Reviews

Homeschooling Curriculum
:
Established Curriculum
Innovative Curriculum
Resource Reviews
Homeschool Support
Talk with Enki Homeschoolers

 


Resource Reviews:

I have finished reading the entire Teachers' Guide through the 1st grade section - oh my goodness, it was amazing. I could write volumes about how the Guide alone has affected me. I was initially so overwhelmed by its sheer size that I found myself resisting beginning reading it. I began taking out a section at a time and just made my way through it that way. I was deeply moved by all I read and it has changed how I look at much in life. Thank you very much for creating this!

– Parent in California
 

The Enki Curriculum: Rich Opportunity or simple overwhelm?

When the large binders arrive, the sheer amount of material can seem overwhelming. But rather than overwhelming, I have found the Enki materials to be liberating, because I know that they are all appropriate for my children's development. I just have to choose the stories and activities I like the most - those that will best meet my children. I don't have to make trips to libraries or search the web; all I need is right there. And if I want to use other resources, the Teaching Guides help me make clearer choices.

If you take it slow, like we have, all the information and resource material can lead to simplification rather than overwhelm. The materials tell you exactly how to do everything! The clarity of the information and the availability of numerous age appropriate stories, verses, songs, activities, etc. has made my life much more sane. I know exactly which blocks to do in what order, why to do them, and how. Rather than try to do it all, which is not recommended in the Guides anyway, we do our main lesson for about 1 hour a day, 3-4 days a week. The rest of the wonderful activities are fit in here and there, or not at all. I plan to add more as we get our daily rhythms working more smoothly.

In addition, I can pick the stories, verses, and projects that fit best with my children because there are many to choose from. For example, when we did the alphabet block there were approximately 2 to 11 multi-cultural stories for each letter. It can be challenging to make choices because the stories are so wonderful. In the end, I used a lot of the Native American stories because my boys really responded well to them. I also used some Asian stories because they were so different and beautiful. To make things easier, in addition to the text materials you get videos and CDs containing the circle verses and songs, movement activities, and even how to make the manipulatives discussed in the resource books.

Enki is a totally complete curriculum and everything is explained in detail. This is part of the reason that the binders are so big! It requires quite a bit of reading, but it is well worth the effort. All in all, I would say that I have been more than happy with my purchase and feel it was well worth the money!!

- Parent In Maryland
 

There are an *incredible* amount of resources that are included in the Enki books, from the stories, to crafts, circle verses and songs. To find resources like this on my own, I would have to spend a *lot* of time in the local library, in my own library or on the internet to find anywhere near what I have in one place with Enki. And even if I had the time (which I don't), I still wouldn't find much of what is in there. (Of course, that's also probably why it's a bit overwhelming when you receive that gigantic binder in the mail!)

– Parent in California
 
I purchased Enki not knowing exactly what I was getting into, but am so glad I trusted my instincts. The first grade curriculum has helped me to foster my sons connection with the natural world and support his learning while honoring where he is at developmentally. We discovered that my son was not quite ready for first grade and have been able to use many portions of the curriculum to help him prepare but not rush him. We have happy days now instead of struggling together.
– Parent in Texas
 
 


ENKI IN THE HOMESCHOOL COOP:

I am a part of a small, mostly first grade, homeschool co-operative, where we all use the Enki Teaching Guides and Resource Libraries at home for the primary homeschooling, and we gather twice a week for a few hours for circle verses and songs, a craft or activity, knitting and recorder. The parents gather once a month for planning, to help each other work through kinks in our rhythms, talk about how we’re using the Enki resources, and support each other as parent/teachers.

I view Enki as a real gift to me as I journey along the homeschooling path, trying to find what is most helpful and integrating for my children, for me and for our family. It has offered me something that I have not found any where else: a way of embracing all that my child is, what I like and don’t like, what is charming, and what makes me want to scream. It invites me to embrace all that in my children, and in me, and to learn from it and with it. I know of no other homeschooling resource like it.

The co-op has been a particular help to us in providing a way to do the parts that are more difficult on our own: circle, games and the like. Bringing learning to the children in an open way, without explaining, without telling them what they are learning, is an exciting thing to watch and participate in. Especially as they help each other, watch each other, and learn from each other.

The challenges I find in Enki are also its strengths: first, it is an amazing library of resources, educational philosophy, and personal and parenting skill-building that it is overwhelming at first. I have read through some of the sections several times and am still finding new ideas. There is so much to choose from, and the gift is that I can tailor the resources to my children and me. The second challenge is that Enki asks me to reflect on reasons behind the behaviors that my children manifest, whether it is a new developmental stage appearing, or not enough moving our bodies, or lack of consistent rhythm in our life. It would be much easier (maybe) to just do what a curriculum said to do, to impose someone else’s rhythm…but so much less effective, and so much less honoring for the people involved.

I am so very grateful to have found Enki, and the other parents and children in our co-op. I love the great gift of learning for myself, and seeing a world of learning open up for my children in really lovely, almost magical ways.

- Parent in Michigan
 

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