best curriculum?

[lisabathome]

I am thinking of homeschooling and would love advice on the best curriculum - thanks so much!

[emjo]

We are following the Moore Formula, found at Moore Formula The book is The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook by Dr. Raymond Moore.

[bizymom777]

Wow, that's a huge question! The world of homeschooling curriculum is pretty vast. There are many types to choose from. Would you be looking for a Christian program(or some other religion) or a secular one? There are textbook and workbook curricula, and then there are curricula that are based on projects or unit studies. Curriculum choice is also influenced by the learning style of the child, the teaching style of the parent, how much time the parent can dedicate to working with the child, how much money the family can allocate to teaching materials, and the family's philosophy of life.

The best curriculum is one that fits in with your unique family circumstances. And often this can mean a different type of curriculum at different stages of the family's life.

One suggestion would be to meet with some local homeschoolers and ask to look at what they are using. Ask lots of questions about why they have made the choices they have.

Also you could search for homeschool curricula online to get an idea of the different types of materials that are available. One good place to start would be Cathy Duffy Homeschooling Curriculum reviews Also take a look at Cathy Duffy's book titled 101 Top Pics for Homeschool Curriculum

Good luck with your research! Feel free to PM me if I can be of further help.

[yvonnelisa]

What grade are you in? I have no idea whether it is the best or not, but I think beestar works for us. It offers math, ela and GT math tests weekly for Grade 1 to 10. They offer problems interesting and challenging. Most of those math questions are word problem which is the fun way to practice math. Tests are timed and scored. Math is free for any grade, ELA is just $20 per semester.
Lisa

[FantasticLifeForFree]

There is no best curriculum. Even in the same family. What works for one child may not for another. What works one year/level, may not the next for the same child. I second the recommendation for Cathy Duffy. There are many things that you need to take into consideration. Also check to see what your state requires.

We are secular but have used Five in a Row, a literature based unit study, for years - we started with Before FIAR and are currently using Beyond FIAR. We use Math U See for math since the beginning. Everything else has been trial and (a lot) of error. Every year I re-evaluate - sometimes a couple of times a year if something isn't working.

[wahmsolutions]

This one is very good: Homeschool Curriculum | Homeschooling | Calvert School :-)

[Mom2Ben]

I agree with the others... there is no "best" that fits everyone. You just have to figure out what fits your child. I don't even use the same curriculum with my two kids. They have different learning styles and different disabilites. We don't use a boxed curriculum. We find each subject separately based on the child's interest, level, and ability. We also don't look at the grade level published on the cover of the book, because everyone has their own idea about what a ___ grader needs to know. The right curriculum is as hard to find as the right pair of jeans, but once you find your fit, you never want to take them off!

[farfromperfect]

I agree with what the others have said. We're doing Sonlight for my son's Kindergarten year, and the thing I like about them is they offer a money back guarantee.