Homeschool Curriculum Advice

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

Revelation 22:13

Choosing a homeschool curriculum for your family can be a very large task! 

Especially when you’re first starting to homeschool, you’ll want to evaluate and peruse through many curriculum options. 

When we began homeschooling, completing every little bit of the curriculum was a goal. 

Unfortunately, I unwittingly let the curriculum be the Master of our Homeschool.  If it was written in the lesson, that meant my children had to complete it. In my defense, I was a new, baby homeschool mom, and I was totally insecure in my ability to teach.  My years as a private school Kindergarten and 1st Grade teacher happened AFTER my kids graduated from our homeschool. I took all that I learned as a homeschool mom and brought it into the classroom!

The Homeschool Curriculum became the Teacher.

I left it to the curriculum to decide what my kids were to be taught.  I thought the homeschool curriculum I’d chosen knew best.  The curriculum publishers must be better at this than me!  So I let our curriculum be the teacher.  If the curriculum wrote it, we had to do it.  

I had spent a lot of time researching the curriculum.  I had sought the counsel of other experienced homeschool moms and asked for recommendations.  We bought all the things and started homeschooling. 

Our school days were longer than I expected. Where were those free afternoon hours with the kids playing in the backyard?  I was attempting to have my kids finish EVERYTHING the curriculum suggested.  If we didn’t, I thought we had somehow failed at homeschooling. 

The result? I had grumpy kids in the morning. We had tears and arguments.  My mood and often the kids’ moods were determined by how much school we got “done” that day.   Homeschool had become a chore. How come our days were so long and tiresome?

I was pushing too hard.  I had scheduled too much for my young kids.  My expectations were that we’d be done with school when the lesson printed in my Teacher’s Manual was finished, because they knew what “school” was better than me. But those expectations didn’t fit my kids.  I was pushing too much.

Mom’s Deschooling and Reimagining!

After much prayer and talking with my husband who was a professional educator – now retired public high school English teacher- we decided to reimagine our homeschool. I realized I had A LOT of deschooling to do myself!

I had grown up in the public school system, from Kindergarten through College. I had to ‘undo’ my belief that the school and the teachers knew what was best for me.  I had to let go of the idea that government school knew what was best for me.  These thoughts were unknowingly ingrained in my view of what education looked like. I didn’t know an alternate view point even existed.  And I was continuing the cycle in my own homeschool. 

Instead of pushing my kids to “do” the homeschool curriculum, we decided to make some changes.  We shifted our focus and began using the curriculum in a way that best served our family, instead of our family serving the daily lesson plan.  I stopped viewing the curriculum as the one in charge.  I realized I knew my kids better, even as a brand new baby homeschool mom!

We made changes.

We crossed out what was too much in our curriculum (😱 this was HUGE for me)  We may have skipped over some topics altogether and I’m not sorry about it. We added more breaks and outdoor play time. And snacks. Lots of snacks.  We even let the kids eat a snack while they worked.  I did my best to end the lesson while it was still fun, and the kids were enjoying it.  Amazingly, we would end the day in a much happier place.

Sometimes we started our day with a short trip to the beach or a walk in the woods.  The days that began with outdoor play were probably the best ones! Everyone, including mom, was happier.  My oldest son is very physically active and needed more movement in order to learn. 

Choosing curriculum takes time, and doing your research is important. Talk to other homeschool moms, ask around at your Co-op and get their curriculum recommendations. Do all the research you need!  We suggest you start here with our  list of Our Favorite Curriculum.   Use this list as a jumping off point for your own curriculum research.

But know that whatever curriculum you choose, you are still in charge of your homeschool. You know your kids the best.  Don’t be afraid to alter the curriculum as necessary to serve your family. Use the curriculum as a guide, not a master of your homeschool!

TIPS for Customizing Your Curriculum

Once you’ve chosen a curriculum, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to follow it word for word. One of the beauties of homeschooling is the flexibility to tailor learning to meet your family’s needs. Here’s some tips on how to customize a curriculum:

• Skip What Doesn’t Work: If a lesson isn’t clicking, feel free to skip it! Not every lesson in a curriculum is essential. If your child already understands a concept, there’s no need to repeat it. For example, in a math curriculum, if your child is confident in addition, you might skip some practice problems and move on to a new concept. Or if your child would benefit from the review, break up the review into 2 sessions – odd numbered problems one day and even the next.
• Supplement Where Necessary: On the other hand, if a curriculum doesn’t go in-depth enough on a subject your child is passionate about, feel free to supplement with additional resources. If your child loves space, for instance, you might supplement a science curriculum with extra books or documentaries about astronomy. Head to the library and let your child grab several books on outer space. You may decide to settle in for a bit and take extra time on that subject. Allow your child time to explore and to read more before you move on to the next lesson.
• Modify for Your Child’s Learning Style: If you’re using a curriculum designed for visual learners but have an auditory learner, tweak the lessons. Instead of having them read through a workbook, you might read the material aloud or use audiobooks. Or, if your child is a kinesthetic learner, add hands-on projects or field trips to make the material more engaging. For more details on Learning Styles and lists of specific teaching strategies for each style, grab our Learning Styles Ebook.
  
• Pace Yourself: You don’t have to complete a curriculum within a single school year. Some children may move quickly through one subject and need extra time with another. Adjust the pace based on your child’s progress and interest level.

Reevaluate and Make Changes as Needed

No homeschool curriculum is set in stone. As you move through the school year, pay attention to how your child is responding. If a curriculum isn’t working, don’t hesitate to make changes. Here are some tips on how to adjust your curriculum as needed:

• Conduct Gentle Assessments: Periodically check in with your child to see how they feel about the material. Are they engaged and enjoying learning? Are they struggling with certain subjects? Ask them what they would be excited about learning next?  Based on their feedback, decide if adjustments are needed.
• Switch Mid-Year if Necessary: It’s perfectly okay to change curriculums mid-year if something isn’t working. Homeschooling is about finding the right fit for your family, and sometimes that means trying a new approach. If a math curriculum is too challenging or a science curriculum is too dull, don’t be afraid to switch to something new.  If you need to make a curriculum switch, look for a used homeschool bookstore near you.  You may be able to sell your gently used books to them, but also have a chance to peruse and evaluate other curriculum options there as well.
• Trust Your Instincts: You know your child best. If something doesn’t feel right or isn’t meeting their needs, trust your instincts and make a change. Homeschooling is all about creating an environment where your child can thrive, and that might mean adjusting the curriculum along the way.

Choosing a homeschool curriculum is a deeply personal process, unique to each family.

By understanding your family’s values, your child’s learning style, and the various homeschooling philosophies, you can use your curriculum in a way that serves as a foundation for your child’s education. Remember, the curriculum is a tool, not a rulebook. It is not the master of your homeschool.  Feel free to customize, modify, and adjust it so you can create a customized learning experience that works for your family. Whether you’re skipping certain lessons, supplementing with outside resources, or even switching programs mid-year, the goal is to provide an education that nurtures your child’s natural curiosity and growth.

Ultimately, homeschooling allows you to be flexible and responsive to your child’s needs in ways traditional schooling often cannot. By taking the time to thoughtfully tailor your homeschool curriculum, you can create a homeschooling environment that not only supports academic learning but also fosters creativity, independence, and a lifelong love of learning. Don’t be afraid to make changes along the way—after all, homeschooling is a journey, and you have the freedom to adapt as needed to ensure your family thrives.

You can do this mom!! Parents learn as we homeschool too, and that’s perfectly fine!!

What is your favorite curriculum?

Share your ideas with The Honest Homeschool Community below.