Tips for Choosing Homeschool Curriculum

Choosing curriculum is a massive endeavor for homeschool families! Our family has been homeschooling our 3 boys since the beginning of their education; our oldest is now 15!  For the past 11 years, we have tried a variety of curriculum’s. May any insights I give be a blessing and helpful to you, dear mama❤️  Please take what you can and leave the rest!

2 key thoughts before we begin!

~ There is NO perfect curriculum - only a perfect God over all.  Our God is sovereign, unstoppable, and powerful. Your choice of curriculum cannot change our loving Savior’s heart for your homeschool.  I hope and trust that gives you a deep sense of hope.  

~ There is NO perfect homeschool parent - only a perfect God over all.   Any error you might make is covered in grace. Please, sweet mama, don’t forget this truth! 

With many options to choose from, may these tips benefit your curriculum search!

1. End goals ~ Homeschool with the end goal in view.  Let your curriculum choices be decided by the goals you have prayerfully made for each child.  Ask yourself if this curriculum will aid or impede these goals.

2. Worldview emphasis ~ What is the focus of the curriculum?  Does it meet the academic, spiritual, and emotional objectives that you have for your child?  Peruse table of contents, a few lessons AND read reviews from reputable reviewers.  

3. Cost ~  Financial tends to be a major decision factor in our curriculum choices.  If you find one that is beyond your budget, is there another one similar that would complement your budget better?  Can you purchase it used? Is there a family that might be able to lend it to you? Can you get part of it at the library? The library has been a HUGE blessing to our family in regards to cutting costs!

4. Homeschool Style ~  There are a variety of homeschooling styles - Charlotte Mason, Unschooling, Waldorf, Classical, Eclectic, Unit-Study based, or Roadschooling - to name a few.  What style best fits you and your children? Look for curriculum that matches your specific style before you look anywhere else! Try googling “Homeschool Styles Quiz” and get an idea of what you are.

5. Child’s learning style ~  The words auditory, kinesthetic, and visual learner are thrown around in the education world.  There is some real goodness in learning your child’s style. If they are a kinesthetic learner, then doing ALL worksheets might be challenging.  Although, there are ways you can do the worksheets that can make it into a kinesthetic-learning situation. In the past, we have a used a spelling curriculum that uses ALL 3 modalities together - what a brilliant idea! There are MANY ways to work with your child’s learning style.  

6. Practicality~  Look at your family’s lifestyle.  Are you a single mama homeschooling?  Are you a ministry family? Do you work from home?  Does your husband work out of town, so you have more on your plate?  Do you have long commutes to your extra-curriculars? Please take this into account when choosing curriculum.  If you are in the car quite a bit during the week, choosing audio readings of books or workbooks (if you don’t have a sweet car-sick child) would be convenient.  Ministry Mama, do you need to delegate some learning to an online course because you have counseling/ministry appointments? Super! Ask the Lord to help you make creative decisions for your family’s education that BEST suit your family’s lifestyle.  This is part of the beauty of the homeschooling journey.

7. Wise counsel ~  Proverbs 20.18 says “plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.” Please seek out women who have journeyed this road before you. What a blessing to have the wisdom and knowledge of those who have been walking this homeschooling road longer than us!  Such a gift!

8. Resources ~  Order catalogs (if you like to touch it and not just look online) from the companies that interest you most.  I keep them for the entire year, so I can reference them as needed. Find a couple online reviewers and bookmark their sites!  

9. Trusting God ~  Once you have made the best choice, trust our Savior!  God is good and can be trusted that He loves our children even more than we do!  Rest in His sovereignty, and go forth in Christ’s joy. Every year, I reevaluate our choices (sometimes in the middle of the year, if necessary) to see if we are on the right track or if we need to look into a better fit for a child.  No need to fret!

10. Prayer ~ Pray without ceasing! Ask God to guide and direct your search. God cares about the details of our lives, so offer up prayers regarding this exploration.

Homeschooling Mama, the Lord has called you to this job.  He placed your children in your family for His amazing purposes.  Be encouraged! Have a remarkable time choosing your curriculum for next year!

