Homeschool Textbooks Approach

Homeschool Textbook Approach - Pros and Cons

Using Homeschool Textbooks as a part of your child's education can be beneficial to both parent and student. You are possibly on this page because you answered "YES!" to a number of the questions below which indicates you or your child might benefit from this homeschooling approach.

Are you a methodical learner?
Do you look for common ways to complete tasks?
Are you looking for guidance and step-by-step direction?
Are you worried about what your child should know at each stage?
Are you short on time to spend with your child?
Is your child a visual learner?
Does he/she like to read?
Are you more fact orientated?
Are you comfortable with setting routines?
Are you task orientated?

So, let's talk more about the Textbook Approach.

Strengths/ Weaknesses/ Homeschool Textbooks and Curriculum

The Textbook Approach is based on using a systematic scope and sequence which is based generally on accepted private and public school standards and subject areas. It works through grade levels and many of the suppliers below cover all subject areas.

Textbooks are generally "fact" orientated and cover a certain subject area building upon (and often reviewing) the work from the previous year.

Home school Textbooks and Curriculum Workbooks require the student to read and absorb the written word. It is often used independently. Some textbooks have consumable workbooks or worktexts which instruct the student and help them to pace themselves through the study. The workbooks help the student to interact with the text, and answer questions.

Strengths of Home school Textbooks

Familiarity - Often new homeschoolers turn to the textbook approach because it is similar to their own education.
Covers a Scope and Sequence - Often homeschoolers wonder if they are doing enough or covering the "right" topics and not "leaving gaps". With a tradtional textbook approach, many of those decisions are put into the hands of the publishers which gives the parents confidence.
Follows a Structure - Textbooks are methodical and incremental - building one concept at a time.
Easy planning - Often the homeschool textbook publishers outine a schedule to complete the text in a given period of time - this makes for easy planning. Using textbooks helps homeschoolers set up a routine or structure.
Encourages Independent Learning
Follows a Worldview - Textbooks are often written according to a specific worldview so parents can choose accordingly.
Opens topics which may never have been explored otherwise and may prove to be of great interest.

Many of these strengths may also be regarded as weaknesses of the textbook method.

Weaknesses of Home school Textbooks

Interest level - May not interest the child
Not tailor made - May move too quickly through a given topic; geared to the "generic" child.
Is sometimes criticized to cover topics in width, but not in depth.
Supervision required by the teacher when there is no worktext or workbook.
Disjointed learning - Subject areas are treated independently from eachother and so learning is seen to be disjointed.
Suited to the individual and not family learning time.

It must be noted, however, that some of these weaknesses can be omitted if you pick and choose homeschool textbooks - and customize them to suit your needs. If you're thinking along that thought - see my page on designing a homeschool textbooks approach.