Often one of the first questions asked by families transitioning to home schooling is, “What curriculum should we use?”
A difficult question, to which unfortunately there is no easy answer. There are many things to consider. First you need to determine which curriculum will work best for your entire family. You will be teaching your child, so it has to be something you can understand and present in an engaging style for the student. You should also consider if this will work with your family plan. Some online-based curriculums have live teachers, so class times may not match your schedule. Here are some other things to consider.
- What is your child’s learning style? If you are not currently interested in reading, you would not want to consider a curriculum that is 100 percent book based. Does your child spend a lot of time with their electronic device? An online curriculum may be more appropriate for this type of student.
- Does your child have learning difficulties? There are several online curricula that have been created specifically for children with special needs and learning disabilities.
- Your budget is also key in determining which curriculum you will choose. Curriculum costs can range from a few hundred dollars a month to zero cost. It all depends on how much effort you are willing to put into the lesson plan. There are several library-based curricula ranging from inexpensive to free.
- How much time are you willing to invest each week? Although most homeschooled children do not spend 8 hours Monday through Friday every day like the traditional public school student. You need to determine how much time will be required of you for the different curricula.
- Read online reviews for any curriculum you are considering. When parents love something, they will praise it and tell you all that’s great about it! If they are not satisfied, they will also tell you every detail of why. Your reasons for refusing may relate to things like time and effort, which may not affect your decision.
- Join homeschool groups on social media. This is a great opportunity to ask questions from experienced home school parents.
Don’t feel like you’re failing if the first curriculum you choose doesn’t work for you. Most parents will tell you that they went through several curriculums before finding the one that worked best for them.
Also, look online for used syllabus pages. You can usually find lightly used syllabuses that are heavily discounted.
Thanks to M Haksins | #Choose #Home #School #Curriculum #Children
