It’s easy! Step 1 – pick your grade. Next, choose 1-2 books from each category starting with your core (Read, Writing, Math). Step 3 – place your order or contact me to have an an online event to get FREE and discount books!

This post contains affiliate links. For more information please read my full disclosure.

By making your own curriculum, you can let your children lead in their education. This means you can teach them about their favorite subjects while they learn exactly what they need for their grade level. Don’t be afraid to get creative with this and make it really fun for your kids!

To help you find books easily, I’ve created links to book lists for each grade level at the bottom of each curriculum guide. You can also use the search bar on the right in my Usborne books and more store to find what you need! Here is a list of the Best Books for every Homeschool if you’d just like some help supplementing curriculum you already have.

Homeschool with Usborne Curriculum Guides

Prek – K Package

Each year, choose from one of the following. Create the curriculum package that matches the area of study you wish to focus on.

Reading: Start to Read Pack OR Very First Reading Set. Wipe Clean Books (Letters Focused ones); Learning Pallette K Reading; First Hundred Words.

Literature: 1 Quarterbound cloth books; Fairy Tale Treasury and Usborne Nursery Rhymes; 2 Picture books; OR the Usborne Picture Book Gift Set.

Math:  1-2 First Dot-to-Dot; 1 Themed Wipe Clean book; Learning Pallette K Math; Big Book of Things to Spot

Science:  1 Science-themed Flap Book; 1 Science-themed Look Inside Board Book; 1 themed Lift the Flap;1 themed Big Book of Big

History and Geography:  1 themed Look Inside Board Book; Children’s Picture Atlas

Art: I can Draw; My First Color Book; Big Drawing, Doodling, and Coloring Book; Activity Books for Little Children

Critical Thinking and Fine Motor Skills: 1 Finger Match Set; 3 of First Stickers Books; 1-2 of Build a Picture Sticker Books

Click here to see a full selection of the different books. Then, view the Homeschool with Usborne video below to get a peek inside some of our best sellers.

Need help creating a curriculum for your specific child? Message me on Facebook here and I’ll make you a free book list.

1^st – 3^rd Curriculum Package

Each year, choose from one of the following, to create the curriculum package that matches the area of study you wish to focus on.

Reading and Writing: First Reading Set; 3 – 4 Beginners Books; Young Reading Series 1, 2, OR 3;  Any Series Fiction; My First Story Writing Book;  Illustrated Dictionary

Literature:    1 Myths and Stories; 1 Illustrated Originals; 2 Illustrated Stories; Shakespeare Collection

Math:  Learning Palette + 1 Wrap-up to Match Grade Level; 1 Illustrated Math Dictionaries; Lift the Flap Times Tables

Science: 1 – 2 Science Activities Books; 1 of 3 Science Experiments books; 1 of First Encyclopedias; 1 of Nature Encyclopedias; 1 Starting Point Science book

History and Geography: Time Traveler; Who Were the First North Americans; Then and Now; 1 of Themed See Inside Board Books; 1 Atlas

Art: Very First Art Sticker or My Very First Art; Art Treasury; Lift the Flap Art; Famous Artists Sticker Book; 1 Art Cards

Critical Thinking and Fine Motor Skills: 1 Pack of Activity Cards; 1 Language book; 2-3 of any Activities and Stickers Books

Click here to see a full selection of the different books for this grade level.  Then, view the video below for a peek inside some of the choices above.

Become a Brand Partner!

You can create your own homeschool with Usborne for FREE and get paid at the same time! There are no minimum sales requirements. No inventory needed, and you have the opportunity to earn the full cost of your kit back in 30 days! PLUS, I will personally coach you on how to build your book business or just as a fun hobby! Either way, we want YOU on the team! 

Click here to watch the web-class and learn more! Or sign up on my website! Don’t wait! Offer ends 3/31

4th – 6th  Curriculum Package

Each year, choose from one of the following, to create the curriculum package that matches the area of study you wish to focus on.

