How to choose the right homeschooling curriculum for your child?

Curriculum is merely a course of study comprising of a range of different books. There is no such thing as a “perfect curriculum”, but some materials and approaches will definitely work better for your child in comparison to others.

Which curriculum should you use?

If someone asked you for directions, what will you ask them first?—you’d want them to tell you where they are trying to go, and from which direction they are starting. To be able to get somewhere, it’s important to know your starting point and your destination. This helps you determine the best way to reach the target destination.

Let's use the same steps to help you take an informed decision about the materials and course to use.

Start by asking yourself where your child is now (figuratively) and where do you wish them to be in a year from now?
Why are you homeschooling? Once you know where you are heading, will you take the “scenic route” or the “shortcut”? Are you learning leisurely or are you catching up? This will impact your choice of curriculum.
Set targets: what are you preparing your child for? What skills, content knowledge or even relationships do you need to cultivate in them? Goals should always be attainable and measurable.
Research different approaches. This is basically the “mode of transportation” you wish to use in your family’s home education journey. Mentioned below is a basic listing of the some of the most popular approaches. One specific approach may fit well with your family or you may wish to use an eclectic approach—combining or mixing several different approaches. There is certainly no one “perfect” way to homeschool!

Some popular learning approaches

Classical
Traditional
Unit Studies
Living Books
Relaxed/Unschooling

Homeschooling does not just offer a greater opportunity to encourage a child to reach their academic potential, but it also helps them develop life skills and character.

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