In His Grace ~ leigh anne

Tips for Homeschooling Boys

As parents, our calling is to train up our children in the way he/she should go.  At times, this can seem like an insurmountable task, but by God’s grace, He will enable us to do challenging things for His glory and our good.  Homeschooling our boys is rewarding and a gift beyond measure, although in all honesty, it can be quite a precarious journey!  

As you read through the following tips, please know that they are coming from a mama of three boys who is desperate for God’s grace every day and has learned through mentors, friends, conferences, & simply, the fire.  I continue to be a student of my boys - watching and learning what helps them learn. Honestly, it even changes moment by moment each day. Trials & errors are gifts.

1. This is a generalization, but many boys need to move!  Boys were created for things and often, it seems, they need to move their bodies and/or hands to figure out how things work.  Yes, this is kinesthetic learning. Let your boys touch & manipulate anything that is appropriate!  

2. While reading, allow your boys to do something that doesn’t take much extra “thinking,” since they will be listening to your content.  Let them build Lego’s or blocks. Have them play with clay or Play Dough. Allow them to draw or even hang upside down while playing with a fidget cube or spinner.  Typically, my boys are listening! They know I will need to take away whatever they are doing if they cannot answer my questions. This helps to keep them engaged and on point.  Each one of my boys have their own clay in their cubby, along with fidget cubes & spinners, for when they are needed. 

3. Use a large body ball as their chair!  This is ideal in getting out the wiggles, while learning!  They can slowly (hopefully!) bounce, while figuring out math problems, learning Spanish, or reading their literature for the day.  This is NOT a good idea for penmanship-time, though :) Also, let them stand, kneel, or lay down whenever it is feasible. This helps them to get out their squirmies AND cuts down on the constant reminders to sit down.  Please know, I DO agree there are times where it is vitally important to sit still and listen. But one amazing reason for homeschooling is getting to let our boys burn their energy throughout the day. (Although, I know some schools are moving to this idea.)

4. Use ANYTHING besides “typical” paper when possible!  Our home has numerous dry erase boards - a huge one on the hallway wall, a medium size one, and small ones for the table.  This gives them variety and keeps them on their toes. Chalkboards are helpful, also. Various other types of paper like graphing, tracing, special lined paper, etc… are convenient for struggling writers.  I place lined-paper lines on our large dry-erase board. This has been invaluable for one of our struggling writers. 

5. Make the learning process FUN with new & interesting school supplies.  Sweet Nelly, I have bought NUMEROUS types of pencils & erasers, silly folders, and special containers,  Special supplies for each individual child has been a blessing in the midst of the challenge of focusing on school.

6. Recess and/or physical activity/education IS SO IMPORTANT!  Granted, it is important for ladies, too :) Having them burn off steam gets out the pent up energy from needing to focus all morning/afternoon.  It is amazing how wonderfully they can focus after getting in a quick bike ride.  

7. My friend, Laura, shared about boards she made for her children.  These boards help to separate space between children and serve as a learning tool.  They have been incredibly helpful for our boys in helping them not be distracted with their brother’s sounds/work/antics!  (Please see pictures below.)

8. Teach manners!  Overall, my boys have been naturally spontaneous, focused on bodily functions, energetic, and talkative.  Some are more quiet than others, but generally, they have much to say. Manners are a way of loving others and showing care to those around us.  How vital to teach our boys these matters from early on.

9. Make time for the memorable moments on a day-to-day/weekly basis.  For instance, make healthy hot chocolate during science or history reading.  Have tea time while doing silent reading. Do school at a local coffee shop OR the library to mix it up a bit.  Take those sweet boys (almost) everywhere. Let them experience life while under your loving care and teaching. Teach them appropriate behaviors at various places.  Train them to see the beauty, truth, and goodness in life! Life is a gift from the hand of God; share this truth with them!

10. Last, but certainly not least, Homeschooling Mom & Dad, you need the enormous grace of our Savior!  This grace is unmerited, but a gift. We are clay in the potters hand, just like our children. We MUST remember this as we care and school our boys.  Our entire family is in need of the grace that only our perfect Savior can give. Realizing that the Lord is not finished with any of us helps to give encouragement to keep on persevering through the exhausting times.  

This is not an extensive list, but may the ideas benefit you as you school your treasured boys at home!

Please feel free to add any other tips in the comment section! 

All By His Grace ~ leigh anne