Reading and Writing:  Any Series Fiction; Write Your Own Story or Write Your own Adventure Story; Illustrated Thesaurus

Math: Learning Palette + 1 Wrap-­‐up to Match Grade Level (if not yet all used); 1 Illustrated Math Dictionaries; This is Not a Math Book

Science:  1 Discovery Books (Astronomy; Sharks; Snakes); Science Encyclopedia; 1 Mysteries and Marvels; 1 Complete Books (Science themed); Illustrated Science Dictionary; The World of the Microscope; 100 Things to Know about Science

History and Geography:  1 The Story of; Geography Encyclopedia; Sticker Picture Atlas; Lift-the-flap Picture Atlas; Encyclopedia of World History; World Religions; 1 World History; Castles;

Art: 1 Art Cards; Complete Book of Art Ideas,

Critical Thinking and Fine Motor Skills:  2­‐3 of any Activities and Stickers Books

Click here to see a full selection of the different books for this grade level. Then, view the video for a peek inside some of the choices for 4th grade and up.

7th Grade+ Curriculum Package

Each year, choose from one of the following to create the curriculum package that matches the area of study you wish to focus on.

Reading and Writing: Write Your Own Story; Write Your own Adventure Story; Write and Draw Your Own Comics; Illustrated Thesaurus

Literature: Illustrated Originals; Any Series Fiction; World of Shakespeare; True Stories;

Math: This is Not a Math Book; A Puzzle a Day; 50 Brain Games, Memory Puzzles. Illustrated Math Dictionary (if you don’t have one)

Science:  Pocket Books; Electricity and Magnetism; 3 Illustrated Science Dictionaries; 1 What’s All About

History and Geography: World History, World War book; From Pie Town to Yum Yum;

Art/Drawing Activities: Any Nature Coloring (can assist with Science); Any Pattern Coloring; Any Hobbie Guides; Optical Illusions

Click here for a list of the different books for this grade level.

Need help? Contact me and I can create a custom list for all your children!

The post Make Your Own Homeschool Curriculum with Books! first appeared on True Aim.

As a math teacher, he saw how much his students enjoyed his lessons and so he decided to record those and put them online for students around the globe to access. He decided to homeschool and knew that he couldn’t do both CTC math and teaching. So he decided to quit teaching and become a full time homeschool dad and owner of CTC Math! I sat down with his chief operations manager Nadim who was a student of Pat’s and has been with the company for seven years! 

Learn the behind the scenes store of this amazing math curriculum and how you can change the way you teach your children math! Plus, you’ll get a look inside the online program and how it also can be used to create your own worksheets so your children are practicing what math skills they need and not what they don’t.

Watch the video for the full interview or check out the transcript below!

It’s Janine Latulippe and we’re here with Nadim from CTC math! We’re talking all about the amazing features and how it could change your homeschool!

Janine: Nadim, please give us a little back story on how you got involved with CTC math and also to talk a little bit about Pat the creator of CTC.

Math Curriculum Was Created By Homeschool Dad of 10

Thank you for having me! I actually new Pat because he was my teacher. I had him in highschool. And in the early stages of CTC Math in Australia, it was mostly through tutoring centers and CDs. I have a passion for math, and went to school for it so when I went to college I stayed in touch with Pat and I was helping him part time with content creation. An opportunity came up and it worked out and I’ve been with CTC for 7 years.

Janine: That’s amazing! He was your teacher and you liked his teaching so you knew that you wanted to be apart of it. Tell us a little about his teaching and how he went about starting CTC math.

Made by Australia’s Best Math Teacher!

Pat is the best math teacher I have ever had. He has this ability to explain the concepts in a very clear and concise manner. It’s amazing. It will take him a few minutes only! It’s like lightbulb moments!

That’s amazing! That’s how I like to learn math too. Lol So did Pat make CTC before he was a homeschooler? 

He was working on CTC the whole time while he was teaching and homeschooling. He started getting really busy with the kids and CTC and so he transitioned from teaching to doing CTC full time.

In Austraila, we had a big deal with McDonalds, Mackers. They approached us in Australia only, and said that they see a lot of our employments failing our numeracy tests and we would like to use your program to help them. They purchased the program for all their staff and saw amazing results so they asked what they would have to do to make it available for all students in Australia. They struck up a deal with Pat to provide it to students for 3 years for free and CTC math exploded! 

What Sets CTC Math Curriculum Apart?

So we know that it is proven and that people love it. So tell us what sets it apart from other programs out there.

There are a few main things, but I think the main one is his video tutorials. The way he teaches is incomparable. The next, is that he understands homeschoolers, what they need, and there are a lot of things that are built into our program that are there to serve homeschoolers. He had them in mind when he built the program. 

So tell us about another main feature that you really think stands out and people like to use.

