Homeschool questions answered.... ;-)

(Our WORLD CAKE made with a friend)

I often get asked the question , “How do you homeschool 3 different ages and what curriculum's are you using?” So, here it goes!! We are really enjoying and having fun with what we’re doing and I think we’ve finally found our rhythm for the school year. I will say though that having two close in age is amazing “most” of the time. The other times it’s like a 3 ring circus with each kid in it’s own ring laughing hysterically at who knows what! Trying to get their attention from each other isn’t always the easiest of tasks but I’m learning…and growing! It’s a very often occurrence that while I’m trying to teach Little Bubba phonics, play a number game, or even teach him a fun learning song that my older two can’t concentrate at all! So, this year we have homeschool ALL over the house. One may be in the loft, one at the kitchen table or in the living room or even possibly the garage! I get lots of exercise running around everywhere teaching. LOL! It’s all about focus and it’s definitely a challenge with 3 boys that love each other so much and just have to be in each others presence being silly at all times! Have I mentioned how much I love homeschooling and how much FUN it is??!!!??

So, back to that question. This is what we are doing this year…

Our overall curriculum is My Fathers World - Countries and Cultures

This curriculm teaches Bible, Science, Geography, History, and Art.

http://www.mfwbooks.com/ecc_2nd.htm

Bubba B. – 2^nd GRADE

Math – Teaching Textbooks 4 & Math U See -Gamma

(he’ll be finished by Dec with Teaching Textbooks and will begin “Saxon 5/6”)

English/Grammar – Rod & Staff English 3

Reading – BJU Reading 3 (BJU is Bob Jones University Press)

Spelling – BJU Spelling 3

Handwriting – Cheerful Cursive (we did ½ last year and ½ this year)

Bubba – 1^st GRADE

Math – Saxon 3 & Math U See- Beta

English/Grammar – Rod & Staff English 2

Reading – BJU Reading 2

Spelling – BJU Spelling 2

Handwriting – Classical Cursive

Little Bubba – 3yrs PRESCHOOL

I am using the 3yr old curriculum from http://www.abcjesuslovesme.com/

and then using LOTS of printables from http://confessionsofahomeschooler.blogspot.com/

as well as, the “before” Explode the Code book.

He’s having so much fun!

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SO, to answer another question – “What have you used in the past?” Here ya go! We’ve loved everything we’ve done in the past. We’ll actually be going back to Heart of Dakota next year. Had we stayed with HOD it would have been too far ahead on a maturiy level than where both boys needed to be so we had to stop for a year and use something else. We are LOVING My Fathers World this year though!

Last year we used Heart of Dakatoa “Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory”

and the year before that we used “Bigger Hearts for his Glory”

Bubba B. - Kinder & 1^st grade

Math – Horizons 1 (pre-K); Singapore 1B & 2A & Math U See-Alpha (K); Math U See-Beta and BJU 2 (1^st grade)

Spelling – Heart of Dakota main curriculm (K); BJU Spelling 2 (1^st grade)

English – Hearts of Dakota main curriculum (K & 1^st )

Reading – Hooked on Phonics Master Reader (K) ; BJU Reading 2 (1^st grade)

Handwriting – A Reason for Handwriting Level B (K); Cheerful Cursive lower case (1^st grade)

Bubba – Kinder

Math – Horizons 1 (pre-K); Math U See Alpha & BJU 1 (K);

Spelling – BJU Spelling 1 (K)

English – Hearts of Dakota (pre K & K)

Reading – Hooked on Phonics K, 1 & Master Reader (pre K & K)

Handwriting - A Reason for Handwriting Level A (preK) Level B (K)

So, what are my all time homeschooling favs???

Hooked on Phonics - all of them!

Rod and Staff English – LOVE IT!!!

A Reason for Handwriting Level B – LOVE IT!

BJU Reading - all levels - the story’s are GREAT and you know they will be of a pure nature because they are from a Christian publisher!

Math – hmmm…. I’ve yet to find anything I’ve fallen in love with as a sole curriculum. I like parts of them all and dislike other parts. If you ever want the low-down on a math curriculm, we’ve used ALL the major ones out there!! I think honestly I’d have to say Saxon & Math U See are currently my favorites and I think Teaching Textbooks soon will be – the others are a lot more focused on “doing” rather than “teaching” and gaining true understanding and methodology.

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Well, so now you know what we’re doing around here when we say “They’re homeschooled”. I wouldn’t trade this awesome privilege for the world!! I will say though that their enrichment program they attend twice a week is a God send! I know it wouldn’t be near this much fun if we didn’t have that quality time apart!! ;-)