Homeschool Curriculum - Where Do I Get It?

Now that there is so much home school curriculum available, there are equally as many places to purchase it also. You can purchase it from the author or major retailer or you can purchase your home school curriculum used through various sources. Once you have a list of what you want to purchase for your home school, you can use the list below to find the books and resources at the best price.

1. Internet - The world is open to you on the internet. You don't have to drive all over your state to find a good deal at a home school fair or garage sale. Ebay seems to be the most popular place to purchase home school books, although it is not the cheapest place. I have purchased home school books at book sales and then sold them for much more than my purchase price on eBay. Homeschool classifieds is another good place to purchase home school curriculum online. It is a well organized site with good prices.

2. Library - I used to get some books at the library but didn't usually find exactly what I wanted there. Now many libraries are using a resource system where they can get almost any book you want from another library. I do this all online. I order the book from my library's internet system and have them send it directly to my local library. Then my library calls me and lets me know the book is in. I can manage my account online and see when my books are due and even renew online. This system has also helped my daughter do lots of research on making her own spa products. She orders the books from all over the place and has a huge host of information to use in her research.

3. Goodwill/Thrift Stores/Garage Sales - If you enjoy browsing over used books you can find some great deals at these stores. They might have resources you can use, but I have also found home school curriculum in these places.

4. Retired Teachers - Many times elementary teachers that retire will have a garage sale or put an advertisement in the classified section of the newspaper selling off their classroom resources and books. Many times they have paper, art supplies, pens and markers too that any home school can use at any time.

5. Used home school Curriculum Sales - Depending on where you live you can find some great deals from other homeschoolers that want to sell off the books they are no longer using. If the sale happens year after year you can pick your favorite sale and put it on your calendar each year. This way you get a chance to look over many types of books. I know I have thought about purchasing a curriculum and then after looking at it at a home school book fair realized that it wasn't for us. I enjoy being able to look at many different curriculums that other people have used. If I keep seeing the same unused books over and over again I can tell that not many homeschoolers where happy with the books.

6. Retailers - Obviously you can purchase directly from the author or developer of a curriculum. I would think that you could get more support for the product if you purchase this way. They should be willing to answer any questions or give any support from someone who purchased directly from them at the retail cost.

Sometimes the maze of home school curriculum can be overwhelming, but if you make a list of each child, the subjects they need to study and the books under each subject then you can at least work off that list. If you know your child's learning style and your favorite style of home schooling that will help you make a more informed decision about what curriculum or books you need to purchase.

Author Info:

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report "How to Homeschool using the Best Resources" at http://www.hjresources.com/freehs Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

Homeschool Math - How Do I Teach Math and What Should I Use?

If you struggled with Math at all when you were growing up, you probably don't feel adequate to teach home school Math. The truth is, though, that we use Math all the time in our day and you can use those opportunities to share Math with your children. Help your children develop a love for math using these tools:

1. Play games - Card games and board games are great tools to use to teach number concepts. You don't have to say anything about numbers or math, just play the game and have fun.

2. Use your time in the kitchen to work with numbers. Have your children count silverware, cut pizza into fractions, measure liquids and solids in a recipe, skip count items that come in packs, subtract items from a group as you eat them, and count anything else that they may see there.

3. Show them in daily life how math affects them. Show them how to look at a calendar and count the days until a special day. When they receive money help them know the value of the coins or dollars and show them how to count it. You can even divide the money into different envelopes with them.

4. Teach them that counting by one is not the only way to count. They can use skip counting to count by twos, threes, fours, fives and more. We have made up our own skip counting songs with popular children's songs that we know. Now my 6 year old knows how to skip count by two, three, four, five and six, not because he is a super intelligent child, but because those numbers have been put to music in a fun way.

5. Read books that enforce math concepts. Books like "How Much is A Million" and "How Much is a Billion" can show children how enormous numbers can be in a fun and entertaining format. For younger children there are many counting books that you can get from the library that teach them about numbers.

6. Use the calculator to show them how large numbers are added. They certainly need to know how to do the basic concepts of math operations, but they can also have fun using a calculator occasionally for large numbers.

Use as many senses as possible to teach math. Different children will understand certain concepts of math using different methods than others. You can use workbooks, manipulative, math games, real life, computer software, and more. Attitude is everything. If you have a positive attitude about Math, then they will be more likely to accept that attitude.

Author Info:

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report "How to Homeschool using the Best Resources" at http://www.homeschool-how-to.com Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

Homeschool Curriculum - What Do I Need?

