Welcome to the Mentor 4 Moms Podcast!
On this episode:
Now we can talk about curriculum.
What is curriculum?
- A set of resources that you use to teach your child. In short, curriculum = tools.
- Teaching = skill used to guide someone through the shift from not knowing to understanding
- Learning = process of acquiring and understanding information
- Education = the result of investing time in study
- Curriculum = tools used to teach and to promote learning that results in a sufficient education
The best homeschool curriculum is the one you will use.
What curriculum is best for your family, for this year?
Three important considerations when choosing:
- Your child
- Yourself
- Your situation/circumstances
What to consider for your child:
- Age
- Temperament
- Learning strengths and struggles
- Your long term goals for them: return to school in a couple of years, homeschool until high school, or homeschool through high school. Each will affect your curriculum choices.
What to consider for yourself:
- Time available for homeschooling – home? Working? Travel? Other life commitments?
- Your personal philosophy on education
- Support/options available to you
- Involvement- Hands on or assist or oversee?
- Your preference – everything together in one box or mix and match?
- Do you love to research and choose the best? Or do you prefer to have a prescribed plan to follow?
What to consider regarding your circumstances:
- Any special needs or learning delays?
- Health challenges
- Budget – money available?
- Large family or only one child
- Spouse supportive or not supportive
- Living circumstances – Just back in country and want to get your kid caught up or planning to move out of country and wont have access to internet, library, etc.
- And more
All of these will determine your homeschool curriculum choices
Other considerations:
- Whether you prefer workbooks, textbooks, online schooling, or an assortment of books from the library.
- Whether you do all classes at home, or enroll in a co-op, university model school, or a mix of different classrooms -those will determine your curriculum choices.
- If $$ is an issue, do an internet search for “cheap homeschool curriculum” or “free homeschool curriculum” – yes, they exist
Look up resources like Cathy Duffy’s Homechool Curriculum Reviews or Thehomeschoolmom.com
BEWARE: Just as soon as you find 10 people that like a particular curriculum, you will find 10 more that don’t. You must choose based on YOUR child, YOURself, and YOUR circumstances.
Remember: It’s okay to change your mind. If you choose one and determine it’s not working, choose again.
REMEMBER: The best Homeschool Curriculum is the one you will use.
Next time: I will share my worst homeschool mistakes with you – the stuff you don’t usually hear or read in the magazines
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