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St. Joseph, Guardian of the Redeemer Chapter:
TORCH of the East Bay
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Rio
Vista, CA Ages and grades: 15 (9th),
13 (7th), 8 (3rd), 6 (1st)
Current curricula:
pieces of different ones
Previous curricula:
Seton 1st & 3rd grades
Homeschooling since
1991 Charter school?
no
RECOMMENDS: Beautiful Feet History, for grades 4 - 9.
It's been great!
WARNS AGAINST: Pathway Readers: the content was good, but they were extremely boring and repetitive.
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Pittsburg, CA Ages and grades: 15 (9th), 12 (6th),
9 (4th), 5, 3, 10 months
Current curricula:
own
Previous curricula:
Our Lady of the Rosary, Kolbe 6th grade
Homeschooling since
1995 Charter school? yes
HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Irish Dancing, Choir, Babysitting
RECOMMENDS: Math-U-See K-8th, Spelling Power
- all grades
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Concord,
CA Ages and grades: 9 (3rd),
7(2nd), 5(K), 3, 1
Current curricula: own; Math- Miquon for all, Math-U-See for
one child, Caluladders for drill, Lang. Arts - Writing Road to Reading,
Spelling Power, Winston Grammar, Primary Language Lessons, Explode the
Code, Wordly Wise, Mad Libs, Building Thinking Skills, Mind Benders
Previous curricula:
Alphaphonics
Homeschooling since
1996 Charter school? yes
RECOMMENDS: For
phonics, some form of the Writing Road to Reading theory. For extra workbook practice, Explode the Code.
For vocabulary, Wordly Wise. For math, Miquon 1st - 3rd. Key to… : after Miquon, as a supplement. Math-U-See
is very complete: manipulatives,
word problems, drill.
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Banta, CA
Ages and grades: 11 (5th), 10 (3rd), 8 (2nd),
5, 1
Current curricula: own, including some of Our Lady of Victory
and Seton. I've always used Alpha
Omega Horizons program for math.
Previous curricula: no
Homeschooling since
1994 Charter school?
no
RECOMMENDS: Three R's by Ruth Beechick. These three easy to read manuals for the parent
explain how and what to teach in reading, writing and arithmetic in the
primary grades. This was the first
thing I read to begin my homeschooling!
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Walnut
Creek, CA Ages and grades: 9 (4th), 7(2nd),
5 (K), 1 1/2
Current curricula: roughly follows Laura Berquist
for all grades
Previous curricula: no
Homeschooling since
1994 Charter school?
yes
HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Ballroom dancing, parenting skills, chess,
science class
RECOMMENDS: I
have used with success McGuffey's readers for reading, Miquon math, Saxon
and Alpha-Omega LIFEPAC for science and history/geography (all for grades
K-4). (I hesitate to recommend because these are user- and children-dependent,
but I can share my experience.)
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Walnut
Creek, CA Ages and grades: 23, 21, 18 (11th/12th)
Current curricula: own with English Lit., Latin, and Religion
from Mother of Divine Grace, and Geometry and Biology from Seton
Previous curricula: Our Lady of the Rosary, Our
Lady of Victory (some)
Homeschooling since
1987 Charter school?
no
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
Marriage prep classes, Little League coaching, Marksmanship/safety,
horticulture, singing
RECOMMENDS: Laura Berquist's Classical Curriculum approach
WARNS AGAINST: Seton:
upside: strong academically, very good materials, good service
to students and parents; downside:
too much writing, stringent requirements
per course, K-8 has too much bookkeeping.
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Lafayette,
CA
Ages and grades: 10 (4th), 8 (3rd), 6 (1st),
4 (K)
Current curricula: own, following Kolbe and using ideas from
The Well-Trained Mind, and L. Berquist's DYOCC, and Hirsch's
What Your x Needs to Know
Previous curricula:
no
Homeschooling since
1995 Charter school?
no
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
Piano, basketball (CYO at St. Mary's) (I coach a girls' team --
probably 4th or 2nd grade next year), gardening,
cross country running (also at St. Mary's), camping, cooking
RECOMMENDS: Saxon
Math II, III and 54. I've
used Miquon - too abstract for my kids.
Holt - too "boring."
Saxon is interesting and incorporates much drill on facts. I've just started with Saxon Phonics II for repeat work with
my daughter (3rd) and new work with Katie (1st). It is costly but the review, worksheets are
great. Other curricula: Voyages in English as grammar 1st
- 4th so far; MCP Science as a text 1st -
4th: this is a nice framework on which to build; Faith and Life series for Religion;
history: Greenleaf Press series for my older
kids - I've started history with The Child's History of the World
(Hillyer) to give a framework, then we've gone into detail with Greenleaf
and other books; Spelling Power
for 3rd grade and on; 100
Greek and Latin Roots; Children's
Art Masterpieces (Mommy It's a Renoir Series). Calculadders are good as math practice.
