Once
you have stated your intent and set up a record keeping system as required by
state law, you need to develop a curriculum. This may seem easy at first, but
it can actually become very time consuming once you get started. It is
recommended that you begin planning your curriculum for the year at least three
months before you start homeschooling.
There
are several steps in creating your curriculum.
- · Choose textbooks and workbooks
- · Choose testing methods
- · Choose activities to enforce learning
- · Choose activities to apply learning to life experiences
- · Tie all of this together into a cohesive plan
Choosing
an appropriate curriculum is perhaps the most difficult task when preparing to
home school, and it’s the first step you must take. There are many ways to
choose curriculum and plan lessons for the year. You can use online resources
and software to help you accomplish the curriculum you want for your child.
One
of the best ways to determine curriculum for your student is to read through
the Grade Level Expectations documents provided by your state. A complete list
of the sites where these documents can be found is in the resource list at the
end of this book.
The
GLE will outline the level of knowledge your child should reach by the end of
each grade for each subject. These standards are what the standardized tests
for each state are based upon. If your child ever returns to public school, he
or she will likely need to demonstrate that they are on this knowledge level
before being placed in the appropriate grade. These expectations are also a
good way to ensure your child is learning everything they need to know to
graduate high school or pass the GED, and continue on to college. It is by far
the best place to start.
Curriculum
can also be adjusted as needed to compensate for learning disabilities. You can
also alter curriculum based on religious beliefs, such as teaching creationism
rather than evolution.
This is an excerpt from the book How
to Home School Your Child: Developing a Well Trained Mind: Proven
Strategies for Unlocking Your Child’s Genius with Homeschooling by
Karina Bartlett
You can get the book on this link:
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