How We Chose Homeschool Curriculum

Photo by Giuseppe Lombardo

Parents, you are trying to make a hard choice right now. Life has been full of hard choices for the last few months. And now this one involves the most important people in the world—your kids. 

Last week Jamie and I shared our reasons for why we decided to homeschool our oldest two this year. That blog was everywhere. People all over the U.S. and in many other countries checked it out. Many reached out in some way.

We’re here to help. Because, even though we are teachers, when it comes to our kids we are students too. So we’ve been learning. We’ve been figuring out what will work for our family. And by we I really mean my amazing wife. I’m convinced Jamie is the smartest woman on earth. You guys can argue about the #2 spot all you want. #1 is taken.

We promised we’d be back with more to say via this platform that makes saying it and sharing it so easy. So here we go.

This is the curriculum we chose. And why we chose it. Our boys will be in third grade and kindergarten this year. So, our choices might not be much help to you. But I hope something here will help move you a little further down the trail as you sort this out for your own family.

We tried to keep this short. We’ll answer as many questions as possible. If you find this helpful please consider sharing it with someone who might need some help right now. And give yourself grace. We’re all students here.

We wanted a curriculum that satisfied four simple criteria.

1. It had to mostly align with Arkansas educational standards. Why? We believe in the public school system. We intend to return our boys to a public classroom in the future. So, we want to keep them “on track”. 

2. It had to be inexpensive because Daddy is a tightwad, and isn’t made out of Benjamins

3. The material had to be flexible. Have you ever tried to teach a five year old to read while changing a diaper, doing marriage counseling via text, answering an email about communication theory, and helping a distraught Boomer solve their problems in the middle of another Zoom Conference? We haven’t either, but we’re pretty sure we’re about to.

4. There was no compromise here for us. The bulk of the material had to be facilitated without a computer. We don’t want our children staring at a device all day. Period.

Here is the curriculum we landed on based on our four requirements. (Links to each are embedded in the subject title.)

1. SCIENCE: “Mystery Doug”
We paid $69 for one year of access. This curriculum also has free lessons to try. We tried it out with the boys and they loved it. Mystery Doug’s content aligns wonderfully with the recommended national science standards and schedule for each grade. As a bonus, it does have a computer based lesson component—so we are able to use it as an incentive for screen time that also doubles as school work.

2. SOCIAL STUDIES: Teachers Pay Teacher
We purchased a 3rd grade level download for $18.50. We will need to supplement some to meet Kindergarten standards. 

3. LANGUAGE ARTS: The Good and The Beautiful
Levels 1-5 are available to download for free. The “K Primer” is less than $35. Level K and Level 3 physical copies around $60 each. This curriculum is integrated to include multiple subjects. An added bonus for our family is the inclusion of Biblical references. We like the Bible. We are also using the Handwriting books from The Good and the Beautiful.

CAUTION: “Levels” aren’t really aligned to “Grades”. There are assessments to determine the correct level for your child. An advanced student might be on the same level as a grade. Whereas a traditional student might be one level below. Don’t let this psyche you out. It’s just a different metric for describing the desired development.

4. MATH: Math Mammoth and Jamie King
At the King Casa Academy Mrs. Principal Teacher Mom’s got this one covered. We are using Math Mammoth for most of Ethan’s 3rd grade material. Jamie is piecing together her own curriculum for Kindergarten. Why? Because she has approximately thirteen (I might be exaggerating) math and education degrees. There are plenty of good options available for someone feeling they need extra support in this area.

Now you know exactly what we chose and why we chose it. One the whole, there is a lot of good curriculum out there. Find the one that will help you accomplish what you’re aiming for with your kid.

We hope this helps you. As long as you have questions we’ll keep trying to lend a helpful voice. In the meantime share what you’re learning in the comments. How are you teaching your kids during this unique time?

11 Lessons College Teaches Beyond the Classroom

I have worked in college ministry for a decade. My wife teaches at the local university. We were talking about things we see people learn in college outside the classroom. There are many many more things that could have made the list, but here are 11 that came to us pretty quickly.

1. No one but you is going to wake your lazy butt up every day.

2. Time is valuable. You can spend it well or waste it worthlessly.

3. Laundry doesn't do itself.

4. You're responsible for your own actions.

5. Some people like you. Some people don't. Sometimes you'll change that. Sometimes you won't.

6. Math is important. Intro to Film is not.

7. Money doesn't grow on trees, puppies, or hubcaps.

8. The Internet lies, especially Social Media.

9. Choices have consequences and the future is real.

10. Friends that tell the truth, even hard truth, are better than friends that don't.

11. There are more important things than homework, but not very many.

March 10 - Teach and Learn

Read: Matthew 10:16-25

A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. (Matthew 10:24 ESV)

I love living life with my fellow Christians. I have the wonderful privilege of working and serving in a close knit community of believers. We're in a season of rapid change as God brings in more and more people. We are experiencing a ton of growth. This has created a lot of really amazing opportunities for discipleship.

It is an awesome experience to have a hand in the spiritual development of a young adult. It also comes with the hefty weight of responsibility. Being given that kind of degree of authority places people under your care. When you're discipling someone you begin to care for them deeply as both parties begin to understand their unique roles in the relationship.

A mentor is burdened with the wonderful task of guiding someone toward a greater level of understanding and obedience in their faith. The one being mentored, the disciple, has the appointed opportunity to absorb and obey as they share in life and ministry with their teacher. This is probably my favorite aspect of ministry.

This was Jesus' model for growing the Kingdom. Take twelve guys, pour everything into them, and turn it over to them. Incredible. Along the way he offered up this little reminder. We all have a teacher to follow. We all have a master to serve. Sometimes that means we just need to pause and consider: How might I learn better? How and who can I serve better?

I love teaching and I love sharing. Sometimes I can learn just as much from those God has placed under my authority. They often teach me a great deal about dreaming big, about sharing faith, and about walking in transparency.

January 31 - Out of Egypt

Read: Hosea 11 & Matthew 2:13-25

When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. (Hosea 11:1 ESV)

In 700 B.C. the prophet Hosea wrote that Jesus' family would flee to Egypt as refugees. It was a courageous and faithful act on the part of Jesus' adopted father Joseph that saved the young Messiah's life. But to further fulfill prophecy, and ultimately the mission of God for mankind, Jesus had to leave Egypt.

I really believe that along the way God sometimes directs us to places that are more like pit stops than they are destinations. We can, and should, do whatever good we can at these stops, but ultimately they are small parts of our journey. Whatever reason God has for sending us to those places, it is usually more about protecting us, helping us learn and grow, or helping someone there, than anything else. Sometimes you have to flee to your own personal Egypt to become who you are supposed to be, but you almost always have to leave it behind to step into your destiny.

Jesus didn't spend an incredibly long time in Egypt. Joseph only kept him there until the danger had passed and it was time to return to Nazareth. It would still be many years before Jesus would begin his public ministry. Sometimes God takes us from one season of preparation to another. These seasons look different, are often at different locations, and come with a plethora of diverse learning experiences. Don't be in a hurry to speed through these times. God can still use us in times of growth and learning. He will call us out of it when we're ready for the fullness of His plan.

Why I'm Thankful for My Mistakes

Mistakes hurt. Sin hurts. This stuff creates pain in our lives. Many times, after God has helped someone come through a difficulty, they want to forget it and act like it never happened. Of course not everyone is like this, but it happens. Most of us are guilty of doing just that from time to time. I'm not happy about the awful things in life that I have done; the bad judgment calls, the willful disobedience of the Father, the selfishness, or the legalistic idolatry, and many, many, others that would be impossible to remember and/or quantify. I'm not happy about my mistakes. However, I'm exceedingly grateful for where I find myself in life in spite of my many failures. There is a part of me that recognizes this journey that I am on, and is entirely thankful for my mistakes.

Jamie and Ethan are the world to me. Nothing else I do in this life is as important, or should be, ministry included; and I would have never been in the place to meet this awesome woman of God if not for a series of monumental errors in my life. In fact, the biggest mistake of my life set me on the path that lead, not only to this incredible relationship and family that I adore so very much, but also to this ministry that means the world to me.

I don't glorify my sin. I also don't pin it to myself for all to see, so that I might somehow wear it as a badge of honor. But I don't run from it either. I realize the errors I have made, and at times still make. I seek forgiveness. I repent. I share the truth of my many failures in moments when I feel that they might make a difference in someone's life. Above all of that, I offer up continuous thanks to the wonderful Father who continues to shepherd me through it all. Him I do glorify, as best as I know how.