Cookie Cutter Curriculum

Have you ever thought that maybe your child is just not good at a particular subject? Perhaps you have been told your child has a learning disorder. I’m not dismissing the fact that some children might have real disorders or that learning can be challenging in a particular subject.

Would you take a moment to think outside the box with me, though? The “box” to which I am referring is boxed curriculum. You know, the box full of neatly organized lesson plans, teacher’s books, and student workbooks that you paid big bucks for?

In our homeschool endeavors we all need some of that structure that the boxed curriculum provides, but I am afraid that one particular curriculum just doesn’t cut it for every student. As you might have experienced in the clothing department, one size does not fit all.

Will the boxed curriculum fit some students’ learning style, abilities, and interests? We all know people who excelled in school, and good for them! My concern is the majority of other children whose learning style is kinesthetic or tactile and whose abilities show up more on the soccer field, for example, than in the classroom.

Is there hope for that kid who just doesn’t seem to grasp reading yet at eight years old, or the child who stares out the window and daydreams instead of working her math problems? Yes, I firmly believe there is hope! It takes an attentive, willing parent or teacher to discover their needs and assess their abilities, though. Beware of the cookie cutter curriculum. It doesn’t fit every child!