It’s Your Choice- Determining the Best Homeschool Curriculum for Your Family

by Mark-Elliot Finley, Exodus Contributor

Making the leap to homeschooling is a huge decision. But parents must also make another choice; which homeschool curriculum is the best? Rather than thinking about which curriculum is best, we suggest finding or making the curriculum that best fits your student and family. Three things to consider are your student’s needs, curriculum content, and your own situation.

Considering Student Needs
Considering your student’s needs is the first step in determining which homeschool curriculum is best for you. For example, what is your student’s grade level and grade-level proficiency in each subject area? Does your student have any academic exceptionalities (ADHD, speech or language impairments, dyslexia, etc.)?

Considering your student’s interests can also inform your curriculum selection. Student interests are broad ranging from sports, the outdoors, art, and everything in between. Your student’s learning style should also inform your curriculum decision (visual, tactile, auditory, etc.). And what about your student’s goals post-graduation? Considering some of these questions will help you determine your student’s needs and can lead you to finding or developing a homeschool curriculum matching those requirements.

Considering Curriculum Content
Content is another aspect to contemplate when determining the best homeschooling curriculum for your family. Your content could follow your state’s curriculum or the Common Core curriculum.

However, such content might be the very reason you are considering homeschooling. If you don’t want to follow state-mandated curriculum, you could make your own. Curriculum “À la carte” offers a little bit of everything, is generally a little more relaxed, and is catered more towards your student’s interests. It also gives parents space to include students in the curriculum-building process, giving students more autonomy over their education. You could employ a “mixed approach,” combining formal, premade curriculum with your own design. However, all these options require time and dedication to your student’s needs and educational development. How does that blend into your own personal life?

Considering Your Personal Situation
This leads us into the third thing to consider when choosing your optimum homeschooling curriculum–your personal situation. If you are working a full-time job, it might be difficult to formulate, much less implement, a homeschool curriculum. If you decide to make the curriculum, will it be flexible or structured? You might also think about your own academic knowledge. Are you prepared to make curriculum for 10th grade math or science? What about coming up with reading strategies for your early elementary student? Self-reflecting on your own abilities and time will help you determine which homeschool curriculum is most appropriate for your family.

Considering How Exodus Institute Can Help You
If curriculum planning sounds time consuming and difficult, don’t worry! Exodus Institute has an accredited K-12 program offering fully developed curriculum taught by certified teachers. The K-12 program takes the burden of curriculum development off the parents while still providing a wholesome Christian educational alternative. Exodus Institute also offers an enrichment program that includes relevant lessons on current events and critical thinking skills. Our Enrichment Program is a great accompaniment to any parent-developed curriculum. For more information on what Exodus Institute can offer you and your student, visit https://www.thinkexodus.org/.