|
Choosing Homeschool Curriculum: What to Consider
Your Children's Ages
© Beverley Paine 2011
No one can tell you what the 'right' curriculum is for your family. In this series of articles, also available as an inexpensivePractical Homeschool Series booklet, my aim is merely to offer advice, information and questions to guide you in making an appropriate choice. Take what resonates with you and your family situation and leave the rest. There is no need to end up feeling like a slave to the curriculum you choose - if it isn't working there are plenty of alternatives to consider.
What ages are your children ?
The age of your children naturally determines the focus of the curriculum.
Preschoolers need very little in the way of formal curriculum. Children of this age enjoy a hands-on and play-based curriculum, and especially enjoy playing 'school', doing pre-reading and maths activities, educational games and puzzles.
Before adolescence, children need to have a good grasp of the basics:
- how to communicate effectively - talking, listening, reading, writing, expressing oneself, participating;
- how to calculate accurately - numbers, measurement, space and volume, chance and probability;
- how to think scientifically - asking questions, testing theories, evaluating results;
- how to take care of oneself and one's possessions; and
- how to get along with others.
This provides the scaffold for learning effectively through the teenage years and beyond.
Teenagers may require a different approach than younger children, one which offers them greater responsibility for managing their time as well as some input to the content and direction of their activities. Learning might be tailored to suit emerging interests or the beginnings of a career pathway. Specialisation as well as a general education is possible.
Don't worry about what curriculum your teenager will need if he or she is aged only three! So much will change between now and then. If the last three decades are anything to go by, it is virtually impossible to imagine the different types of resources that will become available.
Learning Styles
Find out what the learning styles are of all members of your family. It's a fun thing to do and will give you an insight into what kinds of learning materials and activities you'll need for each of your children.
- Know your child: his interests, developmental stage, his personality and temperament, likes and dislikes, and what motivates him.
- Does he have any learning difficulties or differences?
- Does he have any physical or intellectual disabilities?
- Are there any areas in which he shows innate talent or giftedness?
- Also think about the values, life and character skills you would like to help him
develop as he grows.
Knowledge and understanding of these attributes will help determine your choice of curriculum. Search online for information about 'learning styles' and 'multiple intelligences'.
See also the other articles in this Choosing Curriculum series:
Or purchase Beverley's inexpensive Practical Homeschooling Series booklet from Always Learning Books - over 40 pages of practical information explaining the different approaches as well as useful and helpful advice.
Was this article helpful? Was it worth $1.00 to you?
Your gift of $1 or more helps to keep this site operating
offering encouragement
and reassurance to families
wanting
better outcomes for their children.
Beverley Paine with her children, and their home educated children, relaxing at home.
Together with the support of my family, my aim is to help parents educate their children in stress-free, nurturing environments. In addition to building and maintaing this website, I continue to create and manage local and national home educating networks, help to organise conferences and camps, as well as write for, edit and produce newsletters, resource directories and magazines. I am an active supporter of national, state, regional and local home education groups.
"You've been an inspiration to me, I love the way
you really listen to people." Vanessa
"Whenever I read your writing I always come away
with increased confidence in my ability to provide and
share a wonderful learning journey with my family!" Davina
"Your guidance, understanding, support and words of
wisdom changed our lives. We now offer support and
organise many homeschooling events for others." Lesley
"Thank you once again for your prompt and friendly service.
I am convinced that your books are going to add
quality and peace of mind to my journey of teaching my kids
at home! Just from studying your website, until almost
2am
in the morning, I 've been encouraged!" Louisa
"Thank you for all your many,many reassuring words
over many, many years. You probably don't know exactly how
valuable you are to the Australian Home Education community.
I've been reading your stuff for maybe 8 years or more now.
And I'm very grateful." Gythaa
CLICK HERE
if you want to learn
how to write your own education plans
to suit
your unique children's
individual learning needs?
Or you are looking for quality curriculum and teaching tips...
|
|
Welcome to the World of Home Education
and Learning without School!
We began educating our children in 1985, when our eldest was five. In truth, we had helped them learn what they need to learn since they were born. I am a passionate advocate of allowing children to learn unhindered by unnecessary stress and competition, meeting developmental needs in ways that suit their individual learning styles and preferences. Ours was a homeschooling, unschooling and natural learning family! There are hundreds of articles on this site to help you build confidence as a home educating family. We hope that your home educating adventure is as satisfying as ours was! Beverley Paine
3 ESSENTIAL STEP BY STEP GUIDES
Let experienced home educators Beverley, Tamara and April walk you through HOW to create a learning plan that builds on solid foundations that works for YOUR family AND ticks all the boxes for home educaton registration!
|
Tap into Beverley's
experience
through her books
"Your books, your blogs helped me beyond words... they helped me to find comfort in knowing it is ok to choose exactly what is best for my family." Nisha
"Your books and information are mind blowing and already I am feeling good about this new experience." Diane
"Your guidance, understanding, support & words of wisdom changed our lives." Leslie
"I feel specially inspired by Beverley's words and, the more I read her comments, the more inspired I feel, since my need for support, respect for different parenting styles, and information are fully met." Marijo
|
 |
|
The information on this website is of a general nature only and is not intended as personal or professional advice. This site merges and incorporates 'Homeschool Australia' and 'Unschool Australia'.
The Educating Parent acknowledges the Traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Owners, the Custodians of Australia, and pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people viewing this website.
Advertise on this site.
Australia's premier online annual conferences, lifetime access to video and audio recordings, freebies, notes and associated resource guides.
EVERY SUMMIT IS UNIQUE!
$29 each  2023  2022 2021
$25 each 2020 2019 2017
"Biggest and best Aussie homeschool event of the year!"
Home education is a legal alternative
to school education in Australia.
State and Territory governments are responsible
for regulating home education and have different
requirements, however home educating families
are able to develop curriculum and learning programs
to suit the individual needs of their children.
Without revenue from advertising
by educational suppliers and Google Ads
we could not continue to provide information
to home educators. Please support us by letting
our advertisers know that you found them on
The Educating Parent. Thanks!
|
About
Thank you for visiting!