WARNS AGAINST: Miquon
didn't work with my kids, nor did Holt math. I'm also using the new '99 Voyages as opposed
to Kolbe's earlier '62 version. '99
seems better organized, albeit more costly. We used MCP (Plaid) Phonics which worked with
one child; however, another child
did well on the work but didn't have a clue about how words are put together!
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Concord,
CA Ages and grades: 6(1st),
5 (K), 4, 2, Expecting 5/00
Current curricula: Mother of Divine Grace
Previous curricula:
no
Homeschooling since
1999 Charter school?
no
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Rio
Vista, CA Ages and grades: 13 (7th),
9 (3rd), 6 (K/1st)
Current curricula: Own - based on Mother of
Divine Grace K, 3rd, and 7th.
Previous curricula:
no
Homeschooling since
1996 Charter school?
no
RECOMMENDS: Beautiful
Feet's Literature Based History with books such as Our Pioneers and
Patriots & The Old World and America instead of their recommended
America's Providential History (too Protestant) as the history
reference. Mother of Divine Grace's
history outline is similar.
WARNS AGAINST: Learning
Language Arts Through Literature's Blue Book (1st Grade) was
full of holes and gaps (not a good thing in reading instruction).
I have been told their new edition takes care of them, at over
$100 for the kit (I haven't seen it), but I would warn against buying
it used.
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Antioch,
CA Ages and grades: 6 (1st),
5 (K), 3
Current curricula:
Mother of Divine Grace - 1st grader
Previous curricula:
no
Homeschooling since
1998 Charter school?
no
RECOMMENDS: Language
Arts A-Z for 1st - 6th grade
WARNS AGAINST: I
didn't think the Child's Bible History which Mother of Divine Grace recommends
was worth it.
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Walnut
Creek, CA Ages and grades: 6 (1st), 4-3/4
(K), 3-1/4, 20 months
Current curricula: Saxon Phonics K and 1, Math-U-See Intro, Baltimore
Catechism (1st Communion & Book 1), The Mass Explained
to Children, Italic Handwriting, Spelling Power, Calculadder, Abeka Arith.1,
Saxon Math K, the Bible, Faith and Life 1 & 2, Various resources for
Spanish
Previous curricula:
none
Homeschooling since
1998 Charter school?
no
RECOMMENDS: Math-U-See,
Saxon Phonics, Calculadder, Italic Handwriting
WARNS
AGAINST: Saxon Math K: too much
teacher preparation. Abeka Arithmetic 1:
Has a lot of colorful pictures.
Can be too distracting for some children.
Please note: I cannot in
clear conscience recommend ABeka as the History curriculum is anti-Catholic.
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Petaluma,
CA Ages: 16 (ungraded), 14 (ungraded), 9 (ungraded)
Current curricula:
own - including Math-U-See
Previous curricula:
Writing Road to Reading
Homeschooling since
1988 Charter school?
no
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
Civil War Re-enacting, The Offbeat Homeschooler Newsletter, FACE
Family Association of the Catholic East
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Walnut
Creek, CA Ages and grades: 8 (3rd),
7 (1st), 5 (K), 4 (Pre-K), 2, 1
Current curricula: Mother of Divine Grace
Previous curricula:
none
Homeschooling since
1995 Charter school?
no
RECOMMENDS: Designing
Your Own Classical Curriculum and The Harp and Laurel Wreath
(poetry) by Laura Berquist, Managers
of Their Homes (scheduling), Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy
Lessons, Calculadders (math drill),
Beck Family Musical
Series (audiotapes & spiral bound music for grades
1-8), Emma Serl's Primary Language Lessons and Intermediate
Language Lessons, Catholic Classical Education (CCE) homeschooling
email list, Marisa Lapish's Straight Talk for speech therapy done
in a homeschool setting.
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Dublin,
CA Ages: 18, 16, 13, 11, 6, 4
Current curricula: My own, predominantly a mix of Seton, a lot
of Abeka Science and history (lower 4 grades), Saxon Math, Math-U-See,
Voyages in English, Faith and Freedom readers
Previous curricula:
same
Homeschooling since
1986 Charter school? yes
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
Iris breeding, plant propagation, Irish Dancing, Ice Skating instruction
(non-pro), child care, French Braiding.
