Is purchasing the A Beka Student kit a must if I have the Parent Kit?

Lauren - posted on 08/01/2011

Thanks Anna for all of your wonderful information!

After prayerful consideration, I decided to just go ahead and order Sonlight K curriculum package. I liked that everything was there for me and we weren't having to chase anything down, library books included. I know that may seem lazy to some, but I did not want our first year of homeschooling to overwhelm either one of us. I wanted us to be able to enjoy the learning/teaching experience.

My son is a doer/talker, so I knew that A Beka might be a little too rigid for him. He was on A Beka the last two years at preschool and did well, but he did get distracted easily and didn't like "busy"work as much as hands on projects and games.

I'm working diligently to finish our workbox system, to hopefully instill some order to our daily routines and to help him have an idea of what he's accomplishing every day.

Praying that our year starts out great and that we will make great progress this year. Hope your family does great this year as well!

Anna - posted on 07/19/2011

Hi Lauren,

I have used A Beka materials for years and it was even used in the school I went to.

First, I would like to say that it is geared to keep a child busy for most of eight hours a day in a school setting.
Try to be careful not to be a slave to a textbook. You know your children better than anyone else. I would _highly_ recommend reading the book The Way They Learn by Cynthia Tobias about several different learning styles/modes/environments...also keep in mind how you like to teach (your style). Children learn better in a relaxed environment...early on I felt very pressure to finish each textbook...when the schools don't even do that:)

I pick and choose from A Beka. This is what I do...

To start out in preschool:
I just kind of get something sort of like what you'd find at walmart for pre-reading skills/shapes, etc.

For K-2:
This is what I like for reading:
For introducing letters and reading blends, I have never seen anything better than A Beka's K4 "Little Books to Read and Color". (You may be able to find them used in a yahoo group...there's one for just used A Beka. They are technically 'consumable' booklets...) They are so sequential and easy. Vowels first, a blend with a consonant and a vowel with a picture illustrating a word with the blend...then a word... After two times through, having every letter in the alphabet, it builds a lot of confidence. I do use the other K4 readers. Bob Books are great after that. I don't bother with most of the K5 readers...the beginning 1st gr. readers pick up just fine...going slow if you need to.. Handbook for Reading is super important!

I do like the A Beka workbooks for some K. I like the arithmetic... (walmart has beginner stuff for this, too...though I admit I like the logical progression A Beka has...) but there are cool cheerios books to supplement math as well if you think you might have a hands on learner. I get the A Beka K5 phonics workbook and go at a very relaxed pace, using it a little bit for pre K and through to part of 1st gr. with it. I skip to the 2nd gr. workbook after that. I feel its too much review and seatwork made for school setting to do 1st gr. workbook, half of its review of K and the other half is learned in 2nd. I use the manuscript K4 penmanship in K because I feel the K5 is too much pressure. I feel K5 penmanship is about right for 1st. I wait on language until 2nd grade. I have tons of books they can pick up and read at home. I also do try to work my way through the 1st grade readers...they make such a good foundation.

We just read great books for other stuff...there are several curriculum that have book lists....ambleside online (Charlotte Mason type- for free) or Sonlight might still list which ones are avail. at libraries...

What I did is use the CLP (Christian Liberty Press) K social studies book as a frame work for pre-K through 1st and added to it on my own with children's books about colonial times...Jean Fritz is a great author for history...stretching this living book type thing out until I got BJU after 2nd grade.

And the CLP K science is really neat as well. Relates things to the seven days of creation. I added books about bugs, forest animals, fish, etc. [I did get the old BJU (Bob Jones University) science 1 and 2 for them after that...I have the A Beka at all these levels and am super loyal to A Beka for their phonics and some other things...I just prefer BJU for some stuff.]

I like them to pick up books for themselves. I think they absorb things better if they are interested in it. There's a whole world of info in children's book to enjoy with them! :D

Anna

Sandie - posted on 06/07/2011

Congratulations on choosing Homeschooling! I have also taken the jump but homeschooled my older children before so alll is not foreign. After prior experience and looking at the various programs, we have decided on the A Beka program. My daughter will be 2nd grade. As to your question - YES. You will need the student kit. Much of A Beka is by workbooks and your child will need those. There are parts of the parent kit that I don't think are necessary (some of the many curriculums). Get online with A Beka and go to one of the actual book sales in your area and talk with the rep. The rep for my area uses the materials for his own children. Attend the upcoming New To Homeschooling video series. In your first year, follow the curriculums and then break away and you can do your own things. But pay the extra money and get the student kit to get started right.