One of the BEST Features of the Program

Access to all grade levels, so you can use all of it from grade K-12; addition to calculus. It really is learn at your own pace. Pat understands that and so he understands that most kids need more to either review or to get ahead.

We do the same thing so I totally understand that. We don’t know what grades the kids are in! LOL so that really helps. One feature that I saw that I wanted to ask about is the pen and paper tool.

Maybe I can show you a little later on what they look like, you can actually make your own worksheets. It is really important to do pen and paper style math. So you can print off the worksheet and have it there during the video lesson or you can print it off and do it later.

I love that because I think it is so important to do the equations in different ways. Is there anything else you wanted to cover before we jump in and show people inside the program.

I wanted to mention that Pat does have 10 children! 5 girls and 5 boys so he understands homeschooling families and knows what they are going through.

Let’s talk about how parents can try the program. If you click in the top right corner, you can sign up for the free version which gives you access too samples in all of the grades. So just go to CTCMath.com and click free trial at the top.

The post Homeschool Math Curriculum from Father of 10 – CTC Math first appeared on True Aim.

Math was my favorite subject in school. I thought of equations as little games or puzzles. But it wasn’t because of what we did in school that I liked doing it.

This is a sponsored post, but all opinions about Math Mammoth Curriculum are my own. For more information, please read my full disclosure.

It was my father. He taught me early and he treated me like I was smarter than I really was. He shared problems with me that were way over my head and even though I didn’t fully comprehend them, just being taught like that was exciting. It made me beam to think that my Dad thought I was that smart already.

Homeschool Math Curriculum

With any Math Curriculum, you have to keep that in mind. If your children don’t like math, you can increase their motivation and retention by going slow and treating them like they are geniuses.

That’s why I love Math Mammoth. In addition to offering lots of different methods of practice, it gives children a more thorough understanding of the concepts in each grade level.

My daughter (2nd grade level) really liked the visual and pattern exercises that were different from anything that she was used to. These specific exercises help children’s metal math capabilities and make it easier for them to visualize more complex equations.

Although quite simple, my daughter also enjoyed the math practice games that came with our CD version, especially the baseball math. The curriculum download or CD comes with 8 different simple games that can be changed to suit the level of your child.

The math practice worksheet maker is convenient for basic math facts that your child needs to put to memory. Just remember to make it just one step easier for your child, so they breeze through it and gain confidence. The student workbooks are the ones that will teach and challenge your children.

Math Mammoth Curriculum is well balanced with simple practice to build a child’s mental math capabilities and rich content and exercises to teach your child new concepts.

What’s Included in Math Mammoth Curriculum

There are lots of different options when looking to purchase Math Mammoth. You can buy a bundled set and save money while having the flexibility to move as fast or as slow as you’d like. Or, you can purchase individual grades to see if Math Mammoth is right for your homeschool. Math Mammoth covers grades 1-7 and in the South African version it is available for grades 1-7. You can find a Placement Test here.

With every curriculum, you’ll find these things included:

• 2 Student Workbooks (A and B) with teaching explanations and exercises.
• Answer Keys
• Tests
• Cumulative Review Lessons
• Versatile Worksheet Maker

The downloads and CD versions include these extras:

• Extra files for different currencies in grades 1,2, and 3.
• Bonus Soft-Pak Software
• user guide (available also for free download on the web page of each grade level)

In addition to full curriculum, Math Mammoth also offers supplimental workbooks. I’m really excited to check out their “Make it Real” math activity workbooks for grades 3-12. The
exercises in these books are taken from real life, and use real data. They help answer the question, “Where is math used in real life?” and bring a practical application to the equations that children will use the most.

Remember, with any curriculum it is up to the parent to motivate and encourage the child. With those 2 things, you have nothing to lose when trying Math Mammoth Curriculum. Check out the video below for more information!

Math Curriculum Giveaway!

1 lucky reader will win a Full Math Mammoth Curriculum (digital version) worth $175! That covers 7 full years of homeschooling! To enter to win, please use the Rafflecopter below.

Mammoth Math Full Curriculum Giveaway!

The post Giveaway! Homeschool Math Curriculum: Math Mammoth first appeared on True Aim.

Growing up, Britton LaTulippe changed schools almost every year. He attended 10 different schools in 6 different states, experiencing public schools, private schools, and even an elite boarding school. That school changed his life. So, when it came time to decide what kind of education he wanted for his children, he was a little disappointed. At around $30,000 a year, there was no way he could afford an elite private school for ALL his children.

