Which curriculum to use? Where to start?

You're not alone! Even the veteran homeschoolers who look like they have it all together were once right where you are now....NEW. Now that you've made the decision to homeschool, you need to get started on deciding how to homeschool. Choosing a curriculum for your children is a huge decision, and a very personal one. While the available options for 4th grade may be very similar, each family approaches the decision differently.

One option that some families transitioning away from public school prefer is commonly referred to as “e-school”. This is basically a public school curriculum done from home on a computer. There are several private companies that each state contracts with to provide these services. Often, the state even pays for the child to have a computer at home for doing schoolwork.

However, most homeschoolers choose their own curriculum from the multitude available. Some choices include curriculum-in-a-box options where the texts and workbooks for an entire grade level are bundled together. There are also single subjects available separately. The great part about picking and choosing your own curriculum is that you can choose a math book from a publisher known to be strong in that subject, and a science program from a publisher respected for its science texts. You can also have a child working at grade level in one subject and either up or down a grade in another subject, so that your child’s curriculum is tailored to their needs.