Grasshopper New Media Presents...

When I started out homeschooling I did quite a bit of research in to the state laws and the different curriculum types. I read a book or two about the benefits of homeschooling and I joined a couple of email groups with other homeschoolers. One thing that I did not do was sit down and write a list of goals. I also did not consider what kind of learner my son is (auditory, visual, or kinesthetic). I heard about the different styles of homeschooling (Charlotte Mason, traditional, unschooling), but didn’t do a lot of research to see where I fit in those styles. All of a sudden I am realizing just how unprepared I really was.

I am trying to piece together a language arts program for next year and in doing so I have been looking at a couple of different books that basically tell you what your child needs to learn and when. While I was at the library the other day looking for one of these books, I picked up Cathy Duffy’s 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum. I had heard of this book many times before, but didn’t realize just what exactly it was. Based on the name of the book, I wrongly assumed that this was basically just a list of her favorite curriculum and why she loves them. I thought to myself, “What a waste of money that book is! You can read reviews of curriculum online!” Oh my word, was I ever wrong.

This book is so much more than just a list of someone’s favorite curriculum. This book is the homeschooling BIBLE. You start out by establishing your own philosophy of education. I KNOW! It sounds scary, doesn’t it? She makes it so easy. She asks you all these questions and you write your answers down. Easy peasy! And, truly, you feel so much better once you really know what your goal is. My goal in home education, up until now, had always been to teach my kids. To make them smart. To keep them safe. To see them grow and learn and enjoy their childhood. My goals now are a bit different, a bit more detailed and a lot more motivating.

After you’ve established the goals you want to meet, she helps you decide what approach to use to meet those goals. Do you prefer a traditional approach? Classical? Unit Studies? There is a QUIZ in the book to help determine what method most meets your needs. AMAZING!

I haven’t even gotten to the curriculum reviews yet, because I’ve been too busy creating goals for my children and making my husband answer the questions in the book and then comparing them to my answers.

If you are a new homeschooler, you don’t want to skip over this book. I promise it is more than just someone’s opinion on curriculum.

by Karly Campbell

Photo graciously provided by mandolux, through a Creative Commons license, some rights reserved