Year Began Homeschooling: 1995
Style: Eclectic (using a combination of methods and materials rather than one curriculum or method)
Ages Homeschooled: Birth through 16 years.
Current Style of Schooling: Ambleside Education

When I first began homeschooling in 1995, I thoroughly researched the possibilities for a suitable curriculum to match the needs of an active boy. Due to my inexperience sifting through the mounds of possibilities, I settled on the traditional curriculum-in-a-box. As we progressed, I discovered that each boy's needs and learning styles were unique and tended to change as they moved through the phases of human development. Therefore, the curriculum changed to complement each boy's development and was purposed to enhance academic achievement. Once I became a licensed educator, I realized that I had been doing what every educator should be doing in a classroom environment - teaching to the whole child.

Math Curriculum

Alpha Omega Lifepacs

Grades: K - 12
Used: Grade 4
Pro: General and non-threatening
Cons: Not challenging enough for those who excel in Mathematics
Teaching Ease: Moderate
Learning Style: General
Rating: B-

Alpha Omega's Lifepac math can be purchased on its own or as part of a complete curriculum. Depending upon the grade level, users can expect to receive anywhere from two through ten worktexts.

According to the website, "LIFEPAC is based on the principle of mastery learning. Students master content in each unit worktext before progressing to the next."

Developmental Mathematics

Grades: 1 - 9
Used: Grade 1
Pro: None
Cons: Not engaging
Teaching Ease: Moderate
Learning Style: General
Rating: F

15 years ago, the pages of the workbook were bland shade of brown. The lessons were difficult to follow and certainly were not engaging.

According to the website, "Its teaching methods cultivate independent thinking through deductive-reasoning and problem solving. Mathematical concepts and computational skills are presented clearly and concisely to allow students to advance independently. In each lesson, the student is taken from the lowest level of knowledge to the highest level of mastery."

McMillan

Grades: K - 12
Used: Grade K - 4
Pro: Typical classroom textbook
Cons: Not engaging
Teaching Ease: Moderate - Difficult
Learning Style: General
Rating: C

McMillan textbooks have evolved over the years. They are generally colorful and attempt to engage the student through pictures and relatable ideas.

According to the website, "Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Math provides students with accurate, effective, and research-based content that integrates reading and writing skills."

McMillan uses the spiral approach to learning content.

Math · U · See

Grades: K - 12
Used: Grade K - 10
Pro: One concept is presented at a time
Cons: Students have difficulties transitioning from using manipulatives to working in a traditional school setting.
Teaching Ease: Easy
Learning Style: Kinesthetic
Rating: B- (for K-8) C (for 9-10)

Math · U · See for the elementary grades is fun and engaging for students. The lessons include manipulatives and are designed for mastery.

Math · U · See for the middle grades is a fun and engaging program. The lessons include manipulatives and are designed for mastery.

Math · U · See for the high school seems easy at first, but students seem to have difficulty using knowledge gained in the program when taking a standardized test. The lessons include manipulatives and are designed for mastery.

According to the website: "Math · U · See's goal is to help produce confident problem solvers who enjoy the study of math. The reason we study math is so we can apply what we learn in everyday situations. The students learn their math facts, rules, and formulas, and are able to use this knowledge in real life applications. The study of math is much more than committing a list of facts to memory. It includes memorization, but it also encompasses learning the concepts that are critical to problem solving."

The drawback is that some students may not be able to transition well into a typical school math curriculum that does not use such manipulatives. Nevertheless, the confusion seems to be short lived as the student internalizes the lessons and learns to make the necessary connections.

Pearson PreAlgebra

Grades: 8+
Pro: One concept builds upon another and is repeated throughout
Cons: Sometimes contains too many calculation steps that can become cumbersome
Teaching Ease: Moderate
Learning Style: General
Rating: B+

Pearson PreAlgebra is a typical high school textbook. It provides most concepts for students in understandable terms. Occasionally, the text does not account for every math problem it asks the student to "know" how to solve. The text provides many word problems that attempt to relate the material to real-world situations.

According to the website, "Prealgebra 5e is appropriate for a 1-sem course in Prealgebra, and was written to help students effectively make the transition from arithmetic to algebra. To reach this goal, Martin-Gay introduces algebraic concepts early and repeats them as she treats traditional arithmetic topics, thus laying the groundwork for the next algebra course your students will take."

Pearson PreAlgebra is a spiral curriculum in that the concepts learned are repeated throughout the book using new applications.

Saxon Math

Grades: K - 12
Used: K - 9
Pro: Engaged learning that appeals to the younger crowd
Cons: Saxon uses too many more/take away stories
Teaching Ease: Easy
Learning Style: General
Rating: A (for K-5) C (for 6-9)

For the younger students (K-3), Saxon Math is an excellent choice. The lessons are interesting for the student and understandable for the parent. Saxon provides a similar structure for each day so that the student knows what to expect.

For the middle grade students (6-8), Saxon Math does little to peak interest. While it is a rigorous program, Saxon Math requires a person who is somewhat knowledgeable in middle grades math to instruct the student.

For the older students (9-12), Saxon Math is an excellent choice; however, it works better with a student who is math savvy. The lessons are more boring than those found in a typical classroom textbook. The program is a rigorous one and prepares the student for more intensive college level work.

From the website: "Saxon Math is the only major math program on the market today that systematically distributes instruction, practice, and assessment throughout the academic year as opposed to concentrating, or massing, related concepts into a short period of time--usually within a unit or chapter. Saxon Math's unique approach to math instruction ensures that students not only gain but also retain essential math skills."

Saxon is a spiral curriculum.

Singapore Math

Grades: K - 5
Used: 3
Pro: One concept is presented at a time
Cons: None thus far
Teaching Ease: Easy
Learning Style: Visual
Rating: A+

Singapore Math is a mastery curriculum that utilizes fun and colorful pictures and scenarios to peak the interest of the student.

According to the website, "Singapore students who scored top in TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) 1995, 1999, and 2003 were all using the Primary Mathematics series. We can therefore say that the Primary Mathematics series is a time tested and documented math success story."

One of the most challenging aspects for any math student is being able to apply a concept learned to a real-world situation. This is called transfer. Singapore Math helps students tackle world problems by having them draw a diagram called bar modeling to help them visualize and then solve the problem through transfer.

Switched on Schoolhouse by Alpha Omega

Grades: 3 - 12
Used: Grade 3-7
Pro: General and non-threatening; utilizes technology
Cons: Too many subjects completed on the computer can overwhelm a student; Alpha Omega has a strict EULA policy making this curriculum virtually impossible to resell.
Teaching Ease: Moderate
Learning Style: Visual
Rating: A

Alpha Omega's Switched on Schoolhouse math can be purchased on its own or as part of a complete curriculum. Students engage in games to reinforce learning, interactive quizzes, and multimedia to captivate the student. In addition, the program offers a calendar feature, which allows the parent to decide when each lesson is due. The system alerts the student when he or she has fallen behind.

According to the website, "Switched-On Schoolhouse is a comprehensive, Bible-based curriculum that offers computer-based learning for grades 3-12. With 3-D animation, video clips, and other fascinating multimedia, Switched-On Schoolhouse is the perfect homeschool curriculum for today's generation."

Switched on Schoolhouse consist of the same lessons found in the Alpha Omega's Lifepac curriculum and is based on the principle of mastery learning.