Our biggest change this year is moving towards following a classical education model. After reading The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer, I am convinced that this is the way to go for us.
We have used Sonlight books since my girls were three. I love their literature selections. I didn’t order a new core from them this year, but am using this year to focus on Will by using selections from the P3/4 core that we already have and making up books that we omitted in past years. Many people combine cores over a couple of years and this is our way of doing that. I do have to admit that I did miss our “Box Day” this year.
Elizabeth Anne & Mary Catherine: Grade 1
Bible: Bible Truths 1 (Bob Jones)
Math: Saxon Math 1
History: Story of the World Ancient Times v. 1 (Peace Hill Press)
Science: Sonlight Science: Biology, Botany & Physics
Language:
Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading
First Language Lessons. Level 1
The Complete Writer: Writing with Ease 1
All About Spelling (beginning with Level 1)
Supplements:
Sonlight Core books and Library books
Will: Pre-K
Sonlight P 4/5 Exploring God’s World
Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading
All About Reading Level Pre-1
Already I can tell you that I am extremely pleased with the decisions I have made for our school this year. We’re off to a great start and my children are excited about learning.
I do want to leave you with a quote from a friend of mine who is a year ahead of me in her homeschool journey about some lessons she has learned. Of one of her most important lessons she says, “The best curriculum is the one that you use.” That is so true!
Every family is different.
Each child is different.
In making curriculum choices consider the needs and the unique learning goals of your family, not someone else’s.