This Year's Curriculum

Curriculum choices. Wow, as a homeschooling family today we are so blessed to be overwhelmed with choices. I am thankful for all of the resources we have today as I know that wasn't always the case. Over the years I have had the opportunity to try many different types of curriculum. Some I have bought and some were given to me by generous friends who no longer needed their stash of books.
When choosing curriculum you really need to ask yourself a few questions. Like:

How does my child learn?
How do I teach?
What type of homeschool do we have?
Are we classical, Charlotte Mason, delight directed, Montessori, delight directed or are we eclectic?
Does my child do better with workbooks or with manipulatives?

Questions, questions, enough to make your head spin. There are several posts around the net about this so right now I won't go into it.
We are eclectic around here. I pull a little bit from every teaching style depending on which child I am teaching and what works for them. I have learned over the years that homeschooling is not about me at all, it is all about them.



I do have one major criteria for all my curriculum choices. It has to measure up to the highest standard. You see, my end goal is one that is eternal. I know that might sound hokey to some but the Bible is very clear about what is really important in life and I don't take it lightly. Our school verse is

Psalm 86:11 "Teach me Your way, LORD, and I will live by Your truth. Give me an undivided mind to fear Your name." - HCSB

That is my end goal. That my children with live by Truth.

Our spine for this year has already been decided. But the rest of the curriculum is still being sorted out. As I have just started my actual planning and we are finishing last year this week. (You can read my last post for more info there.) We chose KONOS as our spine. Well in a sense KONOS chose us. A very good friend gave us all her KONOS a few months ago. I love it because we do unit studies all the time and KONOS is just that. Unit studies put together with a Biblical world view. It teaches at all grade levels which I love tremendously. I can use the same thing for all the grade levels I am teaching this year. For each subject there is an exhaustive book list for all levels that I can take and just grab books from the library or buy if I want. And you don't have to use all the books, nor do you have to finish the ones you do read. There are activities of all kinds some require more supplies than others and you can choose just how much or little you want to do in a specific area. And I can pull from stuff online and add to something if I feel the need. It does take a little getting used to at first, the layout was a tad confusing but once I did figure it all out, I really fell in love with it.




I really can't wait to be able to sit down with a cup of coffee and read what others are choosing this year for their homeschools at the Not Back To School BlogHop Curriculum Week. Come back next week to see our "School Room."




Want to see more?
Here is last year's Curriculum post, Curriculum 2010-2011
Here is a previous post about Learning Styles
Here is a previous post about Teaching Styles
Here is a previous post about Choosing Curriculum