Almost every single homeschool family I know has changed curriculum at some point in their homeschooling journey. Whether it be because of finances or religious reasons or the kids didn’t like it. There are tons of reasons why families choose to change things up. But, sometimes the grass is not greener on the other side. I have been there and done that.
Years ago when I began homeschooling I bought one of the most expensive curricula out there. I saved up for a year and bought all of the products from this particular company. Four months in, I realized my huge mistake. I packed it all up and sold it. I got something else. That didn’t work either. This went on for a few years of switching gears and trying something new. Three years ago, we finally found a curriculum that works for us. But I still get in the mood to change when I see the bright and shiny new company with the pretty new pages and books. I have stuck with what we are using because it works for us.
When thinking about changing curriculum for your family, there are many things to take into consideration. The first one would be, does the company align with your beliefs? I used one company in particular for a few months before I realized it was a different religion than my family all together. I immediately tossed it and got something else. Notice that I haven’t even mentioned doing any research yet. That was my biggest mistake and regret.
Research, research, research. Look at reviews for companies you are interested in. Read real accounts from real homeschooling families. Go to Facebook and search the company’s page. Ask in your homeschool groups. Read blogs from mama’s who have used or reviewed the curriculum. Don’t just use something because your friend does. That has gotten me in trouble also.
Look at costs. Is the curriculum expensive? Can you reuse certain parts of it for your younger children as they get older? Can you make copies for multiple student use? Things add up very quickly. The company I currently use for our curriculum allows for use for multiple students and there are reusable, non-consumable books that I won’t have to purchase again when my younger boys need them. It is saving me money in the long run.
Is the curriculum teacher intensive or is it open-and-go? This is a huge one for me. I do not have time to prepare a bunch of different things. I need open-and-go because I have multiple students using different levels. I used one curriculum that had me preparing for hours for one lesson. It was so stressful and I began to hate teaching. I just couldn’t keep up. Our current curriculum is set up so multiple grade levels can do some of the same subjects together but on different levels. It is extremely helpful for me to do family-style schooling for some of our day. Math and Language Arts is separated by age and grade or ability.
I have used so many different curricula for homeschooling that I could probably write a book. I won’t put you through that but I will say, pray about changing things up. Sometimes it pays to stick it out with a company and sometimes it is the right thing to do (like when the curriculum is a different religion than what you practice). When a company comes out with a shiny, new curriculum, wait a little and see what others have to say about it. Nothing may ever be a perfect fit, but there is something out there for every family. Even if it’s just reading books together. Do and use what works for your family.
