Throughout our discussions, it's my hope that you'll see many different approaches to each question and opportunity in home schooling. From what you read in the text, find on the Web, and read on the Discussion Board you should have lots of good ideas and a place to start building your own learning center for your children.

You'll also find many places to buy curriculum. You may prefer it new, or find it less expensively used. Some educational bookstores take in used curriculum on consignment. I like E-Bay for shopping for used curriculum (E-Bay Online Auctions),
but there are many other online sites that specialize in this area as well. If you find a home schooling community in your area, you'll also find a wealth of used curriculum is probably available. If there isn't an annual book sale for home schoolers, start one!

One site that I really like for shopping is Homeschooling from the Heart. Not only do they have a well thought out selection, but the prices are reasonable and for each product there is a personal recommendation and explanation on why they've chosen to include it. A printed catalog is available, or you can visit their Web site at:

An Eclectic Example

I've included an example in MS Word of how we put together a number of different curricula to build an eclectic learning environment for my son. He's 10 this year and working between 4th and 5th grade material. You'll find this to be a real mish-mash of material, but we find that works well for us. It might not work at all for another child or family, but it may give you an idea or two to consider.

One thing I've found is that 180 days worth of material is more than we'll cover in a year. We may do lessons that many days, but not that many of one topic. So, I've taken some curriculum and spread two years of it out over three calendar years. (Yes, it's okay :) There are lots of ways to put it all together!

Summary

This will conclude Lesson 4. I hope you've enjoyed this lesson and new ideas that you've considered.

In review, you should be comfortable with the following:

• Home School curriculum can be customized to each individual child
• Course work can take many forms and does not need to be a traditional curriculum
• Observing and enjoying your children at home will guide you in finding the right approach for each child
• Curriculum can vary in its cost. Used books and free ideas can help reduce your costs.