3 Things to do Before You Switch Homeschool Curriculum
If you’ve been around here for long, you know that I’m a firm believer in doing what works best for your family. I am constantly telling homeschool families to drop a curriculum like it’s hot once it’s no longer working for you.
Being a slave to a curriculum can really suck the joy out of learning, so I’ve preached that you should change it up when needed.
But a conversation with my neighbor last week changed my views on that.
This post is sponsored by CTCMath. All opinions are my own. I was compensated for my time.
My neighbor is a junior high school teacher. She is AMAZING at what she does, but like many teachers, she dreams of leaving her job and staying home to educate her own children, like we do.
But one big thing is keeping her from taking that leap: learning gaps.
As we talked, she told me about formerly homeschool students who have entered her classroom. She said she can always tell a homeschooled child by the way they act, how well they listen and how they treat everyone with respect. She said you can pick them out of a crowded classroom every single time!
But she also said that those kids are the hardest to teach. Apparently homeschooled kids end up with gaps in their education.
While she thought it was simply because of the drastic change in curriculum choices between public and homeschool, I wondered if there is more to it.
Are these gaps because the parents grew frustrated and switched curriculum each year? Did that leave gaping holes, since each curriculum takes it’s own course and covers topics in different orders?
My first thought is that math would be the hardest hit area, if that were the case. And gaps in a math education are never a good thing.

3 Things to do Before You Switch Curriculum
Take a Break:
Sometimes just stepping away from a curriculum for a week can help clear your focus and frustrations. This won’t kill you! In fact, a week or two off can encourage students to come back more focused and ready to tackle their school work.
Plan for Next Year:
Often, we want to throw the curriculum to the curb but we really just need to power-through it. My favorite thing to do when in this stage of homeschooling is to think ahead. Dream of what our next year’s homeschool curriculum will look like. Think about all the things I want in a curriculum.
After doing this, I often realize that the curriculum I have is actually the best fit for our family. We’re just stressed and not seeing the whole picture.
Ask Yourself “Is it ACTUALLY the Curriculum?:”
Let’s be real: some subjects are just downright boring. They’re not fun and kids dread doing them.
Before you toss your curriculum, ask yourself “Is the curriculum actually the problem, or do we just dislike this subject?”
Because, the truth is, hopping from one curriculum to the next won’t solve your problems if you actually just despise the entire subject.
Instead, work hard to find the perfect curriculum that will make that subject less dreadful.

How to Pick a Curriculum That Will Work
Find the Right Learning Styles:
One of the easiest ways to choose a curriculum that will work for your student from start to finish is to make sure it’s the right learning style.
There are 4 types of learners:
- auditory
- kinesthetic
- reading/writing
- visual
Whenever possible, find a curriculum that teaches to ALL types of learners, so they can benefit from the curriculum no matter what.
CTCMath offers a multi-sensory approach, with online video lessons and worksheets that can be printed. This caters to your child, no matter what type of learner they are.
Get Unstuck:
Sometimes having a good curriculum isn’t enough. Your child gets stuck and needs back-up. But what can you do if you’re stuck, too?
CTCMath allows students to go back and rewatch lessons as many times as needed. They can review concepts before moving on to the next topic. This builds their confidence and allows them to fully grasp the topics being taught.
Choose the Right Level:
Often times, parents and students get frustrated while learning, just to discover they’re on the wrong level. Pushing forward too fast or working on levels below their ability can leave kids feeling annoyed.
CTCMath offers a detailed placement test for grades K-8. This can ensure that you know exactly what topics need work and make sure your child is studying in the correct level.
Try It Out:
One thing that I hate about free trials is that we always feel rushed. We feel pressure to get through as many lessons as possible, to see if we’re going to enjoy the curriculum. (Hint: rushing through to “get a feel” for a curriculum sucks every ounce of joy out of it! Trust me.)
CTCMath offers a 12-month money-back guarantee. You can try it out for one WHOLE YEAR before you need to decide whether you love it or not. That’s right. After 11 months and 29 days of use, you decide it’s not for you, you can simply email CTCMath for a full refund. No questions asked!