Luckily he stumbled upon something he thinks is even better. That’s right – Homeschooling!

As he researched the different options for his children, he discovered the shocking truths about the American public school system and recorded it in his controversial book Revealing School. The evidence in it will shock you, but Mr. LaTulippe believes there is a solution: Children can get an elite education at home. Ever since, his mission was to create a curriculum that not only mimics elite prep schools, but is accessible to all! He has done this through his new site Blue Manor Academy.

Fueled by the legacy he wants to leave his own 6 children, he has created the beginning of a new way to educate your children online. While other sites focus on entertaining and making learning fun, Blue Manor also motivates and inspires children with characters and values they want to emulate.

Packed with vocabulary, essential facts, classic literature, and exciting original stories, Blue Manor Academy ensures parents that the content is not over stimulating like so many video-game style learning sites. While there are many features being added in the months to come, new books are constantly being added and parents can sign up for free access to the online library for all of their children right now.

The Blue Star Membership program offered allows parents to lock in a special price for access to the full curriculum program with levels, book sections, and testing. Printables, videos, awards, live classes, activities and parent resources are coming soon!

Go to Blue Manor Academy and sign up for a FREE account today!

The post Father of Six Creates Free Curriculum for His Kids and Yours! first appeared on True Aim.

This post is sponsored by Spanish for You. For more information, please read my full disclosure.

Spanish is in the top three languages spoken around the world. With more and more people having the ability to speak this language, you can give your children the skills to communicate in any situation by teaching them this popular language too. Your children are going to love learning spanish if you choose the right curriculum to make it fun and easy.

Homeschool Spanish the Easy Way

To homeschool Spanish, you need a simple and affordable curriculum that requires no extra prep. If you are a homeschooler, you’ll need to be able to teach multiple ages and skill levels. If you don’t know anything about the language, you’ll also need your curriculum to come with audio so your children know how to properly pronounce the words. You’ll find all of these features in Spanish for You themed curriculum packages!

Spanish for You was created by Debbie Annett who has taught Spanish to children of all ages for 17 years! She wanted to create an easy way for anyone to teach her program at home easily and affordably.

Her Spanish curriculum is specifically for grades 3 to 8, but can easily be adjusted for different abilities. The year-long packages are themed so instead of completing levels, students progress by completing the themes.

You are going to love the Spanish for You curriculum. It will have you learning the language right along with your children! Here are the features that homeschool parents are so excited about:

• fun and easy lessons
• reusable materials
• flexible to use with different ages
• affordable – just $39.95 for the school year
• comes with audio for the entire text
• interactive activities
• children learn how the language works

Buy any Mi vida, Conversaciones, or Viajes themed packages and get the set of 5 supplemental songs for whichever theme you order free with the code: bluemanorfreesongs valid through April 2017. $8.99 value. Be sure to add the songs to your cart.

The post How to Homeschool Spanish the Easy Way first appeared on True Aim.

Someone will win this curriculum prize pack featuring all the resources below, plus 2 bonus prizes including $50 in paypal cash and a Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition! Don’t forget to grab your freebies and discounts.

Homeschool Curriculum Giveaway!

WE CHOOSE VIRTUES- Youth Virtue Cards and Journal ($48.99 Value) – Ages 10+

The Youth Virtue Cards are a brand new character-training tool from We Choose Virtues! This was created specifically to equip parents to clearly define, easily explain, and simply inspire tweens and Teens to use Virtues. Each card is funny but also asks a series of hard-hitting questions to sharpen a different skill and help them understand  themselves and the Virtue they are working on. The questions are self-reflective because character is the personal responsibility of every individual. Your teens and tweens are going to love this program! This prize comes with: 12 full color, printed, 8.5×11 glossy cards; 10 Youth Virtue Journal page styles and instructions (PDF); Youth Character Assessment (PDF); Youth Virtue Handbook (PDF). BONUS: Use code HAPPYKIDS25 for 25% off anything in their store!

Character Trails Curriculum ($45 Value) – Ages 6-9

Character Trails are stories, application questions, and practical application projects designed to help you teach your children what character is and how to practically apply it to their everyday life in a fun, captivating way in only minutes each day! Includes flashcards and storybook! Get 20% off any character curriculum with code BME .

