Education on Paper

Cross-curricular integration is valuable with all subjects, but is especially important with math and language arts. Rhythmic recitation will enhance your homeschool math curriculum in many ways. Most importantly, the rhythmic element, essential to success in math, is strengthened by daily recitation. Classic poetry, songs, limericks. and especially jump rope and clapping verses are a great combination with math facts memorization.

In the early grades, as skip counting is used for learning beginning times tables, you will find that a number of well-known songs and rhymes can be used as a perfect match. Holiday songs are a great example. Take for example, skip counting 2s to “Jingle Bells.”

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,O, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

Jin gle bells, jin gle bells, jin gle all the way,2 4 6 8 10 and 2 times 6 is 12O, what fun it is to ride in a one horse o pen sleigh.14 16 18 20 22 24

It’s a good idea to accompany both the singing and the skip counting with movement, such as clapping or stepping in rhythm. Match the numbers to the words carefully, using their respective number of syllables correctly so they synch perfectly. Many familiar songs and verses can be used as helpful teaching aids that will greatly enhance your homeschool math curriculum!

As the higher tables are learned, clapping verses can be used as a fun lead in. A variety of clapping patterns (find some online or at the library) can be used with the verses and then as an accompaniment to skip counting the higher times tables. For example, Miss Mary Mack can be a lead in to the 6s.

Miss Mary Mack Mack MackAll dressed in black, black, blackWith tiny buttons, buttons, buttons,All down her back, back back.

The rhythm of the numbers will find its own way of blending with the clapping rhythm. For example, with this simple pattern: clap hands together, clap partner’s hands, together, partner’s, etc., a very natural rhythm can be found to coordinate with the 6s (or any of the higher tables).

6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72

Daily recitation and/or singing, limericks, tongue twisters, etc. can help with many areas other than math. Memorization and recitation greatly improve speaking and writing skills, while they also provide self-confidence, better articulation, and a love of both the written and spoken word.

Make space in your homeschool day for recitation and singing, using the NCTE (the National Standards for English) or your state’s language arts standards to document, assess, and apply the standards to these forms of literature as they correlate to math. Start the day with a math review that includes songs and poetry, and interweave rhythmic verses with all your homeschool math lessons. Many simple pleasures like these have been lost due to our hurried, modern lifestyles.

Your homeschool curriculum can provide the perfect antidote to this as you find and use lots of lively material while having some good, old-fashioned fun with it! You and your children can build stronger family and community ties while improving skills in many areas and on multiple levels. Add these tongue twisters and limericks to your homeschool curriculum, just for the fun of it. Find many more online or at your library!

Three free throws.A box of biscuits, a box of mixed biscuits.Six thick thistle sticks, six thick thistles stick.Tim, the thin twin tinsmith.Lovely lemon linament.Flee from fog to fight flu fast.

A mouse in her room woke Miss Dowd.She was frightened, it must be allowed,Soon a happy thought hit herTo scare off the critterShe sat up in bed and meowed.

A funny young fellow named PerkinsWas terribly fond of small gherkins.One day after tea,He ate ninety-threeAnd pickled his internal workings.

First and foremost, please have fun with your homeschool math curriculum! It will pay many dividends, not the least of which is a love of math and a lifelong love of learning. Remember too, that happy students make better math students.

Virtual schools – are they really homeschooling?

Virtual homeschooling has become increasingly popular in recent years. However, most virtual “homeschooling” programs are not really “homeschool” but are just a virtual public school. This can be a fine choice for some families who are just looking to spend more time with their children, wanting the ability to teach religion or want to remove their children from negative influences. Keep in mind that there is little or no choice of curriculum and all the state standardized tests are mandatory.

Computer-based Homeschool Curriculum

These homeschool programs are quite different from virtual schools in that the teaching materials are on CD-Roms. This can be a boon to the homeschooling parent who works out of the home part-time. The only complete homeschool curriculum on cd-rom that I am aware of is Switched on Schoolhouse by Alpha Omega. It is a Christian program and they offer full curriculum for grades K-12, including high school electives. It might be a good idea to test your child on a trial version to see if it is a good learning style fit for your child. Visual and auditory learners are more likely to do well with this style of learning that a kinesthetic learner.

