Our family did. I wrote an article on it entitled “ Robinson Curriculum: A Self-teaching Method”.
My goals in homeschooling are simple. It is to help my children “heal” and raise them to be Saints. In 2002, I moved to Southern California and deeply concerned with the behavior of public school children. My youngest was just 8 years old and an incoming 4th grader. I decided to research on homeschooling. I enrolled him as a homeschooler through the public school system. It worked out great but it did not give me any comfort. I was burnt out teaching the subjects from 7 am to 3 pm. There were just too much to cover.
The next year, my neighbors recommended the ABEKA curriculum. I tried with my son. He also did great. He enjoyed the colorful textbooks and workbooks of the curriculum. He preferred it to the public school curriculum and thought it was a better choice.
Meanwhile, I attended a Catholic Homeschooling Conference that summer. I was amazed at the Catholic curriculum providers and their zest. I ended up trying SETON with my oldest son who was then-12 years old. He was a reluctant reader. So, it was surprising to me that he enjoyed the Saints stories and the Catholic themes imbued in the curriculum. The lesson plans were clearly indicated. It impressed me too.
Being a single mother for several years, I needed to work to support my two boys. I sent them back to public school. Since then on, they were independent learners. My oldest boy knew how to study using outlines or syllabus. The younger one knew what mastery is all about. Even with just a year in homeschooling, the effects on them were profound. I continued to take interest in homeschooling and the emerging curricula in the market. I studied extensively the Classical method recommended by Susan Bauer in the Well Trained Mind. I purchased many of the books they recommended in the site just for my reference.
When I remarried and have this huge family, I reconsidered homeschooling again. Coming from two dysfunctional families, our children needed to heal. For many number of years, “academics” was my priority. Any curriculum with a superb educational outcome was my goal. Since our Catholic Faith had a tremendous influence in our home life and mission, I’ve decided to use SETON again with my 15 year old daughter. She did awesome with this program. The challenge we experienced is definitely due to her gaps in her public school education and her RAD diagnosis, more than the SETON program itself.
However, at some point and time, I felt so burnt out when she was doing a lot of independent learning herself. There were too much to study. Accountability became a problem. I got lazy checking her workbooks. She got sick with colds in the first quarter and it was hard for her to recover back to her pace. We tried so hard but it became overwhelming for her. Thus, I had to take the most important work that needs to be prioritized so we can catch up. Being ADD was not an hindrance in SETON, it was her attitude that became an obstacle to continue with SETON. She gave up on herself. From the on, it was not easy for both of us. It was stressful. It was not fulfilling. We were running after the high standards of a curriculum and we feel like a “failure” in our inability to get caught up.
I was thinking over and over again if I would do the Classical method. I researched on Charlotte Mason and found a Catholic Charlotte Mason website called Mater Amabilis. I went deeper to understand the methods of CM. I also liked it. Specifically, I like the “living books” approach to learning. I was getting hooked up to it. But, I still have one problem. I need to add two more kids to the homeschool equation. Two of our boys need an intervention to help them emotionally heal. Thus, I need a program that will not be stressful for me as a teacher. Remember, with nine (9) children to raise, it is imperative for me to wear many hats in a day.
I do not like losing control of my time to “learn new things”. Learning is my thing. I just have to read and learn something every single day. I also like to have the time to pray. I also like to teach my toddler. I also like to take care of my 3 dogs. I also like to supervise the activities of my other children. I also like to be the supportive wife. Most of all, I like to practice 2-3 hours of music in my new grand piano. Thus, I need a program that will give me an assurance that it can give me time to do other things.
Finally, I continued my search for another program. I came across the Robinson Curriculum (RC) in 2002 but did not really get so much impressed with it. I am a strong proponent of self-teaching but I just didn’t get RC in those stages. I found out that it took me about about several days of reading Dr. Robinson’s introduction materials over and over again before the RC curriculum made sense.
I bought the 22 CDs and started to print out some of the books. I told my two boys, ages 12 and 8, that I have selected them among their brood to be my “guinea pigs” to a what-may-be a superb educational program. My review of the Robinson Curriculum has been published in Associated Content.com. Please read it here.
Before I tell you what happened and what I feel about RC Curriculum, I want you, my readers to be on the same page as me and listen to the video below of Dr. Art Robinson.
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