Rapid Recall System ($45 Value) – Ages 6+

Are math lessons taking forever to finish? In 7-10 minutes a day, this multi-sensory math system turns anyone at any age into fast and accurate math-lovers. Rapid Recall System is one of the many successful NeuroDevelopmental programs that use strategic brain training to improve functional performance that lasts a lifetime. Best of all, kids love it! It is fun and the confidence gained by experiencing success is quickly evident! Teacher involvement is only two minutes a day! Visit their site for FREE services offered.

5-Minute Phonics Learn to Read Set ($35.99 Value) – Ages 3+

Parents and teachers, with this system, you will never have to plan a lesson, and you won’t need any teaching experience. Just follow the steps for 5 minutes each day, and be amazed at how quickly your child becomes an advanced, confident reader! Use code 5off5print for $5 off the print set or code learn2read for 25% off the digital version!

Fifty States Under God for Young Learners  ($32.95 Value) – Ages 4 to 2nd grade

This color-cut-and-paste workbook introduces all 50 states in the order of statehood.  Color state symbol pictures and informational cutouts for all 50 states are included.  State History also offers a correlated product for older students, Fifty States Under God for grades 3-12 as well as individual state studies on all 50 states on all grade levels, age 4 through grade 12.  Visit www.statehistory.net for additional information and ordering use code BMEGIVEAWAY for a 10% off.

Keyboarding for the Christian School ($31.90 Value) – Grades K-12

These books give clear directions and brief assignments with Biblical references for each unit. It uses inspiring sample texts while including timings and grading charts, utilizing commonly-used proofreader’s marks. Keyboarding for the Christian School is designed for time-constrained classes, skills review, or as a supplement to computer courses. Choose from K-5th grade or 6th-12th. Use code TENYEARS at the checkout to receive $10 off of any $20 purchase. A printable e-book version of this book along with Teacher Tools to create a typing course is available at Christiankeyboarding.com.

Art & the Bible for Children ($29.99 Value) – Ages 4+

This deluxe text includes 59 favorite children’s Bible stories. Each story is written at an elementary level, yet stays true to God’s Word. There are 36 stories from the Old Testament and 23 from the New Testament, followed by discussion questions along with delightful art lessons at the end of each story. (Lessons vary in length and level of difficulty, making them easily adaptable for multi-age level groups from preschool to middle grades.) Art & the Bible for Children is wonderfully illustrated by homeschoolers! This hardbound text is in full color with glossy pages, bringing out the quality of the colorful artwork. Get 10% off plus free shipping on orders over $40 with code FREESHIP10 .

Cartooning Art Project DVD ($14.99 Value) – All Ages

See the Light combines art lessons and biblical principles into every engaging DVD. This one covers Cartooning Basics for kids of all ages! This dvd covers Art History, basic elements like line, space and shape, AND ary concepts! In addition, get 3 FREE art lessons from their Award Winning ART CLASS here.

Wonderfully Made ($10 Value) – Ages 5-11

This 48-page picture book covers the growth and development process through each week of pregnancy, sharing valuable science and Scripture with kids in a loving way, ending with the story of eternal life available through Jesus Christ when we are born again. Get your free lapbook, Scripture memory card sets, and posters to go with the book here!

Wings to Soar Online Academy ($99 Value) – Ages 9+

Wings to Soar Online Academy empowers dyslexics and other outside-the-box learners to gain confidence and independence by embracing their strengths and addressing weak skills, so they can not just survive, but thrive in school and in life! Win a free year subscription to one of their many courses available. Don’t forget to get your FREE Just-Right reading level assessment!

CHSH Download Club Lifetime Membership ($99.99 Value) – Grades k-12

Get access to over 50,000 pages of educational material. Includes complete curriculum downloads, worksheets, unit studies, lapbooking and notebooking units, plus items to help you organize your homeschool! Grab $20 worth of Freebies here!

Christian Preschool & Kindergarten Curriculum eBook Set ($59.98 Value) – Prek and K

If you plan to give your child a tremendous head start and you can spare 15 minutes a day, then Blue Manor’s Christian Preschool Curriculum is the perfect solution. Their preschool curriculum is designed to help ambitious parents like you give your child an elite physical, intellectual, and spiritual foundation – a foundation that lasts a lifetime. Parents love their preschool curriculum because it requires no lesson plans and no teaching experience, while producing outstanding results. Use code back2school25 for 25% off the Preschool eBook set.

