Which secular homeschool curriculum do you use (rising 8th grader)

[Anonymous]

Can you please recommend a secular homeschooling curriculum for a rising 8th grader?

Child is a VERY good student grades wise, but really dropped the ball in behavior.

I just rather homeschool than send child to an alternative public school for the next year.

Since we have no experience whatsoever with homeschooling, can you please recommend a good secular curriculum/program?

My husband can help with the STEM part as he is a good teacher and has a PHD in a science related field.

I can help with humanities, but we still need a good curriculum to follow and to guide us.

Thanks

[Anonymous]

There are many choices. As a first cut, I would go look online at Rainbow Resource, which sells many many different curricula (and supplement materials) for home schoolers. They have tables which help one understand the differences between the many options. They also are very clear about which curricula are religious and which are secular. I also would have them send you a paper catalog, as the printed comparison tables are very helpful, but I think harder to analyze online.

For Math, I would use the Homeschool edition of Saxon Math. See related thread here on DCUM for why. Sounds like DH can teach the math segment.

[Anonymous]

Recommend joining one of the secular homeschooling groups on Facebook (it’s really the only reason I’m still on it). Lots of helpful information about curricula.

Two of my friends have been very happy with Oak Meadow - https://www.oakmeadow.com/

[Anonymous]

Oh, and if you plan to return to public school, some states have certain approved homeschooling curricula. That might make the transition back easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, and if you plan to return to public school, some states have certain approved homeschooling curricula. That might make the transition back easier.

This is good advice. When we pulled our kid, I asked the school for suggestions because I wanted to make sure high school courses would transfer if he ever decided to go back. We ended up going with a religious curriculum but were given several options that at least gave me a place to start looking. Many were secular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Recommend joining one of the secular homeschooling groups on Facebook (it’s really the only reason I’m still on it). Lots of helpful information about curricula.

Two of my friends have been very happy with Oak Meadow - https://www.oakmeadow.com/

Could you please post a link to one of those Facebook groups?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, and if you plan to return to public school, some states have certain approved homeschooling curricula. That might make the transition back easier.

This is good advice. When we pulled our kid, I asked the school for suggestions because I wanted to make sure high school courses would transfer if he ever decided to go back. We ended up going with a religious curriculum but were given several options that at least gave me a place to start looking. Many were secular.

We are in VA (FCPS) and they make it clear they do not help with curriculum choices. Their homeschool page is pretty bare to tell the truth.

[Anonymous]

My rising 8th grader is doing math with Thinkwell (Honors Geometry self-paced, asynchronous online, after doing AoPS Alg A), writing with CiRCE (live online), history and literature with Sonlight (parent-led, it's Christian but the secular version is called BookShark), Latin (live online with Lively Latin), Middle School Science (live online at Outschool with Mysti Chisholm), local live piano lessons, foreign language self study with me and a texbook, a bit of penmanship because it's a weakness of his, Health, various sports for PE, debate in a local homeschool group,...I think that's it for first semester.

[Anonymous]

Math: Art of Problem Solving is the best for kids who are good at math. For more normal kids, try Derek Owens or Unlock Math.

English: CLRC, Lantern English, or split it into writing and literature and use something separate for each

Science: ACS' free middle school chemistry, Conceptual Integrated Science Explorations, clover creek physics, clover creek chemistry

History: History Odyssey Ancients

This google search might also help you

[Anonymous]

Better off picking and choosing (instead of a multi subject box curriculum). Supplementing with in person co-ops or classes.

DASH
https://m.facebook.com/DASHtivities

Sligo Creek Co-Op

https://cathyduffyreviews.com

AOPS

Search Facebook for your local (city or state) homeschool groups.

Best wishes on the school year!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, and if you plan to return to public school, some states have certain approved homeschooling curricula. That might make the transition back easier.

This is good advice. When we pulled our kid, I asked the school for suggestions because I wanted to make sure high school courses would transfer if he ever decided to go back. We ended up going with a religious curriculum but were given several options that at least gave me a place to start looking. Many were secular.

We are in VA (FCPS) and they make it clear they do not help with curriculum choices. Their homeschool page is pretty bare to tell the truth.

We were also in FCPS and our previous school was very helpful. Two places suggested to us that were not religious were Keystone and Excel. I don’t have experience with either of their classes but we were told courses would transfer back, if we enrolled there.

[Anonymous]

Just FYI on "accredited curricula":

First, schools are accredited, not curricula, so if you need classes that are accredited you will need to enroll you child as an online student in an accredited school. This is different from actually homeschooling, it's more like schooling at home.

Second, public schools' policies on credits vary by district and can change; generally schools are not required to accept credits earned outside the district, even from private schools or other public school districts.

Third, accreditation of a school can depend on factors outside of successful/proven curriculum, and plenty of solid public schools aren't themselves accredited.

Using an accredited online or remote program will massively limit your choices, and you will generally pay more for it. Some accredited schools are known to be very simplified and box-checking. Some are extremely high quality and engaging. I agree with the above posters about choosing curriculum subject-by-subject for variety and best fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, and if you plan to return to public school, some states have certain approved homeschooling curricula. That might make the transition back easier.

This is good advice. When we pulled our kid, I asked the school for suggestions because I wanted to make sure high school courses would transfer if he ever decided to go back. We ended up going with a religious curriculum but were given several options that at least gave me a place to start looking. Many were secular.

We are in VA (FCPS) and they make it clear they do not help with curriculum choices. Their homeschool page is pretty bare to tell the truth.

Check with registration (or whoever would approve credits for a student transferring in). They will tell you whether a curriculum will give full credit or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, and if you plan to return to public school, some states have certain approved homeschooling curricula. That might make the transition back easier.

This is good advice. When we pulled our kid, I asked the school for suggestions because I wanted to make sure high school courses would transfer if he ever decided to go back. We ended up going with a religious curriculum but were given several options that at least gave me a place to start looking. Many were secular.

We are in VA (FCPS) and they make it clear they do not help with curriculum choices. Their homeschool page is pretty bare to tell the truth.

You may have already encountered these resources, but just in case:

https://vahomeschoolers.org/about

And on Fb there are:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/568623553260884/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/HomeschoolEventsNOVA/

(There is also a religiously oriented VA group called HEAV, but I'm not a personal fan. If you're Christian though, perhaps it would appeal to you.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, and if you plan to return to public school, some states have certain approved homeschooling curricula. That might make the transition back easier.

This is good advice. When we pulled our kid, I asked the school for suggestions because I wanted to make sure high school courses would transfer if he ever decided to go back. We ended up going with a religious curriculum but were given several options that at least gave me a place to start looking. Many were secular.

We are in VA (FCPS) and they make it clear they do not help with curriculum choices. Their homeschool page is pretty bare to tell the truth.

Check with VCPE. Public schools in VA only have to accept credits from schools accredited through them.