Homeschooling

Homeschooling

My Father’s World Homeschooling Curriculum
We have used MFW since our boys were preschool age, and are currently working through the 3rd grade program.  MFW is very affordable, allows me to make adjustments based on my children’s needs and my teaching style, and is God centered.  Best of all, a portion of our purchases through MFW go towards the work of Bible translation.  I am so very thankful to have My Father’s World!

Math U See
Although My Father’s World does offer a math program, I have chosen to use the Math-U-See program.  While I have always loved math, I have never been comfortable with conveying math concepts to others.  My favorite part of Math-U-See is the videos which come with each level.  Not only do these videos help me to better understand math concepts, but they have also helped me to learn more effective ways of teaching math.  My boys look forward to watching the videos with me, as well.

Spell to Write and Read
blog post:  How to Effectively and Efficiently Teach Reading, Writing, and Spelling
Approximately 30% of us pick up reading with very little assistance.  My youngest son fits into this category, and for him, the materials we received through My Father’s World were sufficient for providing him with the base he needed to become a strong reader.  However, between 5%-20% of the population will not learn to read properly without a very structured and thorough reading program.  My oldest son probably fits best into this category.  In spite of reading to him on a daily basis and allowing him to read aloud to me on a daily basis, reading remained a huge struggle for him at age 8.   Spell to Write and Read has been the program I have chosen to go with, and I am very thankful that God brought the program into our lives.   After just a few months of using the program, my oldest son is  reading much more smoothly, and is able to sound out long words which would have completely perplexed him before.  You may also be interested in reading Wanda Senseri’s senate speech on the subject of teaching reading.  If you have a child who is struggling to read, I strongly encourage you to find an Orton-Gillingham based program.  Research shows that early intervention is key to overcoming reading hurdles.

My Audio School
I love audio books, in part because I am a multi-tasker.  My boys love them, too.  With audio books, we can be cleaning, playing, or riding in the car and listening/learning as we go.  The value of audio books increases even more when you have a child who struggles with reading written language.  This is the case for us, and I am so thankful to Molly from My Audio School for putting together such a wealth of resources at such a reasonable price.

The Old Schoolhouse
I absolutely love The Old Schoolhouse Magazine’s review section.  Not only will you find reviews of homeschool curriculum, you will also find reviews on books, Bible studies, toys, and more.  Very helpful!