curriculum.

Lest you think all I do is crafts and making up surveys, I thought I'd tell you about what I mostly do when the kids and hubby aren't on break. Homeschooling! I've had a few people ask what I use for curriculum so I thought I'd lay that out here. Exciting, right?

Let me preface by saying that 1) I really dislike shopping for curriculum and 2) I'm extremely frugal. BUT, I love being able to choose what to use to teach my kids. {And...considering these things, it all might change in the next few days. At least the volume.}


Overall Philosophy:
Mostly Charlotte Mason (read about her and her method) with a rather large portion of Classical Conversations thrown in.

Spelling/Grammar/Phonics 
(covers years of spelling and grammar and the phonics are great)
Spell to Write and Read

Math 
Mathematics Enhancement Programme
(free downloadable curriculum out of the UK from K-12. we've really liked it. it goes about things in a slightly different progression than U.S. curricula* I've looked into but seems very comprehensive. plus it's british. that's just cool.)

Life of Fred
(a fun story about a 5 year old math professor which is very comprehensive mathematically speaking and fun to do alongside your kid. we use it as a supplement about once every two weeks.)

Foreign Language - a conversational approach
German Pimsleur Method (CD)

Music
piano (lessons and Simply Music), tin whistle

Bible
The Bible. (I really crack myself up.)

Art
Drawing With Children: A Creative Method for Adult Beginners, Too by Mona Brookes.
Discovering Great Artists by MaryAnn Kohl.
 
The following subjects are all outlined for me week by week, for free, on AmblesideOnline. Using mostly public domain texts (which I love - on so many levels) and depending on the topic, we do these together as a family more often than not...and usually only once a week.

History (World, US), lots of history
including Our Island Story (here for free) and The Little Duke

Geography
including Tree in the Trail by Holling C. Holling. (How many of you have kids with the same first and last name?)

Literature, loads of literature
including Shakespeare rewritten for kids, Pilgrim's Progress, and The Wind in the Willows
 
Science/Nature Study 
including The Burgess Animal Book (available for free here) 

Folksongs, Hymns, & Poetry
Oh how fun it is to hear my kids singing this folksong!

Handicrafts
things like Soap Carving: For Children of All Ages  

Art History & Appreciation 
we basically look at great classic art and share what we notice about each piece. 6 pieces per term.

Copywork (from the history or literature readings)

So, looking over this list, even though most of it is NOT every day by any means, I just think to myself, "No wonder. There could be a reason I'm not getting everything done!"

*i don't think i've ever used this word before