RECOMMENDS: Faith
and Freedom readers - if you can get them, they are out of print. The lower grades, especially 1st. Abeka Science, lower grades watch the
bias… colorful, appealing, grade appropriate, comprehensive. Also the Biology text (omit or discuss
Ch. 13), Abeka history, lower grades. Christ the King, Lord of History and Christ in the Americas
(9th, 10th history): be sure you get matching text and key.
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Walnut
Creek, CA Ages and grades: 10 (5th), 8 (3rd/4th),
6 (2nd), 5, 3, 1
Current curricula: own, but I use some Kolbe (Phonics, Voyages
in English, map skills) at every grade level
Previous curricula:
no
Homeschooling since
1997 Charter school?
Yes
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
We can help with French!
RECOMMENDS: Abeka's
Arithmetic 1,2,3, Calculadders and Alphabetters (drills), Key to
… (Geometry, Percent, etc.), Winston Grammar (can be started in 2nd/3rd
grade), Faith & Life, Our Pioneers and Patriots (History, 5th),
King of the Golden City (Reading Comprehension), Teach Your
Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (4, 5, or 6 years old)
WARNS AGAINST: Kolbe's
math material. I did not like
Miquon Math either (even though many people do).
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Clayton,
CA Ages and grades: 27, 25, 21, 15 (10th)
(not h.s.), 14 (8th) (not h.s.), 11 (5th)
Current curricula: Seton, 5th grade
Previous curricula:
no, just Seton
Homeschooling since
1994 Charter school?
no
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
Chickens! We have 5 hens,
different varieties, that lay eggs for us.
We get 3 brown eggs, 1 white, and 2 a bluish-green color. We sell them for $1.50 a dozen. Also, my husband and I teach NFP (sympto-thermal
method) for the Couple to Couple League, and I'm still helping with the
religious ed at our parish.
RECOMMENDS: I
highly recommend the Saxon Math; it's
great for the independent student. I
think it has great instructions. I
also like Spelling for Young Catholics. There are different saints with each lesson.
Also, some
thoughts on SETON: Seton
seems overwhelming at first, and you may continue to find it overwhelming,
but it does have a well thought out, structured program that may be one to consider when you're just starting homeschooling.
You have to have the time to read through all the material before
you get started. It helps to know where you're going before
you get started. There are many
tests provided with each subject. And,
they provide a standardized test after the 3rd quarter. There is a lot of paperwork for the parents…
grading entered on forms that are to be mailed in with the student's samples
of work and tests.
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Vallejo,
CA Ages and grades: 7 (1st)
Current curricula: Kolbe 1st grade
(modified)
Previous curricula:
Kolbe K (modified)
Homeschooling since
1998 Charter school?
no
HOBBIES/INTERESTS: myself: St. Dominic's Church Choir
- 11AM Mass, my daughter: ballet,
art, singing, drama
RECOMMENDS: Writing
Road to Reading (K - 8) - language arts program, McGuffey's Readers
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Livermore,
CA Ages and grades: 15 (8th),
12 (6th)
Current curricula: Our Lady of Victory
Previous curricula:
none
Homeschooling since
1988 Charter school?
no
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
Our son bowls on a league and our daughter is in Irish dancing. My husband has an audiotape business (The Catholic
Corner) through which he sells tapes and he is available to tape workshops,
lectures, etc.
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Brentwood,
CA Ages and grades: 12 (7th),
10 (5th), 4
Current curricula:
Mother of Divine Grace, grades 7 & 5
Previous curricula:
Seton (grades 2,3,4,5,6), Kolbe (grades 3,5)
Homeschooling since
1996 Charter school?
no
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
sewing, model cars, knitting, quilting (haven't done any since
homeschool), crafts, hunting, fishing, water skiing.
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Benicia,
CA Ages and grades: 11 (6th),
9 (not h.s.)
Current curricula:
Kolbe 6th grade
Previous curricula:
none
Homeschooling since
1999 Charter school?
no
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
Band.
WARNS AGAINST: Greek and Latin are tough
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Concord,
CA Ages and grades: 15 (9th),
10 (5th), 2
Current curricula:
Mother of Divine Grace
Previous curricula: Kolbe (grades 3,6), Konos vol 1, Sing, Spell,
Read & Write (learning to read)
Homeschooling since
1993 Charter school?
no
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
Irish dancing, sewing, Spanish, gardening, camping, computer programming,
swimming.
RECOMMENDS: The
teacher assistant program at MODG has been very helpful to us for our
high school student. Our daughter
reports once a month and sends in her work once a month to her teacher
assistant. The work she sends
in is discussed, corrected and graded by the teacher assistant, then returned.