Hoffman Academy Piano Materials for Unit One ($19 Value) – Ages 4+

Homan Academy is an online library of video piano lessons for FREE! These materials are designed to reinforce the video lessons and include a download for: Piano Listening CD, Practice CD, Parent’s guide, 41 pages of worksheets and songs.

Enter to win!

One lucky reader will win this back to homeschool curriculum package and bonus prizes. You will also get exclusive freebies from our partners including the Christian Family Homeschool Shopper. When entering this giveaway you agree to added to Blue Manor’s Free eBook of the Month Club as well as our partner’s newsletters. You can opt out at any time. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Back to Homeschool Curriculum Giveaway! first appeared on True Aim.

10 Ways to Save Money on Homeschool Supplies and Curriculum

1. Garage sales, Goodwill, and other local secondhand stores

Garage sales and Goodwill (especially on 50% off days) have been a great way for us to save on common homeschool items like pencils, erasers, notebooks, and binders – most of which are in brand new condition.

2. Watch back to school sales at Walmart and Target

Walmart and Target are known for having great deals on common school supplies right before school, and after most public schools start.

3. Amazon and eBay

Amazon and eBay are a great way for people to get rid of their old things, and other people to buy their thing’s for a fraction of the cost. I’ve found some killer deals on textbooks with both Amazon and eBay. With Amazon, you simply search for your item, and can see the different items for sale; and compare prices and conditions easily. eBay is an online bidding service, so you have to consistently check their site for the latest steals.

4. Slugbooks

It can be time consuming to search up multiple textbooks on multiple sites. Slugbooks helps you price compare instantly. It is meant for college textbooks, but often has homeschool textbooks.

5. Homeschool Classifieds

Homeschool Classifieds is a great way to buy homeschool textbooks directly from other homeschoolers. To make secure transactions, I use Paypal, which is a free and simple online checking account. Paypal lets you make money and spend money; all without giving out your personal information. Biggest perk? If something you buy from another seller online never shows up, or if the item is not as described, you can file a claim and get your money back. Another similar site is Homeschool Trader.

6. Buy, Sell, and Trade Homeschool Groups

Like Homeschool Classifieds, Homeschool Buy, Sell, and Trade groups are a great way to buy reasonably priced curriculum directly from other homeschoolers. Again, Paypal and their protection is great for this.

• Homeschool Curriculum Marketplace
• Used Homeschool Books Buy, Sell, Trade
• A Beka Used Homeschool Curriculum
• Saxon Curriculum Buy, Sell, Trade

7. Take advantage of teacher’s discounts

Many stores ranging from Apple to Jo Ann Fabrics to Barnes and Noble offer teacher’s discounts; and those teacher discounts often extend to homeschool families. Check out this site for a great list of homeschool discounts. And remember, it never hurts to ask!

8. Go digital

The Internet (and Pinterest) is full of free and frugal downloadable homeschool resources; oftentimes made by homeschool moms. Take advantage of the savings of digital curriculum!

9. The library

The library is a homeschooler’s best friend, and is a great way to find books, magazines, and movies for free. In order to keep as organized as possible and avoid late fees, we keep all of our library books in a certain basket, and after using them, put them back in that spot.

10. Utilize what you have

This may seem obvious, but can often seem stressful and is overlooked. Utilize the homeschool curriculum you have, and sell any curriculum you no longer need to help offset next year’s costs.

The post 10 Ways to Save Money on Homeschool Supplies and Curriculum first appeared on True Aim.

I broke the 15 minutes up into 2 parts: picking out a book and then conducting my great charade. Roughly 5 minutes were dedicated to picking out a book. Other kids brought books from home, or picked a book from the teacher’s library and read it every day for weeks until they finished it. But I didn’t have that luxury.

I wasn’t about to read Dr. Seuss; that was for little kids. I wanted to read, or appear to read, chapter books. However, that was very difficult because most just had pictures on the covers and chapter breaks. So, if I really, really, really took my time, I could still only make a chapter book last about five to ten minutes; then, my 7-year-old brain needed a change of scenery.

That was why I picked out a new book at the beginning of each session. Eventually, the teacher would hurry me along, and I’d end up at my seat hunting for pictures.

My finger raced under each line on the page and I mumbled to myself like I saw some of the other kids doing.

My teacher was always “amazed” by how quickly I finished each book. What took the other kids weeks to do I accomplished in 10 minutes. Sometimes my teacher would test my reading comprehension, and I would have to describe in great detail the stories as I imagined them to be from the pictures I’d seen.

