We have been homeschooling our 9 children since the very beginning with a very limited budget. However, we have still been able to provide a rich broad and classically based education for them. That is why I am so happy to be sharing with you today how we homeschool our large family on a budget. You don’t need to “unschool” to be able to homeschool your children with limited funds, nor do you need to buy every top of the line recommended curriculum in every subject. It is totally possible to create a curriculum that is reusable and repeatable yet customizable in order to best serve your family AND your budget! Today I’m sharing practical steps as well as tons of sources!

Is homeschooling a large family expensive?

Homeschooling a large family can get very expensive depending on how much time you have to give. Usually the more time you can give to planning, the less money expenditure is needed. For example the costs go up when the prep time is done for you. Full enrollment in online classes per child, for example, will cost the most. An open and go curriculum is also going to be a larger expense. The more you are able to plan and schedule yourself, the more money you will save per child. The good news is, if you put a little time in now, you will actually begin to save more every year and your costs will continue to go down and not up. This will happen by creating the ability to reuse books and repeat plans, plus you will get better at knowing what works! Read below to see how I plan and my free resources to help you!

Here is a cost comparison for homeschooling options:

Online tuition and co-op classes comparisons per student:

(Cost of books NOT included)

• Classical online full enrollment: $2,500- $5,000 a year (Courses usually range from $500-$700 each with the average being 4-6 courses enrolled a year NOT including the cost of books)
• Classical online partial enrollment: $1,500- $2,500
• Bi-weekly (with paid teaching) co-op enrollment: $350- $1,400
• Weekly co-op enrollment (volunteers or parents teach): $300- $500

As you can see from the above list, for us to afford 7 full time students in full enrollment I would need to put a full time job’s salary towards it. Remember these prices do not include the books and curriculum itself.

Curriculum price comparisons per student:

• Full open and go curriculum packages: $450-$1,200
• What we pay by planning and sourcing our own curriculum: $50-$250

The open and go packages are a great option, but it is totally possible to create a solid curriculum plan that is reusable and repeatable so you don’t need to purchase individually for each student every year.

Can you homeschool on a budget even through high school?

You can absolutely homeschool on even the tightest budget! I homeschooled the early years, for almost nothing! I borrowed books, printed off math and copywork sheets, got lots of books from the library, and still kept to a scheduled curriculum plan. Teacher’s manuels are usually very comprehensive. You only need to be one lesson ahead of your students in prep. It’s not as hard as it seems! As our children moved up in grades, some more investment was needed for them to study at a deep level. We invested in curriculum that could be reused with other students. Once we have purchased a book each consecutive student costs less.

We have also been blessed to be a part of a local private co-op that meets weekly. Our high school students took their science classes through that co-op which was a very affordable option at less than $50 a month per family. Parents and students alike volunteer their time to teach the classes, so it is a collaborative model. There is also a local program that offers middle school and high school classes for homeschoolers to prepare for college. Former teachers or homeschooling parents volunteer their time to teach at a very affordable rate.

What are the best affordable curricula- within our philosophy framework?

How we homeschool our large family on a budget primarily is by using a literature-based education. A feast of stories and first person accounts is rich as well as affordable, because many of these quality books are in the public domain or easy and inexpensive to source. Our children absorb and connect with the subject through the eyes of someone else’s experience. Tales of heroes, bravery, courage, and noble character also enhances their desires to live their lives in this way.

From what I have researched and found to fit our standards and goals for our children’s educations the following curricula are our top choices. Although there are many homeschool curriculum out there, these are practically free and provide a rich base to customize to your needs. Keep in mind, the more you source things yourself the more customizable you can keep it to your own preferences, and your children’s needs. You are also able to remain flexible when you aren’t buying an entire package and spending quite a bit per student.

Ambleside Online

We have found that the most affordable and comprehensive curriculum is Ambleside online. They have freely provided so many rich online resources that are free as well as schedules, plans and book suggestions. Ambleside Online will give your children a rich and deep education. It is also a heavy load for some, but you can tailor it to your specific needs. That is the beauty of it! I use Ambleside alongside A Gentle Feast to customize our subjects to each child and year as needed.

