Curriculum. It’s something we all need and debate about as homeschoolers. What to teach, what to buy, what to borrow, what to farm out to a class, and how to keep your kid interested all year long. Can really decide for you what you’re doing this year. Here are some of the questions you should be asking yourself when it comes to curriculum.
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What do you choose?
There are tons of options out there. What do you choose? For me, I like a wide variety when I pick a curriculum. I don’t personally use a boxed curriculum, but I do see the appeal of having it all right there together. Box curriculum can give you all the subjects or just the core subjects from the same company, using their progression and their timing.
The reason I’d rather pick and choose is that my kid doesn’t love all subjects. I think it’s easier to pick stuff that fits his needs, is better than their pick, because of his grade level. I can tell you, sometimes it’s good, and sometimes I waste my money on books we don’t use.
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How do you pick what you need?
There are a ton of options out there. Some good, and some not so much. Gone are the days when you get to look before you buy, unless you’re getting it secondhand at a book fair.
If you do online shopping like most of us do, you can’t even flip through what you’re getting. Get creative in getting a sneak peek. Borrow it from the library if it’s there. Ask your friend what they use, and if they do, ask to check it out. See if someone on a homeschooling Facebook group you’re in has it. Or you can always send it back if you hate it.
And remember, the first few lessons aren’t usually a good indicator of what you’re getting into it. It’s probably a review from the lessons in the last book (the grade/age before). Look all through the book carefully.
What do you buy and what do you borrow?
What subjects do you want worksheets for? What doesn’t really need a “textbook” for learning? What can you get at your library that saves you in the long run?
Math and language arts, I will always buy. I like letting him do the worksheet in the book and not wondering where they went when I need to put the portfolio together. He can grab them on his own, too. We school in the afternoon, and that gives him plenty of time to get his work done before Mom gets home from work if he wants to.
I don’t know if I will ever buy a history book. I’m not a huge fan of the overview perspective I see in the all-in-one curriculum books. I’d rather grab a biography of the person we’re studying and learn from that, vs. a quick summary in a textbook. I am also an avid reader, so I want to help my kid be one too.
I always let Aiden pick an elective and buy that book. Last year it was Spanish. I’m sure I could have cobbled it together with YouTube videos and library books. But the book gave him the independence to work on his own. And the control over some of his work.
What do you do when you can’t find what you want?
Do you want to do a unit study on box turtles? You can make it yourself. Check out a bunch of books from the library. Draw pictures. If they’re native, interact with them. If not, look at a zoo. Or use YouTube or a zoo live stream video. Write a story. Write a report. Make a life cycle model. Crochet a stuffed turtle.
You can do as much or as little as you want. I guarantee you will learn a lot and have a blast. Do whatever subjects your child excels at, and they’ll want to do it again and again.
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Buy or Make Your Own Curriculum
We’re all different and may do the same thing a thousand different ways. Pick what works well for you and your kids. Stick with it. Your goal should be to help them learn at their own pace, in their own time. Happy homeschooling.
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