What to Do When Your Homeschooling Curriculum Just Isn’t Working

Adapting the lessons or taking some field trips are two ways to adjust an imperfect curriculum.

Parents have the freedom to change their homeschooling curriculum anytime. MoMo Productions/Getty

Ask any veteran homeschool mom, and she’ll tell you a my-homeschool-curriculum-just-isn’t-working story. We’ve all been there. So, you’ve done all the research. You’ve chosen the perfect curriculum. And you’re excited to get started. Then, maybe a month down the road, your smile has faded. Your kids are grumpy and bored; they’re constantly fidgeting, fussing, and complaining about school. You wonder if they’re learning anything at all.

Now what? Well, take heart, because all is not lost. You have the freedom to change your curriculum at any time. In fact, you can change your curriculum as many times as you need. I know it’s frustrating, believe me, but keep in mind that you know your children best, and that knowledge alone will help you inspire learning every day—whether or not you have a particular curriculum as a guide.

Rule Out a Medical Reason

First, determine if the problem could be medical. Perhaps your kids are due for an annual physical, which may reveal an underlying condition or a neurological issue such as a processing disorder, dyslexia, or dysgraphia. If your kids haven’t had vision and hearing screenings recently, now is a good time. If there’s nothing wrong medically, it’s worth the reassurance.

Identify the Problem

Look at your curriculum; consider if the problem is actually the curriculum itself or something else.