Choosing Homeschool Curriculum

This month the Canadian Homeschool Blogging Team has put together posts on the hows, whys and whats behind the adventure of choosing their curricula each year.

Rebecca – 5 Questions to ask Before Choosing Curriculum

How to choose curriculum can be one of the most stressful aspects of homeschooling! If you have ever been to a homeschool convention and seen the rows of tables FILLED with curriculum, you may have felt completely overwhelmed at where to start! Every homeschool mom you talk to has a different program they love and it is difficult (if not seemingly impossible) to know ahead of time if something will work for your family and your child. If you have been or are at your whits end when it comes to choosing curriculum, take a deep breath and read on! Find out the top 5 questions you need to ask yourself before you purchase anything and grab your free planning printable!

Lisa – Curriculum

When I started homeschooling; I so badly wanted to just buy a box with everything I “needed” to homeschool. Sadly I never found this magic box…So I get curriculum from many places…

Bonnie – How I Chose My Homeschool Curriculum

One of the biggest questions facing a homeschooler is what curriculum to use. There are tons of great curriculum options available to homeschool families. For me, the deciding factor has been talking to fellow homeschoolers about what has worked for them in their daily routines.

Alexandra – Choosing Homeschool Curriculum & Planning for the Year Ahead

Since I started homeschooling, I have used several books to inspire, educate, and help me in my research. The most influential books for me have been: Project Based Homeschooling, The Well Trained Mind, and The Writer’s Jungle by Brave Writer.

Christy – Advice for Choosing Homeschool Curriculum

I use good quality curriculum materials because I want my children to learn more than I know. I want them to learn math strategies that I’ve long since forgotten, and spelling rules I was never taught. Because of the costs of curriculum, I do not switch curriculum often. Instead we adapt the material to our needs. The goal is to teach the child, not the curriculum.

Debbie – Choosing Curriculum: Make it Personal

When I started homeschooling I was so anxious on my “performance” (what other’s thought of me), so I mimicked public school as best I could. I printed worksheet after worksheet. Stacks of the suckers. And I made my poor (then) 4 year old wiggly boy sit through and complete them. While it made me feel less anxious to mimic a public school it did not in any way work for my kinesthetic visual learner. School soon became stressful for us all and we both hated it. That’s when I clued in that I need to find our own curriculum – not a public school curriculum.

Alison – Our Relaxed Classical Curriculum (including next year’s picks!)

It’s that time of year again when many homeschoolers are wrapping up their year. Finishing some subjects early (way to go you homeschooling superstars!) and trying to plough through where you may have fallen behind. It’s a great time for evaluating the year; what worked and what didn’t. Many are attending homeschool conferences, vendor halls, and planning for next year. Here’s a review of what we have been working on, and our plans for what’s up next for our up and coming third grader and kindergartener!

Andrea – Tips for Choosing Curriculum

Just remember curriculum is a personal choice. There`s no right or wrong when it comes to choosing your curriculum.

Joelle – How I Choose Our CurriculumWhen it comes to curriculum, the homeschool market is saturated. There is way too much to choose from. On top of that, I am a curriculum junkie (defined as having a hard time staying away from curriculum), so I struggle.

Katie – How We Choose Our Curriculum

When it comes to homeschooling 2 very different special needs children, there was a lot of trial and error involved before I landed on a method that worked the best for all of us.

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And now something for you! Here is a special free printable – with 4 worksheets to help you plan, compare, and purchase your curriculum materials for the year.

Includes:

• a goal setting worksheet
• a basic budget planner
• a wishlist and comparison worksheet
• a store/price comparison worksheet

Download your free Curriculum Purchase Worksheets.