Beyond Curriculum: Preparing a Beautiful Homeschool Year

Instead of just focusing on curriculum, consider how the environment impacts your homeschooling.
Beyond Curriculum: Preparing a Beautiful Homeschool Year
A good homeschooling curriculum is important but there is more to it than books. Art_Photo/Shutterstock
Barbara Danza
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Most homeschooling parents spend a great deal of their summer months choosing and preparing curricula for the coming year. While academics are, of course, important—there is more to homeschooling than just the books.

The principles of turn-of-the-century British educator Charlotte Mason are often cited as inspiration for homeschooling families. One of her best-known ideas is, as she puts it, “Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.” Her broad definition of education calls for parents to consider academics, yes, but goes beyond just reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic to also consider the learning environment, regular routines, and overall character of one’s life.

Barbara Danza
Barbara Danza
writer
Barbara Danza is a contributing editor covering family and lifestyle topics. Her articles focus on homeschooling, family travel, entrepreneurship, and personal development. She contributes children’s book reviews to the weekly booklist and is the editor of “Just For Kids,” the newspaper’s print-only page for children. Her website is BarbaraDanza.com