Privately-owned virtual schools

Another choice would be a virtual homeschool program available from a private school, such as Laurel Springs, Time 4 Learning, e-tutor. The nice thing about these programs is that they because they are not virtual public schools, they are more flexible and customizable to your child. One of the main advantages of a computer-based curriculum is that it can allow parents who truly desire to homeschool, but assumed it wasn’t possible due to time constraints or a lack of confidence, to homeschool their child in with one of the most convenient and easy-to-manage methods available.

Homeschool my child for free? You’ve got to be kidding, right? But what if I weren’t kidding? What if you could pull resources from other areas and actually spend little to no money and still give my kids an awesome education? Does that pique your curiosity? Seem to good to be true?

In this book, “Homeschool Your Child For Free”, you have access to more than 1,200 practical resources for home education on the internet.

LauraMeary Gold writes a popular weekly internet column for homeschoolers and operates one of the largest homeschooling lists on the internet. She and her husband, Dan Post, are the homeschooling parents of seven children. Joan M. Zielinski is the mother of four – one of whom is LauraMaery. She herself is a professional educator of over thirty years.

Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprising, is that in the day and age, there is really isn’t anything that you can’t find on the Internet. I personally love doing research on the internet. When LauraMaery polled a large group of home schooling families, she found that 28% of them described themselves as primarily reliant on free resources, and 46% said that they relied on a mix of free resources and formal curricula. And I believe the numbers are rising.

This book is set up to enable you to develop a solid curriculum – customized for your children – that complies with the legal requirements for the area you live in. Once you’ve decided which subjects you’ll be teaching and at what ages, you can gather teaching materials, handouts, texts, lesson plans, and everything else you require from the free resources categorized by subject throughout this book.

This 475-page book contains sections on Homeschool How-To’s, Core Curriculum, Education Essentials, Language Literacy, Mathematics Mastery, Art Appreciation, History Highlights, Music Marathon, Social Studies Skills, Humanities, Science, and the list goes on and on. You’ll also find non-Internet free resources, advice from experts about how to teach academic subjects, and information from homeschooling parents about how they homeschool.

If using the Internet and it’s free resources sounds appealing to you, then this is the book for you! I don’t believe that you’ll be disappointed! Take some time to check it out. You’ll want to own this one!

Abeka Homeschool – is it the Right Curriculum Choice For Your Children?

Abeka homeschool is an accredited K-12 curriculum and Christian-based homeschooling program. This type of education program uses teaching techniques which are similar to traditional schools. Among the many Christian schools, It is still the favorite because of its wealth of experience in education since being established in 1954. Parents who want their children to receive a superior Christian based education have chosen this well known curriculum for many years. You must take a thorough look at it before you decide if it is right for your child’s education.

Your children will really enjoy learning while using the this homeschool curriculum because of the colorful materials that are thorough and easy to use. The company provides very thorough teacher’s manuals for parents serving as teachers. These manuals give you exactly what to say and do when giving instructions to your children. Likewise, they also provide excellent workbooks for your children to use independently. Other supplies and materials are also available such as flashcards, games and charts that are included in the schedule of lesson plans along with the answer keys for checking of tests and workbooks. The materials can be purchased in a kit or separately.

Abeka homeschool is more expensive than other similar programs in the market. This is because they provide high quality educational materials that work diligently to bring homeschool children up to par with all other excellent school. Many parents who elect to homeschool choose to go with the this educational program because of the longstanding history of the quality of the product.

Visual and auditory learning styles are what Abeka promotes while following the traditional educational tracks. Some parents only use the method for phonics, language arts and math. While others use the program exclusively for all of their homeschool needs. Children with special needs and learning disabilities may not best utilize the Abeka program since it is quite structured and moves as in a rather rapid pace.

The Abeka curriculum is a well beloved program of many of the homeschool families. It is quite appreciated for the excellent and extensive foundation it provides to parents. If you are looking for the perfect homeschool curriculum for your child’s education then be sure to consider this well known program for all your homeschooling needs.

