What to Look for in a Homeschool Curriculum

Posted by Kayley Kenzie on March 31, 2008
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Attending a homeschooling convention to select your homeschool curriculum can be refreshing. It leaves you reflecting over the myriad of possibilities that are available.

Or perhaps it simply leaves you feeling more dizzy and confused than before you ever attended.

Maybe you’re the sort of parent who enjoys browsing through catalogues and choosing what looks best. You might prefer purchasing through the internet, mail, or phone. Maybe you’d rather get in touch with the salesperson rather than the other way around.

You might instead be the kind of homeschooler who prefers surfing the web to find exactly what you need.

Regardless of how you shop for your homeschool curriculum online, through a catalog, or at a homeschool convention, here are some important suggestions to consider when making your choices:

* Be familiar with your children’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests. Knowing these factors will help you decide the best material. The resources you choose should not only enhance your child’s strengths, but also address your child’s weaknesses and turn them into strengths.

* Understand what your family is about. Are you a religious family? Do you have special needs children? Maybe you would like to travel more. When choosing a homeschool cirriculum, it is essential that you take these factors into account.

* How does your child learn? Knowing your child’s learning styles are an important consideration when making curriculum choices. Is your child a visual, auditory, or hands-on learner?

* What are your family’s long-term goals? Does your child have goals for him/herself? If you and your child have a goal for him/her to run their own business, you should look for resources to help you accomplish this.

* How much are you willing to spend? Some families who homeschool feel fine about “borrowing” or photocopying curriculum. I personally don’t think this is fair. That doesn’t mean you have to choose expensive curriculum or leave your family destitute. If you plan ahead, you’ll be able to budget the costs.

* What philosophy appeals to you when it comes to homeschooling? There are many different schools of thought when it comes to homeschool cirriculum philosophies. Some examples include unscooling, Classical, Christian, accelerated, literature-based, textbook, and unit studies.

* If you have lots of children and work part-time on the side, it is essential that you take time into consideration. As you purchase a curriculum, you need to think about the time that is also put into your child’s activities and co-op classes.

Before making any firm decision on homeschool curriculum, it is important to pray for guidance and discuss it with your spouse.

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