Our last article gave a brief overview of the various homeschool methods families employ. This week we will look more in-depth at the first method: traditional “school-at-home.”
Many families feel they don’t have the skills to create their own curriculum, or they don’t have the time. Or perhaps they are just starting out and feel the need to copy a traditional school setting to “get in the groove” of homeschooling. Still others like having everything spelled out for them so all they need to do is open the book and go. Some families just couldn’t find another method that worked well for their family. And, for some families, this is just one method they use, perhaps for just one or two of their children, while using another method for another child. Some families even use a box curriculum for one or two subjects and use other methods for the rest. It is completely up to you and your family, based on what works best for you.
So what is this “out-of-a-box” method? Simply put, the traditional method uses pre-assembled curricula components from one or several publishers to create a program of schooling, much like the traditional brick-and-mortar schools in which the vast majority of us grew up. There are hundreds of publishers out there. Some are bigger than others. Some are Christian; some are not. Some have entire curricula put together for each grade level; some have just bits and pieces that parents put together with other bits and pieces. Some are better for certain types of learners than others. Some are easier to obtain than others. Some are very expensive, and others are very inexpensive. Other homeschool parents created many of them; perhaps they never found a pre-written curriculum that suited their particular style, so they came up with one that would work and then published it.
One favorite publisher is Saxon Publishing. They have math and language arts programs. Their math program is especially popular among homeschoolers. They use a spiral approach to their program, which means they introduce a concept and practice it; then introduce another concept, practice it and review the other concepts; and continue this pattern throughout the school year.
Another favorite publisher is Bob Jones University, or BJU. BJU carries all subjects and all grade levels. Their math program is a mastery approach. They practice the same concept, adding in difficulty, in each chapter, with a few review problems mixed in. Their Bible curriculum is extensive, covering all grade levels, plus “Flex-Levels” for in-depth study of certain subjects. BJU also carries electives, such as Health and Music.
Five in a Row is a favorite publisher to help children learn to read and love learning, using it from preschool on up past junior high. Another favorite book to help children learn to read is “Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons” by Siegfried Engelmann, Phyllis Haddox, and Elaine Bruner. “McGuffey’s Eclectic Readers” are the original series used between 1879 and the 1920s and beyond in schoolrooms throughout the country, and are popular with some homeschoolers.
There are even online & computer-based curricula, such as Switched-On Schoolhouse by Alpha Omega Publications. They offer a complete Bible-based curriculum for grades 3 and up, completely on the computer.
As you can see, there is a wide range of styles of curricula out there, and various publishers to satisfy most homeschoolers’ needs. For reviews of curriculum, Cathy Duffy Reviews is very popular. To look for curriculum to purchase, our favorite sites are Christian Book Distributors, Rainbow Resource Catalog, and HomeschoolClassifieds.com for buying used. Amazon.com is also a major source for us here at Homeschoolers 4 Christ.
Hopefully this describes the boxed curriculum method well enough for you to be on your way choosing what works best for your family. Next time we will look at the trivium, or classical, approach. Happy learning!
