10 Tips for Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum

Choosing curriculum for your homeschool can be both exhilarating and daunting. We are fortunate to be homeschooling in a time where there are hundreds of different curricula to choose. Or are we? When looking for guidance, there are just as many tips and opinions out there as there are curriculum choices. The curriculum abyss is deep and can be quite overwhelming. I consider choosing curriculum a duty and a privilege, and I don’t take it lightly. I’ve learned quite a lot over the past decade when it comes to choosing a homeschool curriculum. Wouldn’t it be nice to pour a cup of coffee and pour over curriculum catalogs together all day long? Maybe one day! For now, here are my top 10 tips and candid explanations.

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Avoid temptation, and do a little planning.

Those glossy curriculum catalogs start filling our mailboxes months before we actually need them! Maybe the publishers know we’re at our weakest moments. We’re tired of what we’ve been using, and it all looks so shiny and new! Perhaps some of us are just ready to call it a year and move on to the next better thing! Before you do something crazy and buy one of each, ask yourself a few questions. What subjects are you planning to teach? What’s your budget? How much time do you have to teach? How much time do your kids have to devote to school? Consider those things before thinking about specifics. You don’t have to buy curriculum in the spring. There are plenty of great curriculum sales in the summer too!

TIP #1 Create a skeleton plan for the next year now. Make the purchase later.

The grass is green on both sides of the fence.

It really is! You may be using something great, your friend may be using something else that’s great, and your favorite blogger may be using something that’s great. Great choices are plentiful in the curriculum market. What I’ve learned is that if your grass is green, keep chewing it! It’s not even possible to enjoy all the green grass that’s available in the lush curriculum pasture! In other words, if you have something you are currently using and like it – stick with it.

TIP #2 If you are enjoying your curriculum, keep using it! Consistency pays off in the long run.

Research, Research, Research.

I love writing reviews. I love reading reviews even better. One of my favorite things to do when choosing curriculum for the year is sip coffee or tea and read, read, read. I have been known to go out past the ten o’s in Google! That may be extreme, but it’s a great pastime for a night owl like myself. One of the best sources are bloggers (and I’m not just saying that because I am one). I’m saying publishers and good web designers are good at what they do. Check the web for the ones who have actually used it, or have at least looked over it thoroughly and are willing to give an honest opinion.

TIP #3 Do your research. Preferably from someone who has some experience using it.

Don’t Over Analyze Learning & Teaching Styles.

Visual, auditory, kinesthetic – we are always hearing about various learning styles, and it is often one of the first things most try to determine when researching curriculum. I agree it is an important step, but don’t over analyze it. I have seen my kids learning styles as well as my teaching styles change several times over the years. I’ve even seen changes between different subjects! If you find something you like to use and have a passion for relating that information to your kids, they will learn. That is why it’s good to consider learning styles, but don’t let that make or break you from using a particular curriculum.

TIP #4 – The way you teach, and the way they learn will change. Find something you like to teach, teach it well and with enthusiasm, and they will learn!

Don’t Worry Much About Grade Levels.

I am fortunate to have kids two “grade levels” apart. Rather than spending extra money on curricula and extra time teaching it, I usually take the middle of the two. That has worked well with most subjects, especially science and history. I expect more from the older one, and slightly less from the younger one. I do keep math on their level, as well as certain parts of English classes. Many publishers are offering multi-level curriculum now. That is the way to go when teaching multiple students, and fantastic for the true homeschool experience of learning together.

TIP #5 – If homeschooling more than one child, and they are close in grade level, take the middle, or look for a multi-level curriculum.

Most Popular Isn’t Always the Best.

Choosing curriculum isn’t a middle school popularity contest. When I began homeschooling, I found a few curricula that everybody seems to recommend. If you’ve been homeschooling a while, you will probably figure it out, but I’ll give you a hint – they both begin and end with the letter A. The highly recommended go-to curriculum for teaching a child how to read turned out to be one of the wackiest ways to learn to read for us. We abandoned it quickly, and I found something else that was right under my nose.

In middle school, we tried another “ya gotta use this” popular curricula. After a few short months, it was killing our love for science. However, I saw a glimmer of potential, improvised, and we did have a good year of science. I fell into that same popularity trap again a couple of years later in high school. This time I ditched it, and soon found something else much better for our high school sciences.

Tip #6: Being a part of the popular curriculum crowd isn’t for everyone.

