to go with Singapore as our primary curr. and Miquon as a supplement. This worked well for kindergarten. But in first grade I began to feel that something was missing. Although I had a difficult time articulating why for other people, I knew that we needed something different. From my current perspective of having and using a different math curr. that we love, I can see the reasons why we needed something different, but it was hard to pinpoint before. Still, I knew that something was not quite right and that we needed to make a change. There was a certain program that I had heard about on these boards and was intrigued by. So, I went to their website and looked at samples. I asked questions of current users of the program on these forums. And I agonized. Ultimately, I decided to give it a try. And I'm so glad I did.

 

Maybe you could try to think about what the different texts or programs you have really liked and found effective might have in common. Do you usually like to have things scripted? Do you like lots of hands-on activities, games, and projects? Do you need an instructor's guide with lots of explanation and suggestions, or do you prefer to figure things out on your own? One reason that I chose to switch math programs was that math was not a particular strength of mine. I needed a program that was scripted to help me know how to teach it. And my dd was so weary of just doing worksheets. She needed more interaction and a variety of activities to learn the concept before she was expected to demonstrate her knowledge of the concept on a worksheet. So I sought out those things.

 

Another thing to keep in mind is that you can use a program/curr. differently than other people. For example, we use Story of The World for history. But we don't do narrations. We only do coloring pages and projects very sporadically, and only if they really strike our fancy. And we sometimes use the comprehension/discussion questions and sometimes don't. We try to read a section of the book everyday and do the mapwork at the end of each chapter. We sometimes pause to read other books suggested in the AG to explore particularly interesting topics.

 

When we started using SOTW in first grade I was trying to do it all: narrations, questions, projects, coloring pages, even the chapter tests. It nearly drove us crazy. And we ended up getting so behind that we had to purchase the audiobook cd's and listen to them in the car on our way to activities just to finish the book over the summer in time to begin SOTW Vol. 2 for second grade. It just didn't work for us. But reading the book and doing the mapwork does work for us. And we have actually gotten more out of Vol. 2 than we did the first one because it isn't drudgery. I had so much angst about just reading it, though, because I had this idea in my head of what we "should" be doing. When I stepped back and try to align what we did with our goals for history in the grammar stage things began to work better.

 

I hope something among all of my ramblings might be of use to you. Good luck.

[JFSinIL]

Pick and choose. Most folks here do not use all one curriculum - what is the fun in that? Pick and choose, topic by topic, what works for YOU and YOUR student.

 

This year I am using Chalkdust for math, PrenticeHall Science Explorer books, Easy Grammar Plus, Spelling Workout, WriteShop, Runkle Geo.,and reading and talking about American history using the Hakim series of books. In prior years i have, with this kid or her siblings, used Abeka for English/grammar, Biblioplan and/or SOTW for history, Science in a Nutshell kits and TOPS for science along with scads of living books from the library, Trail of World Geo, Calvert art and CHOW, etc. It is FUN to poke around, look at stuff, try new things, and use what is best for your kid.

 

A complete curriculum can get you started your first year...but then it is time to branch out as needed.

 

I might add - this year dd, 12, started out in TT prealgebra. Within a month I sold it, and DD got out the Videotext form the basement (older brother had used it successfully)...after a month I sold it and got Chalkdust. Normally I do not have to go through so many programs in such a short time to find one that works.

[MrsMe]

The thing is I have found all these somewhat effective. Nothing else really blows my skirt up. I love the simplicity of MFW. I actually loved HOD, my dd hated it, I even tried BJU History because I wanted something that I felt had an "end" to it. Some sort of standards that the living books curriculum don't have. But I felt lost doing it. Like we were machines working on workbooks with BJU. But I love what BJU covers and their rotation. I don't really feel like I can implement their history in an exciting way. Love the content and rotation and gives me good age-related material. WP isn't necessarily 2nd grade. Some you gotta read over. BJU is safe. WP is fun, MFW is somewhat light. I could make myself crazy.

 

I think I've done almost all the trial and error and am getting to a point where I can choose which one works best. Something I'm annoyingly anal about.:blushing: I hate when I'm like that. I like to scope out all things then pick. But I want to feel peace about it and I don't. And you're right, it doesn't have to make my heart flutter when I open it or even be perfect, but it does have to provide me with a peace.

