WHAT IS “STEP 3”?
Step 3 is two years of secular, religion-friendly curriculum, designed for use by students ages 9-10, who read reasonably well.   The focus of Step 3 studies is to develop literacy while teaching the various subjects offered.

DOES MY STUDENT NEED TO DO STEP 1 OR 2 TO GET A STEPS EDUCATION?
No.  Each Step covers the entirety of each subject offered, but as the student goes up through the Steps, the materials become more detailed, and challenging.  Students start at the Step right for their age and literacy.  They do not need to go back to an earlier level unless they find themselves truly struggling, and for a significant amount of time.

IS STEP 3 FOR HOMESCHOOLING?  OR THE CLASSROOM?
Step 3 is independent study for homeschoolers, but it has been used with success in the classroom.

ARE STEPS 3 COURSES BOOKS?  HOW DO I GET THEM?
STEPS courses come as PDFs, online downloads.  When you purchase courses on our site, they are immediately sent to the email address you give us.

HOW DO STEP 3 STUDY & LIFE SKILLS COURSES WORK?
Like all STEPS studies, Step 3 courses are broken into daily lesson plans.  Each lesson plan is made up of small things to be done, in sequence.  The student does each step in the lesson plan, in order.  Sometimes, the course shows students art work, video, or photography – all found in sequence, in the lesson plan.  And in every lesson plan, the student uses what has been taught and does things, there are always activities. 

Over a period of two years, the duration of Step 3 studies, students develop improved reading and literacy skills.  Each student moves at their own pace in developing literacy, as in all their studies.  By the end of Step 3, a student should be ready for almost entirely self-directed independent study, and they should have developed a solid grasp of the essentials of the subjects studied in Step 3.

Step 3 Study & Life Skills Courses are the foundation of a working education.  At this level, the Student starts with Information – Right Or Wrong, our best-selling course, and the first course for Step 3-4.  This course helps the student understand and spot truth, lies, or opinions when encountered in studies, or in life.  It’s followed in Step 3 by How To Do Research, which provides powerful, proven ideas and tools that will benefit all the student’s efforts and studies.  There is also our best-selling Step 3-4 Manner’s Course, which helps the student define what good behavior is toward himself, and toward others.  These can be life-defining courses that open the door to success in all the student’s areas of interest!  For students doing all of STEPS, they are the required beginning of their education.

Additionally, we provide the eye-opening Children’s Bill Of Rights course.  With dozens of rights stated and discussed at length, this course provides the student a firm footing in understanding what his rights should be, even though he is “just a kid”.  It also states clearly that for every right, there is a set of responsibilities expected of the young person.  A great follow-up to the Manners Course. 

Included in these study essentials are (of course) reading and spelling.  Step 3 Reading & Spelling Programs help accomplish one central objective of in STEPS curriculum– improved literacy. 

The Reading Program revolves around the student’s interests, and helps him select the reading he’ll do rather than enforce specific reading.  We offer a “standard” reading program designed to provide the student maximum flexibility in his choice of reading (so it can be focused on his interests).  Additionally, we offer a rather massive recommended reading list, to help in selecting reading.  In fact, we provide three such lists!  There is the catch-all Reading Program, with its included lengthy list of suggested reading.  But we also provide a Science Fiction course, and a Fantasy In Literature course, each outlining a history of its genre, in context to recommended reading.   

And we offer nine Literature Guides at the Step 3 level!  These are fantastically thorough, creative studies of famed authors and books, detailing the period of history when the book was written (for context), the author’s life, the reception of the book itself, elements of literature defined and investigated, and of course, the book – always included in the materials.  Some of the lit guides for Step 3: Short Works by Edgar Allen Poe; Sherlock Holmes Stories by Conan Doyle; Short Works by Mark Twain; Scary Stories by Washington Irving; H.G. Wells The Time Machine; and Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol; and for readers looking for a slightly easier challenge, guides for The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz; The Story of Doctor Dolittle; and Andersen Fairy Tales.  (Even these are a LOT of reading!)

Spelling is entirely worked around the student’s own work the previous week.  Words he used but misspelled are placed on a list, and this is used to develop his work in spelling, the following week.  In this way (with a bit more detail), the student is learning to spell words he wants to use, rather than some arbitrary list of “words a student his age should know”..  These are advanced tools, but similar in many ways to the same tools used in Step 2.

