With all the information available online, parents can often feel uncertain about which curriculum would be best suited to their child. In this article, we will look at the different curriculum options available at each level of schooling including; pre-school, elementary school and high school, in an effort to help parents make an informed decision.
Defining what “best” means when looking at curriculums
When it comes to homeschooling or any schooling for that matter, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution that suits all children. Every child is different, with unique strengths and areas of interest. This means that every child will learn in their own unique way and will enjoy different benefits from the different curriculums.
The best way to pick the right homeschooling curriculum for your child is to first identify your child’s strengths and areas for improvement to better understand which curriculum will assist in providing an optimal learning zone™ and knowledge retention.
Children learn better when they feel motivated, so understanding your child’s strengths and preferred way of learning will greatly benefit their morale and attitude towards their studies to help instil a love of learning throughout their schooling career.
In order to better understand the different curriculum’s assessment and teaching methods, and the benefits of each, we recommend booking a no-obligation free education consult with a CambriLearn consultant.
What is the best homeschooling curriculum for my child?
There are many homeschooling curriculums to choose from, depending on what country you live in and where you would like your child’s curriculum to be accredited. For example, the national curriculum in most public schools in South Africa is the CAPS curriculum, however, South African learners also have the option of enrolling in an international British, Cambridge or the American Common Core curriculum.
Just because you live in a certain country, does not mean that you need to follow the nationally set curriculum. This is one of the major benefits of homeschooling, it allows parents the freedom to choose from a multitude of curriculum options that would not be available to them in a traditional school environment.
Before choosing a curriculum it is recommended that you do some research into the education laws in your country and ensure that your homeschooling journey is aligned to the legalities within the country of your residence. In most countries, parents need to register their child as a homeschooler by notifying the relevant education governing body.
What is the best homeschool curriculum for pre-school?
The Learn to Read and Write course, offered by CambriLearn, is equivalent to Grade R or Pre-School. This course offers a great foundation to start a child’s homeschooling journey.
An emphasis on listening, speaking and reading forms the basis of the Learning to Read and Write course. This course prepares students for the primary courses by improving English literacy.
What is the best homeschool curriculum for elementary school?
Elementary school is an American schooling term that refers to the schooling years from Kindergarten (Pre-Primary) to Grade 7 or 9. The elementary levels can be broken down as follows:
- Kindergarten or Pre-Primary
- Primary or Foundation phase: Grades 1 to 3
- Junior or Intermediate phase: Grades 4 to 6
- Senior: Grades 7 to 9
Common curriculum choices at these levels include CAPS and the International British or Cambridge curriculum. Some of the major factors or questions that might impact a parent’s curriculum choice include;
- Where is the curriculum accredited?
- Is the course self-paced or structured according to a set school calendar?
- Where will the child need to sit to write exams?
- What are the costs of each?
If you are trying to decide between CAPS and the International British curriculum, then this online quiz is a great tool to aid your decision-making process.
What is the best homeschool curriculum for high school?
When it comes to choosing the best curriculum at high school levels, parents and learners once again have a variety of options available to them. At this stage of a child’s schooling career, they usually start to gain a better sense of the career pathway that they would like to follow. Homeschooling allows children the opportunity to choose a curriculum and specialised subject packages that will better prepare them for their preferred career choice. CambriLearn offers professional subject and career choice assessments to help students and parents better navigate these education decisions.
So whether your child is starting out on their schooling journey or is looking at curriculum options for high school, there are a multitude of curriculum options to choose from at each different level of schooling. It is recommended that parents and students do as much research as possible and select their preferred curriculum based on the regulations in the country in which they live and according to the child’s preferred learning style.
Which curriculum will suit your family?
We've created a handy quiz that weighs your family's educational needs. Take this one-minute quiz to learn which curriculum will work for you.
