I want to tell you about what is turning out to be my favorite teaching tool.  It's actually 3 books in a series by Ruth Beechik, titled The 3 R's, a Stong Start in Reading, Math and Langauge Arts.

I bought these little books 2 years ago.  At that time I was drawn to the idea of relaxed learning and knew I wanted to teach the basics in a stress-free, non textbook way.  These books seemed to offer that and they fit my budget!   I read through them and began to use the methods for teaching phonics and math with my 6yo almost 7yo son.   When this school year started I abandoned these little books for a little more structured curriculum.  Something about my son getting older made me feel that I needed more "substance".  But when January came, I found myself returning to these books and Mrs. Beechik's methods once more.  For the early elementary child, she offers all the instruction you need to give your child a strong foundation in the basics, yet in a natural and relaxed way.  For instance, in teaching phonics, she provides activities to practice blending, which I find is a great warm up before my son begins his read aloud time with me.  For handwriting, he may spend the first day of the week writing a new letter.  But by mid-week we turn to Beechik's copywork exercises with her sample sentences provided right in the book.   And the excellent scope and sequence in the math book reminds me to cover those math concepts that are easy to forget, like measuring.  Her discussion on the different modes of thinking (concrete, manipulative, abstract) also ground me and remind me what is reasonable to expect from my son as he is learning math. 

These books can stand alone as a curriculum, as well as offer practical supplemental activities if you are using a more structured curriculum.  What I love most about these books is the discussion Mrs. Beechik provides on the way children learn math, reading and language arts, and why the natural way works.  After reading her books I can see that my son is progressing naturally and it assures me that we are doing fine.   

I love these books so much that I am going to purchase a few copies and give them to every newbie homeschooling mom with young children.  I hope they will save her from spending to much money or time on curriculm that she won't need.   

My newest friend Dawne also has some great things to say about this series and how she uses them with the Christian Classical approach to homeschooling.  Please hop over and read her input as well.  Her weblog is www. homeschoolblogger.com/ClassicalHomeSchool.