Boxed vs Out-of-the-Box Curriculum

The Homeschool Highschool Podcast

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Boxed vs out-of-the-box Curriculum.

Boxed vs Out-of-the-Box Curriculum

One amazing thing about homeschooling is the ability to tailor education to your family’s unique needs. When you are choosing curriculum, you will likely find yourself pondering whether to try boxed vs out-of-the-box curriculum approaches. Join Vicki and Sabrina to look at the benefits of each.

Boxed Curriculum

A boxed curriculum provides a comprehensive, all in one, total package, typically including all necessary materials, such as books and resources, along with a suggested syllabus.

Boxed curriculum can look like a myriad of things. For instance, some boxed curriculum can be completely online, with or without the need to print worksheets. Others can be a mix of both online lessons and physical textbook lessons and activities. While yet other boxed curriculum can strictly be purely physical books and resources.

This option is appealing for its organized structure and convenience – it’s already put together and planned out for you. With this sort of curriculum approach, parents feel confident that they are covering all required subjects, and the provided syllabus helps keep the family on track.

Boxed curriculum might offer financial savings through bundled resources, making it a cost-effective choice for many families. It can also be a relief for parents who prefer not to spend time piecing together different resources or who feel less confident in certain subject areas.

Of course, the price of boxed curriculum varies from company to company, from affordability to highly expensive, with each having their own set of pros and cons.

One drawback of the structured nature of boxed curriculum can be that it ay sometimes feel restrictive. And it may not always align perfectly with your family’s unique interests or specific needs of a child. Parents might worry about cramming their child into a one-size-fits-all educational model. But the key is to remember it’s completely okay to skip the parts of the boxed curriculum that you don’t like or that doesn’t fit your family.

You can be in the boxed curriculum but not be bound by the boxed curriculum!

We 7Sisters call our boxed curriculum “bundles”. Our English/Language Arts Bundles are popular for busy families with homeschool high school. They include literature study guides, writing guides, grammar resources, vocabulary (in the literature guides), public speaking activities. Take a look:

General/Mixed Literature Topics

• One Year of High School English/Language Arts (A Good Fit for 9th Grade)
• Another Year of High School English/Language Arts (A Good Fit for 10th Grade)
• One More Year of High School English/Language Arts (A Good Fit for 11th Grade)
• A Final Year of High School English/Language Arts (A Good Fit for 12th Grade)

Focused Topic Literature Topics

• A Full Year of English/Language Arts: Cinema Studies for Literature Learning and Composition (A Good Fit for 9th or 10th Grade)
• A Full Year of English/Language Arts: Great Christian Writers Literature and Composition (A Good Fit for 9th or 10th Grade)
• A Full Year of English/Language Arts: American Literature and Composition ((A Good Fit for 10th or 11th Grade)
• A Full Year of English/Language Arts: British Literature and Composition (A Good Fit for 11th or 12th Grade)
• A Full Year of English/Language Arts: World and Ancient Literature and Composition (A Good Fit for 11th or 12th Grade)

Out-of-the-box Curriculum

On the other hand, an out-of-the-box curriculum approach allows for complete customization. Here, you can select resources that match your child’s interests and learning style, creating a more personalized educational experience. This kind of flexibility can lead to higher enthusiasm from your teens for learning.

An out-of-the-box curriculum can also be called an a la carte approach, where you can pick and choose different curriculum to meet your teen’s needs and subject matter. This can be particularly beneficial for subjects when your teen has a strong interest or even where the parent has strong expertise.

It also allows families to incorporate real-life experiences and spontaneous learning opportunities, such as field trips or project-based learning. This flexibility makes for a more personalized and engaging educational experience for teens, helping them to connect their learning to the world around them.

However, the freedom of an out-of-the-box, or a la carte, curriculum comes with its own set of challenges. Without the structure of a pre-packaged curriculum, parents must invest more time in planning and ensuring they cover all necessary topics.

It may also be harder to track progress and stay organized, especially for those new to homeschooling. When parents are piecing together every bit of a child’s education, it could get overwhelming, especially if you have multiple children in different age groups to plan and purchase for.

Our homeschooling high schoolers who loved to pick and choose curriculum loved 7Sisters Literature Guides and Writing Guides.

Here is a complete list of 7Sisters no-busywork Literature Study Guides

• Essay Writing Guides for High School (suggested for 9th-11th grades)
• Poetry Writing Guides for High School (suggested for 9th-11th grades)
• Short Story Writing Guides for High School (suggested for 9th-11th grades)
• Research Paper Writing Guides (suggested for 9th-11th grades)
• Real-World Writing Guides (suggested for 11th-12th grades)

Boxed Curriculum vs Eclectic: Finding the Right Balance

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of boxed curriculum vs. out-of-the-box curriculum. In fact, there is no “right way” to homeschool.

The best approach depends on each family’s specific needs and preferences. Some families might thrive with the structure and convenience of a boxed curriculum, while others might prefer the flexibility and personalization of an out-of-the-box approach.

For many, a hybrid model works best. This could involve using a boxed curriculum for core subjects and supplementing with customized resources for areas of special interest or need.

Flexibility is key, and it’s important to remember that the chosen curriculum should serve the family’s educational goals, not the other way around.

Boxed Vs Out-of-the-box Curriculum

Both boxed vs out-of-the-box curriculum have their merits. Understand the strengths and limitations of each one and how they compare with your family’s specific needs and preferences. When you do that, you can make an informed decision that best supports your homeschooling journey.

Whether opting for a structured package or a personalized mix of resources, the goal is to create a fulfilling and effective educational experience for your teens.

Thank you for Seth Tillman for editing this podcast and for Richie Soares with Homeschool and Humor for writing this blog post!

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