Curriculum can be a major investment! If you are like me, in my early homeschooling days, I spent oodles on curriculum. My thought was, “I have 4 kids, so it is a great investment”! I optimistically thought each child could use the same curriculum. What I didn’t know is that one size doesn’t fit all!
Years later, I can confidently say that that statement is true, at least where phonics and math are concerned. In regards to phonics, my memory was correct.
My firstborn sailed through the curriculum. No worries! Child number two was up and ready to read. He was a little different; after some adjustments, he sailed through as well. Great! Now we are up to child number three. This time, there was a resounding “thud.” No amount of tweaking could fix this one. This ship was sunk! Time to scrap this curriculum completely and look elsewhere!
Fortunately, the saying that all children read at their own pace, in their own time, is true! I am happy to report that in time all three children are reading fluently. Even though one read early, one was “right on schedule,” and one was late, the approach for each was different.
It is important to remember that rather than labeling a child who does not conform to a particular curriculum, it is helpful (and less traumatic) to figure out how they learn in the first place!
There are many books and websites available to understand better the three basic learning styles, kinesthetic, auditory, and visual. My favorite book is How They Learn by John Holt. To note, some books and websites recognized more than three, so don’t get overwhelmed!
A homeschool parent can avoid much frustration on their behalf and tears on their children’s behalf by understanding learning styles. Knowing learning styles will also help to change gears and curriculum as necessary. As a bonus, preservation for learning and maintaining a loving relationship with those children they lovingly teach!
For more homeschooling resources, visit Rainbow Resource Center on the web!
