Stick With What You've Got

by Valorie Delp | More from this Blogger

29 Mar 2008 03:48 AM

As someone who runs a homeschooling support group and someone who writes about homeschooling, I find that I'm constantly talking to homeschoolers about curriculum. What do you like? What don't you like? I have met numerous homeschoolers that make radical changes in their homeschooling curriculum every year. I have mentioned before that I think taking the time to write out a philosophy is very helpful in avoiding the curriculum flip flop. However, I'm going to let you in on a little secret.

There Is Not a Perfect Curriculum

If you go the pre-written boxed curriculum route, you need to understand that there is no one curriculum that is perfectly written. Curriculum is written for the average child. Most children will 'get it'. Some will not. But if you are searching for the perfect curriculum that meets all your child's needs in every area, that you never have to supplement or do anything else in order to use it, it is likely that you will be disappointed. That curriculum doesn't exist. As you go on your homeschooling journey, you will most likely find yourself tweaking, changing, supplementing and in other ways working with your curriculum. In fact, you should be doing that. This is what needs to happen in order to meet the needs of your specific child.

Don't Change!

I mentioned at the beginning that I've talked to numerous homeschoolers who make radical curriculum changes every year. I've also talked to numerous homeschoolers who say they wished they had just stayed with what they got the first time. I think often times, our great temptation is to wonder what else we're missing. So we go hunting only to find that what everybody else loves, really is not our cup of tea.

Definitely in the word of homeschooling curriculum the old saying is true: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. You might need to tweak what you have. You might need to add to what you're doing. You might even need to do less. But chances are good that you can make it work.

Valorie Delp shares recipes and kitchen tips in the food blog, solves breastfeeding problems, shares parenting tips, and current research in the baby blog, and insight, resources and ideas as a regular guest blogger in the homeschooling blog. To read more articles by Valorie Delp, click here.

Learn more about Valorie Delp

Hello everybody! My name is Valorie and I am one busy lady! When I'm not writing or editing for families, I am busy trying to get my brood of 5 in line.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger

deedee1231 (4030) 29 Mar 2008 12:06 PM

I would agree with you to a certain extent, however, if you are working with something that you and your children are absolutely miserable with, I think you have to try something new. I completely agree that it is very helpful to sit down and write out a philosphy of education as well as a list of goals that you would like to meet by the end of the next school year and a list of goals you would like to meet by the time each child graduates. When you research curriculum armed with those goals it is much easier to eliminate things that won't meet your needs.

Valorie Delp (49340) 29 Mar 2008 03:33 PM

I agree. . .if you're absolutely miserable. . .it's time for a switch. But I think a lot of people I've met have gone from one thing. . .to the next. . .to the next. . .to find out that the first thing they were using, their first gut instinct was right. ;-)