 

I think it has to do with coverage and age. I'm against anything ps standard, because I think ps starts off too academic and aggressive then by high school dumbs them down. But then I worry about rotation. I think MFW Adventures is good for this age as a quick overview. So I'm using it. For a while my dh thought the state study was a waste, so I bypassed it, but I've come back to it thinking it's good for fun and quick and to complete the year. I loved WP but IMO I think it's so deep for this age, so it's okay that it can wait. I also love projects, but I'm not a fan of projects straight out of a book. But I ended up wondering is MFW too light and is WP too much? You know constantly second-guessing and ending up nowhere. I have one kid. I can't fix it with the next one.:lol:I got one chance to get this right.

 

Then there's Bible too. As a new Christian I can't explain some of these things good enough yet, so I loved HOD, but without the history portion the key ideas and application were lost. We had some good discussions. But I don't think Bible should be a workbook thing like BJU (which I tried). I also loved the activities in HOD, even better than MFW. So see how I make myself crazy?

 

I only have one 8.5 yr old dd. As time goes, she has more interest and different learning ways for different subjects. Math is spiral and it really works for us. English is mastery and that works for us. I like to be able to pick the best of the best out of these programs and it's requiring tons of work on my part. And the problem is I run out of time and/or don't have the quiet time to do this. Mainly the latter. So then I whine....why can't an all-in-one work for me????? I'm piece bible together more than anything else. We do R&S Reading and it's bible stories, and there's questions, but is it enough for bible? Then the eye roll and I start all over again.

 

So I'm just looking for discussion as the second poster asked and maybe a huge whine that I'm not one of the lucky ones that all-in-ones work for me. Piecing together 3 subjects...bible, History and Science is alot of work and I feel like I'm drowning. Not that I don't like planning. I do, but I wish I could hole up then in a hotel for 2 nights about once a month to plan and clear my head.:tongue_smilie:

[MrsMe]

Pick and choose. Most folks here do not use all one curriculum - what is the fun in that? Pick and choose, topic by topic, what works for YOU and YOUR student.

 

 

 

That's such a good point and since I love curriculum (another downfall) I figured this was the way to go. Because you are totally right. There is no fun in that year after year. Except when you get exasperated and want to simplify. :lol:

[shanvan]

together. So, for the rest of this year I ditched all but Reading, Math & spelling. We are using the library and keeping a record of what we learn by doing notebook pages. That took off the pressure and we are enjoying our learning more. We will be returning to a more structured way of learning at some point this spring or summer, but for now we are taking a welcome break.

 

Shannon

[Hoggirl]

Now that my ds is older he can EASILY (almost TOO easily) articulate what he likes and dislikes about curricula. Have you asked what your dc don't like about the things they don't like? I have found this helpful in choosing things. Also, he just does. not. like. history. I have tried soooo many different things. Your children will not embrace ALL subjects with the same degree of enthusiam. Find out if they like hands-on or dislike it. My ds loves science experiments but loathes history-type projects. Even within hands-on there is a broad spectrum of ways to go. My ds hates anything that seems like busywork. Not into worksheets.

 

I have also spread stuff out on the floor (literally) and prayed over it.

[MrsMe]

Now that my ds is older he can EASILY (almost TOO easily) articulate what he likes and dislikes about curricula. Have you asked what your dc don't like about the things they don't like? I have found this helpful in choosing things. Also, he just does. not. like. history. I have tried soooo many different things. Your children will not embrace ALL subjects with the same degree of enthusiam. Find out if they like hands-on or dislike it. My ds loves science experiments but loathes history-type projects. Even within hands-on there is a broad spectrum of ways to go. My ds hates anything that seems like busywork. Not into worksheets.

 

I have also spread stuff out on the floor (literally) and prayed over it.

 

8.5 dd. That's it! One! Yes I do ask her often. Which is why we're where we are. That is very helpful that she can tell me. We've actually gone back to certain things because of it.

 

I love this: "I have also spread stuff out on the floor (literally) and prayed over it."

 

Maybe that's what I have to do. Maybe He has spoke because I just see this as neither, nor. No clear answer!!!! That could BE His answer!

