Here’s a fun and interesting question for this weekend:
Do you use a “boxed” curriculum (one that you either purchase with everything needed from a company or one that you purchase an instructors guide from and you buy their required materials) or do you just piece together a little of this and a little of that to make your own curriculum? Or, do you do a little bit of both?
You don’t need to share what programs you are using, though you are more than welcome to as well!
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When we first began homeschooling 8 years ago, I purchased a full curriculum from one company. However, through the years and finding out my children’s learning styles, I now piece together our curriculum for the year.
Joy´s last [type] ..Homeschool Village – PE
I am not a color by number gal or a color inside the lines gal for that matter. I piece ours together. We like bits of this and bits of that.
We piece things together. My kids use Math U See, then I create unit studies using various books and lapbooking resources. My 4th grader likes All About Spelling. The beginning readers use Rocket Phonics. We’ve never found one company that offers everything we need, though I have been tempted by a few….LOL.
Pieces and Parts of different curriculums. But I feel you have to be very careful when you do this so as not to “miss out” or skip over important curriculum. :)
Piece it together! We’re not color-by-number people either. :)
Cindy´s last [type] ..Catching Up
I’m very eclectic, so putting this together is right up my ally. :o)
Lesley´s last [type] ..Womanss Day Book
We use Sonlight, we have for eight years and we love it. Everything comes in one box – well a couple!!! and we school for 36 weeks pretty much straight and then have the rest of the year off to explore and ponder and follow our hearts.
se7en´s last [type] ..Se7en’s Fabulous Friday Fun 28 – Link Up…
This fall will be our first year of homeschooling! I’m excited, yet scared. I’m doing a “boxed” curriculum this year. There is just no way that I could do otherwise as I have NO idea what I’m doing. Once we’ve transitioned to being at home and I have a year or two under my belt…my goal is to branch out and choose more specifically to their learning style.
We are definitely in the piece it together category. I love the flexibility and the ability to tailor to the need, ability, pace and interest of the moment and the child.
We are going to use some math and handwriting workbooks, but beyond that we are making it up as we go. I always loved teaching using unit studies when I was a classroom teacher, so we’re going with that this year. Our first unit study will be on trees. It’ll be fun. It’s a bit harder to make sure all the goals are met for the year’s learning, but it’s worth it.
I wrote about our plans, here http://furlinedtoiletseats.blogspot.com/2010/07/ditto.html
Fatima´s last [type] ..Life Without AC
This is our first year of homeschooling and we have one week under our belts! All going well :) We’re using Horizon for math and unit studies put together by yours truly for everything else. We’re currently studying libraries (just moved to a new state too!) and it’s coming together very nicely! I’m enjoying the planning and creating involved!
Annie´s last [type] ..Birthday Buys- Bags- and Baking
I am completely in awe of those who piece together their own cirriculum! This is my first year homeschooling, and I opted for K5 Sonlight. I wouldn’t begin to know how to put a whole year of school material together, but I hope down the road I will be able to know what will be best for our family and each of my children. I know I will grow as I go :)
Love this blog… I’ll be following!
Jenny´s last [type] ..Hectic Day Healthy Cooking
I make up my own. My son is a VERY hands on learner, so we play a lot of games and activities instead of worksheets. I make up my own lessons from the internet and idea books that have been given to us or that I found at a 2nd hand store.
I am totally a pick-and-chooser. I like that it gives me the flexibility to find the exact right program for my kids. I also have more control over when we start certain subjects and how long we spend on them. It is a little more stressful, being responsible for the whole thing, but it works for us. I think it’s also less expensive than a boxed curriculum, although I have been tempted by some of them.
Deb´s last [type] ..In Which I am Grouchy and Uptight
We piece it together.
Trying several new and different things this year, hopefully it goes well!
Kristal´s last [type] ..The little things
We try to use as much from one source as possible for the sake on continuity, but we definitely piece it together. I find that as people get the hang of homeschooling, the majority begin to wander away from a boxed curriculum.
I use a boxed curriculum for the most part. I substitute one subject or at most two from other boxed styles. I live in PA where there is more regulation by the public school system. I have found that just following a specific curriculum is more accepted by the school administration and gives our education more credibility in the eyes of those who are evaluating.
I’ve morphed from buying a huge set from a big company (SL) in K to winging it almost entirely with my own selections now in 6th. FUN!
Jimmie´s last [type] ..Scary Dentist
I have looked at many sites and not come across a site like yours that tells everyone about everything they need to know. I have added you to my bookmarks,can anyone else suggest other related topics that I can search so I can find out more information about home school cirriculum.
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