Kids grow up so fast, and before you know it, they’re school-ready. Our child is still a toddler, but I wanted to plan our independent homeschooling curriculum in advance so I don’t scramble at the eleventh hour.
I’m glad I started early, because there are a TON of programs out there. My husband and I want a secular curriculum; luckily someone already made a list of truly secular programs. From there, I picked the ones I like best after reading and watching reviews from other homeschooling parents.
It’s possible that our child won’t like a program or two, and that’s okay; this curriculum isn’t set in stone. The beauty of independent homeschooling is that if a certain material isn’t working for your child, you can modify it or use another, unlike traditional school where you basically have no other choice.
This plan is only for the early years, up to ages 7-8. Hopefully this would be helpful to other first-time indie homeschooling families in their curriculum shopping. Most of these programs, while US-based, are available as digital downloads, so shipping is not a problem.
Preschool
- Blossom & Root Early Years
- Playing Preschool by Busy Toddler
I’m a fan of Finland’s early childhood education, which focuses on creative play and promotes a late start to formal schooling. Personally, we don’t plan to give formal instruction until after our child turns 5. Right now we simply do a lot of read-alouds and let our child play, play, play. It’s a lot of work to think up of new and creative activities to do every single day, though, so we plan to get the abovementioned play-based programs.
Kindergarten to Grade 2 (K-2)
We will take an eclectic approach of half formal, half unschooling:
Formal – English, Mathematics, and Science
I want our child to have a thorough grounding on these core domains. I believe that a strong foundation in these three is invaluable for everyday life and for learning all other subject areas. The programs I chose are all highly recommended by other secular homeschooling families, as they have proven to be very solid, interesting, and effective.
Unschooling – Everything else
All other subject areas, plus anything else our child wants to learn, will be through child-led, interest-inspired learning.
English
Logic of English (LoE) Foundations is a comprehensive, all-in-one program that uses the Orton-Gillingham approach to teach literacy. It covers phonics, reading, spelling, handwriting, vocabulary, composition, and grammar.
Mathematics
- Essential Math by Singapore Math
- Primary Mathematics (US Edition) by Marshall Cavendish Education and Singapore Math
Singapore Math (SM) is a rigorous program that uses the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract (CPA) approach to teach arithmetic. It can be suitable for all types of learners. There are many SM textbooks available, but I gravitate towards Primary Mathematics as it was the original program used in Singapore for 25 years, during which period they consistently topped the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).
Science
- Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding: A Science Curriculum for K-8 and Older Beginning Science Learners by Bernard J Nebel, PhD
Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BFSU) is a systematic and integrated approach to teaching the fundamentals of science to children. Its walls of text may seem daunting at first glance, but the book is actually an instruction manual for the teacher and not a textbook. The material itself is taught in a hands-on, experiential manner that stimulates critical thinking through observation and Socratic questioning.
Social Studies / Araling Panlipunan
- DIY
We liked to travel before COVID-19, and we planned to do some worldschooling so our child can experience the Philippines and the world organically and in person. Obviously we are shelving this plan until a safe cure or vaccine is developed. In the meantime, we still plan to DIY this subject area, as it can be boring to just read a recitation of facts from a textbook.
Fine Arts, Health, and Physical Education
- DIY
If our child shows a keen interest in sports or the arts, our plan pre-COVID-19 was to sign our child up for classes of our child’s own choice. Again, this plan is shelved indefinitely for lessons and activities (Charlotte Mason-inspired picture or music study, exercise, etc) we can do in the safety of our home.
Filipino
- Undecided
There are many Filipino programs by local educational publishers, but it’s difficult to research about them online because there are almost no in-depth reviews available.
My husband and I are consciously raising our child to be multilingual, so we’re not worried that our child will be poor in Filipino, unlike so many kids these days who are English-only. I plan to borrow used Filipino textbooks from relatives and friends with older kids so I can review and compare them myself. If you have any recommendations for good Filipino programs, let me know in the comments section.