 

Ann

[MIch elle]

I could make myself crazy.

 

But I want to feel peace about it and I don't. And you're right, it doesn't have to make my heart flutter when I open it or even be perfect, but it does have to provide me with a peace.

 

... I think ps starts off too academic and aggressive then by high school dumbs them down.

 

So see how I make myself crazy?

 

:

 

...make ourselves crazy! Peace - ummm - it's tough with homeschooling and parenting in general.

 

I agree with you. Most ps DO start off too academic and then it's a dumbed down education in middle to high school.

 

I'm currently making myself crazy looking for a grade 7 science program.

 

We're ALL crazy - DON'T YOU KNOW - we homeschool our DC! :lol::lol::lol:

 

;)

[Rosie_0801]

Not that I don't like planning. I do, but I wish I could hole up then in a hotel for 2 nights about once a month to plan and clear my head.:tongue_smilie:

 

This might be a dumb question, but have you asked your dh about that? He might finance it for this month at least!

 

:)

Rosie

[MrsMe]

...make ourselves crazy! Peace - ummm - it's tough with homeschooling and parenting in general.

 

We're ALL crazy - DON'T YOU KNOW - we homeschool our DC! :lol::lol::lol:

 

;)

 

 

 

:iagree:

[MrsMe]

This might be a dumb question, but have you asked your dh about that? He might finance it for this month at least!

 

:)

Rosie

 

Oh heck yeah, he'd do it. But my dd would wig out because mommy's not here. I hole up at the HS convention here and love every minute of it.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Then there's Bible too. As a new Christian I can't explain some of these things good enough yet, so I loved HOD, but without the history portion the key ideas and application were lost. We had some good discussions. But I don't think Bible should be a workbook thing like BJU (which I tried). I also loved the activities in HOD, even better than MFW. So see how I make myself crazy?

 

I only have one 8.5 yr old dd. As time goes, she has more interest and different learning ways for different subjects. Math is spiral and it really works for us. English is mastery and that works for us. I like to be able to pick the best of the best out of these programs and it's requiring tons of work on my part. And the problem is I run out of time and/or don't have the quiet time to do this. Mainly the latter. So then I whine....why can't an all-in-one work for me????? I'm piece bible together more than anything else. We do R&S Reading and it's bible stories, and there's questions, but is it enough for bible? Then the eye roll and I start all over again.

 

 

 

It sounds here like you actually have two things going on with your quest for an acceptable Bible curriculum. You want your dd to learn about your faith both as history and as theology. As a new Christian, you're less confident that you will be able to answer all the questions.

 

I would still suggest that reading and re-reading the Bible, either the Bible itself or a good book of Bible stories, is a great start. I'm amazed after decades at the new understanding I still get from reading. Or the stories that I'd forgotten about or never learned. If you don't want to get bogged down in genealogy or lists of temple construction, the Bible Reading Plan for Beginners is a nice start.

 

To that I'd add one gentle book about understanding or applying your faith. The Big Book of Questions and Answers About God is one we've used in the past. It sort of follows the questions you would find in a catechism with expanded references to look at. We've also enjoyed just working on learning a short catechism for children. Here is the one we've used (it has a Reformed perspective - there are a few points I quibble with or think the short answer doesn't capture fully. These are things that the kids and I talk over.)

 

Then as a third suggestion, I would gently wonder if you are working on a Bible study yourself. I ask because this is often the first thing I let slide myself when I feel busy. But the more time that you spend reading through the Bible and working through the implications of your faith for your daily life, the more prepared you'll be to lead you daughter in this subject. You can find some of the Precepts studies online. (I find some of the marking up tedious, but there is also a great deal of value in these.) There are some free courses put together by Radio Bible Course (the group that produces Our Daily Bread). And if you ask at church, odds are that there are plenty of folks who would cheerfully hand you other resources to work through.

 

So if you want to quantify this, the schedule for dd might look something like:

 

Daily:

Read next section in reading plan or Bible story book. Narrate it back or discuss.

Quiz each other on catechism learned so far. If no mistakes, then introduce next couple questions. Practice each new question 3-4 times.

Work on Bible verse memory work.

 

Weekly:

Quiz on all the Bible verses you can remember.