How to Choose the Right Homeschool Curriculum: 5 Steps for Success

How do I choose the right curriculum for my homeschooler? All homeschooling families know the weight of this question. New homeschooling families or those interested in homeschooling often ask this question. 

Choosing the right curriculum can feel impossible. Spoiler alert: it’s not. You can find the right curriculum for your homeschooler. It just takes some time and effort. In this blog post, let’s discuss a few ways you can find the right homeschool curriculum. 

• Pause and shift your mindset. 
• Ask veteran homeschool parents about their curricula and ask about curricula on Facebook. 
• Access free samples online. 
• Go to homeschool shows and events. 
• Access our curriculum database. 

Curriculum Choice

Before you go and research and potentially buy new curricula, take a minute. Pause. Realize that your life will change. Your choice of curriculum may have to change as well. Your child might outgrow a curriculum. You may choose a curriculum at the beginning of your homeschooling journey, and your kids may hate it. That’s okay. You may have to change your curriculum, or you might not even choose a curriculum. And that’s okay too. Homeschooling is designed to fit your family. According to NHERI, “One of the great freedoms of homeschooling, at least in many states, is the freedom to choose the curriculum sources that will be utilized.” The curriculum shouldn’t force your family into a box. It should encourage learning within your family, not meltdowns. 

First, network with other homeschoolers. Ask veteran homeschoolers about what curricula they used. What did they like and not like? Ask them all the questions about what they used. Utilize Facebook groups to ask about curriculum insights. As you do this, you may find that you don’t want to use a curriculum at all. Some families focus on a curriculum education, and some focus on learning without a curriculum. You can even design your own curriculum if you wish.* NHERI uses a study to highlight curriculum choice: “Very few participants in this study (5%) used one curriculum package as their sole source of information.” The choice is yours, and you can choose one resource or many. 

Sometimes, homeschooling websites offer free samples or trials online. Feel free to research this so you can see if you’ll like a certain curriculum. This information gives you a background and you can access online samples/trials to experiment.

For hands-on parents, go to homeschool shows and events. My mom and I attended some of these ourselves. It’s a great way to connect with other homeschoolers and research curricula. These live events often offer speaking engagements. That way, you can hear curriculum creators and veteran homeschoolers speak at these events. 

Access our curriculum database. If you reach out to us via email or social media, I can send you our list of curricula. This list is intentionally designed for families to evaluate and narrow down curriculum choices. Reach out to us, and we’ll be happy to send that list to you!

Conclusion

Choosing a curriculum isn’t impossible. You can find the curriculum and style that works for your family. You may even find that you choose not to use a curriculum. Whatever you choose, remember…It’s your choice, and homeschooling can be educational freedom for your family. 

Click the link to join our Facebook group!

- NxtEra

Written by Bethany (@thebookwormgirl_bethany)

Source: Parent Perspectives: Curriculum and Homeschooling Approaches | National Home Education Research Institute 

*Disclaimer: Please note that you need to check your state’s homeschooling laws to be sure you can homeschool without a curriculum or can create your own.