Wayfarers (history-based complete curriculum)

Name: Wayfarers (history-based complete curriculum)
Brand: Barefoot Ragamuffin Curriculahttp://www.barefootmeandering.com

by Barefoot Ragamuffin Curriculahttp://www.barefootmeandering.com

Multi_subjectGrades Pre-K–12

Wayfarers: Charlotte Mason-Classical Hybrid Multi-Subject Program

Wayfarers is a four-course history-based multi-subject curriculum that cycles through ancient, medieval, revolution, and modern history periods from pre-K through high school. It combines Charlotte Mason's living books approach with classical trivium levels, using scheduled lesson plans that coordinate multiple subjects around historical periods.

Best for

Charlotte Mason and classical homeschooling families comfortable managing multiple resources and willing to supplement weak areas like math and lab science

Evaluation Criteria

2 strengths · 2 concerns · 2 neutral

Knowledge CoherenceStrength

The curriculum builds coherent knowledge through its four-course historical cycle that can be repeated up to three times with increasing sophistication at each level.

All courses present the same general topics in sequence but broken down for grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric levels, with timeline activities helping students relate events to the larger historical narrative

Cross Curricular IntegrationStrength

The curriculum achieves strong integration by anchoring all subjects around historical periods, with geography, literature, and science connected to the time periods being studied.

Students read historical fiction set in ancient times while studying ancient history, use geography books that connect to historical periods, and science topics align with historical study through the Quark Chronicles series

Direct InstructionConcern

The curriculum provides minimal direct instruction, functioning primarily as a scheduling guide that coordinates multiple resources rather than teaching content directly.

The guides 'include a little bit of actual teaching information' and are 'essentially guides that do all of the scheduling for you' using other resources, with lesson plans providing 'minimal details'

Individual Subject RigorConcern

Subject rigor varies significantly, with strong literature and history components but concerning gaps in math guidance and optional-only science labs for high school.

Math lesson plans have 'minimal details' and science recommendations lack essential lab work, with the author stating lab work is 'not essential' - problematic for rigorous high school science

Teacher TrainingNeutral

The curriculum provides helpful resource guidance and philosophical background but limited pedagogical support for actual instruction across multiple subjects.

Includes 'Notes About Books' with comments about specific resources and appendices with implementation guidance, but lacks comprehensive teacher training for multi-subject instruction

Retrieval PracticeNeutral

The curriculum incorporates some review through timeline activities and the cyclical nature of the four-course sequence, but lacks systematic retrieval practice.

Timeline activities help students relate events to larger historical narratives, and the four-year cycle provides opportunities to revisit content at higher levels

Sources: cathyduffyreviews.com