Our Favorite Homeschool Curriculum Choices for Math - PreK through High School

Summary:  Are your kids struggling with their chosen math curriculum? Are you looking for another way to go that might fit their learning style better? How we dealt with math through the years when we needed to make changes in our curriculum. Plus living math ideas. Homeschool math for preschool, elementary middle school and high school.

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Are you kids struggling with their chosen math curriculum?  Are you looking for another way to go that might fit their learning style better?

We switched out our math curriculum more than once in our homeschool, once in elementary, and then again in high school.

Sometimes our original choice in homeschool math curriculum just didn't make the grade, so to speak.  So we did search around for other options again, and each time we found a math curriculum that worked better than the original one. 

It was hard to let go of our initial homeschool curriculum choice, and it did impact our budget, but each time it made for a happy math student in our house.  And success in her math studies.

Math has always been a mainstay in our homeschool.  From playful learning approaches during preschool/K to challenging courses in Algebra 2 and Geometry in high school, we have always taken a hands-on approach.  As much as possible. 

Sometimes our curriculum included living math, and when it didn't, we added it in.

Today, I'd like to share our favorite homeschool math curriculum choices, from preK through high school.

Let's start with prekindergarten.  Here are our favorites for math, starting with preschool/K:

Counting, adding, subtracting, making sets....all of that can be discovered through play. 

For how we did that in our home, click here for my article on:

HomeschoolingEarly Math - Making Your Manipulative Kit and More.   

I did a preschool math class also using these techniques. It was a fun class, spreading out buttons to count, small toys to sort, etc.

Early Elementary Homeschool Math

Then in the primary grades, we chose to use Saxon Math, as it relies on lots of hands-on approaches.  Young learners often need to see, feel, and touch objects to learn the processes of basic math.  There are lots of used Saxon curriculum resources on the web, under homeschool used curriculum.

Amy, of the Curriculum Choice, has a review on Saxon Math 

or Kindergarden. Saxon Math is available all the way through high school.

Upper Elementary Homeschool Math

Then in the primary grades, we chose to use Saxon Math, as it relies on lots of hands-on approaches.  Young learners need to see, feel, and touch objects, as they learn the processes of basic math. 

In fourth grade we switched to Oak Meadow Math.  

It is based on Saxon Math, but has a few less practice problems, which felt less stressful for my daughter.

It is child friendly, and is not at all associated with common core.

Oak Meadow Math uses the spiral learning approach, with lots of review.  

Through this, my daughter gained skills 

that she could apply to real life activities, building retention. 

The Living Math that we added included helping with family purchases, 

making change, measuring things at home, etc.

Middle School Homeschool Math 

When we got into pre-Algebra I felt the need to get some  help with my math teaching. 

We found the Saxon Dive dvd's and loved how they explained each problems, with a chalkboard approach, where the instructor wrote out each problem as he discussed them.

Saxon also has another product called video education. A sample 5th grade lesson, using this product is here.  

During these years, I also introduced my daughter to:

- family finances,

- and introduced her to checking accounts, 

- how to balance a checkbook, 

- our household bills, etc.

High School Homeschool Math

We began Algebra 1 in 9th grade, and we decided to try Teaching Textbooks for that.  I liked how TT offered even more dvd help and we were happy using all their dvd's, especially the ones that explained errors in the practice problems.

photo credit - www.aop.com

Then in 10th grade,with the ACT testing coming up, we decided to switch to Alpha Omega Publication's 

Switched On Schoolhouse.  

These were a bit more intense than the Teaching 

Textbook approach.  

That helped with retention, which my teen needed for her upcoming college testing. 

I also loved how SOS was self-graded and included a video lectures for each lesson, plus lots of practice, and some hands-on math projects as well.

Living Math activities in high school centered on...

- getting and managing a savings account, 
- learning about taxes, 
- car insurance, 
- and compounding interest,
- as well as family budgeting.

As you can see, we used a wide variety of curriculum for math, through the years. 

What are your favorites for math in your house?  I love getting and reading your comments.

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Thanks for stopping by BJ's Homeschool and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family,

Betsy

Betsy is mom to her now college grad, whom she homeschooled through high school.  She blogs at BJ's Homeschool, about the early years, highschool, 
college, gifted/2e and wrote -Homeschooling High School with College in Mind, 2nd Edition,   She offers homeschool help through messages at BJ's Consulting,  and has had some of her articles picked up by the Huffington Post.

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