What homeschool subjects to teach and when to teach them is a huge fear factor for any new homeschooler or those struggling with the how tos of homeschooling. Too, sometimes as veteran homeschoolers, we just need the reminders.
Without prior teaching experience, it’s easy enough to figure out the 3 R’s. But beyond that, making sure I covered homeschool subjects well and knowing when to move on was uncharted territory for me.
Homeschool Subjects
Then, the second half to my struggle was wondering just when do I teach homeschool subjects.
At what age should I introduce certain subjects?
Questions like when to teach spelling and what grade to continue it through were equally baffling to me. How about phonics, that is just teaching letter sounds right?
I didn’t even think about dividing my year into semesters when planning.
For example, should my year look the same way from beginning to end? Can I just teach one subject for one semester and a completely different one or two for another semester?
TO BOLDLY GO WHERE OTHERS HAVE BEEN BEFORE (okay, okay)
How do I plan and get all these subjects in? How much is enough of one subject?
I hope over the next three articles to relieve some of your fear and stress as to what homeschool subjects to teach and when.
Also, providing help so you plan your year and for you to think like an educator is another goal I have in this three part series.
As far as the very basic and essential subjects of any rigorous program, math and language arts will be your spine all the way from pre-k to high school.
In the next post, I will tackle language arts for you. Breaking it down to individual pieces as far as explaining what subjects make up language arts, which will give you a more clearer picture of it.
So let me throw out these subjects and give you an idea of when to begin to teach subjects, grade wise.
One last heads up for you and that is I am not wanting to set up compulsory education.
We both know, you and I left that kind of thinking to have the flexibility of homeschooling. But what I do want to do is to give you specifics and a place to start.
Many articles tout generalities and that never really helped me much because I was just as confused or more so before I started reading the article.
What is Your Twelve Year Plan for Homeschool?
If I had specifics, a guideline or rule of thumb, then I could make the right choices for my family within some guidelines or a rule of thumb. I hope you do the same for your precious family.
Two Step Homeschool Planning
Look at this list below and try to reason out why certain subjects can wait for certain grades. I won’t leave you hanging long because I will explain the reason behind some of this in the next two articles.
For now, just wrap your mind around your 12 year homeschool plan.
- Math – Prek to 12th
- Penmanship – Prek to 4th
- Phonics – Prek to 3rd
- Composition – 3rd to 4th
- Grammar – 3rd to 12th
- Spelling – 3rd to 8th
- Teaching Reading – Prek to 4th
- Literature – 5th to 12th
- Vocabulary 4th to 12th
- Bible – Infancy to adult
- History- 3rd to 12th
- Geography – 3rd to 12th
- Science – 3rd to 12th
The very basic first step in your planning along with looking over the homeschool subjects is to know what is required by law in the state or country you live in.
The second step is to B R O A D E N your view of what is homeschool curriculum and that is where I help you out in the form below.
Have you grabbed my curriculum planning sheet where I make it easy for you by providing a map? Grab it below and simmer on my broadened definition of what is curriculum.
Fill out the top part about what is the required curriculum and look below at the visual where I explain the differences in subjects.
Above the pink line are essential subjects and though subjects below the line are important, if you are overwhelmed, have a limited budget or are new to homeschooling, those subjects can simmer for a bit.
Does this list help you?
Any guesses why some of these subjects can wait and some you want to start right away?
Be in the know, read my other two posts here:
- What Homeschool Subjects to Teach and When to Teach Them? Part 2 of 3
- What Homeschool Subjects to Teach and When to Teach Them? Part 3 of 3
You’ll also love these other tips:
- 5 Tips on Teaching Homeschool Subjects I Loathe
- Homeschooling Kindergarten: What Subjects to Teach and When to Teach Them?
- Skill Subjects Vs. Content Subjects: What’s the Difference? Why It’s Important to Know
- 100 Reasons Why Homeschooling is a SUPERIOR Education
- How to Begin Homeschooling A Teen Lagging Behind
- What to Expect When You Expect to Homeschool (25 Silliest Questions Ever)
- How To Start Homeschooling the Easy No Stress Way (Maybe)
Hugs and love ya,
Hi, I’m unfamiliar with the terms literature on composition. What do they mean? I loosely guess something to do with reading & writing, but why not say reading & writing?, so what are they exactly? THX PS Still loving our usborne books – so much in fact we’ve actually shopped at book stores – a lot 🙂
Hi Spidey,
I hear ya, but there is a difference and it’s important to understand it because kids will progress.
Reading is used with teaching reading, but Literature you are not teaching reading to a highschooler.
Instead of learning to read they are reading to learn. A big difference.
Writing means to teach handwriting and NOT composing an essay AFTER a child middle schooler and high schooler know how to write.
I hope that cleasr up the confusion and SO glad you asked.
Love the update on your books..We are loving ours too, maybe I need to have another party!!! lol
Hi, Tina! Quick question — where does foreign language fit in with a 12-year homeschool plan? Should a second language be taught as early as infancy? Thanks for the great list and curriculum planning sheet! I love your blog!
Allison recently posted…My Course Hero Journey: How I Landed My First Internship
Hi Allison,
YES, if that is YOUR goal.
What I wanted to do here was to show the “framework” and to trim it to slim.
Foreign language is important to a lot of homeschoolers and could easily fall under the 3 Rs for language arts, but would it be considered fundamental to every child or family?
I think teaching a foreign language is practical nowadays but at it’s basic it is not part of the 3 Rs.
Look at my second post. Because foreign language is right there with music and art and each family views it differently.
https://tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/2015/08/09/what-homeschool-subjects-to-teach-2/
Great to have you here!!