Have you ever been away from home for an extended period time and you tried to “do school” as usual? Did you pack up all of your normal curriculum and try to pick up where you left off once you get settled into your new routine? Whether it was a several month RV road trip or an extended stay with relatives or a year-long mission trip like we are on, did changing up curriculum help the transition go a bit smoother?
I like routine, schedules and life to seem as normal as possible when big changes present themselves but that does not mean I need to drive myself crazy trying to “do school” like I do at home when a majority of their schooling will be derived from first-hand experiences anyway.
So I simplify it.
This time around, before hitting the road, I dug through the piles of random homeschool materials that I had been “meaning to get to one day” and added them to the ones that I cannot live without. This is what I came up with:
Group Work
Bible
Missionary Studies: Gladys Aylward, Amy Carmichael and more
History: Around The World In 180 Days
Science: Apologia
Daily Journal
8 Year Old
Spelling and Grammar: Logic of English
Independent Reading: Book of Choice
Reading With Me: Books From Local Co-op Share
Math: Abeka
Cursive: Free Online Resources
Spanish: Duolingo
10 Year Old
Grammar: Easy Grammar
Spelling: Spelling Power
Independent Reading: Book of Choice
Reading/Vocabulary: ABeka Readers 4
Math: ABeka
Writing: Just Write
Spanish: Duolingo
11 Year Old
English: Rod and Staff 6
Spelling: Spelling Power
Writing: Book Report Resource from Book Sale
Independent Reading: Book of Choice
Reading Comprehension: Short Non-Fiction Stories from Book Sale
Reading/Vocabulary: ABeka Readers 6
Math: ABeka
Spanish: Excelerate Spanish
It might seem like a lot for some and maybe not enough for others but for us it has been a perfect fit. I must add that the Spelling Power program works great for my boys. It is simple, concise and to the point. It has been a life saver. My daughter is not quite ready for it so we have taken a different approach with her. She does well with the traditional, “learn a list and take a test” method. I also am a die-hard fan of using ABeka for reading and math. I have used them from the beginning for all of my kids and they are all strong readers and have a good understanding of math. The math can seem vigorous at times but I do not do all of the extras like the speed drills, just the basics.
