Heart and Mind Homeschool
  • Heart 'N Mind Homeschool
  • Heart 'N Mind Homeschool Blog
  • Free Printable Homeschool Worksheets
    • Homeschool Grade Levels >
      • PreK-K
      • Grade 1
      • Grade 2
      • Grade 3
      • Grade 4
      • Grade 5
      • Grade 6
      • Grade 7
      • Grade 8
      • Grade 9
      • Grade 10
      • Grade 11
      • Grade 12
  • Contact
  • Write For Us!
  • Hire Us!

Should I Design My Child's Homeschool Curriculum Myself?

12/3/2014

0 Comments

 
by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff
Homeschool Materials on Bookshelf
If you have recently made the decision to homeschool, you may be pondering the best curriculum choices. There are so many options, such as pre-packaged curriculum, online curriculum, virtual school, co-ops, and more. You may even be thinking "Should I design my child's homeschool curriculum myself?" Our family has tried many, many options, including me writing out every single lesson by hand.

What is your lifestyle? This is the very first thing you need to ask yourself. Your family's lifestyle will have a great deal to do with which choices may be best. If you like to be on the go, certain curriculum choices will not work with that. For instance, if the materials are not very portable, you're going to have a big problem. If you choose an online curriculum, you need to have Internet access at all times, even when you leave the house. An active family might benefit from free schooling or unschooling. Designing the curriculum yourself can be beneficial with many lifestyles, as it's customizable. However, some people may not have the time needed to fully commit to this. Be sure to consider your family's lifestyle and habits when you make your decision.

Can you commit to this plan all year long? Unless you are an experienced writer, you probably cannot write your child's entire curriculum at the beginning of the year. You'll probably need to do it in segments year-round. Can you commit to this? Will you? You may be feeling ambitious at the moment. But if you have a habit of starting major projects that don't get finished, this may not be the best method for you. However, if you're known to plow ahead even through tough projects, writing your child's own curriculum might work for you.

Do you know the state standards? This is extremely important when writing your child's lessons yourself. You should know what the standards are for the area you live in. You can find those out by by checking with the Department of Education in your state and also by checking to see if your state has adopted the Common Core State Standards Initiative. The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) does not support having a national system like this. However, since it has been adopted, it is wise to follow at least the core standards. Depending on your state, it could also be the law to follow them. The HSLDA has a handy list to help you figure out what the legalities of homeschooling are in your state.

Is there a better option? When choosing between writing your child's curriculum or other methods, be sure you are making the correct decision. In some cases, a curriculum customized and written by the parent may be the best choice. In other cases, the child may learn more effectively another way. Weigh all your options and make the choice based both on your child's needs, as well as your ability to effectively teach your child using that option. There are ways to customize your child's education (such as combining materials) without having to develop an entire curriculum yourself.

Does this actually work? As someone who has used this method before, I know firsthand that it can definitely work for the right family. However, be prepared to be fully committed and very busy. If weighing all the options doesn't scare you away and it sounds like something that will fit your family's lifestyle, then go for it. If it doesn't work out, you can always move on to the next method. While writing the curriculum myself was a great option, because I also write for a living, I found that in order to have more time with my kids, it wasn't the best option for us. I would be spending entirely too much time writing. While I still write lessons and design games for them on occasion, I no longer do it full time.

*I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network



Content Powered by Write W.A.V.E. Media.

Get content like this for your blog or website.

Not writing for us yet? Submit something today!






0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Picture

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Staff Authors

    Picture
    Lyn Lomasi & Richard Rowell are life & business partners. Owners of the Write W.A.V.E. Media network, they are your content superheroes to the rescue! Running their network, tackling deadlines single handedly, and coaching fellow writers & entrepreneurs to be thought leaders is their top priority. While rescuing civilians from boring content and marketing, they conquer the world, living the RV life and making Crafts For A Purpose with their awesomely crazy family while recounting The Nova Skye Story, along with Kymani’s Travels. They also strive to one day cuddle with lions and giraffes. Until then, they’ll settle for furry rescue kitties and doggies.

    Hire Lyn & Rich!
    Ask Lyn
    Stalk Us On Social Media!

    Peeps We Love!

    Blue Skies Homeschool

    Life Successfully

    The Unplanned Homeschooler

    Quirky Science

    My Mom's Totally Nuts

    Free Printable Lesson Plans
    .

