I have homeschooled for a while now, and have tried multiple curriculums. Today, I want to focus on some of the most popular secular homeschool curriculums.
There are many reasons people homeschool. They may want to keep their children home due to health, safety, or personal concerns. Some homeschool because they know it is the best option for their child, some homeschool due to their job requiring travel. Whatever the reason one may homeschool they are often bombarded with so many curriculum choices, they may not know which ones to look at. Often times these curriculums are religious based, which don’t always fit the needs of all homeschoolers. I have homeschooled for a while now, and have tried multiple curriculums. We at the Expo have shared popular faith-based curriculums before, but want to focus on some of the most popular secular homeschool curriculums.
These picks are ones I have not used, but I researched reviews and also chose ones that I have personally heard good things about. These tend to rate very high in reviews and some are also included on Cathy Duffy’s Top Homeschool Picks.
Teaching Textbooks
Teaching textbooks is a computer-based math program. The program is written to the student, so parent participation is minimal. It explains the math problems completely and clearly and is one of Cathy Duffy’s top picks! Note: I ended up switching to Teaching Textbooks in 2016, and agree completely with Cathy’s review!
Time for Learning
Time for learning is a computer program that includes all subjects but also has a monthly fee. Many secular homeschoolers use this program and like it. I also know homeschoolers who use it as a supplement to their regular curriculum. It is interactive and fun and does all the grading and tracking for you.
K12
K12 can be used in two ways. If your state offers it, it can be used free as an online public school option. If it doesn’t, or if one wants to, individual courses can be purchased. K12 includes certified teachers, grading, and multiple programs for your student. K12 gets a lot of mixed reviews, and Cathy Duffy rated it low. The reason being if one uses it as the public school option they are not traditionally homeschooling. Those who have used it for individual courses seem to be well pleased.
Moving Beyond the Page
This is a secular literature-based unit study. The program is geared towards ages, not grades and includes all subjects. Right now the program is for grades K-8. It is a very hands-on program and requires some teacher preparation. I don’t know anyone personally who uses this, but it seemed to get good reviews.
Saxon Math
Saxon Math is one that most of us probably used in school. The intermediate grade level is one of Cathy Duffy’s top picks. Saxon is a thorough program with years of happy customers on its side.
These are just a few of the many secular curriculum options out there. For more reviews on curriculum check out Homeschool Reviews or this site that lists secular based curriculums by subject.
Author Bio: Misty Bailey is the blogger behind Joy in the Journey and the podcaster behind Joyfully Homeschooling. Her goal in this online space is to encourage and inspire you on your homeschool journey by providing practical tips for real life homeschooling. Through real stories, real struggles, and real life, Misty encourages her blog readers and podcast listeners to embrace imperfection and strive for a more joyful homeschool.
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