Moving Beyond the Page (MBTP) is a homeschool curriculum aimed at advanced learners. It combines quality literature with hands-on activities, encouraging active learning through a constructivist approach.
Research from the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) shows that homeschooled students typically score 15 to 25 percentile points higher than public school students on standardized academic achievement tests. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), approximately 3.3 million students were homeschooled in the United States as of 2023, representing roughly 6% of the school-age population.
What is Moving Beyond the Page?
Moving Beyond the Page, or MBTP, started in 2005 by Keith and Kim Howe. It's a homeschool program that focuses on quality literature and hands-on tasks. While it's designed for gifted and advanced students, it works well for anyone who is motivated. MBTP is based on Constructivist Learning Theory. This means students learn actively by building their understanding, not just memorizing facts. The curriculum pulls ideas from Waldorf, Montessori, unschooling, and classical education, giving a well-rounded approach that starts with big ideas before getting into specific skills.
Subjects and structure
MBTP covers several subjects:
- Language Arts: reading, writing, and literary analysis.
- Science: hands-on experiments.
- Social Studies: history and geography through literature. Each year has 6 science units, 6 social studies units, and 12 language arts units. Math is offered separately at each level, and reading/phonics is taught using the ABeCeDarian Reading Program. The curriculum is organized by age ranges—like 4-5, 5-7, and so on—so families can place students based on their skills, not just their age.
What sets it apart
Here’s what makes Moving Beyond the Page special:
- Literature-rich foundation: It uses a mix of classic and modern books, poetry, and biographies.
- Hands-on and interactive: The program focuses on games and materials instead of just worksheets.
- Interdisciplinary integration: You might read WWII novels while studying the history of WWII.
- Culminating projects: Each 3-week unit wraps up with a project or paper that brings everything together.
- All-inclusive packages: When you buy a full year, you get all the books and materials—no extra shopping needed.
- Conceptual approach: It encourages gifted students to explore and learn independently.
Considerations and limitations
Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Full-year packages cost between $475 and $1,100+, which is a big investment.
- At lower levels, there are some gaps in language arts—like limited grammar instruction and no cursive.
- Math may need extra support at some levels since it doesn’t follow traditional drill methods.
- The fast pace assumes students think independently, so those needing more guidance might find it tough. This curriculum is best for creative, independent learners. Families can buy individual units for $20-$50 to try it out first.
The bottom line
Moving Beyond the Page offers engaging, literature-driven education for advanced learners. Its hands-on activities promote real learning instead of just filling out worksheets. But it may not fit everyone—students who need detailed instruction or practice might need extra help. The cost is significant, but it includes all needed materials. You can request a free 240+ page sample to see if it fits your needs before buying the full package.
