We are a homeschool family that has been homeschooling since our oldest was in first grade. That means we’ve been homeschooling for over 10 years. I can’t believe that I am now considered a homeschool veteran, but I guess I am. Though honestly I still seek out other homeschoolers and ask for help all the time.
Since we have been homeschooling so long, we are pretty much in a simple flow with our curriculum, meaning we don’t make major changes. We use a variety of curriculum, and most of it is child centered learning, meaning I don’t do a lot of teaching the kids anymore. In the younger days I did work with them a lot, but we’ve always wanted to bring up our children as independent learners, which we have. Now that they are in junior high and high school, they are pretty much on their own, learning what they need to learn. I’m still here to help when needed, to grade and record their work, and generally, to just be mom to them during the day. 🙂 I know my oldest, Sarah, is definitely getting away from me in her learning, which is why I’m so glad for online help and college courses. There is so much information online anymore that most questions she has, we can find online. Plus it’s a great way for the children to learn how to find the answers to questions they have by themselves.
This year is just about over (as I write this page), so I am going to list the curriculum we’ll be using for the 2012/2013 year. It’s about the same as we’ve been using this year with one major difference, we’ve changed our history curriculum. We’ve used Mystery of History for 3 years now, and love it. But we feel it is time for a change so we have gone with Alpha Omegas Life Pacs for history. We use their language arts curriculum, and feel that their history will be just as good. If you have any questions about the curriculum we use or homeschooling in general, please feel free to email me. So here is what we are using this year in our school.
Sarah – 11th
Language Arts – Alpha Omega Life Pacs 11
Math – Teaching Textbooks Geometry
History – Alpha Omega Life Pacs 11, American History
Science – Apologia Chemistry
World Literature – Progeny Press study guides for Out of the Silent Plant and Perelandra both by C.S. Lewis
Foreign Language – Rosetta Stone Spanish – 3rd year
Online College Creative Writing Course
Paulie – 9th
Language Arts – Alpha Omega Life Pacs
Math – Teaching Textbooks Pre-Algebra
History – Alpha Omega Life Pacs 9, World Geography
Science – Apologia General Science
Foreign Language – Rosetta Stone Spanish – 1st year
Art – Learn to draw, no specific curriculum, just different drawing books.
Video Game Maker
This is our official ‘curriculum’ list, though everyday learning happens all the time. They both continually learn Home Ec skills, crafting skills and life skills. I do list them as subjects accomplished though it’s not something we choose to buy a curriculum for. We feel the same way about our time in God’s Word. We didn’t want them to think the only time you spend in the Word of God was for school. It is something we all do individually, together as a family and corporately at our church at different times. Plus my children are well known for coming to their father, with bible in hand, and asking questions. Just the other day he was answering one child’s question as the other one sat patiently waiting to ask their question. To me, that’s the best kind of learning. 🙂