Boxed or Build Your Own?

I tend to lean more on the eclectic side, but not always. “Boxed” means using one publisher for all subjects, rather than one publisher for math, another for history, and another for science, and so on. When we first started homeschooling, I used a “boxed” set. We had a wonderful year. A couple of years later, I decided I would mix and match. It was not our best year. We lacked the unity and consistency we were accustomed to having with using the same publisher. It wasn’t until after we had been homeschooling awhile that I felt comfortable to mix and match.

Boxed sets sometimes get a bad rap because they can be rather pricey. I look at them differently. They are put together by professionals, materials are well presented, and are exactly what some families need. When there’s congruity, things fit together in a way that makes sense. When you feel comfortable branching out and hand-picking, you can absolutely build your own to customize your family’s needs.

TIP #7: Building your own curriculum, or buying a set is a personal preference. If you’re not sure where to begin and are overwhelmed, a boxed set will remove the guesswork.

Don’t Skimp.

I believe home education is an investment. An investment in time as well as a financial investment. With that said, I don’t skimp on curriculum. That doesn’t mean I spend a lot of money either. I make every effort to buy used, whether it be at a homeschool consignment store, Ebay, or convention discounts. We also try to keep our curriculum in good shape, so it can be sold when we are finished. When buying used, look for the most current editions. Often, older teacher manuals and student text are still available, but when it comes time to purchase the consumable student workbook, the pages do not match up with older editions. This is frustrating, and I would recommend avoiding this.

There are also a ton of free resources online, and I believe you can homeschool for (nearly) free. This would be more of a time investment upfront, but totally doable and worth it! If you have a great printer, good organizational skills, and patience to put it all together, then you can have a fantastic, fully customized curriculum. Whatever your budget may be, keep in mind the investment you are making is in the education of your kids. They are worth it.

Tip #8: Home education is an investment. Don’t Skimp.

Less Really is More.

This is a tough one for a curriculum collector like myself! New books with loads of ideas are such a temptation! I’ll admit, I have purchased really awesome things that we never used. Sadly, it’s still stored in my garage for that “one day” that never came. I only have so many hours in a day, and so do you. Take a good look at the time you have, before you buy something that requires more “extra” time than you can handle. Chances are, your kids would probably rather get their work done so they can go play outside! At least that was the case for me. Buying too many things can leave you discouraged and broke. Invest in quality products that can be used for several years if possible.

TIP #9: Don’t buy more than you have time for, or your kids have interest in. It took me years to figure it out, but less really is more.

Consider the End Game.

Whether going straight to work or straight to college, academic requirements will vary. When my kids began high school, I began to think about the skills I want them to have when they leave the nest. It wasn’t the ability to have a head full of forgotten dates, or the perfect essay, or mind-numbing advanced math. A strong work ethic, life skills, problem solving skills, and a solid understanding of God’s Word top my list.

Take the time to teach life skills, and pass on your knowledge of the qualities that employers are really looking for. Without those skills, a dazzling transcript won’t mean much in the working world. In fact, I HIGHLY recommend reading the book, Skip College. Include it on your teen’s reading list too. It is not a college bashing book, rather a book that may change their life!

TIP #10: Make sure your graduation requirements are met. Are you more interested in practicality or meeting college entry requirements? Hey, it’s your homeschool!

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A Quick Word on Prayer

I didn’t intend to go there, but when asking, “How do I choose a homeschool curriculum?”, prayer is typically number one on most lists. Prayer is absolutely a good thing, but many treat prayer as some kind of crystal ball, especially when it comes to making choices. “Lord, lead me to the best curriculum for my child”, or “God, tell me….” Don’t be like this. Rather, pray that “…ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding”. Colossians 1:9. The will of God is always found in His Word.

I hope my 10 tips for choosing a homeschool curriculum has given you some ideas and direction. I get it – it is quite the responsibility! Just remember, use curriculum as a guide. Don’t be afraid to travel down rabbit holes or adjust it to suit your family’s needs. Curriculum isn’t the boss of you, so don’t let it control you. If you’re looking for specifics, or want to know some of my favorites that have worked well for us, visit my Resource page! I also have a free shopping list to help with your planning on my Freebies page.

BONUS TIP: Homeschooling is what you make it. The keys to success are motivation and a commitment, not the kind of curriculum you use.