Are you considering using the Accelerated Christian Education curriculum which uses the small, consumable booklets called “PACEs?” If you are interested in achievable, affordable, Christian resources, this may be what you are looking for.

These booklets are definitely geared for an independent style of learning and can easily be completed by even young students. They are colorful and appealing to many children with their comical and friendly characters.

In addition to reading materials, their core curriculum includes:

Bible

English

Literature and Creative Writing

Math

Science

Social Studies

Word Building

If necessary there are Foreign Language and numerous Elective subjects available to add to your homeschool program.

Generally, a single PACE booklet takes about three weeks to complete and then a final test is given to rate proficiency in that area. This brief attention to a single booklet is very “do-able” for children and they can quickly feel a sense of accomplishment.

If you decide to use the ACE homeschool curriculum you would administer the diagnostic test to determine exactly where your child should begin. Next, order your student and teacher supplies. Lastly, familiarize yourself with the materials and begin.

Benefits

One of the benefits of using this Christian homeschool program is that the material will be Christ-honoring in its scope. The cost of homeschooling with this resource is quite affordable. Even though the student materials are consumable, the teacher’s materials can be used again with other children, if necessary.

This program works well with families that have several children. I even read that the well-known Duggar family have used this curriculum in teaching their children at home!

Many families have had great success with this resource especially with children who were struggling or had recently been withdrawn from traditional schools. Although quite achievable by most students, this is a complete program.

Saxon Homeschool Curriculum has earned its reputation for quality, reliable and affordable home school programs. It started as a curriculum for students who had difficulty in mathematics, but has grown into a complete core curriculum program, and is a leader among secular providers.  If you are still deciding what homeschooling program to use with your child, this article may help you determine if Saxon will fit your needs. 

The main focus of Saxon homeschool curriculum is helping students establish a strong foundation, and learn the concepts they need to live successful, productive lives. While Saxon offers programs for public schools, private schools, and large groups, its most popular program is its personal distance-learning course. 

Saxon has expanded its offerings from math courses to other disciplines. Saxon home school curriculum now includes primary, middle and high school mathematics, as well as phonics, grammar, writing and science.

The home school phonics program is designed to assist children who struggle with reading and spelling. This course covers consonants, vowels, decoding, spelling, and reading comprehension. For grammar and writing, the curriculum uses a book produced by Stephen Hake, which is designed in the Saxon Math model of incremental development and continual review.

Saxon physics is designed for both average and gifted students. The topics are practiced every day, and gradually increase in complexity. It gives children time to become comfortable and master the concepts taught in each lesson.

The main difference between Saxon homeschool curriculum and other programs are in the arrangement and delivery of lessons. Saxon does not rely on rote memorization, nor does it encourage a “take it or leave it” chronological system of education. Instead, it presents concepts systematically throughout the year in a manner that allows for maximum understanding and mastery. 

Saxon promotes hands-on learning. Because it relies on manipulatives and a multisensory approach to learning, children are left with a firm grasp of the concepts. Its straightforward approach to academics makes it a fine option among secular home school programs. Its unique approach makes home instruction easy for parents, and makes learning easy for children. 

If you have attended a homeschooling convention to choose your homeschool curriculum you may have come away feeling refreshed about the many possibilities that are on the market.

Or maybe you came away feeling overwhelmed and more lost than you were previous to attending.

Or you may be the type of parent that likes to browse through catalogs and choose what you think is best. You like to order your purchases by mail, phone, or Internet. You would rather contact the salesperson instead of them contacting you.

Or, you could possibly be the type of homeschooler that likes surfing on the web to find what you need.

Regardless of how you shop for your homeschool curriculum online, through a catalog, or at a homeschool convention, here are some important suggestions to consider when making your choices:

* Know your children’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests. This will help you determine some of the materials you should get. You shouldn’t only augment your child’s strengths, but find a variety of resources that will also help turn weaknesses into strengths.

