Choosing curriculum can be the most difficult task of homeschooling. With all the choices on the market, a parent can easily become overwhelmed. I know I’ve had times of second-guessing…and maybe some third guessing…only to discover myself revisiting my first choice and still totally confused.
Choosing the Right Homeschool Curriculum
Choosing the Right Homeschool Curriculum
Choosing the right curriculum for your family is never an easy task. The best thing you can do to find the right curriculum for your family is to experiment and try new things. A great way to make this more affordable is to use free trials, sample pages, and buy the curriculum you are interested in used. After you see what you like and what you don’t you can buy the right curriculum for you.
Sometimes I’ve purchased what looks to be an awesome study, then find something that looks better, only to find out three curricula later that the first choice was the best choice. That’s when I cry tears of frustration over the waste of time and money.
After four years of what seems like a never-ending treadmill of curricular torture, I’ve finally come up with a system to help me put things into perspective. I break the curriculum down into categories. These
Nourishing curriculum
Nourishing curriculum referred to as apples are the curriculum that helps build a strong foundation for learning. Daily bites like math and reading practice help your child grow but are simple and low stress making them easy to fit into your daily routine. As the saying goes, “An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.” That’s pretty much my approach to an “apple” curriculum.
This type of curricula is:
- Full of information
- Will satisfy your child’s curiosity
- Give a basic education on a subject
- An easy format to implement and execute on a daily/weekly basis
- Student-directed with a motivated child
Parents will have no trouble putting an “apple” curricula plan into action or keeping up with paperwork.
The downside of “apple” curricula is that some kids aren’t content with it. Their appetites are only whetted for a subject and they need more to be fully satisfied. You as a parent may love “apple” curricula, especially if you have a baby teething on your ankle, a toddler demanding to be held, and others in the homeschool classroom, but if your child’s knowledge hunger isn’t satisfied they are going to be another demand on your plate. Filling their knowledge tank will keep them (and you) happy and busy.
A great option for this style is Fun Schooling workbooks. Kids can work through them bit by bit every day learning about what interests them. A bit of time daily with one of these fun workbooks is a great way to keep your child learning. There are books based on popular games like Minecraft as well as one’s gear towards studying history or a particular interest like rocks or fashion.
Packed homeschool curriculum
This curriculum is packed with everything you need for your child’s education. From math to science you can feel good about these programs and know that your child will have enough to keep them busy all day long.
“Orange” curricula is attractive to look at, it’s pretty on the outside and has all the right credentials and wording on the cover. Once you open it, or remove the outer layer, you find segments dripping with wonderful resources. This is brightly packaged altogether with all of the trappings for a fun and eventful learning experience that is built to be easy for families.
Personally, I love “orange” curricula because:
- The resources and information provided give an endless opportunity for learning
- Action plan is easy to implement
- You can pick and choose from the resources listed
- You aren’t expected to use everything included in the curricular
- It’s filled with project options
What can be intimidating about “orange” curricula are the resources. It can become daunting chasing down or purchasing items not readily available in your area. Not all public libraries carry the resources needed, nor do you want to spend a day running from one store to the next looking for a special type of “marble.”
Also, how much time do you have to dedicate to this program each week? You’ll need a few hours of prep time and if you’re not a crafty-sort of person, even the simple projects can be overwhelming.
If you are an organized person or are educating multiple ages, “orange” curricula can be ideal for your family. If organization isn’t your thing, you may struggle with juggling all the resources and activities.
A great example of this is Sonlight curriculum packages or Mother Goose Time Preschool Curriculum. Both are sure to keep your kids learning and excited about learning but take a medium amount of focus.
Advanced curriculum
These advanced curriculum options challenge your child and can be a good fit for kids that like to be very involved in their learning and children that tend to be excelled learners.
“Bear” curriculum can be either tame or wild, but it’s still a “bear.” This type of curriculum is difficult from start to finish. You’ll have a tough time teaching the subject, implementing the plans, and just about every other aspect of this type of curriculum, but it can be the most rewarding for some children.
Bear curricula:
- Gives the student a challenge
- Ideal for children who question everything
- Lots of critical thinking opportunities
- Has real-world applications
- Filled with “meat” on the given subject of study
Whatever you do, don’t be intimidated by “bear” curricula. Some kids need this type of study, because some kids need to be challenged more than others. In fact, if you have more than 1 child, odds are one of them always wants to do things the hard way, or “wrestle the bear.” So you have to consider if wrestling with that bear is going to be worth it. For the kids that want or need that type of challenge, they aren’t going to be satisfied with an “apple” or “orange” homeschool curriculum. Most likely, they’ll take that “apple” or “orange” curricula and turn it into a “bear wrestling” expedition that may involve more stress for you. For kids that need a challenge to keep their interest these programs are worth the work.
Programs like Memoria Press that are based on a more traditional classic education fall into this category. Its classical style will challenge your child but it can be a challenge for you as the parent as well.
One thing I want you to remember is these categories are subjective. What I may see as an “apple”, you may see as a “bear”, or what you may see as an “orange”, your friend will see as an “apple”. You have to decide on your own which category each curriculum falls into. Many curriculum programs will fall in between these lines.
Homeschool help is easy to find when you know where to look! Check out our homeschool help Pinterest board and find all the help you’ll need!
