Curriculum Compass: A Guide for New Homeschool Parents

When we jumped into homeschooling, all the options for homeschooling were so overwhelming. There were hundreds of choices, from online programs to full-curriculum to supplementation. There were free programs and expensive ones. Then there were the un-school programs and the strict regiments.

I was so confused and lost that we jumped into an inclusive program and went for it.

We learned over time what worked best for both of my kids and what type of curriculum was important for me to teach them.

If you are lost and confused like I was during that first year of homeschooling, this post is for you.

Take a moment to think about what matters as far as your teaching methods, and consider these 7 things:

Learning Style

Have you considered what learning style your child is? There are different types of learning methods for children: kinesthetic, visual, verbal, auditory, solitary, social, and logical learners.

To take the quiz and learn your child’s learning preference, click here: Homeschool.com has a quick 15-minute quiz that will help you narrow down which learning preference category you and your child could be leaning toward.

Religious Base

Is a religious curriculum an important aspect of homeschooling for your family?

There are many sites that offer a religious curriculum, notably The Good and the Beautiful and Campfire Curriculums. Both of these are beautifully written, grab-and-go books. The programs are laid out for you and are simple to use.

If you are looking for a non-christian program search for Secular Homeschool Curriculum. Check out Blossom & Root and Wild Learning. These are programs that focus on nature-based, secular learning. They are fun and colorful programs for families to enjoy.

Academic Goals

After you have chosen your curriculum type, consider your academic goals. Do you want your child to stay at their current grade level? Are you going to teach all your children together?

There are placement tests that will help you learn where your child is at in their education journey. The majority of programs offer a placement test to use before you buy or download the curriculum. I recommend this route, it will allow you to find a more personalized experience.

. Year Round Homeschooling offers a massive list of sites that offer placement tests if you still want to take that before choosing a curriculum.

Flexibility

When you are looking into a curriculum, consider your family’s lifestyle and schedule. Try choosing a curriculum that will cater to it as far as timing and pacing.

Consider the type of curriculum that interests you. There are “tabletop learning” styles, with books and worksheets, there is nature learning, where most of the education is outside and learning through play, or there are many online programs like Time4Learning or even ABC Mouse. These are both wonderful programs that will allow you to step away from curriculum planning and allow your children to do their work online.

Choose which level of flexibility you will use and how hands-on you want to be with your child’s homeschooling experience.

Teaching Method

Is there a type of method you will teach your children?

Now that you know the best way your child learns, consider what the best way of teaching is for you. Are you a relaxed teacher? Or perhaps you lean more toward, Montessori, Classical, or Charlotte Mason Education.

A great resource on teaching methods is at Homeschool.com where you can take a closer look at all the teaching methods. This will help you discover which method will work best according to your own personal strengths and weaknesses.

Cost

Evaluate what your budget is, once you have done this, decide on the curriculum that fits your budget. Consider what the initial investment will be and what any ongoing expenses are.

There are a lot of great programs that are on monthly and yearly plans. For many curricula, there are ways to make it more cost-efficient. You can do things like printing worksheets off, or purchasing programs yearly, rather than monthly for a larger discount. Homeschool doesn’t require a large sum of money, you can absolutely find programs and projects that will work for your budget.

State and Local Regulations

Before you launch into homeschooling, find out what the laws and regulations are in your state. Each state is a little bit different in what they require when it comes to homeschooling.

Some regulations to consider are school-age requirements, state-mandated subjects, assessment requirements, and immunization requirements.

For a deeper look check out hslda.org for a full list of state rules.