Now, let’s talk resources for choosing curriculum.
Cathy Duffy has reviewed all kinds of materials for so many years which is why she is probably the most often used resource by many homeschooling families. She has her website…www.cathyduffyreviews.com full of reviews (and a “How to Choose Homeschool Curriculum” PDF for sale). She also has books that you can purchase (or check out from your local library if available there) which review curriculums. And she has posts with recent reviews or product reviews. This is a very helpful place to start.
Utilize some of the charts and/or information on the internet that lay out the “Most Popular Homeschooling Styles” or “Homeschooling Methods” or “Homeschooling Approaches” (such as “school at home”, “unschooling”, “Classical”, “Charlotte Mason”, “Montessori”, “Relaxed Eclectic”, “Waldorf”, “Holistic”, or “Multiple Intelligences”). Simply reading about a style or method of homeschooling will help you know whether it resonates with you and your family. One thing to keep in mind, though, is to be sure the style would appeal to your child…not so much just to you as the teacher. It is highly likely via genetics that both teacher/parent and child would have similar styles. But, this is not always the case and can result in you loving homeschooling and your child hating it or not learning much/very effectively.
Talk to people who have homeschooled (or read blogs of homeschooling families) and find a situation that sounds similar to yours.
If you can attend a nearby Homeschool Convention, this is an opportunity worth utilizing. We attend one presented by Great Homeschool Conventions which is full of curriculum, books, and products…but also great speakers on various topics. In the last couple of years, they have created “speaker tracks” where you can follow speakers focusing on new homeschooling families or speakers focusing on a particular homeschooling method/approach or speakers focusing on teaching high schoolers. Talk about lots of resources and helpful people and information…!
Also, one website I stumbled across during our 5th grade year that could be a helpful (and it’s free) is the Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool. If I had come across this sooner, I would have used it more. We used bits and pieces of it, but had a hard time fitting more in with all the other curriculum we were already using.
While the task of choosing curriculum can seem overwhelming, remember to just get there one step at a time.
