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CURRICULUM

 

What does the law say?

 

From: 24 P.S. § 13-1327.1 Home education program (Official Site)

 

(1) At the elementary school level, the following courses shall be taught: English, to include spelling, reading, and writing; arithmetic; science; geography; history of the United States and Pennsylvania; civics; safety education, including regular and continuous instruction in the dangers and prevention of fires; health and physiology; physical education; music; and art.

 

(2) At the secondary school level, the following courses shall be taught: English, to include language, literature, speech, and composition; science; geography; social studies, to include civics, world history, history of the United States and Pennsylvania; mathematics, to include general mathematics, algebra and geometry; art; music; physical education; health; and safety education, including regular and continuous instruction in the dangers and prevention of fires. Such courses of study may include, at the discretion of the supervisor of the home education program, economics; biology; chemistry; foreign languages; trigonometry; or other age-appropriate courses as contained in Chapter 5 (Curriculum Requirements) of the State Board of Education.

 

How do I teach?

 

There are many, many options! Most homeschoolers wind up doing a hybrid of methods and revise their approach as they discover what works best for themselves and their children. 

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Additional Resource Suggestions (from the PDE website)

  1. Public or private libraries

  2. Curriculum that may be purchased from many diverse sources

  3. Private cyber schools or other online courses

  4. Correspondence courses

  5. Umbrella schools

  6. Homeschool cooperatives (Co-Ops)

  7. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

  8. Dual enrollment in classes at the public school district (at the discretion of the district)

  9. Enrollment in universities or other higher educational choices

  10. Selective classes at a private school (cannot be dually enrolled)

  11. Individuals who specialize in particular subjects

  12. Relatives

  13. Self-developed materials

  14. Internet materials

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Note: all of these options are categorized as resources for home education programs and the source of educational materials is the supervisor's prerogative. All that is necessary for obtaining credit for work completed in a home education program, regardless of the source of curriculum, is for evidence of the work completed to be demonstrated in the portfolio. It is not necessary for the supervisor of the home education program to deliver all instruction personally.

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What do I teach?

 

After you have examined what teaching style you’d like to try, you can begin exploring curriculum options. These range from borrowing materials from your school district to finding your own curriculum at the local library as you go, to purchasing entire curriculum packages, to project-based/interest-based learning, and so on. There is no set curriculum that you need to use and you will find that curriculum choices will become easier as you learn what works best for you and your child(ren). 

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Some additional links:

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