If you´re just getting started in homeschooling, it can be really, really confusing to figure out which curriculum to use. You have such an array of choices and it feels like if you don´t pick the perfect one, your kids will be forever doomed to being a bad homeschool statistic.
First of all, I´d like to put your mind at ease about choosing the perfect curriculum. If you have a lousy year of it, it´s OK. Your kids will learn anyway and you can pick something different next year or even switch halfway through the year, and there is nothing wrong with that. When I was homeschooled, my mom switched companies on a yearly basis with me . . . I was the experiment, she´d try a new curriculum with me and then if it worked, she´d use it with my sisters. By the time I hit sixth grade, I had done books from about 10 different companies and yet still scored higher than school kids on equivelency tests, so it obviously didn´t hurt anything!
Also, not all homeschool curriculums are good at all subjects. You might want to use one company for Math, while doing something else for Science, for example. If the company you like doesn´t have an art program, add one in from somewhere else. That´s the beauty of homeschooling . . . you can custom fit the education to your kids . . . they can even be using different books each, if you want!
So, that being said, how do you actually go about picking which curriculum to use? Here are some pointers.
- Ask around. If you have friends who homeschool, ask what they recommend. If not, go online, join a community and ask them. But don´t just ask if they like the program, ask WHAT they like about it, what the downsides are, so you can get a clear picture.
- Do some research. Check for reviews online. This isn´t always the most accurate way to determine which curriculum is good, since you will probably find a mix of good and bad, but if something is getting overwhelmingly positive reviews, chances are it´s good.
- Get your hands on a copy. Ask your friends if you can take a look at their books. This is a great way to decide whether or not you really want to invest in a curriculum.
- Go for second hand. If you still aren´t that sure, look into getting the books second hand and keep the cost down. If it doesn´t work out, then you won´t be out that much money.
Those of you homeschoolers who have experience in this area, what was important to you when choosing a curriculum? Which one(s) did you decide on?
Tags: curriculum, homeschool, homeschooling