CAN I PURCHASE INDIVIDUAL COURSES TO FILL NEEDS IN MY CHILD’S EDUCATION?
Yes.  Each STEPS course is a free-standing, independent study.

CAN I PURCHASE A FULL SEMESTER OF STUDIES IN STEPS ALL AT ONCE, OR A YEAR'S WORTH OF A CERTAIN SUBJECT?
Yes, as “bundles” on our site.  Bundles are the least expensive way to purchase STEPS courses.

HOW QUICKLY COULD I START USING STEPS 3?
Start now.  You can start STEPS at any time of the year, 24/7/365.   Everything you need is pretty much included in the courses you will download, for STEP 3.  (Some courses require films or outside books, which are carefully explained, with links provided detailing where to find them.)

HOW MUCH DO I, THE TEACHER OR PARENT, NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STUDY IN ORDER TO USE STEPS?  HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO DO?
You (teacher/tutor/parent) do not need any expertise in subjects your student is studying, using STEPS.   Not as a teacher, or in the subjects being taught.  You do not need a degree, or experience as a teacher.  Each course does the “teaching”.   Just follow the lesson plans, and keep your eyes open for fun opportunities related to whatever the student is studying.   The course does the teaching.

HOW QUICKLY CAN I MOVE MY STUDENT UP STEPS?
A student can move up at any time he has the literacy skills and maturity for the next level.  The student does not need to “complete” a Step 3 level of curriculum to move up.  The student just needs to be able to successfully do the next higher level of curriculum as far as difficulty and literacy.  With STEPS, a student is never “behind” or “ahead” – each student moves at the pace they’re comfortable with, every step in every lesson plan, every course, every level. 

SUCCESS STORIES ABOUT STEP 3 STUDY & LIFE SKILL STUDIES!
My kids love this reading program! It's easy to use and fun, too. Thanks so much!  M. T., Homeschool Mom, Professional Educator
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This is excellent curriculum. It teaches what is expected from the student in all the STEPS courses and familiarizes with them with the philosophy and procedures for completing the courses.

I am homeschooling my 14 yr-old son & his 16 yr-old friend using STEPS courses, while working full time as a Technical Writer out of my home office. The boys have finished the How to do STEPS Course, Information Right or Wrong. They are now working on the Manners Course and Step 4 School How to do Research Course, and will start the Step 4 Science I, Step 4 Pre-History, Creative Writing 3, and Animation 1 course in November.

In just a few weeks they have both gone from writing one or two word answers to the STEPS exercises (I'm only doing this because you're making me do it...) to writing whole pages in response to the exercise questions.

I highly recommend this course and this curriculum!  K. B., Homeschool Mom
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We used the Information Right or Wrong program and highly recommend it. We are presently using the Manners one and will begin the Step 4 School American Civics course soon. Everyone should do this one!

The courses teach the way I attempt to: using the children's thoughts and opinions rather than true/false, right/wrong, or "seeking anyone's approval, but their own." I love being able to ask questions directly of the author and his experience with using these programs himself really helps him understand our needs. These products are great!  K. B., Homeschool Parent
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STEPS Information - Right or Wrong is a course that teaches the students to think for themselves and to evaluate the information as to fact or opinion. This course is complete and constructive - the children are taught to manage and indeed run their own education and to be a proactive participant in their journey.  I am thrilled to be seeing progress with my own girls as they begin to take charge of their work.  I would unhesitantly recommend this course! J D., Homeschool Mom
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Information, Right or Wrong is a great course. I loved that the kids were learning to discern between Right and Wrong, fact or opinion. They are encouraged to think for themselves. My kids watched news stories during the election coverage and picked what was truth and what was opinion. It was great for them and for me, their mom, too.  S. W., Homeschool Mom
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As a Home Schooling parent, I think it is critical that my girls know how to get information for themselves. They need to learn 'How to learn' and that is amply covered in this course. "Research" breaks down into manageable chunks of learning, the information that the children need to be able to make astute inquiries of their own.  This information is written at the right level for the age group and was understood by my girls, even though it was perfectly suited to stretch them and make them think.

Both Step 4 and Step 3 How to do Research offer the students an understanding of the resources that can be used to "Research" (get more information) and indeed goes further by offering ways and means of utilizing those resources!  Professional Educator, and Homeschool Mom in Australia