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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Trail Guide to Learning: Paths of Exploration pre-review

We received our huge box of books from Geography Matters company last week with the complete year of Paths of Exploration curriculum. It was like Christmas around here! Books were divided into stacks and each stack was wrapped with tissue paper. That made it even more fun to open!



The entire box contains Jake's curriculum for next year except for math and a few add-on subjects/activities I'll be including. If you are unfamiliar with Trail Guide to Learning Paths series, they are a complete curriculum package (minus Math) that centers around U.S. History. All topics learned tie into the overarching theme of Exploration. So, his science, art, nature study, English, and, yes, history, will focus on exploration as part of U.S. History.



We plan to start using this curriculum in the Fall, however, I wanted to get my hands on it so I can peruse and begin planning now. Much to my surprise, though, the curriculum is already well laid out and organized into daily chunks. They've even thought of a built-in "catch up day" each week! So, my planning time has already been cut down considerably! LOVE THAT!

I chose this curriculum for Jake because of his style of learning and for his unique needs that have presented themselves as hindrances in typical learning environments. This curriculum is VERY hands-on and compliments the "learn by doing" style that Jake really needs.

We've never used a "boxed" curriculum but I hesitate to call Paths of Exploration that because, in reading over the teacher's guide, it is extremely flexible, it seems, in letting me add or subtract in whatever way I deem fit. One of the first sentences in the teacher's guide stuck with me and seems to be the "motto" for this company's curriculum. The preface says, "...this curriculum is your servant not your master." Wow! Why hadn't I heard that before?? So, did the whole thing come in a box?? Well, yes. Did someone spend countless hours pulling together this curriculum to cohesively blend and flow? Yes and for the first time, the pressure for me to do that is off (well, I still have to do it for my other son going into 8th grade).

The curriculum is set in a Biblical worldview and instead of all core subjects being separate, categorized topics, they cohesively tie together. I'm nervous and excited about that! Nervous because for the past 4 years, I've taken a "school at home" approach to our home school but, honestly, that isn't totally working. I mean we took the boys out of the public school structure for a reason - it wasn't working. So, should I be totally surprised that the same format isn't quite cutting it for us at home?? Thus, a different approach to education; one that reminds me of my days in GATE and AP classes with more hands-on learning, creativity and challenging ways to approach a subject other than cracking open a textbook and reading or whipping out a workbook. Out of insecurity and fear, I copied what I knew best and was familiar with but that doesn't make it the best route. As we approach the end of our fourth year homeschooling, I am growing in this area and have more confidence to shed the textbooks and workbooks (not that they are bad things but they should dominate education) and try something new!  So, I am committing to thinking outside of the box when it comes to education and I believe this curriculum is the first-step in that direction! I couldn't be more excited about that!

Time will tell on how well this curriculum works for our family, though, since we won't begin for several months. I'm hopefully optimistic that this will fit my child's learning style flawlessly and I am encouraged that the planning has been done for me in a thoughtful, tied-in kind of way! I love, love, love the large amounts of creative, hands-on activities built into the curriculum too!

Follow me as I travel this path in discovering a new way to home school with a new type of curriculum!

19 comments:

  1. Love it! I'll be waiting to read your posts, I'm ordering this for my son too!

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  2. Thanks, motorola! I can't wait to share how this curriculum goes! Keep watching for more info. as I comb through and "plan" out next year! :)

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  3. Hello there,
    I am considering using Trail Guide this following year also.. I have a son (9) and daughter (6). She reads well, so I don't think it should be a problem to use the POE. Do you think it is possible to use Classical Conversations along with it, or is that just too much?
    Thanks,
    Melanie

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  4. Hi Melanie,
    I'm not completely familiar with the demands of Classical Conversations but I would suspect that it would go along just fine. I know CC does copywork as does POE, so you could swap one out for the other and do the same for any other overlapping topics. Does CC cover history? If memory serves me right, they do not?? If that is the case, you'll need a history curriculum anyway! I'm very excited to put POE into practice for next year! Let me know if you have any other questions and check back from time to time to see updated reviews of POE! Thanks for stopping by!

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    1. Hi Sheri,
      Honestly, I have found it difficult just to keep things simple, so I may forget about "signing up" for CC and just utilize some of their materials as memory aids; ie, the history/timeline cards. As far as history goes, CC memorizes the timeline in a fun way as "memory pegs." I do think their geo-drawing of maps looks like fun too (kids don't even know they are memorizing geography). But, to keep things simpler, we want to use POE and not run around trying to do too many other things.
      Have a wonderful day,
      Melanie

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  5. Thanks, Sam! I owe you (and Kris and Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers) for starting the spark to try this curriculum! I can't wait and I look forward to seeing your future posts as you progress with your 2nd year! :) Yay!

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  6. Hi there! I've been eyeing POE since Debbie Strayer spoke at a local homeschool group meeting last year. Our family already had other curriculum so I haven't been able to justify switching to something new.

    There is a coupon code this month to get POE Unit 1 for free, so we are going to try it out. If it works for us (based on what I've seen so far, it should be a great fit), we'll be making the switch. I'm excited to follow your blog to keep up with your experiences, as well as the other families who are using POE.

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  7. Hi Stephanie!
    I'm so glad you stopped by! I understand what you are saying completely. I wanted to try it out mid-year but just couldn't do that with a good conscience after having already purchased all my other curriculum. That is a GREAT coupon! I would definitely recommend taking advantage and I love that they've put the units into PDF formats now!
    Please check back as we get rolling with the curriculum! Glad to have you here!

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  8. Do all of you that plan on using POE this next year have a start date in mind? I think it would be great if we could get started about the same time as most others, if possible. I'm getting excited just hearing you all talk about it!
    God bless,
    Melanie

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    1. I'm not sure when others plan to begin but we will "officially" begin school after Labor Day weekend! Do you have a start date planned?

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  9. We are on our second week of POE and loving it! It's a drastic change in some ways, coming from a more classical style of learning, but the kids are enjoying it. (My son is 7 and my daughter is 6; we are doing the 3rd grade level and the lapbooks). I am enjoying the feeling of accomplishing so much without the planning!

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  10. Hi Andy and Jennifer!
    Thank you for sharing! Your comment makes me excited to begin! I'm looking forward to the consolidated planning!

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  12. Hi Sheri -- I am excited to see your enthusiasm for POE. I am seriously considering using the Trail Guide for Learning series for our US History studies over the next few years. It is always helpful to read another homeschool mom's thoughts on the joys, challenges, etc. of a curric before jumping in. On a side note, when your blog popped up and I saw your pic, I just about fell out of my seat. I used to work with your husband @ KLOVE before they moved their offices to Rocklin. Talk about a small world! Thanks again for sharing your thoughts about POE!

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    1. No way, Shelly! It IS a small world! Both Chris and I remember you!
      I'm getting ready to post a review about the actual use of the curriculum. :) I am using POE with my 10 year old and he is really enjoying it! I agree about reading others' thoughts on a curriculum. It really helps.

      Thanks for stopping by! Chris and I still can't get over re-connecting with you in this way!! I hope everything is going well with you!

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    2. Everything is going really well! I live in VA now and am loving the journey God has me on. I have an amazing husband and two amazing children. So glad to reconnect with you guys too! :)

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  13. I just purchased it this weekend at a HS conference - so excited to try it - this will be our 3rd year and I'm throwing out the classical approach and diving into this more hands on approach. For all the reasons you mentioned above!

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