Prepper Kit #7 – Schooling Kit

Meet Frank and Ruth

Have you heard the story of Frank and Ruth?  Frank was a 53-year-old Vietnam war veteran and Ruth’s father.  Ruth was his eight-year-old daughter.

They moved to the Pacific Northwest with nothing but the clothes they were wearing in hopes of Frank finding a job and getting back on his feet, but that didn’t happen.  The family of two only had a disability check of four hundred dollars a month to live on.  Even though this took place in 2004, four hundred dollars a month can’t feed and clothe any single person let alone two people.

They did what most people would NOT do.  They moved into a large nature preserve in an area of Oregon known as Forest Park.

I’ll tell you their whole story and lessons that we can learn in another article.

When the little family was discovered, a police officer who had a six-year-old daughter and another officer who had taught school for 20 years in Montana before becoming a cop, asked the (now) twelve-year-old girl questions.

They were both struck by how well-spoken she was.  They were amazed at what she knew.  It was obvious that her father had been teaching her.

The article I read on them both says that Frank had home-schooled her for four years with not much more than a single encyclopedia set.

What Would You Do?

If something drastic happened and you had to teach your children, how would you handle their education?   Seriously.  Stop for a moment and consider this question – if, as of the time that your children got back from school today, you were suddenly responsible for all of your children’s education?  Scary thought, huh?

As a homeschool mom, I want to let you know, it IS a frightening predicament, but it is a VERY doable one.  I’m going to help you out here and keep things SUPER simple!

Elementary Education

The three most important things that you can teach a child early used to be known as the 3 R’s: Reading, “Riting,” and “Rithmatic.”

I want to offer two curricula that I think will help you teach the 3 R’s.  The first that I suggest is for both Reading and writing.  It’s a combined curriculum for first and second grade from Veritas Press called Phonics Museum.  It does a wonderful job of making reading fun.  Your kids get two sets of books with this, and they start reading them shortly into the curriculum.  Once they read their first book, they will be hooked and will gain confidence.  The curriculum walks the parent through everything that they need to teach and how to do it.  You, as a parent, don’t need to be scared that you can’t do it.  You absolutely can!

Phonics museum also teaches a type of printing/writing combination called D’nealian handwriting.  It makes it easy to learn to read print, but easy to learn to write cursive later.  It is actually incorporated into the phonics curriculum.

For “Rithmatic” I highly recommend Math-U-See.  It’s a great hands-on way to learn math.  My children have all learned math (through elementary school) easily because this is the math we started out with.

Yes, for this you would have to purchase six years of math for elementary school.  The good news is that the manipulatives are the same for at least the first four years.

Secondary Education

When it comes to secondary education, KEEP IT SIMPLE!!  Every child needs to know basic (and I do mean basic) math.  If you’re living in a SHTF situation then, in my opinion, you shouldn’t be stressing over Trig and Calculus.  It’s important for you to know history no matter what is going on.  And for Grammar or Literature, they are important, but in my opinion, less so.

Mathematics

For a secondary education math course set, I would recommend Life of Fred.  It’s a funny story about a five-year-old prodigy who goes on to teach college math courses.  During his time, he gets into problems that you need math to solve.  It’s funny and an enjoyable to read.  By all accounts, it’s a storybook that teaches math.  It’s a great concept and one that kids won’t balk at nearly as much as if you handed them a normal geometry textbook.

Life of Fred Pre-Algebra 0

Life of Fred Pre-Algebra 1

Life of Fred Algebra 1 & 2

History

You’ve probably heard the saying, “If you don’t know your history, you’re bound to repeat it.”  Especially if we’re living in a life altering situation, history is probably the most important subject that you can teach a child for several reasons.  (1) It teaches them that they are not alone.  Other people have lived through similarly tough situations in the past. (2) It teaches them what people have had to do to overcome those situations.  (3)  It teaches them both good and bad ways to handle tough situations as they are coming out of them.  Which ways of handling situations lead to God’s blessing and which ways lead to more of the curse of God.

Because of what I would want my children to learn if they were going through a difficult situation, I would highly recommend the curriculum Mystery of History.  It’s a four year long chronological study through history from a Christian perspective.

Volume 1 –  Creation through the Resurrection

Volume 2 – Early Church History and the Middle Ages

Volume 3 – The Renaissance, Reformation, and Growth of Nations

Volume 4 – Wars of Independence to Modern Times

Grammar and Literature

When it comes to grammar, during difficult times, it’s going to be just as important as ever to be able to communicate well.  That’s what you’re going to gain from having your children learn grammar and lit.  I don’t think that this needs to be hard through. Find yourself an easy one-year grammar course like Easy Grammar.  Then for Literature, make sure you have wonderful books on hand.  I believe that books like Robinson Crusoe, Swiss Family Robinson, Hatchet, and other books can not only give your child an opportunity to delve into literature, but to encourage them in tough situations.   Then after that, just have good books around your house (or on kindle) to read.  It doesn’t have to be hard.

Other Supplies

Don’t forget that you’ll also need other supplies like paper, pens, pencils, comp books, scissors, notebooks, hole punches, etc.  Make sure you’re stocking up on those too, especially during back to school sales.

What About You?

What is your opinion on learning if our country or the world fall on difficult times?  Do you feel like you COULD teach your own children?  What is your biggest fear of teaching your own kids if society should fall apart?  I’d love to hear.  Leave a comment below and share your thoughts with us.