It is time to purchase homeschooling curriculum for the 2008-2009 school year. Homeschoolers everywhere are trying to decide if they are going to continue with the same curriculum maker, if they are going to try something new, and how much they are going to pay. These can be difficult decisions.
The cost of homeschooling can vary greatly. Some people homeschool with very little money, others spend a great deal. While my family tends to be on the higher end, I know families that spend next to nothing to homeschool their kids. I also know people whose expenditures fall in between. In the past I have also fallen into the median range.
With that said, it is clear that you can purchase as math, science, or Spanish curriculum that can cost you very little money. You can also purchase similar curriculums for a lot of money. You would think that choosing between the two would be a no-brainer, but it is actually not. I have come to realize that when homeschooling, the amount of money your spend on materials and teachers is in direct proportion to your own depth of knowledge and the amount of time you can invest. If you already know the subject matter, and/or have the time to learn it yourself and then re-teach it, then you can purchase a cheaper curriculum. If your knowledge of the subject is limited, however, you will need to purchase a more expensive curriculum that has CD and DVD based explanations, or you will need to hire a tutor. In short, when homeschooling you are either going to invest time or you are going to invest money.
For us this year, it means I will be spending a good deal of money for Math and Spanish curriculums this year. Besides the fact that I am using twice a week homeschool program to help teach my children, I don’t know Geometry well enough to teach my kids myself, not am I really inclined to learn it at a level that would allow me to teach it back to him. And Spanish… forget about it! I can understand Spanish to a degree, but I have never been able to speak it.
In summation, you do get what you pay for when it comes to curriculum. If you have the knowledge and ability to teach a subject on your own with just a simple guide, then a cheap or even free curriculum will serve you well. If you yourself need to learn the subject in order to teach it, then a median to high cost curriculum that will explain the subject to you might be better. If you are dealing with a subject that you need to be more self explanatory or have a child who likes to teach themselves, then a more expensive curriculum with CD’s, DVD’s and other media extras will be most helpful.
Curriculum Resources and Reviews