It’s good to be aware of what no longer serves your family. However… I was homeschooled K-12, and my mom changed things up mid year on us several times. It was always hard to learn the rhythm of new curriculum and I wish she would have waited until the end of the school year to make changes.

Thank you for this detailed review! We had some “fails” this year as well (our first year) and I’m looking to make swaps for next year, but overwhelmed at what would be best. This was definitely helpful to hear your reasons WHY these didn’t work. I appreciate you spending time to make this video! ❤️

Thank you so much for the time you took to spotlight not only the ways these curriculums didn’t fit for your family, but also highlighting the strengths they bring. So many mommas will be able to find a substantial curriculum with the way your presented this information.

I hear you…finding the best curriculum for my 4th grader this year has been such a challenge! Looking to make some LA and (possibly) Math changes once again. It’s tough, but such a privilege to homeschool and to be able to switch things up as needed. Thanks for sharing!❤️

Loved this video! Completely agree with you about your disclaimer about curriculum. 🙌🏼I’ve always been of the mindset that the best homeschool curriculum is the one that works for you and your family. Sometimes it takes some time to find a curriculum that serves you the best and that’s okay. I love your attitude and perseverance!

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! I had so many times when I just wanted give up this homeschooling year.😭 I am so happy I did not. Thank you again for this beautiful comment.😊

This is my second video of yours to watch and I already know I’m going to love many more of your videos. ❤️

Love your comment about MB and unschooling. We definitely lean towards unschooling, very CM and that’s why I love MB bc it’s checks the boxes and then we spend out days immersed in art and nature and beautiful living books. Thanks for this thoughtful review.

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! Masterbppks is such a beautifully designed curriculum. I am so happy it is working for you all in your homeschool.

Thank you so much for this video! It was very helpful!! I will be new to homeschooling next year and figuring out curriculum for 3 children has been a challenge. I feel like You gave thoughtful, thorough and very fair reviews of these curriculums.

I just love all of your videos and find so much information and encouragement. Thank you 😊

Great review! Very thorough and thoughtful! 💕💕

Great video Brittany! I love that you still showed the positives and things you did like. Most of the time when a curriculum is a “fail” it isn’t because there is any major thing wrong with it, it’s just not the best fit for your child or homeschool. I have heard that if you are switching to Singapore math higher up it is usually a challenging transition because the “Singapore” methods are taught from the beginning and are very different than what most math programs are like. It’s best to begin at the beginning with your young child if you want to use Singapore math. Not that it’s impossible but it’s just a lot harder to change in the upper grades. We had a couple fails in the beginning of the year but not too many this year. We have had our math struggles but are not having a bad math year overall. I think that when you are a “newer” homeschooler, it is important to try different things because that is really the only way you know what works and what doesn’t. Where do you sell your curriculum? I have some I would love to sell off, but don’t know the best way to go about it.

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! I was so nervous today to post this video but I am so happy that I did now. I definitely think having curriculum fails is a right of passage as a "newbie" homeschooler lol. I am so happy I just keep on trying! I sold all of my curriculum on a Facebook group of homeschoolers in my local area. All of the curriculum was usually gone in like a few days. 😊

Love that Masterbooks was a really great start for you when you were a beginning homeschool mom! That's so true, it 's a good fit for just starting out :)

This is our 18th year with our final 2 children. I am with you we had some fails this year. TGATB Math 2 and 4 and TGATB LA 2 and 4. I don't really want to get into the why's because TGATB users tend to be harsh and I don't want the blow back. We have moved to Christian Light Education ( CLE ) for LA , Reading ( worksheet method not the light units ) and Math. They have free placement materials , tons of samples , teaches guides , a calm and pleasant set of Facebook groups and the materials are solid. Thank you for your video it is very well done

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much.😍I completely agree with everything you just said. I was so nervous to post this video because of that, however I really wanted to share our journey in homeschooling so far. My niece actually is using Christian Light Language and is loving it. I was so close to trying it this year as well.

Oh my goodness! I agree with so much of this!!! The pros and cons you mentioned specifically about TGTB LA and Science as well as Masterbooks LA. We used Singapore K-2nd with my oldest and it was great but the method was not how I jive with Math. Out of fear I switched him because I was already dreading upper level using the Singapore method. I regret that decision so much! He was thriving and ultimately ended up getting behind in math because we tried several before finding what fit next.

