Acronyms for the Online Homeschooler
If you’re like most homeschoolers, you spend a lot of time online. You’re either searching for printables, looking for curriculum ideas or getting support from other like-minded families.
Spending time on message boards or Facebook groups, you’ll quickly notice a trend to use acronyms to refer to the common curriculum packages we all talk about. If you find yourself getting lost, keep this list handy to help you translate.
Be aware, these are common acronyms, not necessarily secular ones.
Actual Curriculum Products
BYL – Build Your Library (complete literature-based curriculum)
MBTP – Moving Beyond the Page (another complete program)
TT – Teaching Textbooks (computer-based math)
AAR – All About Reading
AAS – All About Spelling
MCT – Michael Clay Thompson (language arts)
BW – Brave Writer
MM – Math Mammoth (workbook-based math)
K12 – K12 is the actual name (an online curriculum program)
LoF – Life of Fred (story-based math program)
CTC – Critical Thinking Company (multi-subject workbook publisher)
OM – Oak Meadow (relaxed nature-based curriculum)
MUS – Math-U-See (math program with manipulatives)
IEW – Institute for Excellence in Writing
SOTW – Story of the World (history series, not completely secular)
AoPS – Art of Problem Solving (math curriculum)
T4L – Time 4 Learning (complete online curriculum)
BFSU – Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding
Other Resources
DK – This refers to a book publisher, actually just called DK books, that is very popular among homeschoolers for their wide range of non-fiction books.
TPT – Teachers Pay Teachers, which is a website where you can shop for inexpensive printables.
PS and HS – Public school and homeschool, except that HS is also frequently used for High school too.
DS, DD, DH – These are often used when talking about one’s family, each one meaning dear son, dear daughter and dear husband respectively. Kids are also sometimes referred to as LO (little one).
