Should i drop box curriculum?

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • December 16, 2009 at 12:31 pm
    pmsullivan
    Member

    I have been here off and on for several years.  I have started many curriculums only to find it’s too much to dowith mulitplle programs.I have a 13 year old, 10year old and 7ye old twins.  I am currently using Heart of dakota but would love to change to  a schedule of my own.  Everyone is on grade level (or above) except spelling with the youngest three.

    I am really burned out from trying to make a box curriculum work-but how much more energy would it be to switch to completely SCM–i have thought about buying Living books curriculun and use those resources to build a program for my four.  Maybe using two of their grades to combine kidsfor most but now all subjects.  My children have done copy work, narrations and it seems to come natural to them to do narrations.

    I guess my question is-how much work it is to switch after xmas break–i don’t want to spend my whole chritmas break ordering and creating my own schedule using the SM approach.   As i metioned i am really tired and burned out-or should i continue to try to make HOD work?  I have already spent lots of money -it would be great to not spend much more.

    any input would be greatly appreciated

    pam

    December 16, 2009 at 4:48 pm
    Cindie2dds
    Member

    Pam,

    Although we are just starting out, we switched from a “boxed curriculum” too.  You don’t have to spend any money if you don’t want to.  As you probably already know, the books that are recommended here have a link to the library system; so you could just check them out as needed.  I highly recommend her guide books and they are extremely inexpensive compared to other TMs.  I printed out the Book of Centuries from this website for our timeline.  In the guide book, she lists the books for each term (three terms per year) so you don’t have to collect everything immediately.

    I also wanted to just give you a {hug} and tell you to give yourself some grace.  If it’s not working and you aren’t enjoying teaching it to your children, stop, pray and go a different direction.  Peace in your decisions!

    Cindie

    December 16, 2009 at 6:51 pm
    amandajhilburn
    Participant

    Pam,

    I just did the same thing this year with the “boxed” stuff and spent WAY too much money. I have been back and forth with so many different approaches to teaching and my kids are only 7 and 9. (Seriously, we have tried everything) SCM has been such a wonderful breath of fresh air! I sold what I could of the curriculum I had purchased and kept a few things that we wanted to use. Like Cindie said, if you have a good library system you can spend very little with SCM and have a great curriculum! The SCM guides are so much easier for me to use than any other teachers manual I have tried.

    It is really up to you. If you are so unhappy with what you have that you dread getting it out and have lost your children’s attention, then I’d say switch. If you think you can tweak it this year and start something new next time, start researching more and be better prepared for next year. I have struggled with feeling guilty about changing our curriculum. Then I realized that it is really a blessing to be able to change if I need to. If my kids were in public school they would have to just grin and bear whatever curricula was offered. I know now (after using several different things) what works for each of them, and I can look at educating them in a different light.

    Hope you can find some peace, and don’t be too hard on yourself. It will all be fine! 🙂

    Amanda

    http://teachthemdiligently-amanda.blogspot.com/

    December 18, 2009 at 2:44 am
    pmsullivan
    Member

    thanks both amanda and cindie–i have decided to sell as much as i can–the only thing i don’t know about is the history for the 1850 to modern.  I will need to find a spine or something.  I know i can get lots of stuff at our library too.  I just hope i don’t have to   take my whole christmas break planning.

    thanks

    pam

    December 18, 2009 at 3:16 am
    mrsjamiesouth
    Member

    Instead of planning out the whole year, I always plan one week at a time.  I take an hour or two on Sat. or Sunday night and write out the week.  This way if we don’t complete our week my schedule is not thrown off. 

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
  • The topic ‘Should i drop box curriculum?’ is closed to new replies.