What is the Best Homeschool Curriculum - News

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Homeschool Curriculum?

I live in Orange County of New, York. Specifically, in Newburgh. I am going to be home schooled and my mother has already sent in her letter of intent. I was going to start at the high school, but due to my mother's medical problems I had to be pulled out. The guidance counselor at the school said that we have to follow the school's curriculum, which she never said what it was called.

I went to homeschooling websites and people said you can pick any curriculum. Do we follow the school's curriculum or pick our own? Also, where would we get textbooks…preferably used and cheap?

Posted by Olivea

No you do not need to follow the school's curricula. Homeschoolers are not public school students. Never ask the employee's of a public school about homeschooling. It is not a part of their job to know anything about it and unfortunately most will either make wild guesses or intentionally lie. Yes in general you can pick any curricula. The 2 things you need to take into consideration is whether the material complies with any laws you must follow and whether or not the material meets your needs (including future needs such as college admission requirement).

As for specific materials. In general I advise against standard textbooks. Typically textbooks are geared toward a traditional classroom setting. Instead you need to seek out materials written directly for homeschool use.

First you need to get a good understanding of just what homeschooling is and is not. I recommend starting with the following article: http://ift.tt/1odjoEm;

Below is a list of curricula we have used or are currently using that I would recommend. I have not included courses we were not happy with unless I have an explanations included. Links are not provided with each individual item and some links are separated by a space due to YA's restrictions on number of links allowed in a single answer.

Science:

Great Science Adventures- http://ift.tt/1odjrzV;

Power Basics Chemistry (order from rainbow resource center linked below). The textbook is a bit more rigorous than described. It is a good course but was a bit advanced by my 6th grader.

Connect the Thoughts Upper Level Science Basics and Biology & Human Health

Language Arts:

Easy Grammar & Easy Writing- http://ift.tt/T1Gd3X

Writing Strands: http://ift.tt/1odjrQg

Handwriting Without Tears- Http://www.hwtears.com/

Megawords- http://ift.tt/1odjrQn;

Math

Singapore Math- http://ift.tt/1odjrQu

Teaching Textbooks: http://ift.tt/1odjrQy

Foreign Language

Lively Latin: http://ift.tt/1odjoUT

History:

Story of the World: http://ift.tt/1odjs6P; (I would recommend using in with History Odyssey level I instead of buying the SOTW activity pages)

History Odyssey: http:// http://ift.tt/T1GaVY (also has science but I did not find out about them until my daughter was too old for the courses they currently offer in science)

Power Basics World History II (order from rainbow resource center linked below)

We order most of ours from:

Learning Things: http:// http://ift.tt/T1Gd4c

Rainbow Resource Center: http:// http://ift.tt/1odjs6Z

Connect The Thoughts: http:// http://ift.tt/1odjpbp

Here is a list of free and inexpensive resources I have gathered over the years.. We have not used all of them as of yet:

http:// http://ift.tt/T1GdkD

http:// http://ift.tt/1olI63W

http:// homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/

http:// charlottemasoneducation.com/

http:// amblesideonline.org/

http:// http://ift.tt/1odjuM6

http:// http://ift.tt/1odjsni

http:// http://ift.tt/1odjuM8

http:/ / www.khanacademy.org/

What is the best homeschool curriculum?

Looking for a complete homeschool curriculum for my first grader. Something with lesson plans. Easy to follow for a first time homeschooler. I'm thinking more formal. Thanks!

Posted by Hannah

There really is no best, whether you're talking about Christian or secular. The one that's best is the one that works for your child. Sonlight is a good curriculum. If you're not big on the Christianity component, it's pretty easy to modify, However, it is language heavy and if your child is a visual learner it might not be a great fit. Math-U-See is more appropriate for some visual learners. However, it's heavy on hands-on and you might need to supplement with more paper & pencil work. Abeka is formal, but some find it rote and too heavy on drill.

If I were you, I would go through curriculum review sites, and read up on different curriculum and what users liked, and didn't about them. I particularly appreciate critical reviews, not because they're bashing the curriculum, and they might be, but because negative reviews point out the weaknesses in every curriculum. Every curriculum has positives and negatives, and no curriculum is the best or works for every student. Then I think, would the weaknesses stand in our way? There is the individual part. Here is one site:

http://ift.tt/1iq9VFS

There are others. Google homeschooling curriculum reviews. One thing to consider. Most people are going to tell you the curriculum they used is "the best". The question is why and would it work for you and your child.

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What is the Best Homeschool Curriculum

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