Homeschooling using A Beka

[tatlimKL]

I have just downloaded the A Beka curriculum as well as some other free resources due to my spening limit being pretty tight at the moment. My daughter is 14 months and was wondering what would be the appropriate age to start homeschooling her using the A beka curriculum - 2-3 years old? How do those who use it feel about their curriculum?

I am already doing a lot of activities a long with educational crafts that teaches the alphabet, numbers 1-10, and basic colours and shapes and singing songs and making our own books. At the moment, she isn't too interested in hearing me regardless of how fun I try to make it so I don't force anything on her. I also downloaded Leap Frog to slowly start introducing phonics as I have heard so much about it but I wasn't very impressed with that, I prefer Reader Rabbit.

Is there any other free resources I could look into that is just as good as the A beka? Their book has me all excited but i'm not sure on when to start!

Thanks

tatlimKL

[TheyCan]

Was it free on the Abeka website?  I'd love to check it out.  I've heard that Abeka has lots of worksheets (at least for older students) - so that's why I haven't even looked at them.  I want something more hands-on.  But again...I haven't looked so preschool might be different.

I don't have any links off-hand, but there are TONS of free preschool sites/resources out there.  Someone probably has a list.

[Nikita]

They'll be on this list somewhere. Like Starfall and gogo etc...

http://forum.brillkids.com/teaching-your-child-other-topics/library-all-links/

[Chris1]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/BdQUk9xgaq8&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/BdQUk9xgaq8&rel=1</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/fAbuDdwymps&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/fAbuDdwymps&rel=1</a>

[Krista G]

I just want to jump in and say I love Abeka.  I have done it with my kids since the beginning of our homeschool journey.  I changed curriculum a few times and was sorry.  My four older kids do theAbeka video program and they are getting a terrific education.

I also really love the book The Well Trained Mind.  It is a guide to take you from the beginning through highschool.  I do love the book suggestions also for the younger students and use them for my 6 year old.

[PY]

I haven't hear about this program...I will have to get info about it. Thanks for sharing

[Chris1]

Hi PY,
Some of the Abeka books might be good but I would recommend that you do your research before using their books.
Visions of Reality: What Fundamentalist Schools Teach.    Amason.com- used price $0.70
Menendez examines the most widely used history, English, and science textbooks in fundamentalist private schools, documenting the fact that these schools promote prejudice against people of other faiths, distort history, derogate our literary heritage, cast science in a bad light, and otherwise indoctrinate children with "visions of reality" that are incompatible with public tax support.

Teaching Religious Intolerance- Christian fundamentalist textbooks display a breathtakingly arrogant attitude toward other religions.  http://www.rethinkingschools.org/special_reports/voucher_report/v_into162.shtml

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/nFjeU3DJUm4&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/nFjeU3DJUm4&rel=1</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/BdQUk9xgaq8&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/BdQUk9xgaq8&rel=1</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/fAbuDdwymps&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/fAbuDdwymps&rel=1</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Xz4lzRfT3j0&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Xz4lzRfT3j0&rel=1</a>

[tatlimKL]

TheyCan - I found it randomly, not on their website. It was off those places you download things, I just keyed in ''curriculum'' to see if anything came up and voila!. It has starting from PreK and until grade 12, all the crafts and activities. I'm pretty happy that I didn't have to pay for it as I will be giving homeschooling a try first too see how it goes. I came across another site that has a lot of free downloads/resources to use, you may have heard of it - docstoc? I just downloaded a bunch of activitiy books to keep for years down the track.

Nikita - thanks! I have already checked them out and myself, I'm pretty sure I have over 1000 maybe even 2000 websites of my own with free resources - but always looking for more as I don't find many things online to be very impressionable. I'm a free resources internet stalker! What is gogo?

Krista G - THANK YOU! That gives me such positive reinforcement. What I have already is fantastic and all my other resources. I'm sure your kids are doing great! There are so many curriculums out there but deciding has already been such a drama. I'm sure it's just me being totally new to all this. What age did you start them on Abeka? It seems more for older but then I may be wrong.

Chris1, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I understand Abeka is a Christian based curriculum and by no means do I practice any religion, although I was baptised orthodox. With my daughter, I will be focusing on religion as it seems to be a big issue in our society. I will definately be researching their books first as I don't want my dd learning to have a bad/negative attitude towards other religions.

[Krista G]

I started homeschooling my kids at around 3 or 4 years old.  I started to use A Beka at around 4 or 5 years old.  I have used Bob Jones, Alpha Omega and some Christian Liberty Press books.  I have found that A Beka is a rather advanced curriculum and when I switched to use other materials they were not challenging enough for my students.

[Nikita]

You should post a list of your resources in the library - all links spot. Homeschoolers will appreciate this!!

[Krista G]

Hi Nikita,

Where exactly is that?  I can't find what you are talking about.
 

[Nikita]

This one..started by ED. We should all keep adding to it, and eventually KL might put a category of it's own for adding to, and have someone organise the list into more extensive categorisation...

http://forum.brillkids.com/teaching-your-child-other-topics/library-all-links/

[Chris1]

Attributes of a critical thinker
•   asks pertinent questions
•   assesses statements and arguments
•   is able to admit a lack of understanding or information
•   has a sense of curiosity
•   is interested in finding new solutions
•   is able to clearly define a set of criteria for analyzing ideas
•   is willing to examine beliefs, assumptions, and opinions and weigh them against facts
•   listens carefully to others and is able to give feedback
•   sees that critical thinking is a lifelong process of self-assessment
•   suspends judgment until all facts have been gathered and considered
•   looks for evidence to support assumption and beliefs
•   is able to adjust opinions when new facts are found
•   looks for proof
•   examines problems closely
•   is able to reject information that is incorrect or irrelevant

The A Beka textbooks are based on Scriptural truth leaving little room for critical thought.

An informal analysis of the A Beka curriculum-http://www.talk2action.org/story/2005/11/22/234711/68

“Biblical teaching--and in particular, the sort of biblical innerancy believed in by dominionists--is quite literally paramount over anything else taught in the program--anything that disagrees with a specifically literalist reading of the Bible is to be rejected”

Am I correct in assuming that children are taught that the earth is around 6000 years old and that people once lived with dinosaurs?

Chris.

[TheyCan]

Thank you for your review Krista G.  You're actually about the 3rd or 4th person who's raved about Abeka in the last week.  I'm going to a neighbors house later to look at her Abeka materials.  Right now I've been looking into Five-in-a-Row since it's pretty hands-on.  Are you familar with it?   

[Krista G]

Hi TheyCan,

I have the 5 in a Row.  I got it to use with my 3 year old, I wasn't sure if I should get the 5 in a Row or Before 5 in a Row.  I think the 5 in a Row is a little too advanced for her right now although I might try it again here in the next few weeks.  I thought it was what I wanted and it looks really nice but I am not sure.  If you want I can PM you a few pages so you can see what it is like.  This would give you an idea of what is involved in the activities.  I really wanted to see that before I bought but I didn't.

As for A Beka, I feel that their curriculum is advanced.  I switched when my oldest 2 were in 4th and 5th grade to Bob Jones.  I noticed that the children were practically doing the same work everyday.  The difference between 4th and 5th grade was so minimal that I had my younger daughter skip 5th grade and we went back to A Beka for 6th grade.  While some of the other curriculums I have seen can be done in a short time, there is no pushing through a grade with their curriculum.  My brother homeschooled his son last year with A Beka.  His son has always gone to Christian Schools and he felt that the A Beka curriculum was the best he has seen.  He was impressed with what his son was learning. 

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