What I've hoped to do with my children and school is something I've thought about since before ever having a baby! And my husband and I have had an ongoing discussion about schooling Lydia for the last couple of years. We are going to evaluate what is best for our children each year, and certainly are not committing to homeschooling K-12, but I am excited about this upcoming year and look forward to diving into the curriculum we finally decided on.
Our reasons for homeschooling are based primarily on the following: a) wanting our five year old to be most greatly influenced by us, learning values from us rather than other five year olds, and b) due to the transition (aka moving) phase of our lives right now wanting to give her stability in learning to read and with the overal transition moving is. And, I'd also add, if we were in the states and were going to put her in school, we would wait another year so she could be an "older" rather than "younger" in her class (she has an August 29th) birthday.
After researching MANY options, I've decided to go with Sonlight for her K year. We've purchased Core A, Readers 1, Singapore Math, A Reason for Handwriting, and Sonlight Bible and Science. I decided on Sonlight because I believe strongly in reading lots and lots of books and I love the book selection Sonlight uses. I like that the Lesson Plans are made - I can modify, adapt, and change as I like, but I don't have to create from scratch. I am impressed that it's a Christian homeschool program but readers introduce children to a variety of literature from all over the world. And it was easy to order everything from them.
What Math program to use was, surprisingly to me, the toughest decision. I went back and forth between several: Math U See, Saxon, Right Start, and Singapore. After reading everything I could about each of them, talking to lots and lots of homeschooling families, praying, and talking with Josh we settled on Singapore. I feel good about that decision and can't wait for the curriculum to arrive so I can look at it with my own hands.
As for reading level, I went with Level 1 (1st grade) because I am working with Lydia out of another program currently. (I will post about this tomorrow.) After finishing what we are currently doing, we will pick up with Sonlight reading.
If we continue to homeschool in first grade, which I think we will, there are a couple things I may do differently - namely using NOEO Science rather than Sonlight, and Story of the World (with Mystery of History added in for the Christian events) for history. I thoroughly enjoyed The Well Trained Mind and might consider following it more closely in first. Right now, I'm going to see how we like Sonlight and modify (or not) according to how this year goes.
Tomorrow I'll post about what we are doing currently for preschool and, specifically, about teaching Lydia how to read.
If you are homeschooling, or thinking about it, would you share what curriculum(s) you've chosen and why?
1 comment:
I know you have already chosen a curriculum, but you may want to check out a new one. It FINALLY gives parents all the tools they need to teach EVERY child to read successfully, not just the ones who picked it up easily. I've never seen anything like it. Burtonreading.com gives parents easy lesson plans, videos of a reading specialist actually teaching those lessons, readers to print out, encouragement & helps, etc. all on line! I think you're going to like it when you give it a look. When parents have a successful K or first grade year, with little ones who can & love to read, I think many more will choose to keep their children home throughout those tender elementary years. That's the hope & prayer! One-on-one, loving, consistant, TRAINED teaching...can't get any better than that!! Now every parent can confidently accomplish just that! Blessings, LA
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