I am planning to write posts about the different
homeschooling curriculum available. This would be for all grades, not just for children up to age 5. I am familiar with A
Beka, Bob Jones, Tapestry of Grace,
Sonlight, and Saxon Math. I hope to cover many more publishers. What do you use, and why do you like it?
Hi
ReplyDeleteI linked to your site through seekingfaithfulness.
I am a homeschooler using Sonlight. I love it. It's the only curriculum I've used (beside a year in Canada making up my own 2nd grade). We love it because it's a lot of reading - reading historical fiction and then reading history books, geography books, science books that complement.
Right now my daughter (grade 7) is studying ancient history while my son (grade 5) is studying non-western civilizations. How many American students in fifth grade look at China, Mongolia, India? Do they even know where they are? There is a strong bent to learning about the world and praying. Sonlight actually has its roots in missions - it began as curriculum for missionary families.
I love Sonlight because the Instructors Guide is set up for you, easy to follow and the books are fun to read.
Hi, Celticpole! Thank you very much for stopping by and for taking the time to offer your input. I found your remarks very helpful, and I'm glad you found me over at Holly's place. You are welcome here any time.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was teaching at a Christian elementary school, we used A Beka for language, phonics, history, and science, ACSI for spelling, and Houghton-Mifflin for mathematics. I really enjoyed using the Abeka for 1st grade phonics. I learned about all those special sounds. They are such a building block for reading.
ReplyDeleteWe used the ACSI spelling b/c we really didn't care for the A Beka spelling texts. And we used Houghton-Mifflin for math b/c of the problem solving skills it taught.
I have used Saxxon math, but only while teaching middle school. I have to say I really did not care for it, but it was middle school.
I used Bob Jones when I was teaching 6th grade reading. I don't remember my opinion on it.
I think it was A Beka science we used in the middle schools. Whatever we used, it was great. The 8th grade science text had a whole chapter on creation vs evolution. It was an awesome chapter.
I will have to say, there is a draw back to using A Beka and that is all the written work. There is so much written work with their curriculum. Even the preschool curriculum has a lot.
https://www.abeka.com/productinfo/abekaonline.acgi$bookInfo?25836
ReplyDeleteHere is the 8th grade science text. It is A Beka.
As a former Abeka student, AND a former Bob Jones student (both were used in my private schooling education) I have to admit I decided early on against using them to teach my girls. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater though, I've used Abeka's health, and I have a friend who loves Bob Jones grammar, but it's just too "textbook" for me. I grew up memorizing facts to pass tests and then promptly forgot it, found it too dull.
ReplyDeleteI have two good friends who RAVE about Sonlight, don't think you can go wrong there if you love reading. In fact, every year I'm tempted to it, but we've already found our niche for grammar (Spell to Write and Read by Wanda Sanseri--awesome!) and also for math (We use Professor B math--CD rom)...so I'd have to order the Sonlight core kit, and haven't done that yet.
The problem is, there are so many great things out there! We've enjoyed Christian Liberty Academy's science, and The Light and the Glory for Children (there are three books in that series for history, all American history)...
Most recently I'm checking into Veritas and their history timelines, and Apologia for science...based on the great homeschooling/author interview I just posted on my site with Amy Wallace. They look really good!
God bless you as you decide which way to go. Children all learn so differently, it makes the decision for one child right and completely wrong for another.