How do I know which curriculum to choose?
Short Answer
Since there is no set way to educate a child and there is no set way to homeschool, there is no
set curriculum. There are a variety of curriculum types and formats, and each of these has its
strengths and weaknesses. The different types fit different situations and conditions. The key
is to choose whatever materials fit your educational goals and your child’s learning style.
Explanation
There are a variety of curriculum types available.
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On one end of the continuum are the structured curriculum programs. These use standard textbooks
or workbooks with daily lessons and student exercises. They offer extensive teacher guides that
give learning objectives, scripted lessons, teaching tips, and the answers to the exercises. Most
also offer structured tests and test answer keys. They require little planning. There is less
flexibility; they tend to be “one size fits all.” They’re usually more expensive because they
include so much material and are comprehensive.
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At the other end of the continuum are real books or “living books” and real-life experiences.
Living books are books that are written by someone who is passionate about the topic. Hopefully
that passion comes through the book and excites the reader more than a dry textbook written by a
committee. The topic comes alive to the student. Obviously, there is no structure here. No tests.
No study guides. It’s a much more relaxed form of homeschooling. It is very flexible, but it
requires a lot of planning.
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In between these two are all sorts of variations. There are structured programs that use less
intensive workbooks. There are “real book” programs that incorporate study guides to evaluate
learning. There are hands-on kits and activity books that can supplement the real books or guide
learning through exploration. Which method you choose will depend on your view of education, your
family’s educational goals, and your child’s learning style.
Finding the Perfect Curriculum
There is no perfect curriculum. What works for one family may not work for your family. And you
don’t have to use the same program for every subject. You can draw from a variety of programs,
publishers, resources, and activities. That’s why it is important to spend some time researching
what is available, rather than just picking a curriculum by price or name only.
There are many curriculum providers and the choices can be overwhelming.
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Be sure you know who you are buying from. Not all providers are equal!
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Curriculum providers should be able to give you a detailed listing of the products they offer
by title and publisher, particularly in their curriculum packages. Product descriptions should
give complete information and not just “sales copy.”
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Ideally, you should be able to search by grade level, subject, publisher, and product.
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You also want to find a provider that offers materials that fit your education goals, the method
you want to use, and learning style.
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If your student is already struggling in school using the textbook approach, then you may want to
consider other options. To continue with a structured program often leads to “burn out.”
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It’s a good idea to spend some time researching curriculum. Don’t just search on the Internet. Hook
up with a local support group and talk with veteran homeschoolers about what they use. But don’t
use something just because that’s what they use. You may want to attend a curriculum convention and
gather catalogs from various suppliers and publishers. A word of warning! Research can be
overwhelming and intimidating. A lot of materials can look really good at first glance, particularly
when you hear the designer’s sales pitch.
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Chances are, somewhere along your homeschooling journey, you will select a curriculum that doesn’t
fit. If it’s not working for your situation, then try something else; at the very least you will
know what doesn’t work! You can always get some of your money out of it by selling it used.
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You can use just about any type of curriculum with just about any student, with a few exceptions.
Generally, everyone makes adjustments to the program, using other supplemental resources, skipping
some review exercises, not doing certain types of exercises, or perhaps using the curriculum as a
reference only to design a unique program.
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Most curriculum programs cover the same basic material. It’s usually possible to switch programs,
even mid-year if necessary. There are exceptions, particularly if you choose a math program that
presents the material in a new or different way.
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It’s possible to develop your own program and write your own materials, but it obviously takes more
time to plan and pull together. It can be easier to do when your children are young since much of
what they need to learn can be incorporated into playtime and daily activities. During the primary
years (generally PreK-2nd grade), when you are introducing basic skills and exploring topics, it’s
better to respond to the child’s readiness and interests. Learning can be less structured.
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The value of homeschooling is the flexibility it offers to design a program that fits your child.
That’s why most families use a variety of different curriculum programs and methods over the years.
Using Curriculum
One important point to remember is that the curriculum is your tool, not your master. The word curriculum literally means a track or course, as in a race track. It provides the general track to follow, to keep
you on course with your educational goals. As you work with your child, you will come to know what he or
she is learning, and you can adjust your program accordingly.
If you are new to homeschooling and have no idea what approach to take, you will probably want to use
some sort of structured curriculum. Here’s why: (1) it will look familiar to you; (2) you will have
enough to do just learning how to work with your child; (3) you can focus more on how your child is
responding rather than worrying about coming up with something to teach; and (4) since you won’t be
working from “scratch,” it will be easier to make adjustments as you learn together with your child.
As you get more comfortable with homeschooling, you can consider other options and experiment with
other approaches.
The Type of Curriculum Available
Parents have been educating their children at home throughout history, using a mixture of “real books”
and primers such as the McGuffey Readers. As homeschooling became more widely accepted, curriculum
publishers started to pay attention. At first, the only publishers who would sell to individuals tended
to be Christian publishers who provided curriculum for private schools. The same books that were used
in the private classrooms were sold to homeschoolers, with varied results. Eventually, these publishers
responded to the needs of parents and modified the materials to fit the home setting.
The major Christian curriculum providers include Bob Jones University Press, Alpha Omega, Christian
Liberty Press, Bright Ideas Press, Apologia Educational Ministries, Answers in Genesis, and Master
Books/New Leaf Press. Christian book publishers also market materials to homeschoolers, including Broadman
& Holman, Cook Communications, Mott Media, Thomas Nelson, Tyndale, and Zondervan.
In the early days, most homeschoolers put together their own programs using library books, educational
toys and games, real books, and supplemental workbooks available through department stores. Most of these
items were from secular publishers, and they, too, started to take notice. Before long, they were offering
their workbooks and supplemental materials to homeschoolers. Eventually, some of them even allowed
individuals to purchase their textbooks.
The available resources increased geometrically, to the point where the number of choices can be
overwhelming. That’s why it is helpful to have a written Purpose Statement and Goals so that you can look
for a curriculum that matches your needs and vision.
Things to Keep in Mind
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Generally speaking, the more structured the curriculum, the more extensive it will be. It will
go into more detail and cover more topics. This is both its strength and weakness. The
comprehensive nature of the curriculum makes it more recognizable to “outsiders.” But it can also
lead to “overkill” with all the details and exercises included in the program.
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If you are homeschooling for a short time, then you will want to use a structured program that is
similar to what your school system is using.
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If your student is planning on attending a four-year college or university, then it is easier to
use structured curriculum programs that fit into the sequence of courses, help students with
college entrance exams, have enough depth to prepare students for college-level courses, and can
be recorded on a transcript easily.
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Every publisher writes curriculum based on their worldview. That worldview determines what is
included, what is emphasized, and what is considered important for the test. You will probably
want to choose a curriculum that is similar to your own worldview and vision for homeschooling.
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Besides the obvious differences in worldview, the major distinction between Christian and secular
publishers is in the areas of science and history. Science curriculum programs from Christian
publishers present both creationism (and/or Intelligent Design) and evolution as theories. Since no
human was present when the world began, the best we can do is examine the evidence and come up with
plausible explanations. This is what the scientific method is all about. Unfortunately, secular
publishers ignore this when they reject any references to the biblical account of creation and present
evolution as fact. Likewise, history curriculum programs from Christian publishers present the facts
about America’s Christian heritage and the nature of our republic. These publishers are not afraid
of presenting the truth, and have not given in to the special interest groups who are intent on
rewriting our history. In both subjects, the goal is not to proselytize or make converts, but to
present the facts and principles as good scholarship.
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