Most people who begin homeschooling think they need a huge amount of curriculum, books and resources. Having too many resources to choose from can be overwhelming. It's best to keep things simple. Here's how:

1. A Plan - Before you start buying anything, decide what you want your children to study and learn this year. Do you want them to enjoy learning? Do you want them to complete a certain workbook? Do you want them to know all the Presidents names by heart?

What has worked best for me is to list all the subjects across the top of a sheet of paper. Then list your student(s) names down the left side. Under each column for each student write some ideas of what you want them to study or accomplish for that year. This can be done by you or with your child. Once you have filled all this in, then circle one or two item(s) for each subject and focus on getting resources to support. The other items not circled can be used for another year or if you run out of material for this year.

2. The Basics - Homeschoolers need some basic reading, writing and math materials. No matter what your finances, the internet and libraries provide some incredible resources. Don't disregard them just because they are free. Your children should spend time doing math and language each day. They should either read on their own or listen to you or some combination of that each day. For writing they can draw if they are younger. If they are over 8 years old they can write a page for you each day. Once children know how to read they should be able to teach themselves with a little guidance.

3. The Supplements - Once you have the basics covered you can add other subjects from your original plan such as science, Bible, foreign language, art, music, etc.

Books can be purchased new or used. Since so many people are homeschooling there are plenty of places you can get what you need from someone who either used the item gently or decided it wasn't for them and didn't use it at all.

If you plan what you want to do, cover the basics and supplement subjects that fit in with your plan, you should be able to have a great home school year.

Author Info:

Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report "How to Homeschool using the Best Resources" at http://www.hjresources.com/freehs

Is Homeschooling Without a Set Curriculum Right for Your Family?

"How are my children going to learn?" This is one of the first questions families who homeschool must answer. Should they choose one of the pre-packaged curricula sold by companies that provide supplies for homeschoolers? People who have an academic background in education usually put these curricula together. Homeschool families who go this route have a set course of study for their child to follow.

However, many families decide not to use any set course of study at all. These families choose to create unique learning experiences based on the child's interests and personality. This creates an environment where the child has great freedom, and the parents have almost complete responsibility for what and how their child learns.

There are some great reasons for creating unique learning experiences for your child, without the benefit of a pre-arranged curriculum. Some of those reasons are:

1. There's great freedom in what the child studies. Parents can build learning experiences around the things that interest the child. That means the child is more likely to be an engaged, active learner. Engaged, active listeners learn more!
2. It's cheaper than buying a pre-packaged curriculum. The initial expense of purchasing a prepared curriculum can be considerable. Homeschool families who create their own learning experiences save that expense, although they are likely to spend money on books and supplies as the school year continues.
3. You control and create the learning experiences. Parents can personalize learning to fit the temperament and learning style of the child. Plus, parents learn quickly that they are charge of the child's education. Many parents mistakenly feel that their child's education is the responsibility of "experts" in the educational system.
4. You have flexibility in planning learning experiences. A child can learn anytime. With some forethought, parents can use a trip to the store, a park visit, or a library outing to teach math, science, and history.

There are also drawbacks to this approach to educating your child. Some of these are:

1. The fear your child might not be learning enough. Many parents fear that if they don't follow a pre-packaged curriculum, their child won't learn the right skills at the right time. That is a possibility, but there are resources, in print and online, that help parents know their child is on the right track.
2. Some kids (and parents) need a more structured environment for learning. That isn't a bad thing; it's the way some people are made. For some, a pre-packaged curriculum offers the structure and guidance they need to thrive in a homeschool environment.
3. There's more preparation time for parents. Parents who choose not to use a set curriculum need to spend more time and effort planning what their kids learn. Some parents might find this type of learning requires more time than they can give.

Generally, families that choose to teach their children without following a set curriculum experience great freedom in choosing learning experiences. The drawbacks include the lack of an outside authority "approving" the child's education, and the increase in preparation time needed for parents.

Each family must decide if they are ready to homeschool their kids without following a set course of study. Whatever choice they make, the children benefit from the commitment the family makes to home-based education.

Author Info:

Richard and Jennifer Jarman are parents of 3 great kids and avid homeschoolers. They publish Wholehearted Parents, a free e-mail newsletter for parents. The newsletter features short articles on subjects that parents care about, and news about toy safety and other parental concerns. Subscribe today and receive a FREE report, "The Right Way to Discipline a Child," by going to http://wholeheartedparents.com/Newsletter.html