Blog Hop- Not Back to School - Curriculum

So, you've decide to homeschool, now what? Curriculum! It's a main topic on most every homeschool group or forum on social media. What subjects do you need to teach? How do you choose the right curriculum? What if, gasp, you choose the wrong curriculum? It can be a stressful thing, for sure.

I remember feeling a bit overwhelmed when we first began homeschooling. I wasn't familiar with most of the major curriculum sources, or what to include in our studies. Can you relate? If you said yes, let me offer a few tips.

First of all, relax! One of the things that I did to begin with, was to get online and find out the homeschool requirements in my state . You can do this in the U.S. by going to the HSLDA website (Homeschool Legal Defense Association). They provide a cache of valuable information about getting started with homeschooling. You can also do a search on what is taught in any specific grade.

Once you have a list of what you will teach, think about what style of learning you want to implement. Do you want to go a traditional route, with textbooks, tests, and such,  or do you prefer a literature based way of schooling? What about online classes, is that the way you would like to go? Or, do you want to try an unschooling approach, allowing your children to lead with what they would prefer to study? We have the ease and benefit of living in the computer age, so you can do a search on any of these styles and determine your fit. Also ask other homeschoolers what they do, it can provide a starting point for you.

Next, and also important, decide what your budget allows. Curriculum can be expensive, and flashy isn't necessarily better. Of course, it's lao true that you get what you pay for. As you shop, don't forget to try library resale shops, Half Price bookstores, thrift shops, and ebay. Join local homeschool support groups on social media, as they will often post dates of used curriculum sales that come up in your area. Those groups also often allow for swapping and selling curriculum.

What if you purchase curriculum, and it just isn't a good fit? Are you obligated to stick with it for the whole school year? The beauty of homeschooling is that you decide what works best for your family, and if that means that you need to switch something mid year, so be it. We've done just that, more than once. As I wrap up my thoughts here, I'll offer a list of some of our faves for you to check out. Oh, and one more thing, it will be alright!

Some of our favorites:

Schoolhouse Teachers.com - any and every subject, planning, support
Apologia - Science, Bible, Health
Notgrass History
Drive Thru History
Teaching Textbooks - Math
Math Essentials No Nonsense Algebra
Artistic Pursuits - Art
Memoria Press - Latin
Progeny Press - Literature
Sharon Watson - Writing, Literature
BJU - English/ Language Arts


Read more about this subject from other Crew members participating in our Blog Hop by clicking Here!