Price: Free!! + cost of books

A Gentle Feast

A Gentle Feast has a literature based scheduled plan that includes all grades and forms, as well as just a booklist option, so the prices range from very low upwards. The books are not included so you will have to source the books yourself, but she offers links that are discounted as well as free. As a result, her curriculum can be very affordable, especially as you acquire a library of books to be reused. Because of the affordability and ease of use of this program we have used it for the last 5 years. I already have purchased all 4 cycles. Consequently, each year, homeschooling costs us less!

Price: $5- $85 for entire family package including all grades and schedules (minus cost of books)

How we homeschool our large family on a budget – the breakdown

Keep it simple

It is very easy to feel like we aren’t doing enough for our children’s education. We can easily begin to feel that more would be better. More subjects, more projects, more books! However, in my experience usually when things don’t feel right, pulling back is the best answer. Simplifying and really focusing in on what works and what brings us joy will lead to more success in our homeschool. Leaning into our primary goals for our children’s education results in better retention and more joy in our work. Instead of heaping on more and more until we are both frazzled!

Establishing our core values has been crucial for determining which subjects are the most important. We desire our children to have a biblical worldview with a purpose of serving God by serving and loving His people. This means we desire them to be students of His Word and world, good communicators, and have tools and skills they can serve and share with others. Somedays these goals help me keep perspective even when trying to get through a tough math lesson. This also helps me remember buying a new book isn’t always the answer.

Doing our own planning & scheduling

As I mentioned above, paying for an open and go curriculum is what will save you time but not money. But, it doesn’t have to take a ton of time to schedule out and plan on your own. You can check out my post here on how I plan our homeschool. l also have an entire video series on it over here, which is basically a free course. Planning and scheduling doesn’t need to take you all summer. I explain the way I streamline and combine where I can, so I don’t have to plan and individualize every subject for every child. Get my templates below to start planning your year to save time and money!

Combining subjects and grades

In my planning post I also explained how I combine grades and subjects with some of our children in detail. This saves time as well as money, as I don’t have to purchase separate curriculum for each subject per child. About 75% of our subjects are combinable. The rest are individualized and require more one on one time with me. This helps our schedule to be more manageable and also our budget.

Printing our own schedules and charts

Most curriculum schedules out lessons to be completed in a 32-36 week school year. Decide how many weeks you want to be actively schooling and divide the lessons by that number of weeks. Then reassess each quarter or week if the pace needs adjusting. I then fill in a weekly assignment page for my children that work independently (grade 4-5 and up).

Using non-consumable books for our core curriculum

Our core subjects are reusable so we can sell them if they aren’t working for us, or lend to a friend to try. This ensures I’m not locked in to continuing something that isn’t working for us.

Here are our favorites:

Math: Life of Fred

This math curriculum we have used all the way through now, and loved it. The students use a notebook to work the problems and the answer key is included in the book, as well.

Science: Apologia

We love this science series because it works well to teach to multiple ages and grades. The kids seem to grasp the concepts well and relate with the information. There is also an audiobook version available! We don’t usually purchase the separate student notebooks until middle school. Hoping they come out with a pdf version soon, as we never use every page anyway. It would be a more affordable option if they did.

History: The Story of the World

This history has resonated with my boys the most, and also has a printable pdf activity book you can purchase through their website. This makes it a much more affordable option as you can print how many you need without repurchasing.

Grammar: IEW Fix it!

We discovered this last year, and wish we had sooner. A comprehensive and fun program my boys loved. The teacher’s manual comes with a printable student notebook option. The link is inside the book you can see after you purchase it, so you don’t need to buy the student text. Plus, this makes it easy and affordable to print as needed for multiple students at once.

Humanities/ Philosophy: Omnibus

Our highs schoolers have really enjoyed studying with these texts. They are pricey, but I only need to purchase it once and we have the set for the rest of the children, which saves more over the long run

Of course the countless literature books also qualify, but I won’t list all of those here.

