Visiting the homeschool forums will show you that opinion is divided over having a formal curriculum or just developing your own among homeschooling parents. While some feel that having a formal curriculum is a necessary tool to help teach their children in an organized manner and cover all topics, others want to be more flexible in their approach to homeschooling their children. The truth is there is no “one size fits” all curriculum out there. You have to mix and match the best you can.
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This is easier when the children are in the elementary grades as you have a good idea of just what all they need to be taught in each subject. You can pull in material for free from the internet and design your own worksheets. You can even model your own worksheets based on existing ones that you find. There is no need to buy expensive material and specified curriculum per subject at this stage. It gets trickier when they grow older and the more complicated topics begin.
It can be tough narrowing down the topics to be taught if you have no general guideline from a specific curriculum.By using an accredited curriculum you get to depend on a trusted and tested teaching tool while homeschooling your child. It is not necessary to buy the most expensive material out there. It may not suit the teaching goals that you have set for your child. Instead you must look for what seems in tune with the learning goals that have been put in place for your child. Does the curriculum seem to help these? If yes, then by all means buy it.
There are a number of teaching tools that do not cost too much and can make a considerable difference to your teaching methodology. Consider getting e-books as an alternative to physical books and using online schools. Not everything that the child learns must be taught by the parent. If you enroll your child in an online school for a specific subject, it will enhance the learning experience for your child and give you some free time as well.
Article Inspiration: About Homeschooling
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