I always got away with it, but I did have a few close calls, like the time I described a book that she had actually read herself. I quickly recovered by offering several logical explanations for the apparent discrepancies. Perhaps, I suggested, the book was different now, or maybe she had forgotten the stories because she read them so long ago, or maybe I was confusing what I had just read with some other book.

Back then, I thought I was very sneaky, but now I realize she must have known my secret. At times, she called me to her desk and tried to help me read. However, with so many other kids, there wasn’t enough time to catch me up.

The sad thing about school is that once you get behind, there is a snowball effect. By the third grade, I was several years behind my peers. I took a standardized test and was finally discovered.

I did everything right. I moved my finger under the lines and mumbled random words, and even filled in C whenever I didn’t know the answer. Yet, when the scores came back, my reading comprehension was off the chart, but in the wrong direction.

Now, you’d think that the school would have rushed to catch me up; but that didn’t happen. During reading time, I was sent with two other students to a trailer out back behind the school. There I received “special” help, yet it wasn’t any help at all. We read the same book as the other kids, but within a few weeks we were several chapters behind them. Soon, I realized the goal was not to catch me up. Actually, it felt like the opposite – they were letting me go.

They treated me with kid gloves; they talked slower; they demanded very little. In short, they made me feel stupid. And not stupid in an insulting way, but in a decisive and diagnostic way. I began to hate reading.

Luckily, a year later I moved schools. The teacher at my new school didn’t know how “slow” I was. She accidentally put me in a normal reading group and, in time, I caught up on my own. Still, it took me years to accept the fact that I was a “normal” reader.

So, if my brain could read as well as any other, where did I go wrong? It started with an assumption that my parents made – that school would teach me to read.

It was a fair assumption, and the school did try, but I sat at the back of my kindergarten learning circle with a buddy and we talked about bikes and Legos while the teacher droned on about letters and words.

That is when I began to fall between the cracks. Having daydreamed through a few lessons, I didn’t understand the new ones because they built off the previous instruction. I fell farther and farther behind.

And here is the major issue: No one noticed until third grade. By then, I was waaaaaay behind my peers. And the school’s solution to the problem was not to catch me up, but to slow me down! It was a bad strategy!

We aren’t likely to fix our schools any time soon, and I realize that not everyone can homeschool, but we all can make sure that our own children don’t fall victim to the system by teaching them to read at home before kindergarten. You simply cannot let them learn – or not learn – to read at school. It is too risky.

Reading isn’t like the other subjects. It is the linchpin. If your kid can’t read, or can’t read very well, he will likely fall behind in other subjects, too. He won’t be able to read instructions, examples, or lessons. Yet, if your child can read and he falls behind, let’s say in math, he will be able to read his textbook and catch himself up. So your child’s reading ability is directly tied to performance in all other subjects.

Perception and confidence are another good reason to teach your child to read at home. Before entering school, all kids think that they are geniuses thanks to their parents. But the second they enter the classroom, they begin to compare themselves to their peers.

Your kids aren’t going to know that some of the other kids learned to read in preschool or at home before kindergarten. Your children will just think that they are picking it up much slower than their peers. They will think the others are fast, and then deduce that they are slow. This perception often dictates the reality.

Of course, the same is true in reverse. If your children enter the classroom as proficient readers, they will perceive that school comes naturally to them, and they will feel confident. This is such a huge advantage, and the little time and energy it takes you up front will save you countless struggles in the long run.

I recommend starting to teach your children to read around 3 or 4; that is when my children began reading. Allowing yourself such a large head start will take the pressure off. You won’t have to ram reading down your children’s throats the weekend before kindergarten. Instead, you will teach 15 minutes a day over the course of a year or two.

Don’t think that you are depriving your children of a “childhood” by pushing them so young. If you take your time and teach casually, there won’t be any added stress. And once they can read, you will see for yourself how reading actually enriches their childhoods.

I recommend getting a curriculum. There are parents who teach their children to read from random books, but it takes them longer and often creates weaker readers in the long run because there is no rhyme or reason to the instruction; too many rules are introduced all at once, and kids get confused by the constant exceptions.

Eventually,children learn to read this way, but it is often because they memorize the words, and not because they understand the phonetic sounds and rules. This limits their reading ability mostly to the words that they already know; new words are always a struggle.

