Many people ask what we use for homeschooling. So, here’s my list of many of the books, programs, and websites we have used over the years. As a 15-year veteran, I’ve tried a lot of things. Some have worked. Some have not. These homeschool resources are all the ones that worked well for us. Please note, my experience is mostly K-8 but almost all these recommendations have high-school options if you visit their websites.
MATH-U-SEE
We’ve only ever used Math-U-See in our school. When we were getting ready to start schooling my husband and I both visited the Math-U-See table at our state’s homeschool convention. We were hooked as parents and when we tried it, it worked really well for our kids.
Pros:
- Mastery Program – kids have to master each concept before moving on to the next one. There are lots of online resources on the MUS page for kids who need extra help.
- Taught by a Math teacher – I never had to teach my kids math. Mr. Demme, the creator of MUS teaches each lesson via video. He has a great rapport with the kids and lots of experience. He’s my hero.
- Manipulatives – each stage of this program uses manipulatives. They make learning fun and visual.
- Teaches to the SAT – this program doesn’t worry about state standards. So, while kids might not know some of the concepts that others in their grade have learned, but the time they are ready to take the SATs they will have mastered them all.
- Online resources – there are wonderful online resources to accompany this program. From tests to worksheets, to games.
- Lessons are short – each lesson is about five minutes long on video so it’s easy to watch with your student to better help them.
- Self-directed – your student can go as fast or as slow as they like with this one. Some chapters take up to two weeks with one worksheet per day. Others are just a few days long. It’s up to your student and their mastery of the concept.
Cons:
- Follows a certain order of teaching – It’s hard to jump in and out of this program. We used it through Pre-Algebra with one student and Zeta with the other. It prepared them well for the next level but may take some getting used to if you are jumping in mid-program. Luckily, there are great resources online to help with the proper placement of your student.
EASY GRAMMAR
I struggled for several years in early elementary to find a good English and grammar program for my kids. Many things we tried were boring or a bad fit for their learning styles. A friend and homeschool veteran recommended Easy Grammar and we never looked back. It was just the right amount of bookwork and concept learning. These homeschool resources genuinely helped my students become better writers as well. I also recommend the Daily Grams.
Pros:
- Short lessons – each lesson is one to three pages and covers each grammar concept well.
- Exhaustive – even I learned grammar when my kids used these books. It’s really well laid out and easy to understand. All the concepts are covered and they are expanded as students get older. So, third grade has the basics, fourth grade builds on these, and so on.
Cons:
- Worksheet-based – if your child doesn’t like bookwork or worksheets this may not be your best bet.
STORY OF THE WORLD
For the first few years of homeschooling, I used an all-inclusive package program (see below). When I was ready to create my own curriculum we headed straight for the Story of the World series. It begins with ancient times and ends with the modern age. You can do the books in any order you prefer and when coupled with the activity books history, geography, language arts, art, music, and more are covered.
Pros:
- Super interesting – this isn’t a boring history book. It’s filled with interesting stories, maps, and accounts of the history of our world.
- Inclusive – this is not a European/American history class. All continents, cultures, time periods, and perspectives are covered. It’s a great cross-section of world history where everyone is included.
- Can be used for more than one student – I used these for both of my kids at the same time. I was able to tailor the activities to their grade level. It was great to have just one history program for both of them.
- Can be used as a read-a-loud or directed study – you may use this as a group teaching time or let your students work on their own. It works either way quite well.
Cons:
- The activity book can be overwhelming – there is so much in the activity book but remember, you don’t have to do it all. Just do what your students like best. We did very few of the projects and extra reading but loved the questions and maps. I usually picked one project a week if it was easy and we had the materials.
My Father’s World
For the first few years of our homeschooling journey, I used an all-inclusive package from My Father’s World (MFW). When I started I knew nothing about curriculum or scheduling or methodology. MFW saved my life. I ordered the materials and was sent everything from the books to the worksheets to the planning calendar. It was all done for me and it saved my bacon. I attribute my success in sticking with homeschooling to MFW and am forever grateful for how easy they made it for me to learn and grow right alongside my kids.
Pros:
- All-inclusive – Everything was included for the kids and for me.
- A mix of learning methodologies – MFW combines the best of Charlotte Mason’s ideas, classical education, and unit studies with a biblical worldview and global focus.
- Ferris-Wheel approach – The curriculum can be taught to children at several different grade levels all at the same time.
- Easy scheduling – I followed the provided calendar to stay on track and get our work done each day.
- Learning together – I got to learn how my kids learned and what made them tick by going through the first year or two of this curriculum.
- Christian Biblical Worldview – This was important to our family and was made easy with MFW
Cons:
- Expensive – This program can be expensive to purchase but can be made more cost-effective by finding materials on eBay and used curriculum sites.
- Need for extra materials – If you decide to go with a different math or language arts curriculum it may take some effort to find just the right thing. I didn’t use the selection offered by MFW and it took us a few hits and misses to find just the right fit, but it can be done.
Got questions? Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about these resources. I’m happy to help!
