I am new to the whole blog thing, and a little unsure about where to start. So I guess I will start with the now.. I am excited about this new place (in my life.) that the Lord has me. I have never felt such relief and freedom. I am probably not making alot of sense to anyone, but lets just say, that for a while now, I have been a little burnt out.. But the Lord has set our family's direction on a new path. We couldn't be more happy. My husband has actually been giddy.. I mean we were trudging along the path, thinking WHY are we here??? And all of a sudden, the answer was right in front of us. Like a brick to the head...God answered, because You chose it.. Now if that wasn't a slap in the face, I don't know what is. Its been a couple of weeks now and we are so amazed at what God is showing us.
So in this new journey, I am changing some of the way I homeschool. I have been homeschooling for 10 years now and have used a variety of different curriculums. I realized though, that for the most part, I was only using what someone else said was the best, and was really struggling to make that fit my family. And when it didn't, I thought well maybe I am doing something wrong. I am now looking for ideas. So, if anyone has anything that they really like, leave me a comment about the curriculum, (or subject) and explain why. I am also looking into some ideas about organization. So any input on that would be appreciated to.. Well, I am off to research...
Comments
Aug. 15, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by bethanyrae
Hi,
When you said you were interested in ideas...math came to mind. We're strong believers in MathUSee. (www.mathusee.com) This fellow approaches math in a way that makes you understand the underlying principles, not just the methods. It doesn't "pencil you to death" either, in that once the student can demonstrate they understand, they can move on. My son, who is a math whiz, really needed this, as the other programs were making him hate math. My daughter, who struggles, needed it, as the concepts were made clear. Even I began to 'understand' things I had only memorized before. He starts in Kdg and goes through higher math in high school. There is a teaching DVD, workbook and manipulatives. His 100's chart is different from all the others.....and is right. It starts with 0 and ends with 99. The others (1-100) are all based on 10 fingers, where his is based on our decimal system. It's really the only way to properly think about numbers if you're going to truly understand them. Anyhow, can you tell I was just amazed when I saw his stuff? Sorry about all the enthusiasm.....you won't hurt my feelings if you decide it doesn't fit your kids! ha
bethanyrae
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Aug. 16, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by JustGiveMeStarbucks
Hi Wendy! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog! I'll go back and add you as a friend, too. :-) By the way, I've already noticed a couple of similarities between us -- I'm 37, too (saw that in your profile), and we've also been homeschooling about 10 years.
I so identify with the "Why am I here?"--"Because you chose it!" thing. The Lord's been teaching me so much lately about how certain things in my life are the way they are because of choices I've made. Ouch.
As far as recommending curriculum, if you've never tried LifePacs from Alpha Omega, I really like those. They're one of the most affordable curriculums (or curricula -- never quite sure which one of those words to use!) out there. In one box, you get 10 workbooks, the teacher's guide, and all the tests (in the workbooks). We also like A Beka, though that tends to be more pricey (unless you can find a good deal on eBay). I also piece together what we'll be using from other sources like Apologia (science), Saxon (math), and Diana Waring (history -- I LOVE her CDs and tapes, not to mention her great history materials). You've probably already heard of everything I just mentioned, though. ;-)
Have a wonderful day! Love your blog -- I'll be back. :-)
Sally
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Aug. 26, 2007 - I just checked my friends list....
Posted by ReviewsbyHeidi
.....and noticed that you have added me as a friend. I didn't remember "meeting" you, so thought I'd pop over and check out your blog. Welcome to Homeschool Blogger!
I do a good many reviews for TOS, alot of homeschool-related resources~ so you can read more about them on my blog.
It's hard to know just what to recommend to another homeschool family, unless you know more specifically what they are looking for, or what their homeschooling "style" may be. We've become very eclectic over the years~ using a bit of this and that~ to suit the needs of my girls.
I will add you to my friends list too, and check back!
Heidi
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