Lesson 2: Creating a Personal Philosophy
Do I want a ready-made curriculum?
What to teach is always a frightening decision for parents. There are so many choices and so many points of view. How does a parent decide?
The first challenge is to decide whether to buy a complete curriculum or create one yourself-or some combination of these. Purchased curricula have both benefits and drawbacks, and you will need to evaluate each prior to making a decision.
A packaged curriculum is easy to administer. In most cases they are complete and parent-proof. You open the box and go to work. They are popular with first time homeschoolers for this reason. However, some programs are better than others, and a program suitable for one child may be completely inappropriate for another. Special needs children often have difficulty with the amount of reading and writing required to complete the package, and parents may have to provide accommodations. These packages are often largely seat-work, making them difficult for children who have ADHD.
These packages can also be expensive, although many are available used. Be sure to check out the return policy carefully, in case the package does not work for you. If possible, try to attend a curriculum fair and get a good look at the curriculum you are interested in. Talk to other parents and collect opinions. You should try to find parents who have taught children who have the same disability your child has. For example, Saxon math is very popular in homeschooling circles. Some parents love it because it is thorough, it breaks everything down into manageable steps, it reviews regularly and it doesn’t require the parent to be skilled at math. Other parents protest that it is monotonous and takes the joy out of learning. Only you can decide if it is the best choice for your child.
There are many places to purchase curricula on the internet, but research the company carefully. One I can recommend is Recycled Learning, which is owned by BellaOnline’s homeschooling host. She is a homeschooling mother herself. Many large homeschooling organizations also offer curriculum fairs, which allow you to visit venders and look at products. They are a good way to meet homeschoolers who have tried the products.
As you begin to explore curricula, you will soon realize that many of them are Christian-based. If you are not mainstream Christian, or do not wish to use a Christian curriculum, you will have to search a little harder. If religion is an issue for you, be sure to examine the curriculum in detail for signs of a compatible spiritual background.
To begin your search for a curriculum, visit Google, a popular search engine and type in "homeschool curriculum." You will find more curriculum than you can handle. Some of the most popular are: Calvert, Saxon, Robinson’s Self-teaching, Covenant, and A Beka. To find curricula for a special needs child, add the name of the disability to your search term: "homeschool curriculum autistic." There are now many programs designed especially for children who have disabilities.
When reviewing a curriculum, keep in mind several questions:
1. How expensive is the package? Can materials be used with younger siblings later?
2. Will your child’s disability allow him to use this material? A child who has difficulty writing will not do well with workbook-style programs. A child who has reading challenges may have to have all the material read to him.
3. Can you mix and match grade levels? This is an important issue when dealing with special needs children. If your child needs a first grade reading program, but excels in science, you do not want to condemn him to a complete first grade program--especially if he is ten years old.
4. How much experience does the teacher need to present the materials?
5. Will you be disappointed by the level of involvement this program requires of you? If you like teaching, you may be frustrated by a program that does not require your input. On the other hand, if you have little patience, you may not want to be involved more than minimally.
6. Does the material reflect your values?
7. What will you do if this material does not work? The first year, we often guess incorrectly about what will work. If this happens, can you afford to scrap the program?
Visit FamilyEducation.com for a summary of some of the most popular curricula and their costs. (Warning: This site has a lot of pop-up ads.) This will give you an idea of what you will spend if you buy a new package.
Another option is to visit teacher supply stores and pick up thematic unit books and workbooks. You can mix-and-match to your heart’s content and if something doesn’t work, you haven’t spent a lot. I learned the hard way not to spend my entire annual budget at once. Buy just what you need to start with. If it doesn’t work, you haven’t lost more than a few dollars.
This is an especially important consideration with special needs children. Usually, their disabilities are so unpredictable that it is hard to guess what will work. Experiment and consider the first year a laboratory experiment. By the following year, you will be a seasoned professional, better equipped to select a curriculum for your child.