WARNS AGAINST: With
Sing Spell Read and Write the actual learning to read portion was very
successful for us, but we had to make the transition to another program
at the 3rd grade level as I was unhappy with the materials
and how it taught the phonograms. In
SSRW the student has to memorize lists of words, instead of clear rules. The rules they use are not as thorough or clear
as Writing Road to Reading.
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Pleasanton,
CA Ages and grades: 18 (graduated), 16 (10th), 14
(8th), 11 (6th), 9 (3rd), 6 (K), 2
Current curricula: own
Previous curricula:
Seton (grades 1,3), Kolbe (grade 9)
Homeschooling since
1987 (with a 2-yr gap 88-90) Charter school? Yes
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
16 year old is a violinist and plays in 2nd violin section
in Livermore-Amador Symphony Orchestra.
16, 14 and 11 year olds have played soccer for many years and also
have a neighborhood "odd jobs" service.
14, 11, and 9 year olds are in the Boy/Cub Scouts.
RECOMMENDS: Teach
Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, Excellence in Writing program
by Andrew Pudewa (blue binder and Writing Intensive Seminar) - can be
used in all grades, Math-U-See and Saxon Math (used both depending on
needs of
child), Artes Latinae - Latin program for upper middle
grades or high school, Total Language Plus - student study guides and
language arts to accompany a novel (Christian perspective) (various grades),
"Uncle Eric" books by Richard Maybury from
Bluestocking Press for high school economics, Father
John Laux's Religion series for high school.
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Livermore,
CA Ages and grades: 16-1/2 (10th),
4 (7th)
Current curricula:
Our Lady of the Rosary, Seton
Previous curricula:
none
Homeschooling since
1994 Charter school?
no
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
Organizing teen activities for homeschoolers
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Concord,
CA Ages and grades: 6 (1st),
4 (Pre-K), 2, newborn
Current curricula:
Mother of Divine Grace
Previous curricula:
Our Lady of the Rosary (pre-K), and Seton (K)
Homeschooling since 1998 Charter school? no
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
Would like to form a small group for a younger children's choir.
RECOMMENDS: 100
Easy Lessons, while not "flashy" like other phonics programs,
is working very well. Sing, Spell,
Read & Write Pre-K is a fun, easy way to learn with younger children.
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Concord,
CA Ages and grades: 9-1/2 (4th),
7 (1st/2nd), 4, 3 mos
Current curricula:
own, we use a variety & follow Laura Berquist's suggestions
Previous curricula:
none
Homeschooling since
1995 Charter school?
yes
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
My husband and I are E.S. (Education Specialists) for a charter
school.
RECOMMENDS: Daily
Grams (3rd and up), Abeka Math (Primary), Saxon (intermediate
& up), Writing Strands, Emma Serl's Primary and Intermediate Language
Lessons, Spelling Power (intermediate and up).
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El
Cerrito Ages and grades: 12 (6th),
9 (4th), Two 7 (2nd)'s, 6 (K)
Current curricula:
own
Previous curricula:
none
Homeschooling since
1995 Charter school?
Yes
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
Singing and voice training.
RECOMMENDS: Spelling
Power (3rd and up), Baltimore Catechism, Explode the Code workbooks
(K-5)
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Concord,
CA Ages and grades: 7 (2nd),
4 (pre-K), 1
Current curricula:
own
Previous curricula:
none
Homeschooling since
1998 Charter school?
yes
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
Gardening, quilting, Cub scouts
RECOMMENDS: For
beginning homeschooling: Ruth
Beechick's "Start Books" (K-3). For broad ideas in each grade:
Hirsch's "What Your __ Grader Needs To Know" series.
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Antioch,
CA Ages and grades: 21, 18 (11th),
16 (10th), 11 (5th), 3 (Pre-K)
Current curricula: Kolbe 10th grade, own and Kolbe
5th, own and Laura Berquist 11th
Previous curricula:
Kolbe/Berquist/own
Homeschooling since
1996 Charter school?
no
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
I have some experience drawing and painting in watercolors. My 16 year old is currently taking trumpet
lessons.
RECOMMENDS: Abeka
Science series, especially 9th grade Physical Science and 10th
grade Biology.
WARNS AGAINST: Writing
Strands: good for creative writing,
but not for the essays needed in Kolbe's curriculum. Wordly Wise, 7th grade and up:
my girls found it rather difficult and tedious.
Saxon Algebra II: poor explanations, unable to do without help
of a tutor.