* Understand what your family is about. Are you a religious family? Do you have special needs children? Maybe you would like to travel more. When choosing a homeschool cirriculum, it is essential that you take these factors into account.

* How does your child learn? Knowing your child’s learning styles are an important consideration when making curriculum choices. Is your child a visual, auditory, or hands-on learner?

* What are your family’s long-term goals? Does your child have goals for him/herself? If you and your child have a goal for him/her to run their own business, you should look for resources to help you accomplish this.

* Cost of materials is an important factor. Some homeschooling families feel okay about photocopying material, or “borrowing” curriculum. Personally, I feel it is not fair. This doesn’t mean that the curriculum you choose has to be expensive or make your broke. If you plan in advance, you will be able to budget in the costs.

* What homeschooling philosophy appeals to you? There are a variety of homeschool cirriculum philosophies. Some include: literature-based, unit studies, textbook, unschooling, accelerated, Christian, and Classical.

* If you have lots of children and work part-time on the side, it is essential that you take time into consideration. As you purchase a curriculum, you need to think about the time that is also put into your child’s activities and co-op classes.

Before choosing any homeschool curriculum, I find it important to pray about your decision and talk things over with your husband to seek his counsel.

Homeschool Curriculum – 6 Places to Go to Get Exactly What You Need

Now that there is so much home school curriculum available, there are equally as many places to purchase it also. You can purchase it from the author or major retailer or you can purchase your home school curriculum used through various sources. Once you have a list of what you want to purchase for your home school, you can use the list below to find the books and resources at the best price.

1. Internet – The world is open to you on the internet. You don’t have to drive all over your state to find a good deal at a home school fair or garage sale. Ebay seems to be the most popular place to purchase home school books, although it is not the cheapest place. I have purchased home school books at book sales and then sold them for much more than my purchase price on eBay. Homeschool classifieds is another good place to purchase home school curriculum online. It is a well organized site with good prices.

2. Library – I used to get some books at the library but didn’t usually find exactly what I wanted there. Now many libraries are using a resource system where they can get almost any book you want from another library. I do this all online. I order the book from my library’s internet system and have them send it directly to my local library. Then my library calls me and lets me know the book is in. I can manage my account online and see when my books are due and even renew online. This system has also helped my daughter do lots of research on making her own spa products. She orders the books from all over the place and has a huge host of information to use in her research.

3. Goodwill/Thrift Stores/Garage Sales – If you enjoy browsing over used books you can find some great deals at these stores. They might have resources you can use, but I have also found home school curriculum in these places.

4. Retired Teachers – Many times elementary teachers that retire will have a garage sale or put an advertisement in the classified section of the newspaper selling off their classroom resources and books. Many times they have paper, art supplies, pens and markers too that any home school can use at any time.

5. Used home school Curriculum Sales – Depending on where you live you can find some great deals from other homeschoolers that want to sell off the books they are no longer using. If the sale happens year after year you can pick your favorite sale and put it on your calendar each year. This way you get a chance to look over many types of books. I know I have thought about purchasing a curriculum and then after looking at it at a home school book fair realized that it wasn’t for us. I enjoy being able to look at many different curriculums that other people have used. If I keep seeing the same unused books over and over again I can tell that not many homeschoolers where happy with the books.

6. Retailers – Obviously you can purchase directly from the author or developer of a curriculum. I would think that you could get more support for the product if you purchase this way. They should be willing to answer any questions or give any support from someone who purchased directly from them at the retail cost.

Sometimes the maze of home school curriculum can be overwhelming, but if you make a list of each child, the subjects they need to study and the books under each subject then you can at least work off that list. If you know your child’s learning style and your favorite style of home schooling that will help you make a more informed decision about what curriculum or books you need to purchase.

After making the decision to homeschool, one of the most overwhelming choices parents face is choosing a curriculum. If you’ve been paying the least bit of attention to your children over the years, and I’ll assume you have, you begin to realize that children learn in many different ways – even children in the same family.

