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[mommyoftwinboys]

Hi! I'm new(someone I know directed me to these forums) I'm the mom to twin boys who are in public school this year for K.
We are planning to homeschool next year and I'm going bonkers on all the choices!
I'm reading The Well Trained Mind right now and it makes alot of sense but I see that alot of you are using different things than what the book says to use. I'm thinking of ordering the curriculum from the books suggestions as a starting point because to be honest I don't know where to start. I don't know what would be the best fit for my boys because they are in public school right now. The classical approach and CM interest me the most but there are different curriculums for each. I don't even know what I'm saying at this point..could you give me a little direction...please...

[Philothea]

I think some of it depends on what you have to teach, as far as the law, and what you want to teach in addition to that.

I don't think you could really go wrong with any of the suggestions in the WTM, but you may find out that something else is a better fit for you or that you just do not like the material-- which is completely normal.

I've thrown away several books already that were not what I thought they were. As I become more familiar with curriculum, I think this will happen less.

I wish you much success in your homeschooling journey!

[Cadam]

My Father's World (mfwbooks.com) is a good combination of classical and the CM approach. You can take what appeals to you from each (and there is a lot of overlap) and make it work for your family. Classical is more about how you teach and the focus of your homeschool rather than a list of specific curriculum.

You can't go wrong with the WTM suggestions. That is what we did for 3 years and then this year I decided we needed to change a few things but those were just curriculum choices, not a change in philosophy. As I got to know know my kids learning style better I could make slight changes to curriculum that would work better for them, and me.

[stephanie]

Hi! I'm new(someone I know directed me to these forums) I'm the mom to twin boys who are in public school this year for K.
We are planning to homeschool next year and I'm going bonkers on all the choices!
I'm reading The Well Trained Mind right now and it makes alot of sense but I see that alot of you are using different things than what the book says to use. I'm thinking of ordering the curriculum from the books suggestions as a starting point because to be honest I don't know where to start. I don't know what would be the best fit for my boys because they are in public school right now. The classical approach and CM interest me the most but there are different curriculums for each. I don't even know what I'm saying at this point..could you give me a little direction...please...

Glad that you found us! You will find that the moms/dads here are some of the most informative and helpful people. Foremost, I know it's all overwhelming so just take a deep breath b/c help has arrived for you. I did the same as far as starting with what TWTM recommends b/c I was so confused, and as I have become more confident in our home schooling I have began to look at other curriculum. Remember that TWTM are suggestions, not necessarily have to's. They have done a wonderful job at making it easier for us moms who want to follow a classical method of hs'ing. You may want to decide which approach you like best. First grade should still be kept simple and fun so it's a good year to start homeschooling. Maybe if you could give a little more info about your dc then we can suggest some things. You can start with just the basics- reading, writing, and math. Then as you get comfy with those you can add in what you feel they would like (history/science). Just get into a routine first, and then you can get a better idea of what approach you like better. You are going to do great. We all felt exactly like you when we first started. You are in a great place to get all the help you need.

[Adrianne]

First I would check out my local laws. What does the state require you to teach?

Next I would think a lot about my goals in homeschooling. What model do you want to use? What is most important in raising your kids? (with dh guidance of course). Once these questions are answered and you know what you want, choosing curriculum is easy.

A lot these programs are very similar. You need to figure out what is most important to you.

Remember, Hschooling is a journey. I can't speak for everyone, but in our case, my ideas and our materials are different from what we started out with 4 years ago. Your ideas will change with your exposure to people and ideas in the hs community. They will also change as you get to know your children and their learning styles better.

Pick the program that best matches your family's goals and then be flexible!

Good luck!

[mommyoftwinboys]

Thanks everyone so far!
I really appreciate your posts on the subject. My twins are very, very, very different in personality and learning styles. I have one twin who excels in all his schoolwork but he's a teacher pleaser. He wants so much for the teacher to acknowlege him and he *wants* to do well.
The other twin...while extremely bright doesn't care what the teacher thinks. If the assigment is too easy(which in most cases it is in ps this year) he just won't do it. He's definitely an independant thinker and does what he wants to do. Which makes me very nervous if I can be honest with you. The thing I do notice in his classroom(I volunteer a few times a week) is that he is so concerned with what everyone else is doing he doesn't do his own work. He has a hard time focusing on what he is supposed to be doing. Which is why I think homeschooling would benefit him because it's just the three of us.

[Colleen in NS]

Hi! I'm new(someone I know directed me to these forums) I'm the mom to twin boys who are in public school this year for K.
We are planning to homeschool next year and I'm going bonkers on all the choices!
I'm reading The Well Trained Mind right now and it makes alot of sense but I see that alot of you are using different things than what the book says to use. I'm thinking of ordering the curriculum from the books suggestions as a starting point because to be honest I don't know where to start. I don't know what would be the best fit for my boys because they are in public school right now. The classical approach and CM interest me the most but there are different curriculums for each. I don't even know what I'm saying at this point..could you give me a little direction...please...

