The thing is, the schools have failed our children for years. Even back when I was in school, things were beginning to change. Grammar and spelling were falling out of favor, and the books we were handed to read...awful. In fact, it was one of those books that inspired me to be a writer, because I knew, even at the tender age of seventeen, that I could write a better book than what I was being forced to read.
But now, reading isn't even much of a priority in school; when our boys were still going, I don't recall a single book being assigned to read at home. And the books they read at school...awful. At least the ones we had gave a pretense of quality, being 'award-winning' books. Apparently, 'Most Boring Book in Canadian History' was a popular category. But now, they get puerile, mindless pap, the equivalent of feeding them McDonalds every day instead of offering them a nutritious meal. Brain candy, that's all it is. And unfortunately, our kids get addicted to it, and never get the good stuff. They don't even read The Hobbit anymore. How can we condemn our boys to a life where they have never read Tolkien, Burroughs, or even the Oz series of books? Instead, they get Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Harry Potter and the Angst Academy, or other books that just don't measure up. I mean, those books are called 'classics' for a reason. But we've got a whole generation that hasn't even heard of them. It's a crime against our youth.
Now, there's more to a decent education than that, of course. Math, grammar, science, history...and, of course, for my fellow Catholics, religion. My friend is an atheist, so I skipped that last part, but I gave him some recommendations. For those who are considering homeschooling your own kids, consider these as viable options to the curricula being offered by school boards.
Math: Saxon Math series. For the younger grades (K-2), they focus on using manipulatives, while developing basic math skills. The higher grades get a thorough grounding in arithmetic and algebra. They'll even learn long division, something the schools have completely abandoned.
Grammar: Shurley Grammar. An eight-grade series that teaches kids how to diagram and analyze a sentence so they actually know what they're saying, and how to say it better. They also learn composition, vocabulary, and other important writing skills. Highly recommended.
History: The Story of the World series is top-notch for younger grades. Reading historical fiction is also great for kids, although I'd stick to older writers like G.A. Henty for that. Today's history books are somewhat slanted, to say the least.
Reading: Get your kids away from the electronics and into books. Classic children's literature, not the garbage they spew out today. Sure, it's better than nothing, but they can do much better. And they deserve better, too. Younger kids will love Andrew Lang's Colored Fairy Books (12 of them) and Arabian Nights. They'll also like Lang's Book of Romance (no, not the Harlequin type), about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Older kids can read the aforementioned Henty, as well as Tolkien, Lewis, H. Rider Haggard, and of course, Edgar Rice Burroughs. Don't tell me a ten- to thirteen-year-old isn't going to be excited about John Carter bouncing all over Mars, or Tarzan swinging through the trees. Girls will love the Little House books and Louisa May Alcott's books.
Religion: Well, I'm Catholic, so I'll have to go with Catholic options; I don't look for non-Catholic programs. Obviously, reading the Bible is essential; there are reading plans all over the place for homeschoolers, or just for yourself. I also recommend the Baltimore Catechism series for kids; it's easy to understand (much easier than the scholarly Catechism we've had since 1992), is set out in straight-forward question-and-answer format, and it's thorough enough to ensure kids know the essentials of the faith. For a good, affordable Bible Study, I recommend the Agape Bible Study website, which is free of charge and has a few dozen Bible study programs covering big or small sections, depending on your needs.
The nice thing about homeschooling is that it's completely open; there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of options. There are countless websites with ideas, and free downloads to get a taste of what's available. Unit studies on all kinds of subjects, entire courses, or just bits and pieces you can put together. Remember, every child is different, which means every homeschooling plan will be different. Do what works for you and, especially, your child.
And, if you want to introduce them to fantastic adventure, you could do worse than to offer them Arrival, the first book of the Chronicles of Meterra series, available on Amazon right now.
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