Home School Curriculum Information
What is meant by ‘home school curriculum’?
The term ‘curriculum’ refers to the course of study of a school or other learning institution. For those who educate their children at home, ‘home school curriculum’ describes the courses they are teaching their children, the textbooks they are using, the methodology they are following, etc.
I know that when I started investigating homeschooling and the curriculum options, I was at first put off a bit by all the terminology. It felt like I had wandered into a university course for Education majors! Don’t worry, though; you definitely do not need a degree in Education to figure out home school curriculum.
Providing Everything You Need
Especially for those families who are just starting out, there are plenty of curriculum providers who will give you everything you need – a complete textbook list, daily or weekly lesson plans, advice from counselors, even grading services. You never have to feel alone in this process.
The various curriculum providers have already researched things like learning styles and learning standards. They have put together plans which detail the topics that need to be covered at each grade level, and even split up the year’s work into manageable chunks for you. The more complete packages include tons of teaching tips and activity ideas for the parents as well.
Learning What Is Best For You
After spending some time with this guidance (a year or two or whatever it works out to be for you) you will begin to understand the terminology more, and will discover what works for you and your children. If one system or method adds too much stress to your family life, it is OK to try another one next year or even next semester. We have reached a point where I am familiar with the lessons and recommended textbooks from several different providers, and I am able to pick and choose which ones to use for each child each year.
While it may seem daunting at first, it doesn’t have to be. Take a little time to read about a few different curriculum approaches, and choose the one that seems to fit your needs the best. Give it a try for a few weeks or months, and then you can alter whatever needs adjustment. Or even try a whole new approach. That’s the beauty of homeschooling – it is extremely flexible and can be custom fit to your family. There is no one home school curriculum which is best for everyone. There are as many different ways to homeschool as there are families homeschooling. But never fear – there is plenty of guidance to help you find your own best way.
Homeschooling Methods Learn about some of the various methods of homeschooling and the different types of curriculum choices
Accredited Homeschool Curriculum Learn more about accreditation and what it means for your curriculum selection process
Homeschool Programs Learn about some of the various homeschool programs and curriculum providers