Borrow books and sourcing used

Another way we homeschool our family on a budget is borrowing books or finding them free or inexpensively. After I have done my planning, I begin sourcing our books needed that year that we don’t already have. I rarely have to pay full price for a book unless it is one of the reusable core books I listed above. Even then, I usually can find them used or discounted. I keep a list on my computer of each book’s source as I find it, so I know which ones I’ve purchased and which I’ll need to check out at the library when the term we’re going to use it in comes up.

Here is the list I go down from free to most expensive.

1. Local library- my library lets me keep a saved list, and I group books by grades on there.
2. Borrow from friends – it’s fun to swap with each other!
3. Librivox for free audio versions
4. Amazon Kindle books have a lot of classics in the public domain or for very little
5. Check Facebook groups for used options for sale
6. Amazon’s discounted and used books
7. Abe books
8. Ebay
9. Christianbook usually runs sales

Printing most of our own consumables

We have been printing our own worksheets from the very beginning. It really doesn’t take much time at all. We bought a cheap black and white laser printer that we use and buy refurbished toner for, so it is a more affordable option for us.

Some sources for free online printables we use often:

• Seterra: great printable geography maps & drills
• Dads Worksheets: tons of math drills, plus handwriting paper.
• Super Coloring: great realistic coloring pages for history, art, architecture etc. Easy to navigate!

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In conclusion

I hope this post has given you excitement for how you can homeschool on a budget! There are lots of great resources out there, and I hope my lists here helped narrow things down for you, so you aren’t as overwhelmed. Stick to your values and search for what you love! Homeschooling can be such a joy to experience learning alongside your children!

In His service,

The post How we homeschool our large family on a budget appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

Here are some last minute Mother’s day gift ideas for homeschooling moms that have come from my own wishlist. If you’re like me, you have an amazon wishlist so your hunny and kids know what you want. Thought I would share my own list with you today, in case you needed to give them some ideas but needed a little inspo.

Gifts to wear

14K Gold plated Sterling Silver for $15.99 (at time of posting) This has been on my wishlist for awhile.

Mama necklace

Key leather chain wristlet- etsy

Ok, these are all the rage this year and it makes me wonder why we haven’t thought of this already? Such a genius idea. A stylish way to keep track of our keys hands free as we come and go with bags and books galore. Starts at $14

(Disclaimer: some of these are affiliate purchases, which does not mean they are sponsored- I picked these out myself. It just means I make a tiny commission off of these sales with no added expense to you. This helps the work I do here. Thanks in advance for the support!)

Baby teether key wristlet Minimalist teether key chain option 2

Only $10 for this fun version if you have littles! I would probably unclip the key part before giving to the baby. I love how there is a handy toy option at your disposal in a pinch!

Teeshirt: I can do all things through Christ

A little daily reminder and encouragement to wear everyday, and looks comfy and cute. Starting at $19.

Not all classrooms have 4 walls- red tee

All homeschool mamas know teaching can happen anywhere! Love this cute color option, but there are others available as well. Starting at $16.

Gifts to help

The Peaceful Planner

Every Homeschool mom can benefit from an organized system! I love what the Peaceful Press puts out and their philosophy on education lends itself to a more restful homeschooling atmosphere. I wanted to try this planner out for next year, as it is so well laid out and has a nice minimal design. Less than $25 (at time of posting).

Collapsible tote

I need this tote! I have a black grubby one that desperately needs this replacement! How cute is this design and fresh spring colors! Starts at less than $40.

Raising little disciples tote

The purchase of this tote (starting at $24.95 and ships quick) supports another christian mama shop! Can’t even with the cute and sweet message and simplistic design. What homeschool mama doesn’t need another great tote?

Gifts to savor

Stumptown coffee

This coffee is spendy, but oh so worth it- hence why it makes a great gift! Our favorite local coffee shop, with the BEST lattes, uses this coffee. I’m obsessed with it’s smooth yet strong nutty flavor. EVERY homeschool mama deserves a cup of good organic coffee!

Half Baked Harvets’s new cookbook!

Tiegan has a new book and it’s for everyday cooks- like we homeschool mamas! I have her other cookbook and her flavor combos never disappoint. Her website is aw-inspiring and this cookbook looks to be another winner. Ships for under $20 on sale at time of posting!

