Curriculum Advice by Victoria Botkin {Giveaway}

If you are a homeschooler and know me in real life, then I’ve probably recommended “Curriculum Advice from Victoria Botkin“. Mark and I purchased Curriculum Advice Vol. 1 and 2 a few months ago and our family has been blessed by Mrs. Botkin’s wisdom.  I’ve been recommending it since as a terrific source of advice and encouragement.

One of the people I recommended the set to was Kimarie @ Cardamom’s Pod (another second generation home educator) and yesterday I received this in an email from her.

Just listened to it (Curriculum Advice, Vol.1). Wow. Inspiring and freeing. Hope to listen to the other part tomorrow morning. Gave me TONS of ideas.

Even though Mark and I have been home educating for 14 years, this set has been beneficial and encouraging. It has refreshed our focus on the goal of home education and given us some thought provoking and practical ideas about the decisions we should make to accomplish our goals.

It’s not only practical for veteran home educators, but would be especially beneficial for those just starting as it is full of encouragement and advice that will encourage and guide those who are new to home education.


In volume 1: Homeschooling ages 3-8, Mrs. Botkin encourages parents that they are capable of educating their children and reminds us of the standards and methods that are laid out in the Bible. She also talks about:

• mom’s attitude
• choosing curriculum and materials
• inspiring creativity
• creating a home environment that promotes a love of learning
• the importance of reading
• copy work and dictation
• and more

She shares practical ideas about what types of items to have available for your children, the attitude that we should have as we approach the world around us and the struggles that home educating moms face every day.

In volume 2: Homeschooling ages 8-14 you will hear from Mrs. Botkin and her 7 children, two of whom are already published authors talk about:

• guiding children into character and integrity
• teaching your children to love writing
• standards for books and curriculum
• teaching your children to be effective communicators
• giving your children a vision for the future
• seeing and encouraging your children’s specific gifts
• thinking critically and biblically
• and more

This CD is also chock full of practical ideas to incorporate education into your life and home.

While most of the advice on these CDs are principles that are applicable to all home educators, there are some practical suggestions and specific book recommendations that are wonderful, but may not be practical for every family in every situation. So as always, take what will work for you and leave that which won’t.

Buy it

You may purchase the two volume set of  Curriculum Advice by Victoria Botkin on CD for $18 or via MP3 download for $11.

Win it

Western Conservatory has offered to giveaway a set of “Curriculum Advice Vol. 1 and 2″ to one Raising Olives reader.

To enter:

• Visit Western Conservatory’s product page, look around and then come back here and leave a comment about which of their other products interest you.

Additional entries: (Please leave a separate comment for each entry.)

• Share a link to this giveaway on Facebook
• ‘Like’ Raising Olives on Facebook
• Tweet about this giveaway. You may copy and paste the following: Win a set of Victoria Botkin’s Curriculum Advice CDs from @raisingolives http://raisingolives.com/?p=9999 #homeschool
• Post about this giveaway on your blog

This giveaway is open worldwide, but non-U.S. residents will receive MP3 downloads rather than physical CDs. Giveaway will end Thursday, February 24.

We purchased our set of Curriculum Advice CDs and were so impressed that we wanted to share them with you.  CDs for the giveaway will be provided by Western Conservatory, I was not compensated for this review/giveaway.

You may also enjoy:

1. Voices from the Past: American Heroines in their Own Words {Giveaway}
2. Homeschool Curriculum for 2011/2012
3. A Family Bible Study Guide for Proverbs {Giveaway}