I highly recommend Blue Manor’s Phonics Reading Set. It requires no lesson plans or teaching experience; it is super-simple to teach; and it has kids reading their first words in just a few minutes. It is also the most affordable.

My second recommendation is Usborne books Starting to Read Set. The books are beautiful and fun, and your kids will love reading them! However, it is more expensive than Blue Manor’s phonics curriculum, so if money is tight, Blue Manor is the way to go.

If you have any questions, please ask. I’d love to help. I’d also love to hear your thoughts, comments, and advice! Happy teaching!

The post You Can’t Let Your Kids Learn to Read at School first appeared on True Aim.

This post is sponsored by World News Group. All opinions are my own.

We already have a curriculum for science and geography, but like to supplement with different materials to add interest and make the topics relevant to our children’s lives and the world around them. It is difficult to find science materials that have a biblical world view. That’s why I’m so excited to have found God’s Big World magazine.

God’s Big World Magazine

Each month kids get a taste of different experiences from around the world. Each magazine is broken down into bitesize 8 lessons that are the perfect length for preschool and early elementary students.

The text is easy to read for beginning readers and includes more information for parents to help expound the subjects for their students. Plus, there’s scripture that relates to what you’re reading on every page.

There’s also puzzles and activities included in every lesson. My daughter really liked the big map that came with our copy, so we played a little game. We searched the magazine for states and countries and marked them on the map to see how many different places were mentioned.

You can also go online with your subscription and get more information for each lesson with simple videos. Download extra activity pages for multiple students from the site too!

This is the perfect solution to adding supplemental material to your homeschool science or geography curriculum, or turn it into your weekly lesson for preschool and kindergarten!

I can’t wait to see what is in next month’s magazine, and my kids are already begging to see more of the videos online.

Click here to save 15% on a yearly subscription!

World News Group Magazine Freebie and Giveaway!

Download a FREE copy of God’s Big World here! If you have older children, you might like WORLDkids or WORLDteen.

Enter to win these awesome prizes valued at over $100!

• One Year Membership to the WNG magazine of your choice ($35.88 value)
• Preschool Bible Study Book: Kevin Tries on the Spiritual Armor
• Elementary Word Study Book: Adventures in Etymology  
• Inspiration for Christian Teens: Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are
• Three $20 Crossway Gift Cards

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The post What Can a Kids Magazine Subscription Do For Your Homeschool? first appeared on True Aim.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Demme Learning. For more information read my full disclosure.

Spelling You See Homeschool Curriculum

I remember hating spelling in school. I don’t want my children to have that same experience. Spelling You See offers a different way. By combining handwriting, nursery rhymes, and spelling the program helps your child learn naturally. They remember how to spell sound combinations so they can put them together to make bigger words.

My favorite features about the program are the easy to remember rhymes that it has. This makes reading easier for my daughter, plus it helps teach her basic spelling principals like syllables and chunking.

The program comes with 2 workbooks and an instructor’s handbook. The workbooks are broken down into short lessons that take about 5-10 minutes each. Children learn best from short periods of learning time each day so this is the perfect amount for spelling. It also reinforces phonics concepts that my daughter is learning in her reading curriculum.

Another feature Spelling You See utilizes is the seek and find activity. It has children looking for certain aspects of the sentence with different colors to help reinforce the lesson. Almost all of the senses are used with this program as children write, seek and find, and say the words and sentences they are spelling, reading, and writing!

My daughter started with the Jack and Jill program. The first workbook was a little too easy for her in the beginning so we skipped to the middle of the book, which was perfect. It’s perfectly fine to give your children easier work at first, as this boosts their confidence and gets them used to using the curriculum.

As my daughter progresses through the program, she will naturally memorize different sound chunks; both vowel and consonant chunks. Not only will this help her spelling, but reading fluency as well.

Key Features of Spelling You See:

• no spelling lists
• no spelling tests
• no preparation
• free leveling guide
• 7 levels available
• brief daily activities
• engages visual, auditory, and kinesthetic processes
• long-term visual memory of letter patterns
• phonetic development
• affordability

Go to Spelling You See to read about all the great features, learn about placement or purchase a level.

Spelling Curriculum Giveaway!

One lucky reader will win their choice of one of the 7 levels of Spelling you See (up to $48 value)! Simply enter the Rafflecopter below.

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The post Spelling You See Homeschool Curriculum Review and Giveaway first appeared on True Aim.