Choosing the best homeschool curriculum for your family may seem like a daunting task. However, understanding a few basic principles will help you to make more precise choices. Please keep in mind that the term “the best curriculum” really means “the best for you.” Some of the “best on the market” may not be the best fit for your environment. Therefore, while putting together your student’s curriculum, keep in mind their learning style as well as your family dynamics and financial situation.
Let us explore some of the principles of choosing the best curriculum:
1. Understand your state’s homeschool laws:
HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) has done an excellent job in compiling homeschooling state laws including testing, mandatory subjects, and much more. You can visit HSLDA Homeschool Laws by State and follow the prompts to find the information pertaining to your state.
2. Your purpose and goals:
After you understand what your state requires for homeschooling are, it is essential for you to determine why you actually want to homeschool and what your ultimate goals are. Think of questions like: Who would you like to see your children become at the end of your homeschool journey? What would you like them to know? Who would you like them to be? Reading, writing, and (a)rithmetic are the basics, but then there is the character and the ability to make the right decisions in life. Formulate your ultimate goals, review them regularly and always make your homeschool decisions, including choosing the right curriculum, with the end in mind.
3. How much time do you want to spend teaching?
When choosing a homeschool curriculum, remember to consider your family situation and time that you have available for teaching each of your children. You will encounter two options with regards to the curricula:
- Teacher intensive
- Independent studies
Most of the time, you will discover that the more expensive the curriculum is, the more detailed schedule and the more help there is available for the teacher. This then translates to less time spent on lesson preparation as well as working with your child during the school year. There are, however, excellent (and expensive) curricula that still require much teacher’s input (for example, Singapore Math) or, on the other hand, simple curricula that are completely independent for the student. Therefore, when making a decision for your own family, read comments and reviews for the particular textbooks you are considering and look for the notes which mention how much time the other parents dedicated to the actual teaching.
4. How does your child learn best?
Even though you will find many pros and cons on the internet to teaching to your child’s learning style, the children always learn best when the material is presented to them in a way that is most natural to them. When you first start homeschooling, you may not know which way is easiest for your child. Don’t worry though. Your student will still learn no matter what style or curriculum. As you observe your child and work with them, it will help you find the best possible curriculum for them in the years ahead.
Let me give you an example: It took us several years to find a suitable grammar program for my son. Many times I wondered whether he would ever be able to understand the difference between a noun and a verb. It was not until his high school years that we finally landed on a program that fit his needs perfectly. He hasn’t had a problem since. You may wonder: Weren’t all the earlier curricula waste of time and money? I don’t believe so. Each year and each curriculum gave him a little bit of a foundation he needed for the things to finally click at the end.
Whether you land on the best curriculum fit for your child this school year or not, it will not diminish their chances for success in life. This knowledge should give you freedom to make your curriculum decisions without stress.
5. How qualified are you to teach each subject?
If you are starting with educating your children in the early elementary years, do not worry about your qualifications. As a parent, you are the most qualified person in the world to be able to teach your children the three Rs – reading, writing, and (a)rithmetic. It’s fun! However, if you find yourself beginning in higher grades, you may find some subjects to be more challenging (for example, math, English, or science). In that case, you may try the following:
- Purchase a curriculum with very detailed teacher’s manual and learn together with your child.
- Enroll your student in a co-op class.
- Hire a private tutor (or, a good friend).
- Have your student join an online course.
There are numerous options available to help you navigate even through the most difficult subjects. Don’t panic, take a deep breath and explore the options available for you in your area or online.
6. Can you combine subjects for more of your children?
With the variety of homeschool curricula available on the market, you can find many suitable textbooks that are specifically adjusted to teaching several grades at a time. A very good example of this type of a curriculum is Mystery of History by Linda Lacour Hobar. It provides materials to teach many grade levels together and is an excellent option for teaching history in a larger family.
7. Research your curricula and their prices:
There are several ways you can think of while researching your perfect curriculum:
- If you prefer using complete curriculum sets, Abeka and BJU Press are some of the most popular ones. They will provide you with all textbooks, workbooks, tests, teacher’s manuals, etc. so that your only time investment will be familiarizing yourself with the material.
- If online classes are the best fit for your family, Liberty University Online Academy and Alpha Omega Academy are very viable options.
- If you consider yourself to be more eclectic, then you will probably spend hours upon hours reading reviews of various high school curricula options and you will LOVE it. This is considered to be the most economical option for families that are concerned about their homeschooling cost. However, you have to keep in mind that it will require more time and energy on your part to both combine the curriculum as well as teach the subjects throughout the school year.
If you are concerned about the overall cost of your homeschool books, you may consider buying them used. I personally have found Ebay to be an excellent source of quality second-hand textbooks.
8. Have fun!
Every new school year provides a fresh start for your entire family. It is very motivating for both you and your children to make little decisions about their future and search for new materials that will help to accomplish your ultimate goals. Enjoy the process!
Even though it is not always easy to find a “perfect” curriculum, it is possible to get very close to your ideal. Keep in mind that the ultimate goal of your homeschooling should not necessarily be graduating your child but rather bringing up a well-rounded individual. Focus on instructing them in how to navigate through life successfully and how to make educated decisions. Choosing the “perfect” curriculum plays only a small part in the overall impact you will have on your child’s future.
