My Homeschool Curriculum-MATH AND ENGLISH
If you are new to the homeschooling world, you may not know that NOW is the time to start thinking about next years curriculum. I have been homeschooling since my daughter started Kindergarten in 2011. So, I have not been doing this too long, but I hope I can be of some help to those of you who are just starting out.
I was SO clueless when I began and just spent hours upon hours scouring the internet for advice and for the best curriculum. My oldest daughter is now a 3rd grader and her sister is a 1st grader. I finally feel pretty satisfied with the curriculum I have chosen, although it sometimes takes a little bit of trial and error to find what will work for each child. What works for one child, may be totally unsuited for another. So, keep that in mind while you are searching for the right curriculum and don't be too hard on yourself if you have to switch a curriculum, even if it is in the middle of the year.
Here is what I use for each subject. I've included links so that you can go to the site and read more about them.
(Some links will go to Christianbook.com, becasue I like them and they often have the BEST sells of curriculum in the spring and in the fall. I am NOT an affiliate of Christianbook.com.)
MATH
I chose Saxon Math from the very beginning and I have been totally happy with the results since day one. Saxon usess the "spiral approach" when it comes to teaching math. This just means that they focus on a new concept every day and then and then do a continuous review of previously taught concepts every day. I also liked that the text tells me EXACTLY what to say...word for word. I personally love that, because I'm so afraid of teaching a concept the wrong way. So many times with Saxon Math I have found myself saying, "Wow! I which I would have been taught that little 'trick' when I was in school!"
One warning about the Saxon Math is that it does take a long time to do, but I soon learned that you don't HAVE to do everything they say to do every day. You are the teacher and you know your child. Let them set the pace.
To learn more about Saxon Math you can click HERE.
ENGLISH
For English, I have chosen to use Shurley English. It was recommended to me by several mothers and I am SO glad. You can start Shurley English in the 1st grade. My 6 year old is classifying sentences! (i.e. Labeling the parts of a sentence: subject noun, verb, adjective, prepositions, etc.) I so wish I would have been taught using the Shurley English method. The great thing is that as a homeschooling teacher you learn new things with your child that you DIDN'T learn in school the first time. I can now classify a sentence too, and I won't forget it this time because of the way it was taught!
The children learn chants to help them memorize the parts of the sentence. The text comes with a CD so that you can listen to them every day. So, when they go to classify a sentence, they actually have a sequence of questions to ask themselves to help them know where the subject noun is and where the verb is, and so on.
If you'd like to learn more about the Shurley English curriculum, then click here: https://www.shurley.com/
Next time I'll share with you what my family uses for Science and History!
ATTENTION READERS IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA
There is a great Home Educators Expo coming to St. Louis in March!
2015 Greater St.Louis Area
Click their website for more information: http://www.service-life.com/mo/stlhomeschoolexpo/
Blessings,
(All thoughts and opinions discussed in this post are my own and I have not been compensated for this post)
I was SO clueless when I began and just spent hours upon hours scouring the internet for advice and for the best curriculum. My oldest daughter is now a 3rd grader and her sister is a 1st grader. I finally feel pretty satisfied with the curriculum I have chosen, although it sometimes takes a little bit of trial and error to find what will work for each child. What works for one child, may be totally unsuited for another. So, keep that in mind while you are searching for the right curriculum and don't be too hard on yourself if you have to switch a curriculum, even if it is in the middle of the year.
Here is what I use for each subject. I've included links so that you can go to the site and read more about them.
(Some links will go to Christianbook.com, becasue I like them and they often have the BEST sells of curriculum in the spring and in the fall. I am NOT an affiliate of Christianbook.com.)
MATH
I chose Saxon Math from the very beginning and I have been totally happy with the results since day one. Saxon usess the "spiral approach" when it comes to teaching math. This just means that they focus on a new concept every day and then and then do a continuous review of previously taught concepts every day. I also liked that the text tells me EXACTLY what to say...word for word. I personally love that, because I'm so afraid of teaching a concept the wrong way. So many times with Saxon Math I have found myself saying, "Wow! I which I would have been taught that little 'trick' when I was in school!"
One warning about the Saxon Math is that it does take a long time to do, but I soon learned that you don't HAVE to do everything they say to do every day. You are the teacher and you know your child. Let them set the pace.
To learn more about Saxon Math you can click HERE.
ENGLISH
For English, I have chosen to use Shurley English. It was recommended to me by several mothers and I am SO glad. You can start Shurley English in the 1st grade. My 6 year old is classifying sentences! (i.e. Labeling the parts of a sentence: subject noun, verb, adjective, prepositions, etc.) I so wish I would have been taught using the Shurley English method. The great thing is that as a homeschooling teacher you learn new things with your child that you DIDN'T learn in school the first time. I can now classify a sentence too, and I won't forget it this time because of the way it was taught!
The children learn chants to help them memorize the parts of the sentence. The text comes with a CD so that you can listen to them every day. So, when they go to classify a sentence, they actually have a sequence of questions to ask themselves to help them know where the subject noun is and where the verb is, and so on.
If you'd like to learn more about the Shurley English curriculum, then click here: https://www.shurley.com/
Next time I'll share with you what my family uses for Science and History!
ATTENTION READERS IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA
There is a great Home Educators Expo coming to St. Louis in March!
2015 Greater St.Louis Area
Home Educators Expo
March 19-21, 2015
First Evangelical Free Church
1375 Carman Road
Manchester, Missouri 63021
Blessings,
(All thoughts and opinions discussed in this post are my own and I have not been compensated for this post)
Comments
Post a Comment
I LOVE..LOVE...LOVE...comments from you! It truly makes my day! So, leave a comment AND your webpage or social media link and I will get back with you. Thanks in advance!!
~Gina