The Key to Curriculum Selection
contributed by Tamara H. Willey, homeschooling mom of 11 years.
How can I possibly make a selection of a curriculum when there are so many learning styles, teaching styles, methodologies, technological helps, core vs. supplemental resources, etc. (gasp!)? In my experience, this is the most frequently asked question by new homeschoolers and veterans alike. The process involves several steps but it doesn't have to be overwhelming if you follow a simple plan:
evaluate, record, shop, compare, and purchase.|
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The Evaluation Stage |
The evaluation stage is the
key to curriculum selection, though it is the most overlooked. In it, you, as parent, spend concentrated time reviewing and recording what you know about each of your children. Is your child weak in an area? Is the area in question academic or character-based? Are there any spiritual issues that play into his/her education? These are important questions. A child's difficulty with math may have little to do with the curriculum. It may relate to stresses that are going on in the family, a spiritual battle with some aspect of his character development, physiological problems such as allergies, eye/ear problems, or even his ability to relate to his teacher!Changing curriculums may bring a brief fresh wind, but it may not be answering the real problems. Be careful to look at the whole child. How is the child doing with his social confidence? What are his physical needs? What are his emotional needs? Believe it or not, curriculums do shape a child. They can accomplish this by either administering principles that bolster these areas, or by taking up all of his energies to complete the "course" so that he has little time to develop other needy areas. If your child needs more personal confidence, then a stiffer grammar program probably wouldn't be desirable.
Look also at the child's strengths. As your child shows ability in a certain area, you will need to find resources for expanding that ability. The needed resources may not be curriculum-related at all. The need could be addressed using extracurricular activities, expanded discussions, mentoring relationships, etc. Rather than purchasing new and more difficult or higher level texts, you may choose to seek out a resource person to guide you into opportunities that are available for adding depth to what is already being taught. Resourcing with other homeschooling families may give you what you need without spending any money on new curriculums.
For Christian families, prayer is an integral part of this stage. By praying to the Creator of your child for wisdom, you can gain insights that you would otherwise have overlooked. You may even learn more of your own weaknesses and strengths as teacher/parent in the process...a valuable benefit in and of itself! Set aside some quiet time for thinking and praying about each child but don't just think "curriculum." Record what insights come to you on a single page, maybe even in chart form if you like. This begins the next stage.
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The Recording Stage |
In the recording stage you begin the task of ordering and arranging your notes. As you look over the notes on your children (and the insights gained concerning yourself), look for main threads. Here is where you begin to see learning styles emerge as one or more children show leanings toward one or the other. There are many publications that either summarize or go into depth on the subject of learning styles. "
How They Learn" by Cynthia Tobias, "Choosing & Using Curriculum for Your Special Child" and "Learning in Spite of Labels" by Joyce Herzog are books that you might use for reference. There are also many Internet sites that contain information on learning styles.Look for common interests and needs and for ways you can combine and unify your efforts. You may find that a unit study will work best for at least some of your children because their learning styles or interests are going to be similar enough. You may find that textbooks will work in some areas, especially for the older grades, where they can move ahead in a single subject.
Work to make your needs list simple and brief. This will enable you to carve out a bit of 'guilt-free' extra time during the year, instead of spending all of your time trying to use the whole of what you bought at the beginning of the year ( it all looked so good!).
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The Shopping Stage |
The shopping stage is the fun part! With a list in hand, go through catalogs or curriculum fairs shopping for ONLY those resources which will fit what you have already determined to be needed in your family. It is similar to a vegetarian going to a buffet table, knowing which items he will SELECT to fit within his choice of diet. Self-discipline is a lot easier to achieve when we know ahead of time what our family "body" needs, rather than going in hungry and stuffing ourselves with fattening (and expensive) extras'. Don't worry about trying to buy right then. Record all the resources you find (along with the supplier and cost and all-important aspects) on a new paper. If there is a definite, sure winner, go ahead and buy. But normally, you will want to hold off. Even salad bars have a variety of choices and you will want to make the best choice for your money and time.
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The Comparing Stage |
We're almost through! Now you are ready to compare all the resources you have recorded. Are there redundant resources? Is there any place you can combine levels, etc.? Are there any other resources (online, libraries, borrowing from friends) which will serve your purpose as well or better that weren't in the catalog/fair? Are there manipulatives/games that you and your child can make yourselves?
One Year I wore myself out trying to teach a high-schooler and an early elementary son with separate science programs. Neither child was getting a thorough education because there was little time for both. I finally realized I could use the older child's high-school text as a jumping off point for unit studies for the younger...even the subject of chemistry! I was better able to help both students because my thinking was undivided and not scattered in a million different directions. Another plus to this would be the review that an older child would get in helping the younger with the same subject matter.
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The Purchasing Stage |
Scale down your list and make out any order forms. Calculate your expense and then submit that to your family budget for approval. Remember that you don't have to buy a whole year's worth at a time. Sometimes purchasing just for one semester helps, especially in high-school level courses. Now ....you can Buy!
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Conclusion |
This plan isn't fail-proof. Children change, babies are born, families move, and all sorts of circumstances can alter your original purchase. You may find you had misinterpreted one of your children. This can be one of the best parts of learning: finding out what DOESN'T work. Don't despair; you are still spending far less money this way than you would with most conventional private schools. The time you can spend with your children far outweighs any mistakes a public school would make. YOU have time to go back and remediate rather than allow your child to be lost in a chink in the 'system.'
By properly planning your curriculum choices through prayerful evaluation, comparison shopping, and budgeting, your confidence as teacher and parent will be greatly improved. Your time and financial resources won't be wasted. You will spend far less time worrying about the curriculum you didn't choose. But far more importantly, your children could probably not get a finer education or one that is as uniquely, and Providentially designed for them, as the one you will be putting together
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