If the WTM makes sense to you, then go for it. I did the same exact thing just before my son started 1st grade - I read the book, bought the book, and ordered whatever was suggested in there. He's at the end of 4th grade, and I plan to continue on with most of the WTM suggestions, because it overwhelms me to see all the other choices out there, and I wouldn't know what to look for in another program anyway. Only when I look back can I see how the connections are made. My daughter is finishing up 1st grade now, and will be using all the same books, programs, etc.. We've made a couple of changes here and there, but mostly stick to WTM. Much easier for me. And I've been very happy with how my kids are learning....things like math, spelling, writing skills, grammar, and all the content areas. I'm starting to see now how the grammar stage foundation has prepared ds for the next phase.

[BizyPenguin]

It's overwhelming to be a homeschooling newbie, but relax!! The folks here will be a HUGE help, trust me! If you visit my blog (link below) click on "Favorite Places" and "Book Nook" under the header to get some good starter resources. Also click on "Curriculum Reviews" in the sidebar and be sure to read my post about "Choosiing Curricula". There are many other reviews there too which may be helpful to you. All the best!

[Mama Anna]

Hey! I'm also pretty new to the hs world, and one book I really appreciated for the sake of deciding (or at least narrowing down ;)) curriculum was Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks - at least that's nearly the title. (Anyone else remember it more clearly?) Duffy takes you through a few chapters in which she guides you to figure out your goals for hs, your preferred approach (CM, Classical, etc.) and your kids' learning styles, among other things. Then she has some charts that rate her curricula in relation to those things (Maybe this one is very good for visual learners in the CM approach and that one is better for tactile learners in the Classical approach.) and finishes off with in-depth reviews of her 100 top picks in homeschool curricula. Now, there are many curricula that don't make her list - it's not exhaustive - but it was an awesome guide for me to try and find some direction without being able to sit down and study every individual curriculum for myself.

I found the book at my library - I highly recommend it to all newbies!!

HTH!
Mama Anna

[Rosie_0801]

I've found these to be very, very helpful!
http://homeschoolreviews.com/
http://www.homeschoolmath.net/reviews/
Also check amazon and other suppliers for their customer reviews.

I have drawn up a table with grade level down one side and subjects across the top. Slowly I am filling it in. I'm sure my plans will change over time, but it has helped me figure out my long term aims. What I want to teach, how I want to teach it, etc. I have discounted some products as being wrong for us. I've written down others as back up in case my first choice doesn't work out. I've even written down a list of on topic picture books that I may be able to use as Christmas and birthday presents!
Anyway, it's a good way to clarify your thoughts.
:)
Rosie

[sweetbaby]

Welcome to the boards! This place is sooo addictive. There are so many helpful ladies here. You will love it. I have learned so much!

[Violet]

Hi! I'm new(someone I know directed me to these forums) I'm the mom to twin boys who are in public school this year for K.
We are planning to homeschool next year and I'm going bonkers on all the choices!
I'm reading The Well Trained Mind right now and it makes alot of sense but I see that alot of you are using different things than what the book says to use. I'm thinking of ordering the curriculum from the books suggestions as a starting point because to be honest I don't know where to start. I don't know what would be the best fit for my boys because they are in public school right now. The classical approach and CM interest me the most but there are different curriculums for each. I don't even know what I'm saying at this point..could you give me a little direction...please...

Welcome! :) Since you mention CM, have you looked at amblesideonline.org? It's fabulous, and we love it. It's also free, so you wouldn't have to sink much $ into curriculum. You can get most of the books at the library or used. Many can also be printed up. An excellent free math program is MEP (you can just google it).

Best wishes--
Anita

[Danestress]

Starting out a homeschool life with twin boys. I have homeschooled my twin boys for five years, and I want to tell you that it's not all about the materials you choose. You are going to love this experience. The most important part is that you get them snuggled up on either side of you and READ. Mine still crawl in bed on either side of me and I read to them, and I wish I could put that in a bottle and keep it forever.

Anyway, the best homeschooling curricula desion I have made was using Right Start Math. I LOVE it.

I had a hard time with the oral approach of FLL and we never got that off the ground. I think whatever programs you choose, you just have to be flexible. THe stakes aren't high right now. Try not to do too much and overwhelm them and yourself. If you finish first grade with good readers who are enjoying math, that's good. A handwriting program will help. Art and sports were important to us and music lessons. The rest we added in gradually.

Good luck and welcome:)

[cowgirl]

Hey! I'm also pretty new to the hs world, and one book I really appreciated for the sake of deciding (or at least narrowing down ;)) curriculum was Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks - at least that's nearly the title.... I found the book at my library - I highly recommend it to all newbies!!

HTH!
Mama Anna


:iagree:

[Amy loves Bud]

Welcome!

I think you've chosen a great place to start. If you like The Well Trained Mind philosphy, then SWB give great curricula suggestions. Then as you go along and see that something doesn't quite fit your family, you can research and see what else is out there. The bottom line is that you have to start somewhere and TWTM is a great somewhere!

Enjoy this time! I pushed my oldest a bit hard at the beginning, and now I look back and see how little he was! Treasure those precious moments, don't spend them stressing about finishing this or that curriculum. Over the next year or two you'll find your groove and know what direction you want to take.

Good luck on your wonderful endeavor!