Resources for interest-led learning

by on May 17, 2013
in curriculum · 31 Comments

Written by Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool and Steady Mom

A note from Jamie: Though I chose not to do a full curriculum fair this year, there are plenty of curriculum posts in the archives for those interested in scrolling through them as you make plans for the upcoming year. You can find them here–enjoy!

Educational Philosophies I pull from: Leadership Education, Waldorf, Unschooling

The first time I looked at the instructor’s guide of a popular curriculum, it made my head spin.

You mean we have to do all this? And in this order? And what if we need to miss a day or if the kids want to read more than the required number of pages? What if those comprehension questions are just downright boring?

Thankfully, I’ve come a long way since then. Now I understand that I can use resources in a way that fits our family, without feeling like a resource is using me.

Here are a few of the main resources we use often in our home and how I make them work for us.
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Giveaway: Oak Meadow curriculum package (Back to School Week)

by on August 7, 2012
in curriculum ·

This giveaway has now ended. Thanks for entering!

Thanks for joining me for this year’s back to school week! I hope this week’s posts encourage you in your school and life planning as the start of the traditional school year grows nearer.

I discovered Oak Meadow through the magic of the blogosphere, and found it to be just what I needed for my kids at the time. The curriculum and the philosophy behind it have become a steady part of our home learning experience since then.

What first drew me to Oak Meadow was the heart behind it–is it possible for a curriculum company to have heart? Yes, it totally is! And I found that Oak Meadow’s connected with much of my own–their gentle approach, their slow introduction to academics, their focus on nature, free play, and stories.
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Giveaway: Curriculum Package from Oak Meadow

by on August 3, 2011
in curriculum ·

This giveaway has ended. The winner will be announced on the weekend!

Welcome to Back to School week here at Simple Homeschool! This week I’m bringing you reviews and awesome chances to win–perfect for back to school planning time.

I’m glad you’re visiting again today because I’m sharing one of my favorite homeschooling resources. I’m giving away a curriculum package from Oak Meadow.

I first discovered Oak Meadow about a year ago, and I’ve had the chance to write about their kindergarten and 1st grade programs before. They offer complete curriculum packages from PreK through 12th Grade, which you can purchase and use at home with your children.

They also offer an enrollment option in their accredited distance learning school. This allows students to receive full academic credit and transcripts for their work at home–as well as the support of an experienced teacher.

Find out more about Oak Meadow and how you can win.
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The Learning That Happens in the Spaces Between

by on July 8, 2011
in a mom's education · 24 Comments

The following is a guest post written by Kara Anderson of The Very Next Thing.

I was talking with a new friend recently. She is the first person who I have actually met who uses the same curriculum I do and it was a relief to connect with someone familiar with the work we were doing every day.

I was telling her how much we enjoy using our curriculum resources, but that I did have a mid-year panic attack over the feeling that I wasn’t “doing enough.” To clarify, this was not panic that my children were not learning enough. It was fear that as a parent, I was not doing enough formal teaching.

And that is how we started talking about the “spaces between.”

So much learning takes place in the time that is not formal home schooling, but sometimes as parents we feel like that doesn’t count, or even (if we are record keepers) that we are not allowed to count it.

I am homeschooling a 4 year old and a 7 year old. There’s a lot we do when we are not sitting at the dining room table — cooking, crafts, field trips, chores and spending time with friends.

But the following are the learning experiences that stood out to me, and they embody what I think we will all remember when we look back on these years spent learning at home.
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Middle School Resources and Materials (2011 Curriculum Fair)

by on May 25, 2011
in curriculum · 25 Comments

Written by contributor Heather Bruggeman of Beauty That Moves

My Child’s Age: 13
Educational Philosophy Influences: Montessori, Classical, Relaxed

Our family is in its first full year of homeschooling. My girl is an academic who enjoys lessons, grades, and TESTS. As for me? I would call myself a relaxed homeschooler. Somewhere in the middle is where we meet and spend our days.

In the interest of this month’s Curriculum Fair, I’ll focus this post on what we have used this year for our formal curriculum. This includes pre-packaged curriculum as well as various resources that are of high quality and see regular use in our homeschool.

A brief background: My daughter spent her elementary years attending a private Montessori school where learning was celebrated and the idea of school was very positive. Each child felt successful and confident as a contributing member of the classroom community. We did not decide to homeschool because school didn’t work out. We chose it because after graduating from that special school, nothing else could possibly compare.

So, we decided to homeschool.
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