Frequently Asked Questions
Order Information
You can convert your Doodle Dollars into a Timberdoodle Gift Card in just a few simple steps!
1) Click on the teal "Doodle Dollars" button near the lower left corner of the page (if you are not already logged in, please sign in to your Timberdoodle account).
2) You will see your current available point total at the top of the pop-up window.
3) To convert those points, click "Ways to Redeem" under the listed options.
4) Click the teal "Redeem" button.
5) Move the slider to adjust the number of points you want to redeem (all the way to the right will redeem the maximum points available). Please note your points must be redeemed in increments of 20.
6) Click the teal "Redeem" button once more.
7) On the next screen you will see your Timberdoodle Gift Card number, which you can use toward your payment when completing your order. Make note of the number or click the "Copy Code" button to save it to your clipboard. You will also receive an email providing the Gift Card number for your convenience.
Curriculum Kit Information
Check out our placement tests to make sure you find the best fit for your child.
If they aren't, should you buy another current level kit or just keep practicing the same activities from the previous year's kit? Is there enough change between the kits to make it worthwhile?
One good way to know if your child is ready to move to the next kit grade level is to look at the placement tests. For younger children, we have full placement tests that would tell you where your child is. In older grades, you would want to look specifically at the math and language arts portions to gauge their readiness. Most likely, children are generally ready to move on to the next year's kit, perhaps with an exception or two. For example, if your child is moving into 3rd grade but tests into 2nd-grade math, you would probably want to purchase a 3rd-grade kit minus the math. Then you can figure out why your kiddo didn't master the math you used in 2nd grade. Is he missing just a few concepts that you could tackle over the summer? Is he missing more of the math foundation and you didn't realize that at the beginning of the year? Does he have some sort of learning disability that is impacting his math skills? Did the math program just not "click" with him? Has he always struggled with math, so is math just something you'll expect to move slower in? There are countless reasons why your kiddo may not be moving through the grade levels as expected, but that is the beauty of homeschooling! You get to figure out what makes your student tick and teach him how to learn all that he needs to know.
Accreditation is actually a term used for regulating schools rather than the curriculum itself. To put it another way, your local school district is accredited, but not their textbooks. So schools can be accredited, and teachers can be qualified, but there is no accreditation process available for curriculum.
To be accredited, an outside agency considers the qualifications of faculty and the hours required for each subject taught. Neither of these is relevant to evaluating the quality of Timberdoodle’s curriculum. If you see a homeschool program claiming to be accredited, remember the curriculum in an accredited school is not itself accredited. Currently, there are no states that require a homeschool curriculum to be accredited.
What most people really want to know is whether we meet their state standards. While we meet or exceed requirements in many states, each state varies widely in what they require, and we strongly encourage you to check out local laws for yourself. A quick overview of how Timberdoodle kits line up with state requirements available here. Or please feel free to reach out with any questions!