When it comes to homeschooling, or teaching at all for that matter, one of the first things that come to mind is curriculum. Yes, that word is notorious for being famous and infamous but it is most definitely necessary in every educational avenue. Choosing the perfect curriculum can take days, months, it can even take a few years to create the perfect fusion of scholastic necessity, comprehension, and fun. But, don’t fret! You too can have the most perfect curriculum for your homeschool students and I am going to tell you how.
Here are my top three tips for understanding, creating, and choosing the perfect course of study.
● Start with FREE options. Yes, there are several, high quality, challenging yet fun, FREE curriculums available online. You can even find FREE religious homeschool choices. By looking at free options first you’re able to use items from your local library and aren’t required to spend a lot of money upfront. This gives you time to try various educational methods while you decipher your child(ren)’s learning style. Once you understand their learning style.
● Narrow down your family necessities so you can wisely choose or custom create a course of study for your children. What is important to you? Do you prefer a Christian curriculum? Do you think your kids could benefit from having extra Bible study time or learning their subjects from a Biblical worldview? Would you prefer to teach Bible study separately and teach regular subjects during school time? Would you rather some subs if they got any Co-op so your children can learn them within a small similar community? All these things and more needs to be thought about before committing to a paid program.
●Prior to purchasing a full curricuulm, read reviews and ask for samples of their products, most will be readily available on the company’s website. Also look for items for resale groups. You should be able to find a resale group for every popular curriculum through Facebook or even Yahoo groups. There might even be some posted on the company’s message board or social media pages. It is completely okay to use pre-owned items and you will save a lot of money. The same also goes for creating a customized course of study. Don’t be afraid to purchase books from thrift stores or even items via eBay or used on Amazon. Everything does not need to be brand-spanking-new.
Of course we could talk about this subject all day, but I truly hope that this blog has provided a better understanding of what to look for in deciding how to educate your children at home. For additional understanding on what curriculum is and some examples of how I create our’s, watch my recent video.
And be on the lookout for my next blog post which will be updated weekly with the curriculum we will be using for the next school year. Some was purchased, some is offered online for free, and other items are from a subscription service.
Make this week scholarly,
~Ta’Neisha K.
Marriage, Motherhood, & Homeschool 