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I recently posted our curriculum choices for the upcoming school year and wanted to share a few additional thoughts…just in case.
Over the past six years {yikes! has it been that long} we’ve tried, dabbled, used and looked at MANY different curriculum pieces. For our family it’s been a process of trying something, seeing if it fits in with our family’s needs, seeing if it fits in with my teaching style, our kid’s learning styles, etc…etc…etc…
My main point is this ~ what works for one family might not be the best for YOUR family.
And that’s OK!!!!
If you’ve put together your curriculum for the upcoming year and see the list of another mom, do not scrap everything and think you are going about it all wrong. Ultimately it boils down to this ~ you know your children. You alone understand the needs of your family. No one else is in your shoes, so do not heap guilt on yourself for not doing things the way someone else is.
Relax in the freedom that you have to make the choices that work for your family and have FUN learning together!
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This is a great reminder. I so appreciate all the wisdom and experience you bring to your blog- it really is such a help to the newbies like me- but comparison is such a trap for mamas to get into. A wise homeschooling mom in my city says, ‘You can’t be afraid to blaze your own trails!’ and I’ve tried to keep that in mind. Thanks for all you do, Jolanthe!
Jolanthe,
This is such a great point you have made. I used to be one of those mothers when I first started homeschooling (scrapping my plan and moving in another direction) because I was unsure of what I was doing. Many times, I ended up returning to what I originally decided to use for my children. Saying all of that, I still do enjoy reading your curriculum list and those of other moms because I have gotten some great ideas and have learned about other curriculum programs that I didn’t know existed. It is also fun to find other moms who are using the same curriculum and read about their experiences w/the material.
So happy you posted this! I am a pretty new homeschooling mommy and I have a tendency to to this. :)
http://www.coffee4mommy.blogspot.com
So true, though I do think seeing other people’s curriculum posts does let everyone see other things to try out sometime in the future.
I’m so glad you shared this. I am new to homeschooling (we have been doing small things since June so that I could work on figuring things out before fall), and I feel like I’m royally failing. Is trial and error the only way to figure out what works best for each of my children, or is there a better way? I thought I “knew” one kid and would struggle with the other, but the one I thought I knew is the hardest for me right now (throw some sibling rivalry into learning styles and now I’m really confused). Do you have suggestions?
absolutely agree!
So glad to hear this. Starting out I was under the impression that you had to pick on homeschool program and stick w/ it. But after finding your blog and a few others I am learning that you can pick and choose from different programs and companies and make it work. I appreciate the help I am finding here :)
I agree.
We’re beginning our 8th year and I still struggle through curriculum choices. Early this morning I came to sad realization about myself, but also a great sigh of relief because God is directing me & I’m finally listening. :)
I couldn’t agree more. I think that also comes with “maturity” and growing in homeschooling.
While I totally agree with this post, I am so grateful that everyone shares their plans because it helps when we’re at a loss for a certain child or component to be inspired by others. I am so glad you mentioned Five in a Row because it looks like a great fit for us and we will be trying it out. I’m not sure I would have found it otherwise. Thanks!
I love sharing my plans ~ I just don’t want them to become a ‘block’ for
others in making them second-guess their current plans. :) We’re excited
to use Five in a Row this year with Kaleb. I’ve found some of my own
curriculum choices through suggestions of other moms too, so I
understand the importance of sharing! :)