All Reviews

Orton-Gillingham is the gold standard for dyslexia intervention. Structured literacy, multi-sensory, sequential, explicit. This is medical-grade reading instruction. Pricey and requires trained instruction, but it works for kids with reading differences.

A multi-sensory, mastery-based reading program that uses the Orton-Gillingham approach. Excellent for struggling readers and those with dyslexia, but works great for any kid learning to read. Hands-on, scripted, and thorough.

AoPS middle school curriculum. Same philosophy as high school: deep, rigorous, problem-focused. Not for average students — for mathematically motivated kids. Builds competition-level math foundation.

AoPS is for serious math students. It teaches genuine problem-solving and competition-level math. Not for average students — this is for kids who love math and need to be challenged. Online classes with interaction and community. Expensive but elite.

Beast Academy is math disguised as a comic book. It's engaging, clever, and teaches real problem-solving — not just procedure memorization. Kids actually *want* to do the problems. Parent guide is optional but helpful.

Carolina Science is hands-on inquiry-based learning. Real experiments, real materials, real science. It's what you buy when you want kids doing actual science, not reading about it. More work for parents, but genuinely educational.

Code.org and CodeCombat teach programming through interactive games. Kids solve puzzles using code. No math needed, just logic. Engaging, free (mostly), and builds computer science thinking. Great intro to programming.

Mystery of History is classical, Christian-focused world history. Well-written, historically accurate, chronological approach. Strong narrative that kids enjoy. Spiritual perspective integrated throughout.

Singapore Math uses the bar model method to teach conceptual understanding. Kids learn *why* math works before jumping to abstract procedures. Deep, rigorous, and highly effective — but it requires patience from parents learning a different method.

Story of the World covers ancient through modern history across four volumes, told as an engaging narrative. Written by Susan Wise Bauer, it reads like a story rather than a textbook. The optional activity guides add maps, crafts, and coloring pages.

Writing Without Tears starts with handwriting and builds to composition. Multi-sensory, developmentally appropriate, and proven to work. Used by occupational therapists. If your kid hates writing, this is often the answer.

Essentials in Writing (EIW) is step-by-step writing instruction through video. Teacher models every step, kids follow along. Extremely thorough, slightly rigid, but produces competent writers with strong mechanics.

HWT's Fundations combines handwriting with systematic phonics. Multi-sensory, fine motor development + phonics. Developmentally appropriate, builds both writing and reading skills simultaneously.

Logic of English teaches grammar through patterns and logic. "Why does English work this way?" Kids learn rules and exceptions through structure. Less about memorization, more about understanding the "why."

Sassafras teaches science through adventure stories. Kids follow characters learning science concepts through narrative. Engaging, age-appropriate, colorful. Real science wrapped in storytelling.

The gold standard of incremental math instruction. Saxon builds skills through constant review and repetition. Not flashy, but it works — especially for kids who need consistent practice to retain concepts.

Spalding is systematic phonics combined with writing. Kids learn sound/symbol relationships then immediately apply them. Thorough, structured, and produces strong readers and spellers. Parent guide is comprehensive.

Writing with Ease uses the classical approach of copywork, narration, and dictation to build writing skills without tears. No creative writing prompts for young kids — instead, it develops the underlying skills they'll need to write well later. Simple, gentle, and surprisingly effective.

Brave Writer is the Charlotte Mason approach to writing — literature-rich, low-pressure, confidence-building. Julie Bogart teaches parents to help kids write without forced five-paragraph essays. It works if you're patient and trust the process.

Explode the Code is systematic phonics with a colorful workbook. Kids get explicit phonics instruction plus decodable readers. It's straightforward, proven, and works well for kids struggling with reading. No frills, just results.

Khan Academy is completely free video math instruction. High-quality explanations, practice problems, progress tracking. Not a complete curriculum alone, but excellent supplement or standalone for motivated learners.

Logic of English teaches reading by explaining the rules behind English spelling and phonics — all 74 phonograms and 31 spelling rules. Instead of memorizing exceptions, kids learn why words are spelled the way they are. Thorough and systematic.

Notgrass teaches history through a travel narrative. Kids follow a family traveling across America (or the world), learning history, geography, and culture. Engaging, colorful, family-oriented. American history focus.

Elemental Science uses literature, nature study, and observation to teach science. Charlotte Mason approach. Gentle, engaging, focuses on curiosity rather than facts memorization. Kids become observers of the natural world.

Latin Roots teaches vocabulary through Latin and Greek roots. Kids learn where English words come from, building spelling and vocabulary naturally. Visual, engaging, effective. Not full Latin, but vocabulary power.

Math Mammoth is parent-friendly and thorough. It covers the full scope with clear explanations and tons of practice. Not fancy, but incredibly effective — especially for families who want to understand *why* math works, not just memorize procedures.

Real Science Odyssey is a secular, hands-on science curriculum that prioritizes experiments and scientific thinking over textbook memorization. Each level covers biology, chemistry, earth science, or astronomy with real lab work.

A literature-heavy, Christian worldview curriculum built around real books instead of textbooks. History is the spine, and reading, language arts, and science weave around it. Heavy on read-alouds and parent-child discussion.

Artistic Pursuits combines art history and appreciation with hands-on skill building. Each lesson studies a real artwork, then guides students through creating their own art using similar techniques. It's the curriculum that makes art feel like a real subject, not just craft time.

IEW teaches writing through a systematic, incremental approach. Kids learn specific techniques (stylistic elements and structural models) that build on each other. It's formulaic by design — and that's actually its strength. Turns reluctant writers into competent ones.

Apologia is the 800-pound gorilla of homeschool science. Conversational tone, thorough content, and built-in experiments make it a complete science solution. It's written from a Christian/creationist perspective, which is either a feature or a dealbreaker depending on your family.

BookShark is the secular alternative to Sonlight, using a literature-based approach to teach history, science, and language arts through living books. Same concept — real books instead of textbooks — without the Christian worldview.

Song School Latin introduces young kids to Latin through catchy songs, colorful illustrations, and simple vocabulary. It's a gateway to classical language study without the pressure — kids barely realize they're learning a "dead" language.

The self-teaching math program that homeschool parents dream about. Teaching Textbooks handles instruction via animated lectures and auto-grades everything. Your kid works independently while you drink coffee.