Using a Textbook for a Spine

I've been thinking and praying about the direction of our homeschool. There are so many wonderful curriculums out there that use living books. Unfortunately, I can't afford them much of the time. I have to pick and choose carefully, use the library as much as possible, and make sure of what I purchase. I've made the classic errors of buying stuff I don't like, that doesn't work for us, or that seems complicated. And, truthfully, one of the big problems of buying a pre-packaged curriculum is that some of it I just don't like much. Then, I feel stuck with it. Yeah, there is less planning on my part, but that doesn't help when I get to stuff I don't like or that I feel is moving to slow or too fast for us and I have to replan anyway.

So, I began to think and pray about what I can do about this. Obviously, I have to have something to base our studies on. That means a list of topics per subject or a textbook. Now, I don't want to use textbooks alone, but as a guide or a reference. I want to be able to save my money for certain books that I want to add to our library or that are not going to be found at our public library. Christian stories and certain science and history books come to mind as things that I'm going to have to buy. I'd rather spend my money on them, even used copies from ebay, than on workbooks that are just going to be tossed and not foster a love of learning.

This has become an issue in Laura's science and history already. Heart of Dakota uses living books, which is great. However, both Laura and I are bored by much of it. This is especially true for science. I find myself supplementing with library books. (And finding suitable library books for dinosaurs without total evolution emphasis is difficult.) I bought a book last night to supplement.

I have an image in my head on what I want to do and how. It's taken me awhile, and a LOT of trial and error. Of course, this won't work forever. As Laura gets older and moves into more complicated subjects I will have to have more help. For now, I am going to use what I have and supplement. Next year I'm going to have to come up with a new plan of action.

As much as I would love to spend a thousand dollars on a history and science curriculum filled with amazing living books, I just can't afford that right now. I have to pick the living books I want to read carefully from what the libraries do have. I have to be selective on the Christian literature I buy so that I can build a good library without going overboard.

It's a work in progress for me, and I'm content with that. I'm still learning and praying.