Anyone can homeschool, but not everyone should homeschool. It takes a level of conviction and commitment that requires resilience and tenacity to stick it out for the short and long-term. However, you know what helps a mom’s tenacity and resilience? Her love for her child! I am not a teacher by nature. I am a problem-solver and a get-it-done with efficiency-type of person. Not always the best things when homeschooling four children. And no, I am not trying to scare you away from homeschooling, but I am trying to be honest!
We did every subject A Beka Book our first year with children in 6th, 3rd, 2nd, and preschool. Saxon math was for the 6th grader because these were all the curricula that I had done when I was home-schooled (another story for another day). After the worst year of my children’s lives (according to them), I knew I had to find something to make my life easier and to create an opportunity for independent work for them. I am not bad at math. I actually love math that uses numbers and not letters!
This led us to Teaching Textbooks for our 2nd year of homeschooling in 2013 and we never looked back! All of my children have used it and pretty much gone all the way thru it. Math3 is the beginning but can be used for a 2nd grade student. We have done the Algebras and Geometry and everything leading up to that. Why this is significant for our family, is because I used homeschooling as the opportunity to tailor each subject to their strengths and weaknesses and interests. Teaching Textbooks became the only curriculum that I used for all of my children.
This includes students that could at various points in the year be uninterested, struggling, accelerated, gifted, motivated, and sometimes even human! I have often said to parents that if Teaching Textbooks would just do all the subjects, it would be the ultimate! Because it is all on the computer with lessons, helps, hints, and scoring, there were opportunities to work ahead. Or my youngest, really likes to do all of his math in one day every week. When he is in math mode, than he can do 4-5 lessons and check it off his list!
If you have not tried Teaching Textbooks yet and are looking for a math curriculum, please try it! They do trials and it is online now and their customer service is fantastic! (note: this is completely my opinion and experience and I get nothing for recommending them.). https://www.teachingtextbooks.com/