The Curriculum Question
I have a new post up over at Life Without School called The Curriculum Question.
Hope that you enjoy!
The Curriculum Question
I think for most homeschoolers, once the "Should we homeschool?" question is answered, the next question that understandably comes up is "How exactly are we supposed to do this?" and that can be when the panic sets in.
Anyone who is new to homeschooling quickly learns that there is a lot of often conflicting advice...everyone has their own favorite method and materials. It can be very daunting to the newcomer who wants to "get it right".
I usually try to reassure new homeschoolers that they do not need to "get it right" the first time...and that in all likelihood they won't! And the "right approach" will most likely change throughout the years. But that is ok, it is part of the homeschool journey. And like most things in the life, the journey is as valuable (if not more) than the eventual destination.
I also tell new homeschoolers that in order to get something that works for their kids, they need to start with their kids. How do they learn best? Do they need to "see" something? Do they need hands on activities? Do they learn best by watching a video or playing on the computer or reading? What are their interests? What are their passions? Answering these questions can help narrow things down a bit, but it also may take a bit of time to figure out especially in the beginning. And that is ok too.
Most homeschoolers recommend a "deschooling" period when kids are first taken out of school. LWOS author Tammy has a great post on her blog explaining the deschooling process. Deschooling usually takes on average about one month for every year they were in school. This does not mean that learning stops, but rather it is a time where the focus is less on formal, sit-down academics and more on doing fun things...going on a field trip, watching movies, going to park days to meet other homeschoolers, reading all day or doing something that they did not have time to do while in school. During this time you can research curriculums and also watch how your kids learn and that might give you some more focus. There really is no rush. Really. I also recommend using this time to see how much your kids learn without formal lessons...you may be surprised.
I started homeschooling my oldest when he started kindergarten. We took it really relaxed and did not use any formal curriculum. One year (he would have been in 2nd grade) I realized that he probably would benefit from a more structured approach in math (I could see that he was struggling to see the "big picture"...how all the pieces fit together). By this time I also knew that he is a visual-spatial learner...he needs to learn things top down, not bottom up. It is also important for him to be able to visualize the concepts. He is not good at memorization but once he gets a concept, it is his and he has no patience for repetition.
With this in mind, I posted on several homeschooling email lists to get some recommendations and then checked them out. I had already realized that Saxon would have been the kiss of death for him (too much repetition and memorization for him but perfect for some of my friends' kids). I received several recommendations for Singapore Math as well as Math U See. Checking out the websites I decided on Singapore which has worked out great. We use it more as a reference then as a curriculum, but it presents things very visually and explains things in a way that makes sense to him.
The point here is not that Singapore Math is a great math program nor is it that that all kids even need a math program (some do, some don't). Instead the point is that for me to find the right math resources for my son, I had to start with him and how he learns. Without this knowledge and understanding, all the recommendations in the world would not have helped me.
So before you try to answer "The Curriculum Question" be sure to look to your child first. Then look to others for recommendations that will fit the way that your child learns. And always keep in mind...what works for one child will not always work for another. And that is ok and is part of the beauty of homeschooling.