I really like that you tell the positives and negatives

Great video! We switched to Singapore Dimensions in 4th grade and it was definitely an adventure. I can absolutely relate to the time it takes to introduce the Singapore concepts in 4th grade. We were able to stick with Singapore Dimensions and 5th grade has gone so well. It is still challenging, but not nearly as difficult as it was in 4th grade. However, with an only child, we had more time to commit to the math lesson. You did an absolutely wonderful job at showing both sides of your experience. This video will definitely be helpful to homeschool mommas.

@autobotdiva9268

2 жыл бұрын

im gonna have to look at that

You are so charitable when you share what didn't work for you! I can't see how anyone would think you are saying they should stop using a curriculum. With TGATB science...I can see it being good for bigger families, especially with young kids who don't need testing...like a way to get them interested in science.

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! I tried my best to give a good review of all of the curriculum we have used so far. I really hope this video can help someone in search of new curriculum. TGATB science would definitely be perfect for large homeschool families, it is very hands-on.😊

How have I not subscribed yet!! New sub here :) Glad you are sharing your curriculum fails. Those can be so helpful to share what didn't work for you!

Love your videos Brittany! Thank you!

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much !!!!

Loved this video and how you stated your reason it didn’t work for you, the potential type of person it could work for and your pros and cons. We love TGTB language arts, but not the math. I’m curious to see which curriculums you landed on that worked for you guys! ❤️

I have a kinder and preschooler. Tgatb works for us so far but I have been a littler nervous as they get older and we start introducing deeper concepts! Thank you so much for sharing your experiences

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

No problem at all.😊

I’ve homeschooled my oldest from 5th to 12th grade and my youngest two from pre k to fifth, so I’ve technically homeschooled every grade level and I have a curriculum fail. Every. Single. Year! (In at least one subject, sometimes more!) haha! Good video!

Always have enjoyed your videos. I’m newly subscribed! We love TGATB science units but we just started mammals and I can see why you feel it’s lengthy. And by the way, I also have a channel mainly about homeschooling. Love meeting fellow homeschool mommas!

Great closing thought!

Usborne Books has some really cool write your own book and different writing activities, your daughter may enjoy those.

Thank you for sharing these! We also ditched Singapore math and TGATB science units this year. I loved them, but they weren't a fit for my kids/where we are at right now.

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

No problem at all ! 🥰

Hi! Awesome video! Can you share what test you took for 3rd grade to see where your daughter was at?

I love all curriculum, but after homeschooling for over a decade a large family...I have a boy this age and he and I just read books for school, using no curriculum except teaching textbooks for math.

Also you should give saxon math a chance...I've found it to be the best. We used abeka 1-5 and Singapore as well as teaching textbooks. Saxon I've found to be the best

I have all the same hangups with The Good and the Beautiful that you mentioned. Same reason we only used it for level 1-3 for my oldest, and I haven't used it at all with my middle. My daughter sounds like yours with the writing! :)

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

Yes I seen your latest video update video with the kiddos. I was thinking the same thing when you showed your daughter writing. 😍 I think for her I am going to just stick to a simple grammar and writing program.

Thank you for this.

It happens. We did not continue with fix it grammar level 1. It comes with a great glossary (all the writing/grammar rules) that will be nice to have and we will end up using the grammar cards that go with it. It just wasn't for us.

This video was amazing 👏 ❤

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much

Great review! We liked everything about TGATB except the lack of diversity, and the paintings and stories were a bit boring to my daughter.

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

Totally agree!

This video was so well done! Now I'm really curious about what curricula you have moved to?

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! I think I might make another updates video but my mid-year curriculum review has everything we are using now minus Saxon Math 6/5.😊

We ❤ Masterbooks! 🙂 their science is incredible!!

Have you considered Teaching Textbooks for Math? We are using Abekas Math now which is awesome, but we are eventually switching to Teaching Textbooks. I feel like it would free up some of your time while you are caring for your toddlers!

@steffa648

2 жыл бұрын

Just a warning on teaching textbooks. I have heard from other homeschoolers who have used it that you end up with gaps in math so that would be my concern.

@GardenMinistry.

2 жыл бұрын

@@steffa648 thanks for sharing! Yes Ive heard that too from another mom, and what she does is provides a few extra enrichment worksheets to make sure the concepts are being learned.

@peachy_reina

2 жыл бұрын

​@@steffa648 yes...I tried TT with my 4th and 5th grader after primarily using Saxon and they hardly retained anything. I switched them back to Saxon and they don't want to use TT again. My 3rd grader is interested in an online math like TT mostly because she likes customizing backgrounds and characters 😅 but I fear it may fail her too

“Bouncy” is how I would describe THATB ELA also. After doing 3 years (k primer, k and level 1) I’m getting annoyed 😂. I feel like my son could use more practice before taking a long break from a new concept. I did not care to try their math. If their ELA was lengthy, I could only imagine their math fluff 😂. Super cute but my son is a “let me finish this now” type of kid.

