I have come to the conclusion that no homeschool method is perfect. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. So I need to switch around every couple of years to get my children the best, right?
Ok, I'll admit it. I get bored and need a change every so often.
This time I think we'll try the Robinson Curriculum.
Dr Robinson and his wife decided to homeschool for religious reasons, moved to 100 acres in Oregon, set up his lab (he's a chemist, she was also a scientist and his lab assistant), and had six kids. Because she didn't know if they would always have enough money for curriculum she assembled everything they would ever need to teach all their dc all the way through 12th grade.
Then she died.
With 6dc, 1 1/2-12 years old, a science business, a home and a farm to run, Dr Robinson couldn't do what most of us hs moms do and sit with our dc holding their hands every step of their education. He began by having them do a math lesson a day and worked from there. Eventually he and his children scanned all those books into a computer, produced a 22 cd set which they now sell as the "Robinson Curriculum." For $195 you get all you need (except math books) to educate an infinite number of children k-12. Good deal!
I have read their whole website, "liked" them on facebook, and joined a couple of yahoo groups. I understand now how the whole system works. I was also able to get a list of the books on the cd's.
Know what? I don't like them.
Oh, some of them I do. I've read them to my own children. But the list is obviously what a woman living rural Oregon in the 1990's had available to her right then. We have so much more available now! (My oldest was born in 92 so I am quite familiar with what was available then compared to now.)
So I'm making my own list. It is made up mostly of what I have at my house, my parent's house and our church library. Oh, and Kindle. I threw in some books from "real book" type reading lists in the areas my list might be a bit weak.
So far the list is 8 pages, two columns, 14pt Ariel font.
Guess I had better cut that down some.
