9 Tips for Choosing Homeschool Curriculum
Perhaps homeschooling is a new thing to you. If so, I completely understand how you’re trying to learn the terminology, make connections to other homeschoolers and find your groove.
One of the first tasks that homeschool parents have before them is to come up with a plan and choose a curriculum.
It can be overwhelming, like going to an ice cream shop with 200 flavors. (Do you get the one you always get or try something new?)
In my Kindergarten Made Easy mini-course for parents, I include a curriculum guide to help parents on their way to choosing what works best for their child.
Today, I share those principles with YOU!
There is NO perfect curriculum, so be prepared to make adjustments.
Just go ahead and accept that this is true. There may be a new curriculum you purchase that still needs refining. There may a curriculum that has 99% of what you want, but it’s lacking in some way. Go ahead and get it. Then, adapt. Supplement that curriculum with something extra. I commonly supplement with additional practice (online or worksheets) and additional books or even documentaries. We go to the library quite a bit for those resources. Being indecisive about choosing something takes away time that could be spent for learning.
Remember that you are the teacher and you can make simple adjustments like:
-teaching a lesson over 2-3 days
-skipping a unit or lesson that you don’t like
-adjusting the schedule
You can pick and choose a different curriculum for each subject.
Boxed curriculum often refers to one company producing a grade level box that includes all subjects for that particular grade level. That might be a great answer for you if you generally like the products from that company, and your child has no specific learning issues. It certainly is simple, and you can change whatever you don’t like. It can be a time saver in the beginning to choose a box curriculum until you get a feel for homeschooling. Then, you can branch out.
I never ordered a box curriculum because I really wanted to order from specific companies for reading and math and handwriting in the very beginning. I watched Youtube reviews to help me decide. It is your choice whether you want to customize like I did, or start simple with a boxed curriculum. What you don’t like, you have the freedom to change.
Look online for curriculum reviews.
Word of mouth is great too, since you can physically flip through curriculum from a friend. However, there are reviews online that will show you the inside of books and materials that come with curriculum. I chose to look on Youtube, but you can also check reviews from various stores online where you purchase curriculum or websites meant for reviews, such as CathyDuffyReviews.com.
The curriculum might not fit state standards perfectly.
Textbook companies like to advertise they are written exactly to the standards, but as a school teacher of 12 years, I never saw one that fit perfectly. That is normal.
It will also be the case with homeschool curriculum.
--You might want to add in a skill or a unit of study that the curriculum AND the standards doesn't include.
For example, learning coins and their value isn't listed as a kindergarten standard. Still, many five and six year old children are capable of naming the coins and their value.
--Feel free to add to, or enrich, your child's education by studying and experiencing things that are not listed within the standards. Standards are not the "end all."
Get my FREE Survival Guide for the New Homeschool Family here!
5. Spiral Curriculum vs. Mastery Curriculum
A spiral curriculum teaches several skills at once, little by little. Throughout the year, the material gets more and more difficult, but there is constant review. It's like a buffet: a little geometry, a little counting, a little measuring, a little of finding patterns.
A mastery curriculum teaches a skill thoroughly before moving on to the next skill. The child has become a master of accomplishing the skill and can then move to the next item on the list.
Whether or not you use a curriculum you purchase, you may take one of these approaches or BOTH! For example, if you are teaching your child to rhyme and it seems a bit early because the child just isn't "getting it," you may move on to another skill to learn, such as writing their name. You can still expose your child to rhyming through books, songs, and discussion and reevaluate later on if they have grown and are ready to move on.
6. You don’t have to buy a curriculum for every subject.
Some parents purchase curriculum because they lack confidence in teaching a subject to their child. Others purchase a curriculum out of convenience so they don't have to do as much planning. Parents might even purchase certain curriculum because they think it will excite their child about learning (motivation).
For grades K-5, I never purchased a science or social studies curriculum. I have studied units with my children, read books, watched documentaries, and memorized some highlighted facts. Having a list of topics to cover can suffice in some subjects. I have seen my children learn despite not having a formal curriculum and despite not doing worksheets in these two subjects. (Examples of units might be: weather or specifically tornadoes, early America, branches of government, reptiles)
Personally, I did not purchase a reading curriculum past kindergarten. My children learned to read so then we focused on reading as many different books and types of books as possible (and discussing and interacting with them).
7. You may choose to finish the curriculum early or continue it into the next school year.
You are the teacher. You don't have to throw a curriculum away because it is unfinished. You don't have to purchase a new one just because a new school year is starting. If you have lessons left unfinished, just pick up where you left off.
I remember having many textbooks I did not get to finish when I was in school because we ran out of time and went on to another teacher in another grade with another textbook. I wonder, "What was it that I missed out on?" You, as a homeschool parent, have the flexibility to continue where you left off.
You may choose to add on something else to learn or study if a curriculum level is finished early. There is so much more to learn OUTSIDE of curriculum, so don’t be always in a rush to move to the next level of curriculum.
8. Expect to change curriculum at some point.
Perhaps you may find a curriculum that is a better fit than what you’ve been using. You might need to save money one year and go for something more affordable, but still effective. The curriculum you choose might only continue through a certain grade level, thereby forcing you to choose another after that point.
9. Meet with experienced homeschool parents who can share advice.
Other parents who have been exactly where you are starting will have advice like, "I'm so glad that I ..." or, "I wish I would have...."
Learning from their experiences will help you in making decisions as you navigate this adventure.
You can find these parents in social media groups, the library, or in various co-ops*and tutorials** around your community.
*A co-op is an organized group of parents who gather regularly to help collectively teach their children together (often 1 time a week).
**A tutorial is an organized group of parents who form classes and charge a fee for children to attend and be dropped off until the class/classes are over. (often 1-2 days a week)
What did I leave out?
Do you agree or disagree?
Drop a comment below.
Remember, you are your child’s most influential teacher.