A FREE BONUS GIFT FROM ME!

A little daily reminder you can hang anywhere. Print for yourself, a friend, or send them over to print themselves!

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Thanks for stopping by my little corner today!

The post Mother’s day gift ideas for homeschooling moms appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

I think the real question most folks are wondering about how I plan a homeschool year is how I teach all those grades times x number of subjects?! Well, the answer is, I don’t teach that many subjects! I use a straightforward and simple method of subject combining and grade grouping!

First things first

Our educational philosophy

Feel free to hit that button above and jump straight to the planning our homeschool year section if you like, but I do think it would be helpful to give you some background and foundation for WHY we homeschool the way we do and the philosophy behind it. I think before we try to follow WHAT anyone is doing, it is equally important that we know the WHY for our own selves first. Here area few questions to consider as you navigate forming your own philosophy before you move on to read ours.

A few questions to answer when you plan a homeschool year:

• Your reason for homeschooling?
• Goals you have for your children’s education?
• Tools and skills you would you like your children to have when they are finished with their formal education?
• Your mission in raising your children?
• What is your family rhythm? (Late nighters? Early risers?)
• Your teaching style
• Your children’s learning style

We don’t fit into any one educational philosophy perfectly. Although I have been inspired and influenced by many different educational philosophies, we are primarily classically based with a Charlotte Mason approach. Which essentially means we have a living book, literature based education but also aim to teach the 4 pillars of educational taught according to the Trivium.

The Charlotte Mason philosophy of education is a way of spreading the feast of great ideas, people and places before the children so they can form connections and relationships with these ideas, people and places. This philosophy also involves narration, a retelling, of what they’ve read which enables them to absorb and process those ideas and concepts and helps facilitate their ability to write those thoughts down later.

Favorite books on Educational Philosophies

Here are some of my favorite books on varying Educational Philosophies if you want to dig deeper. This list is not meant to be comprehensive, rather these are the sources we have used over and over again and found to be the most helpful.

• Charlotte Mason’s entire works
• Teaching the Trivium by the Harvey and Laurie Bluedorn
• Educating the Whole hearted Child by Clary and Sally Clarkson
• The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer
• For The Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay

Other Resources on these Educational Philosophies

• Simply Charlotte Mason
• Veritas Press
• Classical Academic Press
• The Well Trained Mind
• Ambleside Online Curriculum
• A Gentle Feast Curriculum

Methodology

Our primary goal is to help shape biblically based critical thinkers and Christ followers, for that reason, we don’t just want them to memorize rote facts and dry information. We seek to aid them in becoming excellent communicators. This will equip them to bring value to the world and engage with the thoughts and people around them.

Also, we desire to give them the tools to apply these ideas and knowledge, in this way knowledge applied becomes wisdom. This is where teaching the subjects such as math, phonics, grammar, logic, writing and the like come in. It is important to us that we give them useful tools that they can use to engage with the ideas they come across and the culture around them. We don’t want to “fill” their minds, on the contrary we want them to learn to interact with these ideas through the biblical lense of scripture.

Steps for how to plan a homeschool year

Now we’ll get into the nitty gritty good stuff you’ve probably come here for!

When:

Late Spring is my preferred time of year to do my planning. The year is drawing to a close and the load lightens as we’re finishing up books. At this time of year I have a bit of breathing room in my schedule but not so much that I get carried away. I find that it is easy to think we can do EVERYTHING next year! If I let the planning happen over the whole summer I have a tendency to be too idealistic and UNrealistic. The end of the year is also a great time to still have the previous year’s books and curriculum fresh in my mind and gives me time to order or sign up for classes in the fall.

What

1.) Year End Audit

Click here to get your free printable templates!

At the end of the year is the perfect time to sit down with each child and ask them what worked and what didn’t. I do this with a printable we call an “Year End Audit”. I go through it with my grade school kids and let my older ones fill it in on their own before discussing it with me. We go subject by subject and talk about the wins of the year, and reflect on all they’ve learned and accomplished. This is a wonderful time to encourage my child and gives me more insight as I plan the upcoming year!

