It’s that time of year… the time when it’s way more enjoyable to look at all those sparkly, shiny NEW curriculum catalogs than to slog on through this year’s lesson plans to the blessed last-day-of-school finish line!
Hello, my name is Renita, and I am a curriculum addict. I’ve been powerless over my addiction since the beginning of my homeschool journey. My poor children were subjected to continual curriculum testings and changes. I loved trying out all those educational promises so much that I wrote homeschool curriculum reviews for 12 years just to have an ongoing “fix” of new curriculum!
Those years of homeschooling, with the inflow of every type of curriculum imaginable, have given me some specialized training, insight and discernment. I have learned, with first-hand experience, what works and what doesn’t… for MY kiddos! That’s the catch, you will only need to know what works for the beautiful souls that the Lord has placed in your squadron for YOU to educate. You won’t need to know the BEST curriculum; you’ll only need the BEST curriculum for YOUR family.
It’s time for you to become a “Curriculum Commando”! Everyone tells you “Enjoy these years, they go by so fast…” I know it’s hard to believe when it feels like you’ve been teaching the same math lessons, spelling lists, and grammar rules for what seems like a decade. BUT it is true - you only have a short time with them to teach and train them in all they need to know. And, that’s why you need to have determination to accomplish your goals, courage to go your own way, an unselfish attitude, and a cheery smile in the face of adversity.
A Curriculum Commando needs to determination to accomplish the main objective. This is where many of us may falter. Do we know WHAT our children need to know in order to succeed in the mission the Lord has for them? We search frantically for the “perfect curriculum” that will meet all their needs and make sure there are no gaps. But truth is - there isn’t ONE WAY. There is only God’s plan for your child. You need to seek out the battle plan from your commander - FIRST. Then, keep your main objective in the forefront as you create your daily lesson plans.
Curriculum Commandos need courage. Just because your homeschool friends are all following a certain path, does NOT mean that path is right for you. Just because Susie is learning Latin and Jimmy can do trigonometry in 3rd grade, doesn’t mean that YOUR children need to do those subjects. Have the courage to say NO - even to the good things to make room for the great things God has in store for them. Have courage to refuse to fear “gaps” in their education. By the way, we all have gaps in our educations - shhh… don’t tell anyone, I have a college degree and I have NEVER taken a Physics class! (Funny... I help write science curriculum with my husband) Have the courage to customize, or even walk away from anything that doesn’t help accomplish your mission.
Are you willing to take the unselfish route? A Commando has to put aside their own desires and focus on the target. This is getting personal, but oftentimes I chose a certain curriculum or class to help make ME feel better about homeschooling. Can I be honest for a moment, the curriculum you choose is NOT about you. Have you considered your student’s learning style over your teaching style? Are you selfishly wanting them to succeed so that you feel like you have succeeded? Examine your motivations. The homeschooling path was all new to me, I went to public school, homeschooling wasn’t even legal in most states. SO, I really wanted to prove I could do this! But that’s not what the target is… the target is to help them become who God designed them to be. That means I need to have an unselfish approach that focuses on THEM and not ME!
Finally, Curriculum Commandos know that they are in charge, and they set the tone for their squadron. A cheerful attitude goes a long way to making this operation a memorable one! Can you smile and laugh at the future? Look for ways to bring joy into subjects and make learning together a delight! As I reflect over the past 20 years of homeschooling, it’s the joy and laughter that I remember most. The times we veered off the lesson plan and read all afternoon on the trampoline or spent time watching the eggs hatch in bird nest under our deck or made crazy projects (I bet there is still paper cache on our ceiling…) or had kitchen adventures trying to make authentic pilgrim meals complete with sour tasting “swill”. All those things brought joy, adventure and smiles into our learning. Make sure to laugh - it makes the journey sweeter!
So, as you search through all those shiny curriculum catalogs this spring, I encourage you to remember you are a “Curriculum Commando” and have a God-given mission to accomplish. You can do it!
Blessings,
Renita
