NEW TO HOME EDUCATION?
My “golden rule” is to “go simple”. That means not going to the bookstore and buying the expensive all-in-one set of all subjects from a single publisher.
Also, another “golden rule” is to “Begin with the end in mind”.
Determine which goals you have for your each of your twins for the given school year and then proceed from there. Find resources that match your goals and objectives. Your goals for each year will likely change, so your resources will also change.
Here is where I would start.
Remember rule #1: keep things simple from day 1. You can always add to what you are doing later. Phonetic-based readers and “old school” math resources are a great place to start.
Rule #2: buy basic resources as you start so that you can test the waters with not only the learning resource but also with how you and your twins like to learn and how you like to teach. You won’t want to financially invest heavily into one set of resources only to learn, a few weeks into it, that you and/or your children really are not connecting with the lessons, assignments, etc.
Rule #3: give yourself and your family time to settle into home education and to find the learning resources that are a good fit for you and your twins. Sometimes, this “Time allowance” will be the entire first semester, but that is fine! You are laying the foundation for years to come, so spending time initially to learn how to do something that you’ve never done before is a wise decision and investment.
An Example of a Basic approach
The “Canadian Curriculum” workbook is a great and basic resource for beginners. You can order it online via Indigo Books…$10.92 online…
$19.95 list price SAVE 45%
COMPLETE CANADIAN CURRICULUM 1 (REVISED & UPDATED)…for grades 2 and older, too:
ABOUT
The Complete Canadian Curriculum series of books covers key subject areas: Math, English, Science, History, Geography and Social Studies. The curriculum-based practice units are designed to ensure that your child understands the concepts and masters the necessary skills. With vivid illustrations and interesting activities, children find working through Complete Canadian Curriculum both fun and rewarding. Inside Complete Canadian Curriculum Grade 1 workbook:Mathematics worksheets cover numbers 1 to 100, addition, subtraction, counting, money, measurement, capacity, mass, 2-D shapes, 3-D solids, directions, and temperatures. English worksheets cover consonants, vowels, rhyming words, nouns, sentences, capital letters, punctuation, verbs, adjectives, articles, and connecting words. Social Studies worksheets cover heritage and identity, people and environments, etc. Science worksheets cover my body, five senses, living things and their growth, healthful eating, safe and healthful living, objects and materials, changing materials, reuse and recycle, energy and the sun, day and night, seasons, plants through the seasons, and animals through the seasons.
Below are some of my suggestions for the subjects which you may be teaching your child.
- Science…”Real Science 4 Kids” https://gravitaspublications.com
- Math…Teaching Textbooks http://www.teachingtextbooks.com
- History…Canadian history: Donna Ward https://www.donnaward.net…World History: Mystery of History (https://www.themysteryofhistory.com)
- English Language Arts…Excellence in Writing (http://iew.com); Reading and Spelling (https://www.allaboutlearningpress.com/all-about-reading/); Learning Language Arts Through Literature (http://www.commonsensepress.com)
- Biblical & Christian Worldview Studies (grades 1-12): https://www.summit.org/curriculum/
For a more comprehensive list of suggested/recommended learning resources, please visit https://www.thee.ca/resources/