If you are starting to homeschool after your children have spent many years in school outside your home, it may take awhile to figure out how they learn best, because time in a public or private school can turn anyone into a “workbook” learner. Rushing into a curriculum purchase, then, is an almost instant recipe for disappointment and frustration. So sit back, pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea, take a deep breath, and read on before you buy that first book! (But don’t panic if you’ve already spent some money – there’s always used book sales.)

Here’s how to figure out your child’s learning style.

* Take a few weeks just watching them. Yes, I said weeks! This is a process, and the more information you collect, the clearer you will be on how to move ahead. Provide educational books (fiction and non-fiction), games, models, kits, software, etc (only limited and supervised internet surfing allowed!) and see what they gravitate towards. What do they choose to do when they have free time? What toys do they like to play with? Take good notes ~ you will not remember, trust me.

* Look at your notes and see how their choices fit into the following categories. While there are many ways to assess learning styles, this particular way is based on personality characteristics or temperament. I find it easier to use these distinctions, as they take into account how a person behaves and responds in situations outside of the school environment as well:

The Active Learner: sometimes known as the “strong-willed” child; likes hands-on activities, manipulatives, construction-type toys; most young children are in this category

The Routine Learner: best-suited toward traditional curricula; likes worksheet/workbooks and completing tasks

The Specific Learner: needs to be challenged and uses hands-on activities to deepen his understanding of concepts; well suited for learning under a mentor

The Global Learner: loves working and learning in a group; likes to read and learn about ideas in context

* Start a Word document and write a summary for yourself. If you keep this updated as your child grows and changes (some characteristics may overlap even in the same individual), you can use this when making curriculum choices each year.

Now what do I do?

Check out this resource as a starting point. Some catalog companies, such as ROCK Solid, Timberdoodle and HomeSchoolingBooks also offer assistance in choosing or evaluating curriculum choices. It’s worth the effort to take the time and understand your child’s learning style. Time spent now will pave the way for a positive and productive homeschool in the future.

If the idea of using used homeschool curriculum for your kids seems tacky, then you need to re-think the matter. Used curriculum is often in excellent quality, the information is the same as in new books, and it can save you an enormous amount of money.

As you begin your homeschool, you’ll quickly find that the biggest expense will be the curriculum. This is true for every homeschool family. Thus, each year, every parent finds themselves asking the same question: How can we make the curriculum fit in with our budgets. The good news is that this does not have to break you, thanks to affordable curriculum alternatives.

The best option: Find some place that sells used curriculum materials in good condition. By doing so, you can save more than half of your brand-new curriculum costs. What’s more, at the end of the school year, you can round up all of that year’s materials and re-sell them, thus recovering even more of the money you spent. If you choose to go the used routes, here are some suggestions that might help you in your quest to buy and sell used homeschool curriculum:

1) Keep an eye on auction websites. The bigger ones have an enormous amount of almost everything, and this includes homeschool material. You can often score quite the bargain here–as well as sell your old stuff at a decent price.

2) Likewise, the big-named booksellers have textbook and workbook materials for your homeschool. And the biggest names let you buy either new or used.

3) Don’t forget to visit your local library. Most are chock full of school texts and workbooks, which you can use at no charge whatsoever!

4) Here’s our suggested process when you get ready to buy and sell curriculum materials. First, look through the catalog from which you normally order your curriculum. Find all of the items you’ll need for the next term for all classes. Then examine last year’s curriculum, nothing everything that you can get rid of. Now make a list of all of the things that you don’t need that you think others might want to buy. Then make a price list, giving a price to everything on your list of items. Finally, go to the major auction and classified-ad sites to sell your used items.

There is one other option that many people forget when discussing buying and selling curriculum. Most homeschool families know other homeschool families. Why not create an exchange that includes all of the homeschool families you know? This way, everyone in the exchange can make use of curriculum materials that other members no longer need. You can include other supplies in the exchange, too: chalkboards, erasers, pencils, markers, swab boards and swab, plus many other items.

The benefit of buying used homeschool curriculum is the advantage of spending little money on what are perfectly fine school materials. Keep in mind that the important thing in a textbook is the information it contains. And information stays just as beneficial and valuable, no matter how used the pages are. Buying used is smart, not tacky.