Buying homeschool curriculum can be a task you dread. Here are a few helpful ways that might lighten the load and save you some money. I would venture to say that most homeschoolers start buying curriculum for the following school year in the spring or summer. More often than not this is a daunting task, and the cost of the various curricula can be overwhelming. Over the last few years I've purchased curriculum from a variety of sources. I try to buy used curriculum and books whenever … [Read More...]
Homeschooling 101
The Basics
Learn how to choose curriculum, schedule lessons, how to use (or not to use) a scope & sequence, and more.
Printables & Downloads
Free Resources
Unique and helpful printables for many subjects, recordkeeping spreadsheet, planning worksheets, and more.
Strategies & Tips
For Parents
Learn strategies from a veteran homeschool mom to help you homeschool from preschool through high school.
Where to Buy Homeschool Curriculum
How to Start Homeschooling: Your First 3 Steps
Earlier this week a friend of mine who is considering homeschooling asked me something I hear quite often: "Where do I even begin?" I offered her a few suggestions, and I'll repeat those here in case you have the same question as well. 1. Get familiar with the lingo. Charlotte Mason? Classical education? Eclectic? Traditional? What does it all mean? The Curriculum Choice has an excellent summary of many of the most common philosophies of homeschooling. Although you'll likely feel drawn to … [Read More...]
How to Choose a Phonics Curriculum
Do you think like I did that all phonics curriculum use the same methods? I found that in teaching phonics all curriculum are not created equal so now I have to decide which is best for my kids. Several years ago when I started looking for a phonics curriculum to help me teach my kids how to read, I thought all the phonics programs were basically the same. But boy, was I wrong! There are several different schools of thought when it comes to teaching phonics. Here are two major methods that … [Read More...]
Keeping Up With The (Homeschooling) Joneses
I'm sure you never compare your homeschool with other homeschools.You are always satisfied with what you are doing and accomplishing. But.... You know the Joneses. They're the perfect homeschooling family that lives down the street from you. Ten kids, all well-dressed and perfectly well-behaved. The mom wakes at dawn every morning, bright-eyed and cheery, to fix a nutritionally-balanced hot breakfast for her family. When she teaches her children, they listen attentively and she never … [Read More...]
How to Choose the Right Homeschool Curriculum
How do I go about choosing a homeschool curriculum that will work for me and my kids? One of the most important decisions a family has to make when they first decide to homeschool is what curriculum to buy; but the plethora of choices available can be overwhelming. Where should I start looking? What will work best for our family? When we started homeschooling in 2005, I read dozens of curriculum reviews online and basically ended up choosing the curricula that had the best reviews. With … [Read More...]