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Choosing Homeschool Curriculum: What to Consider

© Beverley Paine 2011

Legal constraints: do your research

Firstly, find out if there are any constraints on what you can legally teach where you live. In some states and territories, home education registration or exemption from attending school is dependent on meeting the minimum requirements of the local curriculum framework, guidelines or syllabus. Copies of these are available on the internet.

Home education is defined in Australia as the parents taking direct responsibility for the education of their children in the home. It does not include the hiring of a paid tutor to teach all school subjects - that falls under different regulations and if you are considering this you need to carefully check your state or territory laws for more information.

However, in Australia you are free to choose the method or approach you use to help your children learn. It can be different for each area of learning or developmental stage, and may include:

  • Hands-on activities;
  • Investigation, exploration, experimenting;
  • Literature-based;
  • Using text-books, work-books, online programs;
  • Play-based.

What you choose will be based on your understanding of your children.

For more information about home education legislation and regulations read Is it Legal? The Home Education Association of Australia also has information and contacts that could be of assistance.

See also the other articles in this Choosing Curriculum series:

Or purchase Beverley's inexpensive Practical Homeschooling Series booklet from Always Learning Books - over 40 pages of practical information explaining the different approaches as well as useful and helpful advice.

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go back to The Educating Parent home page click here to learn more about what The Educating Parent offers to help you start and continue your awesome homeschooling or unschooling adventure click here to subscribe to Beverley's substack blog with new entries added every other day click here to join the largest Australian online homeschool community The Educating Parents Homeschooling and Unschooling Facebook group

The information on this website is of a general nature only and is not intended as personal or professional advice. This site merges and incorporates 'Homeschool Australia' and 'Unschool Australia'.

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