This week, we have been celebrating Home Education Week with Principled Discovery.
Today’s writing prompt is: Recipe for Success Think about what you do in the day, what helps keep it organized and you sane (or how you got past that need for organization and saneness!), and curriculum materials you find effective.
I am not so sure about being organized or sane, so I will share with you some of my curriculum success secrets.
For me, having a curriculum that works for the boys and for me is key. I want to make sure that it covers the material I think they should know, but it also has to be engaging for them. This, of course, takes lots of trial and error.
Here is one of the curriculum choices that we have had great success with.
Our favorite history book series is The Story of the World, by Susan Wise Bauer, co-author of The Well-Trained Mind.
The series breaks world history into four time periods and there is one book for each. The stories are so interesting and engaging for the children.
It is designed for children in grades 1-4 to be read aloud by the parent/teacher, or for children in grades 5-8 to read to themselves. I like to read it aloud to both boys (grades 4 and 5).
We also have the test booklet, which contains a short quiz (fill-in the blank, multiple choice and true/false) for each chapter. This gives me something to put in their portfolios for the state and a way to track that they are actually paying attention and gaining some knowledge.
There is also an activity book available with review questions, suggestions for further reading, map activities, and other activities.
I have not used that yet, but I plan to get it for next year, since the boys are getting a little older and could use the added challenge.
This history series has been great for us. For me, it provides the history content that I want them to become familiar with. For the boys, they enjoy the “great” and “cool” stories.
Finding a win-win curriculum like that is definitely a recipe for success!
Be sure to head over to Principled Discovery to discover other home school recipes for success.
I love Story of the World! We have them on CD as well and the boys like to listen at night or in the car.
If everyone keeps going on about that book, I may eventually break down and get it.
Thanks for sharing. Curriculum has made a big difference for us, too. My post for today was going to include our success with RightStart Math. Hmmm…maybe I could use that for tomorrow, since I didn’t write anything today.
I have heard a lot of good things about the Story of the World books. I may have to break down and buy them, too.
Thanks for sharing!