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FALL 2021 HOMESCHOOL IOWA 15
approach to learning. For visual learners, things like flashcards can
help them recall information and “see” the question.
Bonus tip: If you are uncertain of your child’s learning style,
watch them teach themselves something. They will naturally teach
themselves in the way they learn best.
Something else to think about is, what is your own learning style?
If your learning style is different from our child, this may make it
harder to teach the way they learn. However, determining this helps
us recognize the need for change.
2) Howmuch does this curriculum cost?
I know this is not a favorite subject, but considering the cost is im-
portant. Homeschooling doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg. You
can do it cheaper, but it does take time and planning.
Pro Tips For Saving Money:
• Search for sales, secondhand and/or gently used will help.
• Reuse: If you have numerous children, can they all use it?
• I like to keep an eye on online stores for free shipping deals and/or
used curriculum.
• Check in for sales in bookstores, yard sales, and gently used sales.
Keep inmind:Some curriculum is just plainworth spendingmoney
on. We have a few favorites that we purchase each year because it
just works for us! Yes, we could get it cheaper or maybe free, but it
would not work for our family.
3) Will this curriculum fit in my schedule?
This is a great question because some programs are time-intensive
requiring, a lot of prep time from you and/or much busy work.
Consider:
• How it fits with your current schedule.
• Howmany days a week will be needed.
• Howmany hours.
• Will you feel rushed if you do not complete it on time.
Look for reviews, and take advantage of any free trial periods you
can or borrow curriculum from friends to see if it will work for your
family, if possible. Many either offer free samples or cheap rates to
test them out.
Keep in mind that schedules can change often, so don’t feel guilty
if you need to change your schedule and tweak the rhythm of your
homeschool day a few times throughout the year.
4)Will this curriculum fulfill all the legal requirements needed
for a full course of study, or will it meet the pre-requisite require-
ments for my college-bound children?
In Iowa, what you need to include in your course of study depends
on what legal option you are homeschooling under, and that infor-
mation can be found on the Homeschool Iowa website.
Another concern, especially for older students, is: Will this cur-
riculum fulfill any pre-requisites for further studies? Please note
that what is “required” for public school is often quite different for
a homeschooled child. So don’t rely on the public school to answer
this question, but check with admissions counselors at schools or
programs your children are interested in attending for post-high-
school learning.
5) Does the company ship to where I live, or is there a way for
me to obtain it locally?
Due to the fact I do most of my research online, I tend to buy
online. I love the convenience of having the books delivered to my
door, saving me time and money.
However, I have found the “perfect” piece for a curriculum, only
to learn they don’t ship to where I live in Canada, or that they would
ship to me, but the costs of shipping was high enough that it made
the cost of the curriculummore than I was willing to pay.
I’ve saved a ton of time, money, and frustration by ordering my
books through Christian Book, and Educents.
Also, if you are planning ahead, you can take time to watch for
used curriculum sales both online and locally to save money on the
curriculum you choose.
This next question is vital, especially for working homeschool
moms or those who are schooling several children.
6) How much assistance from me will be needed for them to
use this curriculum? Is it self-paced, encouraging independent
learning, or relying on parental assistance?
This is where knowing your child, your goals for them, and the way
they learn comes in super handy.
Reading a review of the product, if it is a new curriculum, will also
help you determine how much of “you” your child will need to com-
plete the curriculum. If you are in the training period of encouraging
your child be more independent in their learning, finding curricu-
lum designed for them to learn on their own will be very helpful in
this endeavor. Usually, this type of program will be clearer in their
instructions and worded for the child, not the instructor.
If you are just branching out in this matter, I personally find intro-
ducing one or two of the subjects as independent learning at a time
is a nice way to ease them into self-learning without overwhelming
them.
7) Is this part of a series I have started in the previous years?
If you are using a series of curriculum, will you continue to use it?
Be sure to check with the questions above to make sure it still fits
your child. Each year I look for any changes in their learning styles
that may have occurred during the year and any“life changes”or“job
changes” that may have occurred.
After considering those things, find out if the curriculum is still fit-
ting your needs. It can be hard to step away from a curriculum we
are familiar with. However, if it is no longer working, then changes
may be needed.
A personal example: We had a favorite math program. A change to
our personal life (me returning to work) made this great program that
we loved no longer work for us. Making the change was a challenge,
as the program was designed to build on the previous books. I wor-
ried if I put the children in a new program, they would be missing key
information. I overcame this challenge by reading reviews, looking
at sample pages, doing placement tests and using videos to teach
anything that they came across that was “new” to them.
Changing a curriculum is not always easy, but it does pay off when
the program starts clicking and joy returns to your homeschool.
Using these seven questions as you choose curriculum will help
you confidently navigate the many choices available. For more
information, worksheets to help you navigate this process, and
links to additional resources, please visit this post on my blog at:
Hi, I’m Jen. I help working moms juggle their career and homeschool their kids by providing
practical solutions and a boatload of coffee! You are warmly invited to join
my online community on Facebook at the Working Homeschool Mom Club
and visit my website for other resources at: .