LLB - Note from Author

A Note from the Author First of all, let me say that I am humbled that you are taking the time to look at our curriculum. I never dreamed that it would grow to be loved by so many families across the world. We were honored to be chosen as one of Cathy Duffy’s Top 100 Picks in Homeschool Curriculum. It has truly been a blessing to be a part of homeschooling journey for so many like-minded families. Please read over the information on this page. It is crucial to your understanding of our selection of core and enrichment resources. A Curriculum is Born I am a homeschool mom just like you. I began this journey in 2004 when my boys were very young. Writing curriculum was the last thing on my mind while I was trying to get my bearings on getting through the day homeschooling my little ones. I had read “The Well Trained Mind” by Susan Wise Bauer and embraced all of her ideas. I wanted a curriculum that used lots of real books, had some easy hands-on ideas, and that gave my children a framework to develop their research and writing skills. I couldn’t find anything on the market that had all of those resources pulled together for me, so I began to do it myself. What a job! A dear friend of mine saw what I had developed and said I was crazy if I did not try to publish it. That is how Living Learning Books was born. It seems that many other families have found our curriculum to meet a niche for them as well. That is the most rewarding part of what I do - helping other moms stay excited about homeschooling their kids. (back to top...) My Thoughts on Teaching Science If you compare the table of contents for two or three science books for a particular grade, you will see that they all cover something a little different. No two are exactly alike. There are no hard set rules for what has to be covered in any elementary science class. Content really isn’t of supreme importance until you start recording grades on a high school transcript, so relax and have some fun! Elementary Science should be about fostering a curiosity for learning, developing a love for exploration, and mastering beginning skills needed to research a topic. The goal is for your child to learn how to: • formulate questions birthed from curiosity • find resources to answer those questions • read with retention and comprehension • and then summarize, in well-written form, the answers they have found. Use science as a springboard to begin to master research and writing skills, which will benefit them greatly as they approach their upper level courses. (back to top...) My Biggest Challenge as an Author Our curriculum is not like a packaged curriculum where the textbook is your only source. When you use Living Learning Books, the entire world of information is your source, and it is guided by one or more simple books to branch out from. My biggest challenge is choosing resources that will get kids excited about reading, researching, and writing. I try to choose source content that is engaging, well written, and capable of spawning curiosity and awe in children. It is much easier to get a child to write about something they are interested in. In order for your child to begin to develop research skills, they are going to have to learn to use the library and the internet, and I recommend several resources for each to get you started. Unfortunately, this means it is virtually inevitable that they will encounter evolutionary thought. As a Christian, I believe evolution to be a false teaching, full of errors. However, if I choose to exclude all books that mention evolution, the available resources would be very slim, and severely limit the goals of read, research, and write which drive our approach. Rather than avoid evolution, meet it head on. You will be pleased with the results yielded by teaching your children to think for themselves. It is never too young to start teaching your children the difference between truth and error. Your kids are going to have valid questions at a young age that deserve an answer. When you encounter material that is opposed to your personal beliefs, sieze the moment! Teach your child how to identify and stand up to opposing thought. It is a skill they will need from their first library book all the way through college. Creation needs to be discussed in more depth than just your usual Sunday School stories. Your child needs answers to the tough questions. We offer several Apologetics Resources that do an excellent job of providing your children with a strong foundation in a Creationist belief. Please consider investing in one or more of them. (back to top...) Jack and Sandi Strenkowski A Curriculum is Born My Thoughts on Teaching Science My Biggest Challenge as an Author