@kaitlins1477

2 жыл бұрын

I have the same sentiment! We switched to a structured reading program supplemented with The Secret Stories (Cracking the Phonics Code) and I’m pulling the English pieces that go together from our TGATB LA to create little units and reviews, mainly so it wasn’t a waste of money. So glad we stopped when we did.

Have you tried Easy Grammar for Grammar? This is our first year but it was highly recommended to me by someone who is a retired teacher. It focuses strictly on grammar

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

I never tried Easy Grammar but I looked into it and it looks like a great simple grammar program.😍

Great video!

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it😍!

Love it

glad that a lot of them did help your daughter even if you couldnt use them

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, I am so happy we gave them all a try. I was determined to find something that was going to work well for my daughter. 😊

got my son math test score and said he is slightly below level but he is ready for 3rd grade cirriculum??!! i work with him with singapore math and some cheap workbooks at home. already doing basic fractions. i think he's bored. im ready to introduce analytical geometry lol

Hey Brittany! Have you found something for science yet? We were also using TGTB science units and it also did not work out for us. I’m like you, I was really looking for something that incorporated quizzes and/or comprehension assessments. I wanted to let you know that I recently came across an online science resource called Generation Genius. I found it through another KZreadr. I’m thinking about using this for my son next school year. Check it out. It’s online and it covers standards for every state. I believe for GA, it covers 96% of standards. There is a video for every week of the school year. It seems to be quick and super easy to implement. The DIY projects are super simple (and you don’t even have to do them if you don’t want to) if you’re like me, I need quick, easy, concise, and meaningful all in one 😂. They even have short quizzes for each lesson. I thought you might be interested in it because you have certain criteria to meet with your state. It IS secular, however, so if you’re strictly looking for something that is biblically based then you may not be interested.

@GardenMinistry.

2 жыл бұрын

I believe she's currently switched to Master Book's Science 😊 it's a great Christian curriculum!

We tried Singapore math at the beginning of the year. I could have cried once we really got into it. Wasn't for us at all.

Agreed about the diversity in TGTB. My kids and I are a bit tired about learning about Austrian/German painters and Europe is not the only continent. If you're going to tout that you cover geography as part of the curriculum then you need to actually do it. 🤦‍♀️🤷‍♀️😅 That being said we love their English and I supplement their art and geography lessons. I'm hopeful that the conversations started this past year will open up to some productive change! 💕💕

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

Yes that’s is exactly how we felt! I believe the open conversation has been bring about a change. 😊

@fancyflamingo123

2 жыл бұрын

TGATB clearly doesn't want to commit to getting rid of their European-centric and white-centric attitudes and biases. :/

@thisawkwardlife8973

2 жыл бұрын

They do in different levels. But each their own

I bet you would like Christian Light Education's Math. It is solid yet not too intense for teacher.

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

I was so close to trying CLE math! It was between that and Saxon Math. We ended up with Saxon. 😍

@SmithsInTheMaking

2 жыл бұрын

CLE is where we have ended up for all three of my kids after trying lots. Lessons are quick to teach, straight from student book and it is sooo economical, yet thorough with lots of practice.

I certainly appreciate hearing your curriculum reviews and felt a pang of sadness when you mentioned your state's testing requirements. We are the parents and stewards of our children. We make the rules. Get those laws changed!

@mayag8469

2 жыл бұрын

every kid has the right to receive education by law. there are bad parents that use homeschool as an excuse to abuse children and not provide them with education. tests can help prevent that.

@MM-yQ

2 жыл бұрын

@@mayag8469 There is no good reason to punish everyone. That argument does not stand.

I can’t even use curriculum because Six eats so much. Thanks for sharing.

What science and LA curriculum did u go for? ;)

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

We are using Rod and Staff English 4. It is very similar to Christian Light Education Language Arts. For Science, we are using God's Design for Life by Masterbooks. 😍

@jessicajones611

2 жыл бұрын

@@brittanyolga that’s great! We are using R & S for grammar too 😃 with Writing and Rhetoric for composition.

@GardenMinistry.

2 жыл бұрын

@@brittanyolga Great choice! After researching all the popular science curriculums and even holding it in my hand and flipping through, I realized Master Books Science textbooks truly is a great solid way to teach science, get some bible study in, and engaging material. I love everything about it!!

Toddlers, man! They really throw homeschooling for a loop!

@brittanyolga

2 жыл бұрын

Lol yes 🤣🤣🤣 they sure do lol. They run my house 😳!!!