Homeschool Curriculum Not Working? 5+ Easy Ways to Tweak It

Sometimes, a homeschool curriculum just doesn’t work. How do you know when it isn’t working? And what’s the fix?

Your year starts out strong. New curriculum, new activities, new schedules.

It’s all going along swimmingly.

Everything is P-E-R-F-E-C-T.

And then, bit by bit, you notice little problems in your day. First, you think it’s just your kiddos. Or you. And then you wonder if it’s the curriculum.

Signs Your Curriculum Just Isn’t Working

1. It’s not even getting started. Some kids are just not going to act excited about anything. But when it goes beyond that and every week, the same stuff isn’t getting done; that’s a good indicator.
   
   2. There is no mastery. Your kiddo has been working diligently; you’re involved daily. But they never seem to master the material. Or maybe they seem to master it then, but the next week? It’s like they’ve never even heard of the alphabet before!
   
   3. YOU aren’t making sure it gets started. Keep scrolling down for my story on this one.
   
   4. And then there are the more obvious signs like anger, tears, dragging their feet, etc. If you’re reading this post, then, oh, these signs you probably know quite well!

I hate what we’re using! Should I just abandon it?

I almost never suggest abandoning a program right away. There is a reason you chose it, not to mention the financial cost. And I think there’s value in spending time figuring out what is wrong with it and trying to tweak it before you move on. Curriculum hopping is a real thing and can, in some cases, create some big gaps in skills. {I see this happen most often with math programs. Generally, gaps aren’t such an issue in other subjects, at least not before high school.}

Easy Ways to Tweak a Curriculum

• Add more (or take away) living books or documentaries
• Skip half the problems or maybe entire sections {it really is okay to pick & choose!}
• Add in more {or take away} manipulatives, art projects, movement, etc.
• Print out computer work to do by hand
• Have your student type, rather than handwrite, their answers
• Toss the parent guide
• Add more (or take away) living books
• Add more (or take away) documentaries & historical fiction movies
• Skip half the problems or maybe entire sections {it really is okay to pick & choose!}
• Add in more {or take away} manipulatives, art projects, movement, etc.
• Print out computer work to do by hand
• Have your student type, rather than handwrite, their answers
• Add food! Grab a historical cookbook, make a meal based on your current literature book, etc.
• Make accommodations for different leveled learners–audiobooks, oral/written.
• Audiobooks
• Read/write extension (link video)

When It’s Not Working for the Student

Maybe it’s boredom.

“SQUIRREL!”  Yeah, it’s an overdone internet trope. But it wouldn’t be popular if it didn’t ring true. New things do capture our attention. Even a program that has proven successful can grow stale. So maybe it’s time to switch it up. You could tweak the existing program, but it may be time to try something new.

So.Repetitive.

Math Mammoth was fantastic for my oldest, but my youngest cried. He was finally able to verbalize the problem–he hated all of the practice problems. I experimented by cutting down the problems by half and then a quarter. Sure enough, he had mastered it after just a few problems. So why would I make him do all of the problems? We switched to MEPS math and then, eventually, found our way to Beast Academy.

Are you always behind?

This may be an easy fix — shorten the lessons or take more days to complete it. But maybe that doesn’t tell the whole story. Maybe the lessons take a long time because they are too hard, too easy, confusing, or bored.

Simply not ready?

Perhaps the problem is as simple as your kiddo isn’t ready for it. Even if you think they should be. We’ve hit this with my youngest and math this year. After finishing Beast Academy 3D in the spring, 4A is proving to be a challenge. We rescheduled the first section and moved on to a section where I knew he’d find more success. We slowed down the pace. And I’ve added more Prodigy & DragonBox apps to his math. I’m confident it will click better soon. In the meantime, we’re tweaking.

Are you always behind?

The first time we tried cursive, my daughter was in the 3rd grade. Oh, how she wanted to learn. She tried so hard. But there was just no progress. We tried a few accommodations before sticking it back on the shelf. Six months later, I pulled it out, and she flew through it.

Maybe it’s the method.

When my kiddos were little, we used Stick Figuring Through the Bible. But one of mine hated making the stick figures. I tried to force it because that’s what the curriculum said would help him to remember. I let it go. When he wasn’t focusing on drawing, he was able to listen better and could retell the stories perfectly.

(It took years, but now he enjoys drawing and often illustrates what he’s listening to.)

When It’s Not Working for YOU, Homeschool Mama

Is the teacher’s guide the problem? Is it unclear? Too scripted or not scripted enough? Is the format one that doesn’t work for your brain?

Is it boring to teach? Perhaps it’s too repetitive? Do you hate all the projects or wish there were more projects? Do you want to incorporate more or fewer videos, audio, etc.?

Are you getting resistance from the kiddo? Nothing stops me from wanting to teach it more than knowing it’ll be a fight for the kiddo. If that’s the case for your home, scroll back up to the student section! “But I should just ignore their attitude and push through!”  Maybe. But isn’t this part of why we homeschool? So we can give them an education that works for them? Scroll back up!

No, I don’t think any of that is the problem. What else?

Is your student really using the program as it’s designed? Especially if it’s something you’ve used in the past, it can be easy to forget the exact ways the program was designed. It’s worth reading over the introduction to be sure.

Are you using it as it’s designed? I’m notorious for not using a program as it’s actually designed. Sometimes that’s because I want to adapt it. Other times, I take a look at it, make assumptions, and then don’t take the time to carefully look over it before we jump in.

Is the format troublesome? We used NOEO biology several years back. I really loved it but, the following year, they didn’t have an earth science program. Elemental Science was recommended to me; it was very similar and looked great.  

I failed miserably at using the program. 

I’d start out the week with great plans, but, more often than I’d like to admit, that’s as far as we went. Why? In part, the format of the teacher’s guide just didn’t flow well for me. It took me months to realize this. The program itself was fine, the materials were fine, and the activities were pretty good. But I struggled fiercely.

I’ve tried it all. I really, really just need to switch curriculum. Now what?

Okay, okay! There is absolutely value in knowing when to CALL. IT. QUITS.

Take it slowly! You really don’t want to have to switch to a third program. Don’t rush this decision. If you’ve already tossed this program, literally or figuratively, there are so many awesome resources you can use while you’re deciding. Shows & documentaries on Netflix, Amazon, and PBS can easily take care of science or history. Khan Academy can supplement math & grammar. If your kids are older, you can also use it for history and science. Apps like DragonBox and Math Tower are fantastic. Literature can look like a trip to the library.

Start your search again. I have a great starter list of five curriculum ideas for each core subject.   My curriculum spotlights take a deeper dive into different programs we’ve used. If you belong to a co-op, ask if they have a lending library. Talk to friends. 

If money is tight, get your current materials listed for sale.

Find something you think may work? Ask around locally if anyone owns it. Maybe you can work out a short-term loan before you buy it.

Check their website for long samples. Some programs, like Writing & Rhetoric and Pandia Press, have long samples available. This is a great way to really try out a program you are interested in. A sample that is just a day’s worth of work doesn’t really give you much of an idea. But a week or more?! Perfect.

And don’t forget to look at placement tests! While x-grade seems like it should be consistent across curricula, it is not! Teaching Textbooks, for example, people often find they need to level up. Beast Academy math? It’s the opposite. A curriculum may be perfect after a simple level change. If you can’t find a placement test and their website doesn’t give you much guidance, contact the company. Tell them what you’ve used and let them guide you to a good placement.