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June 6, 2006
Note to Homeschoolers
Curriculum is a tool.
Come on, say it with me. Curriculum is a tool. Repeat. Say it over and over and over, until you get it.
Your job, as a homeschooling parent, is to make the educational decisions for your children. Your job is to teach. Your job is to know your children, and yourself, and act accordingly. The curriculum is the tool you use to get the job done.
The curriculum is not magic. We all like to think it is, I know. It's not.
Your children will not suffer if you change it, delete whole parts of it, or combine it with something else. In fact, they will probably be better off, as the curriculum author did not have your family in mind when designing the program. You don't need permission to do any of this. You don't need to base your decisions on what others have done. Advice and experience are good things to seek out; permission is not.
It is your tool. You use it as you see fit. Use it as it's written. Use half of it. Use it as a doorstop on windy days. Change all the religious references. Insert religious references. Stop every other sentence to say "Okay, the author says this, but I think ..." And if doing that too often drives you nuts, change your curriculum to one that will make you less crazy.
Are you frantically trying to catch up, and finish the work in the time allotted? Go into your book and change the dates. Delete things you feel are less worthy of your study time. Do what's important, then enjoy yourself.
You don't even have to use a curriculum. Any curriculum.
No program will be perfect. None will do everything you want. Zip. Zero. Nada. You will have to make it do what you want it to do. You are the key there.
And by the way ... it's also a mistake to assume that you are, or will be, bounded by your curriculum. The choice to use a certain program or plan does not mean that your very life and soul will be defined by its pages. You can, and people do, read outside the curriculum. You can travel. You can discuss things with each other. You can, in short, have quite the education outside of your curriculum. In fact, that's the way it's supposed to work. There's your tool, which you use for certain things, and then there is reading and personal study and life and experience. You like "The Well-Trained Mind's" four-year history cycle, but you're deeply concerned about your children not doing any American history before the third year? Do American history, as much as you want, whenever you please. You're considering "The Latin-Centered Curriculum" but fear its focus is so exclusively western that your kids will not learn about other cultures? Teach them!
It's that simple. Honest. Don't expect the curriculum writers to do it for you. Do it yourself. Expect to do it yourself. It's easier than you think.
Posted by lynx at June 6, 2006 7:16 AM
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Comments
Thank you for saying this. I fall into this trap occasionally. I imagine most of us do, but then I hope I come to my senses, and realize as you say, that it is ME that makes or breaks it.
I see others around me spend outrageous amounts of money looking for that "magic pill" that will instantly change their children into happy, well adjusted, well read people who never have problems and who *always* get their work done. HAH. At the same time, they are afraid to stop looking because what if they have missed that one perfect cirriculum????
I say, if something is that perfect, it ought to come up, shake my hand, and offer to cook dinner. Then I'll buy it. And if it keeps making dinner, I'll keep using it. Otherwise, I tend to take a bit from here and from there to get where I feel is important. I'm finding that with science, it has been a relief to be free of a set cirriculum.
What a terrific post.
Posted by: Anne at June 6, 2006 9:47 AM
Thank you so much for saying this. I knew that no matter how many disclaimers I put in my book, people would worry if their kids didn't start Latin in kindergarten. ::sigh:: I now understand why Russell Kirk once said that he never wanted anyone to consider "Kirk's works" the be-all and end-all of conservatism. I think it's time for me to post my plans for Miss Ruby's K year - pointing out that even I have to adapt published schedules for my own kid. ;)
Posted by: Mungo at June 6, 2006 11:54 AM
Bookmarking for a reminder!
Thanks Steph I needed to read that...SWB's curriculum is LOVELY, but its been driving me mad these last few months having ot designe my own lesson plans. My urge is to throw lots of stuff at her, but its organzing it thats turning out to be a real bear too
Am switching to Sonlight, whihc is using the Story of the World to teach history...and has lesson plans all made out...but am fully aware that I can design it the way I want.
best,
Posted by: Sharon Ferguson at June 6, 2006 2:59 PM