A daunting task this is for anyone considering homeschooling for the first time. Just searching the word on the internet is enough to make you nervous as the options are vast. Questions start like a steam train, thundering through your head like – I want to do the right thing for my children, which is the right one? Why are there so many? American, British or South African? Does each of these cover everything my child should learn? What if I make a mistake? Not easy right?!
I sat for countless nights, mulling over one curriculum after another. I went with what felt right at the time. At the end of the day, actually over 6 years, we have changed curriculum 4 times. Circumstances change, children change and sometimes you just need to roll with the punches and make the changes necessary for your family. There is no right and wrong, in a group of homeschool families there are several curriculums that are being used
Things you do need to consider are the types of learners your children are, one might be artistic, another sporty and another studious. A visual learner, likes doing experiments, working with blocks or dissecting a leaf, where as an auditory learner, likes to hear the lesson being read out loud to them. Only after a year of homeschooling did I realize that my oldest daughter was auditory. When reading something she would not understand it but speaking it out loud, something would click.
One of my favorite sayings is "Never judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree". Adapt your curriculum to suit your children, bring their interests into your schooling to make learning fun. Remember what is was like, teaching them how to enjoy a new food as a baby? Yes, we have all adapted that feeding spoon into an airplane or choo choo train. Why stop now? Learning new things can be fun!
Please find a list of current curriculum providers in South Africa at the endof this book.