    Archives

    November 2017
    December 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    April 2012
    January 2012

    Categories

    All
    About Us
    Accessories
    Activities
    Advancement
    Adventures
    Animal Kingdom
    Animals
    Ask Lyn
    Babies
    Backpacks
    Back To Homeschool
    Back To School
    Basketball
    Bias
    Black History
    Boredom
    Budget
    Cat Eyes
    Cats
    Child Led Learning
    Child-led Learning
    Choice
    Class
    College
    Coloring Pages
    Comprehension
    Concentration
    Coping
    Cost
    Curriculum
    Decimals
    Degree
    Design Curriculum
    Diploma
    Discipline
    DIY
    Dresscode
    Dr. Seuss
    Early Childhood Education
    Eco
    Eco-friendly
    Education
    Education Advice
    Educational Methods
    Educational Resources
    Educational Videos
    Education Methods
    Energy
    Enhancing Skills
    Events
    Failing
    Failure
    FAQ
    Field Trips
    First Grade
    Focus
    Food Chain
    Free
    Free Activities
    Free Lesson Plans
    Free Printables
    Free Projects
    Free Schooling
    Fun
    Getting Started
    Green
    Gym
    Hands-on
    Hands On Schooling
    Hands-on Schooling
    Handy Hints
    Hardships
    High School
    History
    Holidays
    Homeschool
    Homeschool Advice
    Homeschool Co Ops
    Homeschool Co-ops
    Homeschool Curriculum
    Homeschooling
    Homeschool Library
    Homeschool Myths
    Homeschool Tips
    Houston
    How To Homeschool
    Inspiration
    Integrated Play
    Interactive Play
    Interests
    January Holidays
    Job
    Jr
    Kids
    Kindergarten
    Know-It-All
    Laws
    Laziness
    Lazy
    Learning
    Learning Through Play
    Lesson Plans
    Lessons
    Library
    Literacy
    Lyn Lomasi
    March Holidays
    Martin Luther King
    Materials
    Math
    Math Games
    Memory
    Mind
    Mind Preparation
    Mission
    Mixed Age
    Mixed-age
    Mixed-age Grouping
    MLK
    MLK Day
    Money
    Multi Age
    Negative Reactions
    Neighborhood
    Objective
    Options
    Organization
    Outdoors
    Outside
    Parenting Advice
    Parents
    Pets
    Physical Education
    Plans
    Positive Parenting
    Predators
    Preparation
    Preschool
    Prey
    Printables
    Private Schools
    Public Schools
    Read Across America
    Readiness Checklist
    Reading
    Reading Comprehension
    Recess
    Records
    Recycling
    Regulations
    Rejuvenation
    Relaxation
    Reorganization
    Report Cards
    Resources
    Rich
    Routine
    Schedule
    School
    School Choice
    School Name
    School Schedules
    School Supplies
    Science
    Single Parents
    Social Interaction
    Socialization
    Social Skills
    Stimulation
    Stress
    Struggles
    Struggling Learners
    Switching Schooling Methods
    Teachers
    Teaching
    Teaching Degree
    Teens
    Toddlers
    Traditional School
    Transitions
    Truancy
    Truant Homeschool
    Tweens
    Uniforms
    Unschooling
    Upstream Parenting
    Variety
    Vision
    Vocabulary
    Web Writing
    Welcome
    Woodshop
    Woodworking
    Work
    Work At Home
    Working Parents
    Worksheets
    Worms
    Writing
    Yoga

Home    Articles     About/Contact     Free Printable Homeschool Worksheets    

Disclosure, TOU, & Disclaimer     Privacy Policy
© 2016 Write W.A.V.E. Media
Photos used under Creative Commons from Urban Hippie Love, US Mission Geneva, stevendepolo, stevendepolo, fabola, toridawnrector, Clotee Pridgen Allochuku, MDGovpics, DebMomOf3, brownpau, Lyn Lomasi, Urban Hippie Love, Skley, IllinoisLibrary, fabola, fabola, Brian Metcalfe, Prestonbot, Asian Development Bank, Wendelin Jacober, torbakhopper, Mufidah Kassalias, mikecogh, ToGa Wanderings, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism
✕