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When it comes to curriculum, it can be extremely overwhelming. There are many companies that sell curricula for a variety of subjects. Each one has a different angle on the subject. Some full homeschools, similar to private schools, have a full curriculum based on what they require for each grade level. Accreditation is the biggest advantage to these school-at-home companies. Some places are curriculum only without accreditation. You can get a full-year curriculum, choose the level based on subject or only choose one or two subjects to purchase from the company.
Curriculum in a Box
These companies offer a full year’s worth of curriculum. Some have accreditation with full enrollment. Others are curriculum-only companies. When you are first homeschooling and not sure how your children learn, this can be a lifesaver and a place to start. Getting a curriculum to cover all subjects needed for the year, can make it easier on you. As you get more comfortable with homeschooling, you will start to see what types of curriculum work best for your family.
Reevaulate
The thing is to not get too comfortable with a company that has the “curriculum in a box.” If it is your first year of homeschooling, use it as support. At the end of the year, reevaluate. How did it work? Did the curriculum work for all members of the family? You may find that it worked for most but for one student, it did not work at all. It is okay to change what that student does for homeschooling. Maybe certain subjects did not work with that curriculum such as math but there is a better math program for that student. We all learn differently and each program takes a different approach. Don’t be afraid to mix and match as needed especially after getting your feet wet.
Subject-Based Curriculum
There are many companies that sell individual subjects. You can choose to use a math curriculum from one company and language arts from another. This is a pick-and-choose method based only on the subject. Once you start to find certain companies and formats you like, you can get more of that subject from the company. Then other subjects you can choose from another company which fits your family best. You are putting the curriculum for the year together yourself. You are choosing and picking what is best for each subject and choosing the company to get the material.
Subject-Based Program Example
An example that shows you how your program might look follows:
- Math- From Company A
- Language Arts (Writing, Reading, Vocab, Spelling, Phonics)- From Company A and Company B
- Keyboarding- From Company C
- Logic- From Company D
- Foreign Language- From Company D
- History/Social Studies- From Company E
You may have other subjects or electives you choose which may or may not come from the companies you are getting content from for another subject. The point here is that you might find different companies that cover content that fits your family best from a variety of companies and not all through one company. There is nothing wrong with that. What is important is that you use content that fits your family. You do not need to make your family fit the content or the format of the content. That is one of the great benefits of homeschooling.
Unit-Studies Based Curriculum
Unit-studies-based is similar to subject-based. However, this is where you would work on a full unit study which may be cross-curriculum. It may cover science, math, library skills, etc all in one unit study. These usually require more research and are also hands-on. In the elementary years, unit studies are great! They can start with a book and go into the history behind when the book was set. It could include info on the author, making a food dish based on the time period, or creating a character map based on the personality of the characters in the book.
When Unit Studies are Useful
There are a lot of projects which could be included in a unit study. These also work well with students who are at different levels. The older students can do more in-depth work, while the younger students can do a more condensed version. However, everyone is included in the unit study learning.
Online Education- Full and Subject Based
Online education can be a great option. There are live classes and pre-recorded classes. Companies offer a full curriculum or you can also choose subject-based only. Some of this curriculum is free, some you pay a membership fee (either monthly or annually), and others you purchase based on the class. There are classes that only last for a few weeks or months and others that go all year. The choices are endless. There is so much information out there that you can fill up a complete year very quickly. Some of the classes are topic-specific and you can add different topics to complete a full class such as science. Different types of units are put together to create a full science course. Both accredited programs and others offer great science content.
Different Types of Online Curriculum
This list shows you the various types of online education you can use in your homeschool journey.
- Full Curriculum Program (Accredited or Non-Accredited) (Live or PreRecorded)
- Full Program- Learn on Your Own (These are Mostly Read Content on Your Own)- These Can be Free or Small Donation
- Individual Subject- Full Year (Live or Pre-Recorded)
- Infividual Subject- Few Weeks Only (Live or Pre-Recorded)- They can be Small or Large Group Classes
- Individual Unit- These are Usually Small Classes are are Live (Pay for Course or a Membership Fee which Allows a Number of Credits- Each Couse One Credit Deducted)
- Membership Sites (Pay Montly or Annually)- Can Take as Many Courses as You Like During Your Membership- These Can be Live or Pre-Recorded
Online education really can look like anything at this point. They can be live classes with children of the same age or different ages. They can be pre-recorded and you access the material when it is convenient for your family. Some courses are free, membership-based, or you can spend a lot of money on a single course. It all depends on what you are looking for and what is going to work best for your family at this time. What works best now, may not work best in the future. The great thing is that you have many options out there and resources to help you.
Year End Reevaluations
Remember it is a good idea to reevaluate each year and make sure what you are doing is best for your family. What worked well one year may not be the best fit in another year. The curriculum may not have fit a student’s learning style or you need to supplement some concepts to help a student understand it. There are many resources out there and it can become overwhelming. Take it one step at a time and find what works for you and not what works for another family.
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