We’re officially closer to the start of next school year than the end of the last one. That can be exciting for some, but panic-inducing for others if you haven’t made all your curriculum picks just yet. (Don’t worry, it’s not too late!)

Let’s get into how to choose the right curriculum to fit your family’s goals and learning styles so you’re confident and set up for a joyful homeschool experience. 

Listen… the homeschool curriculum YouTubeverse is vast. You could spend hours every day watching flip throughs and listening to pros and cons. And with so many sponsored posts, it can be hard to tell (or trust) what will really work for your family.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t watch review videos or ask around - you absolutely should. But you will save so. much. time. if you narrow it down to the kinds of materials you’re looking for to begin with.

Unfortunately, most new-to-homeschooling parents start by searching Google or YouTube for “best [grade level] homeschool curriculum” and are inundated, and quickly overwhelmed, with all the options and opinions that come up. To avoid this, you’ve got to search yourself before you search the curriculum shelves.

Your family’s home education priorities will narrow down your curriculum selections. 

If you don’t set these first, you could end up:

• Wasting time considering options that would’ve been an easy pass.

• Overspending on programs or materials.

• Forcing yourself to endure curriculum that doesn’t fit your family’s learning style, just because of how much you paid for it.

• Feeling defeated and taking it personally, when neither your teaching abilities, your kids’ learning styles, or the combination of those things is the real issue.

To avoid all that and instead set yourself up for a more joyful school year, here’s what you want to do before curriculum shopping:

Step 1: Pray this… 

“Lord, teach me how to teach them so they can thrive as who you’ve made them to be.”

We know our kids now, but only God knows who He has made them to be. Yet He gave them to us, allowing us to be stewards of their God-given design and purpose until they take over that management role for themselves.

When we ask God how to teach them, it’s like Solomon asking God for wisdom to govern His people. And God never begrudges or withholds wisdom from those who ask for it! 

Two verses to remember:

• “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” James 1:5 NLT

• "Yes, God is working in you to help you want to do what pleases him. Then he gives you the power to do it." Philippians 2:13 ICB

Step 2: Write down what matters most.

What does your ideal homeschool day look like? What do you want your days to be filled with? Think about these questions in terms of what your unique family loves and needs, and write those things down.

Some examples: 

• We’re big readers (or strive to be) so we want lots of books
• Hands-on, experLess worksheets, more hands-on projects
• We love exploring outside, so we want our lessons to include that. 
• We’re actively involved in [sports, church activities, etc.] and want to make sure lessons are short but effective so we can finish up and have plenty of time for those extracurriculars. 

If you have multiple children, it might be helpful to jot down some overall family priorities (like Bible study together) as well as some kid-specific considerations. Doing this will help you build a picture for how all of your studies will fit together, if and how they overlap, and pinpoint your must-haves for each individual subject (whether you’re learning family style or teaching subjects individually).

Step 3: Consider their learning style.

Is your child an avid reader? Hands-on learner? Sit-and-listener? Knowing these things about them will help you select curriculum that will be easy and joyful for them to engage with.

If you need some help discovering this, I highly recommend the book 8 Great Smarts for Homeschoolers: A Guide to Teaching Based on Your Child’s Unique Strengths written by Tina Hollenbeck with foreword by Dr. Kathy Koch. 

In this book, you’ll learn how to detect which smarts are strongest for your child and how that can shape their approach to subject by subject. (The breakdowns for each academic subject for all of the smarts are GOLD!)

For example, if your kiddo is both body smart and word smart, they’ll thrive with hands-on math and phonics curricula that use manipulatives to form word problems in math and build words in language arts.

Step 4: Consider your teaching style.

Your teaching style is just as important to consider as your kids’ learning styles, because, after all, you’re in this together! They’ll totally pick up on your feelings, whether you’re bored, flustered, excited or intrigued. When you feel comfortable presenting the material, you’re miles closer to a joyful homeschool experience. 

When you’re narrowing down curriculum choices, look at how the curriculum is delivered and what it requires from you. This will help you make the final decision on which option is the best fit.

Things to think about:

• Do you want the whole year planned out for you in one shot, or do you want to choose topics of interest and plan a few weeks at a time for each one?
• Would you prefer a written out teaching script, or do you like to have prompts for general guidance that leave room for your own creativity?
• How much prep are you up for? Printable or project-based curriculum come with their own levels of prep, where other programs offer done-for-you activity kits that you can open up and run with.
• Do book and craft supply lists excite or overwhelm you?
• Would you prefer a printed teacher’s guide or a digital one to learn from anywhere (or print on your own)?

Once you’ve gotten a handle on your priorities and preferences, you can narrow down the kind of curriculum you’re shopping for.

There are a few prominent styles of homeschooling, which only really matters because curriculum can be labeled as such. If you know what they mean, then you’ll understand a bit more what they’ll feel like to implement.

This breakdown from Simply Charlotte Mason explains the 5 primary homeschooling styles: traditional, classical, unschooling, unit studies and of course, Charlotte Mason. The good news is, you don’t have to commit to a singular style for all subjects. Knowing your child’s strengths can help you determine what style of curriculum could fit best in each subject.

Some examples:

• A child with strong nature and picture smarts would likely enjoy a Charlotte Mason approach, especially in science and art.
• A very logic or word smart child might excel with a traditional or classical style of teaching, especially in math or history.
• Children with strong self smarts might thrive in an unschooling setting where they can reflect on and deeply explore their interests.
• Body and picture smart children may really love project-based unit studies or multisensory math or phonics curriculum that invite them to build what they’re learning.

Final word of encouragement…

As you look ahead to the start of your first (or next!) homeschool year, be encouraged! There’s so much joy ahead! Making curriculum decisions can feel daunting, but remember this: your ultimate goal is to serve the children God gave you well. With that in mind, He will give you the insight you need. That’s why step 1 above is really the most important.

With eyes opened to the Creator’s understanding of who your children are, it gets so much easier to do things like choose curriculum, plan a schedule and create a loving, nurturing atmosphere that molds their hearts along with their minds.

 

 

 

 

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