Choosing a homeschool curriculum can be overwhelming, especially when you are a first-generation homeschool parent. Our first homeschool year is coming to a close and I wanted to share with you what I’ve learned as a homeschool mom, how I choose our curriculum, and encourage you that you CAN do this too!
We LOVE free play and the ability to fit in our core subjects around our individual interests. Homeschooling in general provides the opportunity for freedom and individuality in curriculum given your child’s unique needs, but this does come with an overwhelming amount of options. How do we choose the one that is best for us? Read more for my tips on choosing the right homeschool curriculum for you!
As overwhelming as it can be, homeschooling my children has been one of the best decisions I ever made. Pursuing a home-centered life is made much easier when homeschooling is part of the daily routine. It keeps you at home! Homeschooling also allows us the opportunity to bond and to learn more about how we have been made and think, which will be invaluable insight for the years to come. But chances are, if you’re reading this post, you don’t need me to convince you to homeschool. You need help choosing the right curriculum for your family as new homeschoolers.
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So many curricula options…
There are plenty of homeschool curricula out there. So how do you choose which is right for you and your family? I’ll share some of my tips and insight on how we chose the perfect curriculum for our kindergarten year. Note: It was not the first curriculum we bought and tried out! I spent so much time researching and still had to pivot. Give yourself some grace if you find yourself determining your top picks for your homeschool program aren’t a good fit. You are learning alongside your child. Learn to forgive them and yourself along the way!
Beauty in homeschooling
The awesome thing about homeschooling is that we have completely different approaches than public schools. If we have to spend more time in specific subjects (or our kids just enjoy a particular subject more, then we have the freedom to focus on those things. We have a better idea of what will best communicate the important ideas to our children as homeschool parents than any state standard. I have found just in my first year of homeschooling that there are many different ways to approach the same subject.
My child loves math and history, so I try to approach everything through a math or history lens if possible. It’s what she enjoys! Our next academic year I will have different ages and also other young children in the house, so my teaching methods may have to shift. But again, that’s part of the beauty of homeschooling. My children’s interests are taken into account and they are able to learn life skills inside of our daily, home-centered routine that I was never afforded. We are blessed!
Where to start
The first step I took in deciding which homeschool curriculum to purchase was to determine what my homeschool philosophy was. Eclectic Homeschooling has a thorough homeschooling philosophy quiz that helped me to determine which homeschool style fit me and what I personally would stick to. The homeschool parent is the driver in homeschooling, so the philosophy and curriculum need to align with your goals and vision for your children and homeschooling life.
There are at least nine different philosophies that one can ascribe to, so I find this quiz extremely important in reducing the overwhelm. Knowing what philosophy fits you gives you a jumping off point and a focus on what curriculum to consider and which ones to avoid.
While I did score comparatively in a couple of homeschool philosophies, I was able to determine Charlotte Mason method and Classical Education were the ones to home in on after reading the descriptions of each. I was able to find a couple of options that married the two, but I have found that sticking to one curriculum for all subjects may not be the best option for our family.
The best homeschooling philosophy and curriculum are the ones you believe in and will stay committed to, even when public schooling sounds really great after a long, hard day. Remembering your why will get you there!
Next steps: What to consider when purchasing a homeschool curriculum
- Faith-based or secular?
- Hands-on or worksheet-based?
- What subjects are included?
- How much can I invest?
- What else do I need?
Now that you know what homeschool philosophy you align with, it is time to choose a homeschool curriculum based on your child’s grade level. In this search, there are still many options.
One consideration for your final decision is whether or not you desire a faith-based curriculum. Another is if the curriculum is more hands-on or worksheet-based given your child’s learning style. This will be factored in to how much prep you want to do or if you want an open-and-go curriculum. We must consider our own teaching style as well in finding the best curriculum choice based on our family’s needs.
Thirdly, consider the different subjects that are included in your desired curriculum and what others you will have to seek out (generally math and language arts/phonics/grammar are subjects that require separate and specific curriculum). Your state’s requirements may be a factor in determining the best fit as well.
Financial Investment and additional materials
You should also take into consideration the investment you want to make. Some curriculums offer digital or physical products and others just digital. I purchased digital copies of all of our curriculums but also invested in a really nice Epson EcoTank printer. Other homeschooling parents I know also invest in a spiral binding machine and laminator, but I have yet to purchase these items. They are definitely not a necessity when you are first starting out!
You may also run into more specific subject areas when your kids are older, such as learning a foreign language or doing unit studies. While these choices can all be overwhelming, the good news is that the best homeschooling curriculum is determined by the homeschool family. There is flexibility in the pace, the homeschool classes and lesson plans, field trips, and so much more!
