Homeschool Math Curriculum Guide

Our homeschool math curriculum guide gives a taster of your choices, with advice from my 18,000+ Facebook fans, who know it's only too easy to pick the wrong one!

One thing you can be sure: it's easy to waste money on an expensive homeschooling math curriculum.

So....

Look before you leap!

A very experienced Math teacher has this to say:

"When I started teaching Math, I spent hours...looking for the perfect textbook. I just assumed that, given the fact that children have been learning sums for hundreds...of years, someone must have written one by now... 

What's the best math curriculum you've found? - Click here to share...

How To Choose A Curriculum

Let's start with a guide to the problems you need to be aware of when you come to compare the main homeschool math curriculum choices:

• Buying a homeschool math curriculum can be really expensive. Do you really need one? You'll see from our math activities pages that for years we have done homeschool maths perfectly fine without using a curriculum.
  
• In fact, I could write a guide to the games that formed our homeschool math curriculum!
• Homeschool is one-to-one; this is not a teacher with a class. If you have too many battles trying to follow the a maths curriculum your child isn't interested in you could end up giving up homeschooling altogether.
  
• Having said that, it's very clear to me that a homeschool math curriculum guide has to take account of the fact that every child learns differently and changes depending on their age.
  

My son William hated maths workbooks when he was younger. Now he's High School age he really likes following a homeschool math curriculum and answering workbooks.

Your Homeschool Math Curriculum Guide

Here's a guide to the main curriculum choices available to homeschool parents.

• Teaching Textbooks has some unusual features which makes it stand out from the crowd.
  

1. It's great for audio visual learners. Each problem appears on-screen and is read out by a teacher - perfect if your child has reading issues and one of the ways which makes Teaching Textbooks different from other math programs.
2. Solutions come with detailed step-by-step audiovisual answers  so that your child is hearing and seeing the concepts that are taught. They can re-wind the solution as many times as needed - so it's a bit like having a tutor on demand.
3. All answers are graded automatically.  There are lots of hints and second chances, colorful wallpapers and animated cheerleaders to make learning math fun. 
4. The aim of Teaching Texbooks is that your child will be able to work independently without needing your help so you can pass math teaching over to them.
   

See Full REVIEW OF TEACHING TEXTBOOKS HERE

There is a FREE 15 lesson trial so you can see before you buy.

N.B. I did receive compensation from Teaching Textbooks for reviewing their curriculum after their program received high praise in my Courageous Homeschooling support group.

• Saxon Math (Grades 1-12). Probably the most popular homeschool choice. Uses an incremental, systematic approach with lots of repetition to re-enforce learning.

• Horizons Math (Grades K-6). A curriculum which follows a 'spiral-learning' format, introducing new concept(s) each lesson as well as revising of old material. Colorful. Teaching manual not very comprehensive.

• Math-U-See (Grades 1-12). Invented by a homeschool Dad teaching maths with blocks so you can 'see' the concepts first. Comes with a teaching DVD. Books are basic black and white format.
  
• Switched-on-Schoolhouse (Grades 3-12). A computer-based curriculum on a CD-Rom. Can be difficult to follow the explanation to problems.
  
• Abeka Math curriculum (Grades K-12). Uses a spiral method with lots of revision of topics in the early grades.
  
• Singapore Math (Grades 1-10). Probably considered more challenging, focusing on mental maths and problem solving. Comes with Home Instructor's Guides for each level.
• RightStart Mathematics (Grades K-4). Hands-on visual curriculum using the AL abacus and Maths Card Games.
  
• Modern Curriculum Press (Grades K-6). Inexpensive, simple maths workbooks.
  
• Miquon Math (Grades 1-3). Stimulates creative thinking with exploration and observation. Not much revision of topics.
  
• Harold Jacobs (Grades 9-12). Popular for High School.
  
• MathsWhizz (ages 5-13). Another online maths tutoring system. It's worked really well for friends of mine.
  
• Carol Vorderman's Maths Factor gets a good write up for UK home educators.
  

Conquer Maths is a homeschool favorite on the UK exam forum I am on for parents who are researching the best homeschool math curriculum guide.

It's for ages 4-18 and takes you up to the UK GCSE standard with 10 minute lessons complimented with marked worksheets and progress reports.

It's expensive!!!!

I found out that there is someone on the HE exams forum who organizes a discount for members. Please contact me and I'll dig out the details for you.

Saxon Math

I asked Alison from the Courageous Homeschooling Facebook Group to help out with the homeschool math curriculum guide and tell us more about Saxon Math and why she likes it:

Advice On Curricula From Homeschoolers

I asked my 14,000 Facebook fans to add their real life experience so we can get more of a true homeschool math curriculum guide.

"We are very happy with Khan Academy!!" ~ Maria

"Used a few different ones over the years (we're in the UK). Really liked Shiller Math, but a bit pricey. Using Galore Park Maths texts books with one child- I like the lay out, and Heinemann maths with my five year old - although we'll not stick with this long, just finishing off the materials I already have." ~ Emma

"Math U See is an amazingly simple program that is geared on mastery. It has an initial investment in blocks but the teachers guide and workbooks are priced well. Second students only need the workbook and you always have the ability to use their drill app for free or print out extra sheets. It is well price for the excellent program you recive." ~ Jeannine (REVIEWED by another Fan - see below)

"I use Abeka for my kids. I have used grades K, 1, 2, 4, and 6. I have really liked using it." ~ Ciarra

"Saxon for my 6th grader and Abeka for my 9th." ~ Stephanie

"We are Saxon Math users" ~ Happy. Homeschooling. Housewife.

"We like Math Mammoth. We have tried others but this is working well this year." ~ Marguerite

"We have used Abeka Math for K-5 and switch to Saxon Math for upper levels." ~ Ana

"CTC math. Straightforward videos explain concepts followed by brief questions to apply knowledge. Weekly reports can be emailed to parent. " ~ Sharon

Sharon also has this great tip for this homeschool math curriculum guide:

Which Homeschool Math Curriculum?

This gives a homeschool math curriculum guide to some of your main choices.

The important step now is to let us know how you've got on; you'll save others from making expensive mistakes.

What's the best math curriculum you've found? - Click here to share...

Some things to consider:

• Cost.
  
• Will the curriculum you choose work with your other children too? (you can save a lot of money that way).
  
• Can you buy it used?
• Can you try it out first or borrow it from a friend?
  
• Will you have to do a lot of teaching, or could your child do a lot of the maths independently?
  
• What are the parent's instructions like?
  
• Does it look appealing to your child?
• Does your child like repetition and spiraling or do they get bored easily? Homeschooling is all about helping each other.

I'd love you to add to this homeschool math curriculum guide by sharing how you teach maths to your child, what works and what doesn't.

Love this page? Help me spread the word by sharing...

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