101 Top Picks makes it easy for home educators to select the right curriculum for each family situation and each child's learning style. Widely-recognized curriculum expert Cathy Duffy walks you through the curriculum selection process: goal setting, figuring out which educational approach to use, developing your own philosophy of education, determining your teaching style, and identifying your children's learning styles. "At-a-glance" charts highlight key features of each Top Pick selection. Scanning through the charts allows you to quickly identify products likely to be of interest. The charts are followed by extensive reviews of each of Cathy's Top Picks. This is an updated and heavily revised edition of 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum (2005).
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Review
Cathy Duffy's 101 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum is right at the top of my list of favorite books for new homeschoolers. --Gena, homeschoolpassion.com
About the Author
Cathy Duffy is well known as a curriculum expert. She has researched and written about curricula for home education for more than 25 years. In addition to her book, Cathy publishes her reviews online at CathyDuffyReviews.com. Cathy home educated her own three sons through high school and has also taught numerous groups of both children and adults. Her extensive research and experience have made Cathy a popular speaker at home education conferences around the world.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By Emily Adams
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I am reviewing this from the position of a mom who is just starting to homeschool, so I'm evaluating it on its own, not in comparison to its predecessor.
The first section is, in my opinion, probably the most important part of the book. Multiple worksheets help you set your educational goals, discover your educational philosophy and determine your teaching style and your child's learning style. I have spent most of my life studying or working in Christian education, but I still found this section very helpful. I made copies so my husband and I could fill the sheets out on our own and compare notes. This was great to help us make sure we were on the same page. Since he won't be able to do alot of the day-to-day schooling process, having him feel confident and involved in the curriculum process was very important to us.
The section on learning/teaching styles is awesome. I had been very familiar with certain curriculums. I quickly discovered that those curriculums would not be the best choices for my son's learning styles.
The 101 picks chart rates all 101 picks by learning style, educational philosophy, religious (or secular) leaning, amt of writing, teacher prep, whether it can used for multiple grades,etc. which is extremely helpful with in-depth reviews following. She reviews, secular, Protestant, and Catholic curriculum although Protestant resources get the most attention.
Again my husband, marked things he was interested in, and then we compared notes. I also accessed her website for additional reviews. I can already tell, I will probably be using this resource every year (my oldest is just starting K/1st grade) as my boys' needs change. Even if you choose an all-in-one program and stick with it, this is still a great guide for supplemental resources.
I was confident about homeschooling before I got this book, but I feel more confident that armed with the information from it, I will be able choose what will work best specifically for my kids and our family (and after all, isn't that the essence of what homeschooling is versus the one-size-fits all education system?).
So would I recommend it? Absolutely! Would I buy it again? Yes!
If you want additional reviews of your favorite curriculums from families who have actually used them you can search for reviews on the internet.
To summarize, this is a really awesome tool which, in my opinion, no homeschool toolbox should be without.
The first section is, in my opinion, probably the most important part of the book. Multiple worksheets help you set your educational goals, discover your educational philosophy and determine your teaching style and your child's learning style. I have spent most of my life studying or working in Christian education, but I still found this section very helpful. I made copies so my husband and I could fill the sheets out on our own and compare notes. This was great to help us make sure we were on the same page. Since he won't be able to do alot of the day-to-day schooling process, having him feel confident and involved in the curriculum process was very important to us.
The section on learning/teaching styles is awesome. I had been very familiar with certain curriculums. I quickly discovered that those curriculums would not be the best choices for my son's learning styles.
The 101 picks chart rates all 101 picks by learning style, educational philosophy, religious (or secular) leaning, amt of writing, teacher prep, whether it can used for multiple grades,etc. which is extremely helpful with in-depth reviews following. She reviews, secular, Protestant, and Catholic curriculum although Protestant resources get the most attention.
Again my husband, marked things he was interested in, and then we compared notes. I also accessed her website for additional reviews. I can already tell, I will probably be using this resource every year (my oldest is just starting K/1st grade) as my boys' needs change. Even if you choose an all-in-one program and stick with it, this is still a great guide for supplemental resources.
I was confident about homeschooling before I got this book, but I feel more confident that armed with the information from it, I will be able choose what will work best specifically for my kids and our family (and after all, isn't that the essence of what homeschooling is versus the one-size-fits all education system?).
So would I recommend it? Absolutely! Would I buy it again? Yes!
If you want additional reviews of your favorite curriculums from families who have actually used them you can search for reviews on the internet.
To summarize, this is a really awesome tool which, in my opinion, no homeschool toolbox should be without.
14 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By Marcee
Format:Paperback
If you have the first edition of this book, don't waste your money on this one. It does have some updates in curriculum choices, but not enough to warrant the cost. You are better off reading reviews online or joining forums like The Well Trained Mind to find out if certain choices would fit your child.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a great resource for homeschoolers to have! Cathy Duffy gives you clear explanations of curriculum making it easy to make the right choice for your child.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Read this before buying curriculum!
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone considering homeschooling prior to purchasing ANY curriculum. It is a very good tool to select just the right fit for your family.
Published 11 days ago by C. Bourland
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pound Wise...
This was worth the money just to know what to look for. Imagine buying a program and finding out 2 months into it that it's just not working well for you or your kid. Read more
Published 16 days ago by a0188279
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love, love, love this book!
I borrowed the older, 100 Top Picks, from my local library to see if there was anything I could use before purchasing this book. Read more
Published 1 month ago by M. Catoe
5.0 out of 5 stars
very informative
This book has been instrumental at changing how I look for homeschool materials. As a new homeschooler (just finishing our first year) I was so insecure before this book that I... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Melissa S. Lawrence
5.0 out of 5 stars
So helpful!
My friend recommended this book when I was thinking about homeschooling. I absolutely LOVE it! It helped me learn what my kids' learning style is and what curriculum would best... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Heather
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very helpful for someone new to homeschooling
This is a great resource to help new homeschooling parents move from overwhelmed to confident. It pretty much assumes that you've already chosen to homeschool and jumps right in to... Read more
Published 1 month ago by A.W.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Oh my!
If only I had bought this guide sooner. I love her system that helps you decide your goals, each child's learning style, your own learning style. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Stephanie R. Fulton
5.0 out of 5 stars
Help for New Homeschoolers
We will begin home-schooling for the first time next fall with an 8th grader, 5th grader and 2nd grader. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Amanda M. Hopper
5.0 out of 5 stars
So helpful!
I am so glad someone recommended this book, I would be lost without it. I was so overwhelmed with information when I decided that I wanted to homeschool my children. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mom of 2
5.0 out of 5 stars
FAAAAAVORITE homeschooling book of all!
We're in the middle of our first year of homeschooling and I've still be going back to this book for references! I LOVE this book! Read more
Published 4 months ago by Jenni
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Listmania!
So You'd Like to...
|
|