The last major consideration is what additional materials and resources are needed for the curriculum. Many will suggest specific books and not all are easily accessible via Internet or at the local library. Other curriculums can also have extremely long (to me) materials lists for activities. All of these will play a factor in what curriculum you choose.
What happens if you choose the “wrong” homeschool method or curriculum?
This happened to me. I wasn’t exactly sure my daughter’s capabilities because this was our first time doing anything resembling formal education and therefore I chose a kindergarten-level curriculum that focused a lot on the basics of letters, numbers, and writing. It took about a month doing lessons Monday-Thursday and having a Fun Friday focused on reading, puzzles, and games to realize I made the wrong choice. The curriculum was too easy and my kindergartener was getting bored. This was not the first impression of school I wanted for her!
Realizing I chose the wrong curriculum was not my worst nightmare. In fact, it made me really proud to know how quickly my little girl was catching on. Her confidence was already growing and my momma heart soared!
Now, I did do myself some favors by starting in July. I wanted to make sure if we did have setbacks that it wouldn’t push us behind those starting later. I also purchased multiple digital curriculums, as I had a hunch the first curriculum would be too easy but wanted to try it anyway. I’m stubborn!
As soon as I realized that she was getting bored, I was able to pivot quite easily into the new curriculum and she enjoyed it much more. This also means that I have enjoyed homeschooling a lot more. It is so amazing to see the wonder and excitement in my child’s eyes when we are learning something new together. It is also incredibly fun when she surprises me with new interests of hers or is actually disappointed when we’ve completed the lesson for the day. There are many days we will do multiple units at her begging!
How do you pivot if you don’t have the best curriculum for you or your child?
The first thing to remember is that everything will be okay! It is not the end of the world. You have not failed your child. Your child will not fall behind (homeschool curriculum is a lot more advanced than public school!).
The second thing is to determine which step you need to go back to. Why isn’t the curriculum working? Is there anything you can do (add or subtract from what you currently have) to make it work? Is the current work too difficult or not difficult enough? Do you enjoy the curriculum at all or do you need to look at other curricula?
Once you have done an analysis and determined why the curriculum isn’t working, then you can work toward finding what is the better fit. Take a deep breath and calmly release. You can still do this! I believe in you!
Home School Legal Defense Association
If there is anything else I am thankful I knew going into my first homeschooling year, it is about the HSLDA or Home School Legal Defense Association. This is a paid membership but provides a plethora of homeschool resources and legal counsel and defense should your family ever need it. I know there are a lot of homeschooling families that are on a tight budget, but the HSDLA membership is something I cannot recommend enough. Home education is becoming more popular, but given the recent years of news cycles concerning public schools, I don’t believe the fight is over (or even really starting to be frank). I look at the HSLDA membership as an insurance policy. We never really like paying into it, but should we ever need it, we are so thankful that we have it.
There are also a lot of other resources that the HSLDA offers, such as state-specific information on homeschool attendance and record keeping. There are also placement test tools if you are struggling to determine where to place your child. For more information on all that HSLDA has to offer, visit their website.
Note: This is not a paid endorsement. I truly believe in what the HSLDA is doing and providing for homeschooling families and hope you see the value too!
Tips
Another tip is doing whatever you can to release yourself from pressure and guilt. As I mentioned before, I actually started our first homeschool year the first week of July. I felt immense pressure that if I started in August or the first week of September like everyone else in my homeschooling community, I would already be behind and failing my kid if it wasn’t smooth-sailing. Man, those mom guilt lies. We need to throw them back where they came from, am I right?
It all worked out in the end, though, as we have had plenty of time to explore different curricula, work at our own pace, and take time off when needed without feeling the pinch. I had a lot of baking to do during the holiday season and while some participation could be counted toward school, there were some days I just needed to buckle down and get things done. We can also take our sick days without feeling guilty. My relationship with my child has been improved greatly by us working together as a team and me taking the time to listen to her when she feels pushed too far. No one loves my child more than me and no one else would be willing or able to work with her, encouraging and appropriately nudging, like me. What a gift we have been given as homeschool parents.
Homeschooling is a “get to,” not a “have to”
In a world full of obligations, homeschooling my children is one of those highly valued privileges in my life. Even when choosing homeschool curriculum is overwhelming or I buy the wrong one or me and my daughter are both having cranky days and can’t seem to see eye to eye, I am so thankful to be a first-generation homeschool mom. It is one of the most important things that I am blessed to be in this season!
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Great advice for homeschoolers! I live that your have a philosophy quiz!
Thank you, Melissa! The philosophy quiz from Eclectic Homeschooling was very helpful for us in giving direction when the options seemed overwhelming!