When to quit your curriculum
I’m going to round out the curriculum series by talking about when to quit your curriculum.
First, let's start with bad reasons to quit.
Your best friend is trying the latest hot program and you're experiencing FOMO.
After using your curriculum for three days, you've discovered it isn't the magical key to unlock perfection in your homeschool.
It didn't cost as much as other programs, so you fear it must not be very good.
The curriculum doesn't cover the exact material you want in the exact style you prefer.
You don't know anyone else who uses this curriculum.
These bad reasons stem from comparison - comparison to other programs, comparison to what other families are doing, comparison to your ideal. Comparison in homeschooling (and life in general) is not cool, so stop.
Sometimes, though, curriculum is causing friction in your homeschool, and it might be time to decide if you should stay the course or switch your plans. Here are some good reasons to consider quitting a program:
You discovered it doesn't work well for your child's learning style.
You've realized it doesn't work well with your teaching style.
It takes more time than you are willing to give it. (Though I would argue that you could ditch the curriculum's schedule and follow your own as you work through it.)
The level of difficulty isn't appropriate for your student.
There are fundamental differences between your worldview and the program's stance on issues.
You experience major resistance when trying to do it - like your child constantly drags her feet or you keep putting it off because you don't want to do it.
In these cases, before you make the final decision to quit or not, ask yourself a few questions. 1) Have we given this program a good, honest try? It's not fair to try a curriculum for only a few days and then abandon it, because you or your child may simply need more time to adjust to its style. If you suspect a style issue, try sticking with it for a month before pulling the plug. 2) Can we adjust the curriculum in a way that works better for us instead of abandoning it completely? Remember, no program is perfectly suited for every situation. If there are certain aspects you don't like, but you are generally satisfied with the overall program, just skip the parts you don't want as opposed to tossing the whole thing. 3) Is the curriculum for a subject you actually want to study? Is it the subject that's the problem instead of the curriculum?
You can't expect curriculum to be the savior of your homeschool. Curriculum definitely has a big impact and can set the tone, but there is NO curriculum that will prevent sibling squabbles, whiny kids, crabby parents, or bad attitudes. Your homeschool is made of people, and since people are flawed, you will experience difficulties in your homeschool. No curriculum can fix that.
Be careful that you're not getting the itch to ditch simply because your homeschool isn't perfect. Having said that, if you suspect curriculum is an unnecessary source of angst in your homeschool, then don't be afraid to try something new. It can be hard to set aside a program, especially when you think you've spent money on something you won't use. But better to find a solution that gives everyone more joy than to stick it through because you're determined to get your money's worth.
I hope this curriculum series has helped you figure out how to make curriculum work for you. You can check out my other posts in the curriculum series:
