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SPRING 2020 HOMESCHOOL IOWA 21
There are SO many curriculum choices available, it’s hard
to sift through them all and choose what you need. Your
friends all recommend different ones, and they all look so
good! How do you, choose and where do you start? Here are just
a few tips to help you find a curriculum that’s both effective and
fun!
Use a Homeschool Curriculum
It might be tempting to pick up used school textbooks. You
may even be able to get ahold of them free, but school textbooks
assume you are an accredited teacher who knows the subject
matter inside and out. You may look at the first lesson and not
even understand what the textbook is talking about!
A homeschool curriculum assumes you know nothing and are
learning along with your child or allowing your child to learn in-
dependently. I didn’t know anything about Latin when I started
teaching my children the language, and they learned very well (if
I do say so myself) using a homeschool curriculum.
A curriculumdesigned for the school systemalso assumes there
is a teacher standing at the front of a classroom full of kids, teach-
ing and explaining concepts to them every day. As your child gets
older, you want them to start being able to teach themselves. A
self-teaching homeschool curriculum is an excellent choice for
teens. This will prepare themwell for learning and excelling in col-
lege – taking notes on their own and researching topics.
Focus on Tried and True
Watch for curriculum that is proven to be successful. You can’t
beat a tried-and-true curriculum that has been used and re-
viewed by many homeschoolers over the years. Don’t get caught
up in the shiny new curriculum trap that may not be ready for
broad distribution. Homeschool curriculum that’s been around
awhile has a better chance of working for your child. It’s already
been tested, reviewed, and revised. Your child doesn’t have to be
the guinea pig who discovers all the errors and glitches. Stick with
what works so you don’t end up with a bookcase full of costly, un-
used curriculum. You can avoid your own “hall of shame”by stick-
ing to the tried and true.
If you are looking at a newer curriculum, do your research.
Ask homeschoolers what their favorite curriculum is and why.
Read reviews online. My favorite source of good reviews is Cathy
Duffy’s book “102 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum.“
Invest in YourWeaknesses
What subject is your weak area? Maybe it’s the subject you
dread or put off teaching. What subject is your child’s weak area?
It could be the subject area your child whines about the most.
Put those weak areas first every day. The weak areas should be
the subjects you start with every morning. This way you won’t put
them off or run out of time to get to them before the homeschool
day is over. If you don’t do this, you and your child could be pan-
icking in a few months because you’re behind!
Put your weaknesses first when shopping for curriculum. Buy
curriculum for yours and your child’s weak areas first. If math is
one of your weaknesses, put it first in your budget and buy a
math curriculum first. Make it your priority. If you end up with
a curriculum mismatch and that math curriculum isn’t working,
give yourself permission to re-purchase curriculum in that weak
area. You need a curriculum that works well for you and your
child, especially in those weak areas. If your weak area is fear of
high school, invest in a supportive book that will help you do that
job with confidence.
Find a Technology Balance
In this day and age, it’s all too easy to pick up a DVD or online
curriculum for every subject. This kind of curriculum can be a lot
of fun for the kids, but there has to be a limit. It’s important to
find a balance between old-fashioned book work with hands-on
learning and the newer resources using technology. According to
a technology use guidelines chart from the American Academy
of Pediatrics, daily use of technology needs to be limited for chil-
dren. Children ages 6 to 12 should only spend up to two hours
per day with watching non-violent technology, but shouldn’t
be using handheld devices at all. These are the school years: no
handheld devices, and only two hours a day, including school-
work. And for teenagers ages 13 to 18, their technology should
be limited as well. The American Academy of Pediatrics recom-
mends they spend no more than two hours per day on personal
technology use.
Excessive use of technology in the homeschool can add up far
more technology exposure than is recommended. The solution is
simple: use as many real paper books in your homeschool as you
can. Add hands-on projects, move during educational time, and
go outside to study. Judicious use of technology for homeschool
work is important so that overall daily use can stay within these
guidelines.
Enjoy curriculum shopping for the coming year! I hope you find
these tips helpful. Wishing you could attend a convention? Grab
the book from Amazon! “Homeschool Curriculum That’s Effective
and Fun: Avoid the Crummy CurriculumHall of Shame!” (The Home-
Scholar Coffee Break Book Series #25)
Lee Binz, The HomeScholar is a dynamic homeschool speaker and author. She under-
stands what it takes to graduate homeschool students who are fully prepared for college and
for life. Lee’s mission is to encourage and equip parents to homeschool through high school.
Sign up for her free homeschool e-newsletter, The HomeScholar Record, at www.HomeHigh-
You can also find her at
Finding a CurriculumThat’s
Effective & Fun
BY LEE BINZ, THE HOMESCHOLAR