|

Favorite Catholic Homeschool Curriculum

Disclosure: Joyfully Domestic may earn a commission for purchases made after clicking links on this page. View our disclosure policy for details.

What are the best catholic homeschool curriculum out there? Well to be honest, this will depend entirely on your method of homeschool.

So, I’m sharing some of our favorite places to source materials to build your traditional Catholic curriculum.

organizing homeschool lesson plans in the classroom

Favorite Catholic Curriculum

Over the years, I’ve tried classical & traditional methods, before finally settling on Charlotte Mason. I’ve been a long time supporter of the Charlotte Mason method and have been using the CMEC now.

Before I go off on a tangent, let’s chat about some favorite places to buy a traditional Catholic curriculum for the homeschool.

And this post will not be all inclusive to what is available out there. I’m just sharing the places where I have personally sourced materials from. And those that I do recommend based off of the method of homeschooling which you choose to do.

If you’re brand new to homeschooling, you may like to read more about the methods of homeschooling before deciding which is best for your family.

classroom set up with wall time line, posters, and chalk board.

Traditional method curriculum sources

Many families that I know choose this method of homeschooling especially as a beginner. This is the method that I initially began with and I purchased many of our first books & curriculum to support this method.

Here are is an excellent option for the traditional method curriculum which I have used and recommend:

St Jerome Library

Charlotte Mason curriculum sources

We made the switch to Charlotte Mason in our homeschool a few years ago. And it is still very much a part of our approach.

When I was beginning with the CM method, I had to piece together our curriculum through a variety of sources.

I used a lot of foundation materials and ideas from Ambleside, which is not Catholic, but Christian based. From here, I added in the catechism and living books that were more practical for our faith.

Here are a few of the places where I have put our curriculum together from:

Now, we are using The CMEC and absolutely love it!

Piecing together curriculum from a variety of sources may not work for you if you prefer something more structured. I do love an all-in-on approach to sourcing school materials.

However, over time I’ve found that I haven’t always agreed with some principles or books provided. So, now I take the time to select the books that I find fitting for our family. This is not something that has come to me as a beginner, but over time as I’ve gotten more experienced and comfortable as a home educator.

Classical method curriculum sources

This method is liberal arts focused. It focuses on teaching children in three stages, called the Trivium. The Grammar Stage, the Dialectic Stage, and the Rhetoric Stage.

A study of Latin forms the foundation of classical education. There is also the study of history and literature to create a knowledge of Western civilization.

Here are two catholic based approaches to this method:

homeschool lesson planning on a desk with a variety of books

📚A few tips to get started:

  • before deciding on where to buy curriculum, research the methods you wish to do
  • you don’t have to select everything from one source – piecing together different material is also an option
  • what works for one family, may not work for another – decide what fits yours best
  • avoid the overwhelm – it’s ok to keep things simple

Avoid the overwhelm

There are so many different options out there when putting together your homeschool curriculum. Try to avoid becoming overwhelmed by keeping it simple.

What works for one family, may not work for another. This is the beauty of homeschooling! We can piece together a beautiful feast of learning for our children.

And when feelings of overwhelm start to come up, try to remember the reason why you’re homeschooling in the first place.

 It is therefore as important to make no mistake in education, as it is to make no mistake in the pursuit of the last end, with which the whole work of education is intimately and necessarily connected. In fact, since education consists essentially in preparing man for what he must be and for what he must do here below, in order to attain the sublime end for which he was created, it is clear that there can be no true education which is not wholly directed to man’s last end, and that in the present order of Providence, since God has revealed Himself to us in the Person of His Only Begotten Son, who alone is “the way, the truth and the life,” there can be no ideally perfect education which is not Christian education.

― ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS XI
ON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
(DIVINI ILLIUS MAGISTRI)

FAQS & TIPS


How do I choose a homeschool curriculum?

Begin by thinking about the method of homeschool that you want to follow? Take some time to think about what you want your homeschool to look like. What things are important to you when beginning to homeschool? Think about the type of learners you have. Some styles of homeschooling may work best depending on how they learn.

Do you have to follow a curriculum when homeschooling?

Sometimes following a curriculum works better for some and not so much for others. Determine the level of structure that you prefer. You could also piece together your homeschool curriculum from a variety of sources. If you love something really structured, it may be best for you to purchase the curriculum & materials as all in one from one of the sources mentioned in this post.

Where would you like to start?

Similar Posts