2.) Review my Scope and Sequence

Next I look over my scope and sequence to see what is on the trajectory for each child in each subject. I also check what history year we’ll be studying together. This gives me a general idea and starting point that I can then adjust as needed. I don’t put my children into grade “boxes” because they, honestly, just don’t fit in them perfectly across all subjects! The beauty of homeschooling, though, is in it’s flexibility. Each year, I reassess and adjust as needed. Having a plan in place makes this much less overwhelming and more strategic.

Free templates here

How:

Forms explained

Now here’s where the grouping and combining comes in so well! I group grades by what Charlotte Mason calls forms, and in the classical model they are the 4 pillars of education. Basically, there are 4 groups with 3 grades in each.

Looks like this..

I have found this combination to be very effective in knowing which grades/ ages of children to group together. For example, if a child is reading at a 3rd grade level, but otherwise would be at a 5th grade level , I would put him in Form 2. This way we can catch him up on his reading skills, while he listens in on readings with the older sibling. This ends up being very helpful to minimize my load as a teacher while also benefiting the child.

Conversely, if a child’s comprehension and ability is beyond what his “grade” would dictate, I can give him the higher level readings in his form for more challenge. Or, I can easily bump him up with an older sibling without changing EVERYTHING in his curriculum.

I find this method of grouping simplifies the logistics of combining subjects. It also is adaptable to each child’s capabilities.

(Ambleside Online also has curriculum setup by groups that is a similar concept here.)

Choosing a Curriculum when planning a homeschool year

I primarily use A Gentle Feast Curriculum to source my books. This is a literature based curriculum. She has a schedule you can purchase alongside a lovely booklist. I have used her full curriculum in years past, however I just use the booklists now. If a book she has listed won’t be a great fit for a particular child, I will then check Ambleside Online. We have found AO to be a bit TOO heavy by grade for some of my kids and A Gentle Feast can be too light. Most of mine have fallen somewhere in the middle, for this reason I plan per year for each child.

Subjects I combine

These subjects lend themselves well to group grades together in.

• History
• Science
• Literature
• Geography
• Social Studies
• Foreign language
• Most any book that can be read aloud or to themselves
• (More in the upper grades- i.e. logic, economics etc)

I begin in Form 1, because it’s the easiest, and just start filling in a spreadsheet with the books we’ll be doing that form per subject. Then I move on to Form 2 etc. I fill in all the subjects that I combine first and then move on to the individualized subjects.

A NOTE ON HISTORY ROTATION:

We follow a history rotation cycle, essentially each student cycles through a time period at least 2 times during their education. I combine ALL forms under the same time period, as best as I can. Each form will have a corresponding Ancient time period they will study coorespondingly, but everyone else is in the same period.

This makes for lovely connections and conversations among the children through the year. They are reading different books and at differing levels, but get to make connections about who, what and where they’re reading about. This means no matter where a child comes in as he’s beginning his formal education, I can rest assured we will circle around enough he’ll be able to learn more later. I find this takes the pressure off me worrying too much about cramming everything in the first forms, knowing they will be able to go more in depth in later years.

History Cycle Example

Here is an example of how the cycle could look depending upon where the student begins. As you can see below whichever year they come in at, they will get to cycle through again later!

Subjects I don’t usually combine when I plan a homeschool year

• Phonics
• Reading comprehension/ practice
• Writing/ copywork/ penmanship
• Grammar
• Math
• Vocabulary+ Spelling

Here is where the assessment I’ve done ealier comes in handy. I can reevaluate what each child needs specifically AFTER I have put in all the other subjects. I start a new form and fill in per child one at a time here. This makes it fairly simple to be able to get my planning for the year done and still be able to customize what’s needed for particular children.

So that’s the basic overview on how I plan a homeschool year as a large family! I will get more into the details of what we do in particular forms and grades in future posts, so be sure to subscribe to stay updated on that!

Thanks for joining me here today! I hope this post was helpful! Be sure to leave any questions you have for me in the comments below or ideas for future content!

Thanks so much for staying to learn more about how we plan a homeschool year as a large family!

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